Mar 14 (TL) Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has instructed the Chairman and the Board of Directors of the SLBC to resign with immediate effect. Accordingly, Chairman Jagath Wickramasinghe, Directors Nipuna Wahalathanthri, Gamini Wijesekera as well as representatives of the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media have been asked to submit their resignations. A decision by the Board of Directors to hand over a broadcasting station in Uda Radella, Nuwara Eliya, to a businessman more..

Mar 14 (TM) Despite the preparations made by Sri Lanka and India’s Adani Group to jointly develop the West Container Terminal (WCT) at the Colombo Port, the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said last week that the Japanese Govt is yet to decide its policy stance on the announcement made by Sri Lanka. Responding to a query made by The Sunday Morning, the Japanese Embassy in Colombo said: “The Govt of Japan has not yet decided its policy line on the announcement by the Govt of SL.” more..

Mar 14 (ST) The govt’s incredulously flawed initiatives at the UNHRC to stall or change sections of the hugely damaging resolution on SL ended last Friday. This is when the UK with the core group Canada, Germany, Malawi, North Macedonia & Montenegro handed in the final resolution to the UNHRC Secretariat. It will now come up for vote on March 22 or the next day. This came after two further rounds of informal consultations more..

Mar 15 (DM) During a research visit to Karainagar, an Island connected by a causeway to Jaffna, I listened to a single mother’s struggle to educate her three children. She had returned to her home in Karainagar having survived the war in the Vanni. Her family’s main income over the recent years was from cooking lunch packets for construction workers, which also ensured at least one full meal for her family. This livelihood provided her with roughly Rs.200 in disposable cash each day for more..

Mar 15 (Island) In Geneva, essentially, it will be a West vs East battle, considering the key players. It is no secret that moves against SL are orchestrated principally by Britain and EU countries, operating as proxies more or less of the USA, which opted out of the UNHRC’s annual drama on account of the infamous descriptive ‘cesspool of bias. The endgame has been clearly visualized and what we now see are strategic moves that envisage a movement towards that particular more..

Mar 15 (CT) The elephant population in the country has been on the decline due to various natural causes and man-made activities. Expansion of human settlements and agricultural lands across the country has resulted in widespread loss of elephant habitat, degraded forage, reduced landscape connectivity, and a significant decline in elephant populations relative to their historical size and overall range. more..

Mar 15 (CT) In A hero of our time Mikhail Lermontov’s protagonist places a single bullet in the chamber of the gun, rotates its cylinder and randomly shoots to win a bet, the translation of this game into English earned the name Russian roulette. Since then Russian roulette has often been used sometimes even in suicide and torture. The UNHRC points the muzzle of a gun at SL’s head and waits to pull the trigger; SL waits hoping the loaded chamber does not align with the primer. more..

Mar 15 (TM) The incident involved a chakra that activates divine energies, which the respective VVIP always holds in his hand. However, this chakra had fallen from his hand while attending an official function at the parliamentary complex last week. Seeing the object fall from his hand, a female legislator representing the Opposition had immediately picked it up from the floor and handed it back to the VVIP. The respective VVIP had thanked the female MP and taken the object with more..

Mar 15 (TM) The country-wide protests that were launched last week highlighted the issue of the rising cost of living, amidst which many opposition political party leaders continued to question why the Govt had failed to keep its promise of providing a solution. The Sunday Morning reached out to Minister of Trade Dr. Bandula Gunawardana on what the Govt has to say about the present economic climate of the country, and more..

Mar 15 (TM) Nearly two years and two elections down the road, the topic still most passionately discussed both in Parliament and on the streets is the Easter Sunday attacks. It seems that however much attempts are made to bury this volatile subject along with the suicide bombers who carried out the attacks, it finds a way of resurrecting itself in a greater avatar than the one before. And so it was last week, first in Parliament during the debate on Prez Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report, more..

Mar 15 (Island) Sri Lanka has decried an online advertisement of doormats and slippers with its national flag printed on them. Amazon has withdrawn the advertisement, and China, where the controversial products were manufactured, has condemned the desecration of Sri Lanka’s flag and promised action against the errant business. It beggars belief that a manufacturer can stoop so low as to denigrate the national flag of a nation. Amazon, the largest online retailer, ought to act more..

Mar 15 (DM) In the not too distant past, Sri Lanka had in place social systems which provided basic economic security for its citizens. A state where govt was responsible for the individual and social welfare of its citizens. A strong trade union movement protected employees rights. They made hire and fire regulations which operated in more developed countries inoperable here. Fixed working hours and security of employment were a basic right. Health services were free and so was education. more..

Mar 15 (ST) Get out Russia, get out China said the placards of Civil Disobedience activists in Myanmar as they continued to defy the crackdown by the junta. A deadly death count with more than fifty men, women and children mowed down by security forces and counting, has not deterred Myanmar’s professionals from joining the protest movement; ‘our aim is to halt the very day to day running of the bureaucracy, without us, the military can do little’ said a medical health professional who more..

