Nov 17 (TM) SL’s real estate market has suffered no damage from the Covid-19 curfews imposed since October in various parts of the country and has in fact operated positively through them, property listing website Lanka Property Web (LPW) said. The company based this on a comparison done between website visitors and users of LPW during the first week of the initial lockdown imposed in March and the last week of October, which showed an increase of 153% and 115%, respectively. more..

Nov 17 (Island) Sri Lanka Tourism, as one of its initiatives to promote the island destination on social media and virtual platforms shared engaging content of its many attractions and resources turning the pandemic to an opportunity. As result of this effort, Sri Lanka Tourism was able to participate on a destination promotional programme on Nile TV international, with the continuous effort and guidance of the Sri Lanka embassy in Cairo, Egypt, to make this become a successful reality. more..

Nov 17 (AI) SL govt must remain committed to delivering truth, justice and reparations to thousands of victims of the country’s civil war, said Amnesty International (AI), ahead of tomorrow’s announcement of the national budget for 2021. Following the govt’s withdrawal of support in February for the UNHRC resolution committing the country to a transitional justice process for victims, AI is deeply concerned that the budgets of more..

Nov 17 (DM) COVID-19 pandemic has a devastating effect on Colombo life, with the continuing second wave and the Peliyagoda wholesale fish market exploding with a quick spread of the virus even beyond Colombo. With Colombo city grabbed by the pandemic with less mercy, the Govt was compelled to isolate and lockdown Mattakkuliya, Muttwal, Bloemendhal, Kotahena, Grandpass, Foreshore Police area, Aduruppu Street, Maligawatte, Dematagoda, Keselwatte and Borella, more..

Nov 17 (FT) Business tycoon Harry Jayawardena-controlled Melstacorp PLC has invested a further Rs. 175 million for the upcoming cement bagging business via a joint venture. The new venture, Melsta Gama, is with Pyramid Gama, a joint venture between Gama Corp. of Indonesia and Pyramid Holdings of Sri Lanka. The latest investment is by way of enhancing capital. Originally Melstacorp’s stake in JV was Rs. 952 million and in FY20, it had increased to Rs. 1.127 billion. more..

Nov 17 (CT) Indian actor Sachin Joshi bought Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Dambulla and renamed it Dambulla Vikings, and now all five teams have been sold with 11 days to go for the tournament. Two Indian actors, an Indian businessman, a Pakistani businessman and a London based businessman, are the owners of the five LPL teams who will play 23 matches in the league starting 26 Nov in Hambanthota. more..

Nov 17 (CT) Former World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga questioned the legitimacy of SLC’s franchise based T20 league Lanka Premier League (LPL) in a letter addressed to Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa. In the letter he has highlighted allegations against some of the individuals who are involved in the LPL, and has also raised six question regarding the league as follows: 1. Does this league have ICC approval? Is it a direct involvement? more..

Nov 17 (Island) Third plant of the Norochcholai coal-fired power complex has been shut down due to a technical problem. The boiler system of the first power plant was replaced in January this year due to its continuous failure. Attempts to construct a fourth coal power unit at the Norochcholai complex has come to a halt due to the delays in the EIA process. Earlier this month, a probe by COPE found that although the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant was to add 900 MW electricity to national grid more..

Nov 17 (TM) The recently approved Cabinet proposal to set up Export Production Villages (EPVs) around Sri Lanka is expected to save the country $ 1 billion in the next four years. The project proposal for the initiative that was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 3 Nov stated that the Govt plans to reduce SL’s dependency on imports of raw material for export purposes and save the country $ 1 billion between the years of 2021 & 2024. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Customs has announced new measures to improve facilitation benefitting its users with quicker clearance of shipments and reduced cost. From now on, import consignments containing multiple containers will be split electronically based on the risks involved. “This mechanism will replace the Out Panel examination,” Customs sources said. In this fully automated process, some containers in a consignment will be selected for examination at Rank Container Terminal (RCT), while more..

Nov 17 (FT) Lanka IOC Ltd. is nearing the completion of work on SL’s first grease manufacturing plant in Trincomalee, a move which will help save valuable foreign exchange as at present the requirement is met entirely via imports. The company began construction work on the ground breaking venture early this year and is estimated to have invested Rs. 200 million. The plant’s capacity of 3,000 tons is capable of meeting the entire market demand in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 17 (CT) Since the UK is the main market for SL’s exports to the EU region and the second largest export market after the USA, it is important for SL to receive the same tariff preferences it was enjoying prior to Brexit when trading with the UK in the post-Brexit period, Export Development Board (EDB) said. Once the transition period ends on 31 Dec this year, UK Global Tariff will replace EU’s Common External Tariff more..

