Dec 15 (FT) The recent Budget definitely improves on previous budgets. It is a promising debut for Mangala Samaraweera, the new Finance Minister. He sees it as the beginning of long-delayed market reforms. In his opening remarks to the Budget statement, he promised to reform factor markets to free the economy, and to liberalise and globalize to improve competitiveness. He also promised fiscal consolidation � more..

Dec 15 (CT) Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that the SLFP supports devolution of power. "For that, the Executive Presidency is necessary. That is why we say if power is devolved, the unitary status of the country must be safeguarded. That was our opinion for decades." Q:Do you have any responsibilities at the Ministry? A: Definitely. I always became a Deputy Minister under the best Cabinet Ministers. more..

Dec 15 (DM) JVP MP Vijitha Herath spoke about the current political situation in the country and his party�s novel way of approaching issues at hand. Q: How is the JVP getting ready for the elections? A: This is an election which the Govt declared grudgingly. We all had to fight to get this election. There is a new electoral system which is an improvement of the previous system. We will contest the elections in all parts of the country. more..

Dec 15 (ST) China is fuelling the rising demand worldwide for ivory and increased elephant poaching in Sri Lanka is probably a reflection of this, said the spokesman for a global wildlife trade monitoring network. A 2011 elephant survey found 5,879 wild elephants in Sri Lanka of which only 122 were tuskers. The adult tuskers of over 30-years-old numbered just 55; another 35 were sub-adults with tusks, between the ages of 15 and 30 years; more..

Dec 15 (FT) Two no-confidence motions against Ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Faiszer Musthapha have been included in the final Order Book of Parliament this year and are to be taken up for debate next year. The no-confidence motions were submitted by the JO and were included in the Order Book for 11 Dec. The no-confidence motion against Minister Senaratne has been signed by 39 JO MPs and states that he had more..

Dec 15 (CT) A total of 336 suicides by elderly persons over the age of 71 were recorded in the country during the whole of last year and the bulk were males, Police statistics revealed. This figure comprised 285 males and 51 females. A representative of Sumithrayo said, that the reasons for the high rise in suicides among this group were largely due to several factors such as complex issues, neglect and feeling of redundancy. more..

Dec 15 (AD) The Stay Order issued by the Court of Appeal on the FCID preventing any action against former Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over the misappropriation of public funds was extended till Jan 25, 2018. The Court of Appeal issued a stay order on the FCID preventing any action against former Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over public properties following court proceedings on Nov 29. more..

Dec 15 (AD) UPFA MP Sriyani Wijewickrama, who recently defected from the Joint Opposition to the SLFP, was sworn in as the State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Govt by President Maithripala Sirisena. She was sworn in at the Presidential Secretariat today while Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Govt Faiszer Musthapha was also present on this occasion, the PMD said. more..

Dec 15 (DM) Eyebrows have been raised at the manner in which the tender was awarded to the bidder whose application had not been recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC) for not meeting essential tender requirements. However the bidder had been recommended by the Procurement Appeal Board. The Daily Mirror is in possession of documental proof pertaining to computer tab more..

Dec 15 (DM) Amid speculations of closure and employees writing to Chairman Ajith Dias that they did not have confidence in him as well as the top management of the ailing national carrier SriLankan Airlines, a leading Malaysian company has come forward with an investment proposal to revive the national airlines. The significance of the investment proposal of Super Group Holdings Pvt. Ltd. of Malaysia is its consent to reactivate more..

Dec 15 (CT) Cabinet of Ministers this week decided to declare the Railways, Health and sectors closed services in order to solve issues plaguing them and also thwart strike action by employees. The decision helped the Govt to halt the on-going railways strike that had stranded tens of thousands of passengers and disrupted the supply of some essential goods to the market. By this decision it will now be possible for the Govt to raise the salaries of employees in each of these sectors more..

Dec 15 (DN) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake reiterated that he stands by what he had said regarding the judiciary and lawyers of Sri Lanka recently. Addressing media outside the Supreme Court premises, Ramanayake said he is not afraid to tell the truth that ordinary people and corrupt politicians are treated differently by the judiciary. �A poor who commits a minor offence such as stealing a street light bulb had been jailed for several months, under the Public Property Act. more..

Dec 15 (FT) Very few of today�s readers are aware that Winston Churchill was one time the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1924-29), a position comparable to our Finance Minister. At the time, Great Britain was perhaps the largest economy in the world, the centre of a global empire on which it was claimed the sun never set. Much of international trading and financial transactions were London based then. This proximity to power, trade and money of course did not mean that Chancellor of British more..

Dec 15 (LBO) Prices of all eye lenses and heart stents used for patients should be included in the bill issued to the patient by all private hospitals, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. Health Ministry will commence investigations to find out whether private hospitals offer the essential drugs, eye lenses and heart stents at reduced prices gazetted by the Health Ministry through a gazette notification. Health Ministry has received complaints from patients in connection with not receiving drugs, more..

