Sep 6 (ST) My dear Gota maamey, I thought I must write to you when I saw that you had proposed a 20th Amendment. Details of the amendment were revealed this week and the chances are that, given the two-thirds majority that your pohottuwa party now enjoys in the new Parliament, it will see the light of day. No one can blame you for that, of course. During the recent election campaign, you � and Mahinda maama - were upfront about wanting to do away with the 19th Amendment and asked more..

Sep 6 (Island) The draft of the 20th Amendment has now been Gazetted. Formulating a completely new constitution instead of making interim amendments to the existing one, is undoubtedly what most prefer. However, there are one or two constitutional issues which cannot wait until a new constitution is drafted and have to be attended to immediately. The first such issue pertains to a matter that has gained very little public attention but was exclusively highlighted in this column in July this year. more..

Sep 6 (SO) The Cabinet approved the draft of the 20th Amendment when it was presented at the Cabinet meeting by Justice Minister Ali Sabry on Wednesday. Extraordinary Gazette notification on the draft of 20th Amendment was issued on Thursday. Minister Udaya Gammanpila said that the Govt�s constitutional amendments will be in two-steps. The first step would be the 20th Amendment which will rectify the anomalies in the Constitution and the second will be the drafting of more..

Sep 6 (CT) Prez Rajapaksa last week made two polite requests to the public. One was to refrain from inviting him to any private function, be it a wedding, prize-giving or parties as such invitations may hinder his priority to attend to vital national issues. The second was not to pressure him to change appointments that he or the Govt has made as he has no intention of making any changes in the appointments made recently more..

Sep 6 (TM) On 28 August, Creative Isle in collaboration with Colombo City Centre (CCC) launched the weekly, three-day Ceylon Artisan Network (CAN) Weekend Market at The Atrium at CCC. Created as a platform to support micro-entrepreneurship across the island, the market will take place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10.30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The launch event welcomed Chief Guest, cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan and a panel of guest speakers including more..

Sep 6 (TM) The arts and creative industry�s relationship with the pandemic is a curious one. On the one hand, with the whole world coming to a virtual halt and reflecting on things like the sustainability of our way of life, creativity has experienced a bit of a boom, with artists being able to devote time and focus to their craft in a way they weren�t able to before unless they were full-time practitioners. On the other hand, the sheer uncertainty and the economic impact of more..

Sep 6 (ST) The fence made from cinnamon sticks � after their bark is scraped and cured as a spice � separates the seafront and the five-star Cinnamon Bey in Beruwala. In many ways, this idyllic location is the microcosm of what the country�s once burgeoning tourist industry faces after the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. This is not just in SL but the world over. Behind the cinnamon stick fence, the five-star Cinnamon Bey is more..

Sep 6 (Island) Sri Lanka have always relied on spin to win Test matches on home tracks but times have changed and Chairman of Selectors cum Manager of the national cricket team Ashantha De Mel conceded that it is time to switch to pace when Bangladesh tour the island for a three match Test series. SL have enjoyed overwhelming success against Bangladesh having won 16 of the 20 Tests between the countries and while on paper they definitely have an edge, the tourists are more..

Sep 6 (SO) The organizers of the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy and Schoolgirl Cricketers of the Year have finalized the grand selection panel meeting for 2020 to be held within the next fortnight in Colombo. It will be held under the patronage of the top officials of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and the Umpires Association. The SLSCA delegation will be led by its energetic President Thilak Waththuhewa, Principal of Nalanda. No sooner the selections are done, more..

Sep 6 (ST) Chandana Atapattu, a multi-talented athlete who hails from Panduwasnuwara, a town situated 102 km from Colombo, does not owe to anyone in anyway, not even to his country. At 44, Nishantha, a veteran in masters� athletics and a versatile kabaddi player and coach, may have lost almost everything, but not his pride and integrity. After quitting his job of 20 years as a Warehouse Inspector in pursuit of more..

Sep 6 (ST) Nishan Premathiratne, an Attorney-at-Law, joins the Sri Lanka Rugby Disciplinary Panel as one of the members of the important unit. Premathiratne will function under the watchful eyes of Retired DIG Hafeez Marso, who will be the head of the Disciplinary Panel. Marso, a former Police Sports Club triple champion winning 1989 rugby captain, Sri Lanka double international in basketball and rugby is a legendary sportsman. He was also the Deputy Director of the SIS. more..

Sep 6 (SO) Director General of Sports Department of the Sports Ministry has compiled a report to be submitted next week calling for the suspension of ten sports associations with immediate effect, the Sunday Observer learns. Among the offending ten associations are tennis, Paralympics, cycling, golf, baseball, squash and wrestling. The report was compiled by Amal Edirisooriya the DG who will push for action when he presents the report to Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa. more..

Sep 6 (ST) Cricketers alleged to have fixed the 2011 World Cup final are calling for State prosecutors to expedite the case saying there is no basis for claims made by ruling party politician Mahindananda Aluthgamage. They also want the Minister to be tried in court for making false allegations, using legal provisions enacted last year. Aluthgamage, a former Sports Minister now holding the agriculture portfolio, dropped a bombshell in June more..

