Jan 11 (CT) Opposition accused the Govt of being caught in an apparent blend of arrogance and ignorance, and going back on their own word, by attempting to have a monopoly on key Parliament committees. SJB stated that the entire Opposition will not attend the meetings of the corruption watchdog, COPE, as NPP Govt is determined to have the lion’s share of the committee. “They first wanted Chair of the COPE to be an NPP MP, claiming they are investigating the previous Govt’s corruption. more..

Jan 11 (CT) The tank bund of Aluthdiwulwewa in Galenbindunuwewa could be damaged, warned the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation on Friday. The Ministry issued a warning that Aluthdiwulwewa in the Galenbindunuwewa DS in the Anuradhapura District, could be damaged, as it has reached the spill level due to rain experienced there. The Ministry officials said that two schools below the tank bund were instructed to be kept closed during the last two days. more..

Jan 11 (DM) A troubling rise in shootings linked to organised crime has left 66 people dead in over 100 incidents reported across the country since January 2024. Of these, 13 deaths occurred in organised crime-related shootings involving the underworld in the last three months alone. Despite intensified efforts to combat violence, challenges persist, including involvement of overseas-based traffickers and corruption within the prison system. more..

Jan 11 (FT) IndiGo, India’s preferred airline, proudly stands as the largest foreign carrier out of Sri Lanka. IndiGo currently operates 54 weekly flights to 2 cities in Sri Lanka – Colombo and Jaffna from 4 cities in India – Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. These direct flights between India and Sri Lanka are integral to IndiGo’s long-term growth strategy, underlining its commitment to expanding its global presence. IndiGo Global Sales Head Vinay Malhotra said, more..

Jan 11 (ST) The Fisheries Reward Fund (FRF), established with the aim of encouraging officials and informants involved in raids against illegal fishing activities, has not achieved its stated purpose, with more than Rs. 9.8 million yet to be disbursed from the Fund as cash rewards, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). The FRF, under the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, was established in terms of Section 59 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No. 02 of 1996. more..

Jan 11 (DM) SL’s tea industry is set for a year of modest growth in 2025, despite facing several challenges and uncertainties, an analysis by Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers showed. After a few years of declining production, the country is likely to experience a tight supply of Orthodox Large Leaf teas, following a production shortfall in India in 2024. First quarter of 2025 (1Q25) is expected to bring some stability, with the tea prices remaining buoyant, as SL enters its Western quality season, more..

Jan 11 (Island) With urgent agricultural reforms becoming increasingly imperative, the session on Transforming Productivity in Agriculture at The SL Economic Summit (SLES) organised by CCC, will examine strategies to boost agricultural productivity, and the reforms necessary to support key targets. Conducted under the theme Shaping SL’s Future: Transformational Growth Rooted in Sound Economic Policies, the SLES will be held on Jan 28th and 29th at the Shangri La Hotel, Colombo. more..

Jan 11 (FT) Making some bold comments on the downfall of the SJB its Chairman and former MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar this week said the party recorded its weakest period in the history during the past months. Speaking at the Party’s first ever Management Committee since Sept 2024 Prez elections, Markar said the SJB, which was created with a lot of dedication, hard work and sacrifices facing various difficulties in the past, more..

Jan 11 (ST) Thirty-one illegally constructed shops erected near the Galle Public Market were removed last Tuesday (31). Galle Municipal Council and the Four Gravets Divisional Secretariat filed a court case in 2020 against 34 shops with illegally erected buildings at the public market. The shops were removed after the court delivered the judgment for removal on Dec 10, 2024. The three remaining shops are scheduled to be removed on Jan 15. Galle Municipal Commissioner said more..

Jan 11 (FT) The Colombo stock market yesterday ended on the up though closing the week negatively amidst profit taking by investors. Yesterday the ASPI gained by over 114 points or 0.7% and the active S&P SL20 by 1.1%. For the week ASPI and the S&P SL 20 lost 0.8% and 1.1% respectively. Turnover was Rs. 3.7 billion involving 141 million shares whilst for the week turnover averaged Rs. 5.2 billion. The broad market rebounded from a loss of over 100 points yesterday more..

