Sri Lanka News : InfoLanka News Room

Sep 27 (AD) Eight persons charged with murder were sentenced to death on orders of the Kalutara High Court on Wednesday (27). The relevant order was issued by Kalutara High Court Judge Pradeep Abeyratne against eight persons found guilty of stabbing a resident of the Kalil Place area in Kalutara (South) to death on 24 March 2003. The accused were found guilty after the Attorney General filed indictments against the eight suspects before the Kalutara High Court. more..

Tax relief for charities with amendments to Act

Sep 27 (DN) Govt has decided to amend the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017. Cabinet has approved the resolution by acting Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies Minister to direct the Legal Draftsman to draft a Bill to amend the Inland Revenue Act including legal provisions for the purpose. It has been proposed that it is appropriate to amend the Inland Revenue Act to enable to request tax relief by any charity establishment that provides health facilities more..

Sirisena attends CBK-led Bandaranaike commemoration

Sep 27 (TM) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena and former Prez and former SLFP Chair, Chandrika Kumaratunga – who were at loggerheads in recent times – saw a reunion at the event to commemorate the late PMs S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike – the former the SLFP Founder, and the late Speaker of Parliament Anura Bandaranaike yesterday. The event was held yesterday morning at the Bandaranaike Memorial in Horagolla, more..

Date fixed for hearing of contempt petitions against Sanath Nishantha

Sep 27 (AD) The petitions filed against State Minister Sanath Nishantha under charges of contempt of court are due to be heard before the Court of Appeal on 27 October. The relevant order was issued by Prez of the Appellate Court, Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice Chamath Morais, when the matter was taken up in court this morning, for which the State Minister too, was present in court. Appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General more..

US and Sri Lanka launch influencer campaign to boost tourism

Sep 27 (EN) USAID SL and the SL Tourism Alliance have united to launch a social media influencer campaign to boost the country’s global tourism brand to millions of potential travelers and stimulate tourism. Sri Lanka considers the tourism sector a part of its economy with high growth potential. “We’re bringing 10 top influencers from key tourist source markets to showcase SL, promote sustainable tourism and contribute to the economic recovery of SL’s tourism sector,” more..

Sri Lanka’s sex workers face false charges: Women’s collective

Sep 27 (EN) Sri Lanka’s sex workers have faced fundamental rights violations including unlawful detention and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, a representative of the Abhimani Women’s Collective said at a conference yesterday. “Following their arrest, sex workers frequently experience the infringement of their fundamental rights, including the right to fair treatment, due process and protection from more..

GRTA repeats call to repair cooling system

Sep 27 (CT) Radiological Technologists reiterated their call to the Health Ministry and the authorities to take action to attend to repairs of the linear accelerator machine at the Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, which also catered to patients in the South. It has been out of order since 22 Aug 2023. President of the Govt Radiological Technologists’ Association (GRTA), Chanaka Dharmawickrema said according to the service provider, the breakdown was due to a fault in more..

Five acting ministers appointed

Sep 27 (DM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, who embarked on an official visit to Germany early this morning has appointed five acting ministers to oversee the responsibilities of the Ministries under his purview during his absence. Accordingly, State Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon will serve as Acting Minister of Defence, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe as the Acting Minister of Finance, State Minister Kanaka Herath as Acting Minister of Technology, State Minister Anupa Pasqual as more..

සිරිසේන යන තැන දහම් වත් යවන්න

About 40 FDI contracts suspended due to economic crisis to be revived

Sep 27 (Island) About 40 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) contracts suspended due to the economic crisis would be re-contracted as foreign investors had expressed their willingness to do so, State Minister Dilum Amunugama said on Monday in Kandy. Amunugama said the govt expected to attract about US$ 2 billion this year as FDIs. The State Minister said that foreign investors were attracted to Sri Lanka due to political stability and the economic programmes of the govt. more..

