Mar 1 (FT) Sri Lanka, despite being a nation with a rich history once known to be self-sufficient as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean and a strategically located trading hub on the maritime Silk Route fostering a vibrant culture, has long grappled with achieving consistent and sustainable economic independence, especially since after the worst economic crisis the country ever faced recently in 2022. One of the key areas where this struggle is most evident is in agriculture more..

Mar 1 (DM) In 2021, former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa had a goal to produce 50% of the country’s pharmaceutical needs locally by the year 2024. This goal was set during a time when the state was spending Rs 130 billion annually to import the needed quantum of pharmaceuticals. The govt’s plan was to offer high-quality medicines at affordable prices to both the foreign market and the local population. more..

Mar 1 (EN) SL’s revolutionaries, whose children study at international schools, oppose education reforms and scuttle any attempt at reforms by taking to the streets, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said. “There is one group that is opposed to education reforms. These are revolutionaries who recently became modern. They say free education need not be modernised. They say SL’s stagnating education must continue the way it is,” Premadasa said speaking at an event. more..

Mar 1 (AD) Expolanka Holdings PLC has decided to de-list the company’s shares from the Official List of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). According to market capitalization, it is the largest listed company in the Colombo stock market. The decision was reached at the meeting of Expolanka Holdings’ Board of Directors on Friday, after considering a request from its principal shareholder SG Holdings Global Pte. Ltd. Accordingly, Board of Directors has resolved to initiate the de-listing more..

Mar 1 (EN) NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake had support among 50% of all adults surveyed by the Institute for Health Policy (IHP) in Dec 2023 in a monthly voting intent poll for SL’s upcoming prez election. Support for Dissanayake had dropped just 1 percentage point since Dec 2023, according to the Institute for Health Policy (IHP)’s SL Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) MRP provisional estimates. more..

Mar 1 (ICC) With the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 three months away, SL have decided to recall Niroshan Dickwella, who last appeared in the format for them in 2021, to the T20I squad following an illness to Kusal Perera. Perera was scheduled to fly out with the rest of the team to Bangladesh on Thursday (29), but did not due to suffering from a respiratory infection. Dickwella will instead join with the rest of the squad on Saturday ahead of the first T20I scheduled to take place on Monday. more..

Mar 1 (AD) Dept of Meteorology has cautioned the people of rising atmospheric temperatures at some places in North-western, Western, Southern and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Mannar District in the coming hours. Advisory, issued at 3.30 p.m. today (1), will be in effect until tomorrow evening (2). “Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is expected to increase up to Caution level at some places in North-western, Western, Southern and Sabaragamuwa provinces & Mannar District” more..

Mar 1 (AD) A writ petition has been filed before the Court of Appeal seeking that an order be issued to the IGP and other respondents to take legal action against the former Chief of State Intelligence Service, Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena over failure to prevent 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, despite receiving intelligence information. The petition was filed by the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), its director Rev. Fr. Jude Rohan Silva and a victim of Easter attacks named more..

Mar 1 (EN) Sri Lanka and India signed an agreement for the development of a hybrid renewable energy system in three islands in Jaffna, today, the Minister of Power and Energy said. “Under a full financial grant of USD 10.995 million extended by the Govt of of India, Delft, Analativu and Nainativu Islands will receive the hybrid renewable energy system by March 2025” Kanchana Wijesekera said on x . The project comprising 530kw wind power, 1,700kw solar power, 2,400kwh battery power more..

Mar 1 (PMD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that SL Navy has been entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding SL’s oceanic territories, including the Indian Ocean region. He underscored that the nation’s economic initiatives will not be permitted to suffer any harm in the Indian Ocean. Additionally, Prez highlighted the historical context of the closure of the Suez Canal for a decade during the 1967 Israeli-Arab war more..

Mar 1 (CT) Supreme Court yesterday disenrolled Nagananda Kodituwakku as an Attorney-at-Law following his being found guilty of professional misconduct. Supreme Court Bench, comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Preethi Padman Surasena and S. Thurairaja issued the rule for the removal of Kodituwakku from his position as an Attorney-at-Law. The AG had filed the petition against Nagananda stating that he had made derogatory statements against the Justices. more..

Mar 1 (DM) An individual identified as Saharan’s brother-in-law was arrested by the Kaththankudi police during a raid in the Kalapalachenai area in Batticloa. Police carried out the raid on a tip off that an unlawful meeting was being held in the Kalapalachenai area. During the raid the police arrested a group of about 30 individuals including Saharan’s brother-in-law. However, the suspects who denied their involvement in any unlawful meeting stated that they were playing cards. more..

Mar 1 (DM) In a bid to address the pressing issue of cervical cancer, which stands as a formidable health challenge for women in SL, SL has doubled down on efforts to tackle the disease. This was evident with a recent panel discussion convened a distinguished group of experts including Dr. Chithramalee de Silva, Dr. Ramani Punchihewa, Dr. J Padmaka Silva, and Nirmali Samaratunga, chaired by Dr. Sandeep Sewlikar. more..

