Jun 27 (DM) Preliminary objections filed by Attorney General and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, seeking the dismissal of two Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed against the postponement of 2023 LG elections, were rejected by the Supreme Court today. The two FR petitions had sought a court order confirming that the postponement of the 2023 LG elections was a violation of the public’s fundamental rights. The relevant order was issued by a 5-member bench of the SC, more..

Jun 27 (TM) Excise Dept has already commenced taking legal actions against individuals and companies who have failed to pay the relevant taxes on time. Additional Commissioner of Excise Kapila Kumarasinghe said that the dept is taking initial steps against individuals and companies who are yet to be prosecuted on this matter. It was revealed at Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans more..

Jun 27 (AD) Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has announced the launch of the next phase of its e-billing system, which will come into effect from July 1, 2023. The CEB said the customers residing in Dehiwala, Kelaniya and Sri J'pura areas would exclusively receive their electricity bills in a digital format, either through SMS or e-mail. With the introduction of the e-billing system, the conventional practice of issuing printed paper bills will be discontinued. more..

Jun 27 (Island) In taking forward efforts to further expand the dialogue with leading faiths in India, a thanksgiving prayer was organized by the SL High Commission in New Delhi at the Sacred Heart Cathedral recently. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda, Mrs. Jennifer Moragoda, and officials of the Mission attended the thanksgiving prayer which was conducted by the Archbishop of Delhi, Most Reverend Anil Joseph Thomas Couto. During the thanksgiving prayer, more..

Jun 27 (DM) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana today endorsed the certificate on the Parliamentary Budget Office Bill which was debated and passed in Parliament last week. Budget Office was established with the aim of assisting Parliament, which has the power to control public finances, to fulfill its responsibilities on public finance with an independent, non-biased economic and financial analysis and vision on income and expenditure, as well as to support a certain recognized more..

Jun 27 (CT) Romanian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Traian Hristea thanked SL for deciding to open an Embassy in Bucharest shortly. He was calling on PM Dinesh Gunawardena, at the Temple Trees, to discuss bilateral ties, economic cooperation, investments and employment issues. PM thanked Govt of Romania for providing employment to a large number of Sri Lankans in recent years. Romania is the most favourable and preferred employment destination for more..

Jun 27 (DM) Attorney General informed the Court of Appeal that the health authorities have taken a decision to raise the retirement age of Consultant Specialists Doctors to 63 years. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle PC appearing for the AG told court that he had received instructions from the Secretary to the Ministry of Health that the age of retirement of the petitioners would be raised to 63 years, and more..

Jun 27 (FT) Lak Arcade Ltd and CHEC Port City Colombo Ltd, announced that they have signed an agreement to operate a novelty gift and souvenir shop at the proposed Downtown Duty Free Facility of the Port City Colombo. It was signed by CIFC Senior Vice President Suen Wenbin and Lak Arcade CEO Anil Koswatte. The agreement marks a significant milestone for both companies, as it will allow Lak Arcade to expand its business into the duty free market and for Port City Colombo more..

Jun 27 (FT) Uni of Moratuwa in partnership with the DP Education has launched the world’s first free online skills program on Project Management. Program is aligned with the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Exam Content Outline of the Project Management Institute (PMI) of the USA. Program comprises 12 modules – 1. Foundations of Project Management, 2. Project Scope and Schedule Management, 3. Project Communication & Stakeholder Management, more..

Jun 27 (EN) SL’s spending on the new welfare benefit scheme to address poverty is likely to go up with more than 188,000 people having appealed against them being rejected and State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said the cabinet may likely consider more funds. SL has earmarked 208 billion rupees to the new Aswesuma welfare scheme and the officials told last week that out of 3.7 million applicants, 3.3 million are screened and more..

Jun 27 (Island) The legalisation of currently illegal substances or promoting tobacco and alcohol will not help to develop tourism, the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL) has said. According to the latest report by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, drug-related police apprehensions have increased by 13 percent with cannabis being the reason for the highest number of arrests in Sri Lanka in 2021, the CCPSL has said in a media statement. more..

Jun 27 (TM) Incumbent IGP Chandana Wickramaratne, whose service extension expired yesterday, will most probably be granted another service extension. Wickramaratne, who had submitted retirement papers earlier this year, was provided with a 3-month service extension by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, which ended yesterday. Daily Morning queried Speaker of the Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana as to whether the CC had received any nomination for the post of more..

Jun 27 (AD) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has urged all political parties and concerned stakeholders to act with responsibility and await the finalization of the proposed debt restructuring plan. CCC stressed the importance of patience and trust in the domestic debt restructuring process. In the domestic debt restructuring process, as emphasized by Central Bank, primary focus will be on maintaining financial system stability and ensuring that depositors will not more..

