May 8 (Island) The govt should call for an all-party conference on the Colombo Port City Commission so that it could be made a successful project, says former Western Provincial Councilor Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe. �We are not against the Port City project turning out to be the zone that helps this country become the economic hub of the region. Our fears are that this area could be used for the promotion of a black economy,� he said. Warnasinghe said that there were reasons more..

May 8 (FT) The Govt has started the issuance of special licences for the import of RPD palm olein, a key ingredient for bakery, confectionery and food processing industries. The Lanka Confectionery Manufacturers� Association (LCMA) and All Ceylon Bakery Owners� Association (ACBOA) welcomed the Govt�s decision to issue a special licence to resolve the national crisis. Already four LCMA members � two extra-large and two large-scale enterprises � have obtained the special licence more..

May 8 (CI) SL is among the nations vying to host the remainder of the 2021 IPL season - a move that would substantially benefit the finances of Sri Lanka Cricket, should the BCCI agree. SLC has repeatedly attempted to bring the IPL to its shores in previous years, offering as recently as in 2020, but the BCCI has preferred the UAE as a back-up venue. As things stand, UAE appears the frontrunner to host the remainder of the more..

May 8 (DM) Elaborating on a large portion of a Chinese rocket is set to land into the Earth�s atmosphere at 2.52 am tomorrow, Prof. Chandana Jayaratne of the Dept of Physics, Colombo Uni said there could be no adverse effect on SL. He said it was extremely difficult to predict as to where it might land and however, it is likely to land in the Pacific ocean. It is 30m (100 ft) long and weighs over 20,000 kg. The piece of debris is the core booster stage of the Long March 5B rocket more..

May 8 (SLN) Naval patrols conducted in northwestern and western waters of the island on 07th May, led to the seizure of over 235kg of Kerala cannabis and about 522kg of onion seeds, attempted to be smuggled into the country via sea routes. Navy is stepping up patrols to curb the smuggling activities via sea routes as well as to prevent the risk of the transmission of the pandemic within the country, as a result of smuggling activities and possible illegal immigration attempts more..

May 8 (CT) With the total number of COVID-19 patients detected following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season reaching 20,843, medical sources said over 30 doctors had also been infected by the virus. Accordingly, 33 doctors had been infected with the coronavirus with the emergence of the new cluster. Sources said of them two were consultants. Also, 70 nurses including sisters, serving in hospitals around more..

May 8 (DN) A 41-year-old Cook employed at a hotel in Jaffna has died after falling into a large cooking pot filled with boiling Salmon curry, which he was preparing. Rasiah Theepankumar who was suffering from epilepsy had died after he suffered a seizure and fell into the boiling pot filled with the salmon curry. The incident had taken place at a hotel in Point Pedro, Jaffna on Thursday where Theepankumar was working as a cook. He had died while undergoing treatment at the Manthei more..

May 8 (DM) A consignment of 230 metric tonnes of unrefined coconut oil brought to the Colombo Port on April 30 will be re-exported to Malaysia tonight, Customs Deputy Director (Legal Affairs) and Media Spokesman Sudattha Silva said. He said the unrefined coconut oil was detected in twelve 20ft containers. The vessel Ever Ethic has reached the Colombo Port. However the vessel was scheduled to arrive last Tuesday (May 4), but did not turn up as it left late from India, Mr. Silva said. more..

May 9 (SO) Prez Rajapaksa hit the right note recently when he said that vaccines are the only way out of the current Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, it is the only way to achieve herd immunity � the stage where much of the population has been vaccinated and is resistant to the virus. Having no host to cling on to, the virus fades away. This is indeed how vaccines have almost eradicated certain viral diseases from the face of the earth. SL�s vaccination efforts suffered a temporary setback as India, more..

May 9 (CT) If the 1980s were tumultuous, the 1990s were more transitional, even if not less tumultuous. In this potted history, it is not necessary to recount all the details of the 1990s and the first decade of the new 21st century. Suffice it to focus on developments that have had a continuing influence on current events and the farce of 2021. The UNP and the JVP, which more or less came together in 1977, were gone by 1994, after seventeen years of assorted achievements. more..

May 9 (SO) Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that the present Opposition doesn�t want to see the country�s Covid-19 situation under control and the Govt provides food and other relief measures to the people. He said the Opposition doesn�t want to ban the use of chemical fertiliser, construct the Colombo Port City and continue the ongoing development drive in the country. more..

May 9 (CT) William Hague once stated, Inspiring scenes of people taking the future of their countries into their own hands will ignite greater demands for good governance and political reform elsewhere in the world, including in Asia and in Africa. Will we in Sri Lanka see such a move in the post independence era, with the professionals and intellectuals in society giving leadership? The Voice of the professionals/intellectuals is so vital for assurance of good governance. more..

