Mar 1 (GV) A recent statement attributed to Prasanna Ranatunga, the Urban Development and Housing Minister of Sri Lanka, blaming the JVP for the July 1983 riots and posted on the A5 News Facebook page, prompted this article. Whether Mr Ranatunga’s statement was a misguided attempt to mislead the younger generation born post-1980 remains unclear. Many of them might be unaware of the role played by President J.R. Jayewardene’s regime during that period, which led to more..

Mar 1 (ST) From queues to recovery is SL’s quintessential comeback story and this comment coming from a highly placed US official is something the country should be proud of. And hats off to the SL policymakers led by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in averting a major crisis of disproportionate levels as seen in Greece or Venezuela. These two countries faced a similar crisis, defaulting on their debt (Venezuela US$60 billion and Greece Euros 1.6 billion owed to the IMF) but are taking more..

Mar 1 (TM) With the Meteorology Dept predicting below-normal rainfall in the coming months, concerns have arisen over the readiness of key State institutions responsible for ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supply, supporting agriculture, and maintaining continuous electricity supply. The effectiveness of these sectors depends heavily on the country’s water reservoirs. The latest report (SF-2024-02-R) from more..

Mar 1 (DM) On 1st Jan 2024, President and the Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment have implemented the Children and Young Persons (Amendment) Act, No 39 of 2022, published in Extraordinary Gazette notification No 2366/09 of 8th January 2024. However, not a soul responsible for child protection in the crisis riddled paradise was aware of it; not even the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) – the most powerful institution responsible for child welfare, more..

Mar 1 (DM) There was a recent report in the Daily Mirror stating the inconveniences caused to locals due to businesses conducted by Israeli, Russian and Ukrainian nationals in the southern part of Sri Lanka. This report demands deep pondering investigation. As much as such businesses are eating into the earning opportunities of locals, we also must think that there are hidden opportunities for business here when some people think that all is lost in this sun-kissed paradise island. more..

Mar 1 (CT) Nine-year-old Fathima Aisha Akram, went to buy meat, from a chicken shop near her home, in the morning of 27 May 2022. The time was about 10 o’ clock She had been sent by her mother to the nearby store to fetch chicken, a simple errand that would soon plunge the community into darkness. Fathima ventured to the shop, her innocent steps leading her into the clutches of a malevolent force from which she would more..

Mar 1 (Island) SL can claim credit for producing political firsts; with pride, for electing the first female PM in the world, Sirimavo Bandaranaike; not so, though it may be unique in history, for electing Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prez in spite of his failure to retain his parliamentary seat at the last general election! However, even if Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) were elected Prez, it would not be a first, in that many leaders of parties whose origins could be traced back to terrorism more..

Mar 1 (TM) The economic crisis which SL is facing has caused many to seek help from the State in the form of a social safety net. SL moved to review its troubled Samurdhi welfare scheme, and introduced a new safety net called Aswesuma, which following some initial criticism, seems to be fully operational now. Yesterday, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe stated that approximately 7,000 individuals who were found to have received Aswesuma welfare benefits based on false information more..

Mar 1 (SO) Ayurveda is a natural system of medicine that originated nearly 3,000 years ago, it has long attributed different parts of the hemp plant to a variety of curative purposes. In fact, the Vedas, estimated to be at least 3,400 years old, refer to it as one of the five most sacred plants. Hemp is defined as a Cannabis sativa L. plant – or any part of the plant – in which the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is less than the regulated maximum level. more..

Mar 1 (FT) Bank of Ceylon (BOC) said it posted a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 40.3 billion for the year ended 31 Dec 2023 demonstrating a strong and steady performance across various dimensions, including liquidity, capital, efficiency, profitability and asset quality despite prevailing global and local economic uncertainties. In a statement, BOC said in a competitive and challenging environment the bank was able to achieve its goals by having a professional and experienced team, more..

Mar 1 (ST) The spectre of the disruption to studies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues to haunt SL’s school students, a full four years after the pandemic struck. The O/L and A/L exam schedules have still not normalised, with each batch of students since then facing delays of nearly six months—their futures put on hold. 2023 A/L exams were only held in January this year, causing 2023 O/L exams to be pushed forward more..

Mar 1 (Island) What’s the world coming to when the Speaker of Parliament fails to act independently and impartially and incurs the opprobrium of the entire Opposition to the extent of provoking an attempt to oust him? It is only natural that public trust in the legislature has eroded severely, in this country, and the number of Sri Lankans who wish they could do, here, what Guy Fawkes failed to accomplish through the Gunpowder Plot of (1605), in London, is on the rise. more..

