Dec 21 (SLN) A special operation carried out by the SL Navy in northern waters today (20) led to the apprehension of 4 Indian nationals along with their fishing trawler and fishing accessories, for poaching in Sri Lankan waters. Although operations to prevent poaching by foreign fishermen in SL waters have been restricted due to COVID-19 concerns, the Navy resumed its raids on poaching since last week, apprehending 36 Indian nationals and 05 of their fishing trawlers on 15th Dec. more..

Dec 21 (AD) The Galle Additional Magistrate has ordered for the body of a COVID-19 victim to be refrigerated instead of being cremated. Considering a request made by the relatives of the deceased, the magistrate has ordered the body to be placed in a mortuary refrigerator at the Karapitiya Hospital until the decision of the Committee appointed by the govt is out. more..

Dec 21 (AFP) South African cricket icon Jacques Kallis will be a batting consultant for England's tour of SL, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Monday. The 45-year-old is third on the all-time list of Test run-scorers with 13,289 --he also took 292 wickets. Kallis coached Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and worked with the South Africa team, but was not part of the set-up for England's recent coronavirus-disrupted tour. "Former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis joins more..

Dec 21 (EN) Sri Lanka had produced 23.4 million kilograms in Oct 2020, up 10.3% from a year earlier, thought cumulative production was down due to earlier disruptions, industry data show. The recovery in October came despite an upsurge in Coronavirus mainly in the Western province around the capital. But some tea growing regions and plantations have also seen small clusters. Production for Oct 2020 recovered from 21.2 million kilos, up by 2.1 million kilos to 23.4 million kilos, more..

Dec 21 (CT) SJB compiled the Party constitution on Saturday, subjecting to an extensive democratic system, the method of appointing the leader of the Party. Appointment of the Leader of the Party is by the National Executive Committee and although the National Executive Committee can nominate only 50 individuals for the leader, within the fact of electing all members through a vote a group of more than 300 representing it, more..

Dec 21 (DN) State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle paid a sudden visit to the BIA to look into the current COVID-19 preventative measures being implemented at the airport. State Minister also inquired into the measures being implemented to facilitate the return of tourists into the country shortly. The minister closely observed the measures being followed at the BIA regarding incoming passengers and the outbound passengers and also closely observed the dedication of the BIA staff and more..

Dec 21 (CT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as Finance Minister, on Friday (18), gave another lease of life to the proposed Hyatt Regency Hotel in Colombo, bordering Galle Road, Kollupitiya, by extending the validity period to construct this hotel under BoI concessions by another two years. The original BoI agreement to build this hotel was signed as far back as 2012, that is, eight years ago. Meanwhile, Rajapaksa, issuing a gazette notification on Friday, indicated that the deadline more..

Dec 21 (Island) Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi on Friday said that the medical administrators had been the pillars of her strength and helped her fulfil duties as the Minister of Health. She thanked them for their contribution to mitigating the ill-effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the 27th Annual Scientific Sessions of College of Medical Administrators of SL Minister said: “It is my pleasure to mention your contribution to more..

Dec 21 (AD) The Ministry of Health says that another 415 patients who were previously tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered and discharged from the hospital within the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of Covid-19 recoveries in the country to 28,682. The majority of the recoveries were reported from Bingiriya Treatment Centre (36), Kamburugamuwa Hospital (29), Kopai Treatment Centre (26), Wathupitiwala Treatment Center(24), Divulapitiya District Hospital(22) more..

Dec 21 (MFA) The procedure for inbound travellers to Sri Lanka, introduced since March 2020 is hereby revised as follows, based on the joint decision made by the Foreign Ministry, Department of Immigration and the Civil Aviation Authority and as agreed by the Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation. The following procedure will take effect from 26 Dec 2020. Govt of SL (Foreign Ministry and National Operation Center for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak more..

Dec 21 (TRF) It was another day of agony for Rizeena, as she waited with her family at their home in eastern SL to meet yet another potential husband for her sister - the 46th time they have tried to find someone to marry her in the past decade. Most of these meetings last only a few minutes before Rizeena's parents have to explain that they cannot afford to give her 35-year-old sister Fathima a house in their hometown more..

Dec 21 (DM) Public Health Inspectors' Union of SL (PHIUSL) urged the Govt to isolate the Western Province (WP) and impose travel restrictions among other districts until January 1. PHIUSL Secretary M. Balasooriya told the Daily Mirror that the areas that come within Colombo Municipality in the WP have been alerted with higher risk of COVID-19 spread. Also there is a tendency of emerging sub clusters from outside the WP, he said. "People might move to other districts more..

Dec 21 (CT) The development work on the Kerawalapitiya Industrial Estate Road, which is also an access road to the Expressway, commenced yesterday (20) under the Govt’s Infrastructure Development Programme to expand investment opportunities and encourage investors. The development of this road was initiated under the patronage of State Minister for Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Nimal Lanza. The 2.2 km Kerawalapitiya Industrial Estate road more..

