Oct 7 (AD) The Govt Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) today said they oppose a certain section of state employees being considered special and afforded a salary increase. The salaries of govt employees should be increased according to the National Wage Policy, GMOA Spokesman Dr. Navin de Soysa. Apart from that no section employed by the state should be provided with a special wage hike, he said hinting at more..

Oct 7 (CG) The police say fake currency notes and believed to be in wide circulation and this has come to light following recent arrests. According to the police three youth were arrested in Kantale yesterday with 150 fake Rs. 1000 notes after they had made a transaction using a fake note. The youth had stopped at a stall in Kantale yesterday to purchase fish and had given a fake Rs. 1000 note for the fish. On being suspicious about the more..

Oct 7 (Island) Golden Key (GK) depositors staged a protest in Colombo on Friday demanding justice as they have been left in the lurch since this Ceylinco subsidiary collapsed in 2008. Carrying placards and shouting slogans, hundreds of struggling depositors gathered outside the former GK head office of at Duplication Road, Bambalapitiya and went in a procession to Temple Trees. more..

Oct 7 (AD) Central committee member of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), Dimuthu Attygalle claims she came under waste-oil attack in Jaffna today. She stated that she was climbing into a vehicle near the Nallur Kovil in Jaffna, to return after participating in several events organized for World Children’s Day, when two persons on a motorbike threw waste-oil on her and several others before fleeing. The political activist and JVP dissident said she suspects the attack was more..

Oct 7 (PTI) The 2009 Lahore terror attack is yet to become even a distant memory but President Mahinda Rajapakse has reportedly given his consent to the country's cricket team touring Pakistan again. According to the "Express Tribune", the Sri Lankan President told the media that his govt was ready to send the team to Pakistan. But Rajapakse reportedly made it clear that the final decision rested with the two boards. more..

Oct 7 (ST) Food items, essentials and other commodities are inching up in price after the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) increased the price of diesel by Rs. 4 last week. Among those who have hinted that transport fares will also go up are private bus operators, lorry owners and office and school van services. Meanwhile, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has not indicated an increase the CPC diesel price. more..

Oct 7 (LB) Some relatives of Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) top officials have made a small fortune through the illegal sale of a stash of tickets at inflated rates of the Sri Lanka-West Indies final match to be played today, sources said. A relative of a top board member of SLC had reportedly obtained 5500 tickets, of which 2000 were sold yesterday at prices ranging from Rs7500-Rs10000, sources said. Police have launched a probe into the illegal sale of T20 World Cup tickets more..

Oct 7 (SO) At least 18 percent children in the country are suffering from depression or similar mental disorders and parents and school teachers should be more vigilant over the behaviour of children, said a spokesman for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The spokesman said one in every five children in the country is suffering from depression due to various personal and social problems at homes, in schools or in the society. NIMH Consultant Psychiatrist Director, more..

Oct 7 (CI) Darren Sammy and West Indies got their wish when the coin landed "heads", and they decided to bat in the World Twenty20 final in Colombo. Not only did Sammy say it looked like a Trinidad pitch, but West Indies would have hated to chase after having batted first in every completed match they have played in this tournament. West Indies retained the XI that smashed Australia more..

Oct 7 (E24|7) “Sorry Sri Lanka; it’s West Indies all the way,” was Chris Gayle’s cheeky retort post his team’s semifinal win against Australia in the Cricket World Twenty20 match. Yet, as Gayle – prematurely say some – readies to rock ‘Gangnam Style’ tonight, the scene in Dubai is no less as the Sri Lankans pull out the party hats and whistles to support their country make history. Restaurants are booked out, while some fans have already boarded flights and more..

Oct 7 (DM) All district judges and magistrates in the country have decided to keep away from their day to day work tomorrow to protest against the assault on Judicial Services Commission Secretary Manjula Tilakaratne. A statement signed by Judicial Service Association President and Additional District Judge Kurunegala A. K. M. Patabendige and Secretary of the Association and Additional District Judge Colombo Pradeep Jayatileke said the decision was arrived at more..