Mar 1 (CT) He had just arrived in Colombo after a long flight from London via Doha on 18 January. That very evening, he was walking back at about 8:30 p.m. from the Ward Place Food City to the hotel he was staying in at Borella Cross Road. The stretch of road between the SMEGA Showroom situated at 83 1/1 Ward Place and the Kynsey Road/Ward Place junction in the evening in question before the construction on the bare land adjoining had begun and was shrouded in darkness. more..

Mar 1 (SLN) Russian Naval Ship Varyag this morning arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit. The ship was welcomed by the SL Navy in accordance with naval tradition. The 187m long ship is a Missile Cruiser manned by a crew of 529. The Flag Officer of the ship is Captain 1st Rank Velichko Anatoly Vasicievich and Captain 2nd Rank Glushakov Roman Nikolaevich serves as the Commanding Officer. Meanwhile, the Flag Officer and the Commanding Officer of the ship more..

Mar 2 (DM) CEB Media spokesman, Noel Priyantha resigned from his position after criticisms over his insensitive remarks during an interview with a private TV channel, towards the hapless electricity consumers who are struggling to pay their electricity bills. When he was told at the interview that a father who had attempted to get electricity from a nearby house to support his child’s studies had died by electrocution, and was asked why the CEB could not be more considerate more..

Mar 2 (DM) Most of us take water for granted. However, clean drinking water is essential for human life, and in these days of high temperature reaching 94°F, many people experience dehydration, and we need to drink about six litres of water a day. Next month, the UN marks World Water Day, and the theme is water for peace. In a statement, the UN says, water can create peace or spark conflict. When water is scarce or polluted, or when people have unequal or no access, tensions can more..

Mar 2 (DM) The ascension of Junius Richard Jayewardene to the premier seat of political power in 1977 paved the way for a drastic transformation of SL’s politico-economic landscape and environment. J.R. Jayewardene known popularly as JR ushered in political, economic, and electoral changes that utterly changed SL. In the words of William Butler Yeats All changed, changed utterly. The advent of JR as PM in 1977 more..

Mar 2 (GV) The focus of my recent writings has been the state formation of SL. The starting point of this work is to see the state as a product of history that is constantly changing. In other words, the state is treated like any other element in society. This contrasts with the conventional idea of treating the state as a finalised static entity. Many symbolic elements incorporated into the identity of the state tries to strengthen the notion that the state has an eternal character. more..

Mar 2 (CT) Now that the Prez Poll is round the corner – unless proved otherwise – the customary talk about the abolition of the Executive Presidency system too, has commenced with renewed vigour. Thanks to Aragalaya and the attendant economic crisis, the nation was spared from the subject for the past two years – Amen! The demand for the abolition of the Executive Presidency flows from the unconvincing conviction that the super-powers that supposedly go with the position are more..

Mar 2 (TM) In the world of aviation, where trust in safety measures is paramount, the recent surge in technical faults reported by SriLankan Airlines has left frequent travellers grappling with a sense of uncertainty. Among them is a Melbourne-based traveller, who, despite regularly shuttling between Melbourne and Sri Lanka, now harbours a newfound unease when boarding SriLankan Airlines flights. more..

Mar 2 (ST) After hearing that carrot prices in SL spiralled to over Rs. 2,000 a kg a few weeks ago, one of our relatives in the UK sent us a scanned copy of her shopping bill. Let me show you the prices of a few food items from that bill, converted to SL rupees using the Rupee-Pound exchange rate as Rs. 395 per British Pound. In the UK, one kg of rice costs Rs. 205, while in Sri Lanka it is Rs.220 for the lowest category of rice. However, in the UK you don’t find lower quality rice, more..

Mar 2 (CT) It was Chen Yun, a theoretical economist and a Chinese Communist Party Politburo member from 1934 to 1987 who rejected Mao Zedong’s reliance on the revolutionary enthusiasm of masses to promote rapid economic growth, and propounded the theory of a bird cage economy characterized by a dominant plan and subordinate local markets. Yun stressed the importance of the market to improve agricultural production and productivity. And it was that model which was later picked up by more..

Mar 2 (ST) Standing outside the doors, staring up at the big M, Master Chef Australia Season 14 contestant Dulan Hapuarachchi knew that, that moment right there would be a milestone in his life. Carrying the Sri Lankan flag proudly in his heart he aimed to tell the world about Sri Lanka through his cooking. “During that time my heart was so burdened by what was happening back home and the urgency to raise awareness about Sri Lanka became even more strong,” he says. more..

