Aug 22 (DM) Sri Lanka while being an island paradise blessed with the Buddha Dhamma and the virtues of at least three other major world religions has also been one of the worst victims of terrorism where hundreds of thousands of people were killed or injured and displaced with the economic damage being incalculable. In 1971, Sri Lanka experienced the youth insurrection launched by the JVP but it was brutally crushed by the military and so were the grievances of the youth. more..

Aug 22 (DM) With the conclusion of the parliamentary elections and the SLPP gaining a two-thirds majority, the objective they pursued aggressively in their campaigning and were successful in achieving. In the aftermath of the elections it is time now to make an honest and pragmatic assessment of the reality of the prevailing ground situation in the country economically and politically consequent to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is common knowledge that our economic more..

Aug 22 (DM) The recently concluded SL parliamentary election resulted in the defeat of several veteran politicians. Among these was well-known Northern Tamil leader Somasundaram Maavai Senathirajah who had been representing Jaffna district in Parliament for 20 successive years since 2000. Very often the electoral defeat of a long established political leader causes political convulsions in its wake. more..

Aug 22 (CT) On Monday (17), around noon, Sri Lanka experienced electrical blackouts nationwide which lasted for more than eight hours due to a transmission technical failure at the Kerawalapitiya Grid-Substation affecting the island�s entire 21 million population. The Minister of Power told Cabinet on Wednesday (19), the blackout was due to human error and that a full report will be tabled on 24 August to give an explanation. In a surprising move, Minister decided to bolster security more..

Aug 22 (CT) Chased by the Police, four robbers entrust their night�s loot to an old lady, with the instruction that she should return it only if all four of them came together. A week later, one of them appears at her door-step and talks the innocent lady into handing over all the stolen property to him. When the other three appear before her some days later, they are angry at her. When they persist with her to return the goodies, no, she did not threaten them with going to the Police. more..

Aug 22 (Island) Leon Trotsky, one of the finest political writers the world has ever seen, once identified clarity and brevity as the hallmarks of good political writing. The same is true of political speeches. Professional trainers of writers and speakers insist that when one says something one has to make sure one has said it. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa�s policy statement in Parliament, on Thursday, conformed to the aforesaid yardsticks of effective communication. more..

Aug 22 (Island) Yes, local TV news channels have all shown daily clips of most of the newly appointed Cabinet Ministers and State Ministers set to develop our clay, batik, spices and what-have-you small industries assume official duties. Buddhist monks were escorted hither and thither to chant pirith. Family members in their finery stand close, admiringly watching the Successful One place his signature. VIPs of Cabinet rank visited other Ministers and State Minister on more..

Aug 22 (TM) Another Sunday, another amazing cover feature. This week, The Sunday Morning Happinez had the honour of speaking to one of the most inspiring people (at least, I think so!) He is the Founder/Co-Founder of four companies, of which he is hands-on in two. These companies are Wibble, a social media platform that allows for easy vlogging, and Motion Miracles, a game development and production company more..

Aug 22 (CT) The arrest of SSP Shani Abeysekera is a witch-hunt against the highly respected police officer for his work to uncover the truth behind the murder of Wasim Thajudeen, the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and the abduction of 11 young men by a gang of Navy officers, Counsel for the former CID Director told the Gampaha Magistrate yesterday (20). SSP Abeysekera was being held under the firearms act, despite the fact that the firearms connected to the investigation more..

Aug 22 (DN) Present PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and then Defence Secretary and present Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa with then Australian Immigration Minister and present PM Scott Morrison at the Colombo Port commissioning the Mihikatha and Ratnadeepa Patrol Boats gifted by Australia to the SL Navy in 2014. Australia and SL�s recent experience working together to prevent people smuggling from SL has been one of the more significant, largely unreported, wins in regional security cooperation. more..

Aug 22 (Island) The new parliament has begun to function with the formal policy statement by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. There were no armed forces parading or horse-ride escorts for the Prez, which took some of the colour of the traditional ceremony. Maybe such decorum was considered too costly in this hugely strained economic situation. One MP from Kotte came to parliament by boat on the Diyawanna Lake, with promises of more..

Aug 22 (Island) When one reads the anguished outpourings of some yahapalanites about the restoration of the Rajapaksas to power, one thing that becomes obvious is that they are blaming everyone and everything else but themselves for their present plight. In reality however, they have only themselves to blame for the failure of their carefully planned and executed project. Viz. the following. The yahapalana project despite its name was never about good governance. more..

Aug 22 (FT) Sentiment surrounding the economy continued to remain positive in July with 44% of participants in the latest Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey stating that conditions will improve in the next 12 months (up from 42% in June). Additionally, a quarter of respondents say the economy is likely to remain the same during this period while 31% believe conditions will deteriorate. The outlook for business over the next 12 months remains unchanged from the previous month more..

