Feb 20 (Island) The Court of Appeal yesterday (19) reserved for April 3, 2020, the order on the Writ application filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice, complaining of illicit felling in the Wilpattu Forest Reserve. Among the respondents are the Conservator General of forests and the former Minister of Industries Development, Rishad Bathiudeen, who is alleged to have unlawfully, cleared part of the Wilpattu Natural Reserve and built houses for Muslim displaced from North. more..

Feb 20 (AD) The Colombo High Court today (20) sentenced former Homagama District Judge Sunil Abeysinghe to 16-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) for accepting a bribe of Rs. 300,000 back in 2013. Abeysinghe�s then-personal security officer, Police Constable Mahinda Kithsiri who was convicted of aiding and abetting, also received the same sentence. Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabandige, delivering the verdict, imposed a fine of Rs. 20,000 on both of them. more..

Feb 20 (DM) Despite the anticipated acceleration of economic activities and fiscal loosening, the deep tax cuts may create a challenge for the govt to raise the estimated US $ 3-3.5 billion from external financing resources for external debt repayment, at reasonable rates, to maintain foreign exchange reserves above US $ 7 billion, according to Colombo-based First Capital Research. �We believe foreign reserves, though currently more..

Feb 20 (AD) The Katunayake-Colombo Expressway has been closed off until further notice due to low visibility caused by smoke from a fire in the area, police said. This decision has been taken owing to a bush fire near the road section from R 17.2 to 18.1 of the lane towards Colombo. The thick smoke emanating from the fire has stretched over the expressway reducing the visibility along the expressway for motorists. Therefore police had decided to temporarily close the section of more..

Feb 20 (EN) Sri Lanka�s govt had withdrawn a motion to increase spending and the borrowing limit by amending four month vote-on-account after opposition declined support, Leader of the House Dinesh Gunewardene said. �Because the opposition declined to support, we are withdrawing the proposal, to stop even more harmful side effects,� Gunewardene told parliament. �The motion was brought to pay loans and essential spending, and the opposition is planning to obstruct it.� more..

Feb 20 (EN) Sri Lanka�s govt had withdrawn a motion to increase spending and the borrowing limit by amending four month vote-on-account after opposition declined support, Leader of the House Dinesh Gunewardene said. �Because the opposition declined to support, we are withdrawing the proposal, to stop even more harmful side effects,� Gunewardene told parliament. �The motion was brought to pay loans and essential more..

Feb 20 (CT) Remove Maithripala Sirisena and Dayasiri Jayasekara from the picture and you end up with the SLFP standing in need of a new leader. And that person could be none other than Chandrika Bandaranaike. Additionally, the SLFP votes which went to the UNP when she was still at the peak in the SLFP would remain open to being persuaded to shift over to the Sajith Premadasa-led alliance this coming general election. The SLPP wants none of those windows opened again. more..

Feb 20 (DM) At the UNP Working Committee meeting held yesterday, MPs Daya Gamage and Navin Dissanayake insisted that they be granted permission to contest their respective districts under the elephant symbol while MP Ruwan Wijewardene empathised on contesting all districts under that symbol. Accordingly, MPs Gamage and Dissanayake sought permission to contest their districts of Digamadulla and Nuwara Eliya under the elephant symbol. Sources said several other MPs more..

Feb 20 (AD) A Parliamentary Select Committee cannot act as the CID, according to Field Marshal MP Sarath Fonseka. The parliamentarian mentioned this responding to a statement made by Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith on the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. The Cardinal, yesterday (19), had stated that a proper investigation was not carried out more..

Feb 20 (Island) A number of state institutions had to pay Rs. 9 million to the SL Air Force (SLAF) for using its aircraft, State Minister of Defence, Chamal Rajapaksa said in parliament in response to an oral question by JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa. The money was due to the air force from ten public institutions, including Prez Secretariat and the PM's Office from 2003 to 2018. He said Rs. 2.3 million was due from the Presidential Secretariat and Rs. 541,778 from the PM�s Office by 20, Dec, 2018. more..

Feb 20 (EN) MP Mangala Samaraweera said that it was the UNHRC 30/1 resolution that stopped international investigations against the brave soldiers who fought the war and their leaders. The former Foreign Minister said that through these resolutions the former govt was able to save former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa from being probed by the international community. �We said at the Geneva convention that we do not want foreigners to investigate on our country and that we can do more..

Feb 20 (AD) Cabinet has decided to prepare a methodology for encouraging the farmers to utilize organic fertilizer with higher standards. The proposal was tabled by the Minister of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development. A cabinet sub-committee has been appointed to prepare a methodology and submit appropriate recommendations in the regard. Committee points out that it is required to more..

Feb 20 (PTI) India will ink an agreement with Sri Lanka to develop the Jaffna's Palaly airport in the Tamil-dominated Northern province, an official statement said. The decision comes a day after the Sri Lankan Cabinet approved a proposal for the MoU with India for the project, which would include terminal modification and electricity supplies among others. "India has already agreed to provide Sri Lanka with a grant of 300 million Sri Lankan rupees (Rs 11.83 cr) for the development more..

