Nov 9 (Island) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s Director General on Trade unions Saman Ratnapriya denied what he called the Opposition�s unsubstantiated claim that sugar importers had benefited from the latest increase in the Special Commodity Levy from 25 cents per kg of sugar to Rs 50 per kg with effect from midnight Nov 1. He maintained that contrary to Opposition�s exaggerated claims, only 520 tonnes of white sugar had been imported immediately before the upward revision of the levy. more..

Nov 9 (TM) The GMOA claimed that around 100 hospitals and medical specialists� units have been identified as being in danger of closure due to the lack of medical practitioners. GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said that the hospitals and medical specialists units where only one or two doctors are practicing have faced this problem, adding that around 20 hospitals have already been closed due to the exodus of doctors. more..

Nov 9 (DM) The jumbo Agbo that had been under treatment and the care of the wildlife conservators for more than four months is now roaming into the villages after recovery and causing damage to houses in search of food, much to the anxiety of the villagers who provided it fodder when under treatment and not being able to move about. Agbo, who had been critically injured in a front limb, had been under the treatment and care of the Wildlife Dept surgeons for more than 86 days. more..

Nov 9 (CT) Specialist Doctor in charge of the Renal Unit, at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Borella Shanthini Guneratne testifying before Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya, yesterday, in the case filed into the death of a three-year-old toddler at the LRH, stated that victim�s left kidney was still in good condition at the hospital, but that the right kidney of the deceased, which was also said to be in good condition, had never been received by them. more..

Nov 9 (AD) Deshamanya Lalith Kotelawala � former chairman of Ceylinco Consolidated and the founding chairman of Seylan Bank who died last month � was confined to his house by a group of lawyers prior to his passing, Supreme Court heard today. This was communicated to the Supreme Court bench by the president of Golden Key Depositors� Association, Marco Perera. A motion put forward in respect of a fundamental rights (FR) petition filed by the Golden Key depositors was taken up for hearing more..

Nov 9 (CT) The 10-day official programme held for a group of Parliamentarians representing all Sectoral Oversight Committees of the Parliament of SL to study the committee process of the US Congress, with complete financial sponsorship from the USAID and technical support and coordination from the National Democratic Institute (NDI), was successfully completed recently. Chairpersons of the Sectoral Oversight Committees, their representatives, and the attached Parliamentary staff also participated in this study programme. more..

Nov 9 (EN) Statements on ongoing court cases and references made to judges behind the cover of parliamentary privilege are a direct threat to judicial independence, Bar Association of SL (BASL) said pointing to controversial remarks made by a cabinet minister on a case regarding cricket administration. BASL is disturbed by the allegations made by the minister on Wednesday in respect of a case which relates to a matter concerning the appointment of an Interim more..

Nov 9 (Island) The import costs of petrol, diesel and coal will rise by around 11% from 1 Jan 2014, when the VAT increases to 18%, leader of URF Champika Ranawaka said. He added that previously petrol, diesel and coal were exempted from VAT. �They had a PAL of 7.5% before. Now there will be an 18% VAT on these products. Soon, there will be an additional cost of about 11% when new fuel stocks are imported from next year. Then fuel prices will surely go up,� he said. more..

Nov 9 (DM) While appreciating the move to appoint an Interim Committee for cricket administration, NPP MP Vijitha Herath raised doubts about the members appointed to it. Speaking during the debate on the resolution to remove SLC office bearers, he told Parliament that former captain Arjuna Ranathunga should not have been appointed as the Interim Committee Chairman claiming that he had previously contested the SLC election for the post of Chairmanship. more..

Nov 9 (EN) A majority of SL�s female migrant workers aim to return the moment their immediate financial targets are met, with little or no plans for long-term economic sustainability, a study by the IPS has found. Most female workers who travel abroad do so in search of income that would help finance their debt burdens and other financial difficulties back home and expect to return as soon as those financial targets are met, more..

Nov 9 (CT) Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda has promised prompt solutions to the issues faced by owners of multi-day fishing vessels and fish exporters. A meeting was convened at the Fisheries Ministry, chaired by Minister Devananda and State Minister of Fisheries Piyal Nishantha, bringing together representatives of the SL Multi-day Fishing Trawler Owners Association and the Fish Importers Association. The purpose of the meeting was to address the current challenges more..

Nov 9 (PMD) Expert Study Committee appointed to recommend a new Sports Act has submitted its report to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Committee, chaired by Jagath Fernando, has made a number of recommendations to comprehensively change the existing legal framework and administrative structure for sports in SL. Prez is planning to submit the report of the Expert Study Committee on the Introduction of a New Sports Act in SL to the Parliament and prepare more..