Jan 11 (FT) The ground breaking ceremony for $ 120 million Marina development at the Colombo Port City took place yesterday ceremoniously with the Govt identifying it as a landmark initiative that embodies SL’s ambition, innovation and commitment to global excellence. The 3.1 hectare state-of-the-art luxury Marina development is by LOLC Holdings Group’s Browns Investments in partnership with more..

Jan 11 (DM) Following a recommendation by a specialist doctor, Duminda Silva has been transferred from the prison hospital to a general ward at the Welikada Prison, Prisons Commissioner Gamini B. Dissanayake said. He said that instructions have been issued to the Welikada Superintendent to take immediate action in the event of any sudden complications involving the prisoner. Duminda Silva had been admitted to the prison hospital based on a recommendation more..

Jan 11 (ST) SL’s iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is set to regain int'l attention following significant pledges of support for its conservation and development. Recent support extended by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are geared toward improving the site’s tourist appeal while preserving its historical and cultural heritage. KOICA has pledged to provide financial assistance of Rs.2.4 b more..

Jan 11 (FT) Reiterating its commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and furthering inclusive growth through digital innovation in SL, Mastercard collaborated with the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) to power Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2024. Organised from 18-24 Nov, GEW featured over 200 events and activities for entrepreneurs across all 25 districts in the country. Global Entrepreneurship Week is an annual event that unites over more..

Jan 11 (FT) In a significant achievement for sustainable Pure Ceylon tea, Bogawantalawa Tea Estates PLC (BTE) has been awarded the prestigious North American Sustainability Tea Award (NASTA) for its exemplary project, the Climate Positive journey, during the 2024 North American Tea Conference (NATC) held from 24 to 26 September in Ontario, Canada. This accolade positions Bogawantalawa at the forefront of the global movement toward sustainable more..

Jan 11 (ST) Govt has imposed price controls on canned fish despite recent controversies over similar measures, amidst issues of quality and other industry concerns. The CAA has set a ceiling of Rs.380 for tuna, Rs.420 for mackerel, and Rs.560 for jack mackerel. Such interventions have sparked debates about their impact on quality, supply, and the domestic industry. Critics say price controls could result in shortages, more..

Jan 11 (DM) Mullivaikkal is a remote coastal village in the Northern district of Mullaitivu in SL and its ethnic composition is predominantly Tamil. It has become significant as it’s where SL’s three-decade long civil war came to a bloody end in 2009, with hundreds of thousands still unaccounted. Those who surrendered to the Army in Mullivaikkal on the last days of the war are alleged to have been killed or disappeared. The whole of Mullivaikkal village and Mullaitivu district were displaced for several more..

Jan 11 (Island) The govt has announced a concessionary loan scheme for small and medium-scale (SMS) rice millers and cooperative societies to purchase paddy during the current Maha season. Treasury has set aside Rs. 10 bn for that purpose, we are told. Successive govts have provided such loans to SMS millers. One may recall that in Feb 2024, the Treasury announced that the SMS millers and warehouse owners could obtain loans ranging from Rs. 25 million to Rs. 50 million more..

Jan 11 (FT) The ground breaking ceremony for $ 120 million Marina development at the Colombo Port City took place yesterday ceremoniously with the Govt identifying it as a landmark initiative that embodies SL’s ambition, innovation and commitment to glo482;ොළමmore..

Jan 11 (Island) In Cass’ last Friday’s Cry, she quoted the late Dr Manmohan Singh on terrorism; It is clear that terrorism is a global threat …. Terrorism is cowardice aimed at innocent people. It is fed on hatred and cynicism. Cass was rather surprised that among all the reasons and causes for terrorism, Singh singled out hatred and cynicism. Hatred yes and obvious. But cynicism instigating terrorism? The meaning of cynicism is an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest. more..

Jan 11 (CT) The Govt’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative has stirred up much controversy and dialogue among the citizens. What appeared to be a rather straightforward strategy has since encountered some semantic issues and the Govt has decided to debate the topic in the Parliament to clear grey areas for the benefit of the public. One distinct problem with the launch of the Clean Sri Lanka programme was its undefined broadness. While the intentions of the programme were pure with more..

