Sep 23 (DM) Since we gained independence from the British in 1948, the country has had two Governors General, one Constitutional President and six Executive Presidents. We have also had three constitutions. The first constitution, (the Soulbury Constitution) imposed by the British, gave the country a parliamentary democracy, based on the Westminster model in Britain with the Queen of England as head of state, represented by her Governor General. more..

Sep 23 (DM) Sri Lanka is quite famous in creating world records. A few of them are good records but most of them are bad ones. At the moment we have the record of being in 2nd position among the countries which have the highest number of public holidays. By 2020, we will definitely become first. Whether to celebrate or to cry on the achievement depends on whether you are a public servant or not. One might even ask, �How can you predict it with such confidence?� A fair question! more..

Sep 23 (TM) The US dismissed various conspiracy theories which were circulating following the Easter Sunday attacks where rumours circulated over US involvement. In a wide-ranging interview with The Sunday Morning, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina Teplitz spoke on concerns being raised over Chinese funding to Sri Lanka, human rights, accountability, and inconsistent policies which may deter some US investors. more..

Sep 23 (TM) Several cases of election law violation have already been reported, just days after the 2019 prez election was officially announced by the Election Commission. CaFFE Executive Director Manas Makeen said they had received a number of complaints including two cases of misuse of state resources and abuse of power. He said that in one instance, officials had been appointed to State Timber Corporation. more..

Sep 23 (CT) The political climate in the North has been dull, making no difference to the lives of the people, compared to the South (who are hyped over the upcoming Prez poll), despite several visits to the North made by govt officials, Cabinet Ministers, Prez and PM of SL's, let's say, ever since the war ended. This is not what is expected when one of the bloodiest wars in the South Asian region ended almost 10 yrs ago. more..

Sep 23 (EN) A collapse in Sri Lanka�s vehicle imports that came in the wake of a combination of money printing and Nixon shock style trade restrictions in 2018, as the currency collapsed, may be bottoming out, data shows. New vehicle registrations including motor-cycles have risen to 32,188 units in August, from 31,715 in July, data from Sri Lanka�s vehicle registry compiled by JB Securities, a brokerage shows. more..

Sep 23 (ST) The Lanka Electricity Company�s board has not approved the Rs 275 million donation ordered by the Prime Minister�s office for development of the sacred site of Mihintale. But an ex-military man in the personal staff of Minister Ravi Karunanayake has visited the LECO office several times demanding the cheque and his intimidation has caused the Chief Financial Officer to flee, authoritative sources said. more..

Sep 23 (RN) The UNP is hopeful that its current deadlock over the Party�s Prez candidate will be resolved and the name announced before the end of this week. It�s about time. Election campaigns give us the chance to debate the vital issues facing the country and for the electors to hear how those aspiring to gain office face these challenges and plan to find solutions. With less than 60 days to go to polling day in the Prez election the debate more..

Sep 23 (CT) The Ministry of Power and Energy has not yet awarded the contract to construct a 300 Mega Watt (MG) Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plant in Kerawalapitiya. However, Ministry Secretary, Dr. Suren Batagoda testifying before the PCoI blamed the CEB for the delay. He further said the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) had not approved the contract and if the PCoI recommends, Ministry could award it to more..

Sep 23 (AD) A tense situation has been reported among people who had arrived at the Department of Immigration & Emigration in Battaramulla this morning (23). The activities and services at the department have come to a standstill owing to the trade union action launched by a section of employees today. Non-executive officers at the department are on strike while it has been reported that only passport applications for more..

Sep 23 (TM) The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of America says Sri Lanka has still not lost the $ 480 million grant. Clarifying a news report appearing on The Sunday Morning newspaper, the MCC said that a final decision on the grant will be taken in December. As reported in the newspaper, the MCC board which met last week had discussed the delay in Sri Lanka not signing the agreement and its next move. more..

Sep 23 (AD) SLPP President Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa and 7 others have been discharged and released from the Avant-Garde case. This is as per the order of the Colombo Magistrate�s Court after receiving the Court of Appeal judgment on the case. A copy of the acquittal order from the Appeals court was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne when the case was taken up today (23). more..

Sep 23 (CT) The March 12 Movement, made up of a wide range of civil society organizations, has organized a public dialogue between Prez candidates and citizens to foster accountability in politics. Accordingly, at a mega event at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Oct 5, a number of prez candidates will engage in a public dialogue with citizens on questions of critical national importance. The event will also see the introduction of 3, 000 citizen reporters from AFRIEL, more..

Sep 23 (CT) It is in the backdrop of Jaffna Hindu College Principal being arrested for accepting Rs 50,000 as a bribe for an admission to the college, the CIABOC has decided to bring out a new single Act to replace the existing Bribery (Amendment) Act No. 20 of 1994. It is shocking and disheartening to understand a Principal of a highly respected educational institution in Jaffna was handcuffed by the CIABOC officials following the complaint they received. It is not only in Jaffna, more..

