Nov 29 (DM) In a letter to the IFP, 44 civil society activists and 14 organisations have demanded an independent investigation into the killing of suspects while in police custody. The civil society organisations and activists are urging IGP Chandana Wickramaratne to convert the SL Police Department to an institute that respects human rights. Among the civil society activists signing the public petition were Prof. Jayadeva Uyangoda, senior journalist Victor Ivan, Attorney-at-law Dr Nimalka Fernando, more..

Nov 30 (DM) Nov 27th used to mark the culmination of the week-long remembrance of fallen cadres of the LTTE. On that day, cyanide capsules-necked Tiger cadres paraded in the day and the grieving mothers flocked to the cemeteries in the night to light a candle in memory of their dead sons and daughters. Every detail was planned and rehearsed with a near-religious zeal, not least because the ritualistic glorification of martyrdom in these ceremonies was a key driver of indoctrination more..

Nov 30 (DM) The ferry tragedy in Kinniya on Nov 23 and the current fertilizer crisis are two cases in point that are sufficient to explain how authorities in Sri Lanka view issues affecting the ordinary people and how they save their skin putting the blame on the people themselves, when things end up in disasters. The ferry service in Kinniya has been run by a private operator subsequent to the laying of foundation stone for a bridge across Kurinchankerny lagoon. According to State Minister Nimal more..

Nov 30 (TM) �During the past few weeks, we struggled in queues and exposed ourselves to Covid-19 just to get a cylinder of gas, and now, we have to live in fear because we don�t know when that cylinder will cause an explosion.� These were the words of a liquid petroleum (LPG) consumer, who expressed fear of LPG-related explosions and fires that are becoming worryingly more common in Sri Lanka than before. more..

Nov 30 (DM) �Even though the budget analysed real problems facing Sri Lanka�s economy, there was no solution to address the crisis. The solutions proposed are flawed and the priorities are misplaced. And when it comes to education, the diagnosis of the problem and solutions are both flawed,� stated Dr. Ahilan Kadirgamar, Senior Lecturer at the University of Jaffna at a press conference on Budget and Education, organised by the Law and Society Trust. more..

Nov 30 (CT) An LPG (domestic gas) leak reported from a house in Polgasowita on Sunday and a death, three injuries and damages to house and property reported from six other LPG related accidents that have taken place in Colombo and elsewhere this month, coupled with a few other LPG related accidents, though not officially reported as yet, further having had taken place this month, is SL�s current LPG story. Previous to these LPG related accidents, the LPG story in Sri Lanka more..

Nov 30 (CT) SL is totally committed to achieving a tangible progress on the entire range of issues relating to accountability, reconciliation, human rights, peace and sustainable development and will continue to work with the United Nations mandated human rights system. However, this will be done in keeping with the Constitution and the international obligations voluntarily undertaken. This is the message conveyed to the UN ASG for more..

Nov 30 (ST) That long running comic opera has reached its denouement. Or so, one hopes! For hope is all that is left for a public that lies battered by a pandemic on one side and problems in governance on the other that have brought a people to their knees with no one left to raise their hopes but the deities. Not that appeals to the powerful have not been tried before. At one time magic pots were sent floating down rivers to save us from Covid. Then magic portions were turned out and more..

Nov 30 (Island) Sri Lankans have a remarkable ability to forget. That may be the reason why Prabhakaran failed to achieve his goal despite all his bomb blasts on civilian targets. Zahran, in his wisdom, emulated Prabhakaran, carried out bomb attacks, but got nowhere near his goal posthumously. The local gas companies have gone a step further; they charge for causing explosions that kill people and destroy property! It is in fear and trepidation that every SL woman steps into more..

Nov 30 (CT) The countrywide people�s protests and the Nov 16 Colombo political protest have made one thing clear. Rajapaksa brand is now irreparably damaged in the SL political market. The regime is not going to fall tomorrow. The 160/60 budget vote in parliament proves that. For all the turmoil in the country, Opposition Leaders cannot make all their MPs vote against the govt on a budget that everyone is laughing about. But there is no mistaking the beginning of the end for more..

Nov 30 (Island) Having been a regular contributor to The Island, I have ventured again into expressing my opinion in public spaces after an extended period of silence, as I felt compelled to, after I read the excellently argued piece by Prof R.P. Gunawardane titled �SLIIT should remain non-state and non-profit institution� in The Island of November 23. Prof. Gunawardane explains why Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) should remain non-state and non-profit. more..

Nov 30 (EN) SL will stick with travel guidelines currently in place for the time being, officials said, as at least two countries closed their borders for all inbound travellers in the face of the newly detected Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. SL on Saturday (27) announced that it will ban travelers from SA, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia & Zimbabwe after the detection of the variant in the region. more..

