Mar 13 (ST) Informal talks between the fisherfolk communities of northern SL and southern India were held on the eve of the St Anthony�s feast in Kachatheevu but they ended inconclusively on Friday. This came after SL fishermen refused to give any more grace period for Indian bottom trawlers in SL waters. The meeting which was presided over by Fisheires Minister Douglas Devanada saw representatives of fishermen expressed their concerns on the recent deaths of fishermen more..

Mar 13 (ST) Burdened by hardships from the worsening economic crisis, people took to the streets in many parts of the country this week. Vigils are taking place. The participation of urbanites in this manner, which generally has not happened, spells out the extent of anguish and distress. Significant among them was a protest outside Prez Rajapaksa�s private residence in Mirihana. Mostly women participated and more..

Mar 14 (TM) Sri Lanka is finally re-entering a rehab clinic. Not for addiction to some common vice but for addiction to economic policy myopia and ignorance of the related dynamics of governance, financial mismanagement and mishandling, fiscal profligacy, and wanton corruption. This state of affairs is not the result of financial misadventures but of systematic corrosion of monetary governance. After more than a year of toing and froing, months and months of bandying about the dirty �C� word more..

Mar 14 (DM) When I was a child, my parents saved a portion of their hard-earned earnings every month. They were careful about their finances, and eventually, in the year 1978, my mother was able to buy some land in Colombo for my siblings and me. They were careful with their meager earnings to invest in the children, showing the way to a promising future. They spent diligently, taking no debts for everyday living and living within their means, knowing their debt could transfer more..

Mar 14 (TM) The common observations across the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) featured in the latest COPE report, tabled in Parliament on Tuesday (8), are mismanagement, politicised decision making, and a complete lack of commitment to decisions which are made, along with systemic arrangements for mismanagement and fraud, asserts COPE Chairman Dr. Charitha Herath. �We are currently looking at more..

Mar 14 (DM) State Ministry of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals has commenced an inquiry as per the instructions of Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana into incidents of alleged financial irregularities and corruption to have taken place in granting registration to pharmaceutical importers. The investigation began on the allegation that NMRA's legal officer is involved in conceding the registration for pharmaceutical companies that import medicines. more..

Mar 14 (CT) In Aug 1994, Chandrika Kumaratunga was elected as PM of Sri Lanka, ending 17 years of unbroken and chaotic UNP rule. One of her election pledges was to set the price of loaf of bread at Rs 3.50, by bringing it down from the then exorbitant price of Rs 4.50. Some 28 years later, with the latest price revision of flour, a loaf of bread is now sold at a price between Rs 100 and Rs 120. The question is how did our economy spin so much out of control in just three decades, where bread, more..

Mar 14 (CT) Calling for reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and the rights of Muslim women and children even after a lapse of four decades are still being denied and exploited with continuous delays to amend certain provisions of the Act which appear to be discriminatory. Concerns on the Act per se have been apparently raised within the community which has been aggrieved immensely over the yrs. more..

Mar 14 (ST) SC�s Determination on amendments to Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA, 1979) announced by Speaker in the House on Tuesday (8) is largely predictable, some would mutter sotto voce, pedestrian even. Undoubtedly the Court itself was limited by the patent lack of imagination if not foresight by the Govt in presenting amendments of such a tepid nature in the first place. If the intention was to placate critical comments in Geneva and Brussels, than that exercise badly backfired. more..

Mar 14 (Island) Prez Rajapaksa makes surprise visits to various state institutions to keep public employees, especially shirkers among them, on their toes. He has drawn criticism from his political opponents, who claim that he is trying to distract public attention from his govt�s pathetic failure, and score brownie points with the people, who are struggling to make ends meet. Prez, they say, should address serious issues the country is beset with instead of inspecting govt offices. more..

Mar 14 (ST) On the night Cardinal Malcom Ranjith took flight to Rome to see his Pope, the Chancellor of the Colombo University, Muruttettuwe Ananda Thera, lectured on the evening TV news bulletin, saying he thought it improper for the Cardinal to betray his Motherland by airing his grievances to the Pope and at Geneva without keeping it confined within these island shores. What, keep it in the well? Don�t breathe a word to the world that something�s rotten in the state of Lanka? more..

Mar 14 (DM) Russian invasion of Ukraine is entering its 19th day. There are no signs of an imminent ceasefire, despite Western sanctions targeting the Russian economy. Since Russian troops began their offensive on Feb 24, the violence has intensified, with several Ukrainian cities coming under attack, which in turn has led to thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the country in search of safety. On Thursday, Russia accused the US of funding research into the development biological weapons programme more..

Mar 14 (CI) SL captain Dimuth Karunaratne thought fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera would be available for this match. In fact, Karunaratne said Chameera would be rested for the Mohali Test, specifically so that he would be ready for Bengaluru. It made some sense. Chameera had played eight T20Is in a row (five in Australia, three in India) and had picked up an ankle injury, which is unsurprising for a bowler of his pace. more..

