Aug 26 (ST) Thrusting forward despite the growing rift, fears of crippling strikes or protests, a sudden spurt in prices of consumer goods amidst other woes, this week saw the ruling coalition partners in an unusual embrace over pending Provincial Council elections. The two sides – leaders of SLFP & UNP – decided Thursday night that they should go ahead with the polls early next year. Despite the firm decision, there were still more..

Aug 26 (Island) I write in continuation/ affirmation of what Tisaranee Gunasekera said about the GMOA in the Sunday Island of 12 August. In her article titled: On Doctors and Kings: authoritarian wind is sweeping across Sri Lanka she writes: "Dr. Padeniya reportedly told a Lake House journalist: ‘We have created a point scheme. In psychiatry there is a method to identify people who betray the country. We are going to launch this list and keep it online with the materials you publish. more..

Aug 26 (Island) Two public events framed this week, at least from the perspective of doctoral study into the dynamics of social media. I am away from Sri Lanka, but not apart from the country. The geographic distance is necessary isolation which allows the time and space to study, at greater scale, patterns and trends that go on to define the country’s political landscape. To varying degrees, much of what is noted somehow in Sinhala over social media is reflective of or goes on to more..

Aug 26 (ST) The Chinese are not only interested in developing Sri Lanka’s major ports such as Colombo and Hambantota. They also want to learn about the history of the country’s other ports, an unusual interest indeed. Involved in the task in Sri Lanka now is a team of archaeologists from the Shanghai Museum. Their attention at present is focused on learning about the ancient port city that existed centuries ago in Jaffna. more..

Aug 26 (DM) The Police are playing the fool using the freedom given by the yahapalana govt, Minister Sarath Foinseka told Parliament yesterday. He said this during the debate on the provincial delimitation commission report and pointed out that some senior police officers were acting similar to Bulls in the china shop. The minister pointed his finger at STF Chief DIG Lathif and few other police officers. more..

Aug 26 (CT) In a monumental case in San Francisco, USA, after eight weeks of trial proceedings, California jury took a decision against agrochemical giant Monsanto ordering it to pay US$ 250 million in punitive damages along with compensatory damages and other costs, bringing the total figure to nearly US$ 290 million to 46 year old Dewayne Johnson. He was diagnosed in 2014 with a cancer that affects white blood cells. more..

Aug 26 (CT) Close to 2,000 Sri Lankans have availed themselves of the amnesty offered by the UAE Govt and the number is expected to rise in the coming days, the Foreign Employment Industry said yesterday. The Sri Lankan Consulates in the UAE have already issued a total of 491 fresh passports to those without legitimate travel documents, together with 264 exit passes that will allow illegal individuals to leave that country, more..

Aug 26 (AFP) Sri Lanka cricket authorities Sunday rejected claims of discrimination against England fans in the pricing of tickets for an upcoming tour, saying both foreign and local supporters would be charged the same. England will play five one-day internationals, a one-off Twenty20 match and three Tests between Oct 10 and Nov 27 at four venues -- Colombo, Dambulla, Galle and Pallekele. more..

Aug 26 (ST) Three ministries are seeking Cabinet approval to upgrade the Palaly Airport to the level of a regional airport and operate flights to South Indian cities by the end of this year, a senior cabinet minister said yesterday. A joint cabinet paper is to be submitted by the ministries of Transport and Civil Avaition, Policy Planning and Economic Development and Tourism to seek Rs 1.2 billion for the refurbishment, more..

Aug 26 (SO) While new legal interpretations surfacing to indicate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa can contest presidential elections again despite the 19th Amendment being in force, experts and officials at the independent election commission insist the law is crystal clear on the point that persons twice elected to the office of President by the people are disqualified from being elected again. more..

Aug 26 (ST) The Health Ministry will next week gazette maximum charges for tests, treatment and surgery at private hospitals, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne told the Sunday Times. Accordingly, 53 medical and surgical procedures including lab tests, scans, examination reports, cataract operations, bypass surgery, and angiogram charges will have a maximum charge which hospitals will required to adhere to. more..

Aug 26 (CT) People who did not have any knowledge about cricket had destroyed the Sri Lankan national team, Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said. Ranatunga was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team that won the 1996 ICC World Cup. “I will remain silent, as Sports Minister Faiszer Musthapha knows the subject well. But I will break the silence and make the team better perform under a different political leadership in future,” more..

Aug 26 (ST) Protests notwithstanding, the Western Provincial Council will spend Rs 86 million to import luxury chairs for its members. “An order for 135 chairs, each worth Rs 640,000 has been placed with a Belgian supplier,” the council’s Chief Secretary Pradeep Yasaratna said. There are only 104 members in the council. This means there will be a surplus of chairs. He claimed that the actual cost of the chair was only Rs 200,000, more..