Oct 7 (CI) Flair. Calypso. Frontrunners. Millionaires. Gold chains. Chris Gayle. No, no, no, no, no and no. West Indies' first World Twenty20 win was more digging in, refusing to give up, running and fielding like their life depended on this match, stunning the home crowd, and pulling off one of the most amazing turnarounds in Twenty20 history, especially given the stage. The due share of flair came from one of the most eye-pleasing batsmen going around. more..

Oct 8 (SL) The 2012 domestic rugby season would be parceled up and ready for dispatch to historians by sunset today, the last of piece of silver on the prize table finally claimed. Should Kandy SC take the Clifford Cup for the eighteenth time in twenty years, successively over the last six seasons, posterity, on noting the inscription of the hill capital club on the champions’ roll yet again, would likely judge season-2012 as being more..

Oct 8 (SL) Being afforded the luxury of indulging an ambition dating back to my teen years to enter journalism, I began to write for publications in a variety of Sri Lankan journals a couple of years after my return to Sri Lanka in 2006. The first newspaper to indulge my ambitions as a journalist was the English Lakbima News. That exercise ceased after about three or four columns were published when it was obvious that I was not about to be paid for my efforts, something guaranteed when more..

Oct 8 (SO) The National Police Commission (NPC) reconstituted in March this year to 'Police the Police', says they have received nearly 500 complaints against police officers within the past six months, with Gampaha and Kalutara districts in the Western Province accounting for the highest numbers. The Chairman of NPC, Senaka Walgampaya a senior President's Counsel Refuting the allegation that the Commission which has no powers to hold disciplinary inquiries more..

Oct 8 (DBS) I believe that a very plausible case can be made out to show that the major contemporary problem in the world is that of minorities, – ethnic, religious, linguistic and other minorities. Their maltreatment at the hands of majorities- perceived or misperceived – leads to restiveness and sometimes outright violent rebellion. Sometimes, even without any maltreatment minorities can want to establish a separate state, as seems to be the case with the Scots. more..

Oct 8 (DBS) Assessment of performance of any officer/official or employee is of great significance not only to the body or company, corporation, department or ministry that employs the officer/official; it carries even greater weight and consequence for the officer whose performance is assessed. One of the main components of the assessment is the periodical intervals at which performance is assessed or reviewed. This same tenet applies to any political party or more..

Oct 8 (DBS) Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was killed a year ago. We have seen a year of Investigations, court procedures, allegations, cover-ups and such. His murderers are still very much at large. This is how that fateful day is remembered by his loving daughter, Hirunika. There was nothing special about the 8th of October, 2011. As usual, I was the last to wake up. I had a dance class to attend at 10. It was already 8.45. more..

Oct 8 (CT) FUTA protest march was a success. Its success could be measured from the hate generated in the government camp. Minister SB said “we do not intend to look at FUTA as our foe. But for example, take the foreign countries that were visited lately by Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri. He is a second grade junior lecturer on History. In the recent past he toured Oslo and the US. Who provided the air tickets for his sojourns overseas? Even Kumar Rupasinghe has joined them now. more..

Oct 8 (CT) Eric Hobsbawm (EH) described even by the reactionary magazine The Spectator as “arguably our greatest living historian—not only Britain’s, but the world’s” died on 1 October at the age of 95, following Hector Abhayavardhana (HA) who left for never-never land at the age of 93, just a week previously. Wikipedia quotes a certain Niall Ferguson saying: “That Hobsbawm is one of the great historians of his generation is undeniable. His quartet of books beginning with The Age of Revolution and ending with more..

Oct 8 (NS) Tragedy struck students in a private bus, transporting them on the ill fated morning last Wednesday (3). The authorities partly to be blamed for allowing such out-dated vehicles to transport students, but the driver of this private bus blatantly violated all traffic rules and drove the bus at high speed into Galle Road, Katubedda. It collided with an on coming vehicle and a few seconds later, 12 students were found bleeding. more..

