Jun 22 (DN) Mental health is a vital component of our health. The WHO constitution states Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. A mentally healthy person is able to cope with normal stresses of life while working productively to make a contribution to the community. However the burden of mental disorders is growing across the globe with a significant impact on every aspect of human life & society. more..

Jun 22 (ST) Kamindu Mendis of Richmond College, Galle, the Dialog Sunday Times Schoolboy Cricketer of the year 2018, Best Fielder and Best Batsman is a perfect allround cricketer with an exceptional ability of being ambidextrous. This ability is a result of hard practice from his younger days. Trying to bowl with both hands as a toddler, and later when grew young he started to practice the art with his coaches. An innovation rarely heard in cricket to the extent that despite Mendis� best effort, more..

Jun 22 (Island) There was much hullabaloo in Parliament, the other day, over a students� protest which held up vehicular traffic in Sri J'pura and obstructed some MPs. An exasperated UNP MP raised a privilege issue in the House, calling upon the Speaker to take immediate action to ensure MPs� freedom of movement. In a rare moment of unity, JO endorsed his views. They are as thick as thieves when their interests are affected. more..

Jun 22 (FT) Sri Lanka�s exports could expand their footprint and break into new markets if the country could upgrade accreditation mechanisms to denote quality and improve market differentiation. Minister Sarath Amunugama called on all agencies that were providing accreditation functions in a transparent, efficient and conscientious manner to ensure that SL�s seal would be treated with respect in the int'l market. more..

Jun 22 (Island) A good friend and more important, critic, asked Cassandra why she is so sharp toothed and scathing in her comments on the week gone by. She replied she is living up to her name which is associated with her cry � Cassandra cry of seeing blood. Cassandra, in Homer�s Greek epic Odyssey is the daughter of Priam - the last king of Troy, and his wife Hecuba. She was brought captive to Mycenea by Agamemnon who was one of the heroes who sacked Troy with their wooden more..

Jun 22 (Island) Amid reports that Dinesh Chandimal will miss the third cricket Test against the West Indies, to be played from Saturday, June 23, at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, there is a possibility that Chandimal may play in the Test, the team sources said yesterday. Chandimal was banned for one Test by the ICC, for ball-tampering allegations, after a hearing that took place at the end of the second Test in St. Lucia. Sri Lanka has appealed against the ICC decision. more..

Jun 22 (DN) The All Island Schools Relay Championship 2018 � is to take place from June 24 to 26 at the Vincent Dias stadium in Badulla. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 24th morning with Chief Minister of Uva Province Chamara Sampath Dassanayake and State Minster for Education V. Radhakrishnan as chief guests. Minister Akila Viraj said the the Championship which commenced in the year 1984 came to halt in the year 2004 due to unkown reasons. more..

Jun 22 (FT) A difference of opinions arose on the method of conducting the next Provincial Council (PC) elections during yesterday�s party leaders meeting. Minister Faiszer Musthapha had told the party leaders meeting that President Sirisena had opined that the next PC elections must be held under the new electoral system. However, Minister Rauff Hakeem had objected to this proposal, asserting that minority parties preferred the old electoral system with preferential voting, more..

Jun 22 (FT) As China Merchant Port Holdings (CM Port) completes the final tranche of payment for the Hambantota Port joint venture, the public-private partnership is now aiming to attract as much as $ 500 million worth of investments to set up plants inside the port as well as general operation expansion. Hambantota Int'l Port Group (HIPG), the joint venture company formed by SL Govt and CM Port, has already received 15 proposals to more..

Jun 22 (ST) Construction sites, fishing and factories are examples where modern slavery occurs. Sri Lanka is no exception with an estimated 45,000 people trapped in this unfortunate category, a global campaigner against modern slavery said in Colombo last week. Matt Friedman, CEO of Hong Kong-based the Mekong Club, noted that human trafficking is a form of modern slavery. �Human trafficking sector has been around for 30 years and it basically started because public health people like me more..

Jun 22 (FT) The prestigious internationally developed and managed mixed-use development project by the Shangri-La Group, One Galle Face, continued its scheduled progress with the topping out ceremony of One Galle Face Tower held yesterday. The exclusive One Galle Face Tower, which is nearing completion, is scheduled to begin operations during the second quarter of 2019. As the One Galle Face Tower nears completion, the prime and upscale workspace is available for rent more..

Jun 22 (FT) Around Rs. 450 billion is being spent annually by the Govt to maintain state institutions, Minister Lakshman Kiriella, said. Kiriella said that the Jana Wasama and Elkaduwa Plantations, which are being operated by the Govt, incur heavy losses. He made these remarks in response to an issue raised by JO MP Bandula Gunawardane. MP said that environmentalists and residents of the area were protesting alleged more..