Mar 14 (Island) It is no doubt that the passing away of the ceremonial tusker Nadungamuwe Raja was sorrowful news to the entire country, regardless of religions and ethnicities. It is highly unlikely that there could have been any Sri Lankan who did not love this gentle giant for his majesty and tranquility. However, the question at which everyone who loved Nadungamuwe Raja becomes divided, is on whether Nadungamuwe Raja lived a life of grandeur or a life of suffering? more..

Mar 14 (CT) Colombo scripted a stunning comeback to edge Kandy by 6 wickets in the 6th Match of the National Super Provincial 4-Day Tournament concluded at Colombo (RPS) yesterday. After taking major honours in the first innings, Kandy posted 235 runs in their second innings handing Colombo a target of 259 runs, which Colombo achieved with 6 wickets in hand. Despite the top order failure in the first Innings, Colombo registered a tremendous comeback in their second innings, more..

Mar 14 (CI) It was so one-sided that there was talk of a third-innings declaration in the fifth session of the match. Jasprit Bumrah completed his first five-for at home, Rishabh Pant casually knocked off the fastest Test fifty by an Indian, and Shreyas Iyer scored his second half-century of the match to bury SL under a mountainous deficit. Five-and-a-half hours of SL's bowling - improved but still lacking the control needed to exploit helpful conditions more..

Mar 14 (Island) Dian Gomes who is currently an Executive Committee member of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC), has been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors in the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) for a four-year term at the ASBC Extraordinary Congress held in Amman, Jordan, the Boxing Association of SL announced. Dian is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the International Boxing Association (IBA), the supreme and most prestigious global more..

Mar 14 (Island) Wadduwa Central thrashed St. Anthony�s Girls� College, Panadura by 310 runs after skipper Nawodya Nethmini hammered an unbeaten double century for the hosts to amass 347 runs and set the stage for their win in the Under 19 Girls� Cricket tournament match at Wadduwa on Saturday. In what schools officials consider as the second highest individual score recorded in girls� cricket, Nawodya scored 201 runs not out in just 96 balls. Her hurricane knock included 31 fours 3 sixes more..

Mar 14 (Hindu) Expressing satisfaction over the arrangements made at the two-day annual St Antony�s Church festival in Katchatheevu, fishermen and devotees from the coastal district of Ramanathapuram on Saturday said they were pleasantly surprised to meet the fishermen from SL and also described the interaction with SL Minister Douglas Devananda as fruitful. After the pandemic surfaced, the pilgrimage was prohibited over the last two years. With situation turning normal, more..

Mar 14 (Island) With a greater focus to provide flexible feeder connections in Colombo, HR Lines, Bangladesh feeder vessel operator, who introduced their feeder service, CCE � Chattogram Colombo Express in April 2021, has dedicated one of their Chattogram loops to call at JCT effective MV HR SARERA Voyage 0042N called at the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) of the Port of Colombo (POC) on 10.03.2022. The occasion was participated by the Bangladesh HC more..

Mar 14 (ST) CB�s recent decision to float the Rupee was met with mixed reactions as some business owners hailed the move while others claimed that it was too little too late. �From an entrepreneur�s perspective, the decision to float was a good move,� noted Randheera Herath, Working and Foreign Affairs Director at Kandyan Spices (Pvt) Ltd. He noted that exporters had been struggling to deal with a massive crisis due to the dollar shortage, more..

Mar 14 (FT) The Colombo Port has moved up one notch in globe's best ranking to 22nd thanks to a healthy 6% growth in volumes to a record 7.25 million TEUs. �We are happy to announce that Colombo Port has moved up to being world's 22nd best up from 23rd in the previous year and the improvement is welcome and in line with request made by Prez Rajapaksa to elevate our position to within Top 15 by 2025,� Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Dr. Prasantha Jayamanna said. more..

Mar 14 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 28,377 persons on Saturday, with first dose vaccination coverage reaching 78.83% in the country. 66.3% of the total population has received the second vaccine dose. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 16,951,559 persons and the second dose has been administered to 14,258,603 persons. Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is being administered as the booster dose in the country and a total of 7,563,334 more..

Mar 14 (ST) On the official Facebook page of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners� Association, some members are selling their entire kitchens�ovens, mixers, tables and showcases. Others are hawking firewood. Gas, electricity and flour shortages have hit the industry hard along with acute increases in the prices of raw materials. And bakers�particularly hundreds of small and medium-scale ones�say uncertain economic more..

