May 17 (ST) Nineteen paintings of one of Sri Lanka�s most distinguished artists David Shillingford Paynter have finally found a fitting home in a permanent gallery at the J.D.A. Perera Gallery at the Faculty of Visual Arts of the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo. The journey of the paintings from the home of the late artist in Nuwara Eliya to the permanent gallery in Horton Place, Colombo, more..

May 17 (CT) Education is a major factor in the development of children. In addition, it has a massive influence on a country�s economy and the overall wellbeing of all its dwellers. Education goes a long way, and investing in education is one of the most significant ways in which we can improve our country. The first three to five years are very significant in a child�s life as they begin to absorb the world around them and develop. A child�s early experiences in their lives affect their more..

May 17 (CT) Dayan Jayatilleka (DJ) suffers from chronic anti-Tamil and federal phobia for no valid reasons. As the flag bearer of Sinhala-Buddhist racism and majoritarian, there is no surprise he is opposed to any form of power sharing. The allegation that the LTTE killed the greatest number of educated Tamil political personalities is old stuff. He is parroting such allegations for decades. He is simply shedding crocodile tears for the dead and not the living. more..

May 17 (CT) Minister of Plantation Industries Navin Dissanayake said what is being spoken of, about Glyphosate, has no scientific basis: If the WHO tells the SL Govt that use of Glyphosate is dangerous, then tomorrow I will stop the use of this weed killer. Q: You are now the National Organizer of the UNP. What are the responsibilities and powers of this position? A: There are no officially written down powers like that. more..

May 17 (SO) It is a truth universally acknowledged that in May 2009 the Govt of SL won the war. This extraordinary turn of events, we are told, resulted from the political carte blanche granted to the Gotabaya, Fonseka and Karanagoda troika. Licence from on high, the story goes, unshackled their hitherto caged military nous and single-minded, perhaps even bloody-minded, focus on military victory. Occasionally, Kumaratunga and Wickremesinghe govts� victories survive more..

May 17 (Island) Former State Timber Corporation (STC) Chairman Anuruddha Polgampola finds himself on the same gum tree as his immediate predecessor P. Dissanayake, albeit for a different reason. He was arrested by the CID, on Tuesday night, for his failure to be present in a court hearing a case against him in connection with an alleged financial fraud. It was only the other day that President Maithripala Sirsena�s Chief of Staff T.H.K. Mahanama as well as more..

May 17 (DN) As the former head of the Rubber Research Institute (RRI), having seen the production figures of both Tea, Rubber and Coconut in the Central Bank report, I was shocked to notice that the Rubber production in the country has dropped down to 69,000 Mt during 2016, compared to over 130,000 Mt produced before 2015, pushing Sri Lanka down to the 12th position among NR producing countries. Situation with regard to other plantation crops including paddy is also the same. more..

May 17 (Island) South Asia, home to a fifth of humanity, is one of the least integrated regions in the world. The intra-regional trade in South Asia accounts for only 5% of its total trade, manifesting a low degree of economic bonding in the region. Two main states in South Asia were born into an environment marred by mutual antagonism and it continued to remain so as they got locked into a multiple-levels conflict as to the dispute over territory, balance of power, more..

May 17 (Roar) Trudging up the rugged terrain of Sri Lanka�s Central Highlands to track pugmarks and affix cameras to trees may sound a rather strange way to spend the day to you and me, but to Anjali Watson it is all part of her job description. An ecologist and conservation champion, Watson�s life has always revolved around wildlife and the great outdoors. Along with her husband and fellow conservationist, more..

May 17 (FT) Chandana Aluthgama has been appointed as CEO of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC). Aluthgama is a renowned professional in the corporate world with over 25 years of experience across diverse facets in the insurance business. During his illustrious career, he has held many senior roles in organisations such as Eagle insurance, HNB Assurance, etc. Further, he has held many leadership positions outside his insurance career in local/int'l associations. more..

May 17 (DN) Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Group has reported a EBITDA or operating profit before depreciation and amortization of Rs. 6.1 bn during the 1st quarter 2018, with a year on year increase of 8.5%. The EBITDA margin of the Group increased from 30.1% last year to 30.8%. Controlling of cost escalations while sustaining revenue growth have resulted in better EBITDA levels. The group revenue for the quarter under review was reported at Rs. 19.8 billion with Year on Year growth of 5.9%, more..

May 17 (CT) Athletics Association (AASL) has finalized an 8 member team for the Asian qualification trials for the Youth Olympic Games to be held on 3 and 4 July in Bangkok, Thailand. Team includes four boys and four girls whose performance levels are equal to medal winning range of the last Asian Youth Athletics Championship. Sprinter Santhush Weerasinghe who was a semi-finalist at last year�s IAAF World Youth Championship, more..

