Nov 27 (DM) While stating that he will be bumped off anytime, Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe said the Executive will have to be responsible for such an eventuality. “I might be killed today or may be tomorrow, and I would say that the Executive will have to accept the responsibility in such an eventuality,” Minister said. The Minister also pointed his finger at Presidential advisor Sagala Ratnayake. "Who is this Sagala Ratnayake? more..

Nov 27 (FT) There were three events that happened last week which were connected to each other in substance behind them. The first was the presentation of the second Budget by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Minister of Finance for 2024 on 13 Nov. The second was, on 14 Nov, the delivery of the judgment by the Supreme Court on the fundamental rights case filed by two groups of concerned citizens against those who were alleged to have caused bankruptcy of the economy more..

Nov 27 (AD) Parliamentary Committee on Ethics and Privileges is scheduled to meet for three consecutive days to look into six petitions filed pertaining to the alleged unruly behavior of nine MPs. The Committee will meet on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (27, 28, 29 Nov), to inquire into the matter with special priority, as per the instructions of Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. Accordingly the incident between State Minister Diana Gamage and MP Sujith Sanjaya, more..

Nov 27 (AD) A protest campaign organised by several state and public service trade unions is slated to take place at 12:00 p.m. today, in front of several govt institutions. Accordingly, multiple state and public service trade unions have scheduled to launch an island-wide protest campaign today, during their lunch hour over several demands. Co-ordinator of the trade union collective Chandana Sooriyarachchi stated that the protest is slated to commence at 12.00 noon today, more..

Nov 27 (DM) In the wake of the remarks made by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe that the recently resigned Secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board Mohan de Silva, had contacted him from Australia, exposing corruption within the SLC, Mohan de Silva is expected to return to Sri Lanka this week. Sources informed the Daily Mirror that Mohan de Silva is expected to issue a statement to the media through the Sr Lanka Cricket regarding the Minister's remarks. more..

Nov 27 (AD) Roshan Ranasinghe says he has been removed from his positions as the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs and Minister of Irrigation. SLPP MP said that he received a letter from Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe informing him that he has been removed from all his ministerial portfolios and positions with immediate effect. Delivering a special statement in Parliament, Ranasinghe had claimed that his life at risk, more..

Nov 27 (AD) It has been decided that the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) will be awarded the contract to establish a new petroleum refinery and associated product processing centre in Hambantota, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera revealed. Accordingly, the Cabinet approval was granted today (27) to award the contract to SINOPEC to enter into an agreement to establish a new refinery and associated product processing centre in Hambantota. more..

Nov 27 (EN) SL is developing a legal framework for nuclear power, which is required to call for formal expressions of interest, though some proposals have been received, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said. “We need a legal framework before we go into a process,” he said. “We will be calling EOIs once the legal framework is ready and we have an understanding of what our requirements are.” “Atomic Energy Agency, int'l agencies are all helping us to identify best technology that is needed.” more..

Nov 27 (Island) SLPP MP Chandima Weerakkody has lashed out at fellow ruling party MP and Chairman of Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security Sarath Weerasekera for the latter’s recent comment on US Ambassador Julie Chung’s conduct in respect of last year’s popular uprising which led to Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster. Weerakkody, who is also a member of the national security Sectoral Oversight more..

Nov 27 (CI) SL sports minister who sought to sack the SLC board and install an interim committee has himself been sacked by the country's president, on Monday. Roshan Ranasinghe's ouster may ease the lifting of SLC's suspension by the ICC, though it is not a certainty. SLC had beseeched the top level of SL govt to provide guarantees that there would be no further political interference in cricket administration in the country. SL's prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has not provided such more..

Nov 27 (CT) The Badulla Provincial General Hospital was upgraded as a Teaching Hospital yesterday. This development marks the expansion of SL’s teaching hospital network to 22 facilities, Health authorities said. Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Director General of Health Services said yesterday that the Badulla Provincial General Hospital was elevated to the status of a Teaching Hospital yesterday. The announcement coincided with the commencement of the construction for a ten-storey building more..

Nov 27 (AD) Court of Appeal on Monday yet again deferred the further consideration of the case filed pertaining to the SLC Interim Committee. Accordingly, the case is now fixed to be taken up for further consideration before the Appeals Court on 28 Nov (Tuesday), making this the fifth consecutive time the matter was postponed. The petition, filed by SLC President Shammi Silva, was called before the Appeals Court bench comprising Justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna & D.N. Samarakoon this morning. more..

