Nov 2 (AD) New members have been appointed to the Health Service Committee and Education Service Committee of the Public Service Commission for a period of two years. This was communicated in a special gazette notification published by the Public Service Commission’s secretary on October 31, 2023. The appointments came into effect retrospectively from October 2. New members of the Health Service Committee are as follows: Mrs. T.M.L.C. Senarathna (chairman) more..

Nov 2 (DM) The Court of Appeal issued an interim order suspending the operation of the seizure notices and restraining the Customs from arresting or curtailing the liberties of the petitioner as part and parcel of any inquiry or investigation in respect of the import of the motor vehicles. The petitioner in the action has been a leader in the import of luxury and semi-luxury vehicles catering to a wide clientele across the island through the past decade and has gained a reputation more..

Nov 2 (AD) Supreme Court today ordered four respondents in fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings to declare their assets and liabilities through affidavits, submitted on or before December 30, 2023. As such, former Prez Maithripala Sirisena, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former chief of State Intelligence Service (SIS) Nilantha Jayawardena were instructed to declare their assets and liabilities. more..

Nov 2 (NR) Chief Prelate of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera has appreciated the support extended by India during the past year. The visiting Minister of Finance of India, Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday called on the Chief Prelate in Kandy. During the meeting, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera said they appreciate the support extended by the Indian govt to SL to secure the second tranche of more..

Nov 2 (TM) The Office for Reparations has paid a sum of Rs. 2,500,000 to persons who are permanently disabled, while another sum of Rs. 29,225,000 is to be paid for families that lost wage-earning members, out of the money that it has received from several respondents including former Prez and Defence Minister and incumbent Opposition Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena for the victims of Easter Sunday terror attacks more..

Nov 2 (AD) Sri Lanka players took the field wearing black armbands during the national anthem ceremony of the World Cup 2023 clash against India on Nov 2. Late Percy Abeysekera, fondly known as Uncle Percy, was a familiar name in the SL cricketing circuit. A cricket superfan for over 40 years, he passed away on October 30, aged 87. He shot to fame when Sri Lanka became the world champions for the first time in the 1996 World Cup. The visuals of him marching around more..

Nov 2 (DM) Thousands of patients who sought treatment at govt hospitals in the Moneragala district were in a predicament due to the trade union action of the doctors affiliated with the GMOA. The doctors in the Moneragala General Hospital, Wellawaya, Bibila, and Siyambalanduwa Base Hospitals, Kataragama, Sevanagala, Hambegamuwa, Thanamalwila, Butthala, Okkampitiya, Handapanagala, Inginiyagala, Ethimale, Pitakumbura District Hospitals, more..

Nov 2 (TM) Claiming that the appointment of a second Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to look into the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 21 April 2019 – which was previously looked into by another PSC – will bring disrespect to the first PSC and the Parliament, Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said that the proposed appointment of a PSC anew should be studied further. A PSC is expected to be appointed more..

Nov 2 (DM) In the aftermath of Osala Hearth filing a petition asking the Appeal Court to declare that State Minister Diana Gamage is not qualified to hold an MP's post, she is to file an appeal before the Supreme Court against the verdict given by the judiciary earlier. Ms. Gamage said she is ready to face another legal battle. 3-judge bench gave a divided verdict on State Minister Gamage, where two Members declared she is qualified to hold a seat in Parliament while one judge said more..

Nov 2 (AD) The Govt of India has announced plans to build another 10,000 houses for estate workers in SL, as part of ‘Phase 4’ of the Indian Housing Project. Delivering the keynote address at ‘Nam 200’ this afternoon, celebrating 200 years since the arrival of Indian Origin Tamils (IOT) to Sri Lanka, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that commending the success of ‘Phase 3’ of India’s flagship development project, Indian PM Narendra Modi has announced that more..

Nov 3 (CT) In her 73rd Anniversary Oration of the CB, this week, Dr. Sharmini Coorey, a member of the Prez Advisory Group on Multi-lateral Engagement and Debt Sustainability and a former Dept Director of the IMF, highlighted SL’s precarious economic situation. She declared, “ We are on a knife edge and there is truly no room for slacking off or policy reversals. But, with awareness and attempt, we are able to set ourselves on a street to sustained increase and inclusive prosperity.” more..

Nov 3 (DM) Facts do not change. Feelings do and our feelings about THE MESS (as the country’s situation is commonly referred to) vary from anger to despair, depending on income, social status, or career. I do not pretend to know what the citizens of disaster areas think. Can anyone imagine what depths to which they must plummet at these moments of unimaginable disaster? Desperation must be their commonest emotion I would imagine. So let me try and encapsulate the feelings more..

