Feb 2 (CT) The 3-Judge Bench of the Colombo High Court yesterday dismissed objections raised by the defence in the case filed against Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and another accused and fixed the case for hearing. Aluthgamage and former Chairman of Lanka Sathosa Nalin Fernando have been accused before the High Court by the CIABOC for causing a loss of revenue to the State during his term as Sports Minister by importing sports goods valued at Rs 53 million more..

Feb 2 (Island) The proposed amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No 48 of 1979 (PTA) issued by gazette notification published on 27.01.2022 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs do not eliminate the draconian aspects of the original PTA, says former MP M.M. Zuhair, PC. For example, the continued admission at PTA trials of specified statements made by suspects while in police custody in violation of the time tested provisions of the Evidence Ordinance more..

Feb 2 (FT) Daily FT and ICC SL in association with Colombo Uni MBA Association, ACCA and CA Sri Lanka recently hosted a webinar to identify solutions to the forex crisis, which is clearly a confusing and vexing issue for experts, policymakers, decision-makers and citizens alike. An opening clip, previously broadcast on an international TV News channel, established the point of view as held by CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, that World Bank as well as other rating agencies are projecting more..

Feb 2 (FT) Teejay Lanka PLC, SL�s largest textile manufacturer, has announced that distinguished business leader Ajit Gunewardene is to be appointed Chairman with effect from 17 February, consequent to his appointment as an independent non-executive director of the company on 1 Feb. Gunewardene, a former Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings (JKH) and a former Chairman of Nations Trust Bank (NTB) and Union Assurance, will succeed Bill Lam, who resigns on 17 Feb, ending a 13-yr stint more..

Feb 2 (DM) The failure to promptly open and carry out a criminal investigation into the 2012 Welikada riot, despite having strong evidence and testimonies of a number of witnesses and the impunity of the culprits was a topic of discussion for years. After nine long years since the shooting incident, which claimed 27 lives of inmates, the Colombo High Court Special Trial-at-Bar on Jan 12, 2022 sentenced former Welikada Prison more..

Feb 2 (DM) State Minister Arundika Fernando today said that he would resign from his post if a vehicle belonging to the Coconut Development Board (CDB) was involved in the assault of the Ragama medical faculty undergrads. He said an investigation would be carried out if any vehicle from the CDB was involved in the incident. Three medical faculty students have been hospitalized after a group of thugs attacked the hostel of Kelaniya University�s Faculty of Medicine in Ragama last night. more..

Feb 2 (DM) Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila today assured the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake that he would provide complete fuel stocks for next week's electricity generation. He said the minister assured him of providing 10,000 metric tons of diesel per day, including naphtha and furnace oil. "The CEB has to pay Rs. 90 billion to the CPC and that amount should be paid. If payments were not paid, both the corporations would have colluded," he said. more..

Feb 2 (CI) Suranga Lakmal will retire from all forms of int'l cricket after SL's tour of India in 2022. The 34-year old fast bowler did his best work in Test cricket, picking up 168 wickets from 68 matches. One-hundred and thirty of them came away from home. The spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka often pushed him into the sidelines, but on tour, Lakmal's ability to hold a line and length over long periods of time and his knack for moving more..

Feb 2 (AD) The Colombo Additional Magistrate today ordered the release of a church worker and two others who were arrested on suspicion over the hand grenade found inside a church in Borella. The retired doctor who was also arrested in connection with the incident is still under detention order. The court had ordered to release the three arrested suspects when the case was taken up today (02). A hand grenade was discovered inside the All Saints� Church in Borella on January 11 more..

Feb 2 (EN) Sri Lanka has sought technical support from the IMF and a mission is likely to arrive, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said. �We have not officially done anything,� he told reporters at a forum in Colombo when asked whether a decision has been made to go for an IMF program. �But we have written to them and sought specialist advice from them. The IMF is an international institution set up to give advice to countries that are going through crisis situations. more..

Feb 3 (DM) Tomorrow, Sri Lanka will mark its 74th anniversary of Independence after being under foreign rule for 443 years since 1505 � dominated first by the Portuguese, then by the Dutch and finally by the British. We thought it would be appropriate on a day such as this, to reminisce, even in capsule form, on the life and times of SL�s greatest statesman and servant leader Don Stephen Senanayake, the first PM of Ceylon as this country was then known and more..

Feb 3 (DM) Sometime next week, perhaps on Monday, somewhere or maybe even in most parts of the country, teachers will task students to write an essay on Independence Day. This is as annual as Independence Day. Time passes, days acquire importance and later get footnoted. Histories are created and erased. Somewhere down the line, we seem to have forgotten the 22nd day of May and the year 1972. Some child who knows history or students who have had the benefit of more..