Jun 22 (Island) A week-long environment awareness campaign that culminated with an island-wide sapling planting initiative and a �Green Walk� in Colombo, was successfully carried out by the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) with support from Brandix, an inspirational practitioner and advocate of eco-friendly manufacturing. Themed Go Green � Change tomorrow, today, the campaign was conceptualised to celebrate World Environment Day 2018. more..

Jun 22 (DM) UNP MP Mujibur Rahman said today the Cabinet memorandum seeking compensation for war victims was not only for ex-LTTE combatants but also for those who were effected by the violence in the 1980s. He told a news conference that the Cabinet proposal was prepared keeping in mind the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). �The LLRC proposed that justice be meted out to those who were affected by the war. more..

Jun 22 (Island) The NFF alleged that the govt was planning to reduce the strength of the 200,000 army by 25%. Addressing the media, Kalutara District MP Jayantha Samaraweera claimed that specific instructions as regards the proposed reduction had been revealed in a letter dated June 14, 2018 issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army. MP said the move was in line with dictates of Geneva-based UNHRC. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Human Resources Dept of SriLankan Airlines had continuously ignored allegations of sexual harassment against some members of its staff, PCoI on irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka was told. Marlon Perera, Director of Sales and Development of Phoenix Duty Free Services, concessionaire for inflight duty free services for both SriLankan and Mihin Lanka, said that there had been around 15 cases of sexual allegations more..

Jun 22 (DN) Adopting good regulatory practices in the area of accreditation and certification will keep people safe in all aspects of their lives and deliver a safer world, said Tung Lai Margue, Ambassador and Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. He made these views addressing a national seminar organized in line with the World Accreditation Day 2018 under the theme, Accreditation; Delivering a safer World. more..

Jun 22 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena says on Jan 8, 2015, the people of this country contributed to the change the administration of the country which was increasingly moving towards a dictatorship. Those who forgot those experiences will once again appeal to bring the dictatorial regime again in the country but the President emphasized that he will not allow to tarnish the aspirations of the people of SL they bestowed on Jan 8, 2015. more..

Jun 22 (DM) The govt should hold a referendum to determine whether the Sinhalese and the Tamils were willing to coexist with each other, TNA MP Sivagnanam Sritharan told Parliament. He said the govt had not considered the needs of the Northern people and claimed that a sports stadium constructed in Kilinochchi during the previous regime was being held by the army. The MP said the then Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had profited from the construction of the stadium. more..

Jun 22 (DM) The govt will soon introduce new legislation -- in the form of an amendment to the Inland revenue Act -- to waive taxes on children�s savings accounts, Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. �The govt�s policy is to gradually reduce the VAT and concentrate on earning revenue from direct taxes. We will manage the economy while focusing on the people�s needs. The govt has to deal with the debt crisis because total debt component to be settled this year is a staggering Rs.1.9 trillion. more..

Jun 22 (CT) Dinesh Chandimal has appealed against ICC match referee Javagal Srinath�s decision to find him guilty of ball-tampering during the second Test against West Indies in St Lucia. Chandimal was suspended from the third and final Test of the series. Yesterday, the ICC appointed chairman of the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, Michael Beloff QC, as the judicial commissioner to hear Chandimal�s appeal. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Chief Secretary of the North Western Province, P. B. M. Sirisena wrote to the heads of 21 institutions on Tuesday (19), asking them to nominate a permanent member of the Monitoring Committee Established for Norochcholai Coal Power Plant. The committee will meet today (22) at 9 am at the power plant and hold a discussion after an inspection visit. Prof. Ajith de Silva, Dr. Mahesh Jayaweera, Dr. A.M. Mubarak and Dr. Sewwandi Jayakody have also been invited. more..

Jun 22 (SLAF) Passing Out Parade of the No 4th Contingent of the Aviation Unit under UN helicopter deployment in South Sudan (UNMISS) was held at SLAF Base Katunayake today (19). This helicopter deployment will be tasked to carry out VIP and troop transportation, transportation of food and equipment, domestic flying and medical evacuation in South Sudan, in support of the overall UN mandate for that nation. At the end of the 3rd successful SLAF Contingent in South Sudan, more..

Jun 22 (Island) Chairman of COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) Finance and Mass Media Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that COPA had not been able to render a satisfactory service since its inception in 1978. Deputy Minister said: "The aims and objectives of setting up of COPA have not been achieved. It is not because of the fault of either COPA or Parliament. It is owing to practical reasons. more..

Jun 22 (SL) At the initiative of Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, a painting in honour of the Late Lakshman Kadirgamer, the former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, was unveiled at the WIPO premises by Dr. Liam Fox, the British Secretary of State for International Trade, in the presence of a large gathering of invitees. Dr. Liam Fox praised the late Kadirgamar for his tireless work and outstanding contribution in more..