Mar 1 (CT) The recent passing of Ronald Joseph Godfrey de Mel, known to many as Ronnie de Mel, has left a void in the hearts of those inspired by his dedication and visionary leadership. Late Prez J.R. Jayewardene administration was marked by many great policymakers and legislaters that helped advance the economic policies and trajectory of SL. De Mel was a giant among his contemporaries and his leadership and legacy will have an indelible stamp on SL’s modernisation & globalisation. more..

Mar 1 (TM) The JVP-led NPP of the Parliamentary Opposition stated that the appointments to various high positions that the current Govt has made in an allegedly illegal manner would be revoked under a future Government led by them. Several parties including the main Parliamentary Opposition, SJB and other Opposition groups and civil society organisations have raised concerns over the appointment of Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon as the 36th IGP of the country. more..

Mar 1 (DN) Eight SL shuttlers will take part in the South Asian Under-15 and Under-17 Badminton Championships in Pakistan and this tournament will be played at Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad from March 3-7. This is a good pathway to showcase local junior badminton talent to get more international exposure said Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) President Rohan de Silva. “As the National Federation, SLB always closely link with SL Schools Badminton Association and SLB made more..

Mar 1 (TM) State Ministry of Education stated that the Govt is taking every possible step to minimise the number of children who drop out of school due to various reasons. Several parties including unions in the education sector have recently revealed that incidents of children stopping their school education and resorting to earning money have increased recently, in the face of the prevailing economic climate. more..

Mar 1 (FT) Sri Lanka Tourism will embark on first-ever roadshow in Australia this month, focusing on three key cities to promote the island nation as an attractive travel destination. The roadshow will be held from 19-25 March, targeting Brisbane (19), Sydney (21) and Melbourne (25) to promote SL’s myriad of tourism offerings. The delegation will be led by the Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, along with SL Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu, SLTPB Director more..

Mar 1 (FT) The Fortune Global 500 list member China Communications Construction Company Ltd., Chairman Wang Tongzhou and a delegation called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe this week. CCCC through CHEC Port City Colombo Ltd., have invested $ 1.4 billion, on Port City Colombo. The CCCC Chairman informed the President CCCC will put in more resources to accelerate construction and development and enhance the global marketing and promotion efforts. more..

Mar 1 (DM) In Feb 2023, Adani Green Energy (SL) Ltd was given provisional approval for two wind power projects of 250 MW in Mannar and 234 MW in Pooneryn. The proposed project site in Mannar spans across 250 acres of an environmentally sensitive location and environmental groups have expressed their concerns regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which is open for public comments till March 6. more..

Mar 1 (CT) Kamil Mishara, Sahan Arachchige, and Niroshan Dickwella each scored half-centuries as Kandy secured a comfortable six-wicket victory over Colombo at Rangiri Dambulla Int'l Stadium yesterday. Batting first, Colombo faced a middle-order collapse and were bowled out for 215 runs. In response, Kandy successfully chased down the target in 42 overs, thanks to the impressive performances by Kamil, Sahan and Niroshan. Colombo had a decent start to their innings more..

Mar 1 (DN) Ananda College, Colombo the leading Buddhist school in Sri Lanka will meet their traditional rivals Nalanda College in their 94 th Battle of the Maroons big match which will be played on March 2-and 3 at SSC grounds. Two schools joint organising committee this time has planned to conduct this big match on an international level match with wide publicity with more prominence to maintain their traditions to make it a successful big match. more..

Mar 1 (CT) Job seeking continued to be under 50 per cent for the fifth quarter in-a-row, ie up to the third quarter of 2023 (3Q2023) vis-à-vis Sri Lanka’s labour force participation rate (LFPR), last seen during the LTTE war years. CSD’s latest LFPR data showed an LFPR figure of 48.8% for the third quarter (3Q) of last year (2023), marginally up from 48.6% suffered in 2Q2023, nonetheless an indication that the majority of the working age people have given up hope of finding a job. more..

Mar 1 (CT) Steps have been taken to provide training at the port for the first time to 50 seafarers who have acquired Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDC). Following a four-month training programme conducted by the Mahapola Ports & Maritime Academy (MPMA) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on Deck Rating and six related short-term courses for seafarers holding CDC, they commenced practical training aboard maritime vessels at the port on 28 February. more..