Jun 27 (AD) Officers attached to the narcotics control unit of SL Customs have seized approximately 5.65 kg of smuggled gold in gel form concealed in person during a sudden surveillance at the BIA departure terminal. The surveillance has been carried out in accordance with a tip-off received from a reliable source regarding a gold smuggling attempt from SL. Officers have also apprehended five passengers who had already boarded a flight bound for Chennai more..

Jun 27 (AJ) It has been more than 14 years since the civil war in SL came to an end. Although a semblance of peace has returned to the parts of the country devastated by the 29-year conflict, its victims are yet to see justice delivered. Over the years, UN and human rights organisations have diligently documented war crimes committed during the war. Their focus has been mainly on atrocities carried out by govt forces & LTTE. more..

Jun 27 (CI) New Zealand are rated higher than Sri Lanka and are ahead of them on the Women's Championship points table, but the combined might of their spinners and the peerless Chamari Athapaththu ensured that SL started their ODI series, at home in Galle, with a comprehensive nine-wicket win. It was SL's first win over NZ in women's cricket in any format, and included their highest stand for any wicket in women's ODIs - 150 between Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne more..

Jun 27 (CT) The large decrease in the fish harvest in the shallow seas is the cause for the increase in fish prices, in the market, all around the country, said W. Jude, head of Negombo Fishermen’s Association. Consumers say, price of a kilo of all types of sea fish is more than Rs 2,500 except for Salaya and Sudaya. Therefore, the customers said that they cannot afford to buy fish. Jude Namal further said that the increase in fuel price and the high cost of fishing equipment are also causes more..

Jun 27 (SCMP) As cash-strapped SL begins its long-awaited domestic-debt restructuring process this week, local experts have voiced optimism that the plan will enhance a reform road map agreed upon with the IMF earlier this year. Nandalal Weerasinghe, country’s CB chief, announced on Sunday that the process would get under way over the coming 5-day bank holiday weekend – extended with a special additional holiday on Friday more..

Jun 27 (TM) The prices of several medicines have been revised by way of the Extraordinary Gazette issued by Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on 15 June. Accordingly, the prices of 60 types of medicines have been reduced by 16% as per the relevant gazette, which was to be in effect from yesterday onwards. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health stated that no manufacturer or importer will be permitted to sell any type of medicine mentioned in the relevant extraordinary gazette more..

Jun 27 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar slammed the Govt’s new social welfare program Aswesuma calling it a mere blindfold. He said the Govt has curtailed the Samurdhi benefit of the poor to implement the Aswesuma program instead to deceive the people. He said many injustices have also been committed when choosing beneficiaries for the new program. “In a country where the people are struggling under the weight of the cost of food, water and electricity tariffs, more..

Jun 27 (CI) SL may have had some cause to worry when they were bowled out for 245 in the 50th over. But as good as their batting has been in this tournament - until this game, at least - their bowling has been the best on show. Wanindu Hasaranga didn't get a 5-wicket haul this time, but between them, he and Maheesh Theekshana buried the Scotland batting order - Theekshana claiming 3 for 41, Hasaranga 2 for 42. more..

Jun 27 (TM) State Minister Anupa Pasqual said that while it is the responsibility of the people not to be victims of politically motivated agendas launched by various groups in order to stop the Aswesuma welfare plan, the Govt should not allow any injustice to occur. He said this following numerous protests that have been launched by people in many parts of the country, claiming that their names are not included in the list of Aswesuma beneficiaries. He also said that more..

Jun 27 (AJ) Ranjith Fernando now has a shell of a home at the edge of SL’s coast, lost to the sea. Waves lap past the broken walls into damaged, empty rooms. “One night last month, my son went to the bathroom and I suddenly heard him screaming, our house has gone into the sea!,” said Fernando, a 58-year-old fisher born and raised in Iranawila, about 80km north of Colombo. “I saw parts of my house were already eaten up by the sea and my son coming out of water, carrying our commode. more..

Jun 28 (CT) The importance of procuring medicinal drugs that are not only of a good standard but are also essentially registered is vital due to the health risks that it could otherwise cause. However, there has been an ongoing debate as to the quality of medicinal drugs imported in the recent past due to the alleged impact it has had on public health. Accordingly, Medical and Civil Rights Professionals Association of Doctors (MCRPA), demanded the Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) more..