Jun 22 (PTI) Sri Lanka thanked PM Narendra Modi for giving a grant of USD 22.8 million for running free emergency ambulance service in the island nation. India had given a grant of USD 22.8 million - USD 7.6 million in first phase in 2016 and in second instalment USD 15.2 million this year - to SL govt to run free ambulance services. State minister Harsha de Silva told the parliament that Modi had come to Sri Lanka in March 2015 and said that he wished to provide a grant to Sri Lanka. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Senior Additional Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundera told Fort Magistrate that a comprehensive inquiry was underway to identify those who had received approximately 10,000 cheques issued by the Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) and its subsidiaries at the time of Treasury bond scams in 2015 and 2016. Jayasundera told court that in connection with the inquiry details more..

Jun 22 (DM) Many names are surfacing in discussion forums about who should be the next president of SL. Once the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka declares the date for the Presidential Elections by the end of 2019 we�ll see all political parties making public their nominees for the post of president. President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he wishes to continue in politics. This would make him a likely candidate for this coveted post along with others including UNP Leader more..

Jun 22 (DM) Will the 16 MPs, who left the Govt recently become political destitute in the near future? They seem to have been left to themselves. They might have thought that they would receive a red carpet welcome by the Joint Opposition (JO) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) soon after they left the Govt in the wake of their voting in favour of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in April, which was not to be. more..

Jun 22 (DM) Minister and UNP�s National Organizer Navin Dissanayake shared his views about the UNP�s political future and the ongoing matters related to politics in the country. Q: The UNP a long-standing political party in SL. But, in the recent past, the reputation of the party was heavily damaged due to many reasons. Is the UNP in a politically drained situation now? A: Our party isn�t politically drained at all. We have got many second level young, more..

Jun 22 (ST) Faculties of at least five universities and a higher educational institute remain closed due to ragging as authorities struggle to bring the campuses under control. One of the most serious incidents of ragging resulted in the closure of the administrative offices and several faculties of the Ruhuna Uni on Friday. University�s VC, Gamini Senanayake, said four female fresher students had joined in the ragging of their more..

Jun 22 (ST) Group of Artistes claimed that, reports that 14% Withholding tax on the sales proceeds of Teledramas has been removed on the instructions of the Prez, were not correct, as they cannot be implemented without an amendment. Free Art Guild (FAG) stated that, under Section 9, Sub Section 2 of the Inland Revenue Act No.24 of 2017, tax exemptions cannot be granted without an amendment introduced to the Act. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Eastern Province Governor Rohitha Bogollagama said that Sri Lanka should totally and unilaterally renounce the controversial Geneva Resolution 30/1 on accountability issues. He said the govt should review its stand on the non-binding resolution in the wake of the US quitting the 47-member Geneva-based UNHRC. The EP Governor, who was wartime Foreign Minister (Jan 2007 to Apr 2010) emphasised that more..

Jun 22 (EN) The IMF has welcomed a less restrictive exchange controls in Sri Lanka which replaced a draconian law brought in 1953, soon after a money printing central bank was set up, generating foreign exchange problems, currency depreciation and high inflation. Following 2017 annual Article IV consultations, a report said IMF staff "welcomed the new Foreign Exchange Act, which modernized the FX-related regulations more..

Jun 22 (Island) Phoenix Duty Free Services, concessionaire for inflight duty free services for both SriLankan and Mihin Lanka had violated the agreement it had signed with the two airlines and the Customs ordinance, Marlon Perera, former Director of Sales and Development of the firm told the PCoI on irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka. Perera said that he doubted that Directors of SriLankan Airlines more..

Jun 22 (Island) Apropos the news item, Customs tell Court of Appeal: Investigation into Rs.16 bn vehicle tax fraud resumed on the front page of June 7 edition of The Island, former Director General, Customs Chulananda Perera, has sent us the following statement: Recently, your newspaper published an article based on the baseless, malicious and defamatory allegations by one Mr. Nagahananda Kodithuwakku that I, during my more..

Jun 22 (GDI) The Govt has issued an extraordinary gazette notification listing the names of 14 individuals living overseas with links to the LTTE and banning them from entering Sri Lanka, by placing them in the list of designated persons. The amendment to the List of Designated persons under the United Nations Regulations No. 01 of 2012 has been made through a gazette issued by Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Kapila Waidyaratne. more..

Jun 22 (NR) Environmentalists claim area residents killing a leopard that broke into a village in Ambakulam, Kilinochchi cannot be justified. Environmentalist, attorney Jagath Gunewardene claimed legal action should be taken against individuals behind the killing of the leopard. The leopard had attacked around 10 villagers yesterday following which officers of the Department of Wildlife arrived to capture the leopard. more..

Jun 22 (AD) At least five persons including police officers and a woman were wounded following an exchange of gunfire between policemen and a gang of criminals who had attempted to rob a jewellery store in Matara. A gang of around 6 individuals had entered a jewellery shop in the Matara town at around 10.00am this morning and were robbing the place when a civilian nearby had noticed the events and notified the police. more..