Aug 27 (CT) It is difficult to believe that the timing of a piece entitled Disqualifying Twice Elected Presidents – A Failed Endeavour? written by Dr Nihal Jayawickrama, was fortuitous. In the alternative one would be compelled to say that Nihal has miscued. I have known NJ from 30 years from Hong Kong days, respected his integrity and enjoyed his impish humour. So if I were compelled to, I would prefer to allow that he has goofed than made himself a tool of Rajapaksa more..

Aug 27 (CT) Today, 26 Aug, is the birthday of Appapillai Amirthalingam – unquestioned Leader of the Tamils and first Tamil Leader of the Opposition. To remember such a powerful politician, a Tamil leader with pleasant personal abilities and commanding presence, is I consider a joyful and appropriate thing. Leader Amirthalingam was born in the village of Pannaaham in Vaddukoddai. After a stint at Pannaaham Meikandaan Tamil School he moved on to Victoria College, Chullipuram. more..

Aug 27 (SO) With the Govt launching a restoration project for the Myliddy fishing harbor, displaced fishermen in the Jaffna peninsula are preparing to return to their traditional fishing grounds in the area. Last year, after occupying it for nearly three decades, the military released the Myliddy fisheries harbour and 54 acres around it, allowing displaced fishing communities to finally return home and be assured of livelihood means. more..

Aug 27 (SO) The Joint Opposition (JO) created a big hullabaloo last week over the questioning of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa regarding the abduction and assault of then Deputy Editor of The Nation Keith Noyahr. This tells us that they, and Rajapaksa himself, have yet to get their act together. The day Rajapaksa was being questioned by the CID, JO MPs thronged to Rajapaksa’s official residence in their numbers in a show of strength, turning the event in to a media circus. more..

Aug 27 (SO) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was captured on camera a couple of days ago calling his Private Secretary Udith Lokubandara a moda yakek and ordered him to stay away. Trouble started when the former President came out of his official residence in Colombo after being questioned by the CID over the alleged abduction and assault on journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008. Some JO heavyweights claimed this incident had happened due to a misunderstanding. more..

Aug 27 (CT) UNP Matale District MP Rohini Kaviratne says that no santhosams were given and she does not even have a vehicle. Q: While a certain group says the next Presidential Candidate is Ranil Wickremesinghe, another group says the UNP’s candidate should be a person the people want, what is your stance? A: We will work for anyone according to the decision of the Party. As we want a UNP govt, more..

Aug 27 (ST) When we point one finger at whoever sits in the chairs of govt, two fingers must be pointed back at ourselves. What is wrong politically, whether it is corruption of the most extraordinary kind, inflammatory racist rhetoric or institutional non-governance, is only a reflection of what is wrong in our societies, systems and institutions. This is seen in ongoing cases on corruption before courts (and probably even more so when the special courts established for that purpose commence more..

Aug 27 (Island) Developing countries are characterised by unplanned cities and the attendant cancerous urban growth, which brings in wake, numerous problems such as pollution, congestion and diseases. Needless to say that Colombo has failed to be different though it has achieved some improvement according to the current Economist global liveable city rankings. It is ranked 124th out of 140 countries. One of our readers has taken exception to a govt move to expedite more..

Aug 27 (ST) If G. L. Peiris’s wishful thinking that Mahinda Rajapaksa can contest the presidential election for the fourth time were to come true, then pigs can fly and cows can do summersaults over the moon. Even as Jack and the Bean Stalk fairy tale recounts how Jack flung his magic pods and caused a stalk to grow so high to the sky which enabled him to climb and reach the castle atop where a giant lived and steal from him the golden hen which laid golden eggs; so did G. L. Peiris plant his more..

Aug 27 (DN) The 18th Asian Games has been going on in Jakarta for a week with Sri Lanka sending their largest contingent to the Games with 185 athletes (138 men and 47 women) competing in 28 sports. However the saddest aspect is that these games are not shown to the local television audience on any of the FTA channels but only on pay TV, thus depriving the rural folks of witnessing their sportsmen and women participating at international level. It is a well-known fact that more..

Aug 27 (Roar) n 1997, Ravi Corea had only just returned to Sri Lanka after completing his degree in conservation biology in the US. Looking to conduct his field internship, Corea was intrigued by the human-elephant conflict – which, in his words, was one of the big issues at that time in Sri Lanka. Upon assessing the situation, Corea found that on average, 150 elephants were being killed every year. more..

Aug 27 (Island) TO shake or not to shake hands has become a crucial question for Muslims in Europe. One of the controversies began in Stockholm several months ago. A 24-year-old girl named Farah Alhajeh went to the office of a Swedish company called Semantex to interview for a job. She had applied to be an interpreter for the company whose headquarters are located in Uppsala, a town outside of Sweden. When she arrived, a male interviewer was waiting to interview her. more..

Aug 27 (Island) Colombo maintained their unbeaten run in the ongoing SLC T-20 League as opener Upul Tharanga starred with yet another half-century against Galle at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium yesterday. Sri Lanka’s former white ball captain has been in good nick in the competition and so far has scored two half-centuries and a hundred after four games. Fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep, who has been sidelined for five months after suffering a hamstring injury during more..