Miriyagalle to become vegetable hub for Colombo

Sep 27 (CT) Miriyagalle village, in Padukka, is poised to become a dedicated vegetable-growing hub, to supply the much-needed vegetables for Colombo. This is being done in order to assist consumers in Colombo, who are forced to purchase vegetables and fruits from far-flung regions of the island, resulting in their having to pay significantly higher prices. Notably, prices of upcountry and low-country vegetables are exorbitant in Colombo and other Western Province Districts. more..

Sri Lanka creditors said to seek debt restructuring deal without China

Sep 27 (BNN) Some members on the committee of SL’s official creditors are pushing to reach a deal to restructure the nation’s debt without the participation of China, according to people familiar with the matter, a move with potential implications for how richer nations handle financial stress in the developing world. The members want the group of major creditors, including the US, Japan and India, to sign a MoU with SL around the time of IMF more..

Video: Cabinet paper submitted on tax-free import of vehicle parts?

Sep 27 (AD) A cabinet paper pertaining to the tax-free importation of vehicle parts for one company registered under the BOI has reportedly been submitted, the Vehicle Importers’ Association of SL claimed. Speaking on the matter, President of Association, Indika Merinchige, opined that the proposed move would incur a great loss in the taxes earned through these imports. Merinchige further explained “This would give them a special permit to assemble vehicles in Sri Lanka. more..

Prof. Peiris alleges hiring Cameron and enactment of offensive laws contradictory

Sep 27 (Island) SLPP rebel group spokesman Prof. G.L. Peiris said that it would be a costly initiative to engage former British Premier David Cameron to promote Colombo Port City and the enactment of the Online Safety Law meant to suppress political dissent were contradictory. He said that investors would be wary of having any dealings with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa govt as the Online Safety Law and new Anti-Terrorism Law underscored the growing danger posed by more..

Doctors leave for children’s education, not for higher tax: MP

Sep 27 (EN) SL doctors are leaving the country not because of higher taxes as they claim, but due to the education of their children, SLPP MP Mahindanada Aluthgamage said. SL has seen an exodus of qualified doctors and consultants mainly after the govt raised PAYE taxes early this year, citing they can’t bear the high taxes. However, health ministry sources say most doctors planned the exit soon after the country more..

Video: Five including 4 women arrested with gold worth over Rs 120 million at BIA

Sep 27 (AD) The officers of the Narcotics Control Unit of SL Customs have detained five passengers at the arrival terminal of the BIA for attempting to smuggle a stock of gold biscuits and jewellery into the country, early this morning. Accordingly, four women and a man, who had arrived in Sri Lanka from Dubai onboard two separate flights, have been apprehended along with 06 kg of gold biscuits and jewellery in total, estimated to be worth around Rs. 123 million, SL Customs said. more..

Korea International Cooperation Agency grants $6 Mn to Education Ministry

Sep 27 (DM) The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) provided a grant worth 6 million USD to the Ministry of Education and Tertiary and the Vocational Education Commission to implement the Tertiary and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Career Platform, KOICA said in a statement. The objective of this project is to establish an ICT-based career platform for TVET trainees for their development and to improve their employment status. more..

අගවිනිසුරු ශ්‍රී පවන්ට මෛත්‍රීපාල ජනපති දුන් දුරකථන...

On Children’s Day, our children are in a bad place

Sep 28 (DM) World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day. It is the day in 1959 when the UNGA adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UNGA adopted Convention on Rights of the Child. In our country-SL - Children’s Day is marked on 1 Oct every year. Since independence, we have many laws protecting children including laws preventing the exploitation of children from being used as cheap labour. more..

Shared heritage of archaeological sites in the North and East

Sep 28 (DM) The recently established task force for the survey and preservation of archaeological sites in the Eastern Province of SL is a worthwhile endeavour as the preservation of a people’s cultural heritage is an important one. However, the implementation of this project requires a proper understanding of the historical background in which these structures i.e. Buddhist stupas viharas and Hindu temples were built. It must be kept in mind that Buddhism was prevalent in South India more..

Is the customer still king?

