Aug 27 (TM) Prez and Parliamentary Election are due. People are also eagerly awaiting their chance to cast their vote. Most citizens simply want an election. They are clueless as to who should come to power and which team can truly solve the problem. They have been indoctrinated into thinking that the next Parliament will solve all problems. The concern is that the problem is defined differently by different segments of people. There is no identified common national problem for the nation to focus on and solve. more..

Aug 27 (ST) The woeful disciplinary standards of some MPs again came to the fore this week after two opposition MPs were ejected from the chamber following heated scenes. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena took steps to order SJB MP Nalin Bandara and Wasantha Yapa Bandara of the Freedom People�s Congress (FPA) to leave the chamber for the day after they clashed with Govt MPs and Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse during the oral question and answer session on Wednesday morning. more..

Aug 27 (SO) Adheesha Dissanayake became the champion at the Sri Lanka Open Scrabble Championship cementing his position as a master of words by winning 14 out of 17 games at the Sasakawa Japanese Cultural Centre in Colombo 3 on August 13. His victory according to the organisers showcased his exceptional vocabulary and strategic acumen, setting the bar high for future competitions. Jayaska Baranage and Imeth de Silva clinched their places as the first and second runners-up respectively more..

Aug 27 (Island) At Thursday�s parliamentary debate on the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket, several MPs who have held the portfolio of Sports Minister were expressing their views and each of them went onto point out how the game prospered under their watch. The truth, however, is far from it. Barring a couple of Ministers like Mangala Samaraweera, Dullas Alahapperuma and Naveen Dissanayake, most Sports Ministers interfered with the affairs of the cricket board and did more harm than good. more..

Aug 27 (Island) As a responsible corporate citizen and a premier private sector bank in SL, Sampath Bank has once again showcased its unwavering commitment to supporting the SL economy and its people throughout the past four to five years. Despite facing significant challenges, including the aftermath of the Easter attack, the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign currency crisis, and social unrest, the Bank has remained steadfast in its dedication to customers, the community, and deposit holders. more..

Aug 27 (EN) Sri Lanka could develop between 500 to 1000 MegaWatts of offshore wind power if risks to private investors could be reduced and the grid is upgraded to absorb the power, a statement by the energy ministry said. Sri Lanka has good conditions for offshore wind, with the most of the more than 50 GigaWatts of potential being held in the western and southern coasts, according to a roadmap developed with the World Bank and International Finance Corporation. more..

Aug 27 (ST) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) came under heavy criticism in Parliament on Thursday with a section of ruling and opposition legislators calling for an administration change in light of financial and procedural irregularities during last year�s T20 World Cup while others cautioned against dissolving the board ahead of two crucial international assignments � the Asia Cup and the World Cup. Among those calling for change were JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, more..

Aug 27 (DM) A total of 785 doctors who have completed Doctor of Medicine (MD) are pegged to leave for foreign training in the coming months. It has triggered concerns whether they will return in the current context after completion of their training to be consultants. A total of 822 doctors are currently undergoing training in foreign countries while 632 are preparing for the MD exam. A senior health official said that it is highly unlikely that all 822 doctors will be returning, given the situation in the country. more..

Aug 27 (DM) Sri Lanka is now under the clutches of the IMF just as we were under British colonial rule, where Sri Lanka had no freedom or sovereignty to decide on its taxation or fiscal policies, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. He said even though colonial rulers were not physically present here now, all the decisions with regard to taxation, fiscal policies etc. are done on the need of the IMF which functions with the intervention of the United States. more..

Aug 27 (AD) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has issued an Order reducing the interest rates on lending products of all licensed commercial banks (LCBs) and licensed specialized banks (LSBs) with effect from August 25 (Friday). Accordingly, the interest rates on pawning facilities, pre-arranged temporary overdrafts, credit card advances, and new and existing Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)-denominated lending products are also reduced adequately. more..

Aug 27 (AD) If the prevailing arid weather continues to prevail, the available water levels in reservoirs will be sufficient only for another 4 weeks, CEB says. Hydroelectricity generation capacity has gone down by 15%. CEB further mentioned that electricity is provided without interruption at present owing to thermal power generation. It is reported that the water capacity of Samanalawewa reservoir has dropped to 1%, Castlereagh reservoir�s to 21%, Maussakelle reservoir�s to 35% and Victoria reservoir�s to 25%. more..

Aug 27 (AD) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says the progress of 6 large-scale renewable energy projects was reviewed with the developers and the officials of CEB, SL Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) and Power & Energy Ministry on Friday. These projects aim to achieve the government�s policy of 70% renewable energy targets by 2030. Issues related to approvals from the govt, land acquisition, construction of transmission lines, grid concurrence, power purchasing agreements, financing, more..

