Jan 15 (SO) The ambitious and far-reaching Moragahakanda-Kaluganga Multipurpose Development Project (MKDP) which began with the final objective of diverting water to the Iranamadu tank in Kilinochchi and helping the Northern farmers is expected to be completed before schedule, according to project authorities. Although waters from the MKDP was originally scheduled to reach Iranamadu tank in 2022 more..

Jan 15 (CT) Sri Lanka successfully concluded the much anticipated presidential election on January 8, 2015. The NDF, or the opposition alliance candidate Maithripala Sirisena, won the election. He polled 51.3% of the total votes cast and his rival, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, managed 47.6% of the votes. The successful conclusion of the election and the results were a victory for the people of the once vibrant democracy. Election was relatively free despite the abuse of resources and violence more..

Jan 15 (Island) In my article on "President Rajapaksa Disqualified to Seek a Third Term?", published in the Island, I wrote, "The better alternative would be to take the bull by the horns and throw out the Bahubootha Constitution lock, stock and barrels and usher in a truly democratic instrument, before President Rajapaksa faces the electorate again� vacillation is bound to alienate from his vote base all those who are fond of Mr. Rajapaksa but are averse to Presidential rule. more..

Jan 15 (GV) By far the most important issue for the constituents of Sri Lanka at the last week�s presidential election was about opening a pathway for the formation of good governance. However, simply electing a new president does not create good governance. A president and his/her govt should allow, nurture and strengthen good governance by gradually institutionalizing political processes and promoting universal values more..

Jan 15 (CT) When the Chinese naval submarine Great Wall 329 arrived at the Colombo Port, Mahinda Rajapaksa may have not dreamt that even his royal astrologer, Sumanadasa Abeygunawardene's prediction may prove wrong about his victory. Also, having declared a presidential election and when he travelled to Lord Venkateswara Temple, India, Mahinda may not have felt that the correct Temple to worship was the Temple at South Block, New Delhi. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Sri Lankans are now living in the very early days of the promised �ideal country� which, according to the Manifesto of Maithripala Sirisena � Ranil Wickremesinghe � Champika Ranawaka govt, will be created within six years. The attention of the readers is drawn to the following two edited news items to indicate the early trends of this path-breaking political journey. Please note the date �January 29� which is most relevant to both news items. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Pope Francis I will arrive in Sri Lanka in January and hold mass in Galle Face Green. Sri Lanka's first Santo Subito will also be announced by the Pope. He is Saint Joseph Vaz who passed away 304 years ago in Senkadagala in Kandy. He was beatified in 1995 during the visit of the John Paul II. Proclaiming Joseph Vaz Santo Subito is a result of a lengthy process started in 1735. more..

Jan 15 (Island) In an interesting turn of events, Western Provincial Councillor Udaya Gammanpila has told the media that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the UPFA�s prime ministerial candidate at the next general election. He would not have made that announcement without the former President�s knowledge. The outcome of last week�s presidential contest has led to a different battle between the winner and the loser on a different front��the SLFP headquarters. more..

Jan 15 (Island) I cannot remember the exact date but I think it was during the years we were going round the country with our �Manel Mal� movement imploring the young village lads to join the army so as to save the nation. We were also providing financial assistance to families who had sent their sons to the front. That morning we were in some village off Polonnaruwa. Sri Lanka had many friends in those villages. (The priests of those border villages were also Sri Lanka�s friends. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Former President and Leader of MDP, Mohamed Nasheed, wants PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to be 'mindful' about the present situation in the Maldives. Nasheed, who will be meeting PM Wickremesinghe today said, the Govts of Maldives and Sri Lanka had relied heavily on China for its investments and said relying on a single country brings absolutely no good. "The most important is to rely also on India and more..

Jan 15 (TW) For Mahinda Rajapaksa, now former president of SL, last week's stunning election defeat must be a bit of a head-scratcher. Having ended the country's decades-long civil war against the LTTE in 2009, Rajapaksa was long believed to be one of the most secure leaders in Southeast Asia. In addition to crushing the Tamil rebellion, Rajapaksa presided over a country with a growing GDP, a rejuvenated tourism industry, and a bevy of maritime and infrastructure projects in the works. more..

Jan 15 (Island) The anxiety, tension and fear of violence that existed upto 09.00 a.m. on Jan 9 vanished completely with the presidential balance tilting significantly to Mithripala Sirisena. According to the Colombo Telegraph dated Jan 9, the outgoing President wanted to declare Emergency and annul the Election results but with God�s providence, was aborted. The 09th Jan 2015 became a significant day in the history of local politics where, the countrymen were clearly advised by more..

Jan 15 (DN) While Christians celebrate Christmas and people of all religious denominations join together to celebrate the New Year, Tamil communities in Sri Lanka as well as in India lay focus on celebrating the Pongal harvest popularly known as the Thai Pongal festival. The celebration which is spread over four days, in actual fact is a festival held at the end of the harvest season and usually takes place between the more..

