Jan 2 (CT) "We do not know what devolution of power means, we do not know what Land and Police Powers are, so if the politicians are demanding something we are not even aware of, can these be the demands of the ordinary people?" This question was raised by Selvanayagi, a resident of the Poopugar area in Point Pedro. She brings up a very relevant point, which is now a much-talked-about topic in the country. Recalling that political representatives in the North were frequently more..

Jan 2 (Roar) We�ve got through an eventful year that featured tragedy on an epic scale and a shift of political power. But while those were the stories dominated local and int'l headlines, in characteristic Roar style, the editorial team was able to explore and tell the many stories left untouched. Listed below, in no particular order of favour, are a few of our best pieces, based on what our readers enjoyed, and what the Roar team were more..

Jan 2 (DN) The present regime led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa is committed to facilitating and promoting investments that suit modern business needs in the Hambantota District. Prospective investors will be encouraged to obtain the maximum use of the untapped investment opportunities in the Hambantota District. First-time investors can contact sources at the Board of Investment (BOI) branch in the 12-storied building of the Hambantota Port for further information more..

Jan 2 (DN) Have you been to the biggest studio in SL? The question was asked by Susantha Kumara, three-wheel driver, milk-delivery man, occasional caterer and old friend. Studio? I thought to myself. There are all kinds of studios. Places where they record music, edit documentaries and take pictures. Susantha was thinking of the last. Before I could answer, he said, Why, 'One, Galle Face'! Lots of people are going there to take selfies and post them on FB! We laughed. more..

Jan 2 (Island) I was appalled by a recent news item that a train has been operating from Hatton to Nawalapitiya for the last three years just to transport six railway workers. Minister C. B. Ratnayake, who was at the Hatton Station, has put a stop to this horrendous practice but this is clearly not enough. All those responsible for this utter waste of money should be firmly dealt with; a disciplinary is called for. This clearly shows that there is no proper leadership, discipline and responsibility at more..

Jan 2 (Island) No sooner had Russian Prez Vladimir Putin flamboyantly unveiled a hypersonic missile, which could hit any part of the world like a ball of fire, according to the Kremlin, than North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un declared that his country was ready to showcase a new strategic weapon shortly. This announcement must have sent a chill down many a spine, especially in the East Asian region, though his critics may try to dismiss it as a frustrated dictator�s empty rhetoric. more..

Jan 2 (EN) Sri Lanka will provide debt relief to small and medium enterprises from next week, Treasury Secretary S R Attygalle has said. �Many businesses have collapsed. Their assets are about to be foreclosed,� Treasury Secretary was quoted as saying at a meeting of staff in a New Year ceremony. �About 60% of businesses in the country are SMEs. That is why the govt is keen to give them several reliefs. more..

Jan 2 (EN) SL has banned the legal import of ethanol, the main input of gal style arrack, finance ministry said, in a bid to protect the domestic producers. Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had order the ban from has said that there is sufficient ethanol being made inside the country. Due to high taxes on legal ethanol imports, there have been complaints that large volumes of ethanol are being smuggled in the country by powerful persons. Ethanol is made at state sugar companies as well as a pvt one. more..

Jan 2 (EAF) It was an eventful year in SL politics in 2019. If not a year of crisis, perhaps the term chaos sums it up most accurately. The year started with several political tugs-of-war between former president Maithripala Sirisena and former PM Ranil Wickramasinghe, after Sirisena sacked Wickramasinghe and swore-in Mahinda Rajapaksa , quite unconstitutionally. These dramatic events paved the way for more political problems later in the year and eventually led to the end of more..

Jan 2 (ST) Diverging views are emerging from the highest sports authorities in the country on what constitutes success in a multi-discipline event such as the South Asian Games (SAG), despite SL bagging a record haul of 251 medals at the 13th edition in Nepal. Tug-o-war between the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Ministry of Sports continues unabated as the debate intensifies as to who should be given credit for winning more..

Jan 2 (RN) The govt has faced severe backlash after the Finance Ministry announced the first Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) secured by the Gotabhaya Rajapaksa administration, which was the USD 250 million mixed development project for the construction of a 30-storey commercial tower, which will include 700 new residencies as well as facilities for retail and food outlets. The investment will be made on a plot of state-owned property located between Beira Lake and Shangri-La Hotel, more..

Jan 2 (DM) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe might step down from party leadership to be succeeded by former deputy leader Sajith Premadasa, MP Ajith P. Perera said. He told a press briefing at Bandaragama that he believed Mr. Wickremesinghe would resign from the post of UNP leader before long. �We believe Mr. Wickremesinghe has a plan to reform the UNP and handover party leadership to Mr. Premadasa. Hence, we fervently hope the crisis within the party will resolve soon. more..

Jan 2 (DN) There have been seven plots by the LTTE in Sri Lanka to conduct terrorist attacks since its military defeat in 2009, terrorism expert Dr. Rohan Gunaratne said. He said de-listing the LTTE will prompt LTTE remnants to revive the terrorist organisation by enlisting Tamil youth to join terrorism. He pointed out that despite winning the war in 2009, the LTTE still continues to pose a threat to peace and security in SL. more..