Nov 10 (DM) Cricket has the power to unite; but as of today it is valid from the perspective of the country�s citizens and not from the context of the people who walk on the corridors of power. Die hard cricket fans can be seen at the doorstep at SLC on most days protesting against the manner in which cricket is administered in the country and demanding lawmakers to intervene and put the cricket board in order. The mess cricket in SL is in has reached stinking levels with a move taken by more..

Nov 10 (ST) It was my friend human resource pundit HR Perera, popularly known as HR, who drew my attention to an interesting development last week which is considered to be part of wide-ranging labour reforms to be introduced in SL. �I say�..did you hear about the Cabinet approval for night work for women,� he asked, calling me on Thursday morning. �Yes I remember that but it�s confined to sectors involved in IT, knowledge outsourcing, business process outsourcing, more..

Nov 10 (DM) Norwegian Ambassador May-Elin Stener who is accredited to Sri Lanka from New Delhi was in Sri Lanka to give credentials and shared her views on bilateral ties in an interview. Q: You came to Colombo to present your credentials. In the meantime you interacted with Sri Lankan leaders including the Prez and the Foreign Minister. What are the new aspects you discussed during these meetings? more..

Nov 10 (CT) This week and the upcoming one hold immense significance for SL�s debt-ridden, cash-strapped, and ailing economy. Notably, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and India�s largest port operator, Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, have displayed keen interest and confidence in Sri Lanka�s economic potential. This week�s announcement of DFC�s investment of USD 553 million in Colombo West International Terminal Ltd (CWIT), spearheaded by a consortium more..

Nov 10 (CT) No SL political leader has done what Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the NPP, has accomplished in the past few months. Having undertaken an international tour of speechmaking, he entered an enclave in which only the daring and creative dwell. There�s no doubt that in SL today AKD is considered the best Sinhala speaker. Within or outside the walls of the Parliamentary Chambers, he has no match. When he takes the floor in Parliament, other than an insipid few more..

Nov 10 (TM) Sri Lanka�s period poverty rate is 50%, according to research conducted by Advocata Institute in 2021, which translates to 50% of households with women of menstruating age not spending any amount of money on sanitary napkins. The Family Planning Association Sri Lanka (FPASL) however stated that, despite there being no research done since 2020-2021, the country�s rate of period poverty is expected to more..

Nov 10 (TM) Colombo city which has seen much rain, tree fallings, accidents and crisis is sitting on a tinder box which is seldom spoken of. Fires and fire-related issues grab the public�s attention like a match being struck only to burn out soon. As such, fire-related issues are rarely seen to attract the attention of policy makers and administrators. The recent fire which quickly engulfed a six-storey clothing store on the second cross street in Pettah last month (27 Oct) and claimed the life of more..

Nov 10 (Island) Parliament yesterday unanimously resolved to remove the current office-bearers of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). It was a rare moment of unity among the warring MPs. A section of the government, however, argued that if the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to impose a ban on SLC by any chance due to the resolution in question, all 225 MPs should take responsibility for such an eventuality. This line of reasoning is puzzling. Sri Lanka has had several interim committees more..

Nov 10 (GV) There is much confusion as to the causes of a balance of payments crisis. To clear up the misunderstanding requires defining the problem clearly and disentangling several issues. To begin with, there were two distinct crises that occurred. Govt debt crisis � the govt�s inability to rollover its foreign debt. The foreign exchange crisis � insufficient supply of foreign exchange to meet the demand. Two are connected in the sense that the govt was unable to service its foreign debt but more..

Nov 10 (Island) This Friday Cassandra is on a very different tack or track. No dealing with politics; no criticism of politicians; no harping on the fate that befell our splendorous island and no mention of those who sent us down the pallang on account of their self-centeredness, huge hubris, power craze, corruption and lack of administrative ability. Why, you may query. Does Cass think things are now hunky-dory; the economy is back on track and politicians have become honest, sensible and intelligent, more..

Nov 10 (CI) New Zealand all but booked their place in the World Cup semi-final against India with a dominant 5-wicket win - with 160 balls to spare - against SL in Bengaluru. The result took them to ten points, and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.743, leaving Pakistan needing to beat England by 287 runs, while Afghanistan need an even more fantastical 438-run win over South Africa, if they are to surpass NZ's NRR. more..

Nov 10 (FT) Invest Sri Lanka � Retire Sri Lanka � an event focused on attracting investment to SL was held in Singapore, recently. The event served as the backdrop for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between Port City Colombo and the Singapore Sri Lanka Business Association. Invest Sri Lanka � Retire Sri Lanka was organised by the Singapore SL Business Association (SLBA) with the support of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore. more..

