Jun 11 (DM) A proposal presented by the Kirinda-Puhulwella Pradeshiya Sabha to remove the name of Mangala Samaraweera Pedasa and replace it as Lindagawa Watta Mawatha in Puhulwella, Matara, was passed today with a majority of three votes. Seven PS members representing the SLPP voted in favour while three members and one member representing UNP and SLFP voted against the proposal respectively. The proposal was presented following a petition handed over by residents more..

Jun 11 (EN) Industrial activity in Sri Lanka slumped to a 3-year low in April 2019, as traditional holidays, followed by the Easter Sunday bombings, kept workers at home. The Index of Industrial Production, fell to 96.9 index points in April, from 97.3% in April 2019. The index had recorded the highest ever 116.5 points in March 2019, since the compilation began in 2016. The IIP reaches annual highs in March, ahead of more..

Jun 11 (EN) Ceylon Cold Stores, which operates the Elephant House food and beverage brand, scrapped its Go Sugar Free soft drink line due to low consumer demand, the firm has said. "The traction on the CSD (Carbonated Soft Drinks) Go Sugar Free variant introduced in 2018 was disappointing and as a result of the lack of consumer demand for sugar free CSD beverages in the Sri Lankan market, the Company withdrew the range," Ceylon Cold Stores shareholders in the annual report. more..

Jun 11 (DM) The SLPP said today the govt had ceased to function in the wake of President Sirisena refusing to convene the weekly Cabinet meeting. He is reported to have informed the ministers that there would be no Cabinet meeting until the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) on Easter Sunday attacks was called off. SLPP Chairman G.L. Peiris said no Cabinet meetings meant there was no govt. “There will be no cabinet meetings until the PSC is called off. more..

Jun 11 (CT) MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera called for the Govt to take over the Batticaloa Campus, alleged to be South East Asia’s largest Islamic fundamentalist University, to provide technological education to the tri-forces. He observed that modern wars were not only conducted with arms and ammunition or bombs for that matter. Present wars involved electronics, crippling of entire computer networks with more..

Jun 11 (AD) According to the Chinese Ambassador to SL Cheng Xueyuan, China is willing to work with all countries including Sri Lanka in order to fight the trade bullying carried out by the United States of America. Issuing a statement on the trade dispute between the Republic of China and United States of America, the Ambassador stated that China is ready to work with all countries, including Sri Lanka, to firmly oppose trade bullying, safeguard and promote the building of an open world economy more..

Jun 11 (AD) The new SLFP constituency and district organizers were appointed this morning (11) at the President’s Office. The new constituency and district organizers received their letters of appointment from the President of SLFP, President Maithripala Sirisena. SLFP Senior Vice President Nimal Siripala de Silva, Secretary General Dayasiri Jayasekara, Mahinda Amaraweera, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and senior members of the party were also present on this occasion. more..

Jun 11 (DM) In a hard hitting speech, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said UNP was making good use of the Muslim community for their political purposes, especially aimed at the presidential election, while Muslim leaders, completely dependent on Muslim votes, want a govt they could manipulate. He said this at his official residence in Colombo while urging the leaders of the country and of the Muslim community to act more..

Jun 12 (DN) Yes, we are! But we are too ignorant to realize it or too careless to accept it. To understand the circumstances we are in vis-à-vis poisons or toxic materials, we have to build up a clear understanding of what poison is in the modern context. We are all aware and careful only about acute poisons – the poisons we have been used to from long ago. They cause death in a few seconds, a few minutes or in a few days. They cause irreversible damage and changes in organs more..

Jun 12 (CT) Enough is enough! Having lived through the gruesome experience of 30 years of terrorism of the brand of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the people of Sri Lanka be they Sinhala, Tamil Muslim Burgher or Malay have experience the ultimate in physical and mental suffering. The LTTE was allowed to thrive on SL soil, expand internationally and develop into the most dangerous, ruthless terrorist organization in the world. Although there were many attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully, political, religious, more..

Jun 12 (SO) The emerging but problematic trend of arresting persons, typically belonging to one ethnic group in particular, and then calling for evidence against them, during this volatile time is worrying and makes a mockery of the justice process, experts say. Several high profile cases - against Dr. Seigu Shihabdeen Mohamed Shafi, (gynecologist attached to the Teaching Hospital of Kurunegala), and former WP Governor more..

Jun 12 (CT) It is now customary to find Sinhalese, Tamil and (a few) Muslim co-Liberals perched around watering holes in Colombo and Kandy, with head in hand, drowning their sorrows while mumbling, How Did We Come To This Pass? They wonder, whatever happened to the glorious Peace Dividend politicians promised us, and we believed? And didn’t we lustily cheer LTTE’s slaughter, fantasising that after the organisation’s demise Sinhalese chauvinism will run out of excuses more..

Jun 12 (CT) After three months of this column, there is no room for any optimism that President Sirisena will take any action to implement his manifesto commitments. On the contrary, he too seems to have decided to cream off for himself and his cronies the benefits of office, regardless of the increasing despair in the country. Unlike as with Ranil and his mates who promoted the Bonds scam, there is no evidence of actual corruption on his part. But along with his penchant for foreign travel, more..

