Jun 23 (CT) I have never met the President but have friends who have, briefly at social occasions. They say he a pleasant fellow, well-spoken and with a smiling countenance we are familiar with from media photographs. Then why oh why does he dig himself into ridiculous holes and refuse to climb out after it is made clear that he has made a big mistake? I am referring to matters that are of no profit to the clan, therefore attribution of disreputable motives is not an explanation. more..

Jun 23 (GV) SL govt�s failure to respect human rights, democracy and accountability have caused alarm at home and abroad and may prove still more costly in various ways. After a recent decision by the European Parliament, the regime�s conduct may lead to losing largely tariff-free access to a major market. European Parliament is law-making and scrutiny body of the European Union (EU), which brings together more than two dozen countries. On 10 June, by an overwhelming majority, more..

Jun 23 (TM) Has Sri Lanka ceased to be an intense emotive issue it once was in Tamil Nadu? It does look like so, going by the just-ended Tamil Nadu Assembly election. Although the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which once threw its weight behind LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, returned to power in Chennai in May after a decade, SL was not a campaign theme. Yes, a small section of politicians did raise it but it was muted and more..

Jun 23 (CT) You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can�t fool all of the people all of the time. � Abraham Lincoln, This newspaper, in an article published under the heading UNP submits Ranil�s name to EC in its Thursday�s issue said, �The United National Party (UNP) submitted the name of its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to the Election Commission yesterday (16) as the Party�s National List Parliamentarian in the Ninth Parliament. more..

Jun 23 (TM) Everyone makes unwise decisions, and everyone does things they are not proud of. But of greater importance is whether or not they are open-minded and humble enough to admit that they and/or the governing systems they represent erred and/or need to take more advanced and apt measures to rectify the errors of the past. That is, perhaps, one of the things Sri Lanka lacked, and maybe the best SL can do in order to move forward as far as human rights are concerned. more..

Jun 23 (CT) In the backdrop of the Govt assessing the ecological disaster due to the inferno on the X-Press Pearl feeder vessel and uncertainty whether the 322 metric tonnes of bunker oil is intact or not in the ship, fishermen islandwide have found themselves in dire straits. In addition to this burning issue, another clout from the European Parliament came along, when they adopted a resolution last week questioning whether more..

Jun 23 (DM) Parliament was told recently that the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Australian Federal Police were working with the Sri Lankan CID in the investigations into the April 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. SL lawyers - deemed officers of Court - do not have access to police investigations, except when police file reports of investigations in Courts. The presence, participation or involvement of foreign police personnel in local investigations are illegal because under more..

Jun 23 (ST) The current controversy over the ban on chemical fertiliser and pesticides and the consequences of this policy move remind me of the days long gone by when I used to write on agriculture for the Daily News. This was way back in the second half of the 1960s when the then PM Dudley Senanayake would tour the country, promoting his passion � agriculture and irrigation � and I was not too far behind. Later I used to accompany Hector Kobbekaduwa who more..

Jun 23 (Island) When a professor, a novelist, a writer, a politician, an educator, an int'l speaker, a teacher, a former university Vice Chancellor and a respected academic writes a book on travel it jumps, perforce, onto the �must read� list for all serious readers. Add to the above that he is much in demand as a judge at Literary Competitions, both in SL and UK, and when one tops it all by mentioning that he is also a Gratiaen Prize Winner, one realies that here is a Modern Day Renaissance Man more..

Jun 23 (CT) Time has come to change this political system that is getting out of hand and ruining our country. This can only be achieved through changing the present mindset of our masses. With the help of the masses, a country with new vistas, for a brighter future, with new hopes and aspirations can be realized. After this discussion which we have started today, we are ready to venture out into various other relevant topics to achieve this end. Should you join us, as I am sure you will all, these problems more..

Jun 23 (CT) Sri Lanka Athletics team of ten athletes who were set to leave for India yesterday, were left stranded as the Sports Ministry failed to issue air tickets for them. The team comprising two male and eight female athletes (including 4x100m women�s relay team) were set to leave for India to compete at the 66th National Interstate Athletics Championship to be held from 25 to 29 June in Patiala upon an invitation more..

Jun 23 (DM) Three days ago, on June 20, the world commemorated World Refugee Day. -that is people who have to leave their homes due to war or violence. Their fears are generally based on fears arising from race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in particular social groups. In most cases, they cannot return to their home or fear doing so. The UNHCR points out that around two-thirds of all refugees world wide - other than the Palestinian refugees - come from just 5 more..

Jun 23 (Island) A sardonic witticism attributed to Einstein describes insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. How successive SL govts have sought to solve the problem of periodic rice shortages created by a group of powerful millers is a textbook example of insanity in the Einsteinian sense. Their modus operandi has been to import rice. Theoretically, this method should work, but it has failed to be a remedy due to market manipulation by unscrupulous more..