Jan 11 (CT) The Clean Sri Lanka programme initiated under the patronage of Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake appears to have created quite a stir in the past week. The govt’s implementation of the Clean SL programme has put public and private transport under the spotlight, requiring the removal of unauthorised gadgets and accessories from buses and three-wheelers nationwide—a move welcomed by daily commuters. more..

Jan 11 (FT) As the Hindus of Sri Lanka mark Thai Pongal, a community of Sri Lankan Tamils unite in spirit to celebrate prosperity and plentifulness. Yet, some of the people who should reap a harvest of peace with justice remain outside the boundaries of communion with other citizens of an island nation on the cusp of ethnic and racial harmony as perhaps never before. So it would be of interest to examine the nexus between those who celebrate this multi-day harvest festival, more..

Jan 11 (DM) Despite the ruling NPP and the three main Opposition parties – SJB, UNP and SLPP currently facing dilemmas, they are not same in nature and scale. The issue faced by the NPP is not anything concerning its survival, but the Opposition parties’ dilemma is. The NPP govt is unprecedentedly strong with over two thirds of majority Parliamentary power in hand and its survival is not even remotely threatened. However, the party that claimed moral high ground over more..

Jan 11 (DM) In the first part of this article on Sathasivampillai Krishnakumar alias Col Kittu published last week in the Daily Mirror, I had written about my interviewing the LTTE Jaffna district commander for the Indian news magazine, Frontline in November 1986. It was at that time the first conversation with Kittu published in an English journal. The reference to that interview has aroused much interest among readers. more..

Jan 11 (CT) It was more than half a century ago in 1972, when the Cold War was in full swing, when economists were getting obsessed with the idea of economic growth and its measurement, and when the Keynesian dictum spend and prosper held sway, the Club of Rome published its MIT research report, Limits to Growth and issued the first warning to the so-called civilized and industrialized economies of Global North that there are limits to growth. These limits according to more..

Jan 11 (DM) It is now over three months since the National People’s Power (NPP) -a ‘left-leaning’ political party- was elected into power. The party led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) was voted into power by people who were sick and tired of past leaders who promised much, but whose terms were blighted with corruption and broken promises. The main platform of the president’s party was to restore law and order and bring to book crooked politicians and their henchmen. more..

Jan 10 (DM) The attempts to import red rice from India failed as red rice was not available in India, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said. He told Parliament that the govt had discussed with the Indian High Commission and Indian suppliers to import red rice to meet the shortage in the local market, but the attempt had failed. Minister said red rice is not available in the mills in the country also and added that attempts are being made to somehow manage the situation. more..

Jan 10 (Island) Two armed members of a criminal gang shot and wounded a close relative of the underworld figure known as Loku Patti on Thursday at Ahungalle. Suspects fled the scene immediately after the attack. The victim, identified as Loku Petti’s uncle sustained injuries and was admitted to hospital. The attack occurred while the victim was inside a three-wheeler around 5:45 a.m. The assailant, armed with a pistol, shot him before escaping. Although the victim survived, more..

Jan 10 (FT) The SJB has decided to restructure the party by giving much emphasis to the recommendations proposed by its Chairman Imthiaz Bakeer Markar. SJB Vice Chairman and MP Gayantha Karunatilake said the decision of restructuring the party was taken by the SJB’s management committee meeting early this week. He said that among other issues discussed at the meeting were strengthening party more..

Jan 10 (FT) Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa highlighted the need for repealing or amending the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which was temporarily enacted in 1979 to suppress LTTE terrorist activities in the country. Questioning the Govt as to why it is still not taking action to repeal the PTA, he said it was now being used to suppress the voices of political opponents, protests, strikes against the Govt and journalists. “Today, continuation of this law has become a problematic issue more..

Jan 10 (EN) Board of Investment (BOI) has digitized some of its fee collection process and gate passes from Friday, in a move to ensure minimal human intervention and enhance the transparency, it said. The Central Verification Division of the BOI will digitize issuing gate passes starting on Friday to provide an efficient service. “The new program will automate the previously manual collection of import and export document fees, automate the collection of verification fees, more..