Dec 15 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to ban the use of polythene during the upcoming election campaigns. The President also instructed authorities to strictly enforce the laws against the people who violate the above mentioned ban on use of polythene. President Sirisena furthermore briefed the Central Environmental Authority to inform the parties concerned more..

Dec 15 (FT) Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh joined hands with the private sector tea trade in Sri Lanka to promote Pure Ceylon Tea in the largest Gulf market of Saudi Arabia. While a half-day session was organised for the interested buyers from Saudi to network effectively with the sellers from Sri Lanka, the Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh came forward graciously to host the event. Around 20 Saudi importing and distribution companies anxious to deal more..

Dec 15 (PSL) National Buddhist Think Tank met yesterday (13) with the participation of President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat. This is the 9th time that the National Buddhist Think Tank held its meeting under the patronage of President and they discussed about the implementation of the decisions taken at previous meetings effectively. � It was decided to provide 10,000 desk and chair sets to Piriven schools under the programme adopted earlier and it was mentioned that more..

Dec 15 (DN) "UNP is seeking the people�s mandate to back the Local Govt authorities with the govts� strength,� Minister Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday. He made these comments to the media after handing over nomination lists to the Pasgoda, Malimbada and Hakmana Pradeshiya Sabhas and the Weligama Urban Council at the Matara District Secretariat last morning. Prior to handing over nominations, more..

Dec 15 (AD) Deepa Edirisinghe stated that she will enter the political arena by pledging her allegiance to the SLFP as a nominee from Colombo for the upcoming LG election. She declared her candidacy as a nominee at a press conference held today. Deepa Edirisinghe is the daughter of the late Soma Edirisinghe who was a SL Corporate Executive, Film Producer, Philanthropist and Social Worker. It has also been reported that Deepa Edirisnghe will be awarded SLFP Organizer post for Colombo. more..

Dec 15 (Guardian) UN committee against torture has advised the Australian govt not to deport a Sri Lankan man, citing concerns he might be tortured upon return. Geneva-based committee of 10 independent human rights experts has issued an interim measure formally requesting Australia not to return the man while his case is considered. The man, whom the Guardian has chosen to refer to as Jyran, was told on 6 Dec by the department of immigration to prepare to be deported more..

Dec 15 (SL) UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has identified significant challenges to the enjoyment of the right to personal liberty in SL, resulting in arbitrary detention across the country. The experts recognize positive initiatives, including engagement with UN human rights mechanisms, as well as the recent accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. However, they say further urgent more..

Dec 15 (LBO) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) announced the following changes in S&P Sri Lanka 20 index constituents made by S&P Dow Jones Indices at the 2017 year-end index re-balance. A revision of the S&P SL 20 methodology in March 2017 established the practice of a semiannual re-balance of the index (previously conducted annually), which is set to take place during the months of June and December each year. The revision also established the inclusion of more..

Dec 15 (EN) SL is planning to install a pre-fabricated terminal as a stop gap solution after a delay in awarding a contract to expand capacity at SL's main airport which is running at almost double its capacity. BIA, owned by state-run Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (AASL), handled 9.5 million passengers in 2016, though it is designed to handle only 6 million passengers a year. Japanese funded project to expand the terminal to 15 million passengers was originally scheduled to more..

Dec 15 (SL) Govt of SL entered into three Loan Agreements worth of USD 270 million with the Asian Development Bank for the implementation of the Integrated Road Investment Program and Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply Project. A loan of USD 150 million was obtained for the investments required for the 4th Tranche of the Integrated Road Investment Program and two loans worth USD 120 million were obtained as more..

Dec 15 (Xinhua) A Chinese delegation is visiting Sri Lanka from Dec 12 to Dec 15 and introducing the achievements of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The delegation, led by Wang Yajun, Assitant Minister of Int'l Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, met leader of UNP and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, General Secretary of the UNP Kabir Hashim, General Secretary of SLFP Duminda Dissanayake, & leaders from local left-wing parties. more..

Dec 15 (CT) Vehicles for Ministers, State Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other political authorities should be purchased under the Direct Purchase method of procurement, a committee, appointed by Prez Sirisena to look into the issues of the execution of the Operational Leasing Method used to procure vehicles for State agencies, has recommended. Committee also added that Controller General of the General Treasury should ensure the productive use of vehicles by the Govt agencies. more..

Dec 15 (CI) Lasith Malinga has been rested from SL's T20 squad, one week after he had left the Bangladesh Premier League early due to personal reasons. Suranga Lakmal has also been omitted. Only six players remain from the T20 squad that faced Pakistan in October, as several first team players - left out of that last squad after their refusal to travel to Lahore over safety concerns - make their way back more..

