Jan 31 (Island) The Watawala Plantations is in a progamme to empower women! Empowerment of women has been tried by many, on various platforms; however, this plantation company has taken a unique approach, by teaching household cash-flow management to women estate worker. The objective is to socially position the women as a house wife who understands and practices thrift and knowledge in making ends meet in the household budget. more..

Jan 31 (CT) Proportional Representation (PR) system introduced along with the passage of the 1978 Constitution changed the way in which elections are conducted in Sri Lanka forever. Although it was introduced into our body-politic by J.R. Jayewardene with the singular objective of sustaining the UNP in power with no formidable opposition in sight in the future, ever since its defeat in 1994, the Party has been a cruel victim of the system that was introduced to protect its 'majority-character'. more..

Feb 1 (CI) As cricket fans outside the two competing nations wind down after the boardroom histrionics at the ICC meeting in Dubai, they might note with an eyeroll and a harrumph that Sri Lanka have handed Bangladesh an almighty clobbering in Mirpur. For all their cash and covert planning, the Big Three boards still could not pull off the most one-sided showdown in cricket this week. more..

Jan 31 (CT) Former President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, is deeply anguished by a slander campaign launched against her by the State media. She is right to feel so, as during her reign, the govt-controlled media was a paragon of virtue which never treaded on anyone's feet, spout no venom at the dissenting voices, and instead preached world peace. She even went a step ahead to turn the disgraced Lake House into a public service media institution of which ownership was more..

Jan 31 (CI) Bangladesh's recovery from their fourth biggest Test defeat has to start from the top. Mushfiqur Rahim and his new deputy Tamim Iqbal have no more than four days to do so, but they have a few boxes in their checklist to tick. The Bangladesh captain has to clear his mind of the four dropped catches, a stumping and a poor shot in the second innings. He has accepted his mistakes and holds himself responsible for losing the game and, although he is not the sole player to be more..

Feb 1 (CT) Organizer of the SLFP Bentara-Elpitiya electorate, Geetha Kumarasinghe, said she has President Rajapaksa's assurance that her position as the electorate's only female organizer would remain unaltered. Kumarasinghe made this assertion while addressing a Party meeting held in Baddegama, recently. While saying that she had received membership of the SLFP at the tender age of 16, she said no one could more..

Jan 31 (Island) Of the two - meaning T. B. Kehhelgamuwa and Daya Sahabandu - the more flamboyant was TBK, while Sahabandu, a shy, quite type was equally menacing as he was a dual purpose bowler, who opened the bowling with Kehel, and then switched to spin when the occasion demanded. Duo were match winners, while representing Nomads Cricket Club, in the then premier cricket tournament in Sri Lanka, the Sara Trophy Tournament. more..

Jan 31 (Island) Artistes appear to be a really invasive species. There is hardly any field they have spared. Found virtually everywhere they range from the sublime to the ridiculous like all other professionals. Their number in politics is growing rapidly like that of briefless pettifoggers. The SLFP and the UNP have been inundated with applications from film stars and showbiz personalities desirous of contesting PC elections. Some other parties are also planning to field actors and actresses, we are told. more..

Feb 1 (FT) Sri Lanka�s star export manufacturing industry, apparel, recorded a historic level of $ 4.3 billion in 2013, posting a key recovery after shipments slumped by 5% to $ 3.99 billion in 2012 over 2011. Riding high on successful public-private partnerships as well as conducive regulations by the Govt, 2013 was a historical year for the apparel industry, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Deputy Chairman more..

Jan 31 (Island) Post-war infrastructure development in the North and East involved the construction and rehabilitation of a number of bridges and culverts along various roads. Access Engineering played a pivotal role in the Eastern and North Central Provincial bridge project which is part of the government�s overall strategy to strengthen the road network in the region in order to improve livelihoods by jumpstarting economic and infrastructure development activity. more..

Jan 31 (Island) Sri Lanka would be given the biggest quota out of 15 countries that have applied for jobs in South Korea, its Ambassador in Colombo Jongmoon Choi said. Addressing the opening ceremony of the Korea Corner which was established at the National Library, he noted that there was already a 25,000 strong community of Lankan workers in his country. "Sri Lanka will be given the largest quota out of 15 countries from which we invite guest workers." more..

Feb 1 (CT) President of the Sihala Ravaya, Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana Thera, including all the monks of the Sihala Ravaya, have been temporarily banned from engaging in protests. The order was made by the Chief Magistrate, Colombo, during the hearing held on Thursday. The order had been made in relation to the protest organized by the Sihala Ravaya that was held in front of the PM's office on Wednesday. more..

Jan 31 (LT) President of All Ceylon Estate Workers Union Ramalingam Chandrasekar says the Minister of Labour Gamini Lokuge was informed at a special discussion held yesterday (29) between the Minister and the Union that salaries of estate employees should be increased. The Union emphasized to the Minister that the estate employees of the private sector receives a daily basic salary of Rs.380 only and their salaries have not increased despite the collective agreement reached between more..

