Apr 2 (DM) Cabinet approval has been granted to import 1,000 vehicles only for the tourism industry to transport tourists, Minister Bandula Gunawardana said. He said this was after taking into consideration that vehicles in the tourism sector engaged in transporting tourists cannot be used for more than six years. It is apparent that the condition of the vehicles used in the tourism industry is not satisfactory and sufficient, and the fame earned by SL as a prominent tourist destination more..

Apr 2 (EN) Cabinet have given approval for state-run SriLankan Airlines to acquire four wide body aircraft on operating leases, Minister Bandula Gunawardana has said. The national carrier will lease two aircraft from ORIX Aviation for 6 years at a fee of 360,000 dollars. Another two aircraft will be leased from Aergo Capital Limited for 8 years at a fee of 365,000 dollars, he said. Sri Lankan has contracts of several leased aircraft expire, after legislators blocked the first tender more..

Apr 2 (FT) Representatives from SL’s business community, Government, and the finance sector convened in Colombo to discuss the mix of policies, financial mechanisms and technologies, crucial for propelling the country’s industrial decarbonisation and economic recovery. This event is the second edition of the Industry Dialogue organised by the European Union (EU)-funded Accelerating Industries’ Climate Response in Sri Lanka project. “For Sri Lanka to emerge stronger, more..

Apr 2 (AD) Supreme Court on Tuesday issued an interim injunction preventing the Excise Dept from issuing liquor licenses in violation of the provisions of the Excise Act of SL. The court order will be in effect until 10 May 2024. A 3-member bench comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Janak de Silva and Arjuna Obeysekera delivered the interim injunction after taking into consideration three fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed by the SL Liquor Licensees’ Association and several other parties. more..

Apr 2 (DM) The National People's Power (NPP) today invited Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa for a public debate on economic policies with NPP leader and presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake. NPP politburo member Sunil Handunnetti told a news conference that the NPP was ready to take up SJB MPs Nalin Bandara and Dr. Harsha De Silva‘s challenge to the NPP Economic Council for a public debate on more..

Apr 2 (DM) Central Environment Authority (CEA) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident where a Singapore cargo ship was carrying hazardous materials to SL from the US, State Minister of Environment Janaka Wakkumbura said today. He told Parliament that the CEA was unaware that the cargo ship carrying hazardous materials was heading to SL. Minister said this while responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who asked the govt's reaction more..

Apr 2 (Island) The SJB in Parliament demanded to know from the govt what action it would take to bring home over 50 Lankans held hostage by a Myanmar terrorist group. MP Lakshman Kiriella said that around 56 Lankans were being illegally held in Myawaddy area. These Lankans, who were lured with tourist visas behind the false front of lucrative job offers in the IT sector, were being held captive for more than four months. The govt must intervene to rescue them, Kiriella said. more..

Apr 2 (CT) Chairman of the COPF Dr. Harsha de Silva said that a concerning trend of violations has been reported to the committee related to the importation of electric vehicles for Sri Lankans employed overseas. He expressed dismay over reports suggesting that officials appearing before COPF had misled the committee members, including himself. Dr. Harsha de Silva emphasised the gravity of the situation, noting that more..

Apr 2 (DM) Sri Lanka were just three wickets away from claiming a comfortable 2-0 series win against Bangladesh at the end of fourth day's play in the ongoing second Test in Chattogram. Newly appointed Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva is on the verge of securing back to back series victories on a relatively decent pitches. Although Bangladesh and Afghanistan cannot be considered as top class teams such as Australia or India, they are no longer easy games. De Silva's first game as captain more..

Apr 2 (CI) Dinesh Chandimal left Chattogram for Colombo on Tuesday, day four of the ongoing Test, for a family medical emergency. Chandimal was already dismissed in SL's second innings on day three. SL will bring on a substitute fielder in his place in the fourth innings of the game. "The player will return home immediately. SLC, his team-mates, and the coaching staff fully support Dinesh Chandimal at this moment of need and request that the public respect his and his family's privacy," more..

Apr 3 (DM) The sovereignty of Kachchativu Island which SL had exercised throughout history is once again disputed by India. This is despite India having withdrawn the claim- that it owned this island- with the presentation of facts to the Govt of New Delhi some years ago. However, the island, barren and uninhabited most of the year, had remained a contentious issue for over a hundred years. W.T. Jayasinghe, Secretary of several key Ministries and served as a Member of the Team more..

Apr 3 (DM) With the govt on Monday withdrawing the Bill that was gazetted on Feb 9 this year to amend the Penal Code to lower the age for girls for sexual consent from 16 to 14, a question is naturally being raised as to what prompted the govt to introduce the Bill without consulting all stakeholders. Chair of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, while writing to Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had last month expressed the deep concern of the Caucus more..