Sep 23 (FT) Recently, a former CEO of a leading private company expressed his personal view to me of the type of the ruler whom SL should have today. Driven by conviction, he said that SL at the present juncture needed a dictator to rule the country. He presented his reasons for this suggestion. All the top leaders of the country today, according to him, have disappointingly failed the nation. They have promised so many good things to the electorate when they sought power at elections. more..

Sep 23 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, after a discussion with a team of his party seniors, decided last night to call for a meeting of the working committee on Thursday and conduct a secret ballot to select the prez candidate. The participants of this meeting conducted at Temple Trees were ministers Vajira Abeywardane, Lakshman Kiriella, Ravi Karunanayake, Lakshman Kiriella, John Amaratunga and Daya Gamage. They decided that the working committee of UNP should meet on Thursday more..

Sep 23 (AD) The Attorney General has referred the matter of the controversial telephone conversation between the Solicitor General Dilrukshi Dias Wickremesinghe and Avant-Garde chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi to the Public Service Commission (PSC). The AG�s Coordinating Officer Nishara Jayaratne says that the matter has been referred to the Public Service Commission for an inquirer to be appointed more..

Sep 23 (CT) UPFA Ratnapura District MP Vasudewa Nanayakkara told Ceylon Today that when Gotabaya Rajapaksa becomes the Prez, a Special Presidential Commission (SPC) will be appointed to look into all the cases filed by the present Govt seeking political revenge. This Commission will be appointed in a bid to serve justice to all those who were subjected to political revenge, and to reveal to the country the politicians and officials who caused these incidents of political revenge. more..

Sep 23 (AD) Minister Sajith Premadasa appeared before the PCoI appointed to investigate into allegations of corruption and fraud in state institutions from 2015-2018. The minister had arrived at the commission this morning after he was called to appear before the PCoI to testify regarding a complaint on alleged irregularities and illegal appointments made to the National Housing Development Authority. Meanwhile former minister MP D.M. Swaminathan has also arrived more..

Sep 23 (CT) Schools in plantations are no close to the developed city schools, although govt and political bodies take pride in saying they have been successful in developing them. Many officials and local politicians compare the city schools with the schools in plantations with great pride, saying they have granted basic facilities, in terms of technology, new buildings, laboratories and libraries. But it is not so. more..

Sep 23 (AD) Hiranya Samarasekera, VP Engineering - Head of Enterprise Architecture Group (EAG) at Sysco LABS, delivered the keynote speech at the 2nd Int'l Conference on Business Research (ICBR) 2019 organized by the Business Research Unit of the Faculty of Business at Uni of Moratuwa. This year�s conference theme was Calibrating the modern-day businesses through data analytics and business information systems in emerging markets. Hiranya classified Sri Lanka as more..

Sep 23 (AD) The Mullaitivu Magistrate�s Court has delivered an order for the final rites of the Nayaru Rajamaha Vihara Chief Incumbent to be carried out on the beach opposite to the temple. The case on the cremation rites of the Chief Incumbent of Nayaru Gurukanda Rajamaha Vihara was taken up at the Mullaitivu Magistrate�s Court, today (23). According to Ada Derana reporter, nearly 15 lawyers appeared on behalf of the plaintiffs, the Mullaitivu Nirvariya Pillaiyar Kovil Governing Council more..

Sep 23 (Island) An investigation conducted by the Parliamentary watchdog committee � COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) � has revealed that a new cough syrup was tested, in 2016, on patients who sought treatment at the Ayurvedic Teaching Hospital, Borella, instead of animals. A private company supplied the cough syrup to the Institute of Indigenous Medicine. This was revealed during an investigation more..

Sep 23 (RN) At least one person is dead and 5669 people affected by heavy rain and strong winds in several parts of the country. The DMC reported that the death was reported from Batticoloa. All schools in the Matara and Galle districts are closed tomorrow and the day after due to the weather. Meanwhile the NBRO issued early landslide warnings to Kalutara, Kegalle and Galle districts this afternoon due to the prevailing weather condition across the island. more..

Sep 23 (AD) Regardless of what the leadership of the SLFP says, the village-level supporters are today with the SLPP and its prez candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, according to UPFA MP Sudarshani Fernandopulle. She said that the UNP is currently struggling unable to reach a decision regarding its prez candidate. �Some are saying its Ranil, some are saying Karu and some are saying Sajith,� she said, adding that the UNP does not have any leaders who are suitable for the year 2020. more..

Sep 23 (MB) About 140 km south of Colombo, lies the coastal town of Koggala, named after a picturesque lake and identified with author Martin Wickremasinghe, who lived there and wrote his famous children�s novel Madol Doowa (The Island of Mangroves) after one of the eight ecologically rich islets that dot the estuary lagoon. Koggala and neighboring Unawatuna, one of SL�s most popular tourist destinations, had for decades more..