Nov 17 (Island) While it is correct to say that the cost of living is rising particularly in terms of food prices, the Central Bank observes that inflation is well anchored broadly within the target range of 4-6%, Dr. Chandranath Amarasekara, Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank told the Island Financial Review (IFR). IFR put this query to the Central Bank as many people are often heard complaining about rising food prices adding that there is no mechanism in place to stem it. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Labour Ministry yesterday said companies paying pro-rate wages had to notify the Ministry of why they were facing cash flow issues and get permission to initiate paying partial salaries to employees not reporting to work. Earlier this year a tripartite COVID-19 task force, which included the Labour Ministry, Trade Unions and the Employers Federation reached an agreement for private sector employees to be paid the highest of either 50% of the total salary or a minimum of Rs. 14, 500. more..

Nov 17 (CT) Former Ministers Rishad Bathiudeen and Mohamed Haleem had on a number of occasions visited the house of Muhinuddin Ihsan Ahamed, who was arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings. This was revealed yesterday, when Nilantha Fonseka, Grama Niladhari (GN) of the GN Division where Ihsan's house is located, testified before the PCoI. A State Counsel questioned the witness whether there was more..

Nov 17 (CT) State Minister Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle, instructed the Prisons Department to take steps to provide immunity enhancing medicines to prison officers and inmates, to help them combat the spread of COVID-19 within the prisons system. She had also ordered the Prisons Department to initiate a probe into how the pandemic had spread fast within the system and forward a report on it to her. State Minister had also ordered the Prisons Commissioner General to subject inmates to more..

Nov 17 (Wisden) Sri Lankan opener was a part of the famous side which won the 1996 World Cup, yet his name is not quite as synonymous with that team’s success like teammates Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan. Looking back it is easy to see why. Despite his partnership with Sanath Jayasuriya being referenced as key part of SL’s success in 1996, Kaluwitharana made just 73 runs across six innings at an average of 12.16. more..

Nov 17 (FT) PM and Minister of Finance Mahinda Rajapaksa will present the new Govt’s first budget to Parliament at 1:40 p.m. today. The private sector is hoping that the Budget 2021 will provide clear-cut policies as well as tax and other support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly those targeted at import substitution. Ahead of the Budget presentation, key Govt officials had indicated the Budget would also more..

Nov 17 (FT) The COVID-19 death toll yesterday rose to 61, with health authorities confirming three more COVID-19-related deaths. According to the Dept of Govt Information, all three deaths occurred in the Colombo District, with two being residents of Colombo city. An 84-year-old resident of Moratuwa passed away at home due to diabetes with COVID-19 infection. A resident of Colombo 10 was admitted to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) after he tested positive for the virus. more..

Nov 17 (DM) Following the incident of a luxury vehicle crashing into a motor showroom opposite the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo on Sunday, Cinnamon Gardens Police have released the suspect, who is a daughter of a Senior Superintendent of Police, on police bail of Rs.10,000. The suspect was charged with negligent driving, failing to avoid an accident as well as driving without a valid licence. The suspect, who was released on bail, will be produced before more..

Nov 17 (FT) The dual COVID-19 cluster that emerged from Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda yesterday exceeded 14,000 cases with the detection of 387 cases. Of the cases identified yesterday, 382 were associates of the Peliyagoda cluster and five were overseas arrivals. With all recent cases linked to the Peliyagoda cluster, authorities stated that the Divulapitiya COVID-19 cluster was under control. more..

Nov 17 (DN) A programme to replant mangrove saplings in coastal and lagoon areas is being implemented on the instructions of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa who is also the Minister of Urban Development and Housing. This programme has been initiated in order to protect the mangrove environment. PM Mahinda Rajapaksa instructed the Marine Environment Protection Authority to take all possible measures to further develop the existing mangrove environment in the country, more..

Nov 17 (FT) The people of the resplendent island, also sometimes known as (aska) Fools’ Paradise, have made a magnificent bed that is wide, strong and luxurious especially in protest against the previous Govt. It is up to the Rajapaksas to sleep in it or not. The proverbial bed-making has a negative connotation: You’ve made your bed, now lie in it. The bed for the Rajapaksa family is made by people with positive intentions, leaving no room for a complaint of the type ‘there are troublesome more..

Nov 17 (FT) Clearly, Sri Lanka should panic immediately, shut down, lock down the districts, blow up the economy further, inflict more suffering upon its citizens, because this uncontrollable scourge has clearly devastated the land! Clearly, I’m joshing. Lanka should be beaming comparatively! Just post these comparative figures, which are some of the most positive in the world (India in terms of caseload exempted, mortality-wise perspective is gained by realising more than one million die of more..

Nov 17 (DN) The closing date for the renewal of all gun licenses and permits for private security firms, for 2021 has been extended by the Defence Ministry. Ministry said that the closing date for the renewal of licenses and permits has been extended until Feb 28, 2021. The process which was to be conducted by the Defence Ministry together with the District Secretariats was scheduled to be completed before 31st Dec 2020. The Defence Ministry said, however, that it had decided to extend the renewal date more..

Nov 17 (DM) Talaimannar has been proposed to bury Muslim coronavirus victims. Govt sources said that Talaimannar island had been proposed as the safest option considering some concerns raised by certain experts. A source said that when the matter was discussed by the cabinet last week most of the cabinet Ministers had agreed to the proposal. Daily Mirror learns that initially a proposal was made to bury the remains of more..