Nov 27 (AD) The Colombo High Court on Monday (27) ordered the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital to immediately go to the Boossa Prison, and assess the health condition of notorious drug trafficker Wele Suda. Accordingly, the JMO was ordered to submit a report before the court in this regard, pertaining to his assessment as to whether or not the notorious criminal was actually unwell as claimed by the Superintendent of the Boossa Prison. more..

Nov 27 (AD) Six SL colonial artefacts are slated to be returned to the island in December. Accordingly, six historical objects that are currently on display in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam in the Netherlands, including the Lewke’s cannon, a Golden Kasthane, a Silver Kasthane, a Sinhalese Knife and two Guns that were confirmed to belong to SL, will be returned to the island in Dec, after over 200 years abroad. more..

Nov 27 (CT) Galle Heritage Foundation will not be permitted to charge foreign tourists visiting Galle Fort and any attempt to do so will not be sanctioned, Minister of Health Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said. He revealed this at a special discussion on 25 Nov at Sudharmalaya Temple, Galle Fort. Previously, the Galle Heritage Foundation had spoken of its intention to impose a fee of USD 15 on foreign tourists entering the Galle Fort. In response to this announcement, local residents of the Fort, more..

Nov 27 (CT) In September of the present year, 168 cases of child sexual abuse were reported, leading to 22 girls under the age of 16 becoming pregnant. COPF convened a special discussion in Parliament last week with representatives from civil organisations, including the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD). The aim was to gather ideas and suggestions on the budget proposals for the year 2024 and the formulation of policies in the country. Committee was chaired by more..

Nov 27 (Island) PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila, MP, said that disconnection of electricity supply to nearly 600,000 families so far this year reflected the magnitude of the deepening economic crisis. Former power and energy minister Gammanpila said so responding to his successor Kanchana Wijesekera declaration that 3,000-rupee re-connection fee levied by the CEB would be reduced by Rs. 1,000 with effect from 1 Dec. more..

Nov 27 (AD) Two new Ministers were sworn in a short while ago before Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Accordingly, Harin Fernando, currently serving as the Minister of Tourism, was sworn in as the new Minister of Sports, while Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, currently serving as the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, was sworn in as the Minister of Irrigation. New appointments come on the heels of former Minister of Sports and Irrigation Roshan more..

Nov 27 (DM) The Daily Mirror report on Nov 25 under the title Alleged smuggled Land Cruiser seized from Minister Roshan Ransainghe's vehicle yard was confirmed by MP Nimal Piyatissa in Parliament today. MP Piyatissa who responded to a statement by Minister Ranasinghe earlier during the day, said he had inquired on the issue from the police and they confirmed that the vehicle was seized from Nipon Garage owned by the Minister. “It has been confirmed by police that more..

Nov 28 (DM) Mr C.D Wickramaratne finally retired on Saturday as the IGP following four service extensions, highest number of extensions granted to any Police Chief, making his department headless, as no new appointment has been made to that post until this editorial went to the print. Post has been creating controversy since March 26 - Wickramaratne’s 61st birthday - when he was to retire according to the law. The controversy took a new turn in June when he was awarded more..

Nov 28 (TM) SL’s Bollywood-grade distraction from critical policy reforms and budget focus, the ongoing saga of the woeful tale of Sri Lanka Cricket, yesterday reached its cliff-hanger climax with allegations or conspiracy to murder and finger-pointing galore on the live-to-air stage, which Parliament has become. Following some scandalous allegations against the President’s Chief of Staff and right hand man, Sagala Rathnayaka by now former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, more..

Nov 28 (TM) “Since 1960, with almost similar years of schooling, Sri Lanka ended up with a per capita income of $ 4,000, while the Republic of Korea and Singapore received $ 33,000 and $ 67,000 in 2022. So, SL’s policy setting needs a change,” asserted IPS Research Fellow Dr. Lakmini Fernando. Given that Sri Lanka intends to become a developed country by 2048 and with the Govt yet to unveil its long-term development more..

Nov 28 (DM) In a paper on the devastating sea-borne terrorist attack on Mumbai on Nov 26, 2008, in which 179 people, including 29 foreigners, were killed, the RAND Corporation observed that India and other littoral States of the Indian Ocean have failed to fully grasp the importance and intricacies of coastal security. Abhijit Singh of the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF) who had written in 2017 and 2023 about the state of coastal security in India, appreciates more..

