Dec 5 (Island) A consignment declared as tar turned out to contain more ethanol than the declared item when examined by Customs yesterday. Seven containers, which had arrived from Malaysia on Friday, declared as containing tar or bitumen. Checks conducted at the Rank Container Terminal in Orugodawatta, revealed the seven 20-foot containers carried 74,480 litres of ethanol valued at Rs. 82 million. more..

Dec 5 (CT) The Central Bank earlier this week disputed the IMF economic projections and countered concerns raised by its Executive Board. "The Sri Lankan authorities note with satisfaction that the Executive Board of the IMF has welcomed the strong growth performance of Sri Lanka in recent years with inflation contained at single digit levels, after the review of the IMF staff reports on Post-SBA Programme Monitoring (PPM) and Ex-Post Evaluation (EPE) on 27 Nov 2013," more..

Dec 5 (CG) The flow of boat people from Sri Lanka and Iran has reversed for the first time in three years, with more being sent back than arrive. The net decline in asylum-seekers from two of the biggest source countries in the past three years coincides with the lowest November total for asylum-seeker arrivals since Kevin Rudd repealed the Howard govt border-protection laws. Last month, there were 207 arrivals and 66 people were sent back, including more than 40 Iranians. more..

Dec 5 (BBC) Sri Lanka's prime minister has ordered staff not to write letters in his name, after drug traffickers obtained a letter written by a secretary in his office to authorise a heroin shipment. DM Jayaratne said that action would be taken against the sender. At least 131kg (288lb) of heroin worth millions of dollars was seized on 30 August. Heroin was hidden in cans packed into a container sent from port of Karachi. more..

Dec 5 (CT) Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygoonawardena yesterday outlined in Parliament, the threats to Sri Lanka's shipping from nine regional ports and added that the method to counter the competition was to increase the capacities and the other infrastructure of the local ports. He was responding to a question from UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake as to whether he was aware of five countries posing a threat to Sri Lanka's shipping business. more..

Dec 5 (DN) ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) CEO Reshan Dewapura said Sri Lanka can also be known as an Open Source Software Hub in Asia. "The Software Product Engineering niche of Sri Lanka can be greatly fuelled by sectors such as Open Source Software development. While we become globally recognized as a centre of excellence for Product Engineering, we can also be known as an Open Source Software Hub in Asia". The ICTA CEO said so while participating more..

Dec 5 (FT) Massive tax concessions for the project approved under the Strategic Development Act are set to legally expire by mid 2014, the UNP warned yesterday, after the Shangri-La resorts deferred its Colombo opening till 2017. Speaking during the debate on the Economic Development Ministry in Parliament, UNP MP Harsha De Silva said the 25-year tax break for the resort project lapses if it is not operational more..

Dec 5 (CT) The Ministry of Fisheries has made it compulsory for all fishermen to wear life jackets when they are out at sea; the rule will be enforced from 1 Jan 2014. Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Sarath Gunaratne said, "This is not a move to punish the fishermen but to ensure their safety. We have had several incidents of fishermen drowning at sea and yet no preventive measures had been taken to guarantee their safety. Many fishing vessels out at sea do not have even the minimum more..

Dec 5 (Island) With hydro power generation increasing, the need for importing fuel for thermal generation has been reduced. The Ceylon Electricity Board has utilised the savings on imports to settle its outstanding debts to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Independent Power Producers (IPPs), CEB Deputy General Manager, Senajith Dassanayake says. He said in a statement that electricity tariff was determined by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka. more..

Dec 5 (Island) SLAF Chief Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama rejected allegations that foreign delegates who were here to attend the CHOGM last month, had been deprived of the opportunity to fly to Jaffna citing security reasons. He insisted that the govt had ensured swift transportation of all those who sought to visit former operational areas. Among those who had availed themselves of the facility were the British more..

Dec 5 (Island) Mihin Lanka is making headway on the Colombo–Mahe sector flying twice weekly with a load factor of around 45% and the airline’s Head of Commercial, Rohana Perera expressed confidence that it would reach 55% or more during the season. Perera said that the airline was already transporting perishables with a load of three to four tonnes to the Seychelles and the number would see an increase once the quarantine issues were sorted out by the authorities of both countries. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Ministry of Technology Research and Atomic Energy (TRAE) denied claims made by a certain milk powder importer that several tonnes of milk powder were stuck at the Colombo Port due to delays in conducting tests on dicyanamide (DCD). Media spokesman for TRAE said that uninterrupted testing was being done on milk powder samples sent for testing by the Health Ministry. The Ministry has stressed the need for carrying out tests for DCD following the detection of the agro chemical more..

