Oct 5 (EN) SL has printed 106.7 billion rupees to fully sterilize liquidity shortages that emerged in the banking system in September from a statutory reserve hike and foreign reserve losses, data show. On Oct 4, the central bank�s Treasury bills tock rose to 1,442.7 billion rupees from 1,336 billion rupees. The central bank withdrew about 150 billion rupees from the banking system through a statutory reserve ratio hike on Sept 1; subsequently also intervened in forex markets to lose foreign reserves. more..

Oct 5 (DM) The National People's' Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath today urged the Govt to reveal the actual owner of the Rosetti Ltd., the Company which was set up by former MP Nirupama Rajapaksa and her husband Thirukumar Nadesan in the Jersey Island as exposed by the Pandora papers. He told Parliament that the Govt could not keep quiet on the incident claiming that it was a personal account and more..

Oct 5 (DM) Following discussions with the Provincial Governors, it has been decided to re-open the primary classes (Grade 1-5) of schools where there are students numbering below 200 on Oct 21 for learning activities, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said. The decision was taken following discussions with Education Minister and Provincial Governors via zoom at the Ministry. Several rounds of discussions were held on this. As a result of the discussion, the decision was more..

Oct 5 (CT) The Govt is planning to present SL singing sensation Yohani de Silva with a State Award to honour her contribution to promote SL in the international arena, State Minister Vidura Wickramanayake said in Parliament yesterday. Responding to a question raised by SJB MP Hesha Withanage during the Oral Question Round, Wickramanayake said the Govt will take steps to honour all the artistes in the country and create an environment for them to live with dignity. more..

Oct 5 (DM) Youngest son of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, Rohitha Rajapaksa today said he had no intention of entering politics and was presently involved in public campaigns, especially in the Kurunegala district only to fulfill the pledges made by his father to the people during the general election campaigns held last year. Denying reports that he was preparing to contest for the Chief Ministerial seat of the Wayamba Province, Rohitha said more..

Oct 5 (CT) Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda yesterday (4) said the Fisheries Act is being amended on the advice of the European Commission (EC) in a bid to obtain GSP concessions. He said the legal divisions of the countries that currently provide us with GSP have alerted the Fisheries Ministry to numerous legal issues in the current Fisheries Act. Minister Devananda went on to say that the Fisheries Ministry worked with him to draft a new more..

Oct 5 (CT) The Govt will never bow to the business network that has consolidated its power by creating a mafia in the essential food sector, State Minister for Rural Housing and Construction, Indika Anuruddha, said. He said, on the instructions of Prez Rajapaksa, the Govt has taken steps to provide the necessary amount of rice to the people at the lowest possible price, and that the President has also directed the Ministry of Trade to make the necessary arrangements for this purpose. more..

Oct 5 (CT) Information and Communication Technology Agency of SL (ICTA) recently launched a virtual platform to develop Chief Digital Information Officers in the SL public sector. The initiative�s main goal is to train 500 Chief Digital Information Officers in the public sector by the end of 2024. The establishment of Chief Digital Information Officers, capable and competent individuals established within public sector institutions more..

Oct 5 (NR) Opposition has requested the govt to hold a secret ballot in Parliament pertaining to the proposed organic fertiliser due to imported from China. Opposition alleged that investigations revealed the stock of organic fertiliser contains a number of toxic chemicals that are harmful for consumption while the government has concealed several investigation reports pertaining to the matter. Speaking in Parliament today, SJB MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna said the govt has vested more..

Oct 5 (DM) Dept of Immigration and Emigration today advised the applicants to follow the online booking facilities to receive their passports. Issuing a notice, Controller General said passports are issued to a limited number of applicants at the Battaramulla Head Office of the Dept of Immigration and Emigration as well as at the Matara, Vavuniya, Kandy and Kurunegala Regional Offices following all health guidelines. Controller General also advised the applicants who have urgent requirements, more..

Oct 6 (CT) While democracies such as New Zealand and the UK, to give just two examples, have accepted the fact that their countries will have to live with COVID-19, China, the world�s second largest economy, however, adopts a zero tolerance policy on COVID-19. Such zero tolerance policy adopted by China leads to a lockdown/shutdown even if at the most a handful of cases with COVID-19 are detected from a particular area. Yesterday, the South China Morning Post quoting NZ PM more..

Oct 6 (GV) Once again, the country is in a state of emergency. This time, the President has proclaimed emergency ostensibly to ensure the public security and well-being and maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community in view of the prevailing emergency situation in Sri Lanka in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic now steadily on the rise throughout Sri Lanka. The real objective, however, may be to bolster the power of the executive branch of the govt, more..