Jan 31 (FT) The Union emphasized to the Minister that the estate employees of the private sector receives a daily basic salary of Rs.380 only and their salaries have not increased despite the collective agreement reached between trade unions and employers. The Union also has pointed out that the promised salary increase should be implemented immediately as employees are confronted with severe economic difficulties and emphasized to the Minister the importance of convening more..

Feb 1 (Island) CEB engineers should be blamed for the frequent breakdowns in power plants. Had they been doing their jobs properly in keeping with thumping emoluments paid to them, CEB would not be in the current sorry plight, senior trade unionists allege. They said the majority of some 800 engineers employed by the CEB were paid big salaries plus a further 80% thereof as project allowances while the institution was losing more..

Jan 31 (TOI) The Sri Lankan football team finished their fantastic Lusofonia Games campaign with a 3-0 win over Macau as the islanders settled for a bronze on Thursday. Sri Lanka took the lead in the first half, with a goal in the 9th minute by Kavidu Ishan. With the score stuck firmly at 1-0 at halftime, both teams would need to work harder in the latter half in order to make a significant breakthrough. Sri Lanka came out after the break with a do-or-die mentality and got right to the task of breaking more..

Jan 31 (Hindu) In a setback to TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the decks for her prosecution, initiated by the Income Tax Department in the Additional Chief Metropolitan Court, Economic Offences-1, Egmore, Chennai, for non-filing of income tax returns during 1991-92 and 1992-93 by Sasi Enterprises and by herself as its partner for 1993-94. Bench rejected her contention that non-filing of returns per se was not an offence as there was no income and more..

Feb 1 (FT) The Marxist JVP has demanded answers from the Govt over the economic data scandal that erupted in December last year and said the regime was being forced to inflate economic growth figures in order to keep borrowing from foreign and commercial lenders. JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake roundly condemned the ongoing witch-hunt against Director of the National Accounts Division of the Census more..

Jan 31 (CG) The JHU today called on the Govt to dissolve the Northern Provincial Council (NPC). The Govt affiliated political party said that the Governor of the Northern Province should dissolve the council as a result of the recent resolution adopted calling for an international war crimes investigation. The NPC had adopted three resolutions on Monday including one supporting an international probe on war crimes and another calling for a UN probe on the Mannar mass grave. more..

Jan 31 (DM) A lieutenant and 11 soldiers of the Commando Regiment were arrested today for allegedly felling trees without permit, the Forest Department officials said. They had been engaged in loading an army truck in the Bogamuyaya Forest Reserve of Maha Oya, Ampara, at the time of the arrest. The group had fell teak trees illicitly, the Forest Department officials said. The 12 army officers, the army truck and 28 teak logs are being detained by Ampara police. more..

Feb 1 (CG) Britain�s main opposition Labour Party is pushing for the establishment of an independent, international inquiry to investigate the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka. Labour Party leader Ed Miliband said that at the UNHRC Session in March he fully supports a resolution to initiate an international commission, under UN auspices. His Party would continue to bring more..

Jan 31 (CT) Central Province Chief Minister, Sarath Ekanayake, said a motion should be passed against the British, whose governing authorities murdered Sri Lankan heroes, who were engaged in the fight for freedom and independence and that this must be brought about as a resolution at the upcoming UNHRC sessions. Ekanayake stated thus at a CPC special monthly meeting, adding that they were also completely opposed to the two motions detrimental to the govt that were passed by the NPC. more..

Jan 31 (DN) A Presidential Task Force will be set up next week to control tobacco and alcohol with this year being named by the govt as the Year of building a society free of tobacco and alcohol, Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. Addressing the World Cancer Day 2014 seminar, Minister said he recently submitted a Cabinet paper requesting the government to implement countrywide tobacco and alcohol control programs, and President Rajapaksa has approved the Cabinet paper. more..

Feb 1 (Forbes) Krishan �Kris� Canekeratne has one message for his clients�if they want to get, and hold on to, the next generation of customers, the millennials, they need to change how they do business. Canekeratne, cofounder and CEO of Virtusa, an information-technology services company that partly originated in Sri Lanka and is headquartered in Massachusetts, says millennials�or those born after 1984�are more digitally more..

Jan 31 (FT) Hinting he would soon end his illustrious career in public service, Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera on Wednesday said he would like put all industries into one platform for a common voice before end of his tenure. Addressing the first post-business session held by JAAF at the conclusion of its 10th AGM, Dr. Jayasundera asserted that his dream was to mobilise industry and entrepreneurial spirit on to one platform, following the footsteps of the forum. more..

Jan 31 (DM) Minister Pavithra Wanniarachichi said that there won�t be power cuts or tariff increases in the near future. She said that although there were breakdowns at Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant (LCPP) at Puttalam, Kelanitissa, Kerawalapitiya, Canyon power stations depriving 655 MWs to the national grid there won�t be power cuts or tariff increases in the near future. �The CEB�s total power generation is 3,400 MWs a day. Therefore, despite breakdowns at these plants we can manage more..

Feb 1 (ENS) Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President, has said that if an international investigation into war crimes allegedly committed in Lanka is to be fair, it has to be a comprehensive one covering events since 1980, when terrorism raised its head in the island nation. And such a probe will necessary cover the period when the IPKF was operating, drawing heavy flak from the Tamils for atrocities it allegedly committed. more..