Jun 12 (CT) UNP MP, Harshana Rajakaruna says that biggest weakness of this Govt is that they do not make use of young people for development work. Q: Post Easter Sunday attacks, the displeasure against the Govt seem to have increased further, hasn’t it? A: The main responsibility of a Govt is providing protection. After the attacks on that day, people of this country are greatly displeased & disgusted with this govt. more..

Jun 12 (DN) St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade which was damaged in the Easter Sunday bomb blast will be consecrated again today at 5 pm by Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the head of the SL Catholic Church. He also said there would be a mass on June 13, the feast day of St. Anthony. However, the traditional procession will not be held this year. The historic Catholic shrine dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua will celebrate the 185th feast of more..

Jun 12 (Island) The JVP is drumming up support for what it calls a countrywide campaign to oust the incumbent govt. With its chips down, thanks to its honeymoon with the UNP, it is desperate to shore up its crumbling image and prevent further erosion of its vote bank. Having failed to win at least a single local govt body at last year’s mini polls & suffered a crushing defeat at last week’s Education Employees’ Cooperative Society election, it is obviously trying to bite off more than it can chew. more..

Jun 12 (CT) Tourism is one of the key areas that contribute to the national economy of a country that needs to be handled professionally, in order to bring in the much needed revenue which will help the lives of our people. To cater to same, there are many areas we have to carefully plan and implement. A solid system of security needs to be in place that gives the message to the world, that it is safe for the tourist, the business traveller, professional partners etc., to travel, visit, stay in that country/hotel. more..

Jun 12 (Island) A report in The Island of June 8, 2019, carrying the heading Opposition demands halt to signing agreements with foreign countries in secret, cites MP Dinesh Gunawardena as stating: "The other thing is handing over terminals in Colombo Port to foreign countries. Both these agreements (the other referred to being a corridor from Trincomalee to the Colombo Port) will have a bearing on our national security. These are very crucial assets to us. more..

Jun 12 (CT) Media Spokesman of the NFF Mohammed Muzammil says that Muslims in this country should get ready to join hands with the majority Sinhalese people, The upcoming Prez Election is the best opportunity for them to join hands with the Sinhala people. Q: Prior to the No-Confidence Motions, some MPs, including Rishad Bathiudeen, resigned from their Ministerial positions. Can this be defined as a good situation? more..

Jun 12 (DN) SL’s women’s tennis team left on Sunday for Tajikistan to participate in the Fed Cup tournament held by Int'l Tennis Federation. SL team comprises Anjalika Kurera, Savini Jayasuriya, Rukshika Wijesooriya, Janali Manamperi & Oneli Perera with Guyanga Weerasekera as the non-playing captain. They will be playing against Tajikistan, Chinese Taipei, Iran, Phillipines and Singapore to decide on which country will get promotion to Asia/Oceania Group 1 level. more..

Jun 12 (CT) Former Richmondite Charith Asalanka has been appointed Captain of the Sri Lanka Emerging team to tour South Africa in June and July. Asalanka who has done a very good job as an all rounder in the domestic tournament matches is to lead SL A in the one day competition and in the four-day games. Sri Lanka will play against the South Africa Emerging side and also against South Africa University Sports. Chamika Karunarathne who performed well in the SL “A’ tour in India more..

Jun 12 (MB) From the eastern fringe of SL’s only rainforest, Sinharaja, scientists have described a new species of day gecko, the latest to join an ever-expanding list of remarkable reptiles found only in Sri Lanka. Godagedara’s day gecko (Cnemaspis godagedarai) is described in a paper published in the June edition of the journal Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, which places it in the unique microhabitat of Ensalwatte, more..

Jun 12 (SO) Officials relevant to sports in the Ministry of Education were questioned by the COPE regarding the mismanagement of govt funds which were allocated for the development of sports in the schools. An official of the ministry of education revealed that nearly Rs. 400 million which were given for the development of seven sports in schools were returned to the treasury. The sports to be developed are cricket, rugby, volleyball, gymnastics, football, track and field and basketball but more..

Jun 12 (DM) Wijaya Products is a household name in Sri Lanka for its range of spices and condiments along with a variety of other food products. The story of the company begins over three decades ago. Waylin Wijayaratne Kothalawala was a well-known gentleman in Dodangoda, Kaluthara, who was also a much respected Principal as well as the chief donor to the Dodangoda Sri Sudharshanarama temple. His wife was Jayawathie Edirisinghe, who was also a teacher by profession. more..

Jun 12 (CT) State-owned, loss-making SriLankan Airlines made a loss of Rs 17.2 billion during 2018, down 40.5% compared to a loss of Rs 28.9 billion incurred in 2017, as revenue increased during the year, while its expenditure declined. The accumulated losses of the national carrier had increased 10 per cent to Rs 186.6 billion in 2018, from Rs 169.7 billion a year earlier. Total revenue of SriLankan Airlines increased 19% to Rs 161.6 billion in 2018, from Rs 135.5 billion in 2017, more..