Oct 6 (CT) Although Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, piped water coverage is low compared to other 04 districts in the Province. That is, less than 4%. Safe piped water coverage is about 9.6% in the entire Northern Province. After the end of the war, the previous Govt focused special attention on this situation and planned to obtain financial assistance from the ADB to purify water of the Iranamadu Tank and more..

Oct 6 (DM) On Sunday (3), Pandora Papers published by the Int'l Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), exposed the secret offshore affairs of 35 world leaders, including current and former presidents, prime ministers and heads of state. They also shine a light on the secret finances of more than 300 other public officials such as govt ministers, judges, mayors and military generals in more than 90 countries. It also revealed the names of 300 Indians who are believed to have more..

Oct 6 (ST) Govt�s proposals to reform the provisions of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act 9 of 1951 (MMDA) by abolishing the Quazi courts has given rise to a loud outcry in the Muslim community. MMDA is a piece of legislation that relates only to Muslims and does not in any way harm or adversely affects other communities in the country. The failure of the State to take remedial action to upgrade the status of quazis, increase the paltry monthly remuneration of Rupees 13,000 paid to them, more..

Oct 6 (Island) Given his brilliant oratory skills, you expected much more from Kumar Sangakkara when he entered the commentary box. A sharp brain; well-read on any subject be it history, economics, politics, geography, or art, his press conferences were like blockbuster movies; a huge hit, be it at RPS, Lord�s, MCG, Wankhede, or Newlands. Ahead of the Asia Cup final between SL and India at Dambulla, more..

Oct 6 (ST) Addressing the UN General Assembly last month President Rajapaksa raised several concerns, two that had to do with health. One concerned the health of the human race; the other the health of Planet Earth on which man struggles increasingly to survive. It is understandable for the President to draw the world�s attention to the current pandemic that plagues the people of Sri Lanka as it does the populations of most other nations that constitute the UN family that have struggled more..

Oct 6 (CT) The prospect of imminent anti-Catholic pogroms have abated for now. The govt has been so mauled in Geneva, Washington and New York that it seems to have nipped any Gnanasara et al type of threat in the bud. And also the foreign currency, price and shortage crises seem to have eased in the last fortnight thanks to the IMF tipping $600 into the begging bowl. A pogrom is a tool of political distraction to be kept in reserve for some other time of greater crisis. more..

Oct 6 (FT) Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the electricity sector regulator, will start the second phase of awarding free National Vocational Qualification Level 3 (NVQ 3) Program for electricians today. The PUCSL launched this program in March last year and more than 2,000 electricians have obtained NVQ3 under the program and qualified for the electrician license. NVQ3 is the minimum qualification for obtaining an electrician license. more..

Oct 6 (Island) Provincial Councils (PCs) are likely to be under Governors� rule indefinitely. Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, in answer to a question, told Parliament, that he did not believe that the PC polls could be conducted at the present juncture, and all stakeholders would meet soon to take a final decision on the issue. His statement, which can be thought to reflect the govt�s stand on the matter, came close on the heels of some media reports that India had stressed the need to more..

Oct 6 (FT) Prez Rajapaksa yesterday appeared upbeat on stronger ties with India, extending an open invitation to investors saying the island nation needs the neighbouring giant�s help. Optimistic views on strengthening bilateral relations with new perspectives and measures were shared by the President when the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla called on him before ending more..

Oct 6 (TM) Amidst the unprecedented suffering resulting from the pandemic, we have once again been reminded of a more insidious illness that has plagued society � while some beg and starve, a select few continue to hoard enough wealth to make this insurmountable twin challenge of potential death and deprivations of poverty, seem insignificant. This reminder came in the form of the Pandora Papers, a set of leaked records investigated by the Int'l Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) more..

Oct 6 (ST) The Under-19 cricketers of past or present lacking first class exposure and only having played school cricket and some of them only with the Under-23 tournament, which is not a first class game either, is the root cause of juniors still without the world title, their coach, Avishka Gunawardene said. He has observed the Bangladeshis and the English sides, the upcoming tours for his side, and the mighty Indians, where youngsters come with first class exposure. more..

Oct 6 (FT) A top European Commission official yesterday highlighted areas of possible changes underway in the generation of European Union (EU) GSP+ preference by introducing more scrutiny to supply chains and sustainable development principles, whilst underscoring the benefits and optimal utilisation for economic growth. �GSP+ is an incentive, it is not a reward. We are assessing countries that more..

