Jul 11 (SO) Plantation workers continuing to enjoy the Rs. 1,000 daily wage approved by the Wages Board hangs in the balance as a court verdict on the sustainability of the wage hike is expected shortly. Plantation companies sought legal redress to the new wage structure approved by the Wages Board. A spokesman for Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) said the Association had to seek relief from courts as the wage increase is not viable given the high cost of production and sharp dip in more..

Jul 11 (TM) The Police had obtained consent from the health authorities to quarantine the trade union activists who were arrested last Thursday (8) following several demonstrations conducted in Colombo, Public Security Ministry Secretary Major General (Retd.) Jagath Alwis said. Responding to query on whether the quarantine laws could be used to clamp down on dissent, he said that he has to check on the matter before commenting. more..

Jul 11 (SO) Rifle shooter Tehani Egodawela will be the first Sri Lankan in action at the XXX11nd summer Olympic Games which starts in the Japanese capital of Tokyo on July 23. Egodawela is due to fire in the women’s 10m air rifle qualifying round at the Asaka Shooting Range on July 24, starting from 5 am SL time. Born on April 19, 1986, she holds the SL national record in her pet event – 623.3 points in the women’s 10m air rifle event. Ranked 223rd in the world and 77th in Asia more..

Jul 11 (ST) With the severe foreign exchange crisis the country is facing, the issue of international sovereign bond (ISBs) has come into focus with a combined total of US$14.050 billion being issued since 2011 upto date, Central Bank data shows. While an ISB for $1 billion at 6.25 percent interest was floated in 2011 – and which is maturing on July 27, the last ISB of $1.5 billion at 7.55% interest was issued on June 28, 2019, according to the data showing outstanding ISBs as at Dec 2020. more..

Jul 11 (TM) The prices of bakery goods would not be increased despite the fluctuating sugar prices, according to the All Ceylon Bakery Owners Association (ACBOA). ACBOA President N.K. Jayawardena said: “The prices of bakery products would not be increased for the time being.” Noting that they are expecting the price of sugar to stabilise soon, as the bakery owners are already struggling to keep their heads above water, Jayawardena further mentioned that they hope that the Govt will more..

Jul 11 (ST) The Govt is ready to introduce the Special Goods and Services Tax (SGST) in a major reform of the country’s taxation by enacting the new GST bill in parliament soon after its approval by the Cabinet of Ministers, a senior Treasury official divulged. The new draft bill now being finalised by the Legal Draftsman’s Department will be presented to the cabinet with the endorsement of the Attorney General within two weeks, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle said. more..

Jul 11 (TM) GMOA alleged that the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses supplied to the vaccination centres operated by the health sector has been significantly reduced by health authorities as a higher number of doses are being channeled to the new vaccination centres run by the Tri-Forces. GMOA Media Committee Member, Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya said that the health sector should be solely in charge of national vaccine rollout. more..

Jul 11 (ST) Prez Rajapaksa has shot down the setting up of any coal power plants, saying he has vowed to shift SL towards renewable energy and does not want to become a joke before the world. The decision now places in jeopardy the proposed 300 megawatt extension of the Norochcholai Lak Vijaya coal power plant. It has been handed over without tender to the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and considerable preparatory work has already been done. more..

Jul 11 (Island) The JVP’s congratulatory message to the Chinese Communist Party over the latter’s centenary seems a tad disconcerting. This is the same party that rails against Chinese colonisation in this country, the same party that worries about the country’s ruling elite modelling itself on the Chinese state. Reading the message, one rubs one’s eyes: in around 430 words, it praises the CPC for its efforts to bring modernity and prosperity to the Chinese people, for saving them from more..

Jul 11 (ST) There seems to be a slight downward trend in the number of COVID-19 patients being reported but there is no room for complacency, said a top health official on Thursday. Assuring that he was not referring to the recent numbers as the testing had dropped due to strikes by healthcare workers since last Sunday, Dr. Asela Gunawardena said that by Thursday the testing had come back to normal. more..

Jul 11 (ST) SL will apply to obtain up to USD 800 million worth of reserves from the IMF under the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) facility during Aug-Sept. Under the current allocation, SL should obtain reserves amounting to about USD 800 million. SDR is an int'l reserve asset created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries’ official reserves. The value of the SDR is based on a basket of five currencies — US dollar, euro, Chinese renminbi, Japanese yen and British pound. more..

Jul 11 (ST) Former military personnel who are appointed to public service or state institutions will be entitled to draw the salary they earned while in active military service, according to an amendment to the Establishment Code of Public Service. Accordingly, an amendment has been included in the Establishment Code since there are no specific provisions available in the Code to determine the salary of ex-servicemen when they are recruited to the public service. more..

