Dec 23 (CT) Tug-of-war between CEB Engineers/PUCSL and Minister of Power and Energy, in connection with the power crisis, makes it rather difficult to fathom the actual situation that the country is in. There have been rather contradictory statements issued by the power regulatory body, Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), Minister and the trade unions of the CEB throughout the power crisis. Clash has now reached its peak with the recent statement made by the Minister more..

Dec 23 (ST) An application to the UDA under the Right to Information Act, has revealed that the Kajeemawatta land in Grandpass, where a blaze displaced more than 300 people, is not owned by the authority. Most residents who had settled on the land received houses from the authority, and the current families may have settled on the same land with the aim of getting houses again, the UDA said in responding to the information request. �By the end of 2014, all residents had received houses. more..

Dec 23 (ST) WSO2, Colombo-based global leader in digital transformation technologies, said this week that it is on track to close this financial year with 30 per cent year-over-year (YoY) growth. Contributing to customer adoption was WSO2�s participation in several of the world�s most influential tech and software development conferences visited by over 500,000 industry experts in 2022. More than 800 customers in over 90 countries�including govt agencies, global leaders in financial services more..

Dec 23 (ST) When the Parliamentary Business Committee set aside December 13 for a special session to field questions for oral answers, it did so with the intention of giving an opportunity to MPs to obtain answers they had been waiting for months after posing the questions. The move, while good on paper, ended in farcical scenes on Tuesday when many ministers who were supposed to answer questions, as well as the MPs who had asked more..

Dec 23 (Island) Climate change is no more a matter of controversy as there is a scientific consensus on the occurrence with predictions of horrible consequences. Further, it is no more a sheer environmental issue but ramifies into socio, economic and political spheres creating much chaos. SL is one of the hotspots in south Asia when climate change impacts are concerned. Although we are blessed with higher annual rainfall the developing temporal and spatial variations of more..

Dec 23 (Island) It looks as if we were witnessing a replay of what played out during the UNP-led UNF govt between 2001 and 2004, a notable exception being that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has secured exec presidency, and the Rajapaksas, who wrap themselves in the flag, have chosen to play second fiddle to him and support the UNP�s economic agenda, which they once rejected. UNF administration (2001-2004) stood accused of trying to regain SL by selling vital state assets. more..

Dec 23 (DM) SL Air Force (SLAF) signed an agreement with the Health Ministry to provide aircraft on a mobile Charter Basis for the purposes of airlifting remains of deceased personnel for organ retrieval at the request of Ministry of Health. Accordingly, C-130, AN-32, MA-60, Y-12, MI-17, Bell-412, Bell-212 and Bell-206 airworthy aircraft will be deployed to perform airlift operations under this agreement. MOU for Charter Aircraft Agreement was signed at Air Force HQ under more..

Dec 23 (Island) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe had agreed to release land in the northern province held by security forces and political prisoners, TNA MP, M.A. Sumanthiran said. MP said that the agreement had been reached during a meeting the Prez had with the leaders of Tamil political parties on Wednesday. Prez on 14 Dec convened an all-party conference to find a solution to the national problem. Wednesday�s meeting was convened to discuss the progress made following the previous one. more..

Dec 23 (TM) Standing by its previous statement that coal stocks will run out on 31 Dec, leading to approximately 10-hour power cuts, and stating that the Ministry of Power and Energy cannot take legal action against trade unionists for voicing their concerns, CEB Engineers� Union (CEBEU) proceeded with its previously planned protest outside the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai last afternoon. more..

Dec 23 (DN) Homagama Pitipana Buddhist and Pali University has started an internal investigation regarding the empty liquor bottles and beer cans found in the University premises. Ven. Professor Neluwe Sumanawansa Thera said that after the related investigation, the university resident review committee will make recommendations regarding any action to be taken. The Thera said that steps will be taken to commence educational and administrative activities of the Buddhist and more..

Dec 23 (DN) Six candidates, including former president Umar Jaswar and former MP J. Sri Ranga are contesting for the post of president at the 2022/23 Football Sri Lanka (FSL) elections, scheduled for Jan 14 at the Sports Ministry Auditorium in Colombo. The nominations for the FSL election closed on January 20 and altogether 40 candidates have submitted their nominations for 10 positions. Former Secretary Upali Hewage, Emmanuel Arnold, Jagath de Silva and more..

Dec 23 (EN) The delay in the IMF Board approval on a $2.9 billion loan for Sri Lanka is not only due to a dragging Chinese debt restructuring talks, a top official who is directly involved with the debt restructuring negotiation said. �We can�t say it is China. In fact, we can�t say it is a delay because the bilateral creditors have asked for more information and clarification.� the official who also has the knowledge of IMF negotiation said. more..