Dec 21 (TM) Newly appointed BOI Chairman Sanjaya Mohottala, in his first public address since taking over the reins from Susantha Rathnayake, outlined his vision for the BOI, which centred on developing a conducive environment for investment, aiding the private sector, enabling market access, and enhancing the ease of doing business. “There are certain key elements that need to come together. more..

Dec 21 (EN) With 165 deaths and 8,812 active cases reported at the time of writing, SL has yet to announce a concrete plan to acquire a COVID-19 vaccine. Public health experts, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and other commentators have made various pronouncements on the pressing need to secure a vaccine best suited for SL’s people and her ailing economy. Others, however, including experts, advise against rushing into importing a vaccine, suggesting instead that more..

Dec 21 (DM) Public travelling to Nuwera Eliya, Adams Peak and Kataragama will not be able to lodge at any hotel in those areas if the guests fail to produce a PHI clearance report that they are COVID-19 free, PHI Union Secretary Mahesh Balasuriya said. The Daily Mirror learns that as a result of this new requirement there have been several cancellations of people travelling into those areas for pilgrimage and leisure during the upcoming festive season. Balasuriya said more..

Dec 21 (Island) Senior SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said that his party wouldn’t make representations to the govt appointed Expert Committee engaged in formulating constitutional proposals. The Cabinet appointed the committee in early Sept, less than a month after the general election in Aug 2020. He said so in response to The Island query whether the SJB would make representations to the nine-member committee chaired by more..

Dec 22 (DM) One of the important issues that have been eclipsed by the COVID-19 threat is the plight of the fishermen of northern Sri Lanka, who have been hit by both Coronavirus related issues and the invasion of their fishing grounds by Indian fishermen. Northern fishermen, as their counterparts in many parts of the island, are dependent on selling large amounts of fish at the Peliyagoda fish market. But they have been severely affected by the market being closed for about two months after more..

Dec 22 (DM) Except for the fact that popular irrationality that the govt had fostered is now making itself into State policy. This govt has benefitted from the wave of popular irrationality, with a degree of ethno-nationalist bent. It cultivated and promoted a good part of that discourse, which was in turn behind its electoral success. The private television networks owned by the govt-affiliated businessmen are actively promoting it. That is a sad indictment for the country, its leaders and people. more..

Dec 22 (DM) The Daily Mirror Spoke to SLFP General Secretary and the State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara on the current political situation in the country, SLFP’s future and the responsibilities he has been entrusted with the by the SLPP led Govt. Q: Are you satisfied that the SLFP plays a major part in decision making in the Govt? A: Yes indeed, because it is the SLFP with its 14 member strong Parliamentary group, more..

Dec 22 (CT) Both the regime ideologues and the anti-regime neoliberal ideologues view Lankan reality through the prism of the Sinhala-Buddhist majority vs the minorities, with the only difference between them being that for the regime it is a question of the marginalized Sinhala-Buddhist majority vs the privileged minorities while for the neoliberals it is, (as one said in a recent tweet) marginalized minorities vs Sinhala-Buddhist civilization state. more..

Dec 22 (CT) The Sunday Observer of December 6 2020 carried in its front page in banner headlines, a news item in regard to the Easter Sunday attacks; INVESTIGATIONS TO BE COMPLETED SOON, quoting the Minister of Public Security Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera (MSW) telling Parliament that he would personally meet the Attorney General to review the progress of the case and look into the progress of the legal action against the suspects held responsible for more..

Dec 22 (CT) State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya speaks to Ceylon Today on the regional interest the govt has particularly in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which is chaired by SL. On international investors from US allies such as India, Japan, and Australia have not yet focused on SL, Minister said, “What we have to do is offer the right value propositions, more..

Dec 22 (CT) Now that the US$ 480 million US grant to improve the country’s transport system in key areas of SL has been cancelled by Washington due to Colombo’s seeming procrastination in approving this grant, nonetheless, when this programme was on, Ceylon Today, in its issue of 31 Aug 2019 carried an article under the heading, MCC Grant’s Request will be Made to Washington - MCC Director. MCC is the abbreviation for Millennium Challenge Corporation, an organ of Washington, more..

Dec 22 (Island) Generally, the post budget period of mid to late December is always a slack time in terms of politics and policymaking as December marks that rare convergence of Parliament, Court and school vacations. However, in a continuation of the extraordinary year, which 2020 has been, that norm too has changed as significant political events occurred during this time. Firstly, a few days ago, the US Embassy announced that the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Board more..

Dec 22 (ST) Last week’s announcement that the Maldivian Govt was considering allowing the burial of Muslim victims of COVID-19 in the Maldiveson a request by Prez Rajapaksa came as a surprise to many. The fact that the small country in the Indian Ocean was looking at the request favourably was a testimony to the strong bonds that have existed between the two countries for hundreds of years. The SL Govt has by its continued disregard of WHO guidelines permitting victims of COVID-19 more..