Nov 17 (AD) Most Venerable Napane Pemasiri Thera, Mahanayake of the SL Ramanna Maha Nikaya, has passed away at the age of 98. Thera had been receiving treatment at the Peradeniya Hospital at the time of his passing. He was appointed the Mahanayke of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya on the 03rd of Sept in 2012. Prior to the appointment, Napane Premasiri Thera had served as the Chief Incumbent of Menikhinna Hurikaduwa Vidyasagara Pirivena and more..

Nov 17 (EN) The Cabinet has approved a Voluntary Retirement Scheme for 560 employees of SriLankan Airlines which will cost a whopping LKR 1.46bn, the Govt announced today. A Three-Member Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Ministry of Aviation and Export Zones Development was appointed to study the aforesaid matter. The committee recommended the implementation of the proposed Voluntary Retirement Scheme which will not hinder the operations of the company more..

Nov 17 (AD) Business magnate Dhammika Perera says that the seriousness of an issue depends on how one perceives the issue. He mentioned this speaking on the COVID-19 and its effects on the economy on TV Derana. Perera says that the coronavirus epidemic had emerged in the world on 06 previous occasions and it had died down on all 06 occasions even without a vaccine. He says that his belief and more..

Nov 17 (FT) Softlogic Holdings PLC yesterday reported a loss in the second quarter as well as in the first half amidst challenging times arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, but expressed optimism of a turnaround going forward. Second quarter pre-tax loss was Rs. 873 million, as against a loss of Rs. 197 million a year earlier, while the after-tax loss was Rs. 936 million, up by 115%. Net profit attributable to equity holders of the parent was a negative Rs. 1 billion, more..

Nov 17 (TM) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said tourism, foreign and commercial activities of the first phase of the Colombo Port City is scheduled to be commenced in 2021. In the Budget speech, he said steps are expeditiously underway to develop the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone as an attractive business hub. “The preliminary work related to the construction if the first financial and commercial centre has already been initiated. I expect to present to the Parliament a new more..

Nov 17 (AD) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has proposed to establish fully-fledged plug and play Techno Parks in Galle, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Kandy and Batticaloa districts. Finance Minister said creating a techno-entrepreneur-led economy will contribute to the increase of exports and foreign earnings from the technology field and broaden the knowledge and professional services to the national economy within the next 2 years. more..

Nov 17 (Island) British PM Boris Johnson has appointed the former Secretary of State for International Development, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, as the UK’s International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency. With one year to go until COP26 is held in Glasgow, the role of the Champion will be to drive global ambition and action to support countries like Sri Lanka on the frontline of climate change to adapt to its impacts and to build resilience. more..

Nov 17 (CT) Ven. Jamburawela Chandraratne Thera, representing the People's Responsibility Centre (PRC), has criticised the UN Resident Coordinator to SL, Hanaa Singer for her undue attempts to influence internal affairs of Sri Lanka, by urging the PM to change the decision of cremating the bodies of Muslims dying of COVID-19. PRC representatives yesterday visited the UN office in Colombo and handed over the petition opposing Singer's intervention in SL's affairs. more..

Nov 17 (AD) “I request all of you to give your blessing to the development budget aimed at economic revival and poverty reduction” - PM. - The expected economic growth rate for 2021 is 5.5%. He emphasize that it is the govt’s medium term vision to reduce the budget gap through increasing the economic growth up to 6% and increasing the govt revenue from its current level of 9.7% to 14.1%. more..

Nov 17 (Island) Operations had been launched to arrest hawkers who approached vehicles at traffic lights, police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said yesterday. Policemen had been deployed near signal lights to prevent such interactions as it could lead to transmission of COVID19, Rohana said. The Police Spokesman added that people had to avoid interactions with strangers. The spread of COVID19 continues with 704 new cases being reported on Sunday alone. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Preparations are being made to handover proposals to the BoI to establish four projects at the newly approved 275-acre Industrial Zone for Fabric Processing Enterprises in Eravur Pattu, Batticaloa. Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAFF) Secretary General Tuli Cooray said that the industry was preparing initial paperwork to be handed over to BoI to set up four projects. However, he declined to give details due to the investment being in the early stages of development. more..

Nov 17 (FT) Creating a proper structure for sports, bringing proper governance to sports in Sri Lanka and picking National Selection Committees through an independent system are some of the objectives the newly appointed National Sports Council (NSC) have set out to achieve, according to NSC Head Mahela Jayawardene. Outlining the tasks ahead of them, Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka cricket captain said, more..

Nov 17 (AD) PM proposed to implement a special loan scheme for public servants to obtain solar powered electricity, with a view to support the reduction in electricity bills of public servants. When appointing or transferring public servants, it is proposed to ensure that such postings are made giving preference to the districts of residence, he said, delivering the 2021 budget speech in parliament. He also announced that permission will be granted for non-executive office more..