Oct 8 (ST) Sustaining economic growth at 8 per cent has turned out to be more difficult than anticipated. Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera reduced the expected growth this year to 6.5 per cent. The Central Bank reduced its estimate of growth some time ago to 7 per cent and revised it at the end of September to 6.8 per cent. A Standard Chartered Bank research report expects Sri Lanka’s economy to grow by 6.8 per cent this year but recover to 7.5 per cent next year. more..

Oct 8 (SO) The mystery behind the killing of several women at Kotakethana, Kahawatte was finally unravelled by sleuths of the Colombo Crime Division last week, following the arrest of four suspects linked to the killing of two women at Kahawatte. During the past few years several women who lived at Kotakethana, Kahawatte were killed by people who had vested interest to acquire their land. The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) sleuths arrested four suspects linked to the killing of more..

Oct 8 (CI) On the night the Caribbean dream survived the worst imaginable beginning, the Sri Lankans relived their most dreaded nightmare. Over 30,000 fans watched in stunned silence as 30-odd West Indians produced the merriest celebratory waltz to cap one of the most bizarre nights of cricket. West Indies cricket has endured such misery in the last two decades that it is impossible to grudge them their joy and more..

Oct 8 (Island) The story of a police 'raid' on Chris Gayle's hotel room, where some women were nabbed last week has taken an interesting twist with the government taking the police chief to task for what it calls highhanded action. We love Gayle, the blaster, especially when he performs Gangnam style gyrations––boy, what a delightful show!––but what we don't give a tinker's damn about what he does behind closed doors with anyone if his action is within the confines of law––emphatically, more..

Oct 8 (CI) There was a celebration after this World Twenty20 final, but it was not on the streets of Colombo. The thousands of people who streamed into the centre of Sri Lanka's capital to dance the night away largely turned around and went back again. Instead, the carnival was in the Caribbean as West Indies kept their promise that their cricketing regeneration had begun. Rally Round the West Indies, Gangnam Style and a bit of Bob Marley, washed down by a dark rum or two, long more..

Oct 8 (CI) They had clapped in the Premadasa media room after Darren Sammy finished his pre-final press conference on Saturday. They clapped in the Premadasa press box on Sunday after West Indies took the last Sri Lankan wicket to win the World Twenty20 2012. They clapped in the Premadasa media room after Sammy finished his post-final press conference. So rare have such occasions been for West Indies more..

Oct 8 (CI) Australia have retained the Women's World T20 trophy with a 4-run win over England in Colombo. Australia, who won the 2010 tournament in the Caribbean, impressed with the bat, with the ball and in the field to inflict just England's second defeat in their previous 25 completed T20 internationals. While England's record over the last 18 months or so has been excellent, they looked nervous in this game. Australia were on top throughout. Having set a challenging total, more..

Oct 8 (Island) The rupee gained ground against the US dollar to close at Rs. 128.40/60 last Friday, from an opening position of Rs. 129.00/20. "Dollar sales during the early stages of the day’s trading session saw the rupee reach 128.80/90 against the greenback with a low of Rs. 128.15. There was some buying from agent banks and this helped the pair higher by close. Again, some selling from exporter banks in the 3-6 months helped forward points push sharply lower," the Sri Lanka Forex Association said. more..

Oct 8 (Island) Poor governance is holding back post-conflict Sri Lanka from healing wounds and realising equitable growth, says the Sri Lanka Human Development Reports 2012, compiled by the UNDP and the Institute of Policy Studies, while a regime of heavy indirect taxation contributed to poor governance. "There is now an opportunity to correct the problems arising from Sri Lanka’s prolonged conflict, but progress in the domain of more..

