Jul 30 (DN) Colombo Port has been nominated as the World’s Best Growing Port in the first quarter of 2024 by premiere global Shipping and Logistic News portal and a leading research publication in the shipping industry, Alphaliner. This is due to its increased cargo volumes and revenue. Port of Colombo has achieved significant progress in operational performance by recording an excellent growth rate of 23.6% in the year 2024, Secretary of Ministry of Shipping & Aviation said. more..

Jul 30 (TM) Ministry of Public Security stated that the Dept of Police is finding it very difficult to fulfill its duties without the presence of an IGP. On 24 July, the Supreme Court (SC) issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from functioning as the IGP. When contacted for clarity on whether there is an IGP, given PM Dinesh Gunawardena’s statement in the Parliament that the IGP has not been removed, more..

Jul 30 (FT) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Import Section Chairman Thulitha Mendis recently highlighted the significant tax revenue losses and foreign exchange outflows caused by unauthorised imports, which are exacerbating SL’s economic challenges. Speaking at the 89th Annual General Meeting last week, he explained that grey market products, also known as parallel imports, involve the import and sale of branded products in a market without the trademark owner’s consent. more..

Jul 30 (AGB) The new Melco Resorts & Entertainment City of Dreams project in central Colombo, could benefit from burgeoning wealth and outbound tourism from India, with its casino possibly helping to generate around 50% of the property’s EBITDA, brokerage Morgan Stanley predicts. This year Melco Resorts announced a joint venture with John Keells Holdings, largest conglomerate listed on Colombo Stock Exchange, to include a casino in a $1 billion-plus integrated resort project more..

Jul 30 (AD) General Secretary of the CWC, Minister Jeevan Thondaman and three other senior members of his party have surrendered to the Nuwara-Eliya Magistrate’s Court through a motion filed today (29). This comes after the court ordered the arrest of Minister Thondaman and to produce him before the court over an incident where the CWC General Secretary had allegedly stormed into the Pedro Tea Factory, controlled under Kelani Valley Plantations, along with a group of his supporters more..

Jul 30 (FT) Biodiversity scientist Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda and former Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Chandra Jayaratne yesterday petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the award of the contract for processing of visa applications to Sri Lanka by the consortium GBS Technology Services and IVS Global-FZCO and VF Worldwide Holdings Ltd. Basing their petition largely on documents placed in the public domain by COPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva, they allege that the deal, more..

Jul 30 (DM) In light of influenza cases climbing to unprecedented levels, health officials have urged the public to comply with the safety guidelines observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consultant Paediatrician Dr. LakKumar Fernando emphasised the urgency of the situation, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Dr. Fernando highlighted the need for the public to adhere more..

Jul 30 (DM) National Election Commission (EC) has clarified that the participation of govt nurses in uniform at the National All Ceylon Nurses’ Conference, held under the patronage of NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, does not constitute a violation of election regulations. Addressing concerns raised by various quarters, a senior EC official said that such participation is permissible under the Establishment Code governing public servants. "It is not an election violation more..

Jul 30 (ST) With the prez election scheduled for Sept 21, the restructuring efforts of state-owned enterprises have been pushed off the radar and may not happen at all. The Sunday Times was informed on Friday by govt representatives that the only transaction that could be completed in early August was that of Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd (HDL), the company that owns Hilton Colombo. They said that Sri Lanka’s Melwa Group, which is building several Hilton properties across the island, more..

Jul 30 (FT) In a significant blow to the ruling SLPP, a group of party MPs have announced they would defy the party’s decision to field its own candidate and instead support President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his bid for re-election. Following a party politburo meeting, it was officially announced yesterday that the SLPP will break ties with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and field its own candidate in the upcoming election. more..

Jul 30 (FT) Debt restructuring negotiations between the Govt of Sri Lanka and the International Sovereign Bond (ISB) holders have progressed well. Along with the progress achieved so far in relation to the overall debt restructuring program, many of the stalled infrastructure development projects have recommenced. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) in relation to manufacturing and the PMI in relation to services have exceeded the 50 point threshold in June, 2024 thereby more..

Jul 30 (DM) Claiming that the SLPP has taken a decision going against the majority opinion of the party, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said today they hope that former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa will rectify the wrong decision taken for the need of a handful of people. He said that the decision to field a separate candidate by the SLPP was taken on a personal agenda. "The SLPP was formed based on Mahinda Rajapaksa. We all contributed to the formation of the party. SLPP is not a party more..

