Oct 15 (NR) The SJB says the international community is currently questioning Sri Lanka�s ability to repay foreign loans in due course. MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said investment banking company Morgan Stanley has published that Sri Lanka is showing difficulties in repaying loans for a considerable period. MP de Silva said the report comes after Moody�s downgraded Sri Lanka�s creditworthiness and after the country repaid 1 billion USD in debt repayment in October. more..

Oct 15 (TOI) Sri Lankan drug trafficker Sunil Fonseka alias �Katta� Kamini has been arrested from his hideout in Bengaluru by the �Q� branch of the Tamil Nadu police. He has been remanded in judicial custody. Fonseka was involved in murders besides drug trafficking in several countries including Sri Lanka. He reportedly has close contacts with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and other international drug traffickers. more..

Oct 16 (CT) On the 12th of Oct, a young man Gayan Pushpkumar, 21, was arrested by the Pugoda Police Station on mistaken identity. Initially, he was suspected of having robbed some money. However, later, the money had been found in the very house the money was supposed to be stolen from. In between the suspicion and the actual discovery that the arrested suspect had nothing to do with the crime, the suspect was hit and kicked on his belly by the OIC of the Pugoda Police Station, more..

Oct 16 (DM) If you would be able to see your enemies or arch rivals following in your own footsteps after your death, that would be the pinnacle of your life achieved posthumously. The former Prez Junius Richard Jayewardene commonly known as J.R. might have the similar feeling these days with the sight of the present leaders of the country attempting to further strengthen the Executive Presidency for which he was hated and ridiculed by the same leaders, for decades. more..

Oct 16 (CT) �No country has ever pointed finger at a Head of State for bombings or any other terrorist activity. It is not the Head of State who should be held responsible for them, but the officials in charge of security.� It would be a little hard for anyone to believe that the above statement was made by a former Head of State, who was tasked with ensuring the security of both human and physical resources of a country. more..

Oct 16 (DM) Food is essential for human life and it is also important for us to examine the quality of food we eat, especially what we give to children. We need to check carefully on the nutritious value of the food we eat. In recent months there has also been an unprecedented increase in the cost of living with reports of shortages of rice and coconut prices rising as high as the coconut trees. For years govts have pledged to take effective measures for Sri Lanka to grow most of the food we need, but more..

Oct 16 (CT) We the Sri Lankans were doing exceptionally well during the first few months of the pandemic led by a strong President. The special presidential taskforce headed by the Army Commander ably supported by the Health Administrators and Preventive Health Doctors were indeed up to the task as per contact tracing, quarantining and maintaining the multiple state of the art quarantine facilities scattered all over the country. They were also up to the mark on more..

Oct 16 (CT) With the Supreme Court saying yes to most of the clauses of the 20th Amendment, Aluthkade rumor mills have already begun churning out various scenarios about the future. Although Attorney General Dappula De Livera played his part in the 20th Amendment case and saved many clauses from being subjected to a Referendum, it is no secret that the Rajapaksas do not like him. more..

Oct 16 (Island) A reporter once informed T.M. Dilshan that the scoop shot had brought about his downfall umpteen times and he should reconsider playing it frequently. Dilshan said that there is a 90 percent chance of him scoring a boundary off the shot and a ten percent chance of getting dismissed. He added that he would trust his instincts and play the stroke first ball in the next game if it was in the zone. True to form he did it. The reporter never gave Dilshan batting tips after that Dilshan more..

Oct 16 (CT) Early last week, as I was busy writing more stuff about how the west had ignored SL�s relative success in dealing with the pandemic, I began hearing rumours that there was a new cluster of COVID-19 cases among garment workers. Concerns about how this cluster had arisen were posted on Facebook. The Facebook poster pinpointed Brandix as the apparel company involved. Later news reports confirmed that a 39-year-old woman worker from Brandix factory more..

Oct 16 (CT) Attorney General Dappula de Livera recently stated that releasing suspect Riyaj Bathiudeen in the face of incomplete investigations into last year�s Easter Sunday attacks is an unacceptable move. Attorney General had made this statement after a meeting held with the DIG of the CID. AG also wrote to the DIG on the importance of conducting further inquiries into the Easter Sunday attacks, as well as the involvement of suspect Bathiudeen in the attacks. more..

Oct 16 (Island) Former Managing Director of SL Port Authority (SLPA) D. Godage�s article in The Island makes essential reading for all those who are interested in the economic development of the country. He deserves praise for that thought-provoking article on the delay in the commencement of operation of the East Container Terminal Project (ECT) for nearly five years. It is said that three powerful ministers of the yahapalana regime pathetically failed to complete ECT project. more..

Oct 16 (ST) Tharushi Karunaratne, who turns 16 next month is following in the trail of her elder brother Harsha Karunaratne. Both Harsha and Tharushi are products of Susantha Fernando and Walala School of Sports. Tharushi�s inspiration, her brother Harsha, won a silver medal in the 800m at the 2017 Asian Youth Athletic Championship in Thailand and she follows the same success with great dedication. more..

