Jun 13 (DM) When the officials of the Attorney General�s Department first revealed that a member of Parliament had received one million rupees from a subsidiary company of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. (PTL) headed by Arjun Aloysius- who has been remanded after being implicated in the CB bond scandal- they also revealed that a VIP had also received the same amount of money from the same source. According to the B- Report submitted to Courts the MP who obtained money more..

Jun 13 (DM) When one looks back on the pros and cons of the decision taken by the people in the 2015 Presidential Election and the mandate it carried, after two-and-half-years in power, the current administration does not have anything to brag about except one outstanding accomplishment of theirs. With all the alleged corruption and ineffective management of the country�s ailing economy, the very introduction of transparency aspect of governance where govt party�s own members more..

Jun 13 (DM) If anybody still needed proof that the representatives who claimed to be holding the legislative, executive and judicial powers of the people have turned their backs on them and have pursued a path of individual well-being, the developments during the past two weeks would have furnished enough evidence. All three wings of governance are packed with people who are corrupt, incapable and self-centred. more..

Jun 13 (DM) At the recently held UNP Working Committee meeting it had been agreed upon that the future of the grand old party should look to the future with the recommendation proposed by the Ruwan Wijewardene Committee. Headed by Gamapaha District MP and State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene the committee has come up with certain novel, innovative and a progressive set of proposals. more..

Jun 13 (DM) Chairman of SLPP Prof. G.L. Peiris speaks about the current political situation and what his party plans for the future. Q: There are reports about a split in the camp of the Joint Opposition. In certain instances, there are some sort of open confrontations. Why is it? A: There are no splits in the Joint Opposition (JO). That is a complete misunderstanding. The JO consists of several parties. more..

Jun 13 (ST) A string of strikes and trade union actions have disrupted public utility services in the past few weeks with more unions threatening to resort to further strikes and protests. CEB is one such body that has been affected by a key union�s work-to-rule campaign launched in protest against what it claims is the Govt�s failure to adopt the union�s future power generation plan which gives more emphasis to coal-power generation. more..

Jun 13 (AD) The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) today expressed its dismay and astonishment with regard to the malicious comments made by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe against the party�s newly appointed National List MP Dr. Ismail. M.S.M. Ismail was appointed last Thursday (7) as a UNP National List MP for the seat allocated to the ACMC, filling the vacancy of M.H.M. Navavi who had recently stepped down. more..

Jun 13 (CT) Court of Appeal yesterday put off hearing two appeal petitions, connected to 2012 Tangalle murder and rape High Court verdict and sentencing, to 15 Oct 2018. Former Tangalle PS Chairman Sampath Widanapathirana and three others, who were found guilty of murdering British National Khuram Shaikh and raping his girlfriend on 24 Dec 2012, were sentenced to 20 yrs rigorous imprisonment more..

Jun 13 (Island) Ceylon Motorcyclists Association (CMA) would lodge a complaint with the National Police Commission (NPC) against SP Indika Hapugoda, Director Traffic Police alleging that the latter had implemented a deliberate campaign to harass motorcyclists, CMA President, Chirantha Amerasinghe said. Amerasinghe was of the opinion that Hapugoda considered motorcyclists as trouble makers. more..

Jun 13 (DM) State Minister Ajith P Perera said he had used his own funds and funds borrowed from his family members for the election campaign and had not accepted any funds from Perpetual Treasuries Chief Arjun Aloysius or from anyone else. �Politicians carry out their campaigns using funds they get from various sources. However one cannot justify some of the methods used to generate funds. more..

Jun 13 (AD) The chief incumbent of the Kataragama Kiriwehera Rajamaha Viharaya Ven. Kobawaka Damminda Thera, who was injured in a shooting last night, has been admitted to a private hospital in Colombo, a short while ago. He was airlifted from the Hambantota Base Hospital to Colombo, Ada Derana reporter said. Ven. Kobawaka Damminda Thera who was shot by unidentified gunmen last night, will be transferred by air more..

Jun 13 (EN) Sri Lanka's 55 largest state-owned enterprises have lost 87 billion rupees in 2017, with energy enterprises again making big losses without a price formula, while big state banks whose governance was strengthened in the late 1990s were making profits. The losses came from 16 SOEs, the finance ministry said. There were 400 agencies classified as SOEs, of which 264 were monitored by the DPE, more..

Jun 13 (CT) No one likes exams; every 8-year-old forced to start tuition classes and every employee who has to undergo a written examination before being promoted, would attest to that. But unfortunately, humankind has no other option to analyze and test ones knowledge, skill and proficiency in a particular subject but formalized and generally standardized exams. Hence, the existence of the General Standardized Exams of various levels for students and various others for adults. more..

