May 29 (Island) The Election Commission (EC) was awaiting the final draft of the health guidelines for the conduct of the general election 2020, EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday. He told The Island that they had discussed the second draft prepared by the Health Ministry on May 26. "We had a discussion with the health authorities to prepare a health guide to conduct the general election on April 29," Deshapriya said, adding that the second discussion was held on May 04. more..

May 29 (EN) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called for unconditional support from bilateral and multilateral lenders for developing countries especially as they have not defaulted on their debt in the past an international virtual meeting on post-Covid-19 financing. �As this is a crisis beyond the control of govt and business, international support by way of unconditional budget support and compensatory debt deferment facilities for more..

May 29 (FT) A high-level meeting presided over by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and including PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Treasury Secretary, and relevant officials of the Central Bank will be held next week to discuss the possibility of providing relief to depositors of troubled finance companies, an official said yesterday. Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardana said that the Govt had requested an update on the state of several financially struggling finance companies and more..

May 29 (CT) Reports compiled by four Presidential Commissions of Inquiry (PCoIs) that had cost a thumping sum of Rs 4 billion had been received by the Prez Secretariat during the tenure of former Prez Sirisena but no action had been taken regarding any of the recommendations put forth by the PCols on the details in the reports, it has been leanred. AG's Department noted that millions of rupees had been incurred to cover the fuel, vehicles and other benefits that had been accorded to more..

May 29 (AD) The UNP Working Committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow (29) to decide on the suspending of the party membership of over 100 UNP members who had handed over nominations from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. However, the General Secretary of the SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara stated that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya was established with the approval of the UNP Working Committee and more..

May 29 (FT) SL is now going through the last stage of the disastrous, multi-phased journey into the rock bottom of a great abyss, which had begun 72 years ago and gradually progressed in several phases. The time cohorts from 1948 to 1956, 1956 to 1978, 1978 to 2009 and 2009 to 2020 can be considered its main phases. In each phase the volume of the crisis remained much greater than it was in the immediately preceding phase and it can be considered a salient feature of this journey. more..

May 29 (FT) Since independence, Sri Lanka has never experienced a growth rate over 6% continuously for more than four years. In comparison, the countries that achieved developed status in recent decades underwent over 7-8% growth continuously for 20-30 years. Therefore, while there were certain periods when SL�s economic performance was relatively better, even at those times it was far from perfect. On that historical note, it was interesting to note the recent more..

May 29 (EN) The businessman and seven others who allegedly were involved in the distribution of cash gifts prior to Ramadan where three women were killed in a stampede have been remanded until June 4. Police have filed charges against the eight accused stating that the event that took place on Jumma Masjid Road in Maligawatte did not have permission from the authorities. When the case came up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Kanchana Neranji de Silva, yesterday, more..

May 29 (Island) The govt has lost credibility and shown it has no solution to artificially created annual rice shortages, Chinthaka Rajapakshe of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) said. Rajapakshe said that the govt had two choices when it was holding discussions with the rice mill owners about the stipulated price. One was to give in to the demands of large scale rice millers and remove the controlled prices and the other was to empower and work with more..

May 29 (DM) If other countries where expatriate Sri Lankans are employed think humanely and accord the hospitality to them in the same way Sri Lanka accorded to foreign nationals, SL would not have faced the problem of repatriation of hundreds of sick Sri Lankans, Director General Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe said. He added that no country has the right expel any one sick from that country according to more..

May 29 (AD) Nine more COVID-19-positive patients who had been undergoing treatment have made complete recoveries today (29). This brings SL�s recoveries count to 754. The new recoveries are reported from Colombo East Base Hospital (06), Navy Hospital (02) and Homagama Base Hospital (01). The coronavirus-positive cases confirmed in the country hiked to 1,530 on Thursday (28). The number of active coronavirus cases under medical care meanwhile stands at 766. more..

May 29 (PMD) The newly appointed Indian High Commissioner in SL Gopal Baglay paid a courtesy call on Prez Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat this morning. He presented his credential to President via a video conferencing ceremony on 14th May marking a historic moment in SL�s diplomatic relations. During the discussion that followed both Prez Rajapaksa and the Indian Envoy reaffirmed two country�s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations exploring more..

May 29 (AD) The rare black panther, found wounded in Nallathanniya, has died this morning (29) while being treated at the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawa National Park. Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Mr. Chandana Sooriyabandara said a post-mortem examination will be conducted on the death of this rare black panther. A rare black panther was found by wildlife officers, caught in a wire trap more..

