Mar 8 (AD) Cabinet of Ministers has approved President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s proposal for the 11-member Economic Council to meet weekly to speed up the economic development of the country. Accordingly, relevant ministries, departments and statutory institutions will implement decisions with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers as and when required, in accordance with the approval of the said council. more..

Mar 8 (EN) Cabinet had approved a 38 rupee incentive to expat workers in pace of the current 10 rupees, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said. “This is an incentive to bring in more remittances,” Minister Alahapperuma said. “The cabinet approved it before the decision was made to change the exchange rate. “The central bank will clarify the decision tomorrow.” The proposal by Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said worker remittances will be paid 38 rupees instead of the current 10 rupees. more..

Mar 8 (FT) LOT Polish Airlines to extend the season until May as Sri Lanka has exceeded expectations as a winter travel destination. The positive development was conveyed by LOT Polish Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Board Member Michal Fijol during a meeting with Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Poland Dhammika Kumari Semasinghe. CCO Fiol described the airline’s Colombo experience as: “Sri Lanka was an excellent destination, exceeding all our expectations.” more..

Mar 8 (EN) Health ministry official defended SL’s highly controversial and now-reversed requirement to cremate all victims of COVID-19 irrespective of religious beliefs, blaming the earlier decision on inadequate knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease. “Due to not having a clear idea about how virus works, health authorities had to take certain measures to safeguard the community. That is why we were told to cremate the body if the patient who died had COVID-19” more..

Mar 8 (FT) Much talk these days with respect to ailing State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). New terminologies have also been created, as State-Owned Business Enterprises (SOBEs) and Strategic State-Owned Business Enterprises (SSOBEs). State has a long history of involvement in the economy of SL. State ownership of utilities dates back to colonial times. Post-independence experiments based on socialism since 1957 saw the expansion of the State into many areas of business. more..

Mar 8 (EN) Health ministry official defended Sri Lanka’s highly controversial and now-reversed requirement to cremate all victims of COVID-19 irrespective of religious beliefs, blaming the earlier decision on inadequate knowledge of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease. “Due to not having a clear idea about how the virus works, the health authorities had to take certain measures to safeguard the community. more..

Mar 8 (FT) Lustre Designs Corporation, SL’s finest custom gem cutting lapidary for precious and semi-precious gemstone cuts, has made history by becoming the first SL company to win an award at the prestigious Jewellery World Awards. The company was able to outshine several global industry leaders to win the Gold Award under the category Outstanding Small Enterprise of the Year (50 full-time employees and below). Established in 2012, and formerly known as JNA Awards, more..

Mar 8 (CT) A SL man is among four persons facing charges in Malawi of money laundering in excess of 623,000 US dollars. The magistrate court in Lilongwe has charged three Chinese and one Sri Lankan with two counts of serious money laundering in excess of MK500 million. Sri Lankan accused has been identified as 62-year-old Anura Alwis. Alwis, along with another accused, is also charged of dealing in foreign currency of about US$310,000 in violation of the southeastern African country’s exchange control act. more..

Mar 8 (CT) SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), The Hotel Association of SL (THASL) and the Chairman Advisory Committee have raised objections to merge the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) SL Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB) and the SL Conventions Bureau (SLCB) that were established under the Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005 and converted to Sri Lanka Tourism Authority. They have written to Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga about more..

Mar 8 (FT) Alliance Finance Co. PLC (AFC), SL’s oldest finance company with over 65 years of expertise in offering affordable and inclusive sustainable finance solutions to empower the nation has clinched yet another international award in sustainability. The project which helped AFC win this important award was the One million trees for unity project. The Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Awards 2021, conducted by the European Organisation for Sustainable Development (EOSD), awards more..

Mar 8 (CT) SL Embassy in Moscow arranged a meeting between SL business delegation and the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) along with the Russian business community on 9 Feb where the President of MCCI Vladimir Platonov stated that it was important to meet in person to create an opportunity to build direct dialogue between entrepreneurs. Executive Director of Guild of Trade and Services Enterprises at MCCI Vladimir Shishkin stated that the guild united more..

Mar 8 (CT) The national survey on the prevalence of glaucoma in SL has revealed that 3.5% of people in the Southern Province alone suffered from glaucoma, Consultant Eye Surgeon, Dr. Lalitha Senerath said. Announcing World Glaucoma Week 2022, at a Media briefing, Dr. Senerath explained that the collection of national data was scheduled for completion by yesterday. But some of the findings gathered from Galle and subsequently the Southern Province showed that about 0.3% more..