Apr 3 (CT) Ceylon Today acquired the Final Report (TIB/MAI/CAS.110) titled, Fire Onboard X-Press Pearl (XP) at Colombo Anchorage, which transpired on 20 May 2021. This report was compiled by the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) of the Ministry of Transport, Singapore, and was released on 16 Oct 2023. According to the report, Colombo Port did not provide continuous firefighting support, more..

Apr 3 (DM) Having languished in relative obscurity and been found responsible by the Supreme Court for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday carnage former Prez Maithripala Sirisena is making headlines again for all the wrong reasons. Two weeks back, he made an astounding revelation that he knew who was behind the Easter Sunday attacks which killed 269 worshippers and tourists and wounded over 500. Intriguingly, it didn’t occur to the former president that he should alert more..

Apr 3 (CT) Ranil Wickremesinghe has no choice; Sajith Premadasa too is running out of options. Pohottuwa exhausted its choices with the departure of Gotabaya Rajapaksa from Presidency. Ranil killed the UNP and trying to be elected Prez is not a difficult task; it’s an impossible one. Ranil failed to get a single elected to parliament in the last elections. UNP was erased out of the electoral map in 2020. Once the symbol of consistency in electoral performance, Grand Old Party of Ceylon more..

Apr 3 (CT) In the backdrop of the El Nińo effect in SL, effectively addressing water crises amidst unpredictable rainfall patterns and soaring temperatures demand a comprehensive strategy, yet such measures have not been uniformly implemented across all provinces of SL. The report from the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), titled Understanding Multi-dimensional Vulnerabilities: Impact on People more..

Apr 3 (TM) Populist politics has been the bane of Asian democracies, with the use of such often coming out of hibernation during election seasons. The recent revival of Katchatheevu Island issue in New Delhi, and its use by Indian PM Narendra Modi to fuel criticism of his political rivals is a matter of political expediency. It risks eroding a bank of goodwill India has worked tirelessly to build in SL since 2014, and especially since effort invested following Covid-19/economic crisis period. more..

Apr 3 (Island) MP Wimal Weerawansa demanded a parliamentary probe into Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s claim that some foreign powers had pressured him (Abeywardena) to take over the executive presidency following Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation at the height of Aragalaya in July 2022. Weerawansa also called for a two-day parliamentary debate on the Speaker’s claim to expose what he called evil forces that had undermined the country’s sovereignty. more..

Apr 3 (ST) It was only last month that our diplomatic foray into the UNHRC’s 55th session in Geneva turned even more abrasive, as it virtually damned some Western powers for pursuing double standards. Not that there was no truth in it. But there is an age-old saying, which, if suitably adapted to suit our own political environment, says that those in glass houses should not take off their clothes. Sad to say, some of those who parade as patriots and saviours of this Resplendent Isle, more..

Apr 3 (Island) Tracing history and going back to the colonial era, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that despite the adverse impact of world wars and internal conflicts, Sri Lanka has steadfastly upheld its democratic value of ensuring the functioning of both the govt and the opposition without interruption. The president was addressing members of the student parliament and said they might find it worthwhile to explore ways and means of sustaining this system. more..

Apr 3 (ST) With the focus on addressing the nutritional deficiency in primary schoolchildren and bolstering their academic performance, the govt has resumed the school mid-day meal programme, but it has faced some snags. The Education Ministry’s School Food and Nutrition Director, Ganga Dilhani, emphasised that the primary objective of this initiative was to enhance the nutritional status of schoolchildren more..

Apr 3 (CT) SLC declared open the newly built Ratnapura District Cricket Ground in Monaravila on 30 March thus providing a much-needed facility for the area, which will help enhance the game in the Sabaragamuwa Province. The new ground, which consists of seven centre turf wickets, will enable schools and clubs in the district to utilize the ground to play matches, conduct practice sessions, and also play U19 Cricket. SLC President Shammi Silva declared the facility open. more..

Apr 3 (ST) Good news is rare these days, and every glittering ounce of it should be cherished. A few Sri Lankan companies have stepped in to help McDonald’s employees secure jobs after the chain of outlets was shut down as directed by the courts. Nothing brightens a day like an act of unexpected kindness such as this with all the turmoil in the world. McDonald’s employees were invited through several LinkedIn posts by at least four companies to join their cadre. more..

