Nov 29 (Island) Apropos our front-page news item Justice Minister questions logic in keeping CIABOC in the Nov. 16 edition of The Island, the CIABOC has sent us the following response: �Hon. Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, has made four complaints to the Bribery Commission in 2019 against the then Minister of Education. All those four complaints were made during the period of the previous Commission. The present Commission was appointed in 2020 and assumed duties in Dec 2020. more..

Nov 29 (Island) The Women Parliamentarians� Caucus is calling on all Sri Lankans to pledge solidarity with the Global Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) that will be carrying out a series of advocacy measures during the 16-day campaign against Gender-Based Violence. The female parliamentarians� movement has said that while SL is facing new vulnerabilities with the current economic crisis, women & girl children more..

Nov 29 (Island) JAT Holdings PLC has posted exceptional financial performance for Q2 of FY 2022/23. During the Quarter, the Group also achieved a major milestone, delivering on its key IPO promise, by inaugurating its own end-to-end state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Bangladesh. Simultaneously, JAT Holdings PLC also recorded its highest-ever revenue for Q2 in history, doubling its profit before tax, compared with the corresponding period in the year prior. more..

Nov 29 (FT) The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in SL welcomed a contribution of EUR 500,000 (Rs. 190 million) from France towards its emergency response for children and families affected by the country�s worst economic crisis in decades. Around 9,000 families facing high levels of food insecurity will receive nutritious foods to help them feed their under-five children. Each family will receive a food basket � valued at Rs. 15,000 (EUR 40) and consisting of eggs, rice, fresh milk, more..

Nov 29 (Island) People who never in their lives played with a straight bat want us to embrace ethics. Sportsmen all over the world are taught to maintain ethical behaviour although there have been few exceptions. Australians play sport so tough that they hate losing. They are friendly people but they suffer from what people call white line fever. That means once they cross the boundary rope, they are a different beast. Certain eastern European countries are accused of providing dope to their more..

Nov 29 (FT) PM Dinesh Gunawardena said Russia is a reliable friend who consistently stands for SL�s sovereignty at international forums. Welcoming the new Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan, who called on him at the PM�s Office, he recalled the Soviet support to industrialisation of SL setting up steel factory at Oruwela and tyre factory in Kelaniya decades ago. PM also mentioned about the scholarships offered to SL at Lumumba and Moscow universities for hundreds of SL students more..

Nov 29 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe last week called on exporters to be open and transparent on export proceeds and conversions, and called on industries to improve their reputation in order to receive better support from regulators. He said: �The allegations you are keeping money out is bad for the industry,� adding the CB alongside Treasury needs to better understand what is happening. more..

Nov 29 (FT) Mount Lavinia District Court last week issued an interim order against a property developer who had tried to increase the price of apartment/selling or alienating to another party in violation of the sale agreement. The enjoining order further extended when the matter was taken up on 28 Nov 2022. The Court issued the order after a purchaser who had paid money for the apartment went to court. The prices had been increased unilaterally by a development company more..

Nov 29 (AD) Train services from Mahawa to Jaffna will be suspended for five months from 15 Jan 2023, Minister Bandula Gunawardena stated. Responding to a question raised by Vanni District MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan, the Transport Minister explained that no trains will operate along this route owing to maintenance work on the railway tracks. �The train ran to Jaffna continuously, and it has now become impossible to travel beyond Mahawa due to the railway tracks not having been repaired�, more..

Nov 29 (AD) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says that Cabinet approval was granted today to the recommendations proposed by the Committee on Restructuring the CEB. In a tweet, he said that the Electricity Reforms Bill will be drafted within a month to begin the unbundling process of CEB. He added that work on a rapid timeline to get the approval of Parliament is needed. An 8-member committee was appointed on August 5 to propose recommendations to restructure CEB. more..

Nov 29 (DM) People in the N&E tend to leave the country due to the dire economic situation where some have gone to Tamil Nadu, Vietnam and Ukraine in the last six months. He said that some 302 Tamils have fled to Vietnam and seven to Ukraine. 85 of those in Vietnam have agreed to come back and said the Ministry would facilitate their return. Minister said a publicity mechanism was needed to educate the people in the North and East on the dangers of seeking refugee status and more..

Nov 29 (TM) SL�s casino industry is not taxed properly by the Govt, resulting in low revenue collection from the four main casinos operating in the country, as the casinos make at least Rs. 3 billion in collective profit after tax (PAT) annually, the Parliament�s COPF revealed last week. Accordingly, it was revealed at the committee meeting that the four casinos � namely Balley�s, Bellagio, Casino Marina, and Star Dust � have paid Rs 1.9 b more..