Jan 31 (DM) At a time when the profession of medicine practised under the hallowed Hippocratic Oath has become a source of making a fast buck, if not a business, it was heartening to read the story of the veteran physician Dr. Vinitha Ranjani Gunawardena (the story appears on page 10). She sought no publicity but somehow this inspiring story made headlines in the print and electronic media in the past few weeks, serving as a lesson to other medial officers or consultants. more..

Jan 31 (DM) Like him or loathe him, he is back in the news. Minister Mervyn Silva who had maintained an uncharacteristic silence for many months, this week triumphantly announced that he had been re-appointed as SLFP organiser for his electorate, Kelaniya. Silva had been stripped of his organiser-post following the murder of Hasitha Madawela one year ago. Madawela, a Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha member who was a vociferous opponent of the minister was shot dead outside his home. more..

Feb 1 (DM) Known as the man who attacked the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with his rifle butt on July 30, 1987 a day after the Indo Lanka Accord was signed, Vijitha Rohan Wijayamuni, a sailor attached to the Sri Lanka Navy, has made a name as a patriot and a politician. Released from jail for what he did, Wijemuni contested an election in 1990 from the Bhumi Puthra Party and later from the Sihala Urumaya in 2000. more..

Feb 1 (SL) While police data indicate a decrease in the number of crimes reported in recent times, two incidents drew the public attention and the media last week raising the question how far statistics can be compared to reality. A businessman was strangled to death inside his house in Nugegoda last week while a woman in Piliyandala succumbed to burn injuries. The police are yet to identify how she was burnt. more..

Feb 1 (DM) Northern Province CM C.V. Wigneswaran was skeptical about the use of word �genocide� in a resolution moved by councillor M.K. Sivajilingam. Sivajilingam�s resolution, calling for an international probe into alleged human rights violations came up for discussion at the group meeting of TNA on Sunday. Wigneswaran, a former SC judge, perused the resolution carefully, and cautioned against use of the word �genocide� more..

Feb 1 (DM) Former Law College Principal W.D Rodrigo who was unceremoniously sacked from his post in November last year has been appointed Legal Director of the Presidential Secretariat from Jan 29. Mr. Rodrigo said his appointment came as a result of, �being the most educated lawyer in the country�. �As you are aware I�m a President�s Counsel and the most educated lawyer in the country having completed more..

Feb 1 (ST) Indian fishing trawlers that reduced intrusions into Sri Lankan waters after a series of arrests by the Navy last month and early this month have returned to poach in their usual numbers after the conclusion of talks Minister Rajitha Senaratne and his Indian counterpart, a senior Navy official said. Minister Senaratne was in New Delhi on January 15 and 16 for talks on illegal fishing by Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen. more..

Feb 1 (Island) The Supreme Court yesterday ordered that the status quo will remain in the Pradeshiya Sabhas, where budgets for the current year were defeated. The respective chairmen will not be removed or any others reappointed instead till the next date of calling of the fundamental rights violation applications. Eight fundamental rights violation applications filed by chairmen of Pradeshiya Sabhas considered more..

Feb 1 (Island) With Health Ministers of most Central-American countries banning the use of agro-chemicals in paddy, fruit and vegetable cultivations on the basis of having accepted the research conducted on the root cause of the kidney disease of unknown etiology by a Sri Lankan scientist, the GMOA will push for a similar ban here. GMOA President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya said that root cause of the chronic kidney disease more..

Feb 1 (Island) Sri Lanka could have saved Rs. 416 billion if the first coal fired power plant at Norochcholai had been built and commissioned 12 years ago and the benefits of the first plant would be huge in the long run, Power and Energy Ministry Secretary M.M.C. Ferdianando said. He said the Lakvijaya power plant at Norochcholai had helped saved Rs. 111 bn. He stressed that plant had been designed for 25 years and more..

Feb 1 (IANS) TN Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has said some "elements" in the Sri Lanka Navy are out to "spoil" the conducive environment created between the fishing communities of two nations. Referring to the detention of 38 Indian fishermen on Jan 29 by the SL Navy while fishing in the Palk Strait, she said in a letter to PM Manmohan Singh: "It appears to me that this incident is an attempt by more..

Feb 1 (AFP) A top US official arrived in Colombo on Friday to push for reconciliation in Sri Lanka which is under increasing international pressure over rights abuses during its separatist war, diplomats said. Nisha Biswal, the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, will travel to a former war zone to meet with ethnic minority Tamil leaders as part of her two-day visit, a US embassy spokesman said. more..

Jan 31 (CT) The JVP is contemplating a leadership change. Interestingly, it was JVP Leader, Somawansa Amarasinghe, distraught with the declining electoral fortune of the Party, who offered to step down from the leadership at a politburo meeting some three months back. Gentle old Somawansa Amarasinghe is pretty much a figurehead and the politburo runs the show behind the curtain. Party's General Secretary, Tilvyn Silva, has confirmed that the JVP would appoint more..