May 31 (DM) If anyone has carefully read the Second Republican Constitution 1978, also known as the JRJ Constitution, he or she would conclude that it�s all about the Executive Presidency. If powers described in the Constitution is likened to a tree, the Executive Presidency is the root, the trunk, the branches, leaves, flowers, fruit and bark. It was about centralizing power. It was dictatorial or put another way it was a constitution that was made to make dictators. more..

May 31 (DM) Prof. Rory Medcalf, the Head of the Australian National University�s National Security College, was in Sri Lanka recently. He speaks about Sri Lanka�s strategic positioning and its importance from the Australian point of view. Q: How do you view your visit to Sri Lanka? A:The purpose of this visit is to bring a delegation of Australian analysts � academics, ex-Navy personnel etc. more..

May 31 (Island) The real cost of a unit of electricity produced using coal was close to Rs 17 and not Rs 7.50 as stated by the Ministry of Power and CEB officials, mechanical engineer and past president of the Bio Energy Association of SL, Parakrama Jayasinghe said. "The Public Utilities Commission of SL using data given by the CEB has calculated that the cost of a unit of electricity produced using coal is Rs 14 for the month of Sept 2017. more..

May 31 (CT) The Southern Provincial Health Directorate yesterday, said there was a decline in the number of adult influenza patients. Southern Province Director of Health Services (SPDHS), Dr. G. Wijesooriya said, however there was no decline in the number of paediatric patients with influenza being admitted to hospitals in the South. He said that the situation could be brought under control within the next two weeks. more..

May 31 (DM) After it transpired that UPFA MP Dayasiri Jayaekara received one million rupees as campaign finance from Arjun Aloysius who is held responsible for the bond fraud, it stirred the hornet�s nest in politics. Consequent to the revelation in court, news reports went viral in internet and social media saying that, in fact, as many as 118 MPs across the political divide had taken cash inducements from Perpetual more..

May 31 (Island) The opposition parties had done nothing in the last six months to force the govt to release over 5000 unpublished pages of the PCoI report on the bond scam, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, Executive Director of the CaFFE said. "When the PCoI report was published in January, we revealed that close to 5000 pages have not been made available to the public. These are mainly annexure which contain vital information. more..

May 31 (Island) A civil society grouping that had backed the 2015 change of govt declared its unconditional support for the JVP�s 20th Amendment to the Constitution meant to further weaken the presidency. Civil society activists representing Purawesi Balaya (PB) and National Movement for a Just Society (NMSJ) appreciated the JVP�s initiative while flaying Prez and PM for not taking tangible measures to fulfill more..

May 31 (CT) The CID yesterday, informed Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate that Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka was not connected to the abduction and assault of journalist Keith Noyahr. The CID revealed this when the case in connection with the incident was taken up for hearing at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate�s Court. Former Army Intelligence Officer (Retired) Major General Amal Karunasekera, more..

May 31 (ST) W.M. Mendis & Co, whose accounts were frozen as part of Central Bank action against companies in the Perpetual Group of Companies, is back in operation again, reportedly with the assistance of an unnamed investor. The liquor manufacturer is among 24 Perpetual Group companies whose bank accounts were frozen earlier this year by the Central Bank. In total, the operations of around 100 accounts remain suspended. more..

May 31 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, members of the TNA and the Chiefs of the Security Forces discussed on how to expedite release of lands in the North and East. TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah said that his party stressed the need for expediting the release of lands held by the security forces to the rightful civilian owners, when PM Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the North recently. more..

May 31 (DM) While claiming that the Int'l community could not be a spectator anymore with regard to SL, Leader of the Opposition and the TNA R. Sampanthan said if the Govt continued to fail in its commitments, Int'l Community must clearly state its position on follow up mechanisms to safeguard the victims and ensure non-recurrence of the past. He told this during a meeting with the visiting US House of Representatives more..

May 31 (CT) National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages Minister Mano Ganesan, doesn�t know the Constitution. Speaking at a function in Colombo on Monday, he said, �As it�s, Sinhala has been named the national language while secondary status has been given to Tamil.� (Tuesday�s Ceylon Today Edition) He said that he was making arrangements to introduce a 21st Amendment where he hoped to include Tamil as one of two national languages in the country. more..