Oct 16 (Island) Some religious dignitaries have called upon the govt to abandon its 20A project and introduce a new Constitution, instead. The present Constitution is seriously flawed; the 20A has stirred a controversy, and in its present form contains some questionable provisions. (We refrain from commenting on the observations and remedies prescribed in SC determination, which has been leaked to the media, and wait until it is officially presented to Parliament to make known our more..

Oct 16 (CT) Sri Lanka and South Asian record holder of the women�s Marathon, Hiruni Wijayaratne, made yet another unusually long journey to Gdynia Poland on Wednesday to compete in the World Athletics Half Marathon Championship 2020 to be held on Saturday 17th. Unlike previous trips where she travelled alone to compete for Sri Lanka, this time she was accompanied by her husband Luis Orta. And to make trip even more special, while Hiruni will represent the island nation of SL, more..

Oct 16 (Island) The responsible authorities are now discussing what action to take against the two companies -Ceylon Metal Processing (pvt) Ltd and Hayley�s Hub � which imported toxic garbage from the UK. The Sri Lankan Govt would demand Rs. 1.6 billion from the UK for illegal dumping of waste in Colombo in clear violation of the Basel Convention, a senior govt official said. more..

Oct 16 (ST) SL Golf Union (SLGU), the governing body of golf in conjunction with the SL Air Force (SLAF) joined hands in further promoting the development of the sport island-wide when the SLAF hosted the junior golfers from Anuradhapura at their picturesque Eagles Golf Links Course in China Bay. The youngsters were treated to an entire weekend of golf which included a day of intensive training followed by a 18 holes tournament. There was delightful enthusiasm among the juniors more..

Oct 16 (BBC) SL coach Mickey Arthur says he is really positive about the prospect of England being able to tour in early 2021. Two Tests scheduled to be played in March this year were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. "I'm hoping we can fulfil our fixtures in South Africa in December and then have England over here to start a really busy 2021," said Arthur. "Here in SL there is a strong drive to get the game going." SL have not played since a Twenty20 against WI on 6 Mar, more..

Oct 16 (FT) The Govt this week announced high CESS on imports of apparel following the lifting of the ban imposed in May this year. The new Cess imposed on clothing imports is Rs. 450 per unit on mens and women�s outerwear; Rs. 200 per unit for innerwear and night garments; Rs. 200 per kg on babies� garments and clothing accessories; and Rs. 200 per kg on bed, table, toilet and kitchen linen. more..

Oct 16 (Island) There are two Ranasinghes among the three highest ranked SL javelin throwers. While Olympian Sumeda Ranasinghe is the current number one, Sampath Ranasinghe and former national record holder Waruna Dayaratne are genuine contenders to that title. Fierce competitors on the field, these top three throwers were training under three different coaches during the last few years. But now reigning national champion Sumeda and former national champion Sampath are more..

Oct 16 (DN) Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Sri Lanka, Brenda Barton said that the govt had done a commendable job in ensuring distribution of food during the lockdown period. Barton noted that food distribution was done in partnership by the private and public sectors. Barton said, �The govt has done an amazing job and the private sector was also critical in having e-platforms and food trucks etc. But now we are in a difficult situation with people not having an income.� more..

Oct 16 (CT) Retired IP of the CID, Dias Padmasiri, giving testimony before Colombo HC Judge Adithya Patabendige, as a witness, said that though details had come to light that Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who had functioned as the President of the SL Freedom Labour Congress (SLFLC), had possessed 174 acres of tea and coconut estates, which had been bequeathed to him by his parents, such information had not more..

Oct 16 (DM) If the zonal lockdown procedure is not implemented accurately, it would be impossible to identify the virus spread zones which could eventually lead to an immediate lockdown of the whole country, GMOA said. GMOA Secretary Dr. Shenal Fernando said that there is no need of any countrywide lockdown at present and it would depend on the decisions taken at present. "We should identify the areas where COVID-19 patients and their close contacts are reported from. more..

Oct 16 (FT) Asia Securities has said that the Govt�s new circular on procurement as exclusively published by Daily FT yesterday will extend strong protection for local firms, encourage capacity expansions and entry of new players. Ministry of Finance recently issued a circular amending the procurement guidelines to further support local industries. Asia said the guidelines in the circular were in favour of local construction and construction-related-material manufacturers. more..

Oct 16 (Island) Election Commission (EC) Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday (15) said that there was no deadline for a political party to fill its National List slots. Deshapriya said that nothing could be done even if a particular political party refrained from filling its NL slots. Deshapriya said so when The Island inquired about two NL slots that remained vacant over two months after the last general election held on Aug 5. more..

Oct 16 (FT) Tea industry has witnessed a mixed performance in September with exports up value wise but volume basis recording lower performance compared to a year earlier. Tea exports in September totalled 24.1 million kilos lower by 1.5 million kilos from a year earlier. Total revenue, however, of Rs. 21.09 billion is higher by Rs. 0.9 billion from Sept 2019. Volume wise too in the first nine months, exports were down by 22.8 million kilos to 198.2 million kilos. more..