Mar 8 (CT) A major social service campaign was launched in the Colombo area on 5 March by the Commander of SL Air Force (SLAF), Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana with the active participation of over 3,000 SLAF troopers to mark the 71st Air Force Day celebrations. The programme was launched to help eliminate dengue breeding grounds and tidy up the environment in the metropolis. The programme was coordinated by Director Ground Operations, Air Vice Marshal Janaka Amerasinghe. more..

Mar 8 (EN) SL ought to consider legalising abortion for victims of rape, Justice Minister Ali Sabry told parliament, International Women’s Day. The statement was made in response to a question by govt MP Shantha Bandara regarding the trials that SL women and girls face as a result of not being able to undergo an abortion in the event of rape. Requesting the MP to raise the matter at the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, more..

Mar 8 (TOO) Eng. Ridha Juma Al Saleh, Chairman of Board of Directors of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) met with Viraj Dayaratne, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC). The two sides discussed enhancing cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and Sri Lanka in the fields of securities and exchanging expertise. The OCCI Chairman also met with Eng. M. K. Lawrance, Executive Director of Board of Investment. more..

Mar 8 (DM) Indian High Commission in Colombo in a twitter message said that during a telephone conversation between Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, they agreed to finalize a mutually convenient date in the second half of this month for Minister Rajapaksa to visit India. “EAM @DrSJaishankar and Hon'ble Finance Minister @RealBRajapaksa had a productive and cordial telephone conversation a while ago. more..

Mar 8 (DM) While claiming that the Myanmar govt has refuted reports appeared in the Myanmar media on matters pertaining to rice exported to SL, Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardana today informed Parliament that no rice has been imported to Sri Lanka from Myanmar as yet. He told Parliament that the Myanmar Embassy in SL has informed that the report appeared in a private website in Myanmar had been circulated in more..

Mar 8 (AD) The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has approved the Ceylon Electricity Board’s request for power interruptions tomorrow (March 09). Accordingly, areas listed under groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L will experience power cuts of 2 hours and 30 minutes between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. Electricity supply for the aforementioned areas will be interrupted again for a period of one hour and 15 minutes between 6.00 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. more..

Mar 8 (DM) Sri Lanka should apply for an international patent for Kottu which is a food which has originated from the island, a government MP told Parliament today. MP Charitha Herath said it is time an international patent right was obtained for Kottu which has originated from Batticaloa. “Pizza has become an internationally popular delicacy that originated from Italy. Italy has obtained an international patent for it. Kottu is also beginning to get popular internationally. more..

Mar 9 (DM) Our country is in the midst of one of the worst crises to hit since independence in 1948. Tourism and remittances of expatriate workers which formed the backbone of foreign earnings dried up since the Covid pandemic hit. The drop in income led to an explosion of the country’s outstanding external debt. By the end of April 2021, according to the Dept of External Resources, the country owed US$ 35.1 billion. But foreign reserves were down to US$ 2,361 million in Jany 2022 leading to more..

Mar 9 (DM) The failure to deliver on promises, defections and shortsighted decisions have led the country towards the edge of a precipice. Fuel shortages, soaring cost of living, irregular power outages and the fertiliser crisis have severely inconvenienced the public to the point that they have now opted to take to the streets to express their disappointment. Instability within the ruling party and the Opposition has further aggravated the situation as no political party is ready to come together more..

Mar 9 (DM) Farmers had high hopes to cultivate during the Yala season, but their hopes have begun to shatter. Presently farmers are unable to begin farming for the upcoming Yala cultivation. Plans were implemented to commence cultivations for the Yala season providing fertilizer, seeds and chemical fertilizer unlike during the previous Maha season. These plans however are about to be ruined because of foreign exchange crisis affecting more..

Mar 9 (CT) In the past year, we repeatedly urged the Govt and CB against holding the dollar at Rs. 200, as it benefitted neither the Govt nor the people of this country. Excessive money printing undermined the credibility of the US dollar peg at Rs. 200, as a result vital foreign exchange began to flow through unofficial channels. Inward remittances particularly witnessed a drop of 62% in Jan 2021 compared to the year before. In the last 7 months alone, remittances have reduced by approx $2.5b. more..

Mar 9 (CT) IMF in their recent Article IV consultations with SL expressed concerns regarding the USD 1.4 bil Colombo Port City Project (CPCP). IMF said, “Directors called for a prudent management of the CPCP and continued efforts to strengthen governance and fight corruption.” CPCP Act was passed last year, but compared to its elder cousin the Great Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC) Law passed in Jan 1978, CPCP has been slow in attracting FDI. more..