Nov 29 (FT) Govt yesterday announce a joint program through the Provincial Chief Secretaries and the District Secretaries to ensure distribution of kerosene for agriculture. Presidential Director General (Community Affairs) Keerthi Tennakoon says that the release of kerosene to all agricultural areas in SL will commence from tomorrow using the same mechanism that was used to solve the fishermen�s kerosene problem. From 1-19 November this year, 29 bowsers of kerosene more..

Nov 29 (TM) A delegation of Spanish and Russian investors is scheduled to arrive in the country next week for discussion on a $ 5 billion investment for a transport hub to be constructed between the Maradana and Colombo Fort Railway Stations, claimed State Minister Diana Gamage. Gamage claimed that the project will span over a period of 10 years. �This will be between the Maradana and Colombo Fort Railway Stations, but this will not just be a transport hub � instead, a city in itself more..

Nov 29 (AD) The third secretary of the SL Embassy in Oman, E. Kushan has been arrested by CID officers upon his arrival at the BIA in Katunayake. The official in question has been accused of allegedly being involved in the human trafficking racket where SL females seeking foreign employment as domestic workers had been sent to Oman on tourist visas and later used for sex trafficking. Kushan arrived at around 3.57 am more..

Nov 29 (FT) SriLankan Airlines is set to partner with Raid Amazones 2023 for the second consecutive year, with the aim of reaffirming Sri Lanka�s stature as a sought-after tourist destination among the discerning contemporary traveller. The collaboration will see the popular French adventure trail unfolding in the country�s hill capital, Kandy in March 2023. Raid Amazones Founder Alexandre Debanne said: �Looking back at last year�s event, I can confidently say that, if not for SriLankan Airlines, more..

Nov 29 (GV) They are a small, tight knit community held together by their shared suffering and insurmountable difficulties. Ever since the start of the 1983 civil war, their lives have been marked by tragedy and misery. The 22 families who live in the village of Kanchanamutti in the interior of the Vavuniya district are refugees who returned from India, some having lived in TN camps for 28 years. They fled their homes in Mullaitivu to escape the bombs and shells that caused havoc and more..

Nov 29 (SLN) SL Navy and SL Coast Guard conducted a special operation in northern waters to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from SL�s waters on the evening of 28th Nov. The operation led to the seizure of 05 Indian trawlers with 24 Indian fishermen, poaching in island�s waters off the Kovilan Lighthouse, Kareinagar, Jaffna. SL Navy and Coast Guard remain ever alert to foil illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers in SL�s waters and regularly conduct patrols and operations more..

Nov 29 (CT) Minister Douglas Devananda said steps had been taken to introduce a boat engine capable of running on batteries as an alternative to fuel-powered engines. He said the fishing vessels in use run on fuel, and the fishermen must bear a high fuel cost. Engines that can function with the help of electric cells will be introduced as an alternative. Milton Motor Manufacturers in Bandaragama has taken action on Minister Devananda�s guidelines to manufacture boat engines capable of more..

Nov 29 (EN) SL�s export earnings in Oct 2022 drops 8.18% to 1,094 million dollars compared to the same period last year due to a decrease in earnings from apparels, eat, rubber, coconuts as the key export market are going high inflation and an energy crisis. �This was mainly due to the decrease in export earnings from Apparel & Textiles, Tea, Rubber based Products, Coconut based Products, Spices & Essential Oils & Fisheries sector. more..

Nov 29 (Island) The SLPP would have only 25 members in the next Parliament if an election was held any time soon, Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday. Participating in the third reading stage debate under the expenditure heads of the Transport and Highways Ministries, Kiriella said as per a recent survey the govt�s approval ratings had dropped to a mere 3%. �Keep in mind that only 25 of you would be back in the House.� more..

Nov 29 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s flight to Egypt and participation at the COP27 Sharm El-Sheikh climate conference, which ended with eleventh-hour agreement to create a Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) to compensate developing countries for damages suffered from climate change, was a journey to look for more financial assistance to a beleaguered economy. The trip appears to be a shrewdly planned mission to use an opportunity provided by that conference to kill two birds more..

Nov 29 (TM) Against the backdrop of the Ceylon Teachers� Union (CTU) stating that female teachers will report to work dressed in either sarees or casual clothing as per their choice until a uniform allowance is provided, Ministry of Education stated that it has not made any decision on the provision of such an allowance. Education Ministry Secretary Nihal Ranasinghe said: �No party has requested the Ministry in writing to provide more..