Mar 2 (DM) Association of Human Resource Professionals (AHRP) has announced the introduction of a workshop focused on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for local HR professionals. This pioneering initiative, conducted in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), aims to equip SL HR practitioners with advanced techniques, insights, and tools necessary to harness the power of AI, particularly Generative AI, in revolutionizing HR practices. more..

Mar 2 (DM) The 94 th Battle of the Maroons big match between the two leading Buddhist schools Ananda and Nalanda will be played today and tomorrow at SSC grounds. The two schools once again battle for Dr. N.M. Perera Trophy while last time Nalanda led by Dineth Samaraweera won the trophy in 2022 and Ananda recorded their last victory in 2003 under the leadership of Damindu Kularatne. more..

Mar 2 (FT) The Colombo stock market began the month of March on the up amidst rebound in investor sentiment. The benchmark ASPI was up over 39 points or 0.37% and the active S&P SL20 was up 2 points. Turnover was Rs. 1.5 billion involving 49.8 million shares. Colombo Stock Exchange ended February on the up after a negative start for 2024 in January. ASPI gained by 3.3% in February and the active S&P SL20 improved by 4.9%. In contrast, Jan saw ASPI down 3.2% & S&P by 5.6%. more..

Mar 2 (FT) In its March edition, leading business magazine LMD reports that the gauge of corporate sentiment remains steady, albeit that it is way short of its all-time average. LMD notes, “The LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) continues to be lacklustre… but steady; it has remained in the 81-85 range for three successive months. “In February, the index registered a one basis point dip to 81, which is a massive 42 notches shy of its all-time average (123) although more..

Mar 2 (DM) The 13th edition of Medicare 2024 kicked off yesterday at the BMICH. Medicare 2024 will be held over three days till the 3rd March, featuring 4 main expos i.e. National Healthcare Expo, Ayurveda & Herbal Expo, Medical Tourism Expo and Healthy Living Expo and featured a number of medical seminars and B2B interaction platforms. The Expo featured over 130 stalls from local and international organisations representing Pharmaceutical, Medical Equipment and more..

Mar 2 (FT) State Minister Shehan Semasinghe announced that the Govt has unveiled its action plan in response to the Governance Diagnostic Assessment (GDA) presented by the IMF. The strategic initiative aims to pave the way for a sustainable economy in line with SL’s proposals. “This shows the Govt’s commitment to the IMF program and signifies a crucial step towards improving economic stability and growth. SL will be the first country in Asia to embark on more..

Mar 2 (CT) With the Prez Election slated to take place later this year, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has resorted to his decades-old habit of forming a political Cabinet commonly referred to as a Shadow Cabinet. This, however, is not to take decisions on governance but will focus on salient political decisions that would have an impact on future elections. Wickremesinghe formed such a political cabinet during his tenure as PM in more..

Mar 2 (CT) Despite receiving approval from the Cabinet, the Health Ministry has failed to recruit radiographers for the State sector, leading to significant challenges in providing essential medical services, particularly in areas such as maternity hospitals and forensic medicine institutes, Radiological Technologists charged. President of Govt Radiological Technologists’ Association (GRTA), Chanaka Dharmawickrema lamented on Friday (1), the shortage of more..

Mar 2 (Island) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena’s plan to occupy his Paget Road official residence as part of his retirement package has gone awry. Supreme Court (SC), on Friday, ruled that a Cabinet decision made on 15 Oct, 2019, to allow the then Prez Sirisena to continue to occupy the aforesaid official residence after his retirement was illegal and amounted to a violation of the rule of law and the fundamental rights of citizens. Prez Sirisena declared, immediately after his election in more..

Mar 2 (FT) SL’s trade deficit widened by $ 96 million to $ 541 million in January a year earlier fuelled by higher increase in imports aided by Govt policies, latest data showed. In a month-to-month comparison, the trade deficit data in January reflects an increase compared to the deficit of $ 487 million in Dec 2023. The overall trade deficit in 2023 amounted to $ 4.9 billion. Terms of trade, i.e., the ratio of the price of exports to more..

Mar 2 (Island) Our Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, who goes his own way following Sinatra’s I did it my way; mostly flying across oceans to attend this meeting and that, has again done it his way. He has initiated a million-dollar fund to help children of the Gaza strip. They are in a horrifyingly pitiable state and need all the help they can get, but can a bankrupt country, still far from becoming solvent, extend big charity to the outside world? Also, what about our children of this country driven to more..

Mar 2 (CT) Procurement Sub-Department, of Dept of Railways, has recently purchased 75 units of 32Amp, 415V, Triple Pole Iron Clad switches, for over Rs 1.8 million, from a supplier who quoted a higher price, resulting in a loss to the State. The chosen company has charged Rs 3,225 as VAT and priced each switch at Rs 21,500. Despite another company, offering to provide the switches at Rs 14,300 each, tender was awarded to the company that quoted a higher price, totally violating more..