Jan 15 (CT) Hindus all over the globe today would be celebrating their first festival on the calendar, 'Thai Pongal'. This is a festival where the farmers show their gratitude and pay a glowing tribute to the 'Sun' for a bountiful. This festival is also considered as one that brings new opportunities in the New Year. Below are the traditions that go with the festival. In Hindu culture, people greet each other by joining their palms � termed as Vanakam. The general reason: Mutual respect. more..

Jan 15 (Island) Directors of the only listed garment manufacturer Orient Garments has decided to go ahead with a rights issue first announced on Sept 9, 2014. General Meeting seeking shareholder approval for a 1:1 rights issue of ordinary shares at an issue price of Rs.15/- and provisional allotment is set for 20 Jan 2015 and ex rights for the following day with share transfer books kept open, stated the CSE website. The rights issue was called to infuse much needed capital to meet overdue more..

Jan 15 (Island) The Pathfinder Foundation (PF) congratulates Maithripala Sirisena on his assumption of duties as the 6th President of Sri Lanka. It is encouraging that momentum seems to be building up in support of the important constitutional and governance reforms contained in his 100-Day Program. Every effort should be made to consolidate the consensus which seems to be emerging on these issues. more..

Jan 15 (CT) Two decisions made by Central Bank in the space of nine days under its former Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal eroded the confidence of foreign banks, from which the markets are yet to recover, sources told Ceylon FT. "It began by the Monetary Board of the CBSL in its monetary policy statement of 23 Sept 2014 saying that banks parking their excess liquidity for more than three calendar days a month would be paid a lower standing deposit facility (SDF) rate of 5%, more..

Jan 15 (GDI) President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed Palitha Pelpola as his Private Secretary. Pelpola received his Latter of Appointment from the President on Tuesday at the Presidential Secretariat. Pelpola who held higher posts in the Public and Private sectors, worked as the Private Secretary to late Minister Gamini Dissanayake. He also worked as the Director of the Mahaweli Centre and the Director General of the Mahaweli Authority. In the meantime he worked as the Secretary more..

Jan 15 (CT) A key deal involving a local bank with foreign shareholding buying a sizeable stake in a recently bailed out bank by the Govt of Sri Lanka and of its agents such as the EPF is now in limbo after the change of govts in the 8 Jan, 2015 Presidential Election, market sources said. This stake which was to change hands is being held by the EPF. Currently, under banking laws, a single shareholding in a bank is limited to 10%. more..

Jan 15 (ST) Suresh Shah said there�s a need to build an export oriented economy. If there is a good system of governance in the country, while letting the businesses carry out their affairs (sans interference), then the private sector can contribute much more to this economy. �As an example, the Mahaweli project gave three acres per person with 1 acre to build their house and the rest for agriculture; now it is down to 1 acre per person for both living and livelihood. more..

Jan 15 (DN) Pongal is an ancient festival of the Tamils living in South India and Sri Lanka. It is not known exactly when the Tamils began celebrating the festival, but some historians identify it with the Thai Niradal, believed to have been celebrated during the Sangam Age (200 BC to 300 AD). Pongal, a traditional Tamilian food item that has found a place on the menu of Indian restaurants across the globe, is perhaps the only dish to have lent its name to a festival & got eternal fame! more..

Jan 15 (Hindu) Anyone who two months back bet on Maithripala Sirisena winning the presidential election in Sri Lanka would be a millionaire. Most international experts expected former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to win and strengthen his family rule. He controlled the resources of the state to fund his election campaign and administered thousands of buses to transport people to election rallies. more..

Jan 15 (SLBC) Minister of Housing and Samurdhi Sajith Premadasa says that the foundation will be laid on the housing programme as well as on the poverty elimination programme within the next 100 days. Guidance of the intellectuals with experience will be sought to implement the programme in a vibrant manner granting justice for all. Samurdhi programme is enriched with systematic measures to eradicate poverty. Other programme is to provide houses to persons without houses. more..

Jan 15 (SCMP) Any doubts about the health of Sri Lanka's democracy can be laid to rest with the results of the recent presidential election. Strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, South Asia's longest-serving leader, was roundly defeated by Maithripala Sirisena, a former member of the cabinet. His campaign, centred on fighting corruption, restoring the country's image and international standing and engendering a compassionate governance, struck a chord with an electorate not happy about more..

Jan 15 (Island) One out of two drug kingpins, Gampola Vidanalage Samantha Kumara a.k.a. Wele Suda, who was brought back to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, after he was arrested overseas by Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) on January 11, has revealed that he had smuggled 1,000 kilos of heroin with a street value of Rs. 1,000 million to the country since he fled the country in 2012. SSP Ajith Rohana said that PNB and CID would more..

Jan 15 (Island) Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has arrested a Managing Director and three other officers of the Land Reclamation and Development Board coming under the Urban Development Ministry for allegedly providing weapons and vehicles to carry out the attack in Wellampitiya, where a stage that was being set up for then Common Opposition Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena on Jan. 05 and for trying to kill police officers removing election posters on more..