Nov 29 (TM) Local think-tank Verit� Research, yesterday launched the website airquality.lk, which is dedicated for publicly sharing data and analysis pertaining to air quality in SL, in collaboration with the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, Entgra (Pvt) Ltd., and the Mitsubishi Corporation. At the launch of the website, Verit� Research Executive Director Dr. Nishan de Mel stated that this website is expected to fill the need to more..

Nov 29 (DM) A 28 year old man was arrested by a special police team in Ampitiya today over torching a 17 year old child who had obtained 9A's in the 2021 GCE Ordinary Level exams, the police said. The police said that the suspect was a member of a criminal gang and had a hand grenade in his possession at the time of his arrest. The 17 year old victim, a resident of Meekanuwa, Ampitiya had been confronted by the suspect on Saturday night while returning home with his family members. more..

Nov 29 (AD) A petition has been filed at the Court of Appeal seeking a writ order for the arrest of SDIG Deshabandu Tennakoon and to produce him before the courts by naming him a suspect in the case related to the attack carried out on GotaGoGama protest site at Galle Face Green on May 09, 2022. Attorney-at-Law Ramalingam Ranjan, who supported the Aragalaya protest movement, has filed the petition, naming AG, IGP, Director of CID & SDIG Deshabandu Tennakoon more..

Nov 29 (TM) TNA MP and TELO Leader Selvam Adaikkalanathan yesterday said in Parliament that although there were a few hindrances created by the security forces, people in both the Northern and Eastern provinces had commemorated the war dead and therefore thanked President Ranil Wickremesinghe for this welcome move to promote reconciliation by permitting the people in both the said provinces to remember their loved ones who died in the war. more..

Nov 29 (EN) Any relative return to economic stability in SL at present is not due to any policy decision but was achieved simply by defaulting on debt repayment in April, opposition MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake claimed, seemingly forgetting to acknowledge the role played by an interest rate hike and reduced money printing. He dismissed claims by the govt that the country�s economic situation has improved somewhat more..

Nov 29 (AD) Six containers of powdered milk stocks stuck at the Colombo Port had been imported in violation of import-export regulations, State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says. Milk powder importers recently alleged that 400,000kg of milk powder stocks are stuck at the Colombo Port are nearing the date of expiry as they were not released by the Customs on time. After the allegations came to light, Minister instructed the authorities to probe the matter and submit a detailed report more..

Nov 29 (DM) Whilst stating that around 300 doctors have left the country since January this year, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said there is a possibility of the SL health sector collapsing as a result. Responding to a question raised by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa in Parliament on an earlier date, Minister said the Ministry had already informed the foreign mission offices in Colombo not to grant visas to doctors if they don�t have permission from the health ministry to more..

Nov 29 (GV) The seminal event of the 2023 Budget cycle was not Budget 2023. The Budget was more good than bad, but too tepid overall to be an inflection point. The real stunner was the speech by Mahinda Rajapaksa during the second reading. To call it the first salvo of his Third Coming is no exaggeration. The morning after he lost the 2015 prez election, Mr. Rajapaksa returned to Medamulana, clung to a window in his more..

Nov 29 (TM) Senior Advisor to the President on Devolved Administration Akila Viraj Kariyawasam announced yesterday (28) that the Govt is currently focusing on establishing a transfer system through which public servants can be transferred to the areas closest to their residences in view of the high cost of transportation, following which the Sri Lanka Government Officers� Trade Union Association (SLGOTUA) welcomed the move, but doubted it would be successfully implemented. more..

Nov 29 (AD) SL Police today confirmed that the individual who was hacked to death in Mattakkuliya yesterday was, in fact, a suspect arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019. The deceased was arrested in 2019 along with four other suspects in Ja-Ela over the Easter Sunday attacks. They had two detonators, two sets of uniforms similar to those used in the Army, two sticks of gelignite and nearly two kilos of ammonia in their possession at the time of the arrest, more..

Nov 29 (DM) Tests would be conducted beginning next year to detect drivers who are under the influence of drugs other than alcohol-such as cocaine and heroin, Transport State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said. At present, the Police check only if a driver is drunk or not using breathalyzers. Ministry handed over 5,000 pieces of equipment to the Western Province (WP) Police to begin the tests. �The country is facing a problem due to the current spike in drug usage. more..

Nov 29 (CT) SJB MP Gayantha Karunatileka requested the Govt to provide relief through the reduction of mobile phone prices and data charges, as those have become essentials for the people and have a great impact on the people�s lives at present. He added that it is very clear that a majority of the people watch television, listen to music, use social media and also educate themselves through mobile phones, using data. He said prices of mobile phones, cost of data have skyrocketed. more..