Mar 9 (ST) Matara is known for many things – ancient ramparts and well-preserved colonial Dutch architecture to name a few. But not Art. Yet, hidden over 5 acres in a forested hillside in Dikwella lies the six-building campus of ŔNI Art Academies. Designed to blend naturally with the environment, there are no galvanised signages shouting its presence or giving any indication of the creative gems being manifested within its walls. more..

Mar 9 (GV) Being a woman in SL in 2022 is a challenging experience. Gender in a patriarchal society whose hetero normative values are entrenched is intensely complicated by the complex fragility of South Asian men in a triple colonized country. I suggest that the extreme and multi-faceted misogyny experienced by girls and women has at its core the compulsive need that colonized men have to subjugate the women they claim to desire, love and need but in fact frequently seek to control more..

Mar 9 (TM) By the end of last week, the people were hopeful that the power cuts that kept them in the dark for almost one-fourth of the day were finally going to come to an end, allowing them to resume their daily activities even among several other crises. However, this week, the authorities began power cuts again, going back on what they promised to Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Prez’s Media Division (PMD), on 2 March, stated that during a meeting between Prez and power sector authorities, more..

Mar 9 (ST) The economy has collapsed! That was how Ruwanputha, the young economist, pithily described SL’s current dilemma. He is on the money with that statement. According to the unfolding situation this week, as crippling power cuts continue to bite the economy, factories were shutting down, small business owners were shaking their heads being hit by another bolt from the blues and motorists spent endless hours at the fuel stations to get their share of diesel or petrol. more..

Mar 9 (Island) SL-UNHRC relations have been replete with complexities, irony, policy contradictions and volte face. Mahinda Rajapaksa went to the UNHRC during the JVP’s reign of terror (1987-89) as part of a campaign to bring int'l pressure to bear on the late Prez R. Premadasa to stop suppressing democracy on the pretext of fighting southern terrorism. After becoming Prez, Rajapaksa started condemning those who complained to UNHRC about human rights violations as traitors. more..

Mar 9 (ST) Critical services such as education, health, transport, and tourism are facing unprecedented multiple blows from the lack of fuel and electricity. This is stirring public anger across the country because lives are in danger and livelihoods have been destroyed. Ambulance services say they have been forced to limit operations to short distances or cancel hires. The manager of a private ambulance service in Colombo, more..

Mar 9 (CT) It was not long ago that women were confined at home to be full-time housewives and their spouse was the family’s bread-winner. The role of women in the 21st Century has changed and they share equivalent responsibilities with their male counterparts. It is undeniable that employed women are more self-seeking, tougher and intellectual. However, empowered women are not trying to overpower the opposite sex, but to endure and override the difficulties confronted in their more..

Mar 9 (FT) In a bid to boost exports and recognise the contribution of the sector stakeholders, Govt has agreed to pay an incentive of Rs. 30 per dollar earned over the previous quarter to companies that have achieved a minimum progress of 10%. The fresh move comes hot on the heels of the CB devaluing the rupee against the dollar to Rs. 230 on Tuesday from Rs. 203. The Exporters Incentive Scheme is expected to generate additional revenue of $ 5.5 billion in this year compared to 2021. more..

Mar 9 (DM) As multiple crises take root in SL, the average citizen’s ability to make ends meet is becoming increasingly difficult. While power cuts have been the latest hardship to hit the Sri Lankans, our island’s citizens have been hit with various shortages of basic necessities for many months now. On Tuesday, the CEB said it will continue with the 7.5 hour power cuts, despite assurances from the country’s leadership more..

Mar 9 (Island) People’s Bank announced the results for the year ended Dec 31, 2021 – with consolidated total operating income reaching LKR 110.7 billion and total operating expenses amounting to LKR 50.5 billion, either of which up 21.9% and 14.9% respectively over 2020. Consolidated pre-tax and post-tax profits amounted to LKR 37.2 billion and LKR 28.1 billion; representing a 51.1% and 74.6% growth. On a Bank standalone basis, figures were LKR 30.4 billion and LKR 23.7 billion, more..

Mar 9 (FT) Dilmah Conservation webinar on lichens and nitrogen pollution will be held today from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. Two experts Dr. Gothamie Weerakoon and Dr. Ajinkya Deshpande will share key insights at the webinar. A spokesman for Dilmah Conservation said furthering climate action, through climate research and education, is a priority area for Dilmah Conservation. Over the years, humans have altered nitrogen flows on our planet; while this leads to benefits more..