Feb 3 (TM) The European Union�s (EU) Indo Pacific Strategy, which was formally released in Sept 2021, can be beneficial to Sri Lanka in a number of ways including strengthened security, sustainable development, new technology, and long-term economic stability. While some of them are long-term targets, it can help Sri Lanka deal with certain current issues such as Sri Lanka being trapped between world powers in the region more..

Feb 3 (CT) No country�s sovereignty is sacrosanct in today�s borderless world. Endless cross border flows of people and information keep practically every corner of the world abreast of happenings elsewhere. Therefore, all national govts are compelled by necessity to take cognizance of not only how domestic public opinion reacts to their policies and practices but also how world opinion responds to them. How to manage both is the greatest challenge facing all govts. more..

Feb 3 (CT) Yesterday (2) this newspaper carried an article with the heading, 48 Ministers, MPs to face legal action, with a strapline, Failure to pay water bills. It said, �Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara instructed the State-owned National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) to institute urgent legal action against 48 Cabinet Ministers who had failed to pay their monthly water bills running into millions of rupees." On 24 January, Nanayakkara ordered the NWSDB more..

Feb 3 (SO) Avant Garde Maritime Services (AGMS) was a name synonymous with court cases and laden with accusations over the legality of the business during the previous Yahapalana Govt. However, Avant Garde Chairman Major (Retd) Nissanka Senadhipathi and several others were not only acquitted of the 7,573 charges by the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar but also became entitled to a compensation of more..

Feb 3 (TM) Not only trade unions, but many parties have expressed their displeasure over the recent statement made by Justice Minister President�s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry that the right of trade unions within sectors such as the ports, Customs, CEB, GMOA, and CPC, to strike, should be abolished in the Constitution. History bears witness to the fact that thousands of workers shed their blood and sweat for any victory that the working people have achieved today. more..

Feb 3 (CT) To many in SL the IMF is the scary bogeyman of global finance � to be avoided at all costs. Others beyond this island call the IMF the world�s financial crisis fire fighter. Relied on by member countries to deal with crippling sovereign debt and prevent contagion from spreading through the global financial system. A member country, there are 189 members as of 2020, typically summons the IMF when it can no longer finance imports or service its debt to creditors, a sign of potential crisis. more..

Feb 3 (EN) Stock market nosedived on Wednesday with the main index dropping to a five-week low and posting its worst performance since Nov. 19 as panicked investors dumped risky assets amid economic woes, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 2.6% or 338.10 points lower to close at 12,584.02 points. It was the worst fall since Nov 19 and the index hit its lowest since Dec. 29, the bourse data showed. Wednesday�s fall was the sixth slip in the last 7 session. more..

Feb 3 (ST) In spite of placing specified guidelines and protocols to follow during the ongoing Club Rugby League Championship of 2022, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has lost its status and respect among stakeholders, most notably the main sponsor Dialog Axiata, who pulled out from its long-standing commitment days prior to the commencement. With a monetary commitment of Rs.19 million for the club rugby season of 2022, which includes the league and knockout competitions, Dialog Axiata more..

Feb 3 (Island) One-time Defence Secretary and former Secretary to Prez Sirisena Austin Fernando says having repeatedly undermined previous efforts meant to reach consensus with civil society and Tamil Diaspora, the incumbent dispensation seems to be following the yahapalana strategy. Fernando said that the current strategy should be examined against the backdrop of the Pohottuwa administration�s much touted more..

Feb 3 (Island) Laws prevent a country�s descent into chaos, if not anarchy. The same is true of the world at large, and hence the need for international laws to be abided by. When norms and rules upon which the international order is based are disregarded or violated, conflicts occur. Russia is currently under international pressure to follow the rule book, respect Ukraine�s sovereignty and refrain from violating the latter�s territory. But there are no such international concerns about more..

Feb 3 (Island) No, this time it is not Argentina that has gone to town, but good old Sri Lanka, my beloved paradisiacal homeland. Only thing missing is a flamboyant Evita-type to come and sing the haunting Don�t cry for me to complete the carnival. Maybe they should show Cry the beloved country on Sirasa, Derana and Rupavahini so that at least it may wake most of us who are dreaming in technicolor of the coming of milk and honey. We need to wake up to reality. more..

Feb 3 (AD) President inspected CEB-owned Thambapavani Wind Power Station in Mannar, on Wednesday. The Thambapavani wind farm project commenced in 2014 with the aim of empowering the country with electricity, providing a stable power supply and accelerating the development process. The power plant is located on 150-hectare land, 13 km off the coast of Mannar, which faces both major monsoon winds. more..