Jan 2 (DM) Retired Major General Sumedha Perera tipped to be appointed as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) soon, after amending the CDS Act. The CDS post fell vacant with the retiring of Adm. Ravindra Wijegunaratne on Jan 1 with the completion of his service. Then Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Army Commander Shavendra Silva as the acting CDS until the new appointment is made. Sources also said the CDS act is to be amended giving more powers to the CDS. more..

Jan 2 (DN) The annual survey of industries (ASI) the successor to the Annual Survey of Manufacturing Industries (ASMI) from 1979 was released recently. Dr I R Bandara said, �It is a valuable report for govt officials at different administrative levels, economists, researchers, and others, who are working for and interested in the industrial sector of the country.� The Economic Census 2013/14 conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics was the base for the new frame of more..

Jan 2 (FT) Minister Prasanna Ranatunga confirmed that the Govt is in the process of drafting a Cabinet proposal to extend the fee-free visa regime till 30 April. The 3-month gratis visa scheme will be extended on the instructions of Minister Ranatunga and the relevant Cabinet paper will be soon submitted to the Cabinet. �We have just begun to draft the proposal and within the next two weeks I hope to submit it to the Cabinet for approval,� more..

Jan 2 (AD) The 21st Amendment Draft Bill and the 22nd Amendment Draft Bill have been gazetted by Parliament. The 21st Amendment Draft proposes to change certain provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution while the 22nd Amendment Draft proposes to abolish the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. The two draft Bills have been presented to the parliament by MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as a Private Member�s Bill. 21st Amendment to the Constitution: more..

Jan 2 (FT) Minister of Finance Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed three new members to the Board of the Bank of Ceylon. They are career civil servant and former Ministry Secretary Lalith Withana, Brandix Group Finance Director and Brandix India Managing Director Hasitha Premaratne and University of Colombo School of Computing Consultant Dr. Harsha Wijewardane. The ex-officio member on BOC Board is the Ministry of Finance Dept of Fiscal Policy Director General more..

Jan 2 (EN) SL�s tax office has dropped over 50,000 businesses from the VAT net from Jan 1, after the threshold was raised by the new administration which also slashed the rate. SLtax office has published the list and asked them not to collect value added tax, saying it is acting under the instruction of the finance ministry and the law would be passed in parliament later. SL has also halved value added tax to 8% from an earlier 15%, more..

Jan 2 (FT) Cabinet is likely to finalise the relief package for the struggling tea sector when it meets today after considering input it had sought from stakeholders. Minister Arumugan Thondaman had also wanted his observations to be considered before the relief package gets the final Cabinet nod, the sources said. Cabinet at its meeting on 18 Dec received approval for the relief measures which will include a major loan restructuring plan for the sector which could include a moratorium more..

Jan 2 (FT) The private sector stepped up lobbying for the waiver of visas for tourists, citing the successes of other Asian nations which have taken similar bold measures, calling on the Govt to not only focus on the visa revenue. Industry sources said within the Asian region, much of the tourists are from within Asia itself. However, Sri Lanka has a much lower proportion of Asian tourists out of the total tourists (around 41% of total tourist arrivals) compared to destinations like Myanmar and more..

Jan 2 (DN) CEB has incurred a loss of Rs. 85 billion last year due to its failure to add a single unit of power to the national grid since 2015. This failure of the CEB was due to the lack of any energy production initiatives during the previous UNF govt�s tenure, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera disclosed. Because of the lack of any additional energy output, in 2020, the CEB is likely to record a loss of over Rs. 120 billion in 2020, more..

Jan 2 (DM) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa will pay an official visit to China this month, his second overseas visit since assuming office in November, a govt source said. Rajapaksa will visit China upon an invitation by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who had extended the invitation through a special Chinese envoy who visited Sri Lanka last month. During his visit, the two leaders are expected to discuss several matters of mutual interest, investments, tourism and strengthening bilateral cooperation. more..

Jan 2 (AD) MP Rajitha Senaratne, who was receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Lanka Hospitals in Narahenpita, has been transferred to a general medical unit. Former Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, who was remanded over the controversial white van press conference, was released on bail on December 30 as per an order by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne. However, Senaratne continued to receive treatment at Lanka Hospitals in Narahenpita. more..

Jan 2 (CT) Court of Appeal, which considered a writ petition into the incurrence of an additional sum of Rs 6,500 each for the purchase of a stock of vials by the SPC, on the recommendation of former Minister Rajitha Senaratna, issued an order immediately suspending the purchase. Thorough the issuance of an interim injunction, Appeal Court ordered the purchase of the stock of vials to be immediately put on hold, more..

Jan 2 (AD) UNP MP Sajith Premadasa says they are ready to contest the general elections under a broad alliance. Addressing a public meeting in Negombo, Premadasa said that the next challenge is to win the general elections. Although this is not an easy task, the MP stated that he wishes to move forward by taking lessons from the setbacks they experienced. Premadasa said that his aim is to contest at the general election in a stronger and more efficient manner than the presidential election. more..