Feb 20 (AD) The Cabinet of Ministers granted their approval for the construction of a network of expressways covering the whole island. Accordingly, the following plans have been drawn for the proposed expressway network: Implementation of construction activities of Kadawatha � Meerigama, Meerigama � Kurunegala, Pothuhera � Galagedara, and Kurunegala � Dambulla under the Central Expressway Construction Project as Phase 04 with immediate effect. more..

Feb 20 (CI) As Sri Lanka and the West Indies prepare to square off in the first of three ODIs on Saturday - which will be followed by two T20Is next month - the series offers the chance for both sides to benchmark themselves as they work towards the T20 World Cup later this year. For the West Indies, it's an opportunity to see if they can build on their impressive showing in India in December, when they went toe to toe with more..

Feb 20 (TM) UNP MP Nalin Bandara accused more officials of having played a part in the Airbus-SriLankan scam. He said that former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena could have not executed such a deal without the blessings of then SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe. �Nishantha Wickramasinghe is also the brother-in-law of current PM Mahinda Rajapaksa.� Bandara went on to also accused the Minister in charge and the then Prez for more..

Feb 20 (AFP) A Japanese firm was chosen by Colombo today to build a new US$570 million terminal for SL�s main airport, as Tokyo re-emerges as a key infrastructure backer amid a raft of Chinese projects. The cabinet announced the Taisei Corporation was picked to develop the Japanese-funded project, with the new terminal expected to double capacity at BIA to around 20 million passengers a year. The decision follows the financing of Colombo�s planned US$1.5-bil more..

Feb 20 (AD) The indictments filed by the Attorney General on the Avant-Garde floating armory case has been rejected by the Colombo High Court Trial-at Bar. The case was taken up for hearing before Justices Dhammika Ganepola, Adithya Patabandige, and Manjula Thilakaratne, today (20). Presenting preliminary objections to the case, the Defense Counsel pointed out that the amended indictments filed by the Attorney General more..

Feb 20 (EN) UNP MP Vadivel Suresh today said that the govt should take immediate steps to pay a minimum wage of Rs 1000 to the estate workers as it was promised by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the prez election. Suresh said that although the Cabinet has given its approval to increase the minimum wage to Rs 1000, the plantation companies have not implemented it yet. �Prez has to order the plantation companies to pay 1000 rupees. If it is legalized, then the company owners more..

Feb 20 (DM) It is those in the present govt who originally internationalised the human rights issues in Sri Lanka by signing a joint agreement with the then UN Chief Ban Ki Moon in May 2009 just after the war, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said. He was responding to a statement made by the Leader of the House who officially notified Parliament of the govt's decision to withdraw from the UNHRC resolution 30/1 in the House. �It was the present PM who headed the 2009 govt, more..

Feb 20 (DM) DSG Thusith Mudalige revealed that the Singapore bank account belonging to former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena�s wife had a record of sending USD 800,000 to an individual by the name of Nimal Perera in Nov 2014, after the alleged USD 2 million commission was received from the French AIRBUS Company in connection with the 14 Airbuses purchase in 2013. more..

Feb 21 (CT) SL�s executive presidency is rightly criticised for its authoritarianism, and there have been widespread movements across the political spectrum to abolish or moderate it. But why as it implemented in the first place? Why did JR Jayewardene break with three decades of experience with the Westminster-style parliamentary system and enact the executive presidency in the 1978 constitution? I draw here from a longer article I wrote on this subject, which is included as more..

Feb 21 (CT) This nation�s track record in terms of leasing and purchasing of commercial aircraft can justifiably be termed as abysmal. No records of corruption allegations are available in the public domain of early aircraft purchases by Air Ceylon. Those involved and observers are long gone. There were some unconfirmed reports of foreign carriers dumping old aircraft when assisting Air Ceylon under commercial agreements. The first known dubious lease agreement relates to the two Lockheed more..

Feb 21 (CT) Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, says SLFP members who love the country will join us. "We are not against them. We will take them, but without conditions like granting a certain number of ministerial portfolios," he said. Q: Are you satisfied with the way the country is led? A: The previous regime made all the sectors collapse. The expectations of the people were not fulfilled by the Good Governance. more..

Feb 21 (FT) I was going through the corridors of an impressive State training facility in the heart of Colombo and witnessed the message on each floor as you await the lift that Sri Lanka is the fifth largest marine polluter with respect to single use plastics! I also read the editorial of a prominent Sinhala daily a few days back and there too this factor minus the single use classification appeared. Editorials are supposed to be authoritative. It is important that we take due notice of real science more..