Nov 30 (FT) Generating a record-breaking profit for three quarters straight, NSB yesterday announced impressive performance, beating all the odds during a pandemic. With its highest-ever profit for a period of nine months with a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs. 20.3 billion and a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 15.6 billion, National Savings Bank (NSB) has shown its COVID resistance, strength and continuous financial resilience. Against the backdrop of COVID-19 impact on the economic activities, more..

Nov 30 (FT) Most profitable listed corporate Expolanka Holdings saw its market value surpass the half-a-trillion mark to close yesterday at Rs. 515.1 billion or over 10% of CSE�s total. This was following a 6.57%, or Rs. 16.23, increase in its share price to Rs. 263.50. Last year, Expolanka was ranked at number 13 with a market capitalisation of only Rs. 56.7 billion and 2020 closing price of Rs. 29. Yesterday�s standing reflects a near ten-fold increase, or up by Rs. 460 bil, year-to-date. more..

Nov 30 (FT) The Colombo bourse is on the brink of achieving a significant milestone of Rs. 5 trillion closing market capitalisation if bullish investor sentiment is sustained today. If not for a bit of profit taking, the CSE would have closed yesterday with the milestone as the ASPI recovered mid-day after falling in early trading but couldn�t sustain the rally. However, the market capitalisation amounted to Rs. 4.999T, up from Rs. 4.997T. more..

Nov 30 (DM) The subdued growth in private sector credit in September has continued through October, despite the lifting of the virus-related lockdowns, largely as a result of the lingering effects of the liquidity shortage in domestic money markets, uncertainty over the direction of the interest rates and persistent anxieties over the future trajectory of the economy, ahead of the budget and evolving pandemic. After holding up against initial restrictions and the subsequent lockdowns continued more..

Nov 30 (FT) Several international and local experts will today shed key insights to how SL can move towards a secure new normal in the use of technology via a top forum organised by the Daily FT and subject specialist CICRA Holdings Ltd. The popular and eighth annual full day Cyber Security Summit will kick off today at Waters Edge, followed by a CEOs Forum tomorrow at the same venue. The Day Conference has innovative and informative sessions, including discussions on payments more..

Nov 30 (ST) The Finance Ministry has given Ministry Secretaries just a month to formulate project proposals and action plans�complete with cost estimates�for implementation next year under the post-COVID economic recovery programme announced in the Budget. In a circular issued on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle says the Govt has embarked on a development path to stimulate the economy amidst the global and local challenges that arose from Covid pandemic. more..

Nov 30 (ST) Jaffna-based veteran journalist M. V. Kanamaylnathan, better known as Kanam, passed away on Monday (22). I first came to know him when we were working together at the now defunct Independent Newspapers Ltd during 2nd half of 1960s. It didn�t take long for us to understand each other. In him I found an honest and sincere friend. He lived at Wellawatte and I lived at Kollupitiya and we often travelled together after work. There were rainy days when we shared lunch together. more..

Nov 30 (Island) Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has requested the Secretary to the Ministry to submit an evaluation report on the distribution of medical equipment and human resources among govt hospitals. There was an excess of doctors in some hospitals and there was a shortage of doctors in some rural hospitals, Minister said at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health. The govt was taking over the Base Hospitals to more..

Nov 30 (Island) State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe yesterday assured that the govt would compensate any paddy farmer who suffered losses due to adopting organic fertiliser. Speaking at a meeting held at the auditorium of the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat, Minister said that even if the govt had not proposed to allocate funds in the Budget proposals for possible losses to paddy farmers using organic fertiliser, funds would be obtained from a supplementary estimate for the purpose. more..

Nov 30 (Island) A London mother who needs emergency heart treatment in the UK is battling the UK Govt over its refusal to allow her adopted twins to travel with her from Sri Lanka. Lisa Keerthichandra and her husband Dash fell in love with Lavinia and Aria at an orphanage in Sri Lanka, when the children were six months old, and adopted them in 2019. The couple from Enfield, who moved temporarily to Sri Lanka in 2013 and have since divided their time between their two homes, more..

Nov 30 (TM) With the gas cylinder composition being blamed for the series of gas cylinder explosions around the country this month, Govt revealed that the compositional ratio of butane and propane in a gas cylinder is not considered at present when the standards of a gas cylinder are determined by SL Standards Institute (SLSI). State Minister Alagiyawanna said SLSI considers gas cylinder pressure as its main measurement. more..

Nov 30 (FT) The first meeting of the committee organising the 74th Independence Day Celebrations for 2022 was held under the patronage of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday. At the meeting, PM decided that the 74th Independence Day celebrations should be held proudly at the Independence Square in Colombo on 4 Feb under the theme Prosperous Motherland that Overcomes Challenges. PM instructed Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris to extend an invitation more..