Aug 27 (AD) British Deputy High Commissioner Lisa Whanstall has called on PM Dinesh Gunawardena to discuss the commencement of the 2nd phase of UK aid programme to Sri Lanka. Whanstall visited the prime minister at the Temple Trees in Colombo earlier this week, accompanied by a delegation from Fleming Fund of UK Department of Health and Social Care. She said the healthcare grants programme, which was halted for the last couple of years due to Covid-19 pandemic, will be resumed in January 2024. more..

Aug 27 (TM) The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is currently in the process of evaluating proposals for the long-term lease of two land plots adjacent to Beira Lake on D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, Colombo 10, it is reliably learnt. These evaluations mark a significant step towards potential mixed-development projects that could encompass hotels, office complexes, and residential high-rises. UDA Additional Director General Mahinda Withanaarachchi said that once the evaluations had been completed, more..

Aug 27 (ST) Just five days out from their first fixture of the Asia Cup, Sri Lanka has three of their key bowlers�Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga and Lahiru Kumara�ruled out with injuries. The defending Asia Cup champions (although the format was different) will meet Bangladesh on August 31 at Pallekele before heading to Lahore to play Afghanistan in their last first-round fixture. Batter Kusal Janith Perera, with Covid-19, also remains doubtful for the opener but will be in the side, more..

Aug 27 (ST) Thousands of Sri Lankans have lost their money running up to millions of rupees following the collapse of the Metaverse Foreign Exchange (MTFE) Group�s platform this week, subsequent to a court hearing of the case of the biggest financial fraud in recent times. Colombo Chief Magistrate�s Court imposed a foreign travel ban on five front liners of the trading platform MTFE Sri Lanka Group, on August 11 and one of them had already left the country for Dubai, UAE in the early hours of the day. more..

Aug 27 (ST) SL�s trade unions have expressed their opposition on Monday to the draft labour reforms in a letter handed over to the Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. The reforms were introduced in a Sinhala document presented at the National Labour Advisory Council meeting in July. They stated that a labour law reform initiative that is devoid of a transparent common consensus among the key tripartite stakeholders of employment, concerning its specific operating terms of reference is contrary more..

Aug 27 (ST) Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has introduced a string of measures to root out corruption within the system, including an incentive-based mechanism where honest staff members are encouraged to make complaints with evidence against taxpayers who attempt to offer bribes. A system of referring complaints against tax officials to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) is also part of the mechanism. The details setting out the new mechanism were released by more..

Aug 27 (ST) The opening of a new charcoal factory in Arambekema, Thanamalwila has been halted following outrage from villagers who claim that it is in violation of a few environment protection laws and the terms of its contracts with the state. The company claims everything is approved by the state. The charcoal factory, a Board of Investment project with 20 clay furnaces, belongs to Reitech Trading Pvt Ltd. According to the site manager, it is a 60/40 Sri Lanka-China partnership more..

Aug 27 (TM) The suspension of the long-delayed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) procurement process, intended to establish a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) and an LNG pipeline, is currently under scrutiny, it is learnt. Although the decision has been taken, allegations have now arisen that the Power and Energy Ministry had made this decision without consulting the CEB. According to sources at the CEB, as of yesterday, the utility provider was unaware of the exact more..

Aug 27 (Island) UGC Chairman Prof Sampath Amaratunga told parliamentary watchdog committee � COPE that although there should be 12,992 university lecturers, currently there are only 6,548. Attending a probe on the University of Sri Jayewardenepura by COPE last Thursday, Amaratunga said that there was a drastic brain drain and the university teachers were leaving the country en masse following the economic crisis in the country. He said that the same situation applies to non-academic staff. more..

Aug 27 (TM) Blast fishing, also known as dynamite fishing, a banned fishing practice, is suspected as the likely cause of the deaths of a number of sea turtles that have occurred during the past several weeks. A senior official attached to DWC said that post-mortem examinations of the sea turtle carcasses had found explosions to be the cause of death. �We have done post-mortems of around 15 turtle carcasses and it was discovered that the deaths had occurred due to shock waves emitted by explosions,� more..

Aug 27 (ST) Two MPs � Nalin Bandara Jayamaha (Kurunegala District) and Wasantha Yapa Bandara (Kandy District) � were suspended for the day�s sittings from Parliament on Tuesday by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. It fell on the Serjeant-at-arms, Narendra Fernando, who is tasked to carry out the orders of the Speaker, to make sure they left the precincts of Parliament. He was walking with them out of the chamber and had to pass a location where the MPs were usually served Kola Kenda more..

Aug 28 (DM) As August draws to a close, we are about to enter a somewhat tumultuous month ahead. The 1st week of Sept (1 to 7), is observed every year to educate the populace about the significance of nutrition. Adequate nutrition is the cornerstone that determines the well-being of a person, as it supports individuals in maintaining health status, average growth and development. But, oh la la, therein lies the major problem. This country is still in the grip of the after effects of our financial crisis, economic melt. more..