Jun 28 (DM) Five years back in China, I submitted my doctoral dissertation, having chopped off two complete chapters on my supervisor’s advice to be on the safe side for both of us. It was an analysis of competition for power and influence by China and India in South Asia. Given the vast power asymmetries between the two regional powers, I titled it an uneven contest. India’s economy then (and now) is barely one-fifth of China’s measured in nominal US$. more..

Jun 28 (DM) In early 1980s, Dr. Aurangasri Hinriksson decided to settle down in Isafirdi, Iceland with her husband and little son. Her interests to serve the community were such that she not only taught English and Mathematics to her community, but even went to the extent of reuniting adopted children from Sri Lanka with their families. Back in the ‘80s, Sri Lanka was infamous for its baby farms and baby smuggling rackets. more..

Jun 28 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe will be one of the Head of States among more than one hundred head of states to be attended to the above conference to be held in Paris from 22nd to 23rd this month (June). Ad-hoc debt restructuring of SL and Ecuador’s debt buy-back would be discussed as recent examples of multilateral efforts to ensure the debt sustainability in developing countries. Since, Sri Lanka is not out of the woods yet, it would be best to present some of the weaknesses more..

Jun 28 (DM) In April last year, our country’s rulers finally admitted that sections of the public already knew for some time - that we had reached a point of no return. Our expenditure had far exceeded our income and we did not have the capacity to repay our creditors both local and international. In short, it meant we had lost our creditworthiness leading to the sharp depletion of foreign exchange and severe shortages of consumer goods, energy sources including fuel and electricity and more..

Jun 28 (TM) Any form of power generation has its own pros and cons. However, as the world keeps using and experimenting with different methods to generate power, nuclear power has emerged as one of the most advantageous forms of power sources in terms of efficiency, reliability, and cost of maintenance. In this context, as a country that is struggling to ensure energy security, accepting Russia’s proposal to build a nuclear plant more..

Jun 28 (TM) Lack of clarity about debt restructuring, this week triggered some Sri Lankans to rush to their banks withdrawing savings. Reason being, a fear Govt’s domestic debt restructuring plans, which come in response to the prevailing economic crisis, would affect their savings, especially fixed deposits (FD). The people do not trust neither the Govt nor the banks, especially following recent statements that merely said people’s savings would not get affected in the domestic debt more..

Jun 28 (TM) Before the emergence of Martin Wickramasinghe's fiction, Koggala was just another land in the Galle District. At that time, Koggala was about 450 acres in size, and consisted of nine villages including Ginpathaliya, Malalagama, Batuwanthudawa, Weduwa, Hambuwa, Dombagahawatta, Opatha and Magalthota. Though Koggala is also known for its Export Processing Zone where 9,579 females and 3,581 males work in 227 acres in various industries, more..

Jun 28 (Island) The report of the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee (PSOC) on National Security, titled, The Effects of Privatisation of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) on National Security was presented to the Parliament on 09 June by its Chairman Sarath Weerasekera, MP. It was almost immediately countered by the government by issuing a statement by PMD that the policy decision taken pertaining to the privatisation of SLT will not compromise national security. more..

Jun 28 (Island) Whammies do not seem to come singly for Sri Lankans. As if the ongoing frantic efforts to restructure domestic debt, and sinister moves being made in some quarters to trigger a bank run were not enough, thousands of people are protesting near all District Secretariats against their exclusion from the new social protection scheme, Aswesuma. The extension of the deadline for appeals has not helped make them simmer down. What possessed the govt to essay the launch more..

Jun 28 (FT) SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) urged caution against the proposal put forth by hoteliers to reintroduce minimum room rates (MRR) from August, as it will lead to SL being perceived as an expensive destination and negatively impact its competitiveness. The claims come right after Minister Harin Fernando endorsed the decision to reintroduce the MRR for the sustainability more..

Jun 28 (ST) Hoteliers in SL that were compelled to watch as the trained workforce on their staff leave for better options overseas amidst a homegrown economic crisis, are today faced with a huge burden on training new recruits as they expect a good season in winter later this year. At least 10% of staff at each hotel is likely to have left. Hotel staff left the shores to find better paying jobs as their incomes dwindled when tourist arrivals dropped when the COVID-19 pandemic struck more..

Jun 28 (FT) FPC member MP Prof. Charitha Herath expressed concerns about the Government’s efforts to restructure domestic debt, likening it to opening Pandora’s box. The MP said the Govt is silent on the manner in which the debt will be restructured leaving concerned parties in the dark. “No one is saying anything. Prez is abroad and the Ministers are keeping mum,” he said. “It will be similar to opening a Pandora’s box. We cannot predict what this will lead to,” he noted. more..