Jul 30 (AD) The Court of Appeal is scheduled to deliver its decision on Aug 9 regarding the petition filed by Keheliya Rambukwella, seeking an order to invalidate the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court’s order remanding him until the end of the trial over the alleged import of substandard medicine. The court will also address his bail application on the same date. This decision was previously expected to be delivered on Aug 1. CID arrested Rambukwella on 02 February over his alleged complicity in more..

Jul 30 (FT) Hearing a set of Fundamental Rights petitions filed by several petitioners including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, challenging the appointment of Deshabandu Thennakoon to the post of Inspector General of Police by the President of Sri Lanka, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Thennakoon from performing the duties of Inspector General of Police. It also ordered that a suitable person be appointed (to act in the post of) IGP. more..

Jul 30 (AD) The Election Commission has decided to write to President Ranil Wickremesinghe urging for a prompt solution to the issue concerning the post of the IGP. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Election Commission, which was held this morning at the Election Secretariat premises in Rajagiriya. It is reported that special attention was directed towards several matters related to holding prez election, more..

Jul 30 (FT) In response to recent claims circulating in newspaper articles and on social media regarding the divestiture of Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd (HDL) and Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), Finance Ministry issued the following clarifications to address inaccuracies and provide accurate information. 1. The divestiture of Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd. (HDL, the owning company of the Colombo Hilton) will include 7 acres of land: This is also the first time that the Election Commission convened more..

Jul 30 (AD) Four defendants who were found guilty of murdering a person by attacking him with clubs and stones have been sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court. Accordingly, the death sentence was given to the four accused, who are residents of the Orugodawatta area, by High Court Judge Aditya Patabandige on Tuesday (30). A total of 06 defendants had been charged in the Colombo High Court for assaulting a person to death in the Santawatta area of Orugodawatta in 2013. more..

Jul 30 (DM) The SL women's cricket team brought so much joy to the nation on Sunday when they lifted the Asia Cup in Dambulla following an emphatic chase against a very strong Indian team. Captain Chamari Atapattu led from the front throughout the tournament but the likes of Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kaveesha Dilhari and Anushka Sanjeewani made significant contributions in what will go down as a campaign to remember more..

Jul 30 (EN) Cabinet has approved the drafting of a new law to set up National Agency for Public Private Partnerships, following proposal by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, the state information office said. The agency will design and manage PPP projects and also co-ordinate with international agencies. It will identify project where public private partnerships can be implemented. The PPP Agency requires a legal basis and a legal framework was also needed for the PPP agreements. more..

Jul 30 (EN) The Asian Development Bank is ready to support Sri Lanka’s tourism sector to earn more revenue while protecting the island’s natural assets, officials said as the country sees a recovery in visitor volumes. “The ADB is preparing a project that we would like to finance in the tourism space, which will support policy actions in the tourism sector to increase resilience to shocks and strengthen institutions, and potentially streamline decision making as well,” more..

Jul 30 (EN) SL’s second int'l airport, in its deep southern district, Mattala airport is in operation without any flights being grounded amid the tourism off season. The island nation is in the process of handing over the $209 million Chinese-funded and built Mattala Airport to a consortium between Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt Ltd of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia. Mattala airport has never made any profit since operations started in 2013, more..

Jul 30 (DM) The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee has appointed Charith Asalanka as the new ODI captain, replacing Kusal Mendis. The decision comes ahead of the three-match ODI series against India, which is part of the ongoing India Tour of Sri Lanka 2024. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Harin Fernando, approved the 16-member squad selected for the series. The matches are scheduled to be played on the 2nd, 4th, and 7th of August 2024 at the RPICS, Colombo. more..

Jul 30 (DM) Nearly 76% of voters in Daily Mirror’s poll were of the opinion that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe should not team up with the Rajapaksas in the upcoming Prez elections. The question asked of respondents was, “Amidst recent criticism by Basil Rajapaksa on the breakaway faction of the SLPP- who have joined the govt- should Ranil Wickremesinghe team up with the Rajapaksas and contest next elections? more..

Jul 30 (FT) UNP MP Wajira Abeywardana has issued a warning against adhering to traditional political ideologies in the upcoming Prez Election, suggesting it could risk a return to civil war in the country. He emphasised the critical nature of the upcoming election on 21 Sept, which will elect the 9th Executive Prez. “If we continue with traditional political ideologies, caste-based politics, or religious divisions, the responsible parties should be held accountable for any potential civil war,” more..