Aug 28 (DM) The Sinhala adage Hingannage thuwale or a beggar�s wound that the beggar never wants to heal, carries a significant meaning in the context of the implementation of the 13th Amendment in SL. Land and Police powers, listed under the provincial list of the 13th Amendment, have remained unimplemented for the past 36 years since the legislation was incorporated into the Constitution under significant pressure from India. The spotlight is once again on the 13 A, coinciding with more..

Aug 28 (TM) Hamstrung by labour shortages, weather-related woes, high costs, and comparatively low returns, SL�s plantation industry is hoping for some relief via Budget 2024 in terms of a tax concession, along with policy consistency. Hayleys Group Managing Director � Plantations and Planters� Association Spokesman Dr. Roshan Rajadurai asserted that the industry was sustaining a large number of people and it was essential to avoid any disturbance to the system. more..

Aug 28 (CT) On Aug 23, at 6:03 PM local time, India�s lunar spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 executed a perfect soft landing on the south side of the moon. India was literally over the moon. This success belongs to all of humanity, exulted Modi from South Africa. Quite a world apart from the South Africa that Mohandas Gandhi experienced in 1893. Hopefully, someone will remind Modi when he returns to Delhi that his humanity, like that of Mahatma Gandhi, should also include the Muslims of India. more..

Aug 28 (ST) The Supreme Court�s striking down of Clause 2 (e) of the Contempt of a Court, Tribunal or Institution Bill (gazetted on 26th June 2023) which had inexplicably brought in safeguarding �public order, public health and morals� as an object of the Bill, is a relief. This is so given that law-making in Sri Lanka seems to have been consigned to the devil�s playground. In its determination communicated to the Speaker recently, the Court found, quite sensibly, that no rational nexus more..

Aug 28 (TM) Australia is ready to support Sri Lanka to play a greater role in regional forums such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and to further regional integration for trade and commerce, Australia�s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Paul Stephens said last week. Australia is keen to invest in Sri Lanka�s Renewable Energy (RE) market, mineral resources, and education system, if the investor climate and the regulator processes improve. more..

Aug 28 (TM) The impact of the ongoing economic crisis and poor governance, on state-run higher education systems are gradually unfolding as educationists and even higher education authorities come forward demanding solutions. The education sector was already a battered one, with poor funding and the challenges grew with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools and state universities make up the basis of SL�s future trajectory as the agents and institutions which mould our future generations. more..

Aug 28 (CT) Today (28) could be considered as a momentous milestone in the country�s archaeology and history as the day marks the official signing between SL and The Netherlands to transfer ownership of six stolen artefacts during colonial times. Although, the physical transfer of the archaeological artefacts will happen somewhere in December later this year, the day nonetheless will enter the historical records as the day on which the return of the stolen artefacts to their rightful owner was made official. more..

Aug 28 (Island) There are no signs of the skies opening up anytime soon to end the prevailing drought. The Meteorological Department announced yesterday that some parts of the country might experience scattered showers but there would be no heavy rains in most areas for a few more weeks. Many irrigation reservoirs have already dried up; farmers have suffered extensive crop losses as a result, and are struggling to find water even for drinking. Most of these tanks are said to have been affected by siltation over the years. more..

Aug 28 (Island) It was at this dismal stage that a new development in the long drawn out negotiations emerged. Due to his cricketing contacts Gamini became close to N Ram of the Kasturi family controlling The Hindu newspaper which though originating in Madras had an all-India coverage with a strong presence in New Delhi. This was later seen when The Hindu destabilized the Rajiv regime with their scoop on the Bofors scandal. Kasturis were Brahmins who were on top of the South Indian social register. more..

Aug 28 (TM) As SL grapples with a sweltering heatwave, authorities are issuing advisories to help citizens navigate the challenges posed by the scorching temperatures. Meteorology Dept Director General A. Karunanayake provided insights into the current weather conditions and the potential impacts on public health. The regions most affected by the intense heat, stating that the North Western, Northern, North Eastern, and Uva Provinces were experiencing higher heat indices. more..

Aug 28 (Island) Hot on the heels of the Parliament debate on the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Sports Ministry could present the newly drafted Constitution for SLC that had been drawn up after meticulous consideration following a petition to the courts. Leading stakeholders of the sport had petitioned the court to intervene to restructure SLC. Court asked for the opinion of the Sports Ministry and with Roshan Ranasinghe giving his blessings, drafting of a new constitution was given the green light. more..

Aug 28 (DM) Parliamentary approval was recently granted to a comprehensive incentives programme proposed by the Colombo Port City Economic Commission in consultation with the Minister of Investment Promotion. This initiative is poised to play a pivotal role in the transformation of the Colombo Port City into a highly competitive global special economic zone (SEZ). Incentives encompass guidelines for granting exemptions or incentives to businesses designated as more..