Jul 11 (ST) A two-minute promotional video of Basil Rohana Rajapaksa’s political achievements did the rounds just days before he returned from Los Angeles. Though in black and white, the discerning were able to observe a succinct ending, too good to be an accident. The screen froze for seconds with the words BRAIN. Later the words AIN softly faded from the mobile phone screen leaving the words BR. more..

Jul 12 (GV) A few weeks ago SL’s own #metoo movement came out in strong condemnation of incidents of sexual harassment that came to light as a number of professionals began to speak out. Journalists, mostly women, began sharing harrowing experiences they have encountered in the news rooms. They courageously narrated on platforms like Twitter painfully personal experiences of verbal and physical sexual harassment from male counterparts, who were often in positions of power. more..

Jul 12 (ST) With all the hosannas sung in his grace, all the invocations to the Devas made in his hallowed name, with all the blooming adulations garlanding his mortal frame, even before the Messiah’s arrival on this thrice blessed island’s soil, by a host of SLPP angels gathered in choir to sing his praise in unison, one would have thought the attended mass worship heralded the long promised Second Coming to redeem all Lankans of the sins of their forefathers. more..

Jul 12 (CT) The chaos and confusion over the recent dredging of the Tissamaharama Tank, dating back to the 3rd century BC, is yet another example of how laws overlap and also lead to corrupt practices, taking no responsibility for the mess they create. It has come to light that the Ministry of Irrigation (Tissamaharama Branch) and the Ministry of Environment (in Tissamaharama) had issued a permit to dredge the ancient tank more..

Jul 12 (ST) Waves of brutal police violence directed towards trade union leaders, students, fishermen and farmers in SL this week underscored a deadly purpose on the part of the State. It was no accident that the clothes of female protestors were torn, that the media was shoved while covering these ugly scenes and even white haired peaceful demonstrators were roughly lifted and shoved into police vehicles. On the contrary, the precise intent of the (Rajapaksa) Deep State now firmly in more..

Jul 12 (CT) Freedom from harassment is as important as freedom of navigation. While certain major powers may be worried about freedom of navigation pertaining to the East and South China seas and the Indo-Pacific, SL has its own political worries pertaining to the Indian Ocean which may not be in tandem with those besetting those powers. Apart from fisher poaching taking place in SL’s waters, the other is harassment meted out to SL fishers sailing/fishing in international waters more..

Jul 12 (TM) State-owned enterprises (SOEs) continue to suffer massive losses for a prolonged period. As per the Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2021 released on 30 June, the total loss of the 52 major SOEs for the first four months of 2021 was Rs. 13.4 billion, recording an increase of Rs. 2.95 billion in overall losses when compared to last year’s report. In 2020, the overall loss of the 52 SOEs was recorded at Rs. 10.44b during the first 8 mos. more..

Jul 12 (Island) To reform means to make changes, to improve something or to remove its faults. Accordingly, public service reforms seek to improve the performance and capacity of individuals, groups and institutions with a view to enhancing and improving the quality of public services. Sri Lanka inherited the British style of bureaucratic governance executed through the public service from her colonial master. The present public service comprises a series of executive and more..

Jul 12 (TM) While there are many differences between the UK and SL, two significant events took place in the two countries over the course of last week which served to restrict freedom of expression and specifically the right to protest, thereby placing both nations in a similar light. Firstly the UK’s House of Commons, the lower house of Parliament, passed the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill on Monday. It was passed by a majority of 100 after its third reading, with 365 voting in favour more..

Jul 12 (SO) Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) has once again published a new set of Code of Conduct rules for players, coaches and managers intended to ensure and maintain an orderly and fair administration as well as protect the rights of players, officials and sponsors. There is also a Declaration that states that all players and officials who take part in local or international events sanctioned under SLB should sign the Code of Conduct form. more..

Jul 12 (DM) Somewhere after defeating separatist terrorism in 2009, SL missed a glorious chance of turning a destructive era on its head. In the aftermath of the near 3-decade-long separatist war, instead of pursuing a cherished dream of reconcilliation, our political leaders acted like Don Quixote who went tilting at windmills. Our politicos via their sycophant followers attacked members of the Christian and Muslim communities. Rather than reconcile, the actions tore SL community more..

Jul 12 (FT) Prez Rajapaksa has kicked off the second phase of the highly beneficial digitalisation of the stock market an initiative jointly championed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The event was attended by Secretary to President Dr. P.B Jayasundara, SEC Chairman Viraj Dayaratne, CSE Chairman Dumith Fernando, SEC Commission Member Manil Jayesinghe, more..

Jul 12 (Island) Opposition has moved the Supreme Court against a controversial ban the govt has imposed on public protests purportedly in view of the pandemic situation. Insisting that a directive issued by the Director General of Health Services, prohibiting such events, has violated their fundamental rights, farmers and others say protesting is the only way they can draw the govt’s attention to their grievances. Hereafter, farmers will not be able to crank up pressure on the govt more..