Sep 28 (TM) “Customer is king is still a concept that remains valid in all forms of businesses. But employers and employees are ordinary human beings with a limit to their patience. After all, respect is a two-way street. Customers who do not respect an establishment’s employees, the latter who are forced through employment contracts to respect customers before receiving any form of respect in return, are less likely to be more..

Imprisonment of 5 years for non-arrest of a suspect: A good example to emulate

Sep 28 (CT) The sentencing of a former SDIG for giving illegal orders not to arrest a suspect. The reported sentencing of former SDIG, Lalith Jayasinghe, for giving illegal orders to prevent the arrest of a person allegedly involved in the shooting which resulted in the death of some persons, was a sentence of five years in prison, by the High Court Judge of Ratnapura. While the particular case may be of interest from a political point of view due to the MP who was later arrested and convicted more..

Towards genuine social security

Sep 28 (TM) A state-run, well-established social security system is a key indicator of a progressing nation. Mainly in developed countries this serves as a foundation promoting equality amidst diversity among their citizens. Such social security systems provide citizens a safety, financially or as services, when they are faced with contingencies of old age, disability, unemployment, raising children and curative or preventive medical care needs. Even though, in the SL context of social security more..

Faded glory of Sri Lanka’s first shopping mall

Sep 28 (SO) Being SL’s commercial capital, Colombo is known for its many shopping malls. From the ocean front One Galle Face to the classic Liberty Plaza, Colombo’s malls are not just big concrete hunks with shops and showrooms; they make up a very essential part of the city’s culture. Growing up in Kandy, I remember trips to Majestic City visiting our cousins in Colombo. Kandy didn’t have much of consumerism more..

Geneva: Same old tales of sound and fury

Sep 28 (ST) The times have not changed. SL carries on its usual blustering, bovine way, never mind who occupies the seat of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This month in Geneva the shrill sounds of SL protests were heard again. Sounds yes, but missing was the sense of it all. It is especially at times like this that one harks back to the days of Shirley Amerasinghe whose frequent clashes with Israel’s renowned Foreign Minister Abba Eban (who if I remember spoke more..

Cradle of helicopter pilots marks 29 years

Sep 28 (CT) No. 7 Helicopter Squadron of SL Air Force, also known as the Cradle of Helicopter Pilots, located at SL Air Force Base Hingurakgoda holds an unbowed, unbroken and unbent reputation and a magnificent history from 1994 to date, by rendering 29 years of dedicated service to our motherland. Squadron was initially established as the No. 401 Squadron on 23 Sept 1994 comprising Bell 212 and Bell 206 Helicopters and was re-designated as the No. 7 Helicopter Squadron on 23 Mar 1996. more..

යටින් රට නායයන හැටි පාඨලී හෙළිකරයි

Canada rushes in like a bull in a china shop with accusations of genocide and...

Sep 28 (DM) Relations between India and Canada have reached their lowest ebb, and relations between the two countries hit rock bottom after Canadian PM Trudeau, in the Canadian parliament claimed there was strong evidence implicating the Indian govt in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar -a Canadian citizen. Singh was gunned down outside a Sikh temple, of which he was President. While Trudeau claimed he had evidence to back his charge, more..

Full implementation of 13A – Final solution to national problem or end of unitary state?

Sep 28 (Island) As disclosed by a report published on the Tamilnet website on 23 Jan 2015, TNA and the Tamil diaspora with the objective of achieving their goal of creating a federal state in the North-East played a key role in bringing about a regime change at the 2015 prez election. As revealed in this report, an LTTE front organisation in South Africa In Transformation Initiative organised a conference in Singapore in 2013, and it was funded by two European countries. more..

C4 documentary makers admit absence of evidence to support Maulana’s claims

Sep 28 (Island) The makers of British television network Channel 4’s documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks in SL have admitted that they did not have credible evidence to support the claims made by Azad Maulana, the self-proclaimed whistleblower who made serious allegations about the complicity of state officials, including the then Minister Counsellor in the SL mission in Malaysia Suresh Sallay more..

