Dec 8 (DM) Galle Udugama Primary Hospital inaugurated its newly constructed Oxygen Generation Plant building supported by the Government of Canada providing a financial contribution of Rs. 200 million through UNICEF. The unveiling ceremony witnessed the presence of Christian Skoog, UNICEF's representative in SL, Eric Walsh, the Canadian Ambassador to SL and the Maldives and Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, the Minister of Health. more..

Dec 8 (DM) Attorney General informed the Supreme Court today that the Constitutional Council headed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana has decided not to proceed with its earlier decision, calling for a report from the Chief Justice seeking information about the performance of a judge nominated for promotion to the SC. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appearing for the Attorney General made these remarks when the Fundamental Rights petition filed by more..

Dec 8 (TM) Minister of Health, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana has expressed regret to the concerned medical specialists regarding a statement made by SJB MP, Thalatha Athukorala that they (the specialists) are against providing general wards at the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital to establish a professorial unit of the Faculty of Medicine of the Uni of Sabaragamuwa. Speaking in Parliament, Athukorala said that more..

Dec 8 (AD) A Presidential election is slated to take place in 2024, and will be followed by the Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections, President Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed. Speaking further in this regard, the Head of State noted that only thereafter can constitutional amendments or the drafting of a new constitution take place. “My idea is to hold the Presidential election next year followed by parliamentary elections and then the Provincial Council elections; more..

Dec 8 (TM) Dept of Police is to look into the possibility of withdrawing STF officers from their duties in expressways in order to deploy them in more productive endeavours. Measures will be taken to withdraw the STF cops from expressways once the Dept receives the approval of the relevant authorities in this regard. This decision has been in the making for many years since the Dept has identified the importance of obtaining the maximum service from STF cops who are deployed more..

Dec 8 (ADB) Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $200 million concessional loan to the Govt of SL to help stabilize the country’s finance sector following the sovereign debt and economic crises that started in April 2022 when it suspended its external debt payments. Financial Sector Stability and Reforms Program comprises two subprograms of $200 million each. Subprogram 1 targets short-term stabilization and more..

Dec 8 (AD) The Colombo District Court on Friday issued an injunction against SLVLOG Pod Talks, a political and current affairs talk show aired by the SLVLOG YouTube channel. The relevant order was issued when a complaint filed by Power House Ltd, the parent company of the Derana Group of companies, against Hasalaka Thushara, demanding a compensation of Rs. 500 million, was taken up in court this morning. The complaint was filed by the media conglomerate after an episode more..

Dec 8 (PMD) In a significant diplomatic encounter, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in discussions with a diverse delegation representing Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and esteemed Buddhist monks. Meeting took place at a pivotal juncture, where the Joint Himalayan Declaration was formally presented to the Prez. Joint Himalayan Declaration, a collaborative effort between GTF and Buddhist delegation, advocates for a pluralistic SL that actively promotes the well-being of all more..

Dec 8 (CT) Health Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala and Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena paid a surprise visit to the Accident Service of the National Hospital, Colombo. A senior spokesman for the Health Ministry said, the two had examined the services carried out by the health service staff including the X-ray and CT scan examinations. He noted that the visit had been carried out on the instructions of Health Minister, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. more..

Dec 8 (Island) Court of Appeal has asked Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage to promote petitioner Brig. Chandana Ranaweera to the rank of Maj. Gen. with effect from 1 Jan, 2021. Court of Appeal bench consisting of Justices Nissanka Karunaratne and Chamath Moraes has also directed that the petitioner, an officer of the Light Infantry, be paid salary, etc., he is entitled to as a Major General, with effect from that day. The ruling pertained to a fundamental rights application filed by more..

Dec 8 (CT) CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) has voiced apprehensions about the restructuring of the CEB, expressing concerns over the approval of the proposed Electricity Sector Reforms Bill by the Cabinet. They cite a distinct lack of transparency and consultation throughout the process. Despite assurances from Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, regarding the provision of the Bill’s copy after Cabinet approval, more..