Sep 23 (SLN) The Navy, during a raid conducted in Thondamanaru area, Jaffna on 22nd Sept, apprehended an illegal immigrant from India along with 05 more suspects. Having caught the sight of a suspicious van near the Children�s Park of Akkarai, Thondamanaru, Navy had searched the suspected vehicle. When searched, there were six persons in the vehicle and further interrogation revealed that one of them was an illegal immigrant from India. The suspect was subsequently held by the Navy. more..

Sep 23 (DM) The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) today issued landslide warnings in three districts as rainy conditions continued. Warnings were issued to the Kalutara, Kegalle and Galle Districts since the rainfall within the past 24 hours has exceeded 75mm as of today. �If the rain continued, one has to be watchful on the possibility of landslides, slope failures, rock falls, cutting failures and ground subsidence,� the NBRO warning said. more..

Sep 23 (FT) Ministry of Health had decided to take over all estate hospitals in the Nuwara Eliya District during a discussion between Medical Officers of Health (MoH) of the Nuwara Eliya District and officials of the Ministry of Health. The decision was taken at the Ministry of Health premises at a meeting chaired by Minister Rajitha Senaratne. This step was taken based on a recommendation of the Sectoral Oversight more..

Sep 23 (MFA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the guidance of Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana, conducted an Integrated Consular Mobile Service [ICMS], for the eighth time this year, with the assistance of the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat at the District Secretariat on Saturday, 14 September 2019. The Ministry had previously conducted ICMS in Trincomalee, Kandy, Kurunegala, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Puttalam and Mannar. During the mobile services, the Foreign Minister and more..

Sep 23 (CT) Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) had given Sarcon Development Pvt Ltd, Industrial Mining Licence (IML) for excavation work of the Karasnagala Graphite Mine, which is said to be the largest graphite mine after the Kahatagaha and Bogala Mines. GSMB stated that Sarcon Development Pvt Ltd has begun excavation work of the Karasnagala Mine. Royalties of around 7% of the export of graphite is for the Govt. GSMB had carried out the geological survey for more..

Sep 23 (Xinhua) World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Sri Lanka as a country that has successfully eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV, National STD/AIDS Control Program said. The relevant certificate for the declaration will be issued to Sri Lanka before the end of 2019, Deputy Director of National STD/AIDS Control Program, Dr. Lilani Rajapaksa said. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the spread of more..

Sep 23 (DM) A new intercity express train service titled Southern Intercity Express (Dakshina Nagaranthara Sigragmi) was commissioned from Colombo Fort to Beliatta from tomorrow, the Railway Department said. The train will be in service daily from tomorrow. The train leaves Maradana Railway Station at 3.00 p.m and scheduled to reach Beliatta Railway station at 06.05 p.m. The same train will depart from Beliatta at 2.15 a.m and reach Maradana Railway station at 05.10 a.m. more..

Sep 23 (AN) A group of Tamil women who survived the civil war in northern Sri Lanka paid tribute to the victims of the Easter bombings. They visited the St Sebastian Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, on Saturday, five months to the day since terrorist attacks killed 263 people and wound more than 600. �It is really sad and unfortunate to see this long list of deceased people due to an inhuman act against a church, especially on a day so special for Christians (Easter),� they told AsiaNews. more..

Sep 23 (AD) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe today issued a special statement in response to the accusation leveled against him by the President, with regard to the former Director General of the Bribery Commission Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe. He stated that according to SL�s Constitution, only the Chief Justice and the AG have the authority to make recommendations to the Prez with regard to more..

Sep 24 (CT) Mangala Samaraweera could play it straight only for a short time. He, periodically, gives up his good work and takes to where his real skills are and that is salesmanship. Toward this metamorphosed end, Mangala would turn his back on everything he stood for during the days of good behaviour. Without doubt, Mangala manipulates in the political stream and he decides to take the challenge and rescucitate a man thus far content with the backwoods and make him King. more..

Sep 24 (ST) Once upon a time, there was a cunning trader in a remote village by the jungle. As he found lots of monkeys in the village, he thought of making a fast buck with the monkeys. He said, �I have come to buy monkeys, and I would pay $10 for each monkey!� The villagers, one by one started catching the monkeys and brought them to him. He bought all, and put them into cages. The news about the monkey-trading quickly spread throughout the village. As monkey-trading soon became a more..

Sep 24 (SO) Joining the series of demonstrations happening around the country, the GMOA launched another trade union action, last week. This time their demand was based on salary increments following a hike given to the judiciary. Addressing a press conference on Sept 19, Secretary to the GMOA Dr Haritha Aluthge told the media that the Govt�s arbitrary decision to increase wages in the judiciary has created a severe anomaly in more..

Sep 24 (TM) The announcement of the presidential election come November has pushed the two main political parties, UNP and SLFP, into further chaos with the parties unable to make a final decision on the upcoming poll. So far, there are two main contenders for the prez race � JVP prez hopeful, Party Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake and SLPP prez hopeful, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. However, the UNP is engaged in an internal battle to decide on its prez candidate while the SLFP is yet to more..