May 17 (Island) Newly appointed Sports Minister Faizer Musthapha yesterday met members of the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket. SLC in a media release said that the Ex-Co members handed the audited financial report of the board. Among the members, present during the meeting were some of the main culprits named in a report that looked into match-fixing in domestic cricket. Musthapha�s predecessor Dayasiri Jayasekara appointed eminent lawyer Kalinga Indatissa to look into more..

May 17 (DN) Ministry of Education, under the direction of Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, has come forward to boost school cricket in a big way with the support of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA). SLSCA Secretary Dilshan de Silva said the massive two-year development plan should help school cricket to regain its lost prestige. He stressed the need to make a collective effort to develop school cricket and produce quality players to feed the national team in future. more..

May 17 (ST) Gated communities are popping up all over Sri Lanka and while they certainly can boost security, a few issues have been cropping up. Unlike apartment owners, those in gated communities which are a rapidly growing phenomenon in Sri Lanka, don�t have laws or any authority that govern them. A gated community (or walled community) is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and more..

May 17 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena advised the National Economic Council (NEC) to hold a special one-day workshop on the govt�s comprehensive economic development plan for Ministers, Members of Parliament representing the govt, Ministry secretaries and Central Bank and Treasury officials. He said such a workshop will be helpful to make them aware of the plans and also to obtain their views and suggestions. The President suggested this at the NEC meeting, more..

May 17 (FT) Reforming immigration law to allow free movement of people through progressive laws could tackle SL�s chronic economic challenges of narrow exports, low Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and limited innovation, a top expert said, outlining many examples of countries that have experienced growth spurts by opening up their labour markets. Prof. Ricardo Hausmann is Director of Harvard�s Center for Int'l Development more..

May 17 (CT) Former SL captain Arjuna Ranathunga says that if the sport is to be resuscitated in Sri Lanka, govt will need to appoint an Interim Committee rather than allow SLC to function under its current corrupt management. Ranathunga who is a Minister of the current regime made this comment while replying to a question posed to him by UNP MP Mayantha Dissanayake, who asked what measures have to be taken if cricket is to be saved from its current predicament. more..

May 17 (Island) Kandy Mayor Kesara Senanayake said that the Anniewatte tunnel would be closed for motor traffic and pedestrians indefinitely. He said that the decision was taken due to urgent repairs needed for the tunnel. While earth slips were taking place at the entrances to the tunnel, its interior too required urgent repairs to prevent major disasters, mayor Senanayake told the media. He urged the public to avoid walking through the tunnel and that trishaws should also avoid passing through it. more..

May 17 (CB) Not many had heard about Tim McCaskil when SL's Head Coach Chandika Haturusingha put in a paper to SLC asking the board to hire the Australian on a short-term consultant basis. McCaskil, who is the High-Performance Manager at Cricket Victoria, had not played any First Class cricket, but Hathurusingha wanted to address an urgent need. Several SL fast bowlers had faced injuries in recent times more..

May 17 (FT) Court of Appeal yesterday (16) issued notices on 23 members of the Maharagama Urban Council who had been elected on the Independent Group No: 2. Justices P. Padman Surasena (President/CA) and Arjuna Obeysekara issued the Notices returnable for 28 June. Registered Voter Chandrasena Perera of Maharagama filed the Writ petition, challenging impugned 23 Respondents who had been declared and elected to the Maharagama Urban Council in the election held on 10 Feb. more..

May 17 (DN) The falling value of the SL Rupee against the US Dollar, would bring much benefits to the exporter in terms of a greater inflow of currency to the export enterprise, said President National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Ramal Jasinghe. He said the drop in the Rupee against the Dollar, which is currently being observed brings about a great opportunity for export enterprises to earn more and in turn build Rupee reserves and look at capacity building and to make improvements in more..

May 17 (FT) Sri Lanka�s plans to boost economic growth, which place digital transformation and connectivity high on the agenda to usher a new era of optimism, was sealed yesterday, with the Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Ministry entering into a landmark agreement with Microsoft in Sri Lanka to provide effective citizen services. MoU is the realisation of the country�s e-Govt Policy and more..

May 17 (Island) SL Immigration and Emigration Officers� Association (SLIEOA) will commence a work-to-rule campaign from midnight today at all port and airports of the country, until their grievances are addressed, Secretary of the SLIEOA, KKGJ Bandara says. SLIEOA says it has been urging the govt to address several long standing concerns, including the introduction of a service minute, attaching Immigration officers to foreign missions and re-establishment of Departmental more..

May 17 (DN) India�s Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat currently in Sri Lanka on a goodwill tour, received the spiritual blessings of the most Sacred Tooth Relic at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy yesterday. On behalf of Army Commander Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake, Major General Rukmal Dias, Commander, Security Forces � Central (SF-Cen) as the one in charge of the Kandy area, was on hand at the Kandy Dalada Maligawa premises to receive the Indian Chief of Army Staff and more..