Oct 6 (ST) SL�s farmers are facing one of the worst crises, left with only the compost they prepared as state authorities have failed to provide the necessary fertiliser, carrying out experiments just ahead of farming for the largest cultivation season in the country. Authorities are faced with the daunting task of finding fertiliser from suppliers in India, China and Australia. Agriculture Ministry has decided to utilise locally available products and at the same time they expect other products to come in, more..

Oct 6 (Island) Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour agreed to present the Employees� Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill in Parliament for second reading. The committee also agreed to present an order to Parliament under the Employees Provident Fund Act. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour chaired by the Minister of Labour Nimal Siripala de Silva in Parliament on Monday (4). Sri Lankans, especially those employed in India, more..

Oct 6 (FT) Mental health issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic are more common than long-COVID, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) yesterday said while discussing public education on mental health issues related to COVID-19. According to SLMA President Dr. Padma Gunaratne, mental health issues are caused by various factors, including anxiety related to COVID-19, vaccine-related fears, and financial difficulties. �We often see more people facing mental illness due to more..

Oct 6 (Island) Under the Stay Strong campaign, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Santhush Jeong, at a ceremony held in the Foreign Ministry on 04 October 2021, handed over a donation of USD 500,000 which includes PCR test kits and PCR test machines to the SL govt. Ambassador Santhush expressed his thankfulness towards the Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage and Foreign Ministry of SL for organizing a wonderful event for the donation and highly appreciated more..

Oct 6 (TM) All Ceylon Farmers� Federation (ACFF) has charged that the Agriculture Ministry and other relevant authorities have so far failed to formulate a programme to provide organic fertiliser to farmers despite the Maha season having commenced already. ACFF Convenor Namal Karunaratne claimed that although Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has stated that they would take steps to provide fertiliser without more..

Oct 6 (FT) SL�s COVID-19 detections rose to 522,002 with 784 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The patients detected yesterday include 782 persons from the New Year cluster and two overseas arrivals. 5,415 PCR tests were conducted yesterday. The previous day, 6,479 PCR tests and 2,688 rapid antigen tests were conducted and 786 COVID-19 patients were detected. Monday�s COVID-19 detections consist of 783 persons from the New Year cluster and more..

Oct 6 (CT) Sri Lanka head coach Amir Alagic is pleased with the boys� performance against Nepal despite going down fighting 3-2 in their second outing of the SAFF Championship in Maldives. The Sri Lankans had been beaten by Bangladesh in their opener prompting serious questions over their ability to make a challenge in this tournament, but Amir Alagic�s side responded to the pressure with an outstanding performance even, though the final result did not go Sri Lanka�s way. more..

Oct 6 (TM) The report of the Prisons Department investigation into incidents at the Welikada and Anuradhapura Prisons involving former Prison Management State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, which was supposed to be handed over to Prisons Commissioner General (CG) Thushara Upuldeniya within two weeks, is in the final stage of preparation and compilation. Prisons Commissioner S. Kodithuwakku, who led the investigation more..

Oct 6 (TM) NBRO has issued landslide warnings for a total of four districts in three provinces and advised the public to be watchful of possible slope failures, rock falls, cutting failures, and ground subsidence, given the nearly full day of rain experienced in many of these areas yesterday. Accordingly, NBRO has issued level one (yellow) landslide warnings to a total of nine divisional secretariat divisions (DSDs), namely Eheliyagoda, Imbulpe, Kuruwita, Ratnapura, Elapatha, Nivitigala, Kalawana, Ayagama, more..

Oct 6 (TM) The proposed digital nomad visa is to be implemented by the end of October, according to the SLTDA. The groundwork for the implementation of this digital nomad programme is currently being done and the SLTDA is in discussion with ICTA and Dept of Immigration and Emigration, it is learnt. Sources within the Ministry of Tourism stated earlier, that the Govt of SL took the decision to attract digital nomads with long-term one-year visas, as it is a fast-growing segment within more..

Oct 6 (Island) Time had come for schools to reopen with the right protocols, President of Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) Dr. Padma Gunaratne said. She said that about 80-90% of Sri Lankans were aware of how COVID-19 spread and what needed to be done to minimise the risk of infection. �This was not there before. Because people now know better, we can start the slow journey towards normalcy. This has to be done carefully,� she said. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) more..

Oct 6 (Island) SL Tamil political parties that pressured India, demanding provincial council elections, should apply the same pressure on the SL govt, Harsh Shringla, Foreign Secretary of India, told representatives of the TNA on 04 Oct. Shringla made this statement during a meeting with TNA representatives at the India House in Colombo. Indian Foreign Secretary has also said that India could not apply pressure on SL just because New Delhi had fully supported the implementation more..