May 31 (NR) Railway Technical Services Trade Union Committee called off the 48 hour token strike at 4 this evening as planned. Chairman of the Committee Sampath Rajitha said all employees have now reported back to service. Railway Technical Services Trade Union Committee launched a 48-hour token strike which commenced at 4pm on Tuesday. The strike was launched based on several demands including salary increments. Meanwhile responding to an inquiry by more..

May 31 (DM) National Transport Commission (NTC) said today it decided to remove some 450 semi-luxury buses from service by the end of the year. NTC Chairman M.A.P. Hemachandra said this decision was taken following a meeting held in January at the Transport Ministry after a number of passengers expressed concerns over the lack of service equal to the higher bus fares. �The semi-luxury buses now in operation will be given till Dec 31 to convert them into luxury buses or more..

May 31 (FT) I walk pass many cars parked in multiple places in multiple ways during the course of a working day. It is not that uncommon to witness and hear of parked vehicles with someone asleep inside with the engine humming to power the air conditioner. May not be quite cosy but definitely much more comfortable than the hot sun outside. For how many hours per day and how many vehicles across Sri Lanka may this be happening? One wonders about the amount of fuel spent more..

May 31 (AD) President Maithripala Sirisena says that he does not know who prepared the 100-Day Programme of the Good Governance govt, which was unveiled after his election victory on January 8, 2015. He made these controversial comments while delivering a strongly-worded speech during the commemoration event held at the Foundation Institute today (30) to mark the 76th birth anniversary of the late more..

May 31 (DM) Highways Minister Kabir Hashim said today the 100-day-programme was prepared by those who campaigned against former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2014. He told this to the media after the UNP Working Committee meeting held at Sirikotha. �The UNP is responsible for the 100-day-programme,� he said in response to a statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday that he was unaware as to who prepared the 100-day-programme. more..

May 31 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has told UNPers not to respond to the statement made by Prez Sirisena yesterday. Informed sources said the Premier had said this when he met party members including seniors at the UNP working committee meeting held at Sirikotha this morning and was responding to a suggestion made by young MPs that the party should respond to the President immediately. �The ministers and MPs should not respond to the President but should resolve more..

May 31 (CT) The Al-Jazeera Video Report on alleged pitch-doctoring at the Galle Test Matches in the recent past as steps in betting scams has grabbed the sporting headlines and generated an investigation. The sensationalist impact has skewed and dulled the minds of reporters and administrators alike. Cricketing acumen has gone out of the window. No one has raised an immediate question: given that matches in Galle have generally more..

May 31 (DM) A 60-year-old Polish national had been arrested with 100 gold biscuits, worth Rs.65 million, this morning at the BIA, Customs Spokesman Sunil Jayarathne said. He said the suspect, who arrived from Dubai was apprehended by the Customs officers at 8.50 a.m. while attempting to smuggle in the gold biscuits through the Green Channel. The gold biscuits, weighing 10 kilograms, were found wrapped in his waist belt (girdle) which was specially made to transport gold biscuits, he said. more..

May 31 (NR) UPFA MP Sanath Nishantha has been released on bail. MP Nishantha who was remanded on charges of violating bail conditions in the case over assaulting the Arachchikattuwa Divisional Secretariat was released on two surety bails of 1 million rupees each. The order was issued by Chilaw High Court Judge Sanjeewa Moraes. The Judge also issued an order to investigate the MP's assets. MP Sanath Nishantha was also ordered to appear before the Chilaw Police every Sunday. more..

May 31 (CT) A Bill that would address the matter of alleged excessive fees charged in private hospitals for blood transfusions is in its final phase of drafting at the moment, National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) Director Dr. Rukshan Bellana said. The purposes of the Bill are to regulate and standardize all blood donations, storage and transfusion activities in Sri Lanka under the NBTS. Dr. Bellana, during a media briefing at NBTS premises, more..