Jan 15 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena has, in a statement to Sri Lankan Hindus on account of Thai Pongal which falls today, noted that the festival marks the traditional renewal of links between humans, the deities and nature and the unity of people in worship and thanksgiving for blessings received, with abundant hope for success in the future. President�s message says: "Sri Lanka�s Hindus join their fellow Tamil religionists in most countries of the world today to celebrate more..

Jan 15 (Island) Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka is to be restored with his titles, medals, pension and civic rights which he was deprived of in 2010, after being convicted of alleged irregularities in military procurements and sentenced to three years in prison. President Maithripala Sirisena during the recently concluded Presidential election campaign pledged that if elected, he would rectify the injustice more..

Jan 15 (GDI) His Holiness Pope Francis called on President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday (13) and had bilateral discussions initially with President. Thereafter Prime Minister Ranil Wickermasinghe joined them for the discussion. During the meeting as a gesture of goodwill between Sri Lanka and the Vatican, His Holiness the Pope gifted President Sirisena a collection of 14 naval maps compiled in 1562 by Bertholawe Oliva inlcuding a map of Sri Lanka. more..

Jan 15 (CT) President's Counsel, Geoffrey Alagaratnam was yesterday elected uncontested as the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) for the years of 2015/2016. BASL Secretary Ajith Pathirana, who was also elected uncontested for a second year, speaking to Ceylon Today, said that Alagaratnam was elected President, uncontested after the other candidate's application was rejected on technical grounds. Alagaratnam, who has over 30 years of legal experience, more..

Jan 15 (Reuters) Pope Francis paid a surprise visit to a Buddhist temple on Wednesday, capping a trip to Sri Lanka where he told huge crowds that religions must unite to heal the country's war wounds. The only other visit by a pope to a Buddhist temple was made by Pope John Paul during a trip to Thailand in 1984. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the pope briefly stopped at Colombo's Mahabodhi temple to meet more..

Jan 15 (CT) SSP Ajith Rohana vehemently denied that the CID carried out any raid related to the Economic Development Ministry and its computer data base. Rumours were afloat in Colombo yesterday that the Economic Development Ministry's computer data and files containing information of deals pertaining to the tenure of former Minister Basil Rajapaksa were raided by the CID. "These were merely rumours and speculation which have been denied by the CID itself, he said. more..

Jan 15 (CT) NFF Spokesman, Mohammed Muzammil said NFF will support President Sirisena in his 100-day plan, scheduled to be implemented immediately after the Presidential Elections. He also said that the NFF entirely endorses President Sirisena's policies and the decision to support the 100-day plan was taken for the sake of the public. He also added that the NFF will pressure the President to see through all his promises and if he deviates from his 100-day plan. more..

Jan 15 (Island) A powwow between President Sirisena and his predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is on the cards consequent to a meeting between President and a senior SLFP delegation on Monday. The meeting is likely to take place within the next few days at a venue mutually acceptable to both parties. SLFP Treasurer Dullas Alahapperuma said that President and SLFP delegation had agreed to the meeting, more..

Jan 15 (DM) The country seems to be facing a tricky situation after the election of Maithripala Sirisena as the President, with the support of the parliamentary Opposition. Now it is not clear as to what party wields the majority power in the Parliament since the crossover trend has not ceased yet. Unless the new President wins over a sizable portion of the parliamentary group of the UPFA to his fold he would not be able to fulfill many of his promises. Even PM Ranil Wickremesinghe runs the risk more..

Jan 15 (DM) This column would not have been published if Maithripala Sirisena didn�t win. I�m not saying that with any sense of irony or bitterness. It simply reflects the realities which governed us and our thinking under the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. As it became clear who the winner was, my relief as a liberal writer and democratic citizen was huge. The changes between today and yesterday are virtual rather than real and tangible, but they are seismic in magnitude. more..

Jan 15 (DM) A few days after his defeat, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa sent a team of his party�s MPs to meet with new President Maithripala Sirisena. The delegation included Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Susil Premajayantha, Dilan Perera and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. They appealed to President Sirisena to contain post-election violence more..

Jan 15 (DM) The Petroleum Corporation has refused to issue fuel to a petrol station in Ambalangoda town which is said to have been owned by a well known politician of the former govt due to his failure to pay a sum of Rs. 170 million due to the corporation. Motorist say they have been terribly inconvenienced as a result of the fuel station not having fuel as only two fuel stations existed for the supply of fuel in the Ambalangoda Town. more..

Jan 15 (Island) Pledging its support for President Maithripala Sirisena�s 100-day project meant to bring in immediate relief to people, the EPDP has indicated its readiness to explore the possibility of a closer political partnership with the new ruling coalition. EPDP leader Douglas Devananda remained with former President throughout his first two terms. However, EPDP has no intention of joining new govt during 100-day programme. more..

Jan 15 (CT) The Samurdhi Development Officers' Union has, in writing, requested the Auditor General, Chula Wickremaratne, to hold an immediate, impartial inquiry into an allegation that Rs. 1.5 billion from Divi Neguma Development Fund account, No. 0007041562, maintained at the Taprobane Branch, had been withdrawn on 6 Jan by cheque No. 00003 from the Battaramulla Branch of the Bank. more..