Dec 5 (FT) UNP MP Eran Wickramaratne charged the govt was enacting new legislation based on “majoritarianism” that were detrimental to the country’s economic health. Opening the Committee Stage Debate of the 10th allotted day of the Appropriation Bill 2014, MP Wickramaratne took on the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment Promotion. He accused govt of twisting economic statistics more..

Dec 5 (Island) Between 1,500 and 2,000 people were admitted to hospital for spinal cord injuries each year in Sri Lanka, Consultant Spinal Cord injury surgeon Dr. Narendra Pinto said. Addressing the media on the International Day for Persons with Disabilities at the Health Ministry, Dr. Pinto identified occupational hazards and domestic accidents as the main causes of spinal cord injuries. Dr. Pinto pointed out that due to lack of awareness victims were not dispatched to hospital properly. more..

Dec 5 (ST) The deadline for state and private sector to ensure accessibility to the disabled is just a month away, Social Services Ministry Secretary Emelda Sukumar said. “All persons with disabilities have the right to file fundamental rights petitions if they are not provided with access by 2014,”she said. Ms. Sukumar said that the Supreme Court had ordered that the disabled should have access to all places and services by 2014. “Although most new buildings comply with this ruling, more..

Dec 5 (IBP) The govt has acted swiftly to ensure that none of the 33 000 people who arrived in Australia illegally by boat under Labor's watch and were yet to be processed will be granted a permanent visa, despite the Greens and Labor disallowing temporary protection visas, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon Scott Morrison said today. 'Unlike Labor and the Greens, the Coalition will never act to honour more..

Dec 5 (CT) Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order, Maj. Gen. Nanda Mallawarachchi, said he is aware of the delays involved in granting police promotions, and added he would take early action to sort out whatever problems there may be, which lead to such delays. He also said that, he will take early action to fill all the existing vacancies in the Department. In addition, the 100 vacancies to the post of ASP will be filled from among the present cadres serving the Police force. more..

Dec 5 (Scoop) The most astonishing, outrageous and mysterious aspect of the Impeachment proceedings is: How? The entirety of the 'actual Inquiry proper' of examining and recording of all the evidence of several witnesses, producing and marking enormous amount of complicated documents, was speedily and hurriedly rushed, in about Five Hours, of one continuous sitting, on the 7th and the deliberation, preparation? consideration and approval the final Report, more..

Dec 5 (FT) As part of its efforts to spread technology education through the Nenasala network, knowledge centres established under the e-Sri Lanka initiative, the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) together with Intel Sri Lanka commenced Intel Easy Steps Senior Trainer training for Nenasala operators recently. The first set of 50 candidates was trained at the National Institute of Education more..

Dec 5 (ST) Despite the government’s move of introducing a pricing formula replacing price control on chicken through a 2014 budget proposal, the viability of poultry industry is at stake due to its dependency on feed prices, as it is the dominant production cost, leading poultry industrialists said. The very same proposal of a pricing formula was made in the 2013 budget but it was not properly implemented as the complicated formula involves so many sectors, they revealed. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Uganda President Yoweri Museveni officially commissioned a part of a 33kV Power Distribution Line, which connected districts of Rakai and Isingiro. The section is a 150km stretch and is part of 330km 33kV Power Distribution Line Project, funded by NORAD which was completed by LTL Projects (Pvt) Ltd for its Client the Rural Electrification Agency in Uganda providing access to tens of thousands of clients all across many regions of Western Uganda. more..

Dec 5 (CT) The JVP, charged in Parliament yesterday that the govt has misappropriated Samurdhi funds to the tune of Rs 1,387 million, which should have gone to the savings accounts of Samurdhi beneficiaries but had instead used them for Divi Neguma projects. Participating in the Third Reading stage on the Budget 2014, under the Expenditure Heads of the Ministries of Economic Development and Investment Promotion, more..

Dec 5 (CT) The state-owned ITN devotes one segment of its main Sinhala news telecast to remembering the Tiger. Evening after evening, the viewers are reminded of some long ago LTTE-deed, in lurid detail. There are political forces, in the North and the South, who want ordinary Lankans live forever in the shadow of the Tiger. Sinhala and Tamil extremists need to keep the memories of the war vividly alive, because that is their only escape from the looming wilderness of more..

Dec 5 (FT) Substantial demand in terms of total bids received, which totaled up to a 10 month high of Rs. 55.8 billion saw weighted averages (WAvg) plunge at yesterday’s weekly Treasury bill auction, reflecting its eleventh consecutive week of declines. Wealth Trust Securities said once again it was the 364-day bill which reflected the sharpest decline of 19 basis points (bp) to 9.50%, while the 91-day and 182-day bills dipped by 9 bp and 15 bp respectively to 7.97% and 8.65%. more..