May 31 (NR) Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake has challenged MP Dayasiri Jayasekara to return the one million rupees obtained from Perpetual Treasuries for election propaganda activities. Deputy Minister was speaking to media following the UNP working committee meeting. He stressed over the past few weeks the former Malaysian PM who was accused was brought into book adding a bag containing SL rupees was also found in possession of the estranged Malaysian Premier. more..

May 31 (CT) Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) President�s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne will be attending the European Union (EU) Convention against Corruption where laws pertaining to assets recovery and sports will be discussed amidst the controversy pertaining to pitch-fixing that has arisen within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). He added that the Convention will take place in Brussels, Belgium tomorrow (1). more..

May 31 (Reuters) Talks between China and SL for a free trade agreement have hit major hurdles, mainly because Beijing will not agree to Colombo's demand for a review of the deal after 10 years, SL's top negotiator said. China has invested billions of dollars building ports and roads and power stations in the Indian Ocean island nation just off the southern toe of India as part of its Belt and Road Initiative to increase its trade and more..

May 31 (EN) SL's unemployed graduates who are not disabled but are not contributing to the nation in gainful employment will get a 20,000 rupee monthly allowance from the state starting from July 2018. The govt will recruit 5,000 graduate who apparently cannot find a gainful job and pay them 20,000 rupees a month from July. They will be recruited for training, govt said. Another 15,000 will be recruited in Sept 2018 and will be paid 20,000 a month. More will be taken in 2019. more..

May 31 (NR) Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to amend the Sri Lanka Customs Ordinance Act in order to launch a programme to introduce a one stop service station in order to make more convenient business activities. The programme aims to develop the productivity and convenience of the business process to increase number of businesses and the investment flow within the country. Accordingly following the amendment it is expected that more..

May 31 (EN) Sri Lanka's exports grew 6.3% to US$ 1,107.7 million in March 2018 from a year earlier, with industrial exports growing 10.5% to US$ 861 million, the central bank said. Apparel exports grew 7.4% to US$ 486 million, rubber products grew 11.8% to US$ 85.8 million and gems and jewellery grew 91.9% to US$ 38.7 million. Agricultural exports fell 5.6% to US$ 138.5 million with tea up 3.6% to US$ 138.5 million and more..

May 31 (EN) Sri Lanka�s high debt burden is likely to limit the benefits of recent tax reforms, rating agency Moody's Investors Service has said in a new report. "For many sovereigns, measures to broaden the tax base are unlikely to boost fiscal strength unless accompanied by enhanced tax administration and measures that effectively manage expenditure growth," said William Foster, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer. Moody's conclusions are contained in its just-released more..

May 31 (CT) Leader of Socialist Equality Party (SEP) Wije Dias yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court alleging that the refusal to hand over the New Town Hall premises to hold his Party�s May Day rally this year had infringed his Fundamental Rights. The petitioner has stated that the SEP consists of scores of supporters both locally and overseas and the decision to deprive the venue from being given to his Party to stage the event had resulted in more..

May 31 (CB) Following the delaying of the elections of Sri Lanka Cricket, Sports Minister Faizer Mustapha appointed the secretary of his ministry to oversee the affairs of the sports body here on today (31). Appeal Court on Wednesday issued an order staying the elections of SLC scheduled for Thursday. A further hearing has been scheduled by the court on the 14th of June. Mustapha said that he is appointing more..

May 31 (CT) Joint Opposition (JO) has decided to oppose the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. The decision was taken at its Party Leaders� meeting late last night. �The meeting was chaired by former President Rajapaksa and was attended by SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris, JO and MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena and other Party Leaders Udaya Gammanpila, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Raja Collure and Prof. Tissa Vitharna. One of the main decisions taken at more..

May 31 (GDI) The first flag of the No-Tobacco Samurdhi Flag programme, carried out in parallel to the World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31 was pinned on President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat, today (31st). This programme will be carried out from May 31 to June 30 throughout the country. A large number of programmes have been organized to create awareness on the harmful effects of tobacco use to the public including the school children. more..

May 31 (DM) Two more Supreme Court Judges today recused themselves from hearing the fundamental rights petition filed by former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Petition seeks an order from Court to stop the police arresting him in connection with several investigations and a declaration that the gazette notification by the FCID is beyond its legal power or authority. more..