Jun 13 (FT) Govt had planned, that effective from Jan 2018, all SL citizens be required to carry a smart e-NIC with biometric details (frontal facial photograph, fingerprints, iris scan), details of profession, address, phone numbers, date of birth, email and civil status. This e-NIC would also embed family tree data including full names of parents and siblings, their dates of birth and NIC numbers. According to the Govt the data is to gather information towards efficient service delivery. more..

Jun 13 (EN) The Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka said it is teaming up with a counterpart organization of private builder in China to win business in areas which have so far been dominated by govt-to-govt deals. The Chamber of Construction Industry of Sri Lanka said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with China International Construction Association on the sidelines of the Int'l Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum held in Macau in June. more..

Jun 13 (Island) CID yesterday questioned National Intelligence Chief retired DIG Sisira Mendis in connection with the assassination of the Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga in January 2009 and the abduction and assault on the Associate Editor of The Nation Keith Noyahr in May 2008. A senior police officer said that the police had recorded his statement for about six hours. At the time of Wickrematunga�s assassination, Mendis was the senior officer in charge of the CID. more..

Jun 13 (FT) Five MoUs on education, digitisation, health and energy were signed yesterday between SL Govt and its Finnish counterpart as well as the private sectors of the two countries. Economic Affairs and Development Finnish Deputy Minister Petri Peltonen is in SL this week with a Finnish business delegation made up of 17 prominent companies seeking collaboration and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. more..

Jun 13 (Island) Minister Talatha Atukorale says the present govt has achieved in three years what the previous administrations failed to do in two decades. Atukorale said so at a public meeting at Nivitigala on Sunday. She said some people were not aware of the govt�s achievements and others had conveniently forgotten them. Atukorale said that the govt never took revenge from political opponents. Referring to overwhelming victory achieved by the SLPP at the Feb. 10 LG polls, more..

Jun 13 (DM) The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on the Central Bank bond scam had not mentioned anywhere in its report names of politicians, journalists, officials or any other person, who had allegedly received financial gratuities from Arjuna Mahendran, Cabinet Spokesman Dr Rajitha Senaratne said today. He said that the figures 118 and 169 quoted by the media and politicians as the number of financial beneficiaries from the Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL). more..

Jun 13 (USE) The U.S. Govt�s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Managing Director for Europe, Asia, Pacific, and Latin America Caroline Nguyen visited Sri Lanka from June 11 to 13 to advance the development of the proposed MCC compact � a large-scale five-year grant program. The U.S. govt is developing this compact in partnership with the Govt of Sri Lanka for the specific purpose of reducing poverty and more..

Jun 13 (AD) Three suspects who are believed to be close associates of notorious underworld figure Makandure Madush have been arrested by Kandy Police. The suspects were arrested while in hiding at a hotel in Kadugannawa, following an operation carried out by a team of officers attached to the Kandy Police. They are suspected of being key figures in Madush�s drugs and extortion rackets. Over Rs 100,000 in cash found in the possession of the suspects was also taken into custody. more..

Jun 13 (NR) MP Wimal Weerawansa has made a written request to President Maithripala Sirisena to cancel the transfer issued to Colonel Rathnapriya Bandu. The request was made through a letter addressed to the President. MP Wimal Weerawansa noted an Officer such as Colonel Rathnapriya providing services in such an area will have a positive impact for national reconciliation. Colonel Rathnapriya Bandu was transferred from Vishwa Madu to Army Camp in Ambepussa recently. more..

Jun 13 (EN) Sri Lanka's first special high court to try multi-billion dollar graft cases under former president Mahinda Rajapaksa will open on July 4, Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said. He said the first court will open in Colombo and two more will be added before the end of September to clear the backlog of high profile cases involving members of the former regime. Last month, parliament approved the setting up of special high courts with more..

Jun 13 (LBO) With the Prez election close to 18 months away, potential candidates are positioning themselves ahead of the poll. Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, candidate recently attracting much attention, is trying to stake his claim though experiencing many complications. Foremost among these issues is his American citizenship which he will have to renounce in time for the poll. Persons with information on the process indicate that it can often take much more time more..

Jun 13 (DM) An adventure themed Off-Road Bicycle Race Rumble in the Jungle organised by the SriLankan Airlines had been suspended today following a contestant went missing after falling into the Mahaweli River in Mahiyanganaya, Organising Committee said in a statement. �One rider, a foreign participant, whose team was leading the race, is currently unaccounted for. Search and Rescue teams aided by the SL Police are working round the clock to locate the missing rider,� it said. more..

Jun 13 (AD) The country is in a mess because of the 19th Constitutional Amendment and the current govt should take responsibility for it, says JO MP Dinesh Gunewardena. He stated that the units which protect law and order of the government have been unable to perform their duties properly. MP Dullas Alahapperuma, said that the shooting of the Kiriwehera Chief Incumbent didn�t happen on the territory of God more..