Apr 3 (CI) Mominul Haque took the blame for playing a part in Bangladesh not capitalising on a good batting pitch on day four of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram. Bangladesh had their best batting day of the two-Test series as they crossed 200 for the first time in five Test innings, but a number of batters failed to convert their starts, and they are now staring at a big defeat, reduced to 268 for 7 in a tall chase of 511. Mominul, when on 50 off 55, struck a sweep straight down more..

Apr 3 (DN) Asian Games finalist Nadila Nethviru is set to make history as the first gymnast from SL to compete in a World Cup series. Nethviru, who is 18 years old and attends St Benedict’s College, will represent SL at the 16th FIG Apparatus World Cup organized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in Doha, Qatar, from April 17 to 21. Nethviru will be the sole athlete representing SL at the 5-day meet, as Olympian Milka de Silva is unable to participate due to a shoulder injury. more..

Apr 3 (TM) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) says it will assess the performance of national cricket team’s head coach Chris Silverwood, after the conclusion of the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA, this June and decide on whether to retain his services beyond it. Silverwood, 49, an ex-England international who landed a two-year coaching deal with the SLC in 2022, was set to complete his stint on 14 April this year. more..

Apr 3 (Island) A wind farm consisting of 30 towers generating 100MW (Phase 1- Thambapavani) was established on the southern coast of Mannar Island in 2020, with financial assistance from the ADB. The widespread criticism of this project due to its positioning within one of the main bird migratory corridors in the Asian region (detailed elsewhere in the article) was largely overlooked or ignored due to the economic priorities that prevailed at the time, as it happened with the now infamous more..

Apr 3 (FT) Several tourism associations, rebuked calls by what they alleged as a cartel of lazy hoteliers to continue with Govt regulated Minimum Room Rates (MRR), stating that SL lost close to 40% of additional occupancy due its implementation, and a decision to continue could lead to the breakdown of the industry. SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), Association of Small and Medium Enterprise in Tourism and Association of Professional Conference, more..

Apr 3 (FT) World Bank said SL’s economy is projected to see moderate growth of 2.2% in 2024, showing signs of stabilisation, following the severe economic downturn but the country still faces elevated poverty levels, income inequality, and labour market concerns. The fresh assessment of the multilateral donor agency is contained in its latest bi-annual update. Released yesterday the SL Development Update, more..

Apr 3 (ST) Executive Board of UNESCO this week adopted by acclamation a decision to commemorate the International Day of Vesak at UNESCO. The decision was adopted without debate at UNESCO’s 219th Session and was based on the historic UNGA Resolution 54/115 of 1999 on International Recognition of Vesak at the United Nations which was then spearheaded by former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, and was adopted on its 25th anniversary year at UNESCO Headquarters more..

Apr 3 (CT) The total number of dengue cases in the country topped 20,000 by 31 March 2024, the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) said. According to statistics provided by the NDCU’s website NaDSys surveillance, yesterday (2), the number of dengue cases in the country by 1 April 2024 (Monday) had reached 20,130, with eight dengue deaths being recorded by the Unit within the first three months of this year. The total number of dengue cases in the country for March this year was 3,615, while the highest number of dengue more..

Apr 3 (FT) Access Engineering has been awarded contract to build the Main Terminal Building (MTB), Passenger Bridge No. 02 and the Passenger Bridge No. 03 under step 2 of Phase II of Bandaranaike International Airport Development Project (BIADP). Cabinet approved awarding the contract based on the recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Committee and the Standing Procurement Committee. “A total of four bids were received with contractors registered under more..

Apr 3 (DN) Minister Bandula Gunawardhana said that the govt has succeeded in settling outstanding amount of Rs.361 billion to the contractors of the Road Development Authority (RDA). He said the International Monetary Fund has laid down a condition that contracts cannot be executed on credit. “The govt has given an undertaking to the IMF to settle the such credit within a month,” he said. The govt’s revenue in 2023 was Rs.3 trillion while recurrent expenditure exceeding Rs.4 trillion. more..

Apr 3 (TM) Health Ministry has given an assurance to the unions representing the professions supplementary to medicine and the paramedical services that the first part of a special allowance related increase would be paid to them in May while the balance would be paid in June. Hence, the unions decided yesterday (2) to put on hold the previously proposed continuous strike. Speaking to The Daily Morning, more..

Apr 3 (TM) Economic Council of the NPP of the Parliamentary Opposition claimed that certain Opposition groups are attempting to mislead the public by creating in their election manifestos a nexus between their anti-corruption measures and the privatisation of crucial State entities. NPP's Chief Economic Adviser Prof. Anil Jayantha, noted that many Opposition political parties have already accepted the Govt’s economic policy, in which the privatisation of national assets more..