Nov 10 (FT) Hemas Holdings PLC (HHL) yesterday announced a cumulative Group revenue of Rs. 59 billion in the 1H of FY24 reflecting a 13.5% YoY growth. It said, amid the increasing strain on operating expenses, the Group�s operating profit and earnings in 1H experienced a marginal growth of 4.1% and 3.7%, reaching Rs. 4.9 billion and Rs. 2.3 billion, respectively. During the 2Q quarter, the Group achieved a 10% growth in revenue, posting Rs. 29.8 billion for the quarter, more..

Nov 10 (FT) Selyn, one of SL�s most loved home-grown handloom brands has achieved yet another milestone in its 32 year journey by showcasing Selyn Textiles in the prestigious Dutch Design Week (DDW) in the Netherlands. Their portfolio consisted of hand-woven textiles using SL�s natural fibres including banana waste, all integrated with blockchain technology to transparently show the social and environmental impact within their supply chain. DDW is one of Europe�s most more..

Nov 10 (CT) The country�s foreign reserves bled by USD 205.18 million (Rs 33,847 million) on Wednesday led by Govt of Sri Lanka�s (GoSL�s) foreign debt servicing commitments to multilateral donors. Consequently, GoSL�s non-demand pull inflationary face value money printing (FVMP) debt increased by Rs 33,247 million due to inadequate revenue, thereby increasing GoSL�s FVMP debt as a whole by 1.1% to Rs 3,045,447.63 million (Rs 3.0454 trillion) on Wednesday. more..

Nov 10 (ST) At 36, Angelo Mathews has one regret: not starting his current fitness regime much earlier. Mathews� career was chequered due to injuries after 2015. This, in particular, ruined his limited-over career. He played only 78 matches off his 224 ODIs and 24 off his 78 T20s in the second half of career. �My only regret is those injuries,� he said in an interview. �I could have contributed a lot more in batting and bowling if not for those injuries. more..

Nov 10 (CT) Over 3,000 protesters converged at the 202-year-old Nuwara Eliya Post Office yesterday, chanting their opposition to the proposed sale of the British Raj monument to the Taj Samudra Hotel Chain, a plan set in motion by the Govt. Several trade unions and associations, lawyers, several post office workers from the neighbouring townships areas and members of civil society joined the protest calling for a halt to the proposed hotel project. The demonstration continued despite more..

Nov 10 (CT) Chryshantha Kapuwatte, Acting Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), says the Sports Minister has been misled with false news, and deemed the said allegations �false�. He said, �For the last 1-2 years there had been a good understanding between us (SLC) and the Sports Minister, but unfortunately, he has been misled by believing false news. He continually falsely accuses us and has always labelled us as �thieves�. All these allegations are false, malicious & misleading� more..

Nov 10 (TM) The parliamentary committee that was recently appointed to formulate the policy framework for medicinal cannabis exportation and promotion is in the process of drafting it. EDB Director Janak Badugama said: �There is a committee appointed by the Government to lay down the procedures (for cannabis cultivation and exportation) as well as how to promote it � if there is any export potential. But right now, more..

Nov 10 (ST) The govt�s decision to increase the Value-Added Added Tax from 15% to 18% in January will disproportionately affect the poor, dealing them yet another blow in the wake of recently increased personal income taxes and electricity tariffs, experts say. �The VAT hike will increase the prices of VAT-applicable goods and services, and this will then cause a contraction in demand since some people simply won�t be able to afford the goods,� noted economist & CEO more..

Nov 10 (FT) Home grown technology firm 99x continues to expand its global presence with two new acquisitions in Portugal and Brazil. Acquisitions of Cleverti Portugal and LeanOn Systems Brazil were formally concluded by 99X Investment AS, Norway in October. Cleverti is a nearshore software services provider based in Portugal with over 90 dedicated staff members offering the full breadth of Software Development, DevOps, and QA testing solutions for customers across 14 countries more..

Nov 10 (DN) SriLankan Airlines will bounce back to achieving the pre COVID-revenue levels from the Colombo London flights said Regional Manager SriLankan airlines for Europe and Americas, Chinthaka Weerasinghe. He said that this could be achieved before the end of this year. He also said that there is strong demand for SriLankan since it�s the only airline that offers direct flights to Colombo and the fact that they are offering very competitive airfares. He said that they currently operate more..

Nov 10 (CT) A group of cricket fans staged a protest opposite Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) at Maitland Place yesterday morning, demanding the resignation of corrupt SLC office-bearers. Though the protesters had planned to stage their demonstration in front of the SLC head office Police informed them that they cannot grant approval for it. The protesters who had planned to arrive at Maitland Place, via the Independence Square, were prevented by the Police, from proceeding to the SLC premises more..