Sep 6 (CT) Deakin University, Australia and Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) SL have partnered to offer students the option of transferring to Deakin after the first year of study at APIIT to complete their Bachelor of IT and Bachelor of Commerce degree programmes. Head, School of Computing, APIIT SL Dr. Priyantha Kumarawadu shared his views on the mutually beneficial partnership saying, �This partnership with Deakin University, Australia is one of the most more..

Sep 6 (CT) Industrial Development Board (IDB) Chairman, Upasena Dissanayake, emphasised that the Govt should prioritise local small and medium scale industrialists in its procurement process. �Billions of rupees are exchanged during the tender process annually by Govt agencies and their subsidiaries. The local manufacturer received less attention during the previous governments in the tender process. Various regulations precluded their participation in the tender process,� more..

Sep 6 (TM) Amidst stringent restrictions on vehicle imports and the absence of relief measures for the industry from the Govt, over 25% of the vehicle dealerships have gone out of business and closed down their showrooms permanently, Vehicle Importers Association (VIAL) said. VIAL President Indika Merenchige stated that this number is expected to increase over the coming months when existing stocks at vehicle sales get sold out. more..

Sep 6 (Island) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Friday that punitive action will be initiated against all persons who failed to avert the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, based on the findings of the ongoing PCoI into the carnage. �Notwithstanding their positions and standing in society, we will file legal action against those identified by the Commission for their failure to prevent the coordinated scourge of terror�, the premier assured. more..

Sep 6 (EN) Algal blooms found off the found of the coast of Sri Lanka are not toxic to other marine life, a researcher at the NARA which is probing the cause of the phenomenon said. The algal blooms were found in Dehiwala, Moratuwa-Angulana, Kalutara-Payagala areas and some cases in Chilaw areas about 4-17 km off the coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. NARA has identified the cause of the blooms a species of diatom micro algae. Diatoms are photosynthetic and produces oxygen. more..

Sep 6 (ST) The govt while striving to keep the current fuel prices stable is under pressure to revise prices and taxes if the world oil prices continue on its upward trend in the next few months, official sources said. A fuel tax revision is unavoidable as govt revenue is expected to decline owing to a drop in exports, zero earnings from tourism in last four months along with decreasing remittances, a senior Treasury official said. more..

Sep 6 (TM) Dilmah Tea is a household name synonymous with quality and Ceylon tea. While Dilmah Tea was founded in 1988, Dilmah Tea Founder Merrill J. Fernando�s history in the tea business goes back 70 years. At a very intimate event held at Dilmah t-Lounge at One Galle Face last week, Fernando celebrated 70 years in tea and his 90th birthday with the launch of a signature tea-based premium gelato. Developed in collaboration with artisanal gelato brand Isle of Gelato, more..

Sep 6 (ST) The committee report on the issues pertaining to the procurement of cranes for the expanded Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and now installed at the East Container Terminal (ECT) has been submitted to the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday. Committee head and former Ports and Shipping Ministry Secretary M.M.P.K. Mayadunne said that the committee report was submitted on September 1. He noted that they had been requested to look into five areas namely: more..

Sep 6 (AD) One of the important lessons emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic is the importance of maintaining a centralized healthcare system Prez Rajapaksa has said. Although the administrations of most of SL�s state-run hospitals are vested with the Provincial Councils, fortunately there were enough hospitals nationwide under the management of the Health Ministry that could be utilized without difficulty during the height of more..

Sep 6 (EN) A number of SL based state and private companies have given firefighting foam to fight a blaze on board, MT New Diamond, a stricken tanker that is carrying cargo of crude oil, the Indian Ocean Island�s Navy said. SLPA had given 5000 litres of aqueous film forming foam, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation 2,100 litres, Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals 2,800 litres and Indian Oil Corporation 300 litres through the mediation of the SL Marine Environment Protection Authority. more..

Sep 6 (AD) PCoI probing the incidents of political victimization has issued summons on former State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran and Kumaran Sarvananda, who contested the General Election 2015 from the UNP. They are scheduled to appear before the Presidential Commission on the 17th of Sept. The PCoI decided to summon this duo based on a complaint filed by Police Constable Gnanalingam Mayuran who was previously attached to the Chunnakam Police. more..

Sep 6 (ST) Though Sri Lanka is aiming to be a global maritime hub, this week�s fire onboard oil tanker MT New Diamond raises serious concerns over the country�s lack of preparedness to meet potential maritime disasters, industry experts said. The stricken vessel, which was beginning to drift dangerously close to the island, was successfully towed to about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometres) off the SL coast yesterday. more..

Sep 6 (AD) Constable attached to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), who was wanted by the police, has been arrested in India today (05). The suspect was taken into custody by the Tamil Nadu police officers when he attmpeted to enter India via sea routes. Indian police officers had launched a search operation acting on information received by the Coast Guard officers in Rameswaram pertaining to drugs, gold and other items that are being smuggled between SL & India across IMBL. more..