Dec 15 (NR) Minister Faizer Musthapha says the introduction of the new electoral system, has increased the expenditure incurred by the govt, to conduct elections. He said the govt introduced a mixed-member proportional representation system in order to facilitate the present day needs of masses. Speaking during a media briefing held in Colombo today, Minister Musthapha said the introduction of the system has resolved several existing issues in the political sphere. more..

Dec 15 (DN) Cabinet Subcommittee on Economic Management headed by PM has decided to import 100,000 metric tonnes of rice monthly until next Sinhala and Tamil New year. This is in a bid to lower rice prices of rice to a level which is affordable to the consumer during the festive season. Annual rice requirement of the country is above 2.4 million metric tonnes. About 670,000 metric tonnes of rice which is equal to 30% of annual requirement, has already been imported to SL during this year. more..

Dec 15 (DM) The finances required to complete the controversy-ridden Grand Hyatt hotel in Colombo are not receiving approval, and the government may even end up selling the project which was built using public retirement funds, at a loss in mid-construction. A contractor involved in the construction under the condition of anonymity said that construction is now going at a slower pace than before and that discussions have taken place more..

Dec 15 (NR) While requesting people to refrain from mutilation, alteration or defacement of Sri Lanka currency notes, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) advised people to exchange such currency notes from the nearest branch of Licensed Commercial Banks on or before December 31. CBSL in a statement said that it had drawn attention of the general public for implementation of its Clean Note Policy and regulation on the willfully mutilation, alteration or defacement of currency notes. more..

Dec 15 (HT) SL�s contests against India in the last three years have been the stuff of nightmares. They have lost 11 out of 13 encounters against India, including two 5-0 whitewashes. In the current series, after registering a win in Dharamsala, the visitors were blown away by Rohit Sharma�s third double ton in Mohali. The inexperienced line-up has pinned their hopes on Angelo Mathews, who gave Sri Lanka something to smile by registering his second ODI ton albeit in a losing cause. more..

Dec 15 (DN) With two international companies pulling out of a proposal to build two Airport Hotels at the BIA, Cabinet this week granted approval once again to call for Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the project. In Feb 2016, the Board of Directors of Airport and Aviation Services (AASL) Limited proposed that two Airport Hotels be built to cater to growing passenger demand. They proposed that AASL land be given to an interested more..

Dec 16 (CT) This Nation continues to suffer in the hands of criminal elements occupying public office in the Legislature and the Executive who abuse public office for their private benefit, engaging in corruption and robbing the Nation with total impunity. The attention of all the concerned citizens is drawn to the �Forward made by UN Secretary General Kofi A Annan� to the UN Convention against Corruption [58/4 of 31 of Oct 2003], ratified by Sri Lanka on 31 of March 2004, more..

Dec 16 (GV) Discussions around corruption and its prevalence often focus on the highest echelons of power. In Sri Lanka, irregularities around the Central Bank bond issue continue to make the news � with the President most recently extending the term of the PCoI until Dec 31. Fewer people would think of the Rs 1000 slipped to a policeman during a routine traffic stop � and the vicious cycle it creates. In 2017, CIABOC received over 2000 complaints, the majority of them corruption-related. more..

Dec 16 (CT) Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera responding to an article by CM of Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran, which appeared in Ceylon Today says that the CM is sowing the seeds of communalism amongst the Tamil people. Questions & answers in the article are by Weerasekara. Q: CM Wigneswaran has responded to all the points raised in your last interview. Do you like to comment? more..

Dec 16 (CT) The very first South-South Human Rights Forum was held in Beijing on the 7th and 8th of Dec this year with the participation of over 300 delegates from more than 70 countries. Mikhail A. Lebedev, Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the UNHRC, also spoke at the meeting. True to President Xi Jing Ping�s promise at the 19th Party Congress this year to play a central role in world affairs, China offered an alternative to the established discourse on human rights. more..

Dec 16 (DN) Most of you would have read in the primary classes the story of the peasant who climbed a Kitul tree in a neighbouring garden to steal a zip of toddy. When caught in the act the peasant pleaded with the owner of the tree that he climbed the tree to cut some grass to feed his hungry cattle. The angry neighbour retorted, Where do you find grass on Kitul trees? That is why I climbing down, was the clever guy�s answer. We were reminded of this story during last Presidential elections more..

Dec 16 (DN) Issues surrounding Human Elephant Co-existence (HEC) have posed a constant thorn in the side of wildlife conservation. The conflict that arises in the communities that flank the wildlife and nature reserves more often than not result in either human or elephant casualties. Such conflict could easily be avoided with the development of appropriate policies and laws to protect not merely tuskers but all elephants in SL. more..