Sep 21 (EN) Sri Lanka is proposing to fast-track visas for migrant tech professionals amidst a talent crunch and changes to its higher-education laws to develop local talent and attract foreign universities to set up campuses in the island. "In order to stimulate and enable sustainable growth in the IT-BPM industry, a number of regulatory amendments need to be implemented," govt's National Export Strategy 2018-2022: Information Technology Strategy policy document published in 2018 notes. more..

Sep 21 (Island) The issue of the personal staff of ministers abusing state vehicles was raised in Parliament. JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said that the vehicles allocated for the personal staff of Cabinet Ministers were better than those given to the Deputy Minister of the same ministry. "In most cases the vehicles allocated for personal staff of ministers are SUVs while deputy ministers are given ordinary vehicles." He said traditionally ministers appointed their family members to their personal staff. more..

Sep 21 (FT) Govt said that it has thus far been successful in curbing excess import growth and controlling the depreciation of SL rupee, which had started to hit record lows during the last few days. According to Minister Mangala Samaraweera, SL has been less affected than many other countries with economies of different sizes and stability. “Between 1 Jan and 18 Sept 2018, SL rupee has depreciated by approximately 7.4%. more..

Sep 21 (DM) Sri Lanka has suddenly shown a keen interest to strengthen ties with India with both Govt representatives and members of the opposition meeting up with Premier Narendra Modi, in New Delhi recently. India was lagging behind China, one of Sri Lanka’s main partners helping build the island nation’s infrastructure like ports and highways. But with the topic of elections emerging in Sri Lanka, India knows that it can make some influence in the little island. more..

Sep 21 (DM) If there had been issues between the Indian Govt of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and if Modi’s Govt was willing to refresh the relationship with Rajapaksa now, the best broker for the purpose would be none other than Controversial Indian politician Dr Subramanian Swamy. Swamy, who is also a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led by Modi, visited the former President at the ancestral house of the latter in Medamulana, more..

Sep 21 (DM) The Dailymirror recently interviewed Minister Duminda Dissanayaka and these were the views he expressed on politics and current affairs. Q: How has the SLFP progressed with its preparations for the forthcoming provincial council, presidential and general elections? A: We are keen to ensure a victory for the SLFP at these three elections. The party’s reorganization is running in full gear after the setback at local govt elections more..

Sep 21 (Island) The abolition of the executive presidency would benefit former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said JVP leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake responding to the media in Kandy on Wednesday. At the moment Rajapaksa family and Wimal Weerawanse were what he called on PM Ranil Wickremesinghe’s bail, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. Dissanayake spoke to the media after more..

Sep 21 (DM) The Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Sirimewan Ranasinghe is now in the limelight for allegedly depriving Lt. Commander Krishan C. Welagedara his due promotion, because he gave evidence against the navy officers who were behind the spate of abductions that took place between 2008 and 2009. Reportedly the 11 Tamil youth had been abducted for extortion. more..

Sep 21 (ST) A young female student’s online texting and sharing of images with her boyfriend turned out to be a nightmare, when a hacker sent her a ransom demand, threatening that he would upload compromising content featuring her on to publicly accessible websites, if she did not comply. The girl, a student of a higher education training institute, had exchanged nude images and videos with her boyfriend, unaware that more..

Sep 21 (FT) As the rupee depreciates daily to new lows, State Minister Dr. Harsha Silva defended the Govt’s stance to refrain from artificially managing the value of the currency, warning of the negative impact an interference may bring. “As a responsible govt we have to come to an agreement and face reality, to ensure the continuity of a stable economic environment we can’t intervene to stabilise the rupee” more..

Sep 21 (FT) The Joint Opposition yesterday called for Provincial Council elections to be held to prevent collapse of democracy in the country. Provincial Councils of the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces expired a year ago, and the official terms of the Northern Provincial Council are also close to an end, MP Ramesh Pathirana said. He claimed that unknown to President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe, more..

Sep 21 (CT) President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday (20) opened the country’s first 30-kilometre long fence constructed with concrete posts to protect elephants. Located at Gomarankadawala in Trincomalee, the 30-kilometre fence was constructed by the Army. However, while criticizing the decision of making the elephant fence using concrete posts instead of wood, environmentalists dismissed it saying that more..

Sep 21 (DN) President’s Counsel Upul Jayasuriya speaking at a public forum of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) made damning revelations that Entrust Securities PLC previously known as Ceylinco Shriram had misappropriated public funds amounting to Rs. 12 billion since 2013. “There have been audit reports and an investigation by the FCID which stated that the company had unsound. more..

Sep 21 (DN) The CID conducting investigations into the murder of former rugby player Wasim Thajudeen yesterday informed Court that there is reliable information to support the fact that a Defender vehicle given to the Siriliya Saviya Foundation had been used to abduct Wasim Thajudeen. Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dilan Ratnayake appearing on behalf of the CID made this revelation, when magisterial inquiry more..