Dec 5 (KSA) The Sri Lankan govt is facing calls from both home and abroad to establish an independent electoral commission. In the wake of a Commonwealth report on elections in northern Sri Lanka, leading opposition parties joined a call by Commonwealth election observers for the island-nation to create such an impartial body. Opposition leaders say the govt should re-instate the SL constitution's 17th Amendment, which more..

Dec 5 (Island) Sri Lanka has made a remarkable progress in the development of rowing. Although the modern version of rowing started by the British in 1864, the sport has been practised here even during the ancient times. Competitions of paddle boat racing in Sri Lanka and Thailand have been documented in the Olympic records as the earliest form of rowing in the world. The recent progress of the sport with the fullest backing from the World Rowing Federation (FISA) has more..

Dec 5 (Island) The last few months have seen several protests in different parts of the country against the govt’s failure to prevent wild elephant attacks on far-flung villages. Affected people demand electric fences and the immediate translocation of wandering jumbos to wildlife parks. Effective as these measures may seem in the short run, they won’t help solve the problem once and for all. So long as villages and cultivations sit on elephant migration paths and forest cover more..

Dec 5 (FT) 50% of the Budget is allocated to the Rajapaksa family, stresses Chairman of the Leadership Council of the UNP Karu Jayasuriya, adding that it is a casino and Rajapaksa friendly but anti-people Budget. Jayasuriya points out that there are price hikes all around the Budget and as a result the cost of living will go up by at least Rs. 3,000. “We oppose the present prioritisation of expenditure. Look at what is allocated to more..

Dec 5 (CT) Thank you Hon. Deputy Chairman for the opportunity to speak on the second reading of the budget proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Finance. Before I start speaking on the proposals themselves let me with your permission say that today’s proceedings started on a very auspicious note. My good friend the Hon. A.H.M Azwer made a clarification with regard to his conduct in this House yesterday. We welcome the clarification he made and we hope that that spirit will prevail more..

Dec 5 (ST) The removal of import duties on designer brands of apparel including footwear and neckties and designer pens had been planned for inclusion in the 2013 budget presented in Nov 2012, but was missed out. It was included in next year’s budget in an effort to promote international shopping, according to Treasury officials. They said that with Sri Lanka steering towards becoming an international shopping hub with many international clothing brands vying for several landmark more..

Dec 5 (CT) Former Director General of Information, Ariya Rubasinghe, recalling the days of the People's Alliance Govt, said that the minister in charge of media at that time was Mangala Samaraweera, and that it was he who ordered the Sunday Leader be shut down. I sent the letter giving the order to the IGP and went home. Within half an hour, the press was sealed. Not only the Sunday Leader, but all the other publications of more..

Dec 5 (CT) Mahinda seems to have hit upon the idea of a new strategy to counter the looming threat of the UNHRC, adopting another damaging resolution at its upcoming March 2014 sessions. This new strategy is to accept the involvement of South Africa in the reconciliation process, as it had evidently shown much interest in it from about 2012. South African Ambassador in Sri Lanka at the time was the key player in setting the diplomatic ball rolling in that direction, by encouraging more..

Dec 5 (NS) There was a man - an innocent man - who left the shores of Sri Lanka following the 1983 riots. He was Tamil and happened to be a poet. In fact he was considered as one of the brilliant Tamil poets ever to be born in Sri Lanka. He sought refuge in Norway and became a Norwegian citizen. Then he came to India and became an actor – an award winning one. After two decades this man returns to his homeland; Sri Lanka. He comes under tourist visa and visits Jaffna, once his hometown more..

Dec 5 (SO) The speech that glorified the LTTE and its leader by TNA Jaffna district MP S.Sritharan on Tuesday was condemned by members from both sides of the House including the TNA which disassociated itself saying they were Sritharan's personal sentiments that 'transgressed the definite policy of the Party'. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said it breached the law of the country and merited tough action by more..

Dec 5 (GV) Edwin Ariyadasa, who completed 91 years on 3 December 2013, is one of two grand old men of Lankan journalism still practising their craft (the other being D F Kariyakarawana, also 91). The veteran journalist has been active in his profession for nearly all of Sri Lanka’s post-independence years. During that time, he has played a variety of complementary roles: feature writer, newspaper editor, columnist, radio and TV host, journalist trainer, author and translator among others. more..

Dec 5 (NS) There was a time when HIV/AIDS was unheard of in Sri Lanka. However, the situation is changing drastically, which could be due to an increase in awareness of the virus. It could also be due to the society being more aware of sex and sexuality.Years ago sex wasn’t a topic that was discussed. It was assumed that what happened between two people was none of society’s business. Sex and gender were assumed to be synonyms. However, people gradually realized that more..