Mar 1 (Island) It’s been a refreshing two months following the SL cricket team. They were a breath of fresh air. A far cry from the sloppy, sluggish and unattractive team that featured in the World Cup and finished an awful ninth costing themselves a place in the Champions Trophy. Five series wins inside two months is no mean task, but some will always say that it was Afghanistan and Zimbabwe and bigger challenges are ahead more..

Mar 1 (TM) Right to Information (RTI) Commission ruled yesterday that the relevant information should be released to the applicant who requested information pertaining to an incident of the 1990 ‘Suwa Seriya’ ambulance service not hospitalising a person who met with an accident on the Udubaddawa Road in Nattandiya in 2022. B.J. Suranga, a resident of the Puttalam area, had requested information pertaining to the incident of his brother, who had met with an accident more..

Mar 1 (DM) The attention of the Education Ministry has been drawn to reducing the weight of school bags due to the potential risk of causing spinal misalignment or problems for students, Education Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera said. She said the decision was announced today after the health authorities had pointed out that students carrying heavy school bags could cause spinal misalignment or other problems to them. As the first step towards reducing the weight of school bags, more..

Mar 1 (FT) Canada-based financial services giant Fairfax has increased its stake in premier blue chip John Keells Holdings (JKH) to 19.4% from 13% previously. This was following Fairfax exercising its option to convert 110,000,000 debentures, with a face value of Rs. 14.30 billion. In August 2022, JKH issued 208,125,000 LKR denominated debentures, with a face value of Rs. 27.06 billion, to HWIC Asia Fund (HWIC), a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. more..

Mar 1 (TM) A Fundamental Rights (FR) petition was filed in the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday on behalf of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who is currently in remand custody. Rambukwella’s attorneys have filed the relevant petition challenging his arrest by the CID, and demanding compensation of Rs. 100 million. Rambukwella was arrested by the CID on 2 Feb, in connection with the procurement and import of substandard IVIG vials, when he arrived at the CID to give a statement more..

Mar 1 (DM) The NMRA officials who went to raid a pharmacy in Puttalam that had been operating sans a licence, had to take a tough stance when a secretary of the infamous gold smuggling MP Ali Sabri Raheem had tried to influence them from performing their duties. Despite several warnings issued by the District Food and Drug Inspectors to cease the operations of the newly opened pharmacy in Puttalam town for selling pharmaceutical more..

Mar 1 (FT) National Chamber of Commerce of SL successfully conducted a session on strengthening bilateral trade opportunities between SL and Indonesia with the gracious presence of the Ambassador of Indonesia recently. Ambassador Dewi Gustina Tobing enlightened the session with her presence as the guest speaker, accompanied by a team of officials from the Embassy of Indonesia in SL, Minister Counsellor in Economic Section I Fiki Oktanio and Minister Counsellor more..

Mar 1 (AD) Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and 5 others have been further remanded until 14th March by the Maligakanda Magistrate Court over the import of substandard human immunoglobulin vials. Former Minister Rambukwella, who was in remand custody, was produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court earlier today (29), along with the other accused when the case was taken up. more..

Mar 1 (DM) In the midst of ongoing discussions surrounding potential electoral alliances among political parties, a notable contingent of MPs from both the govt and opposition camps have reportedly expressed a strong inclination towards advocating for a General Election to precede the scheduled presidential ballot, Daily Mirror learns. The Presidential Election is scheduled to be conducted during the last quarter of this year more..

Mar 1 (DM) SL’s first ever semi-transparent solar PV-powered agrivoltaic pilot project was commissioned at Hanthana in Kandy. Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the project was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He said the pilot project will assist the Plantation Industries Ministry, Power & Energy Ministry, CEB, Tea Small Holders Development Authority and Sustainable Energy Authority to study the development of renewable energy in tea plantations in the country. more..

Mar 1 (DM) The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, will increase the frequency of flight operations to Colombo effective May 1, Airport and Aviation Services (SL) (Pte) Ltd Chairman Athula Galketiya said. He said this flight service will be a significant contribution towards boosting the tourism industry in SL and travel to the Middle East and other key destinations in the world. "Etihad Airways, which has 10 weekly flight frequencies at present, more..

Mar 1 (FT) The above verse from the Holy Quran is a reminder to the entire mankind contextually adapted for the current political climate. Broadly, the condition of any people revolves around two major generic areas. The good and bad. It is only when bad has taken root, there will be a need for mankind to change towards goodness. And, until and unless man himself has decided to change the badness in him, nothing is going to change. The people of SL are today fighting a tough battle with the evils more..