Sep 21 (NR) UPFA MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Prasanna Ranaweera have been issued temporary suspensions from Parliament. Minister Lakshman Kiriella tabled a motion in the House stating the two MPs violated the Code of Conduct of MPs by behaving in an unruly manner against Speaker of House Karu Jayasuriya in Parliament recently. Accordingly MP Prasanna Ranaweera was suspended for four weeks more..

Sep 21 (CT) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), in the past quarter century, reached its high watermark in 1996 when it won the 50-over World Cup (WC) in 1996 in Pakistan. SLC was then managed by Ana Punchihewa, Managing Director Pure Beverages, a now defunct soft drinks company, who was President, SLC and Dave Whatmore, an Australian, its National Coach. But no sooner after this global victory, for inexplicable reasons Punchihewa lost his re-election bid to Upali Dharmadasa, more..

Sep 21 (FT) In its most innocent forms, we may all enjoy a bit of fake news and go to bed with a lighter heart and clean conscience. A meme on Facebook urging social media consumers to caution – You can’t believe everything you read on the internet – Abraham Lincoln – is both funny and ironic. Or virtually any short piece by those pastmasters of parody, NewsCurry, would suffice to make the point to say nothing of alleviating mood. Note… it’s not quite satire, but who cares when it’s so more..

Sep 21 (AD) Dept of Meteorology said that the possibility for afternoon thundershowers over the Island, particularly in the Northern, Eastern, North-central and Uva provinces from 23rd Sept is high. Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Western provinces while several spells of showers will also occur in North-western province. Showers or thundershowers are expected to occur at several places in Eastern and Uva provinces after more..

Sep 21 (FT) The Supreme Court yesterday reserved for 1 October its order on granting of leave with the Writ petitions challenging the decision of the Bribery Commission to institute proceedings against former Chief Justice Mohan Peiris and incumbent Superior Court Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz in the Magistrate’s Court. Bench comprised Chief Justice Priyasath Dep and Justices Vijith K. Malalgoda and Lalith Dehideniya. The Petitions were filed by Justice Nawaz, Bar Association of Sri Lanka and more..

Sep 21 (CT) Although four days have elapsed after the Mexican National Day, Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, who left the shores to attend the event on behalf of President Maithripala Sirisena, has still not returned to the country. Wijegunaratne left the country last week, under Sirisena’s blessings, despite a high-profile investigation against him for allowing Chandana Hettiarachchi more..

Sep 21 (AM) Access CEO Sumal Perera, who recently demonstrated his eagerness for a despotic ruler in SL, received a Yahapalana bonanza this week when the Cabinet approved to give him 114.5 perches at Union Place, Colombo 02, on a 99-year lease. Perera, moderating a recent panel discussion in Colombo, slammed the government for lack of policy stability and firm decision-making in the country. When Softlogic CEO Ashok Pathirage, speaking at the same discussion, more..

Sep 21 (CT) A recent study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) revealed that, although foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Sri Lanka recovered last year, hitting the US$ one billion mark, the underlying bottlenecks of poor ease of doing business, attracting the wrong types of investments and policy uncertainty have prevented Sri Lanka from ushering in optimal FDI gains throughout the post-war period. IPS, on a recent posting on its website further said that an entry/exit analysis found that, more..

Sep 21 (EN) The SL govt will take up concerns over worker shortages at the highest levels and will adopt a pragmatic approach to the problem, a senior minister said. Shortages of workers in industry, agriculture and services has led to calls to liberalise entry procedures to allow foreign labour, especially those in sectors facing skills scarcities although vested interests oppose the move. The govt will do everything possible more..

Sep 21 (Island) Most Venerable Mahanayake of Malwatte Chapter Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera warned four young monks that they would be expelled from Siyam Nikaya Malwatte Chapter if they continued to engage in the propagation of distorted version of the Buddha Dhamma. The four young monks were summoned by the Malwatte Maha Vihare following complaints against them. The four monks having admitted that they were engaged in the act of propagating more..

Sep 21 (DM) The Colombo Chief Magistrate today issued a stay order on the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) investigation of MP Ravi Karunanayake over allegedly providing false evidence to the Bond Commission. Counsel appearing for MP Karunanayake said the Bond Commission had no legal authority to direct the CID to launch investigations. Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake said an order would be given in this regard on September 26. more..

Sep 21 (AD) The Supreme Court today upheld the Appeals Court decision calling upon the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to register SAITM medical graduates. SAITM is legally eligible to issue medical degrees to its students, Court of Appeal had ruled on Jan 31, 2017. Appellate Court had also directed SLMC to give provisional registration to medical students passing out from the private medical college in Malabe. more..