May 29 (Island) Charge d�affaires of the Chinese Embassy Hu Wei handed over a donation of 125,000 face masks to Education Minister Dullas Alahapperuma on May 26, Chinese Embassy in Colombo said. The Embassy said that the masks would be distributed to students from low-income families across the country to meet their urgent health need raised by schools reopening countdown. Envoy has said that China and SL have been supporting each other in the fight against more..

May 29 (AD) Supreme Court has postponed further consideration of the fundamental rights petitions filed challenging the election date, until 10.00 a.m. on Monday (1). The SC commenced the further consideration of the FR petitions filed challenging the date set by the Elections Commission to hold the General Election 2020, for the 9th day this morning. The petitions were taken up before a five-member judge bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, more..

May 29 (EN) The migrant workers recently repatriated to Sri Lanka from Kuwait were subject to medical tests at the Kuwait international airport and did not board the flights back home as COVID-19 patients, the JVP-backed Ethera Api organisation claimed. Speaking for Ethera Api, former JVP MP Sunil Handunneththi called for a clarification from the govt of SL whether the returnees who have reportedly tested positive for the disease more..

May 29 (Island) Transparency International SL in a letter to PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, highlighted the opportunity for SL to take global leadership in financial transparency during the COVID-19 pandemic. TISL makes three key recommendations in this letter; to establish an online platform providing all information on grants/donations received with timely updates on spending, to maintain an e-procurement platform to publish all govt tender notices and related documents, more..

May 29 (EN) SL businesses hit by a series of import controls to promote import substitution and save foreign exchange as the country was already hit by a Coronavirus crisis could appeal to a committee at the finance ministry by email to get relief. SL has banned a series of imports, some imports have been suspended for 3 months, some could be imported under a license if authorities permit, some could be imported if suppliers give 3-month credit, in a self-imposed trade embargo not seen since more..

May 29 (AD) Working Committee of the UNP has arrived at a unanimous decision to confirm the suspension of 99 party members who had handed over nominations from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. UNP�s Working Committee meeting, chaired by its leader and former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, was held at Sirikotha premises, in the morning. In a statement issued several days ago, UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj more..

May 29 (FT) Cabinet yesterday approved paying off Rs. 14 billion in import bills racked up by the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) though loans from the Bank of Ceylon and People�s Bank. Under the Cabinet paper presented by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the two State banks would extend loans of Rs. 6 billion each, which will be used to settle the most urgent bills. The loans will be structured in such a way as to give SPC long term repayment provisions. more..

May 29 (AD) A total of 66,662 have been arrested since March 20 for violating curfew orders, while 18,778 vehicles were seized. Within the 6-hour period ending at 4 am today, 143 curfew violators were taken into custody along with 35 vehicles. 22,591 cases have been filed against the arrested curfew violators while 9,067 were penalized for the offences committed. Meanwhile, a total of 780 persons have been placed under arrest over violation of quarantine regulations since more..

May 29 (DM) Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is to carry out raids on high-end bars operating in the city, in violation of the Quarantine Act and Health Ministry guidelines issued this week. Chief Medical Officer of Health at CMC, said that while SL Tourism Board approved restaurants have been given the approval to operate till 10pm daily, they cannot serve liquor. �If these places serve liquor there will be a real issue in maintaining more..

May 29 (Island) PickMe has been given the all-clear by the authorities to continue food delivery. The CMC conducted PCR tests through random sampling in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area for individuals and three-wheeler drivers who deliver cooked food. The drivers of PickMe as well as staff were tested and given the thumbs up to operate as all test reports were negative. In the recent past, PickMe has been doing its own daily temperature checks for drivers and more..

May 29 (DM) Sri Lanka is the 8th cheapest country for mobile data in 2020 while the average mobile data speed records a steep decline leading to the poor ranking of 79 among 100 countries. According to a latest research report by Cable, a U.K. broadband, TV, phone and mobile provider, Sri Lanka slipped one spot in 2020 rankings from the 7th position in 2019 while India retained its position to become the cheapest nation for mobile data in 2020. more..

May 29 (DM) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has told the party faithful that he will not enter into any agreement to form a national govt. The former PM was responding to allegations that he was keeping the Grand Old Party split and confusing voters because he has a deal with the ruling SLPP to win the govt a two-thirds majority at the upcoming Parliamentary elections. �We will not join the govt, we will not enter it more..

May 29 (BBC) A nurse and doctor who had to cancel their wedding due to the coronavirus outbreak have got married at the hospital where they work. Jann Tipping, 34, and Annalan Navaratnam, 30, tied the knot in the Grade II listed chapel at London's St Thomas' Hospital. Guests were able to enjoy their special day remotely as one of the witnesses live-streamed the service. The couple said they decided to hold it while everyone was still healthy. Ms Tipping and Mr Navaratnam had cancelled more..