Dec 22 (Island) Virtually all the articles, news bulletins, discussions that I have read and watched with regard to Covid -19 do not seem to address the obvious obstacle in our management pathway of Covid 19. The elephant in the room to me is the absolute contradiction in terms of what one must do to safeguard oneself and the country and what one must do in order to boost the economy of the country. To safeguard oneself one needs to practise social isolation as much as possible. more..

Dec 22 (TM) With the entire world desperately researching and attempting to develop prophylactic medicines for Covid-19, many countries practising indigenous medical practices are turning towards herb-based medicines. Since April, Sri Lanka indigenous medicine practitioners too were urged to assist the Govt in its fight to prevent and possibly eradicate Covid-19 by looking at Ayurvedic medicines. more..

Dec 22 (ST) When Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the launch of the LPL tournament, the cricket adoring public gave a sigh of relief as competitive cricket was being played in the country after a gap of nine months albeit behind closed doors in a bio-secure environment in Hambantota. They overcame numerous challenges along the way, from multiple postponements to player withdrawals to conduct the inaugural tournament successfully amid COVID-19 health guidelines. more..

Dec 22 (ST) Joint trade unions against privatisation of the East Container Terminal (ECT) on Thursday carried out a protest in front of the Khan Clock tower in Fort to create awareness about the impending crisis the country is likely to face should the authorities go ahead with plans to allow an Indian company to run operations there. Niroshan Gorakanage, General Secretary of the JVP-backed All Ceylon General Workers Union, said that they were able to carry out a peaceful protest more..

Dec 22 (FT) The Agency of France Development (AFD) is ready to raise the portfolio of non-sovereign debt to as much as Euro 400 million available in the next 3 years to SL’s public and private sectors given the island nation’s tight fiscal situation, AFD’s SL Country Director Reda Souirgi said. The AFD, since it started to finance funding to SL in 2005, has disbursed Euro 700 million to the Govt and Euro 270 million to private sector. more..

Dec 22 (EN) SL aspired to be a Singapore after liberalizing trade and ending a closed economy of the 1970s, but it all failed as the currency collapsed, triggering unrest and strikes while smouldering nationalism ratcheted up into a civil war and later trade controls came back. After independence economic activity had been tied up in draconian import and exchange controls while the central bank bought Treasury bills to finance the deficit. 2021 budget has taken the country back to 1970s more..

Dec 22 (DN) Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) has made a significant decision to develop professional status for its National Players. It is well recognized that in today’s sports firmament, national level athletes cannot maintain their long-term development without economic support. This is the thinking advocated by the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee too who have been actively pursuing a High Performance conceptual plan for all top-level prospects in all sports. more..

Dec 22 (Island) The JVP was planning to conduct a countrywide seminar series to inform the public of what it calls the looming danger to the national economy and people’s lives due to the govt’s failure, JVP politburo member and former MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told The Island yesterday. “We are planning to conduct three series of seminars on 3 topics – environmental destruction, selling off of national assets to foreigners by the govt more..

Dec 22 (DN) Cricket Loving Community of Jaffna under the patronage of JURA (one of the co sponsors of Jaffna Stallions based in Great Britain) hosted a reception for the young talents from Northern Province who were part of the Inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL) 20-20 Champions Jaffna Stallions team on Saturday, 19th December 2020 in the J Guest house at Ariyalai, Jaffna. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth of Jaffna Central College, Thevendram Dinoshan of St. John’s College more..

Dec 22 (FT) The Bank of Ceylon (BoC) said it was ending 2020 on a healthy note despite the COVID-19 impact, having recorded the highest asset base of Rs. 2.9 trillion and deposit base of Rs. 2.3 trillion. The banking giant said it had managed to weather the economic downturn caused by the pandemic and recorded the highest asset base of Rs. 2.9 trillion and highest deposit base of Rs. 2.3 trillion. BoC also said it had maintained its market leadership in Trade, Finance, and more..

Dec 22 (Reuters) SL coach Mickey Arthur is looking forward to slugging it out with his South African counterpart Mark Boucher when the teams start a two-test series in Pretoria on Boxing Day, hailing the former wicketkeeper for his aggressive style on the pitch. Boucher was one of Arthur’s most trusted senior players when the latter coached the Proteas between 2005 and 2010 with excellent success in the test arena. more..

Dec 22 (CT) Sri Lanka might be facing South Africa on the 26th without any practice game, with the only practice match scheduled ahead of the Test series postponed. This is probably due to COVID-19 concerns raised due to two SA players tested positive just a day before the team is due to enter a bio-bubble. Earlier, England's tour of South Africa also had been called off following the outbreak of COVID-19 among both team camps and staff at their hotel. 3 ODIs have officially been postponed, more..

Dec 22 (MoD) Army troops rescued a civilian alive and recovered 3 dead bodies following a jeep carrying them veered off the road and plunged into the Vavunikulam tank, Mallavi last Saturday (19). It has been revealed that the members belonging to the same family had visited the tank during an outing to the area at the time the vehicle was skidded and toppled into the tank. Having reported the incident, 10 SL Light Infantry and 3 Commando Regiment troops under the purview of more..