Sep 21 (DM) President Sirisena said he immediately deployed an officer to look into the incident where a starving couple from Kahatagasdigiliya had been feeding on Murunga leaves for days due to the lack of water and food. Addressing an event in A'pura, he said all state officers and the ministers in the region should be held responsible for the situation. “It is the responsibility of all ministers and state officials to visit the affected people and provide relief," he said. Daily Mirror and our sister paper more..

Sep 21 (DN) Govt has declared Sept 21 to 28 as the Information Week to make the public aware about their right to information and motivating them to use it for their benefit. Addressing a media briefing in this regard Additional Secretary (Development and Planning) of Finance and Mass Media Ministry Thilaka Jayasundara said that the govt has declared the Information Week coinciding with the International Day of Right to Information (RTI) which falls on Sept 28 every year. more..

Sep 21 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena pointed out that the number of chronic kidney disease patients are decreasing at a significant rate annually as a result of the comprehensive programmes implemented by the govt to prevent kidney disease spreading in the country. Prez Sirisena further said that the innocent people in the country subjected to this disease and the govt executed extensive programmes during more..

Sep 21 (DM) UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake sai false allegations had been levelled against him by the same govt which they formed. "Is this the Good Governance? The same govt, which we formed, treated me like a terrorist," he said. He told parliament that the same economic stalwarts who steered the country towards a negative economy in 2000 during the Chandrika Kumaratunge’s govt are running the country today and added that they have been allowed to easily ruin the economy more..

Sep 21 (AD) A protest urging the abolition of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was held this morning in Jaffna. The protest had been organized by a group including the NPC member M.K. Sivajilingam of the TNA. National unity and permanent peace cannot be established in the country, Sivajilingam said, speaking to reporters during the protest. He added that they urge the President and the Prime Minister to revoke the PTA and to release political prisoners arrested more..

Sep 21 (AD) The CID has launched investigations into an incident of a Sri Lankan teenage girl being sent as a domestic work to the Middle East. Owing the issues that had arisen while she had been employed as a house maid in the Middle East, the girl in question was sheltered at the Detention Center of the SL Embassy in Oman, and later sent back to Sri Lanka. Although the girl claims to have been born in 2000, more..

Sep 21 (NR) Delimitation Review Committee has informed Speaker Karu Jayasuriya that another two months is required to compile the report on the delimitation of Provincial Councils. Speaker was informed of the requirement during a special party leaders meeting that convened under the patronage of the Speaker. Accordingly the Committee said there is a need to conduct an in depth study into delimitation and reach agree a common stance prior to the compilation of the report. more..

Sep 21 (AD) Army Intelligence Officer Lieutenant Colonel Erantha Peiris, who was arrested over the disappearance of Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, has been remanded until Sept 28. He was arrested by the CID yesterday and produced before the Homagama Magistrate today. The army intelligence officer was summoned to appear at the CID yesterday to record a statement while he was taken into custody after giving his statement. The CID has arrested several army intelligence members more..

Sep 21 (CT) Ministry of Agriculture intends to submit a Cabinet Paper within the coming week to legalize the sale of wild boar meat, Ministry officials said. 30% of the country’s annual agricultural harvest is lost due to wild animals and wild boar have become a menace causing crop destruction followed by monkeys, toque monkeys, wild elephants and peacocks. Officials also added that while methods have been stepped up to more..

Sep 21 (DN) The Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management (AATEHM) and the students of Tourism Study Programme, Department of Economics, University of Colombo will hold the First International Buddhist Tourism Conference on Oct 2, under the theme 'A Simple Life and Middle Path for Responsible Religious Tourism Development' at Ridee Viharaya in Kurunegala. According to Dr. Saranga Silva, Coordinator of the Tourism Economics and more..

Sep 21 (FT) The Govt presented the New Villages Development Authority for Plantation Region Bill in Parliament on Wednesday. Presenting the Bill, Minister Palany Thigambaram said that plantation sector communities have not been provided with even the most basic of facilities, and that it was high time the State took measures to rectify the situation. “Successive Governments have failed to resolve the hardships faced by the upcountry plantation sector community. more..

Sep 21 (DM) The Central Committee of the SLFP has decided to remove electoral organiser posts of eight out of the 16 SLFPers who defected to the Joint Opposition. The decision was taken at the SLFP CC meeting which was held at President Sirisena’s residence last evening. MPs Susil Premejayantha, W.D.J. Seneviratne, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane, Chandima Weerakkody are more..

Sep 22 (SO) The people of SL have proved time and again that they favour the abolition of the executive presidency, since they have supported every presidential candidate who has promised to scrap the office since 1994, said Counsel for petitioners intervening in support of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in the Supreme Court on Friday (14). President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, who serves as Counsel for the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, more..