Mar 15 (FT) Farook Kassim, who is the Managing Director of Al Bogari Holdings, a Dubai-based trading and investment firm, is upbeat on SL’s growth prospects and investment opportunities in both greenfield and listed equities. In SL via the Investor Bubble, which he hailed as a very positive step, fantastic idea and a bold move by the Govt, Farook is exploring new investment opportunities in the upcoming Port City as well as CSE. more..

Mar 15 (ST) Sprinter Kalinga Kumarage has been cleared to resume his athletic career. The 400 metre runner was first suspended in 2019 over doping charges and then exonerated after a SL Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) disciplinary inquiry. But SLADA subsequently challenged that decision, only to have the Appeal Panel dismiss it this week, allowing Kumarage to compete again. The sprinter successfully proved that the test procedure was flawed and that the adverse finding was more..

Mar 15 (CT) SL Legends skipper Thilakarathne Dilshan once again proved that age is just a number for the all-rounder, as first with the ball and then with the bat, he helped SL Legends record a comprehensive 6-wicket win over England Legends in the Road Safety World Series. Dilshan, the hero, claimed 4-wickets in his allotted 4 overs while giving away just 6 runs to restrict the Kevin Petersen led England Legends for a paltry 78 runs, and then smashed the ball all over the park to score more..

Mar 15 (CI) Darren Bravo's first century in nearly five years, along with fifties from Shai Hope and Kieron Pollard, meant Wanindu Hasaranga's rearguard 80 not out would ultimately be in vain, as WI hunted down their target with five wickets to spare, to sweep the three-match ODI series. The result not only extended SL's losing streak against West Indies in ODIs to six games, but also means they remain rooted at the bottom of more..

Mar 15 (TM) With the second amended draft of the Resolution presented by the Core Group on SL before the UNHRC tabled in the Council, last week also saw more informal consultations on the Resolution. The revised UN Core Group draft resolution on SL was tabled at the UNHRC on Friday night (12) with more revisions including a latest paragraph calling for the implementation of the 13th Amendment (13A) to the Constitution. The new paragraph on 13A also urged SL to fulfil more..

Mar 15 (EN) SL expects to collect about US$ 125 million a month from foreign exchange surrenders once efforts to track and monitor exporter conversions are fined tuned, an official said. SL required banks to surrender 10% of remittances converted to rupees and half of a mandatory 25% conversion of exporter (12.5% of total) proceeds. “Going forward we expect at least 125 million per month to come in” Deputy Governor Dhammika Nanayakkara said earlier this month. more..

Mar 15 (DN) SL organic exporters could become strategic suppliers to the German market for organic food which is one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide and the largest one within the European Union (EU). This was opined by Chief Delegate of Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in SL (AHK Sri Lanka), Andreas Hergenröther, (AHK Sri Lanka), at a seminar in Jaffna hosted in collaboration with the German Agency of Int'l Development Cooperation (GIZ), more..

Mar 15 (FT) Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) raised euro 5 million (around Rs. 1.15 billion) in Tier II qualifying capital, strengthening its capital ratios aimed at supporting its business growth. The Tier II qualified subordinated loan which has a tenure of five years, has been extended by Triodos Microfinance Fund and Triodos Fair Share Fund which are two financial inclusion funds managed by Triodos Investment Management. more..

Mar 15 (FT) SL’s total COVID-19 patient count rose to 87,907 over the weekend with the detection of 621 patients on Saturday and yesterday. A total of 307 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday and the patients include 275 associates of the Peliyagoda cluster and 7 persons linked to the prisons cluster. On Saturday, 314 persons tested positive for COVID-19, including 278 associates of the Peliyagoda cluster, more..

Mar 15 (MoD) “As the authorized body of the country to protect the national security, we don’t hesitate to arrest and implement the law against anyone who attempts to break the law of the country by sawing seeds of hate politics and provoking the public peace”, Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd) said. “Irrespective of his/ her position, every citizen of this country should respect and follow the prevailing law of the country. The laws cannot be changed according to an individual wish" more..

Mar 15 (ST) The infamous circulars sent by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) have come full circle. Thankfully, they are now in the past and hopefully, lessons learned despite a blame game still being continued by those who were burnt heavily. What the past has shown is that illiteracy and little knowledge are dangerous and detrimental. How the future is viewed will change the game. At the risk of repeating the oft-brandished slogan, investors should be wise and invest in shares more..

Mar 15 (FT) Banking sector›s Return on Equity (ROE) has been diminishing over the past years, proving wrong the misperception that the industry is making hefty profits. An analysis by the Daily FT of leading State and private sector banks reveals that ROE in 2020 was just 10.24% and has halved in comparison to 2016 when it was 20.41%. Since 2016, ROE has been on the decline overall for the sample of banks analysed. more..