Nov 28 (CT) Former Presidents, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Chandrika Kumaratunga and widow Hema Premadasa, are said to receive fuel allowances, secretary allowances and retirement benefits, totalling a whopping Rs 3,715,350, monthly. Accordingly, former Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena receive a monthly secretary allowance of Rs100,000, a fuel allowance of Rs 679,950, with a retirement benefit of more..

Nov 28 (TM) Although SL has made considerable progress, both in terms of domestic and international requirements concerning certain areas of labour rights, the environment, and good governance, when it comes to the obligations that the country is expected to fulfil under the GSP+ trade concession, there is more to achieve than what the country has achieved. During the 2020-2022 (last year) period, which saw significant more..

Nov 28 (ST) With the impending demutualisation of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), three investors from Europe have expressed interest in a strategic stake in the entity after the demutualisation process. The 15-member stockbroking firms have got a detailed report done with the help of the IFC on the demutualisation of the CSE and after the Demutualisation Act should be passed by the Parliament, after which, the CSE as a company limited by guarantee, will be converted to more..

Nov 28 (ST) The first week of the Committee Stage debate of Budget 2024 began on Wednesday in the backdrop of unruly scenes witnessed the day before, with bad blood stemming from that incident affecting proceedings throughout the week. Before proceedings began on Wednesday, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that he had suspended Water Supply State Minister and SLPP MP Sanath Nishantha from attending sessions for 2 weeks due to unruly behaviour previous day. more..

Nov 28 (Island) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s plan to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe the affairs of the Constitutional Council (CC) has run into stiff resistance from all those who cherish democracy and are concerned about the future of this country. Speaking in Parliament, the Prez lambasted the CC for impeding the process of making appointments to high posts including those of the IGP and judges. He went so far as to accuse some CC members of sabotage more..

Nov 28 (Island) The Nilwala Ganga has a drainage area of 1043.0 sq.km and its annual average run off to sea is estimated as 1167.0 Million Cubic Meters (mcm). The only major infrastructure facility available in the basin for flood protection is the project implemented during 1982-1988 with financial assistance from the Govt of France. This scheme provided a series of dykes with pump houses to protect the lower reaches of the Nilwala Ganga. In this scheme the unprotected area more..

Nov 28 (Roar) Susila Kanthi is one of the few active fisherwomen working in one of SL’s biggest fishing districts. After nearly 27 years in the trade, she has garnered respect and support from her community. On a largely barren land in Puttalam, Susila Kanthi’s house borders a large salt production factory on one side and vast lagoon on the other. Every Saturday evening, Kanthi (57) gathers her net & oar, setting out to fish on Puttalam lagoon. more..

Nov 28 (ST) A new Registration and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Bill that would enable the registration and enforcement in Sri Lanka of rulings given by courts in other countries is to be submitted to Parliament in the coming weeks, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said. Once the new law comes into effect, it will repeal the existing Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Ordinance and the Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Ordinance. more..

Nov 28 (FT) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will kick off the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2023 today evening at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe attending as the Chief Guest. The inauguration will also feature a keynote address and fireside chat with Planning Commission of India former Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Chairman of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Duminda Hulangamuwa will deliver the welcome address. Marking its 23rd consecutive year, more..

Nov 28 (DN) SLC's Chairman of Selectors, Pramodya Wickramasinghe reported to the Sports Ministry’s Special Investigation Unit (SMSIU) for the Prevention of Sports Offences yesterday for the second day. He was issued a summons to arrive before the Sports Ministry’s Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Sports Offences over a recent statement he had made concerning Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The first day on November 21 st while part of the investigations more..

Nov 28 (DN) Sri Lankan Chess Olympiad first ever Gold medalist Suneetha Wijesuriya obtained the title of FIDE Trainer from the Int'l Chess Federation recently and this is the first time SL chess player has obtained the FIDE Trainer title. World Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich recognized SL ten time women’s National chess champion presented the certificate to Suneetha as FIDE Trainer. Suneetha who is the person behind the success of Anatoly Karpov Chess Club more..

Nov 28 (TM) Govt is to amend the current Atomic Energy Act with the advice of the Int'l Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to create a favourable atmosphere for the setting up of nuclear power plants in Sri Lanka, said the SL Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB). When contacted, SLAEB Chairman Prof. S.R.D. Rosa said that the prevailing rules and regulations would only allow the establishment and use of non-power applications and more..