Dec 23 (FT) Hemas Holdings announced the appointment of Independent Non-Executive Director since Oct 2013. Dr. Anura Ekanayake as the Deputy Chairman from 1 Jan 2023. Dr. Ekanayake is a former Chairman of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Association of SL and The International Natural Rubber Council. He has had an illustrious career in public service, serving as a Senior Economist of Mahaweli Authority, Director on the Boards of State Plantations Corp & JEDB, more..

Dec 23 (CT) Several projects in the Hambantota Int'l Port (HIP) Industrial Park are nearing completion, marking the success of 2022 as the Year of Construction. Despite a certain slowdown during Covid-19, this international industrial park has secured over 40 projects from over 08+ countries and has emerged stronger than ever, adhering to their HIP Speed concept to renew construction and meet deadlines. A plug-and-play, park-in-park facility by Xinji Shenzhen Group will also be more..

Dec 23 (FT) Sri Lanka has welcomed over 50,000 tourists during the first 20 days of the month, boosted by Russian visitors. A total of 50,375 tourists have already arrived in the country during the first 20 days of the month, pushing the year-to-date figure to 678,392 so far, SLTDA data showed. Russia emerged as the top source market, followed by India and the UK. The top three source markets for the month also accounted for 49% of the total tourists who arrived in the month of Dec. more..

Dec 23 (FT) Dialog Axiata announced plans to shut down its 3G data network in 2023 to free up spectrum and increase the capacity of its 4G Broadband network. �This decision comes as part of Dialog�s ongoing efforts to provide the best possible mobile experience for its customers and is part of its continued efforts to introduce best-in-class, next-gen technologies to SL consumers,� the company said. It said usage of the 3G network accounts for less than 1% of Dialog�s data traffic more..

Dec 23 (FT) Govt unveiled its roadmap to boost the country�s external trade, announcing a slew of measures including the setting up the 2023-Budget proposed International Trade Office which will spearhead new bilateral arrangements. On the directions of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Govt has decided to reorganise the existing conventional institutional infrastructure and establish a new entity Int'l Trade Office (ITO). more..

Dec 23 (FT) PM Dinesh Gunawardena and Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay jointly witnessed the establishment of partnership linkage between the SL Technological Campus SLTC Research Uni (SLTC) and the Indian Institute of Technology � Madras (IITM) for an inclusive partnership for academic, research and resource exchange. During their visit to the SLTC in Padukka on Wednesday, they joined a zoom meeting between the SLTC Campus and IIT, Madras in which more..

Dec 23 (FT) CEB has announced that one unit at the Norochcholai Lakvijaya power station generating 300 MW will be closed down from today to manage dwindling coal stocks and to also carry out routine maintenance. CEB said the loss of power generation will be covered by other available sources while the two-hour and 20-minute daily power cuts will continue as scheduled. Lanka Coal Company Chairman Shehan Sumanasekara said they will only be able to provide stocks of coal to N'cholai more..

Dec 23 (EN) SL plans to abolish land grants to plantations companies and give lands to the people, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has said according to a statement by his media office. �Steps will be taken to abolish all land grants (balapathra) to plantations companies and give land to the people,� Prez Wickremesinghe was quoted as saying at a meeting in the hill country town of Nuwara Eliya. �We hope to complete these activities by Feb 4.� Nuwara Eliya is a top tea producing district. more..

Dec 23 (FT) The Treasury has informed all Govt agencies to limit its bonus payments for public sector employees this year given the ongoing economic circus. As per the Treasury payment of bonuses to employees of Govt Corporation Statutory Boards and Companies has been limited. The Treasury also informed that the bonus payment can be made subject to a maximum limit of only Rs. 25,000 for employees of Govt Corporation Statutory Boards and Companies. more..

Dec 23 (Island) A high-profile investigation into corruption in the Kurunegala Municipal Council involving members of SLPP, SJB and SLFP has begun following an abortive bid made by Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Vitharana (SLPP) to halt the proceedings. Court of Appeal did not issue a stay order in respect of Mayor Vitharana�s plea to nullify a gazette issued by North Western Province Governor Wasantha Karannagoda to conduct more..

Dec 23 (CT) A delegation from the renowned South Korea Disaster Relief Foundation (SKDRF) was irked when they were kept waiting by State Minister Anupa Pasqual, at an event on 21 Dec. SKDRF Prez Cho Sung Lea reprimanded the top invitee, Pasqual, over his late arrival saying that if this delay had occurred in Korea, the person would have been investigated and possibly removed from the position because he would not have been deemed suitable for the position. more..