Dec 8 (EN) Sri Lanka will soon award the management of Mattala International Airport to a private investor on a 30-year contract, Ports and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. Investors have responded to a call for expressions of interest he said. “We expect to give the whole airport on a management contract for about 30 years,” Minister de Silva told parliament Friday. “We called for investors. Investors have come. By next week we will be able to finalize it.” more..

Dec 8 (CT) Senior officers of the Army informed the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) that providing a daily diet containing 3,400 kilocalories to soldiers has become challenging due to the present economic crisis. They highlighted that this situation is adversely impacting the morale and physical fitness of military personnel. It was also revealed at the committee meeting that nearly 30,000 soldiers have left the Army since 2021. COPF Chairman, Dr. Harsha de Silva, expressed concern, more..

Dec 8 (DN) Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Sustainable Development which met under the Chairmanship of MP Ajith Mannapperuma, further discussed regarding the reduction of plastic and polythene use and the development of the recycling process in SL. A group of officials representing Ministry of Environment, Central Environment Authority, SL Customs and more..

Dec 8 (DM) SL has been chosen to host the 37th session of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference (APRC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to be held from 19th to 22nd February 2024 in Colombo. FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve food security and nutrition. Asia Pacific Regional Conference will enable ministers of agriculture and high officials from 46 member countries more..

Dec 8 (EN) A collective of postal workers’ unions has demanded a 20,000-rupee pay rise for SL’s public sector workers during a protest held against purported govt plans to convert a colonial-era post office into a private-run hotel. United Front of Postal Unions Secretary Sampath C Liyanage told reporters at the protest, held in Battaramulla, Colombo, Friday Dec 8 morning, that govt workers haven’t received a pay rise in about eight years despite the increase in cost of living, more..

Dec 8 (AD) The operating hours of liquor stores and other liquor licensed establishments have been amended, with effect from 9 Dec, the Excise Dept reported. Accordingly, foreign liquor retail shops (FL4 licence) will now be open from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Meanwhile, Tourist board-approved hotels with FL7 and FL8 liquor licenses (hotels with 3 stars and above) can now operate from 10 a.m. – 2 a.m., while all other hotels have been permitted to sell liquor between 10 a.m. and 12 a.m. more..

Dec 8 (TM) Claiming that the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus is not interested in standing up for injustices against women including women MPs, the State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage, presently suspended from Parliament for one month over a disciplinary incident, said that she had decided to boycott the meetings of the said Caucus. She said that the Caucus had done nothing when woman MPs including her were subjected to harassment. more..

Dec 8 (AD) Dept of Census & Statistics has confirmed a significant decrease in SL’s annual birth rate between 2019 and 2022. Accordingly, data gathered by the dept showed that while there has been a continuous decrease in birth rates since 2014, SL’s annual birth rate has had a drastic drop between 2019 and 2022. There is a decrease of 6,401 in the number of registered births reported in 2023 and 2022, more..

Dec 8 (AD) Defence Ministry has granted permission to the CID to detain the two notorious underworld figures Harak Kata and Kudu Salindu for another 90 days. CID has communicated this to the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court. On Dec 6, the Court of Appeal ordered the CID to produce Harak Kata before a suitable Magistrate’s Court if the evidence against him is insufficient to keep him in custody on detention orders. Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata and his infamous accomplice more..

Dec 8 (DM) Acknowledging that there has been a scam in connection with the reversing of inferior quality organic fertilizer from China and making a payment of USD 6.7 million to the supplier, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said only a group of state officials have been involved in it, according to initial investigations. Responding to an oral question raised by MP Dayasiri Jayasekera in Parliament, Minister said the initial reports have revealed that no politicians are involved in the scam. more..

Dec 8 (FT) LTTE leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran, his spouse Madhivadhani Erambu, daughter Thuvaraka and sons Charles Anthony and Balachandran along with thousands of other Tamils died in the final phase of the armed conflict at Mullivaaikkaal in the Karaithuriaipattru AGA division of Mullaitheevu district in May 2009. Though 14 years have passed since the war ended, there are many who claim that more..

