Nov 20 (CT) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s actions against the President reveal his personal agenda to run for the presidential election in 2020, Chairman of the SLPP G.L. Peiris said. He said this at a Media briefing held at the Party headquarters. “The Speaker is putting on a heroic display, not only for the Sri Lankans but for foreign diplomats as well. It’s evident that he’s trying to create for himself an image to satisfy his personal agenda to become the President,” he claimed. more..

Nov 20 (FT) SLFP spokesman Mahinda Samarasinghe said legal advice would be sought from the Attorney General regarding the UNP presentation of a motion to Parliament seeking to reduce access of public finances by the PM’s Office. Addressing a hurriedly convened media briefing, Samarasinghe, together with SLFP MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara and Thilanga Sumathipala, was adamant that the motion was invalid as it was based on what they more..

Nov 20 (CT) A group of civil society representatives, led by the Sinha-le Api Organization, met President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, with the aim of drawing the attention of the President to the plight of imprisoned General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena Organization Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. The civil society representatives also handed over a letter to the President. The President held a discussion with them. more..

Nov 20 (DN) Chief Opposition Whip and JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that former PM Ranil Wickremesighe should leave Temple Trees as he is no longer the PM of the country and just a MP. Addressing a media briefing held in the Parliamentary Complex, Dissanayake further said within the first two weeks of January, the country will have to repay a huge amount of loans repayments at once, failing which the country would have to face a serious economic crisis. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Lawyers for Democracy voiced concern over the decision to transfer Inspector of Police (IP) Nishantha Silva of the CID to the Negombo Division, insisting it was an attempt to halt crucial investigations and linked it to the current Constitutional deadlock. IP Nishantha Silva was Officer in Charge of the CID’s Organised Crime Investigation unit, which was handling investigations pertaining to several cases more..

Nov 20 (Island) A heated argument ensued at the party leaders’ meeting yesterday after MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena used the word thamuse to address JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Gunawardena accused the JVP of benefitting from the UNP’s largesse Dissanayake, angered by the remark counter accused the MEP leader and his father of supporting the UNP. MP Rajitha Senaratne chimed in, saying that not only Dinesh’s father but also his uncle had been in the UNP. more..

Nov 20 (DM) House Leader Dinesh Gunawardane said it was the govt which could move a financial motion whereas the opposition handed over a motion to the Speaker limiting the PM's expenditure. He said that the opposition had planned to move the motion in the House today but they had to hand it over to the Deputy Speaker in writing. "He informed the opposition that their motion cannot be taken up today. According to Standing Orders, it has to be included in the order paper for five days," more..

Nov 20 (Island) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said that he had received reports that there were attempts to disrupt Parliament proceedings yesterday as well. He said, in a media report: "I got intelligence reports that there would be attempts to disrupt Parliament proceedings today as well. That’s why I took necessary steps to ensure security in Parliament. I also informed the sergeant at arms, director of Parliament police division, more..

Nov 20 (DM) With the unprecedented Constitutional crisis and the political turmoil in SL moving into its fourth week our political leaders need to be aware that what they do or fail to do would have disastrous effects more on the new and next generation than the present one. Apparently the Constitution is being challenged as are hallowed parliamentary standing orders, ethics and principles. Democracy’s pillars are being shaken and if this dangerous trend goes unchecked Sri Lanka’s image may crumble more..

Nov 20 (DM) Although recent developments have made it near-impossible to anticipate the changing political landscape from one day to the next, there are some aspects of SL’s ongoing parliamentary/ constitutional saga that have come into sharp focus. One is the unusual concern shown by the West in what is a purely internal issue for Sri Lanka. Another is the extraordinary trajectory of the Speaker’s behaviour since the onset of the crisis. Following the Supreme Court stay order more..

Nov 20 (DM) Sri Lanka’s leaders of all political hues are not necessarily the champions of liberal democracy. Nor are the country’s elections, which are regularly held, but generally tainted by misappropriation of state property, free and fair in a genuine sense. However, outcome of elections was often the reflection of the overall popular mood. They were not stolen. There is also an overall political consensus to accept the people’s more..

Nov 20 (AD) The Australian High Commission today warned Sri Lankans not to be fooled by false advertising through social media or by people smugglers that it was possible to get to Australia illegally by boat. It said in a statement that the Australian High Commission was aware of the rumours circulating on social media and said Australia’s maritime pathway was closed. “Australia remains committed to protecting its borders, more..

Nov 20 (DM) The communiqué was signed by its Chairman Ven. Diviyagaha Yasassi Thera, Joint secretaries Mahanayake Ven. Trincomalee Ananda Thera of Amarapura Sri Dharmarakshitha Nikaya, and Prof. Ven. Agalakada Siri Sumana Thera. The statement further said: "It is an accepted fact that there is a chaotic situation among the general public due to the unstable situation that has emerged in the country more..