Mar 15 (FT) Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Saturday said that the present Govt is committed to the development of the country while protecting the independent, sovereign, free and unitary State. He made these remarks while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Eastern Provincial Regional Consular Office of the Foreign Ministry in Trincomalee. “The Governor has taken steps to provide equal rights to all the people of the country as a unitary State, including the North & East. more..

Mar 15 (AD) A team of CID officers have been appointed to inquire into the controversial statements made recently by Azath Salley. DIG Ajith Rohana said that the five-member CID team will be led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). Accordingly, the investigations are currently underway, the DIG added. Leader of the National Unity Front (NUF) Azath Salley recently made a controversial statement regarding the law of the country triggering several complaints to CID. more..

Mar 15 (PMD) Prez Rajapaksa has instructed the relevant parties to take steps to expedite the provincial council elections by either withdrawing the PC Amendment bill or rectifying its anomalies. The bill moved by the previous govt proposing mixed system of representation by constituency and proportional representation based on 50-50 ratio, increasing women’s representation was defeated by they themselves. more..

Mar 15 (FT) The Govt has extended fresh support to businesses and individuals engaged in passenger transportation sector given the continued challenges faced owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Central Bank last week announced the extension of moratorium on lease instalments (capital and interest) for six months or shorter period as applicable starting from 1 April, considering the financial difficulties faced by the eligible borrowers in the passenger transport sector. more..

Mar 15 (ST) India, in a latest change of slightly strained economic relations, is now holding close and constructive discussions with Sri Lanka on a US$1.1 billion swap facility, debt freezing arrangement, and development aid, official sources confirmed. The Indo –SL technical level discussions on the postponement of debt repayment and the offer of $45 billion loan from Exim Bank of India for Kankesanthurai Port development have been concluded in favour of Sri Lanka, more..

Mar 15 (TM) The much talked about cabinet paper submitted for the Cabinet of Ministers’ approval to ban the wearing of face veils in SL includes both the niqab and the burqa. The difference between the often confused niqab and burqa is that the niqab covers the face of the wearer except the eyes, while the burqa covers the entire face of the wearer from onlookers, including the eyes. Minister Sarath Weerasekera said that more..

Mar 15 (CT) It has been revealed at the PCoI, into the Easter Sunday attacks, that Indian Intelligence provided accurate information on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks on three occasions to the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and it was done by a mole created by Indian Intelligence named Abuhind who had close links with Zaharan Hashim. The intelligence activist who was disguised as Abuhind had pretended to be the Indian Zone leader of Islamic State (IS) organisation more..

Mar 15 (AD) It has been decided that the Grade 05 Scholarship Examination and the G.C.E. A/L Examination for the year 2021 will not be held in August this year, the Department of Examinations stated. Commissioner-General of Examinations Sanath Poojitha said that this decision was taken on the instructions of the Minister of Education at a recent discussion. Previously, the A/L examination and the Grade 5 Scholarship examination were held in August every year. more..

Mar 15 (Island) Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbeldon has told the UK-based pro-LTTE groups that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction to investigate Sri Lanka. ICC could only do so if SL accepted its jurisidiction, or if the UN Security Council adopts a resolution to refer Sri Lanka to the ICC. UK did not think such a step would have sufficient support among more..

Mar 15 (DM) Asserting that the resolution to be moved at the UNHRC is an infringement of sovereignty of SL, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardane said it was an unfriendly act by the UK to lead a core-group sponsoring it. Making his remarks on the final draft of the resolution made available to SL, the Minister said that the content was intrusive and in violation of sovereignty of a country. He said it amounts to an unfriendly act by UK on SL as a member of Commonwealth. more..

Mar 15 (Island) The proposed burqa ban is an attempt to divert public attention from the sugar scam, says the JVP. JVP MP Vijitha Herath said: “The govt is good at creating issues. For example, when the public was angry about allowing death-row convict Premalal Jayasekera to enter Parliament, govt announced that it would ban cattle slaughter. The public lost their interest in Jayasekera and started to talk about the pros and cons of cattle slaughter. “Now they have raised the issue of more..

Mar 15 (CT) The latest revelations that the country loss revenue over Rs 16 billion over the importation of sugar by a Rajapaksa loyalist using a noticeably short tax break has been compounded by the expose that the same businessman was involved in an even greater scam importing coconut oil during a strange tax window in 2020. At the centre of the Sugar Scandal is Sajaad Mohmmaed Mawzoon, proprietor of Shangri-La Hotels. more..

Mar 15 (FT) I am thankful to both the Association of Professional Bankers and the K. Sivagananathan Trust for inviting me to do the honours this year for my friend, colleague, and mentor, the late K. Sivagananathan, known to his friends as Siva, by delivering the 19th Memorial Oration in his name. It is an honour as well as a privilege for me. We became friends in late 1980s after a chance meeting at the Central Bank. At that time, I was a Deputy Director of Economic Research at the CB more..