May 29 (AD) COVID-19 cases confirmed in Sri Lanka escalated to 1,540 today (29) as nine more persons tested positive for the virus. Three of these patients are imported cases, the Ministry of Health said, adding that the remaining 6 cases are navy personnel. Earlier today (29), nine coronavirus patients were discharged from the Colombo East Base Hospital, Navy Hospital and Homagama Base Hospital as they had recovered completely. This brought the recoveries tally to 754. more..

May 29 (DW) As Sri Lanka partially eased its coronavirus lockdown on Tuesday, with curfews being relaxed in the districts of Colombo and Gampaha, attention is again shifting to Prez Rajapaksa and his decision to dissolve the country's parliament and install his brother Mahinda as PM. SL is now essentially functioning without a legislature to check the Rajapaksas' power, and constitutional activists want an election as soon as possible. more..

May 30 (CT) The direction of SL�s democratic process hangs in the balance. As many as seven cases with regard to the general elections and the presidential decree dissolving parliament are pending before the Supreme Court. The outcome of the judicial decision may decide whether SL will continue to be governed by the president and caretaker cabinet until the general elections actually take place to bring in a new parliament. The constitution has set a three month limit on more..

May 30 (CT) Bhikkhus, there are two things that lead to the decline and disappearance of the good Dhamma. What two? Badly set down words and phrases and badly interpreted meaning. When the words and phrases are badly set down, the meaning is badly interpreted. These are two things that lead to the decline and disappearance of the good Dhamma. �Good is restraint in the body; good is restraint in speech; good is restraint in thought. Restraint everywhere is good. more..

May 30 (TM) The agriculture industry in SL is not always the most secure, profitable, or sustainable, and those engaged in it tend to suffer greatly due to environmental, national, and economic factors. Their income is not always definite and they can often be left unsure about what they might earn on a specific day. The Smallholder Agribusiness Partnerships Programme (SAPP) has identified this problem and is trying to set it right. more..

May 30 (DM) Last Saturday we highlighted the cultural diversity and its vital importance for the sustainable socio-economic growth of nations. On May 22, the United Nations marked an equally important event involving not only people, but all of nature. The world body in a statement says Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms, but it also includes genetic differences within each species. more..

May 30 (DM) Time is ticking as Kaavan, the Asian bull elephant who went through years of torture at the Marghazar Zoo, Islamabad needs to be re-homed at a suitable sanctuary within 30 days. The historic ruling was issued by the Islamabad High court on May 21 after a continuous four-year campaign led by US music icon and animal rights activist Cher. Apart from her, several other local and international animal rights groups too have voiced against the inhumane treatment experienced more..

May 30 (DM) Over 52 years in active politics is no short, small or simple achievement. In Sri Lankan politics at present, apart from TNA leader R. Sampanthan, whose political life began over 60 years ago, two personalities could claim more than 52 years of political life. One is Vasudeva Nanayakkara and the other is Mahinda Rajapaksa. Both entered Parliament in 1970, May 27 but were in politics before that. more..

May 30 (CT) With significant signs that the UNP will not be able to dig up voter-friendly candidates for the coming General Election, it's not surprising that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has had to send out an IOU to the party's legal branch to desist from action against any Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) member who wants to cross back to the UNP. That's a pointer to the fact that the General Election can be held before too long. It's also a pointer to the dismal fact that Sajith Premadasa's party, more..

May 30 (CT) Many formulas have been offered how to manage, if I use the terminology of the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the pre-post COVID-19 SL Economy. We may identify three main genres of economic strategies among those prescriptions. The first genre of strategy is founded on mainstream economics that posits that a market economy, an euphemism for a capitalistic economy, moves automatically to full employment or near full employment equilibrium if more..

May 30 (TM) Kelani Tyres, which imports and sells tyres in addition to its joint venture businesses, has seen lower demand even after the removal of a prolonged curfew, except in two districts. �Although the curfew was lifted in many areas in SL (other than Colombo & Gampaha), the demand for tyres was very soft and we expect the demand to be not more than 50% of the usual demand for the month of May 2020,� said Kelani Tyres Managing Director Rohan Fernando in a disclosure to the CSE. more..

May 30 (Island) The world is facing one of the hardest times in recorded history with the arrival of the COVID-19 virus which has so far killed over 300,000 and infected around 5 million people worldwide. There is no end in sight and there are gloomy predictions that it will eventually result in the deaths of at least one million people within the year. Pandemics such as this one is a clear case of nature punishing us for its abuse and over-exploitation. The stark reality is that nature has provided us more..