Nov 20 (AD) Three suspects, who were remanded in connection with the shooting incident in Nallur targeting Jaffna District Court Judge M. Illanchelian, have been granted bail. They were granted bail by Jaffna High Court Judge Annalingam Premachandran yesterday under strict bail conditions. Police Sergeant Sarath Hemachandra who was a personal protection officer to Jaffna High Court judge M. Illanchelian, died in July 2017 more..

Nov 20 (EN) Prosperity, measured by SL's Prosperity Index (SLPI) improved in 2017 from the previous year despite eight out of nine provinces seeing declining levels of wellbeing due factor like falling air quality. SLPI is a composite indicator that measures and compares the level of prosperity of the country and across its provinces, improved to 0.771 in 2017, up from 0.661 the previous, Central Bank of SL which compiles more..

Nov 20 (ST) In an extract that is circulating in social media, Chathurika Sirisena, daughter of Prez Sirisena describes her father in her book Janaadhipathi Thaaththa (Presidential Father) as a very innocent man who however doesn’t know what he is doing when he is angry. Younger Sirisena recalls an incident in Prez’s childhood where he was admonished by his own father with a knock on his head (tokka). more..

Nov 20 (EN) The daughter of slain Sri Lanka editor Lasantha Wickremetunga has lashed out at President Sirisena for allegedly obstructing high profile investigations after the officer who was probing her father's murder was suddenly take off the case. "I have faith in the Criminal lnvestigation Department and the independent institutions of SL such as the National Police Commission and Constitutional Council," more..

Nov 20 (Island) Some ruling party members (UPFA) of the Western Provincial Council were watching pornographic films on their official computers while Chief Minister Isura Devapriya was presenting the budget for the year 2019 at the council’s new chamber. Among those who were engaged in watching porn were elderly PC members. The estimated expenditure of the council for the ensuing year is Rs. 81,261 million more..

Nov 20 (LBO) Former Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera says that Sri Lanka is on the brink of economic anarchy and chaos as never experienced before. Releasing a statement, Samaraweera says the cavalier and irresponsible actions starting on Oct 26th places at risk Sri Lanka’s ability to meet its immediate debt obligations. “In early January 2019, we have to repay US$ 1 billion of Rajapaksa debt taken in January 2014, more..

Nov 20 (EN) Sri Lanka has been downgraded to B2 from B1 by Moody's, a rating agency with a stable outlook at the lower level, on a worsening political crisis and weakening external conditions. External tightening has been "exacerbated most recently by a political crisis which seems likely to have a lasting impact on policy even if ostensibly resolved quickly, have heightened refinancing risks beyond levels anticipated more..

Nov 21 (DN) The centre-point in macroeconomic analysis of countries is the growth of real national income or economic growth. Its second layer contains consumption, savings and investments. While they are the means how the national income is utilized, they are also the sources or forces that promote further growth of income. The rest of analysis covers how various market factors and external shocks including state policies affect consumption, savings and investments that more..

Nov 21 (CT) As we all know Sri Lanka is passing through the worst ever political and economic crisis since President Maithripala Sirisena shocked the nation by sacking PM Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday 26 Oct. The irony is that it was Mr. Wickremesinghe’s UNP which played a crucial role in elevating Sirisena to a position as President which he never dreamt of. In yet another bombshell President Sirisena appointed former President Rajapaksa who was accused of crime more..

Nov 21 (Roar) Rabi’ Ul-Awwal—the third month of the Islamic calendar—is a slightly contentious one. What is contentious isn’t the month itself, but the celebrations that accompany it, because it marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muslims believe the 12th day of the month is the date of both his birth and death. “On the first of Rabi’ Ul-Awwal, we raise a flag at the mosque in his honour,” more..

Nov 21 (CT) Evidently clear, Sri Lanka now is the unfortunate scene of a politco-criminal gang running a govt by sheer force against a democratically mandated govt that is trying hard to save the constitution from the ravage of the monsters. This isn’t a surprise to political observers. With hindsight, at least, we know it had to happen. Look at the key front-liners of the Mahinda Rajapaksa-led joint opposition – Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, Wimal Weerawansa, Gammanpila, Johnston more..

Nov 21 (CT) The current constitutional crisis was triggered by ambitiousness and overconfidence on the part of all three major stakeholders. The Nation is paying the price for this. In a way, the domestic defenders of democracy in Sri Lanka and their foreign counterparts, including Govts, do not want to acknowledge their own deafening silence that had brought the Nation to such a pause. As the facilitators of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe unholy marriage from the start, more..

Nov 21 (DN) In a rare interview on the recent SL conflict, the Japanese govt’s envoy Yasushi Akashi speaks of his unique experience parleying between the govt and the LTTE. Yasushi Akashi was the representative of the Japanese govt for Peace-Building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in SL. He was actively involved in mediating between the SL govt and the international community and the LTTE from 2002 to 2009, more..