Nov 3 (CT) Last week, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera took to Twitter to address the concerns surrounding the CEB Tariff Revisions and Hydropower Generation, as people expressed their inability to cope with the price increase. However, Minister pointed out that as of 22 Oct 2023, total hydro storage in major reservoirs was at 65.81%. In the same period in 2022, it was at 84.41%, and in 2021, it stood at 86.48%, more..

Nov 3 (DM) These are times when parents and even politicians are promoting the thought of quality education because when pursuing a goal in life ambition must match skill. Just the other day this writer read about a school to be opened in SL where the curriculum caters to students who wish to have an alternative schooling; an education that is fun and not one that forces the student to sit in class against his or her wishes. We’re living in an era where education decides where we go in life. more..

Nov 3 (TM) The Indian Govt yesterday pledged to send teacher trainers to Sri Lanka to work with SL educators to uplift the education of the Indian-origin Tamil community (Malaiyaha Tamils) living in upcountry – plantations region. The move is aimed at improving the livelihoods of one of the most vulnerable communities in SL, and to give them a future where social mobility is a possibility and no longer just a dream. The plan to send teacher trainers to SL was announced by more..

Nov 3 (TM) Ministry of Agriculture initiating the distribution of air rifles to farmers as a measure against crop damage by wild animals will prove to be problematic in a climate of loose gun control, activists claim. On 22 Oct, Agriculture Ministry commenced distributing air rifles to farmers at a concessionary price, with a total of 250 rifles being distributed so far, as per the Minister of Agriculture. With growing complaints of crop raiding by more..

Nov 3 (TM) September was the world Alzheimer’s month, but despite these reminders, there is little awareness about the disease, the challenges it brings, and coping for both the patient and the community. Globally, 75% of people with dementia are not diagnosed, which is about 41 million people. For 47% of people living with dementia, a lack of trained clinicians serves as a barrier to diagnosis, while for 46% of them, the fear of diagnosis itself acts as a barrier to proper care. more..

Nov 3 (Island) The latest VAT hike has come as a double whammy for the public, who are reeling from extremely high taxes and tariffs, not to mention the soaring cost of living. The SLPP politicians seem to be deriving some perverse pleasure from the predicament of the people, who rose against them and took them down a notch or two, last year. SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has sought to shift the blame for the unprecedented increases in taxes tariffs, fuel prices, etc., to the public; tax cuts and more..

Nov 3 (GV) By all estimates, SL’s economy is expected to grow around 1.5% in 2024, making inroads into reversing the economic contraction the country experienced since 2020. SL authorities have reached a staff level agreement with the IMF earlier this month and, pending executive board approval, SL will receive the second tranche of $330 million soon. SL’s reserve position has improved somewhat from the record low levels it was once at – there are $3.5 million currently in reserves, more..

Nov 3 (FT) A high powered Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) delegation accompanying India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the Board of Investment yesterday to discuss investment opportunities and to understand the current investment climate. The delegation was briefed by the Ministry of Ports and Aviation Secretary Ruwanchandra, BOI Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody, Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Keith Bernard and officials of BOI and Port City Colombo. more..

Nov 3 (CI) How do you possibly play that? How do you prepare for a ball that vicious? How many hours of batting in the nets does it take? How many sets of how many reps of weights to condition the muscles? How many hours on treadmills and cycles to strip the fat that might slow you down? How many coaches must take a look, poring over how much footage, of how many balls faced, from how many angles? more..

Nov 3 (Island) Cassandra is sick to her innermost core seeing on TV daily, multiple protests of motley crowds toting banners and marching all across roads and in many instances being tear gassed and water cannoned. She is sure that like her, five sixths of adult citizens in this doomed and gloomed land are sick of these protests. Many must be meeting them and being impeded as they go about their daily business. The most recent protest was by all trade unions demanding that more..

Nov 3 (SO) Dhammissara National School takes pride in its 113-year history, guided by the theme Pagna Taranan Ratanan or Wisdom is a gem for people. The school is at the forefront of nurturing future contributors to both the nation and the world. Founded in 1913 with just 15 students under the leadership of Principal Mendis (1913 to 1919), this school was among the twelve initial bilingual schools established in 1920. It later became known as the State Bilingual School, and notably, more..