Aug 27 (DN) Kalinga Kumarage secured eighth place in the men’s 400m final with a time of 46.249secs at the 18th Asian Games continued at the Gloraban Karno sports stadium in Jakarta, yesterday. Gold and silver medals were won by Qatar and India respectively. Janaka Wimalasiri failed to impress in the men’s long jump finals and only managed to finish seventh out of 12 with a performance of 7.86 metres. China won the gold and silver medals more..

Aug 27 (ST) July 2018 saw the second year of a successful HSBC Future Lions, Golf Talent Search programme conducted by Sri Lanka golf. The programme was launched in 2017 in search of talent across Sri Lanka to spread golf among rural communities who can now boast of having golf courses in their backyards. With additional three new golf courses to SL’s Golf course landscape, namely; Eagles Golf Links, SLAF, China Bay, Trincomalee, Army Golf Course, Diyatalawa more..

Aug 27 (ST) It reminds me of the four deaf men who met one another other for the first time, one fine day. All four were eager to exchange pleasantries but, there was only a huge noise that even disturbed the others around, and the discussion, in reality, was not getting anywhere. All four guys were deaf. Result – chaos. Isn’t this the same plight our cricket is facing at present? In one forum Thilanga Sumathipala is staking his claim as loud as ever and is seen at all the important matches, more..

Aug 27 (SO) Sri Lanka’s gold market is in an unsteady state after the govt slapping a 15% tax on gold imports this year according to gold merchants. Merchants said there has been a sharp increase in gold being smuggled into the country after the tax was imposed. The govt imposed the 15% tax as there had been a steady increase in gold imports in recent years draining foreign currency from the country. Gold imports surged to 15,750 kilograms in 2017 from around 9,148 kilograms in 2016 more..

Aug 27 (DN) Sri Lankan economy and the vehicle population is growing rapidly, said Minister of Minister of Transport And Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva. Similar to the motor industry the Sri Lankan aviation sector too is making progress with several new domestic airports to open regionally, he said. Speaking at the inauguration of the inaugural Lanka Auto 2018 Expo at SLECC the Minister said the Sri Lankan economy despite challenges in 2017 has made major progress. more..

Aug 27 (FT) The majority of hoteliers last week voted that Minimum Room Rates must stay, saying a change would spell doom for an already struggling industry owing to a multitude of reasons. Colombo City Hotels Association President M. Shanthikumar confirmed that at a meeting held on 23 Aug with over 25 Colombo star class hotels, the majority of whom, excluding two members, clearly stated that they wanted the Minimum Rate more..

Aug 27 (SO) The long awaited National Procurement Guidelines are expected to be presented to Cabinet after being updated by the Finance Ministry, possibly by this week. Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunge noted that the guidelines had to be updated despite already being gazetted in May, as they had to incorporate changes that had taken place at Cabinet level over the last three months. “Observations made by the Finance Ministry will be more..

Aug 27 (FT) The recent Excise Duty on liquor bases on alcohol volume had resulted in 11% decreased sales of alcohol during the last six months, Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera told Parliament last week. Minister made this disclosure while taking part in yesterday’s second reading debate on the Excise (Amendment) Bill. He pointed that the amendments included a decision to introduce a sticker for every bottle of arrack that was produced legally. more..

Aug 27 (CT) Under The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xi Jinping has promised approximately USD 30-40 million in assistance for the rubber industry, Minister Navin Dissanayake said. “We are currently negotiating with govt officials of China and my ministry is proceeding with the feasibility study report.” he noted. He was speaking at the opening of the Finite Element Analysis and Simulation Centre which would assist and more..

Aug 27 (FT) Union Assurance PLC (UA) has now been listed in the Forbes Asia Best Under A Billion list. Union Assurance becomes the only Sri Lankan company to be a part of this prestigious list comprised of 200 public companies in the Asia Pacific region with annual revenue between USD 5 million and USD 1 billion that have positive net income and been publicly trading for at least a year. The list honours companies with a track record of strong top and bottom line growth. more..

Aug 27 (AD) Rajya Sabha MP of Indian Parliament and senior politician Subramanian Swamy in one of his latest tweets has referred to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s upcoming visit to Delhi, India. The Indian MP had previously invited former Prez Rajapaksa to Delhi to attend a function organized by the Virat Hindustan Sangam. His tweet stating Mahinda Rajapaksa heads for Delhi in weeks.. had a link to an article of The Sunday Guardian Live on the former President’s visit. more..

Aug 27 (DM) A total of Rs.21.2 million had been incurred in the process of creating the Provincial Council Delimitation Report. The report was rejected by Parliament on Friday when the vote was taken. According to sources the expense had been made in respect of the 5-member Commission, appointed by the President for their personal emoluments, travelling, supplies, office equipment, vehicles, preparing software, maintenance work, more..