Jan 2 (AD) 36 Sri Lankan migrant workers, who had been employed in Kuwait and faced difficulties at their workplaces, are scheduled to return to the island today (01). They were accommodated at the Safe House maintained by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Kuwait until the required formalities were completed to repatriate them to Sri Lanka. Saudi govt has taken measures to send Sri Lankan domestic workers to Sri Lanka with special intervention of Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. more..

Jan 2 (DN) The Embassy of Switzerland in SL in a diplomatic note to the Foreign Affairs Ministry said Switzerland attaches great importance to its relationship with Sri Lanka. The note said it availed itself the opportunity to renew to the SL govt the assurance of its highest consideration. �SL and Switzerland have maintained excellent relations for decades and have engaged in substantial cooperation in a variety of fields, more..

Jan 2 (Island) Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration has already disappointed those who supported his candidacy expecting a rule without corruption and with anti- imperialist policies, leader of the JVP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in his New Year message. "We can�t say that the New Year will be good for the people. 2020 begins with a new government but it has already shown that it has no intention of being different from previous administrations. more..

Jan 2 (FT) SLPP said a special discussion would take place today with Govt MPs regarding the Private Member�s Bill to be submitted by MP Wijedasa Rajapakshe to give Prez Rajapaksa access to powers taken away by the 19th Amendment. MP intends to present a Bill to Parliament to enable the Prez to hold the Defence Ministry or any other ministries he wishes. The Bill aims to return several powers including the ability to ignore the Constitutional Council more..

Jan 2 (Island) The ruling SLPP strongly denied having secret deals with the Opposition or any other party or interfering in high profile cases involving former minister Rajitha Senaratne and the Swiss Embassy employee Garnier Banister Francis. SLPP Chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris said that the govt couldn�t be faulted for the Colombo Chief Magistrate granting bail to lawmaker Dr. Senaratne and Garnier over holding a media briefing more..

Jan 2 (DM) Another New Year is upon us and it is left to each one of us to make a success of this fresh lease of life. We have just moved from the teen years of the 20s beginning in 2013 up to 2019 and into the 2020s on Jan 1. Space restrictions prevent us from recapping in its entirety the decade that has just passed into history and as such we delve into the three millstones that stymied or dashed any hopes the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe govt might have nursed of taking Sri Lanka towards more..

Jan 2 (DM) 2020 will be a make or break year for Sri Lanka in all aspects with local politics and foreign relations billed to take the top seat. But that place of pride that politics enjoys could be subject to a much needed change. This is inevitable with the change of attitude to work which is being created by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Unannounced visits to state institutes and keeping Ministers and State ministers on their toes have contributed towards establishing a working culture in govt institutes. more..

Jan 2 (CT) The Colombo National Hospital (NHSL), said there was a 13% increase compared to last year in fall injuries, recorded by the hospital during the last 48 hours prior to the dawn of the New Year. Training Coordinator (Accident and Orthopaedic Service) and Triage team leader of the National Hospital, Pushpa Ramyani Soysa, said the NHSL accident service had treated 134 patients during the period before the New Year. more..

Jan 2 (ST) Clinical waste from hospitals throughout Sri Lanka is disposed of dangerously with incinerators running at below optimum levels, ash and hazardous sludge being exposed to scavengers and the elements, and sharps such as scalpels and needles posing widespread risk to humans, a Govt audit has found. The National Audit Office (NAO) examined 17 hospitals in ten districts across 7 provinces. more..

Jan 2 (DM) Politicians are sick. I�ve heard people say that. It is an unfair statement if only because it is a generalization. Nevertheless, politicians can be like a corrosive cancer given the impact that their arrogance, ignorance and incompetence have on society in general. Not all, not some, but most, most would agree. On the other hand, if those who are elected are a reflection of electors and more..

Jan 2 (DM) The supply disruptions caused by adverse weather conditions has resulted in the wholesale and retail prices of several varieties of commonly used vegetables increasing, economic centres said. It was also reported prices of most fish varieties increased in Negombo market due to high demand in line with New Year festival. Fish like Kelawalla and Hurulla are on the rise and the prices are recorded as Rs550 & Rs450 respectively. more..

Jan 2 (RN) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered that the National Hajj Committee operate as a service-oriented body to all Sri Lankan Hajj pilgrims, MP Faiszer Mustapha said. He stated that, �it is the wish of the PM that the Hajj Committee should function as a non-profit making body whose motto should be Service only. Mustapha wished that the committee will do its best to offer the Hajj package at affordable rates to Lankan Hajjis, more..

Jan 2 (RN) Rice Mogul Dudley Sirisena is blaming a lack of proper regulation and planning on the part of the authorities for the shortage of the essential commodity on the market and the resultant higher prices. Speaking at a public event, Sirisena, owner of Araliya Rice mills, said 16 of his Rice silos were full but most of them were filled with the pricy Keeri Samba while only two silos had lower-priced popular types of Rice such as Nadu. more..