Nov 3 (FT) Overseas Realty Ceylon PLC yesterday announced the appointment of Dr. Arittha Wikramanayake Attorney-at-Law, LL.M (Brussels), LL.M(Georgia), M.A.L.D (Fletcher) as an Independent Director to its Board of Directors. Dr. Wikramanayake is the Precedent Partner of Heritage Partners. He is a veteran Corporate and M&A lawyer and heads the Firm’s corporate and acquisitions practice. During his tenure as the Securities & Exchange Comm (SEC) Director General, more..

Nov 3 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce raised concerns regarding the proposed increase of the VAT to 18%. While recognising the Govt’s commitment to revenue enhancement in alignment with IMF obligations, Ceylon Chamber said it is imperative to evaluate the broader economic ramifications of such a decision. “The current economic landscape, characterised by escalating income taxes, elevated electricity tariffs, and rise in fuel prices, suggests that an additional more..

Nov 3 (CI) Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah razed Sri Lanka for 55 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, sealing India's seventh successive win of the World Cup and their spot in the semi-finals. India's fast-bowling trio was so sensational with the new ball that the scores of Sri Lanka's top five read like a line of binary code: 0, 0, 1, 0, 1. When Shami also had Nos. 7 and 8 for ducks with the score on 29, more..

Nov 3 (FT) The Sri Lanka print community gathered on 27 October for its highly anticipated print exhibition and awards night, displaying an exceptional level of printing quality that has garnered recognition on the global stage. Printcare Plc, a leading player and exporter of world-class packaging, emerged by far the night›s biggest winner, securing 24 medals for its world-class products, including the coveted Master Printer award. Others who did well were Softwave more..

Nov 3 (FT) UK’s communications regulator, the Office of Communications (OFCOM) on Tuesday dismissed the complaint filed by SL’s head of State Intelligence Service (SIS) Major General Suresh Sallay in relation to the Channel 4 documentary on the Easter Sunday attacks of 2019. Announcing its decision the OFCOM said, Sallay’s complaint was unsustainable and that there was no case for the broadcaster to answer. “Having viewed the programme in its entirety alongside more..

Nov 3 (TM) A new curriculum is to be issued in the weeks to come with the purpose of enhancing the knowledge about reproductive health among schoolchildren, said the Health Ministry’s Family Health Bureau (FHB) Director Dr. Chithramalee de Silva. Dr. de Silva said that the new curriculum would strengthen the capability of the country’s education system to create awareness of reproductive health among schoolchildren more..

Nov 3 (DM) Provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed that for the 31 days of October, tourist arrivals totalled 109, 1999, significantly down from an arrival target of 147, 789. October arrivals are also lower than that achieved in September, despite the SLTDA having projected higher numbers. While tourist arrivals were expected to increase month-on-month from September, data shows a decline in the rate of arrivals. more..

Nov 3 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Wednesday hosted one of India’s most celebrated public intellectuals, MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor. SJB Leader Premadasa led an expert panel including Dr. Tharoor, Prof. Arjuna Parakrama, MP Dr. Harsha de Silva and MP Eran Wickramaratne. Held at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, this distinguished gathering was organised by National Council of Professionals affiliated with the SJB as part of a series of events that brings together more..

Nov 3 (DN) Second Selangor Int'l Junior Golf Championship (SIJGC), where four talented junior golfers from SL will represent their nation, teeing off today at the challenging Seri Selangor Golf Club in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, on a course spanning 6807 yards. The young golfers face an additional challenge due to the current wet conditions and fast greens, which will test their skills on the long course. Joining the competition are teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Korea, more..

Nov 3 (TM) Public sector medical officers and university lecturers conducted an island-wide token strike yesterday. The trade union action was initiated as a protest against the Govt’s tax policies and delays in providing solutions for salary related issues. GMOA on Wednesday announced that its members would resort to a series of provincial level 24-hour token strikes from yesterday, starting from the Uva Province. Accordingly, medical officers at all Govt hospitals in the Uva Province more..

Nov 3 (TM) The Govt of India is to send teacher trainers from India to work with SL teachers in order to enhance the education of the Indian-origin Tamil community (Malaiyaha Tamils) living in upcountry areas, said Indian Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Speaking at the event Naam 200 organised by the Ministry of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development to celebrate the 200th anniversary more..

Nov 3 (CT) The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) said a decision in connection with Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) Dr. Ruhul Haq’s suspension may be taken tomorrow (4). Informed SLMC sources yesterday (2) said that the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) of the SLMC which emulates a judiciary may take up Dr. Haq’s matter when they meet tomorrow (4). They noted that currently the JMO had been asked to refrain from conducting the duties of his office. more..