Dec 23 (TM) Following an order issued by the Colombo Magistrate's Court (MC), the Borella Police is currently examining the mobile phone data of Janashakthi PLC Director Dinesh Schaffter � who was murdered on 15 Dec � as well as his wife Tani Schaffter, his secretary Chris Perera, and former cricket commentator Brian Thomas. Colombo Magistrate's Court granted permission to the Borella Police to examine the data of the mobile phones used by Schaffter, Tani Schaffter, Perera, more..

Dec 23 (TM) Although the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) sees no basis for a hike in the electricity tariffs evident at this juncture, should a valid reason for an increase be provided in the CEB's proposals, it will have to consider an increase in tariffs, said PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake, while adding that Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera cannot make unilateral declarations to more..

Dec 23 (FT) We live in precarious times. But precarious times are also times of great opportunity. The end of World War Two gave birth to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the end of Apartheid gave birth to the South African constitution, a constitution that has inspired the legal community for decades. A great deal is happening in the world and in SL in particular, creating a fog of ideas and desperation to see our way out of the darkness. This fog of ideas is based on more..

Dec 23 (FT) Since the ending of the internal civil war, I have been vehemently vocal on the need for directing SL towards a profound reform program. Following the Black July of 1983, SL remained in a bizarre state of persistent bloodshed for a long time, until the end of the internal civil war in 2009. The people of the country were compelled to live in an atmosphere overwhelmed by the fear of death during this long period. The insurrections launched by the Sinhala and Tamil youth had resulted more..

Dec 23 (Island) The rule of law had collapsed, SJB MP Hector Appuhamy said. �Everyone is scared. The crime rate has increased. People are wondering what the police are doing. Even multimillionaires are being killed in the middle of Colombo. The previous Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt undermined all aspects of national security and the present govt is following in its footsteps, the MP said. �After the Easter Sunday attack Gotabaya insisted that he would safeguard national security. more..

Dec 23 (AD) Police have arrested two persons who stole both foreign and local currency worth nearly Rs. 250 million, gold, a pistol, and other valuables from a businessman in Colombo. The arrest was made following a joint operation conducted by the Borella and Bambalapitiya Police. Accordingly, two suspects, identified as Dhanushka alias Kondaya and registered criminal Ruwan Premakumara who operates under multiple aliases such as Kalu Malli, Bella and Komana, more..

Dec 23 (DM) State Minister Anupa Pasqual denied media reports claiming that he had attended a meeting with a senior Korean official 30 minutes late and maintained that he had begun the meeting at the scheduled time. Pasqual, who came under immense criticism after South Korea Disaster Relief Foundation (SKDRF) President Cho Sung Lea slammed SL ministers for not being punctual, said the meeting on Wednesday was scheduled to more..

Dec 23 (FT) The world�s first calculator to check one�s worth at work has been launched by Ranjeewa Kulatunga, an acknowledged global human resource and organisational development thought leader. �This unique world�s first intervention www.knowyourworthtoday.com is designed to help the global workforce to know their true worth in the world of work and their earning potential in a flash,� said Founder, Managing Director Kulatunga, who has influenced 45 nationalities in more..

Dec 23 (DM) State Minister Anupa Pasqual, who said yesterday that he was going to the CID against a video circulating on social media tarnishing his image following a Korean official slamming Sri Lankan ministers for being late for meetings, failed to appear at the CID today as claimed. The Minister in the ministry�s letter head had invited media to cover the occasion where he was expected to arrive at the CID at 1.50 pm today but even by 2.30 p.m. the Minister had failed to arrive. more..

Dec 23 (DM) Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella who is under fire over his current visit to India, yesterday confirmed his visit and said he was with the CEO of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and claimed his trip to India was self funded while the NMRA CEO was independently funded. In response to the Daily Mirror article yesterday titled Is Keheliya in India to purchase meds from private Indian company, more..

Dec 23 (Island) More than 13 companies are involved in conducting development activities in the Trikonmadu Nature Reserve in Polonnaruwa without conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is mandatory before carrying out any development work in an environmentally sensitive area. Around 1500 acres in the Trikonamadu Forest Reserve have been released among businessmen, environmentalists claim. Religious and community leaders in the area claim that they have more..

Dec 23 (EN) Sri Lanka has yet to decide on abolishment of death penalty and recruiting hangmen, Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said as the island nation is in the process of addressing its past human rights violations amid a tough resolution by the UNHRC. SL in 2019 announced to sentence criminals involved with drug offenses with death penalty and hired two hangmen in the same year though nobody has been executed since 1976. Local and international rights groups have more..