Aug 22 (Hindu) After doing seven jobs in the last three years in and around Colombo, Simran Enric is now back home in Sri Lanka�s hill country. He escaped the pandemic that struck the capital, but his last job at a grocery store didn�t. �I am ready to take up any job. It doesn�t matter which city, what work or how much they pay,� says the 19-year-old. He began working after dropping out of school before his O/L examination. more..

Aug 22 (Island) The newly formed Sports Council has set aside their priorities and the first thing they will be looking at is changing the Sports Act. The committee headed by former Test captain Mahela Jayawardene consist several high profile names both in sports and the cooperate sector. Sri Lanka�s leading run scorer in cricket Kumar Sangakkara is also a member. Speaking to The Island, Sangakkara explained the main priority of the Sports Council. �The Sports Law is now 47 years old. more..

Aug 22 (DN) SL Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA), along with Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) are expected to meet the Ministry of Education (MOE) to seek permission to resume the School�s U-19 Rugby Tournament from November, this year. The SLSRFA and SLR will have a discussion of restarting the halted tournament due to the outbreak of COVID-19 since last March. Both these bodies have agreed on a common platform, while strictly complying with health regulations implemented by more..

Aug 22 (Island) India�s overall commitment of development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at a total of around SLR 517 billion, including SLR 92 billion under grants, Indian High Commission said in a media statement recently. The following is the text of the statement that primarily dealt with the ongoing construction of a Surgical Unit to Teaching Hospital, Batticaloa: �Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting for more..

Aug 22 (Island) Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa�s decision to appoint reputed international Sports Lawyer Rowena Samarasinhe to the Sports Council has been commended, as her experience will be instrumental to the review of the existing legal framework. Rowena, who lives in the UK, was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2006. She has an MBA in Int'l Sports Management from Loughborough Uni and has been working agency-side with more..

Aug 22 (CB) Bangladesh spin consultant Daniel Vettori will work with spinners in the High Performance squad during the tour of SL, BCB official Naimur Rahman confirmed. The former left-arm spinner is set to join the Bangladesh set-up in SL, and will guide the High Performance Unit's spinners, alongside being involved with the senior side. Incidentally, BCB has been mulling the option of tweaking the contract of Vettori so that he can work with a larger group of spinners more..

Aug 22 (DM) The island-wide power cut which occurred on Aug 17 at 12.45 am and continued for 8 hours has disrupted economic activity and day to day lives of people in different sectors. Though power was restored in the night around 8.15pm, on the same day, short power cuts across the island still continued in attempts made to deal with the electricity system failure. Power was restored in Colombo after 7 hours, but not in some parts more..

Aug 22 (CT) Chilaw Marians CC were in the lead in the first innings against Colts CC on day two in the Super-8 fixture of the SLC Major League Tier �A� Cricket tournament (2019/2020) Friday 21. Left hand bat Chathuranga de Silva (NCC) scored 159 runs in 229 balls with 15 boundaries and a six against CCC at P. Sara Oval, while another left hander Rumesh Buddika (Chilaw Marians CC) scored 145 runs in 185 balls with 20 boundaries against Colts CC at SSC. more..

Aug 22 (CT) Astoria, Colombo an ambitious development project in Colombo. With its sleek towers and beautifully landscaped surroundings, it is an attractive addition to the city skyline. Those desirous of acquiring apartments and retail space in Astoria, Colombo need to hurry as they are selling fast and limited opportunities remain. Those who purchase now will be eligible for special offers. Astoria, Colombo provides a mix of residential, commercial, and retail space, more..

Aug 22 (CT) A group of Opposition MPs have initiated negotiations with a powerful member of the SLPP Govt to strike a deal and cross over. According to reliable sources, this group predominantly comprises Opposition legislators representing minority parties. These negotiations have been initiated in the backdrop of the Govt heading for a Constitutional change and minority parties becoming disappointment over not getting promised more..

Aug 22 (DM) While admitting that there were shortcomings in the 19th Amendment, NPP MP Vijitha Herath urged the govt not to abolish the independent commissions introduced in the 19th Amendment. He told Parliament that Independent Commissions such as the Elections Commission played a key role in ensuring democracy and justice. �Elections Commission was important to hold free and fair elections after the introduction of the 19th Amendment. more..

Aug 22 (TM) There was a time when SL teledramas were something to be proud of, where families would get together to watch a weekly episode with much excitement, awaiting to see how the story unfolds. However, as of recent times, there has come a time where Lankans would rather watch foreign television serials as opposed to Lankan-made ones. The Morning Brunch spoke to industry veteran Sunil Costa about these changes we are noticing and experiencing with regard to the quality of more..

Aug 22 (FT) Headline inflation as measured by the year-on-year change in National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) decreased to 6.1% in July from 6.3% in June. This was mainly driven by the statistical effect of the high base prevailed in July 2019. Meanwhile, Food inflation decreased to 12.9% in July from 13.6% in June, whereas Non-Food inflation increased to 1% in July from 0.8% in June. The change in the NCPI increased to 5.9% more..