Dec 8 (AD) Vice Chancellor of Uni of Kelaniya has issued an announcement on the reopening of the faculties, following the temporary closure earlier this week. As such, the Faculties of Science, Computer Technology, and Management Studies will be reopened on Dec 11 (Monday). Meanwhile, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities is slated to reopen on Dec 18. All faculties of Kelaniya Uni, excluding the Faculty of Medicine, were closed on Monday (4) until further notice after more..

Dec 8 (EN) The ruling SLPP enjoys great demand from potential presidential candidates, and the party will have to take a call on working with incumbent Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Namal Rajapaksa said. Rajapaksa claimed several names have come up concerning the SLPP’s candidate at next year’s presidential election. “There is great demand: entrepreneurs, businessmen, politicians, are all there. There are presidents too, ready to come forward with our party,” he said. more..

Dec 8 (FT) Using a bazooka to kill a cockroach is how I describe the over-the-top requirements mandated by regulators, accounting ombudsmen and statutory auditors etc. on governance, the over-designed practices and models promoted by governance experts in equipping organisations to deliver compliance and the superfluous measures proposed by gurus to the corporate that wish to portray squeaky clean, holier than thou persona to the world. Over the top, because more..

Dec 8 (FT) In human history sometimes the whole world has moved with wrong propositions. When scientific discoveries and findings prove the error, our world view shifts toward a new knowledge; in other words, paradigm shift takes place. One such famous erroneous proposition was the belief that the Earth is flat. Also, there was another proposition which said that the Sun was moving around the earth instead of earth rotating around the Sun. Scientific discoveries proved the errors more..

Dec 8 (ST) Fresh documentary evidence on Health Ministry’s disastrous fast-track emergency procurement scheme that led to counterfeit drugs entering public sector hospitals shows that the plan was set in motion as early as Sept 2022. It also reveals that decisions were made to buy medicines (bypassing registration) on the basis of proposals from private suppliers, even if consignments from previous orders were more..

Dec 8 (DM) Attorney General has filed indictments before the High Court against former Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa and four others in connection with the demolition of the Rajya Sabha Mandapaya (Royan Assembly Hall) of King Buwanekabahu in Kurunegala. This information came to light when a motion filed by former Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa was taken up today before the Supreme Court 3-judge-bench comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, more..

Dec 8 (FT) Minister Ali Sabry addressed the numerous accusations directed at him concerning the former Govt’s decision to mandate the cremation of Muslim COVID-19 victims and his perceived failure to intervene in preventing the move despite being a member of the then Govt. Minister detailed various measures he undertook during that period to prevent forced cremations. He stated that, while the opposition is free to criticise, approach to working within a Cabinet on various matters differs. more..

Dec 8 (FT) Amidst rising public fury, CEB clarified concerns over disconnections following the issuance of red notices. The CEB said only 544,488 disconnections occurred during the first 10 months out of its nearly seven million users. CEB pointed out that this situation is similar to 2019 and not deemed unusual, citing an annual provision of 150,000 new electricity connections. However, figures provided by the CEB more..

Dec 8 (DM) A total of 900 licenses have been issued for the import of electric vehicles based on the amount of money legally sent to Sri Lanka by expatriate workers, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said. He said that by issuing licenses, it has been possible to bring in an amount of USD 100 million into the country. "We have introduced an electric vehicle licensing scheme to increase foreign exchange earnings, whereby we have issued licenses to nearly 900 electric vehicles. more..

Dec 12 (FT) Asserting the importance of vertical integration, Fabric and Apparel Accessory Manufacturers Association (FAAMA) Chairman Sahan Rajapakse said that 50%-60% of SL’s fabric requirement is imported. This dependency on imports prolongs the industry’s lead times and impedes its ability to enhance speed and embrace agile models. Notably, over 40% of these imports consist of cotton, while 70% are composed of synthetic materials. more..