Oct 16 (DN) Cuisine Gastronome � a global brand of premium meals by SriLankan Catering, is set to be launched both here and abroad, catering to Sri Lankans in the country and overseas. Initially, a mix of both SL and Int'l meals will be launched in SL and following this, the brand will be taken overseas to countries with heavy SL diaspora, satisfying cravings for a taste of home. SriLankan Catering�s Cuisine Gastronome is set to be the ultimate solution to the rising demand for good quality, more..

Oct 16 (FT) Seventy-one persons linked to the Divulapitiya cluster yesterday tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total cluster count to 1,792. The new cases include 22 Minuwangoda garment manufacturing facility employees and their associates who were being monitored at quarantine centres and 49 other employees. Additionally, three returnees from the UAE tested positive for COVID-19. With this, the total number of confirmed more..

Oct 16 (DM) Despite painstaking efforts by the health and security sectors to control the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, Health Ministry said there are people who still act in an irresponsible manner by holding public gatherings like weddings and functions, ignoring health guidelines. While claiming that public cooperation in this regard was disappointing, Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara said such events are being held in a subtle manner, despite the authorities more..

Oct 16 (FT) Justice Minister Ali Sabry has appointed a special committee comprising judges and lawyers to look into the setting up of a small claims court and amending the Civil Procedure Code Amendment which brought in �pre-trial� steps in 2017. The committee will comprise Justice Dr. Ruwan Fernando � Judge of the Court of Appeal (Chairman), Nishan Premathiratne � Attorney-at-Law (Convenor), a District Court Judge, nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, more..

Oct 16 (FT) Both manufacturing and services sectors expanded in September, the latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) issued by the CB showed yesterday, but overall expectations for the fourth quarter declined significantly due to COVID-19 emergence concerns. Manufacturing activities expanded at a higher rate in Sept 2020, compared to Aug 2020, the report said. This expansion in manufacturing PMI was mainly more..

Oct 16 (FT) Govt Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) said the Colombo district has been identified as a high-risk area for coronavirus in addition to the Gampaha District. GMOA Secretary Dr Shenal Fernando said that the capacity of PCR tests should be increased to 10,000 a day. Dr Fernando said the 6,000 PCR tests that are being conducted daily was not sufficient. "To do that, the Coronavirus testing policies should be updated and correct testing policies should be announced. more..

Oct 16 (Island) Former CID Inspector Nishantha Silva, who fled the country after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became President, had conducted most of his investigations to please certain NGOs that were affiliated to the LTTE, former Prez Maithripala Sirisena said, testifying before the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks. Silva has obtained political asylum in Switzerland, former Prez said. Additional Solicitor General (ASG), who led evidence, asked Sirisena if he had instructed more..

Oct 16 (FT) To avoid the worst case scenario of a sovereign default next year SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva called on the Govt to boost investor confidence by earnestly working on an agreement with the IMF and prepare for debt re-profiling. De Silva made these statements when he raised alarm regarding concerns expressed by int'l investment bank Morgan Stanley on the options open to SL Govt if it is unable to meet local/foreign debt more..

Oct 16 (DN) The UGC has decided to assist health officials to conduct the (Polymerase Chain Reaction) PCR tests at the request of the Health Ministry. Chairman of UGC, Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunga said, PCR testing at Galle, Colombo, Jaffna, and Peradeniya Medical Faculties will commence soon, while the Sri Jayawardhanapura University began the process yesterday. �All the universities have agreed to carry out the tests and facilities to help health officials�. more..

Oct 16 (CT) Colombo Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage ordered a fine of Rs 1,500 each to be paid by four women and three men who were produced in Court, on the allegation that they engaged in a malicious activity which could result in the spread of the COVID-19 virus, by being in a club without wearing face masks. Colpetty Police produced this group in Court. The group pleaded guilty and the Fort Magistrate imposed fines on them. Colpetty Police informed the Court that this group more..

Oct 16 (CT) Minister of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, Pavithra Wanniarachchi yesterday signed the Special Gazette, which would allow the relevant authorities to take legal action against those who violate regulations on health safety measures for COVID-19 prevention. Media Spokesman of the Ministry, Viraj Abeysinghe said, accordingly, the public would have to adhere to maintaining the one-metre social distance more..

Oct 16 (FT) The people are the real owners of sovereignty both in terms of the classical liberal opinion and the domestic and international law. In other words, State power lies with society and the rulers elected by the people are subject to the will and the control of the people. In this context, the 20th Amendment can be considered a constitutional adjustment that undermines and lets down the sovereignty of the people. Most of the things that the Prez intends removing from the Constitution more..

Oct 16 (DM) The application of strict COVID-19 health restrictions under the air- bubble concept will be in force when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo undertakes his visit of SL later this month, a top govt source said. The same was applied during bilateral negotiations between the top-level Chinese delegation and the SL leaders � Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa last week. The delegates wore K 95 face masks, maintained social distancing and occupied a restricted area of their hotel more..