May 9 (TM) The challenges faced by SL�s agriculture sector have come to light on many occasions in the recent past, due to issues pertaining to the lack of irrigation facilities, fluctuating production levels, increased responsibility on the country�s agriculture sector due to import bans, and microfinance debts affecting the farmers. However, the newest reason behind the country starting to talk about the agriculture sector again is the Govt�s plans to switch from chemical fertiliser-based agriculture more..

May 9 (Roar) This is the first instalment in a series of photostories illustrating the history and decline of Colombo�s adult film cinemas. The popularity of these cinemas peaked in the 1980s and �90s, as imported pornographic movies proved popular with local audiences and guaranteed profits for film halls. With time, increased social conservatism and the widespread availability of adults�only content online sent these more..

May 9 (CT) India is currently experiencing a devastating second wave of COVID-19. More than 400,000 new cases and 3,500 deaths from COVID-19, were reported each day recently and in recent times, multiple SARS-CoV-2 viral variants have been circulating in India. Indian variant (B.1.617) has now become the dominant variant spreading in some States such as Maharashtra. The situation in India is also likely to have an impact on SL, its closest neighbour, since this variant is likely to enter more..

May 9 (SO) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told Parliament that the Opposition should not try to take political advantages of the Covid-19 pandemic prevailing in the country and instead should support the Govt to fight it. Speaking during the debate on the Covid-19 situation, the Minister reminded how the same Opposition tried to hinder the former Govt led by then Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa during the final phase of the battle against terrorism. Minister Amaraweera said, more..

May 9 (FT) Sri Lanka�s foreign policy has traditionally been one of learn and adapt, having never inherited a fully-functioning Foreign Office at the time of Independence. Sri Lanka (or Ceylon as it was then known) was reliant on the British and the Commonwealth for exposure to foreign states. This is in stark contrast for the island nation who had a long history of playing an integral role in the trade route between China (and Asia) and the Middle East and Europe. more..

May 9 (TM) Early this week, State Minister Dilum Amunugama was appointed by Prez Rajapaksa as the State Minister for Community Police Services, with the aim of further strengthening the country�s police force in dealing with the public. According to Amunugama, who spoke with The Morning on 3 May, this new appointment had been made by the President taking into consideration the problematic situations that arose in the country in the recent past between the Police and the public. more..

May 9 (Island) There is a big China Hurry in the govt that seems much higher than any hurry about controlling the Covid pandemic. The debate of the Colombo Port City Commission was scheduled for May 5, without even receiving the SC decision on the many petitions filed before it. This is a complete and shameless shift from the very process of parliamentary debate, the stuff of democracy. more..

May 9 (ST) Those readers who recall the early 1970s may remember what were then known as the Midnight Gazettes. These were official notifications that came out of the Govt Press while the nation slept, only to wake up to find some sudden and radical step taken and given legal effect. Not too different these days are the surprises the Govt is wont to spring on the people overnight. From the ban on the slaughter of cattle (since reversed) to the ban on import of palm oil (since amended), more..

May 9 (Island) Sri Lanka were in India in 2005, when their selectors brought in a wicketkeeper to the fold. Dinesh Karthik had already established his place in the side so people were actually wondering what was the need to bring in someone who was rarely heard of. Kiran More the Chairman of Selectors said that despite being not known too well, he had seen something special in the wicketkeeper. He was confident that this bloke would go onto make an impact in the game. more..

May 9 (ST) TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran has this week blamed Parliament officials for their lackadaisical attitude towards implementing the Official Language Policy. Speaking during the adjournment debate on the spread of COVID-19 in the country, Mr Sumanthiran said a Private Members Bill he presented calling for a declaration of a public health emergency to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, but the letter more..

May 9 (Island) It will not be an overstatement to say 15th of April race day in Nuwara Eliya 2021 belonged to Jayaratne Stables. This year Western Wind the horse owned by Jayaratne stables a subsidiary of the Jayaratne Group of Companies produced a stunning victory at the hill country racecourse. Western wind beat former Governor�s Cup and Magic Million winner Alcazeba in the premier event. Western Wind is the undisputed champion in SL over 1,800 meters distance. more..

May 9 (ST) Dashing young opener Avishka Fernando has been dropped from the 18-man squad named for the Bangladesh series as he has failed a fitness test. Fernando, 23, missed the limited over leg of the West Indies tour after he failed to attend the mandatory 2km fitness test due to an injury. SLC has set a time of eight minutes and 35 seconds to complete the 2km run, but Fernando has taken close to one minute more than the expected time to complete the run. more..

May 9 (ST) Sri Lanka cricket selectors are typically a secretive breed, reluctant to explain their decisions to players or the public. This has often left players deeply frustrated with some even announcing premature retirements. It�s admirable, therefore, that the current selection committee headed by Pramodya Wickramasinghe met with seniors who are facing the axe from limited over cricket to give reasons. more..