Sep 6 (AD) The distressed vessel is now about 40 nautical miles (about 74 km) away from the shore and Sri Lanka Navy and other stakeholders continue to engage in firefighting and inflict cooling effect on the fire-stricken oil tanker using fire extinguishing chemicals and water, at peak of their efficiency. Meanwhile, two (02) more Indian Coast Guard Ships - Ameya and Abheek have joined this consolidated operation this afternoon, the Navy said in a media release issued this evening (05). more..

Sep 6 (ST) If soldier-turned-politician Gotabaya Rajapaksa remained President of SL for almost ten months with his executive powers clipped, that will now change within weeks. In what seemed an emotional session, the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday approved the draft 20th Amendment to the Constitution. A note from the Legal Draftsman explaining the provisions came under close study. It was gazetted on Sept 2. more..

Sep 7 (CT) The appreciation extended by Prez Rajapaksa to SL Navy, Indian Navy and SL Air Force fire fighters who had engaged in the task of dousing the fire that erupted on the oil tanker MT New Diamond had highlighted to what extent the inferno had posed a threat to the marine biodiversity in the Eastern coastal area of SL. Prez Rajapaksa was full of praise for the timely, combined effort made by the SL Navy, SL Air Force and the Indian Defence Forces and Coast Guards towards dousing more..

Sep 7 (TM) It is said that the more things change, the more they remain the same. What better way to describe the 20th Amendment to the Constitution that was gazetted last week than by these immortal words penned by renowned French journalist and editor Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karrway back in 1848 with regard to local politics in France. For all intents and purposes, the 20th Amendment is a fulfilment of the election promise made by the SLPP to repeal the 19th Amendment, which it saw as more..

Sep 7 (Roar) Ryan Ferdinands found himself trapped aboard the ship, the MV Wulin bulk carrier, when his contract ended in March. With flights grounded, entire economies in lockdown and borders closed, Ferdinands was among thousands of exhausted, anxious seafarers stranded out at sea by travel restrictions triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. "The world has turned sea blind," Ferdinands, Chief Officer of Wulin said, more..

Sep 7 (CT) For almost 10 years the Marsoof Committee worked to bring about consensus and reform to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. (MMDA). Female activists stood in protest on the streets, braving the sun and the rain with signs that called on Parliament and the All Ceylon Jamaithul Ulama to reform MMDA laws. Pleas of activists, victims and advocates were ignored and disregarded and fell on deaf years. We avoided reality, but sadly today, we are unable to more..

Sep 7 (ST) A constitutional storm is brewing and is set to explode this week over the vexing question: Can a man found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to be hanged until pronounced dead, walk free from his death row cell and, in total defiance of an explicit constitutional bar prohibiting his entry, occupy his parliamentary seat to which he had been lawfully elected, solely on the basis he had appealed against his conviction? First the facts of the case: On Jan 5, 2015, a group of UNP more..

Sep 7 (CT) It will not by any means be an exaggeration to state that children are one of the key factors in determining the future of a country. Certain attitudes that develop among children directly affect both the progress and destruction of any country irrespective of race, religion or any other differences. If any child goes on the wrong path, their parents as well as everyone else around them have a primary responsibility to put them more..

Sep 7 (TM) The much anticipated 20th Amendment to the Constitution proposed by the Govt, headed by Prez Rajapaksa and PM Rajapaksa, was gazetted last week after receiving approval from the Cabinet of Ministers last Wednesday. Earlier in the week, SLPP Chairman and Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris said the proposed 20th Amendment would not require the holding of a referendum since clauses that would require such an endeavour have not been included in the new piece of legislation. more..

Sep 7 (Island) More than 200 acres of residual forest have been destroyed in Kuratiyamohotta, Aruwakkalu over the weekend. Valuable trees have been felled and removed, and the shrub has been burnt. The scorched land belongs to the SL Cement Corporation; it has been leased out for 50 years. What we are witnessing are the ill-effects of the notorious Tawakkal deal, struck under the Chandrika Kumartunga govt amidst protests. Tawakkal company, which had no experience in more..

Sep 7 (CT) In times of populism, soundbites, and policy-by-Twitter such as we live in today, the first victims to suffer the slings and arrows of the demagogues are intellectuals. These people have been demonised for prioritising the very thing that defines them: the intellect, or finely reasoned and sound argument. However, unfortunately, intellectuals are today losing their public authority and their moral legitimacy of speaking truth to power, while becoming incapable of carrying more..

Sep 7 (ST) When Justice AP Shah remarked recently that, India is moving towards some form of elected autocracy, he may have been speaking for the entire region and perhaps, swathes of the world in turmoil as it were. But the fact that we are not the only comfortless creatures facing perversions of democratic governance is cold wisdom as SL confronts another constitutional amendment drafted to suit political ambitions of men in power and their doubtlessly eager-to-please legal minders. more..