Jun 12 (DN) The 12th edition of the ICC’s Cricket World Cup enters its second week with there being no clear indication as to which teams would eventually make it to the last four to qualify for the knockout stage, although a clear picture is emerging that host England, New Zealand, India and Australia are the early runners for the spot. The scenario could change going into the second week of the tournament with rain suddenly playing an unseen hand and splitting the points between more..

Jun 12 (DN) It was another wash out and another point gained for Sri Lanka as they edged closer to the top four of the standings largely by not displaying their skills on the field of play but by staying indoors due to the persistent rain that has become part and parcel of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup. And it is for no fault of theirs it happened. Yesterday Sri Lanka suffered their second straight wash out against Bangladesh more..

Jun 12 (FT) Litro Surakime Jathika Ekamuthuwa (LSJE) or Litro Surakeeme National Unity, a newly formed employee union, has intensified its agitation against the Finance Minister and other connected parties’ move to privatise Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. by filing a case in the Court of Appeal. The case was filed following a move to totally or partially privatise the profit-making State-owned enterprise, citing Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Secretary to Ministry of Finance/Secretary to more..

Jun 12 (DN) Professor Mohan Munasinghe, Chairman Presidential Committee on Sustainable Sri Lanka 2030 Vision, called on lawmakers to implement the recommendations of the committee. Munasinghe delivered a lecture at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Monday organized by the Cambridge Alumni Association. The report has been made available online. The report notes; the for-hire industry is unregulated and has increased on the back of deteriorating transport and more..

Jun 12 (Island) A battle between Prez Sirisena and the govt over ongoing Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probe on Easter Sunday attacks took a new turn yesterday as those loyal to the President questioned why Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) retired DIG Sisira Mendis had left the country days after receiving warning of impending terrorist attack. Mendis stepped down over the weekend. more..

Jun 12 (DN) A leading Japanese investor - President of Tosslec Co. Ltd, Kyoto, Japan, Jitsuo Mikasa - reaffirmed that his company would continue to invest in Sri Lanka without any break or disruption of the company’s customer network. Tosslec Co’s subsidiary Tos Lanka Co. (Pvt) Ltd has been in operation in the Biyagama Export Processing Zone since 1995. Tos Lanka has created a niche market position as a supplier of low volume high value electronic components to sophisticated more..

Jun 12 (Island) Tourism receipts which were projected at US$ 5 billion are now being projected at USD 3.7 billion A reduction in arrivals from 2.6 million projected initially for this year will be down to about 2 million, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Governor CB said. He said,: "Easter Sunday bombings were carried out by a small group of people who did not have the support of their wider communities. When it came to the disruptions, the civil commotions a couple of weeks after more..

Jun 12 (AFP) SL's parliament Tuesday defied Prez Sirisena and resumed investigations into security lapses surrounding the Easter suicide bombings that killed 258 people, officials said, as a political crisis in the country deepened. Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) began hearing testimony from Muslim leaders who claimed they repeatedly alerted the authorities to dangerous radicalisation, a parliamentary official said. more..

Jun 12 (Island) SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris said that a proposal for appointing a caretaker govt headed by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was not acceptable under any circumstances. Prof. Peiris said that the call for President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe to resign to pave the way for a caretaker administration headed by Jayasuriya to undertake far reaching constitutional reforms, including the abolition of the executive presidency should be rejected. more..

Jun 12 (DM) A countrywide bus strike will be launched on the day after the Rs.25,000 fine for seven categories of traffic offences is implemented, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne said. Motor Traffic (Amendment) Bill was taken up for debate at last week's parliamentary sessions. The bill, which was presented to the Parliament by State Minister Gayantha Karunatilake was passed without any objections. more..

Jun 12 (EN) Sri Lanka's 40 main non-financial public corporations (NFPEs) have lost 129 billion rupees in on a net basis in 2018 or about 0.9% of GDP amid monetary instability, on top of the central govt budget deficit before depreciation. SL's budget deficit fell to 5.3% of GDP in 2018, down from 5.3% a year earlier, amid higher taxes, but currency depreciation sent the national debt soaring to 82.9% of GDP from 76.9% of GDP more..

Jun 12 (CT) CIABOC yesterday, informed Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratna that as the probe into the bribe case involving the former Chief of the President’s Staff, Dr. Kusumdasa Mahanama and the former Chairman of the State Timber Corporation Piyadasa Dissanayaka has been concluded, they will shortly indict them at the Colombo High Court. A complaint had been lodged at the Commission in this regard by Indian national K. Nadaraja who is an employee of more..

Jun 12 (Island) President of the Federation of Kanthankudi Mosques and Muslim Institutions, Abdul Uvaiz, told Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that people of Kaththankudy had stood up to the Zahran's terror group but the law enforcement and defence authorities had failed to take timely action. Giving evidence before the PSC, Uvaiz said that if the security authorities had acted swiftly on information they got from people of Kathankudy, more..