Jun 23 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers this week approved the setting up of Advisory Councils to individually resolve issues and devise policies to optimise growth of 20 industrial sectors. Advisory Councils will be tasked with discussing issues relating to relevant industries and joint private sector programs with the Govt for the development of industries, as well as advise the Minister Wimal Weerawansa on the effectiveness of more..

Jun 23 (CT) How many of us would move away from our comfort zones or day-to-day lives if we become a differently abled person? Many become scared, and few others would shy away and withdraw from society without even trying out something different. But amid all obstacles and challenges, if someone can win at the int'l level, then wouldn�t that be something to be proud of? Taking one step forward, what if that gutsy human being decides to start a professional sports career after getting more..

Jun 23 (IRNA) Prez Rajapaksa in a tweet congratulated Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi�s victory in the June 18 presidential race. �The people & the Govt of SL congratulate HE Sayyid Ebrahim Raisol-Sadati on the landmark victory in the Iran�s 13th Presidential election,� he said. �We look forward to working together to further strengthen our bilateral relations,� he further noted. On Friday (18), the 13th prez election was held simultaneous with 6th round of city & village councils elections, more..

Jun 23 (Island) On behalf of the SJB Dr. Harsha de Silva has inquired from Secretary to the Ministry of Finance. Dr. S.R. Attygalle whether the country is facing an economic crisis as claimed by Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila at a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance in Parliament on Monday. The Finance Secretary has replied that in spite of certain economic problems that might arise given the current situation, more..

Jun 23 (CI) Since the start of 2019, England have won 16 T20 internationals to the eight they have lost. In the same period, Sri Lanka have lost 14, winning just five. England are the top-ranked T20 side, while Sri Lanka are eighth. And while England had been runners-up at the most-recent T20 world event, Sri Lanka are required to qualify for the main draw of the next major tournament. There would, in short, seem to be a gulf betweeen these teams. Partly this is down to leadership. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Stockbroking firms yesterday unanimously backed the timely launch of the globally-adopted Delivery Versus Payment (DVP) system to the Colombo bourse, saying it was a step in the right direction without causing any change to the current trading practices. The CEOs of broking firms welcomed the DVP during a joint meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) yesterday. They assured of their fullest support to SEC more..

Jun 23 (ST) COVID-19 vaccination programme has come under fire from senior medical specialists who are part of the independent expert panel of National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), calling for an immediate probe on major flaws that could have prevented deaths. The eight professionals are � Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama (physician), Prof. Neelika Malavige (immunologist), Dr. Rajiva de Silva (immunologist), more..

Jun 23 (NM) Researchers sampled different species of bats roosting in the Wavul Galge cave in SL and found two species harboring alpha- and beta-coronaviruses. Bats are an important reservoir of viruses. They can fly long distances and have sociable roosting habits, increasing the chances of virus transmission to other species. There have been several recent outbreaks of viruses in humans, such as Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, and the most recent coronavirus outbreak causing Covid-19 more..

Jun 23 (FT) The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way individuals save and invest. This changing investment climate can engender new opportunities for Asia. In this context, the Int'l Chamber of Commerce (ICC) SL; in association with the Daily FT, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and CIMA, organised a discussion on Investing in Asia in the New Normal. Today, we are observing the emergence of new trends that can pave the way forward and shape the future more..

Jun 23 (FT) A total of 2,093 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the country�s total COVID-19 detections to 243,913. Of the patients detected yesterday, 2,071 were from the New Year cluster. This brings the cumulative patient count of the Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters to 236,747. This includes 141,966 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from more..

Jun 23 (DM) Minister Udaya Gammanpila said Fuel Price Stabilisation Fund was not really meant to be used to stabilize fuel prices, but to pay off loans of the CEB. He told Parliament that the Fuel Price Stabilisation Fund of Rs. 48 billion was formed to use the benefit of the fuel price reduction in the World Market to pay off the loans of the CEB so as to prevent electricity tariff hike. Minister said the Cabinet Paper submitted by PM in the capacity of being the Finance Minister on Mar 30, 2020 more..

Jun 23 (FT) Committee on Public Finance (COPF) granted approval to issue Rs. 1,000 billion Treasury Bills, under the Local Treasury Bills Ordinance which is scheduled to be presented to Parliament for approval shortly. COPF chaired by MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa met yesterday. Govt officials were connected online for the meeting in accordance with health regulations given the prevailing COVID-19 situation. State Minister Susil Premajayantha, and MPs Dilan Perera, more..

Jun 23 (TM) The documents required for the importation of 100,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice are currently being prepared through the Trade Ministry and the Ministry hopes to import the said stock of rice as soon as possible. Trade Ministry Secretary Bhadranie Jayawardhana said that the Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardana had instructed to import a certain quantity of rice and to store it as an additional stock as a solution more..