Feb 21 (FT) The country is facing the worst power situation in the history, with electricity generation being unable to meet the demand, with generation costs among the most expensive in the world. With the current scenario, the country cannot be expected to come out of the mess for another 5 years. A couple of weeks ago, the Cabinet of Ministers accepted installation of two 300 MW coal power plants and another 300 MW natural gas powered plant. Also few days ago Cabinet approved more..

Feb 21 (FT) In his path-breaking book Thinking Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, psychologist and Nobel Laureate in Economics, divides our thinking process into two systems. System I is automatic and intuitive. System II is conscious and deliberative. We need and use both types of thinking, fast and slow. Which type is apposite depends on the circumstances. The classic example Prof. Kahneman uses for situations more..

Feb 21 (Island) Neither a caller nor a callee be, one may say, with apologies to the Bard, on seeing the predicament of some grandees who had telephone conversations with UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake. It looks as though Ramanayake, who is currently languishing in remand prison had weaponised the smart phone; if you want to make someone�s heart stop, all you have to do is to call that person and identify yourself as Ranjan, a wag says. Many a politician must have heaved a sigh of relief more..

Feb 21 (CT) Increasingly; these days, we hear of the human-animal conflict. What this essentially means is that both humans and animals, and in particular elephants compete for existence within the same space; giving rise to conflict. Human settlements have sprung up in areas that were once elephant habitats. These routes are not given up easily by elephants. This is because they are creatures of habit, and continue to use routes they always used. Govts used to view the sanctuary areas more..

Feb 21 (CT) It was a life of 106 years with supreme qualities that enriched with highest order like a blossoming flower; a life of a full moon with Metta that illuminated the path for many of us; a life of a stream that enriched the field of Sasana; a life of a serene wind that smoothens mankind irrespective of any creed, caste or class; a life of a true son of the Buddha, who neither promoted self nor degraded others, always dedicated for the accomplishments of others, committed his entire lifetime for more..

Feb 21 (Island) Last Friday Cassandra bemoaned the fact of rampant corruption prevalent across most boards, particularly those composed of politicians and high bureaucrats. Bribe taking, which was a sly and rather confined craft, is indulged in freely and fearlessly. Only the haalmessas and kunissas get caught and punished; poor guys like a clerk or gals like small time school principals. Remember that little girl who stole two coconuts to get money for a payment demanded by her school? more..

Feb 21 (CT) The Kilinochchi ragging incident that has caught the attention of all and sundry has two sides. From the point of view of the undergraduates, it is aimed at tarnishing the image of the University and the ethical behaviour of Tamil undergraduates, as none of the victims have lodged an official complaint. The other is that if indecent ragging had in fact taken place as it is alleged that parents have leaked the information to relevant sources more..

Feb 21 (Island) During PM Mahinda Rajapaksa�s recent visit to India the PM of India Narendra Modi standing by his side is reported to have stated: "I am confident that the Sri Lankan govt will realize expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace within united Sri Lanka�I am confident the govt will work towards reconciliation.". The other significant statement made by the Indian PM was: "Stability, security and prosperity in Sri Lanka is in India�s interest, but also more..

Feb 21 (Island) A breathtaking Roston Chase century along with a disciplined bowling effort made sure West Indies warmed-up for their ODI series against SL in grand style, after they were beaten in a practice game by the SL Board President�s XI in Colombo a few days back. The hosts who won the toss and batted first posted 273/8 in their allotted 50 overs, with youngsters Minod Banuka and Ramesh Mendis, who hit a triple hundred in first class cricket couple of weeks back, making half centuries. more..

Feb 21 (Island) The govt will leave no room for a financial crisis in 2020 and we have already planned ways and means to avert any such crisis, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said. He made this remark after the govt yesterday withdrew a motion to increase spending and the borrowing limit by amending a four month vote-on-account as the Opposition declined to support it. 'The motion was brought to pay loans & essential spending, more..

Feb 21 (ST) CEO of Royal Turf Club (RTC), Wayne Wood will return to SL after nearly 10 months with intentions to kick-start the horseracing season for 2020. The last RTC raceday event was supposed to be held on Apr 21, 2019, fateful day of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, but was cancelled even before the commencement. RTC event was one of the main sport events in SL to be called off due to the bomb attack, and since then activities have been hampered due to adverse weather more..

Feb 21 (EN) Sri Lanka could have achieved a revival in consumer demand with a smaller stimulus, as the country tends to go through a cyclical revival in the wake of shocks, an economist said, amid concerns of twin fiscal and monetary loosening. �On a cyclical basis, there was already space for consumption to recover, because the economy had gone through a number of shocks,� Deshal de Mel, research director at Verit�, a think tank, said. �There was a drought in 2017, the constitutional crisis in 2018 and more..

Feb 21 (FT) The Govt yesterday abandoned a move in Parliament to amend the Vote on Account (VOA) to obtain an additional sum of Rs. 367 billion for Govt expenses, as well as increase the limit of borrowing, after the UNP-led opposition refused to support the move. Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the House that the Govt would not move the relevant regulation as the Opposition was attempting to sabotage more..