Jul 12 (SO) They are going north and the rush is on as Susanthika Jayasinghe declares Olympians and athletes have nothing to lose but to win a medal you need to be another person like her. It is foolhardy for Sri Lanka to even dream of winning a medal at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics considering the chaotic build-up to finalise the nine-member contingent for this month’s summer Games. The scramble to confirm SL’s entries to Tokyo either by direct qualification or wildcards as more..

Jul 12 (ST) It’s final — SL will be represented by nine athletes and 17 officials at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, which will be on show from July 23 to Aug 8. Out of the nine athletes showjumper Mathilda Karlsson, gymnast Milka Gehani and sprinter Yupun Abeykoon have earned direct qualification while shooter Tehani Egodawela, shuttler Niluka Karuanratne, middle distance runner Nimali Liyanaarachchi, swimmers more..

Jul 12 (AD) SL’s railway system transports essential goods and freight, serves thousands of daily commuters, and forms an island-wide transport network that benefits millions of Sri Lankans. Colombo Fort and Maradana are at the heart of the country’s suburban railway network and service the majority of rail transport within the Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR). This network also covers the four major corridors leading into the capital – the Main Line, Coastal Line, more..

Jul 12 (CT) Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants to form a consortium of sorts with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to jointly host two World Cups. It also intends to stage two Twenty20 World Cup together with Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in UAE besides going solo for two Champions Trophies in the next world cricket cycle. The PCB recently stated that it has provided bids for six global events and on Saturday, it confirmed to Cricbuzz that two of its bids more..

Jul 12 (ST) Finance Ministry has signed a framework agreement with a US-based company to sell 40% of shares of the Treasury-owned 300MW Kerawalapitiya Yugadhanavi Power Plant instead of 51% as originally proposed. According to this framework agreement, SL Govt has assigned to the US-based New Fortress Energy (NFE) the construction of off shore Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) and more..

Jul 12 (ST) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has sought approval for a multibillion rupee storage and distribution terminal in a 100 acre land in Trincomalee with the aim being turning this into a South Asian petroleum hub. A Board Paper has been submitted for the proposed project which is estimated to cost more than Rs 10 billion. The move came in the wake of the failure of the CPC to acquire Trincomalee’s 24 oil tanks leased out to the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation. more..

Jul 12 (Island) Reputed for its core coconut plantation business yielding around 15 million nuts per year, Kurunegala Plantations Limited (KPL), a fully owned government company, is also well known for its intercrops. Currently operating under the Coconut, Kithul and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing & Export Diversification Ministry, KPL recently gathered a bumper harvest of turmeric, earning a profit of LKR 11 million. more..

Jul 12 (FT) A total of 1,507 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, raising the country’s total COVID-19 detections to 274,538. 13,777 PCR tests were carried out yesterday and the detections include 1,492 persons from the New Year cluster. Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters have expanded to 266,643 patients and includes 171,933 patients from the New Year cluster, 82,785 patients from more..

Jul 12 (Island) No runner has excelled in multiple track events like Nimali Liyanarachchi during the last one and half decades in SL. Except the sprint events of 100 and 200 metres and the track’s longest event the 10,000 metres, Liyanarachchi has competed in all other distances and achieved success at national level in all. As her fellow track and field athletes and coach Sujith Abeysekara would vouch for, it was the perseverance and the dedication that powered Liyanarachchi to achieve success at national more..

Jul 12 (Island) Ragama Police, on Sunday, arrested a male doctor for taking photos of a female doctor changing clothes in her official residence at the Ragama hospital. The suspect, attached to the Colombo National Hospital, was from Kalmunai. A bachelor, he is currently residing at Wellampitiya. Under interrogation, the suspect told police that he had come to know the female doctor through social media and he had visited her quarters to see her and taken her pictures with his mobile phone. more..

Jul 12 (FT) Opposition MP Dr. Harsha De Silva charged that the Finance Ministry is poised to turn back the policy of not obtaining loans or funding infrastructure projects. “Why is the Govt going to pay the contractor $ 1.6 billion over 15 years for a highway project that will only cost around $ 650 million?” Opposition MP questioned regarding the Kelaniya-Athurugiriya Highway project, cautioning that project also endangers more..

Jul 12 (ST) So numerous are gripes related to internet and telecommunications in Sri Lanka that the industry regulator has started an email service for the people to send in their complaints. But a Sunday Times online survey that attracted 305 replies, mostly from disgruntled data users, found that 54% of respondents did not know which office protected their rights as a consumer in the telecommunications sector. Even the 45.9% that claimed to know named the wrong institution. more..

Jul 12 (CI) SL's men's cricketers will be allowed to come out of isolation on Sunday, after everyone remaining in the national squad returned negative PCR results. This only goes for the players however; coaches and support staff will have to remain in isolation until Wednesday, as they are considered first contacts of batting coach Grant Flower and team analyst GT Niroshan, who tested positive for the virus over the past few days. The fact that SL's players will gradually begin training more..