Mar 14 (FT) COVID-19 detections during the weekend totalled 658 with daily detections dropping below 400 on Saturday and yesterday. On Saturday, 347 persons from the New Year cluster tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first time less than 400 COVID-19 cases were detected in a day since Dec 2021. 398 persons tested positive for COVID-19 on 26 December 2021 and daily detections have since exceeded 400. 3,708 PCR tests and 2,241 RATs were conducted on Saturday. more..

Mar 14 (TM) Nearly 168,000 development officers across the country have decided to launch a one-day strike and a series of agitations today demanding the Govt resolve several issues related to the Development Officers� Service. All Ceylon Development Officers� Union (ACDOU) National Organiser Pradeep Basnayake stated that the strike is being carried out over several demands such as the establishment of development officers at the required salary levels and the payment more..

Mar 14 (FT) LMD reports in its March issue that �LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey conducted during the first week of February continues to paint a bleak picture of SL�s economic outlook.� �Perceptions in business circles about the next 12 months continue to be downbeat,� it adds. Citing the latest LMD-NielsenIQ BCI survey, the magazine notes: �A notable majority of 76% of poll respondents expect conditions to worsen, which is three percentage points lower than in the more..

Mar 14 (EN) SL�s cabinet sub committees appointed to find way forward to to manage imports from China, Japan, and Middle East met for the first time and explored other methods of importing essential food items, raw materials and industrial goods required for the export-oriented industries amid dollar shortage. SL�s severe dollar shortage has forced the island nation�s central bank to impose ban of several import goods and seek for credit line. India has already given a US$1.5 b credit line more..

Mar 14 (Island) SLFP General Secretary, Dayasiri Jayasekera, MP, said that the SLFP wouldn�t quit the dissident or the alternative group under any circumstances or help form a national govt. He said so when The Island asked whether the hastily arranged meeting between the SLFP and the SLPP at the Prez Secretariat, on 08 March meant that the SLFP had abandoned the rebel group and pledged solidarity with Prez Rajapaksa. more..

Mar 14 (CT) The United Kingdom, in its latest travel advisory on Sri Lanka has warned its citizens saying the economic situation was deteriorating in the country with shortages of basic necessities including medicines, fuel and food. In the travel advisory released today, the UK said SL was presently experiencing shortages in basic necessities because of a shortage of hard currency to pay for imports. "There may be long queues at grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies. more..

Mar 14 (CT) UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena claimed that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should be in the recently appointed Economic Council (EC). Abeywardena said that Wickremesinghe last year accurately predicted that the country would be in deep crisis by March 2022. What he has warned has become a reality now. Wickremesing the also reiterates from time to time that the assistance of the IMF must be obtained to change this situation. more..

Mar 14 (TM) Bus fares are likely to be increased from tomorrow (15) onwards after considering the demands made by bus operators� associations, with the minimum bus fare likely to rise to Rs. 19-20. National Transport Commission Director General Nilan Miranda said the fare revisions would be submitted to Cabinet for approval today and that Cabinet would approve the minimum bus fare increase to around Rs. 19-20. more..

Mar 14 (NR) Power cuts will continue across the island today as well. Accordingly a three hour and 45 minute power cut will be imposed in areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L, with a two-hour-and-30-minute power cut between 8am and 6pm and a one-hour-and-15-minute power cut between 6pm and 11pm. The CEB said a three-hour power cut will be imposed in areas P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W, with a two-hour power cut between 9am and 5pm and a one-hour power cut between 5pm and 9pm. more..

Mar 14 (TM) The country�s main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB), will be having a protest in Colombo tomorrow (15), against the multiple crises currently faced by SL, demanding a solution directly from Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa within a month. �We are giving a month�s time period for the President. At least now, let go of your stubbornness and the thought that you have done the best. At least now, let go of the opinion that only you and your family can run this country. more..

Mar 14 (TM) A senior IMF official will be visiting SL today and tomorrow to brief Prez Rajapaksa on the fund�s assessment of crisis-hit economy, Reuters reported, quoting IMF�s SL Mission Chief Masahiro Nozaki. �While the IMF has not received a request for financial support from SL, the staff stands ready to discuss options if requested,� Nozaki said. Visit comes ahead of plans by SL to hold formal talks with IMF next month more..

Mar 14 (FT) Prez Rajapaksa has appointed an Economic Council some 26 months after being sworn in as the Prez of the Republic. The Terms of Reference of the Economic Council is not available in the public domain which does not go well with the democratic governance system that he had promised to establish. In his manifesto, titled, Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour, he had promised to establish an all-powerful economic commission, National Policy, Planning & Implementation more..

Mar 14 (FT) The writer is engaged in a project of developing the financial literacy and business acumen of the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) of Sri Lanka with the help of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka). Although CA Sri Lanka which is the authority of establishing accounting and auditing standards of the country, has introduced two sets of standards one for SMES and the other for Micro Level entities in addition to its common standard, more..