Nov 21 (CT) Sovereignty in broad terms means supreme power or authority. National sovereignty accordingly, is the autonomy or the independence of a State based on this supreme power or authority. In history wars were fought to preserve sovereignty of nations and sometimes to make sovereign nations subservient or to break them up. When sovereignty is lost, as has been our experience, it often takes several centuries to recover such lost sovereignty. When force of arms was used against more..

Nov 21 (CT) As I sit to write this column, I am reminded of an article that I wrote to a website titled, Pre-And Post-2015 Rajapaksa And The Road To 2020 dated 15 Feb. I quote: ‘Pre-2015: His post-war victory speech in May 2009 still reverberates in our ears. The then President Mahinda Rajapaksa went on to say, “There are no minorities… We are one nation… We must live like children of one mother…All people in this country must live without fear and suspicion… more..

Nov 21 (DN) Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s bull in the China-shop approach to interpreting parliamentary procedure was sagging so much at the seams, that it required family — his son-in-law Navin Dissanayake — to park himself by his side, when Jayasuriya completely lost the plot in parliament the other day. Good Speakers don’t lose control under any circumstances, in the way that Speaker Karu did. But he lost it, and the sort of spectacle that unfolded would be remembered for a long more..

Nov 21 (Island) The World Toilet Day fell on Monday (19), and various programmes were conducted to clean public conveniences in places like railway stations. Those who were involved in that campaign, spending their money and time deserve praise. TV advertisements announcing the cleaning programmes reminded us of the Great Stink in London, where untreated, stinking human excreta and industrial effluent, got stuck on the banks of Thames in 1858, galvanising the British more..

Nov 21 (CT) A cross section of society speaking to our newspaper were of the view that President Maithripala Sirisena’s move to remove former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe was commendable but there is an opinion which does not condone with this view and say that President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision was unethical and immoral. Excerpts: Nazar (43 yrs); Fort Trade Centre: The whole world including almost all more..

Nov 21 (FT) Popular media personality and activist Sharmini Serasinghe has launched her first book titled Sri Lanka – The Elusive Miracle of Asia. The book is available only online. The book deals with politics among other issues that have shaped contemporary Sri Lanka. The Sinhala version of the book is underway as well. Sharmini says the post-November 2005 presidential election saw a sharp escalation in violence, with both signatories violating the CFA at will. more..

Nov 21 (Island) A new mindset seems to be emerging among some private businesses to get ahead with their growth plans, launches and innovations regardless of the debilitating effects on the country's business landscape caused by the ongoing political power stand-off which has worn out its welcome. Two such events were seen at the Colombo Hilton yesterday where Dave Tractors and Combines (Pvt) Ltd in Yakkala introduced innovative John Deere farming technology in Sri Lanka more..

Nov 21 (CT) SLTDA highlighted that 82.4% of tourists who visited Sri Lanka in 2017 came for pleasure, down from 83% in 2016, as travellers visiting the island for business, sports and meetings increased. 11.3% of visitors to Sri Lanka came to visit friends and relatives, down from 11.5% in 2016. Arrivals for business increased to 3.3% in 2017, up from 1.8% in 2016, while visitors for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions more..

Nov 21 (Island) The unfortunate, problematic and sad situation in which the Country is in today is the result of the rational, the ethical and the moral being overlooked and by-passed to impose the bad judgement and decision of a political will of the President of Sri Lanka. The President had not realized that his political legitimacy comes from the sovereign people whose will was democratically expressed on 8th Jan 2015. Yet the morality that should govern the Prez’s judgement of affairs more..

Nov 21 (Island) By now, everyone in the country would have realized that the current political mess that the country is in, stems from the changes made or purported to be made in the Constitution, by the 19th Amendment. From the very beginning, the 19th Amendment Bill itself has been a mess. On the one hand, though it repealed and replaced Article 30 of the Constitution, the Bill sought to retain a President who was directly elected by the people and who was designated as the Head of the State, more..

Nov 21 (Island) PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi said that a single parliamentary session cost SL taxpayer a whopping Rs 25,721,413 mn and not Rs 4.6 mn to Rs 5mn as previously estimated. The civil society activist said that the PAFFREL had recently obtained parliamentary expenses in terms of the Right to Information Law. According to K.A. Rohanadeera, Assistant Secretary General of Parliament, more..

Nov 21 (FT) Nalaka Godahewa has been appointed the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. He had visited the organisation last week and addressed the staff. This is the second stint at SLIC for Godahewa as he previously served as the Managing Director. He replaces respected senior business leader Hemaka Amarasuriya. Godahewa’s last position under the President Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. more..

Nov 21 (FT) Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL) has succeeded in boosting profits thanks to a smarter raw material sourcing strategy despite the top line being impacted by unfavourable market conditions. For the quarter ended 30 Sept, DCSL’s gross revenue was down 11% to Rs. 19.8 billion and net revenue by 5% to Rs. 6.67 billion. However, the cost of sales was lower by 17.4% to Rs. 4.18 billion. Industry and company analysts said DCSL had pursued a new strategy of sourcing raw more..