May 17 (Island) The JO/SLPP expect 16 SLFP MPs who crossed over to the Opposition on May 8 to join the genuine Opposition without further delay. Authoritative JO/SLPP sources said that there was consensus among JO and SLPP heavyweights that the group of 16 could join JO led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. MEP leader and MP Dinesh Gunawardena functions as the JO parliamentary group leader. more..

May 17 (CT) A case that had been filed at the Embilipitiya Courts against UNP Ratnapura District MP Heshan Withanage on charges of wilful misuse of properties and goods worth over Rs 100 million, after having sold them to a businessman, was taken up for hearing yesterday. MP was charged with breaking open a rented building, which had been locked by its tenant, where the goods had been stored. Case had been filed by a businessman from Galle, Anura Mahendra, in 2016. more..

May 17 (DN) The Central Bank said it has taken measures to contain the depreciation of the Rupee. The underlying fundamentals do not warrant the current pressure on the SL rupee. Gross external reserves are presently at a healthy USD 9.1 bn, while the real effective exchange rate indices indicate that the currency is competitive, the Central Bank said. The pressure on the currency is, therefore, unwarranted. The USD 250 mn as the next tranche of the IMF EFF in early June; more..

May 17 (FT) An alleged scam has caused a loss of Rs. 10 million at the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal (CPSTL) on the day fuel prices were hiked, prompting Minister Arjuna Ranatunga to vow stern action after a probe. Govt decided to increase the fuel price on 10 May at midnight, and was declared in the morning of the same day. In such a situation, same-day orders are to be cancelled temporarily. more..

May 17 (FT) The Govt said that it would remain impartial with regard to the planned commemoration activities by the Northern Provincial Council members in the North on 18 May. Minister Rajitha Senaratne made these remarks in response to a question raised by a journalist, regarding the Govt position on the populace in the North commemorating Tamil civilians that lost their lives during the war on 18 May. Minister said that the JVP celebrated their Maha Viru commemoration more..

May 17 (AT) SL Muslims begins Ramadan Fast on Friday (18), while majority of the Muslims world over begins their fast on Thursday (17). As -the lunar moon for Ramadan has not been sighted in SL, and the first day of the fasting month will be observed on Friday. Colombo Grand Mosque said that fasting month observed by Muslims in SL, in view of Ramadan will commence from May 18. Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of more..

May 17 (Reuters) Iran has agreed to build a new oil refinery for Sri Lanka in addition to upgrading its ageing 50,000 barrel per day (bpd) state-owned refinery, minister Rajitha Senaratne said. Iranian officials pledged the new refinery when President Maitripala Sirisena made an official visit to Tehran over the weekend, the first leader to go to Iran since US President Donald Trump reimposed US economic sanctions. more..

May 17 (DM) In the afterglow of Mother�s Day on May 13 the world this week celebrates the International Day for Families. It is widely accepted that the family is the nucleus of society, a good society depends on a good family and therefore the day is important for all. According to a UN statement, this year�s theme is Families and inclusive societies. It will explore the role of families and family policies in advancing Sustainable Development Goal 16 in terms of more..

May 17 (DM) Colombo, or rather certain powdered, lipsticked and groomed part of the political space it is taken to be, is uneasy. The unease of those who�ve seldom experienced anything but ease comes from a spectre that has haunted them for quite a while but has, since last Sunday (14) become too flesh-and-blood-real for comfort. In a word (or name), Gota. That�s Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. They might think that Gota trespassed, for prime properties in Colombo are not exactly more..

May 17 (ST) This week�s fuel prices increase is set to trigger a chain reaction with transport costs, food prices and the cost of living to rise. The increase came hard on the heels of a hike in the prices of gas, milk and food items. The head of the state-run Railway Department has called for an increase in train fares too. Railways General Manager S.M. Abeywickrema said the Govt spent more than Rs. 3,000 million on diesel to more..

May 17 (DM) Former Minister S.B. Dissanayake who is now spearheading the 16-member group of the SLFP responds to questions about the current political situation and next prez election. Q: Your group sits in the opposition now. What is the next move? A: We try to get more members to our side from the govt. We hope a large number of SLFPers who serve in the govt at the moment will team up with us shortly. more..

May 17 (DM) Minister Champika Ranawaka, speaks about the next Presidential election. He also responds to the question whether he will come forward as the candidate and about his participation in a programme at Harvard University in the US. Q: You played a pivotal role in the installation of this govt. Its term has now come to the tail end. How do you look at it retrospectively? A: The govt ensured openness, dispelled fear more..

May 17 (DM) Graeme La Brooy is set to secure another term as head of the cricket selection committee but the Board is looking at changes to the rest of the committee as their term ended on May 15. La Brooy took from Sanath Jayasuriya late last year after the latter resigned following a series of defeats. La Brooy will however miss the services of Asanka Gurusinha, the newly appointed Chief Cricket Operation Officer. more..