Jun 13 (CT) Summons was issued on the former mayor of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, to appear in Court on 7 August, by Colombo Fort Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake yesterday, in connection with the crediting of funds received from certain institutions for the Vasantha Udanaya 2013 to the Mayor�s account instead of the account of the Municipal Council. The accused in this case is Dodampe Gamage Mahinda, residing at 4, Garden Hill Road, Nuwara Eliya. more..

Jun 13 (FT) The Index of Industrial Production (IIP), which measures the volume of industrial production, has decreased slightly by 0.7% in April compared to the same month in 2017, Census and Statistics Department said. The department attributed the change to the reduced number of working days in April 2018 compared to the same month in 2017 as both Vesak and the Sinhala Tamil New Year was celebrated in April. IIP reported for the month of April 2018 & 2017 were 97.7 & 98.3 respectively. more..

Jun 13 (NR) Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne says the Influenza A virus which was spreading in the Southern Province has been controlled up to around 95%. He refuted reports that the virus is spreading to other districts. The Minister noted Influenza A is a type of fever adding it is normal for Influenza to spread during the rainy seasons. Minister said Influenza could not be contained this year as it led to an epidemic in certain areas. more..

Jun 13 (Island) Building new coal power plants would be a violation of environmental obligations SL has undertaken to uphold in the past, Hemantha Withanage, Executive Director, Centre for Environmental Justice said. He said, "For example in 2016 we submitted an Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to the UN saying that we will reduce 4% of carbon emission in the power sector by 2030. To achieve emission reduction targets the contribution from more..

Jun 13 (SL) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today denied reports that he was told by the outgoing US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul Keshap that the US will not allow former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to contest and become the President of Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa said that while he did meet Atul Keshap there was no discussion about preventing Gotabhaya Rajapaksa from contesting the next Presidential election. �The US cannot dictate terms to us,� Rajapaksa said. more..

Jun 13 (CT) The Eliya organization backed by Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa criticized the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Amendment) Bill gazetted in May, alleging that the Govt is trying to grant powers to any country or organization which deals in addressing crime and related activity, to interfere in Sri Lanka�s internal affairs. Eliya Representative, Attorney-at-Law Thushara Dissanayake, stressed that more..

Jun 13 (Island) Amidst calls for punitive action against those involved in the Treasury bond scams, the Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), local chapter of the global movement against corruption, has embarked on a new endeavour to recognise honesty and integrity in public service, through Integrity Idol 2018 which was launched yesterday at the SLFI. Through a nationwide media campaign, citizens are invited to nominate public officials that have demonstrated integrity in more..

Jun 13 (EN) A top professional organization has called for the institution of permanent secretaries to be restored and directors of state enterprises to be vetted for qualification and past record to cut corruption and boost governance. "Secretaries to Ministries should be appointed after applications are called by the Public Service Commission from the public including senior management groups of public sector and Private Sector," a revised summary of a report by committee of the OPA said. more..

Jun 13 (DM) In response to the news report published on a Tamil daily newspaper in Jaffna regarding a content of a meeting held between former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and outgoing US Ambassador Atul Keshap, US Embassy today remained non-committal. When inquired about the meeting, the Embassy said that the Ambassador met political leaders as a routine. �The Ambassador meets routinely with political leaders, more..

Jun 14 (CT) Many years ago, when I was working as a Consultant at the Ministry of Education to develop English medium in govt schools, I was quite positive about Chandrika Kumaratunga, who was Minister at the time. She had contributed to rescuing English medium when Ranil was trying to destroy it, and then she had courageously stopped his administration in its tracks when it tried to gazette regulations through the Ministry of Defence which seemed to threaten security of the country. more..

Jun 14 (CT) There�s a term that has consistently defined electoral politics in Sri Lanka: default option. We�ve heard it before. We vote people and parties out. Naturally other people and parties get voted in. It�s a pay-back option for a people whose franchise is mostly about reflecting for a few moments before a ballot box before deciding to pick from a group of people or parties patently unsuited to hold office or rule the country. Punishment is salve, obviously. It�s also the easier option, more..

Jun 14 (Roar) The hottest buzzword in the startup industry lately has been FinTech. The marriage of Finance and Technology isn�t new. We�ve all used credit cards, e-banking and other similar technologies. But this new age of connectivity and mobile computing are opening up new opportunities for smart and savvy tech entrepreneurs to make their mark on the world. FinTech has been called the intersection more..

Jun 14 (CT) Before JR�s open economy (JR�s version of Anwar Sadat�s infitah or open door policy in Egypt) was ushered in, two issues preoccupied the attention of Muslim Ministers in the country: availability of dates for iftar, a solemn occasion for breaking the fast during Ramadhan, and availability of foreign exchange to travel to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage. Because these two issues consumed the country�s precious foreign reserves, govts of that time had to be economical. more..