Oct 8 (Island) Top professional marketer Rohantha Athukorala urged the corporate sector to play a more proactive role in the economy and drive much needed radical reforms. "This has to be done if we are to reverse negative trends where for example, Sri Lanka’s ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index fell to 62 this year from 52 the previous year," he said addressing Rotarians in Colombo recently. "Make it happen," Athukorala urged in response to concerns more..

Oct 8 (FT) The Govt has accepted Rs. 115 million as settlement from Prima Group’s Ceylon Grain Elevators Plc on litigations claiming Rs. 1.2 billion over violation of Customs laws. The company in a filing to the CSE said an inquiry bearing number DG/97/1038 was held by Sri Lanka Customs in 1997/1998 into an alleged violation of Customs laws and forfeiture was imposed on Ceylon Grain Elevators for/in a sum of Rs. 1.194 billion by Sri Lanka Customs on 22 July 1998. more..

Oct 8 (FT) The rise in public debt has crossed the Rs. 1 trillion mark within the first seven months of this year, renewing fresh concerns over sustainability. As per provisional data, public debt as at July 2012 amounted to Rs. 6.16 trillion, up by Rs. 1.02 trillion or 20% from end 2011 figure of Rs. 5.133 trillion. In whole of 2011, the increase was only Rs. 543 billion or 12% over 2010. The increase this year is high whereas from a year ago i.e. July last year, the rise is only Rs. 1.18 trillion. more..

Oct 8 (Island) Members of the Bodu Bala Sena Organisation who staged a peaceful and well-organized demonstration on October 4, in Colombo to condemn the recent attacks on Buddhists and their places of worship in Bangladesh by religious extremists said some incorrect reports about it were disseminated by some sections of the media. The demonstration drew a large number of members of the Buddhist clergy and laymen near the Buddha Statue at the Vihara Maha Devi Park. more..

Oct 8 (DN) The govt has identified nuclear safety as its primary responsibility, Minister Champika Ranawaka said. Speaking at a seminar organised by the Power and Energy Ministry, Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) and the CEB for scientists, engineers and academics on nuclear application at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on October 5, the minister said: "We have included nuclear policy framework, radiological emergency preparedness and planning as areas of priority. more..

Oct 8 (ToI) It was an evening worth savouring a lifetime. Sri Lanka have proved to be excellent hosts of sporting events, specifically cricket World Cups. The 2011 World Cup's 'Sri Lankan leg' was pretty much a success, and the on-going World Twenty20 has been excellent as well from organisational point of view. It is a tournament that has boosted Lankan tourism, with the hotels more..

Oct 8 (CT) UNP MP, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena demanded that the Cost of Living Index should be gazetted, for the benefit of the working community. He charged the Cost of Living Index contains all the listings of salaries and since it is not being gazetted yet, those who are assessing the CoL Index can change the numbers and content anytime they want. “When I recently met the Minister of Labour, Gamini Lokuge, I asked him why they were not gazetting the Cost of Living Index, to which he replied, more..

Oct 8 (DN) Senior Minister and former APRC chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana expressed confidence that the TNA will agree for discussions in the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) once they return to the country from their visit to India. A five-member TNA delegation is currently in India on the invitation of the Indian govt to discuss their participation to the proposed PSC to reach a political solution to the Tamil question, more..

Oct 8 (CI) Mahela Jayawardene has admitted his side faltered under pressure in their World Twenty20 final loss to the West Indies in Colombo, after having made an exceptional start to the match in the first 12 overs. The loss is Sri Lanka's fourth in major finals since 2007, and they have now been bridesmaids in two World Cups and two World Twenty20s in the last five major tournaments. Sri Lanka had surged through more..

Oct 8 (FT) The Commissioners of the SEC are scheduled to meet today, where relevant written proposals submitted by Colombo Stock Brokers Association (CSBA) are expected to be considered. Today’s meeting is the second since Dr. Nalaka Godahewa took office as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in late August. The CSBA had submitted around 10 proposals for capital market development following its meeting with the SEC. more..