May 9 (ST) My dear Mother Lanka, I am writing to you knowing that some of the darkest days of Paradise are yet to come. Tragic events await us in the coming weeks. While hoping that these never become a reality, I know that there is more desperation than hope everywhere � and a sense of frustration as to why this had to happen. You will remember that this time a year ago, Paradise was sitting pretty among other countries in the world, manner in which they dealt with pandemic. more..

May 9 (SO) Only Sanath Jayasuriya was supposed to take the field while several in the squad were average SL players during their playing days. A temporary or interim committee running the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket after the term of an elected membership ended last month, committed yet another unfathomable twist in less than a week, this time releasing a squad of players that it branded Greats to play in a so-called fund raiser charity match. The squad had just 3 of the Greats, more..

May 9 (ST) Despite a significant pay cut, national cricketers have in principle agreed to a new performance-based contract fee structure but have insisted that SLC be transparent through the process to avoid anyone being unfairly affected or feeling hard done by. Representing the players, Attorney-at-Law Nishan Premathiratne held discussions with SLC on Thursday to spell out their concerns and avoid any possible pay dispute more..

May 9 (ST) An intention of seeking legal action against a backdated gazette notification that helped outgoing Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) administration has been put off by the intended complainants according to reliable sources. Former SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga, former vice president Kanganathan Mathivanan and Sri Lanka�s first Test skipper Bandula Warnapura, who had allied to file legal action against the backdated gazette, have decided to back out from taking further action, more..

May 9 (TM) Govt is currently attempting to secure around 600,000 doses of the Oxford Astra-Zeneca Covishield Covid-19 vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), for the second dose of the local vaccination drive from countries that have additional stocks of the same vaccine. According to the State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Govt is having discussions with the agents from South Korea, Norway, the US, and several others that have additional stocks of the same. more..

May 9 (Island) Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has backtracked on moves to file legal action against Litro Gas Lanka for launching 18-litre premium hybrid domestic LPG cylinders in contravention of consumer laws. Chairman was not in favor of moving court on the matter due to political pressure, a senior CAA official said. The move to desist from legally challenging Litro�s launch of the new hybrid cylinder to the market without more..

May 9 (Island) Timely action by a security officer on duty at a private bank in the Anuradhapura New Town thwarted the robbery of Rs. 10.7 million by a two-member gang on Thursday morning. The officer risked his life to prevent the gangsters from escaping with the cash during the heist, an official said. An officer of a different security agency had alighted from the vehicle and walked towards the ATM with a representative of the bank to reload cash into the machine when two persons lurking more..

May 9 (ST) The Govt will strive to maintain Liquified Petroleum (LP) gas prices at current levels � despite demands to increase prices � and provide funds to the state-owned importer to import stocks if there is a shortage. Finance Ministry will intervene in the immediate purchase of LP gas from the international market as a remedy if there is any shortage in the market. Steps will be taken for the state-owned Litro Gas Company to import the stock and release to the market immediately if necessary, more..

May 9 (Island) With the drastic drop in imports, coconut oil prices in the market have surged to a new high as local production is grossly insufficient to meet the annual consumption of around 200,000 metric tons, industry officials said. In 2020, local coconut oil production was a negligible 20,000MT, which translated into a yawning gap that had to be bridged by importing 180,000MT, they said. �This has been the position over the past few years as dominant imports dwarfed local supplies�, more..

May 9 (ST) SL�s powerful medical professionals urged Prez Rajapaksa to immediately restrict the movement of people across the island, stopping short of recommending a country-wide lockdown to avoid having to impose curfews later, as reports came in of a surge in COVID-19 cases. Worried about an impending disaster, four premier medical groups warned in a letter to the President that �healthcare workers are likely to be physically and mentally drained and the fatigue in them, induced by the impending disaster, more..

May 9 (Island) The Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread at an alarming rate in Sri Lanka and in most countries world-wide. This is mainly due to the lack of a people-based campaign with proper leadership. In Sri Lanka the corona virus was introduced into the country by identified individuals coming from abroad. By identifying each case and the contacts who formed a cluster and isolating each cluster for the required period, the spread to the community was prevented. more..

May 9 (ST) The phones ring all the time, sometimes even at night. The majority of callers�helpless, scared and desperate�plead for an ambulance or for a centre they can go to after testing positive for COVID-19. The Sarvodaya emergency relief hotline is just over a week old. It already takes more than one hundred calls a day from people afflicted in some way by the virus who feel they have nowhere else to turn. more..

May 9 (ST) The Govt is seeking Parliamentary approval to borrow more funds to repair the pandemic-hit economy by amending the ceiling rate of govt guarantee to fifteen percent from current ten, according to a bill submitted to the House this week. The bill submitted on Wednesday by PM Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as Minister of Finance to amend the Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act also proposed that at the end of the financial year beginning Jan 1, 2030, the total liabilities of more..