Editorial: Stats, confusion and contradictions

Sep 28 (Island) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera is reported to have said at a conference, that there are more than 4,000 vacancies in the CEB and CPC. The vacancies at CEB and CPC number 1,192 and 3,000, respectively. He is said to have added, in the same breath, that both institutions can manage with the current workforce; his statement must have struck a responsive chord with the public, who must not be made to pay through the nose to maintain overstaffed, inefficient SOEs. more..

Soorya ignites New Generation Awards 2023

Sep 28 (FT) Sun Match Company’s flagship, Soorya, is proud to announce sponsorship of 4th New Generation Awards 2023, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the exceptional achievements of young individuals, while recognising their innovation, excellence and inspiring talent in various fields. Soorya has been igniting and sponsoring the awards since its inception in 2020, as a commitment to the new generation of SL. This year Soorya has come forward as platinum sponsor & key partner. more..

ජනතා අයිතීන් උදුරන අලුත් නීති කුමටද?

Colombo Port City Commission releases promising progress report for first 8 months

Sep 28 (FT) The Colombo Port City Economic Commission has unveiled its Comprehensive Progress Report covering the period from January to August 2023, showcasing significant strides in the development of the Colombo Port City and the finalisation of legal frameworks for the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone (SEZ). These advancements underscore the project’s standing as a premier investment destination and a burgeoning Gateway to South Asia. more..

Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce explores trade expansion with SL

Sep 28 (FT) Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce President cum Israel-SL Chamber of Commerce Chairperson Anat Bernstein-Reich met EDB Chairman Dr. Kingsley Bernard on 28 August. This official meeting was initiated by the Ambassador of SL in Israel Nimal Bandara. The SL delegation was represented by Foreign Ministry of SL Additional Secretary Shanika Dissanayake, senior EDB officials, as well as representatives of private sector companies from SL’s export community. more..

ICTA set to unveil eRL 2.0 system for motorists from next week

Sep 28 (FT) Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) is poised to introduce the Electronic Revenue License System (eRL 2.0) on 3 Oct. This innovative system, developed in collaboration with the Provincial Dept of Motor Traffic, is set to modernise the process of issuing vehicle revenue licenses, boosting the efficiency of officials while providing motorist with an enhanced service experience. more..

Diana writes to Speaker against SJB Secy.’s inappropriate term

Sep 28 (TM) State Minister Diana Gamage has sent a letter to the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, seeking appropriate action against SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara for his alleged use of an inappropriate term targeting her during a recent Parliamentary session. During the Parliamentary debate on the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 21 April 2019 and related investigations last week, Gamage was making remarks on certain matters pertaining to the period during which more..

Video: 'SL anticipating substantial influx of tourists during final months of year:'

Sep 28 (AD) Minister of State for Tourism Diana Gamage announced plans to launch promotional campaigns aimed at attracting 1.5 million foreign tourists to Sri Lanka by the year’s end. She emphasized the govt’s commitment to ensuring the safety of tourists and mentioned initiatives such as establishing taxi associations to enhance the visitor experience. Minister also highlighted the transformation of high-tourist-traffic cities into vibrant, non-stop destinations, the PMD said. more..

Election Commission declares LG polls nominations valid

Sep 28 (TM) Election Commission (EC) stated that the nominations called for LG elections, 2023, are still valid, and that they could be cancelled only through an Act in the Parliament. On 20 Sept, Ministerial Consultative Committee on Public Adm, Home Affairs, PC, and LG had unanimously consented to cancel the nominations called for the LG elections. EC Chairman, R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that more..

Proposal to allocate three acres outside Kurundi archaeological site for...

Sep 28 (DM) A proposal has been made by Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry to allocate three acres outside the Kurundi archaeological site for the purpose of building a Buddhist temple, a Hindu Kovil and for public use. The proposal was made by the Secretary to Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs during Sectoral Oversight Committee on Religious Affairs and Co-Existence which was held under the Chairmanship of Upul Rajapaksha recently. more..