Nov 30 (EN) SL�s ministers and some authorities have repeatedly said the govt has given debt moratorium debts so that there will be minimum impact on the businesses. Many rushed to use the debt moratorium on the assumption that they will have to pay the same amount later with freeze in interest payment. But SL�s businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, are now slowly realizing the impact of debt moratorium. �I was paying 500,000 per month for the loan and more..

Nov 30 (FT) CB Governor Nivard Cabraal last week expressed confidence in measures announced in the short term roadmap in October to boost forex reserves and is expected to make public the progress shortly. The roadmap listed that between Oct and Dec $ 2.8 billion inflows via Govt initiatives and a further $ 2.2 billion by measures by the Central Bank, would be seen. Separately $ 800 million inflows were listed to the banking sector. CB expected $ 6.15 billion in inflows via exports, more..

Nov 30 (FT) The SJB yesterday claimed that the country�s net foreign reserves had plunged to an all-time low of $ 1.2 billion and warned of a looming dark future. SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne revealed the precariously low reserves figure � excluding gold reserves of $ 300 million � in Parliament yesterday. Govt members did not refute the Opposition claim of record low reserves, which amounts to less than one month�s worth of imports, which the SJB MP said was the lowest in history. more..

Nov 30 (TM) Central Bank (CB) is unlikely to revoke the directive sent by them to licensed commercial banks (LCBs) by former CBSL Governor Prof. W.D. Lakshman days before his resignation, advising the banks to keep the selling rate of the US dollar (USD) below Rs. 203, The Morning Business learns. Current CBSL Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal confirmed this during a recent webinar in which he expressed his plans to more..

Nov 30 (DN) Adivasi Leader Uruwarige Wannila Aththo has been appointed as a member of the National Environmental Council by the Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera. Members of the National Environment Council appointed by the Ministry of Environment for Environmental Protection were appointed Sunday. National Environment Council consists of 25 members. Minister presented Letters of Appointment to the members appointed to the National Environmental Council at CEA. more..

Nov 30 (Island) JVP leader Anura Kumara told Parliament that the time had come for people to cry in unison for the harm inflicted on the nation by rulers, since independence. Participating in the third reading debate on Budget 2022, Dissanayake asked whether anyone could be proud of the way the country had been ruled so far. �The CPC owes USD 3,400 million to the People�s Bank and Bank of Ceylon. What we have is an internationally bankrupt petroleum corporation. more..

Nov 30 (EN) With no guarantee of stopping Omicron, the newly detected COVID-19 variant of concern, public health experts in Sri Lanka have urged the public to get themselves fully vaccinated despite questions over vaccine efficacy. Some experts have expressed concern that the variant may be able to surpass the immunity boost provided by currently available COVID-19 vaccines. Health experts in Sri Lanka said, more..

Nov 30 (Island) Former State Intelligence Service head and incumbent Senior DIG of the Central Province Nilantha Jayawardena told the court yesterday that information received from foreign agencies of possible terror attacks on Easter Sunday could not be processed into intelligence. Therefore, he had not been able to hand over an intelligence report on the matter to the then IGP Pujith Jayasundera, SDIG Jayawardena said. SDIG testified at the Colombo Permanent HC more..

Nov 30 (FT) Amidst flour companies Prima and Serendib increasing prices by Rs. 17.50 yesterday, ACBOA said that, in line with the soaring costs of inputs and levies, they too would increase prices. As per the new price revision, a price of a loaf of will increase by Rs. 10, short eats by Rs. 5, kottu by Rs. 10. Following the revoking of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of wheat flour at the end of Sept, the companies have increased prices three times � creating history. more..

Nov 30 (CT) Controversy surrounding LP gas reached fever pitch yesterday, with 10 separate incidents of explosions involving gas cylinders and stoves were reported from across the country. The 10 incidents were reported from Hatton, Malliappuwa, Marawila, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Hanwella, Padukka, Embilipitiya, Mawanalle, and Matara, respectively. According to Marawila Police, a kitchen in a local residence was rocked by more..

Nov 30 (FT) While SL is facing a severe economic crisis manifested by rising prices, consumer goods shortages, high cost of living, low international reserves, foreign exchange scarcity, and slow economic growth, the authorities are still reluctant to adopt any credible policy reform package with the assistance of the IMF. The fiscal deficit, which is the root cause of current macroeconomic imbalances, is most likely to remain even higher next year as Budget 2022 fails to address the revenue more..

Nov 30 (FT) �The public sector has expanded so rapidly that they have become an unbearable burden. We must honestly accept, that this public sector is a burden to the country,� said Minister Basil Rajapaksa. On this point he was 100% right. But how did this come about and how to make it slim and efficient are questions the Minister did not care to answer. He made his comments while selling his maiden Budget to a disgruntled public, which may not be the proper place to discuss such a more..