Jun 23 (CT) Govt's demand-pull inflationary face value money printing (FVMP) debt in the three market days to yesterday increased by Rs 15,779 m (Rs15.8 b). Consequently, FVMP debt increased by 0.42% (Rs 3,919 m) to a new record of Rs 938,529.87 m yesterday, breaking its previous record of Monday�s. Yesterday was the seventh consecutive market day that Govt�s FVMP debt has increased, with it being over Rs 0.5 trillion for a record 153 consecutive market days due to more..

Jun 23 (TM) Travelling in the Pragathipura area in Madiwela has been restricted due to the identification of a person suspected to be infected with the Delta variant � the Indian B.1.617.2 variant � of Covid-19. Ministry of Health Deputy Director General Dr. Hemantha Herath said that according to the PCR test report of the patient concerned, some deviation in the Covid-19 virus was observed, which led to the suspicion that the said person had been infected with the Delta variant. more..

Jun 23 (CT) Cabinet of Ministers discussed on Monday to make certain amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), Minister of Justice Ali Sabry said in Parliament. He said so during a discussion in the House, when Minister Namal Rajapaksa called on the Govt to implement a mechanism to release people who have been imprisoned for several decades due to a delay in case proceedings. more..

Jun 23 (AD) SriLankan Airlines, SL Insurance Corporation and several other institutions have been issued summons to appear before the COPE, its Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath said. The decision was taken at the special COPE meeting held in Parliament today, according to the Communications Dept of Parliament. The meeting had been convened to decide on how future meetings should be held amidst the pandemic situation as committee meetings could not be held as usual. more..

Jun 23 (Island) Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday told Parliament that those identified as directly responsible by the Presidential Commission for the Easter Sunday carnage were still at large while Rishad Bathiudeen exonerated by the Commission was under custody. He said: MP Rishad Bathiudeen has been in custody since April 24. He was found not guilty of charges against him by a Presidential Commission of inquiry. Yet, he was taken into custody again. more..

Jun 23 (FT) The UNHRC Core Group for Sri Lanka expressed concern and regret over the lack of progress on human rights, with a number of further concerning developments. Delivering the statement on behalf of Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Malawi, Montenegro and the UK, the Core Group on SL referred to the UNHRC resolution 46/1 which called upon the SL Govt to address the harmful legacies of war and to protect human rights, more..

Jun 23 (AD) Eleven more localities were isolated with effect from 6.00 am today, the NOCPCO announced. According to the head of NOCPCO, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, isolation orders were issued on 10 localities in Batticaloa District and another in Trincomalee District. Trincomalee District: Trincomalee Police Area; Nagaraja Walawwa area. Batticaloa District: Valacchenai Police Area; 1st Cross Street, Brainthurachenai 206; 2nd Cross Street, more..

Jun 23 (CT) The sentences of 216 prisoners, who have been sentenced to death for more than 20 years, will be commuted to life imprisonment, on the instructions of Prez Rajapaksa, State Minister Lohan Ratwatte said. In addition, 17 prisoners who have been imprisoned for many years are due to be granted a Prez pardon in view of Poson Poya, as well, State Minister said. He further said since said prisoners had worked for the LTTE, they had been serving prison sentences for many years. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday called on the Govt to resign if they�re unable provide relief for the public. Premadasa made the comments while leading a procession of vehicles that the SJB claimed to represent the mobility of the masses, in a protest aimed at the recent fuel price hike. He was joined by other SJB MPs in staging a protest at the entrance to Parliament. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Discussions on English medium education have surfaced, once again. Every few years, or if ever a govt decides on touching this topic, rumblings begin on the merits or demerits of such an initiative. It�s perhaps pertinent to trace events from recent history. The emphasis placed on improving English education was unambiguous and remained consistent. In primary school the thrust was on Activity Based Oral English (ABOE) coupled with Conversational English. more..

Jun 23 (FT) Every year, this week in June marks two anniversaries, separated by a single day, which have personal resonance for me. The death anniversary of my father Mervyn de Silva (22 June 1999) and the birth anniversary of Ranasinghe Premadasa (23 June 1993), the President I supported and worked with 30 years ago in my early-mid 30s. Born to a father who was a print and radio journalist, a foreign correspondent and later an editor and publisher, I tend to recall trends in the media. more..

Jun 23 (DN) Court of Appeal yesterday issued notice on the Attorney General returnable for July 20 in connection with a revision application filed by former Akuressa Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Saruwa Liyanage Sunil. Saruwa Liyanage was sentenced to 15 years Rigorous Imprisonment by the Colombo High Court for allegedly raping an underaged girl. He had filed this application seeking an order to release him on bail. Sarath Jayamanne, PC with counsel Dharshana Kuruppu appearing for more..