Jul 30 (DM) SL’s estimated four million informal sector employees may soon be absorbed into the formal sector, granting them the dignity of their labour through two landmark initiatives. The new unified Employment Law, which includes a practitioner licensing system and the proposed social security system are nearing final approval to be tabled in Parliament. Minister Manusha Nanayakkara revealed that the draft laws for the comprehensive social security system more..

Jul 30 (CI) If the human spirit's triumph over adversity is the greatest thing about sport, there are few more compelling sports stories in the world right now than of SL's women cricketers. Watch the back end of the highlights of their Women's Asia Cup 2024 win in Dambulla on Sunday, and try not to feel something. Jump in at 10:02, and watch Kavisha Dilhari run down the pitch at Radha Yadav, and launch the ball at least ten metres beyond more..

Jul 30 (EN) SL will bring an amendment to its Port City Economic Commission Act No 11 of 2021, to make the special economic zone a globally competitive specialized economic zone, a Cabinet statement said. Act needed to be amended in order to enable the maximization the feasibility of the Port City as a globally competitive specialized economic zone. The changes are meant to eliminate existing obstructions for commencement of business operations as shown by the investors. more..

Jul 30 (DM) SL needs to transition from a system dominated by ministerial discretion to a rule-based administration, to create an investment-friendly climate and promote a thriving private sector, SL’s State-Owned Enterprises Restructuring Unit (SOERU) Head Suresh Shah said. Pointing out that the ministers in this country hold considerable discretion, Shah noted that when the private sector needs to accomplish something, it often bypasses a rule-based system & approaches politicians. more..

Jul 30 (AD) The Election Commission has confirmed that there is no objection to implementing the 2025 annual transfer procedure as long as it does not interfere with the presidential election process. Following this confirmation, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, PCs, and LG has issued the 2025 annual transfer announcement for officers of the Combined Services. Director General of Combined Services issued the relevant transfer circular to all Ministry Secretaries, more..

Jul 30 (AD) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the drafting of necessary legislation based on the recommendations of the K.T. Chitrasiri report to address and resolve the issues faced by Sri Lanka Cricket. A new constitution has been drafted by the said committee for Sri Lanka Cricket. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the joint proposal presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Power and Energy, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment and more..

Jul 30 (Island) Top Opposition spokesman Prof. G. L. Peiris, MP, yesterday warned Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that he would definitely face contempt of court charges in case he took up the Supreme Court suspension of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon with Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC. The former law academic said that the Speaker or any other person for that matter couldn’t discuss the issue with the CJ at the behest of Prez more..

Jul 30 (DM) Cabinet has approved a proposal to continue importing eggs. This follows a Cabinet decision on March 18,, after which the SL State Trading Corporation has imported 224 million eggs to date. Of these, 95% have been distributed to consumers at an affordable price of Rs. 37 per egg. The allocated period for egg imports ended on April 30, 2024. In light of this, the Cabinet has approved a proposal by Minister of Trade, Commerce & Food Security to continue importing eggs. more..

Jul 30 (TM) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) trades amongst the cheapest in the region with corporate earnings on the recovery, in terms of book value whilst Price to Earnings (PE) trades slightly above, First Capital said. Accordingly, First Capital said that CSE remains the cheapest amongst peers in terms of book value whilst PE trades slightly above mainly due to depressed earnings seen during the first half of 2023, and is expected to re-rate following positive expectation of earnings in next 12 months. more..

Jul 30 (AD) 92 MPs including Ministers and State Ministers have reportedly met with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. MPs pledged their support for the Prez in the upcoming prez election to ensure his victory. This was conveyed during the ruling party MPs meeting at the Prez Secretariat in Colombo this evening. Despite the SLPP politburo deciding to field their own candidate in the upcoming Prez election, a group of SLPP MPs and Ministers have more..

Jul 30 (DM) Due to a lack of exercise and healthy foods, the rates of overweight and obesity have rapidly increased, among both women and men in the country, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala said. He said that about 48% of women in the country are overweight, and at least 33.3% of men are heavier than their healthy weight. "Exercise levels are deficient while consuming sugar, fat and salt is high. In addition, the intake of essential vegetables and fruits has decreased," more..

Jul 30 (DM) SLPP MP S.M. Chandrasena has announced his support for Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming Prez Election. MP further said that the SLPP Anuradhapura District Committee has also decided to extend its support for the Prez. MP made the announcement at the SLPP Anuradhapura District Committee meeting held today. The announcement comes at a time when the SLPP has decided to field its own candidate and Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to more..