Aug 22 (FT) The UDA has decided to reduce the monthly rental by 50% until 31 Dec 2020 for all tenants in the Dutch Hospital, Colombo 01. The move is due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on leisure properties of the UDA and requests made by tenants. The concessionary rent is with retrospective effect from March 2020. In early April, Colombo City Restaurant Collective (CCRC) called for a Govt-backed rent assistance program that would ensure continuity of the business. more..

Aug 22 (TQ) The stunning results of the parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka on 5 Aug are likely to break the prophecy of Prez Junius Jayewardene � in whose term, his party UNP's victory of 5/6ths majority, resulted in the constitution of 1978 � that no mortal will be able to dismantle it. In the Proportional Representation system, a two-thirds majority is deemed unlikely if not impossible. The newly-minted SLPP, under 2-time former Prez and 3 times former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, more..

Aug 22 (DN) Executive Committee of Ramanna Maha Nikaya has reportedly requested Election Commission to cancel the National List Parliament seat obtained by the Ape Janabala Pakshaya (AJP). Ramanna Maha Nikaya Chief Sangha Nayaka and its Executive Committee media spokesman Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera said that they have requested this action from Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya more..

Aug 22 (Island) Public Administration Ministry sources said that newly elected lawmaker Madura Withanage had informed that he wouldn�t utilise the duty free vehicle permit he was entitled to. An MP receives a tax exemption to the tune of Rs. 33 mn. MP Withanage told The Island that he would soon inform the ministry and Parliament of his decision in writing. Sources said that Withanage was the only MP so far to have informed the ministry of his decision to forgo a duty free vehicle permit. more..

Aug 22 (AD) Fourteen new cases of Covid-19 have been identified bringing the total number of confirmed cases reported in the country thus far to 2,941. Twelve (12) arrivals from UAE and one each from Indonesia and Kuwait have tested positive for the virus. Twenty-three new cases of coronavirus have been detected so far today (21). Accordingly, 141 patients infected with Covid-19 are currently being treated at hospitals while the total number of recoveries stands at 2,789. more..

Aug 22 (FT) A total of 126 departments, boards, authorities and statutory bodies or 29% of all such bodies come under the purview of the ministries headed by the members of the Rajapaksa family, Galle District SJB MP Manusha Nanayakkara told Parliament. This is out of the total of 434 departments, boards, authorities and statutory bodies in the country, Nanayakkara disclosed while participating in debate on Policy Statement more..

Aug 22 (FT) Indian Ocean has been a key focus area of US foreign policy, with significant engagement and arrangements with the respective South Asian nations. A significant change has been renaming Asia-Pacific as a region into Indo-Pacific, reshaping the interests and the interdependencies of the United States (US) with India and other South Asian democracies. One of the major beneficiaries of the new US foreign policy has been India. SL�s geographic location in the Indian Ocean more..

Aug 22 (FT) There are many similarities between CV and dengue. Both get their victims surreptitiously. The dengue mosquito looks very similar to any other mosquito. It bites you and disappears. There are no tell-tale signs left behind to tell you that you have been bitten by a dengue mossie. It is a silent attack. Only days later when one gets a fever and it does not quite feel like the old flu that one will test and find it is dengue & needs urgent treatment. It's not an insignificant illness that rarely gets victim. more..

Aug 22 (AD) Seylan Bank partnered Ideal Motors, a fully owned subsidiary of the Ideal Group and the sole Authorized distributor for Mahindra Motor vehicles and motorcycles in SL, to provide convenient leasing solutions for consumers looking to purchase Mahindra motor vehicles. Through this partnership, eligible customers who wish to purchase any Mahindra vehicles including motors cars, light trucks, heavy commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles through Seylan Leasing more..

Aug 22 (DN) A corruption case filed against former Urban Development Ministry Secretary Priyath Bandu Wickrama and two others was yesterday fixed for trial by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne. They defendants were charged with allegedly causing a Rs.65-million loss to the govt by employing 319 employees of Ports Authority for election work during the 2015 Prez Election. Director-General of the CIABOC filed this case against Priyath Bandu Wickrama, more..

Aug 22 (LBO) The breakthrough ceremony of the new Mutwal Storm Water Drainage Tunnel was held today under the patronage of State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal, and Public Sanitization​, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa. The project was implemented by the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development and the UDA at a total cost of Rs. 3.45 billion with financial assistance from more..

Aug 22 (CT) SL Tourism Development Authority (STLDA) said the country has lost Rs 6 billion in revenue when the former UNF-led Govt waived the on-arrival visa fee in the aftermath of the Easter bombings in 2019. SLTDA Director General Dhammika Wijesinghe said that 950,000 tourists arrived during July-December 2019, when the free on-arrival visa was introduced for 48 countries including India & China. Normally, govt charges USD 35 per traveller for on-arrival visa. more..