Feb 3 (CT) Top order batter Oshada Fernando and left arm spinner Pulina Tharanga lead the most run scorers and most wicket takers charts at the ongoing National Super league 50 over tournament, while the Kandy team heads the points table. After four matches each so far in the tournament, Fernando, representing team Kandy, has scored 218 runs at an average of 54.5, including a half century and a century. This includes the tournament�s highest individual score of 138 batting at number 4 more..

Feb 3 (FT) Hemas Holdings PLC (HHL) said it delivered a strong and resilient first nine months amidst a challenging operating environment with Group revenue up 20.5% to Rs. 57.7 billion and underlying cumulative operating profit (excluding all disposed entities) up 4.3% to Rs. 4.9 billion. Hemas said the latter was in spite of profitability pressure experienced across most parts of the business due to input cost inflation and challenges around foreign exchange liquidity. more..

Feb 3 (FT) SL�s COVID-19 detections rose to 613,478 with 1,156 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. 1,151 persons from the New Year cluster and five overseas arrivals were among the patients detected yesterday. The previous day, 1,132 persons from the New Year cluster and five SL overseas returnees tested positive for COVID-19. 7,697 PCR tests and 5,210 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Tuesday. The country�s total COVID-19 detections include 507,916 persons from more..

Feb 3 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 128,733 persons on Tuesday and 77.57% of the population has received at least one vaccine dose. 64.80% of the population has received the second dose as well. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 16,710,257 persons and the second dose has been administered to 13,943,179 persons. The booster dose has been administered to 5,364,788 persons and booster dose coverage among the population over more..

Feb 3 (TM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) said that since Unit Three of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant is operational again, the supply of electricity will not be affected, and that Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has agreed to provide a week�s supply of fuel to the CEB. �Unit Three of Norochcholai, which malfunctioned again on 1 Feb, is back up and all 300 megawatts (MW) of its capacity more..

Feb 3 (ST) The 74th Independence Day celebration will be held at the Independence square in Colombo keeping with COVID-19 health guidelines, officials said. Due to the health restrictions, the seating arrangements will only be for Ministers, Parliamentarians and other delegates who have confirmed their participation with the Independence Day Organising Committee. More than 2500 seats have been arranged, said Home Affairs State Ministry Secretary N. H. M. Chitrananda. more..

Feb 3 (FT) The petition filed by the Young Journalists Association against the Personal Data Protection Bill was taken up for hearing and dismissed by the Supreme Court this week. The petition filed under Article 121 of the Constitution claimed that the Bill had not provided for provisions to protect rights of journalists to investigate facts and for fair comments by journalists and therefore was inconsistent with the Constitution. The Secretary to the Ministry of Technology, filed papers more..

Feb 3 (FT) The main Opposition SJB yesterday said controlling inflation is a primary responsibility for any govt and the current regime has failed in this endeavour, and continues to adopt ill-conceived measures that will further escalate prices and cause added hardships to people. Addressing the media SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne, said this Govt has excelled at lies, racism and theatrics and scoffed at ministers asking the public to remain positive. more..

Feb 3 (TM) Bar Association of SL (BASL) has challenged the constitutionality of the newly gazetted Special Goods and Services Tax (SGST) in the Supreme Court (SC), BASL said. �The BASL filed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the SGST Bill which is currently before the SC. The BASL decided to challenge the Bill given the wide implications of the Bill on the Parliament�s full control of public finance and since the Bill veers from the basic structure of the Constitution,� more..

Feb 3 (CT) Total accumulation of Govt of SL (GoSL) debt in the first 10 months of last year over its end December 2020 figure accelerated by 41.46% (Rs 652.6 billion) year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 2,226.7 billion (Rs 2.23 trillion), Central Bank of SL (CBSL) data showed. GoSL�s total debt as at the end of the first 10 months of last year stood at Rs 17,349.9 billion (Rs 17.35 trillion) and as at end 2020 at Rs 15,117.2 billion, an increase of 14.73% (Rs 2,226.7 billion/Rs 2.23 trillion). more..

Feb 3 (TM) Nearly 100 children who had dropped out of schooling have been sent back to schools under the first phase of the programme launched by Police Dept�s Community Police Unit to send non-schooling children in the Western Province (WP) to schools. Public Security Ministry Secretary Jagath Alwis said that under the initial phase of the programme, about 100 children who had dropped out of school were sent back to schools. He added that the Police would also provide them with more..