Oct 24 (DM) Environment Minister and MP of the SLMC Naseer Ahamed was recently ousted from his parliamentary membership by the Supreme Court for defying the party whip and joining the govt of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. This brought back into public focus the controversial, if not unsavoury, phenomenon of inter-party crossovers in SL. The Supreme Court unseated Naseer Ahamed on the grounds that he had repeatedly violated his party�s stated rules on parliamentary voting, more..

Oct 24 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday reshuffled the Cabinet of Ministers, removing controversial Minister of health Keheliya Rambukwella, only to grant him the title of Minister of Environment. Three more changes were made to the motley crew that makes up the Cabinet. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera was sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, while Dr. Ramesh Pathirana was appointed as the Minister of Health in addition to his current portfolio more..

Oct 24 (TM) A significant shift in SL�s power sector is being witnessed, with a growing dependency on India. Several forthcoming mega projects, including Adani�s Renewable Energy (RE) investment, a grid connectivity initiative, and a potential Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) collaboration with US-based New Fortress Energy (NFE), are set to redefine the nation�s energy landscape. Minister Kanchana Wijesekera was actively pressing more..

Oct 24 (DM) There are allegations that the Parliament�s committees COPA and COPE are toothless tigers at a time when corruption has engulfed the entire state machinery from top to bottom of almost all pubic institutions. We read about frauds involving millions if not billions of rupees in national newspapers everyday but rarely hear about follow-up actions taken by the authorities to penalize the culprits or to recover the defrauded money that belongs to the public coffers. more..

Oct 24 (ST) Sri Lanka�s political establishment continues to be in unusually excited tumult following this month�s Supreme Court decision in the Nazeer Ahamed case, upholding the opposition SLMC�s expulsion of a dissident member of parliament for voting against the party whip in Parliament. He has now forfeited both a ministerial portfolio with which he was rewarded after crossing over, and his parliamentary seat, to the little regret (one would presume) of his constituency given this more..

Oct 24 (SO) Minister Bandula Gunawardena shares his insights on the revolutionary changes set to transform the nation�s transport system in 2024, stressing the importance of electrification, digitisation, and environmental sustainability. Q: What does electrification of the national transport system mean for sustainable development? A: Electrification of the national transport system signifies a pivotal step more..

Oct 24 (GV) Jewish Currents is a US-based leftwing Jewish magazine. Soon after Oct 7 Hamas attack, its editor, Arielle Angel, a vocal proponent of Palestinian liberation, penned a letter to the readers. �I watched the bulldozer destroying Gaza fence again and again, and cried tears of hope,� she wrote. �I watched Palestinian teenagers seemingly out joyriding in a place half a mile away that they�d never been�But these images were quickly joined by others, image of woman�s body mostly naked more..

Oct 24 (Island) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has effected what may be called a mini Cabinet reshuffle. He has chosen to shift problems, as it were, instead of solving them. Keheliya Rambukwella, who failed as the Health Minister, and became a huge embarrassment to the govt, has been appointed the Minister of Environment. Is it that the Prez is devoid of any concern for the health of the environment? What the govt ought to do is to eliminate the root causes of the problems more..

Oct 24 (TM) The Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt seems quite elated over its ability to overcome one of the biggest hurdles in the country�s debt restructuring programme � getting the Chinese to officially express commitment to the process. Wickremesinghe�s party, UNP, held its annual convention yesterday (21) with much vigour after many years, with green flags also being put up in all parts of Colombo. At the convention, the President announced that Prez Polls would be held in more..

Oct 24 (Island) President Wickremesinghe�s appointment of a commission of inquiry to investigate existing election laws and regulations and recommend changes has come without prior discussion or warning. It was a carefully kept secret until brought to the notice of the general public by the president�s appointment of the commission. The commission has been tasked with examining all existing election laws and regulations and making recommendations to suit current needs. more..

Oct 24 (CI) 8-0 or 7-1? Nah, we are not talking about that one. Coming into their fifth game of the 2023 World Cup, Afghanistan had not beaten Pakistan in an ODI in seven attempts. They had run them close on at least two occasions but had to suffer one heartbreak after another. But on probably the biggest stage of them all, Afghanistan finally managed to break the hoodoo. And they did it, in Chennai, by eight wickets chasing down 283 with six balls to spare, crafting their highest successful chase more..

Oct 24 (FT) SL Association of Printers (SLAP) has announced the forthcoming SL Print Exhibition and Trade Fair 2023, along with the prestigious National Print Awards 2023. These two events mark a significant milestone in the SL printing and packaging industry and underscore the commitment to excellence and innovation within the sector. SL Print Exhibition and Trade Fair 2023 is being held jointly with SL Institute of Packaging and we are happy to announce that for 2nd time in a row. more..

Oct 24 (Island) On a day highlighted by the return of Asian Games medallists Tharushi Karunaratne and Jayeshi Uththara to top national schools competitions, Royal College, Panadura thrower Jayavi Ranhinda Alwis stole the limelight with a record breaking feat in the Under 20 boys� shot put at the All Island Schools Games Athletics C'ship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Monday. Ranhinda concluded his event with a massive more..

Oct 24 (FT) Sri Lanka has initiated the process of revisiting its existing Export Strategic Plan (National Export Strategy 2018-2022). The endeavour, spearheaded by the SL Export Development Board (EDB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment Promotion, has obtained technical support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) based in Geneva. ITC Senior Officer, Trade Strategy and Competitiveness Charles Roberge visited Sri Lanka from 16-18 October for this purpose. more..

Oct 24 (CI) Going by visual memory, in ODI cricket in India earlier this year, the new balls produced an appreciable amount of seam and swing and for a considerable period of time, especially under lights. The new ball doesn't seem to be doing nearly as much at the World Cup, though. Bowlers whose speciality is the damage they cause with the new ball - Mohammed Siraj and Shaheen Shah Afridi, for example - have had to drag their lengths back a little. One of the theories going around is that more..

Oct 24 (TM) While the CEB has increased electricity tariffs, NWSDB has stated there is no preparation to increase water tariffs at present. Electricity charges, fuel prices, and loan interest rates are among the main factors that are taken into account in deciding water tariffs. With the PUCSL approving an electricity tariff hike by 18% last week, The Daily Morning queried NWSDB Deputy General Manager Piyal Pathmanatha as to whether there is more..

Oct 24 (FT) The Cabinet of Ministers yesterday approved visa-free entry to travellers from seven key tourist-generating markets; India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand with immediate effect. Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said the visa-free policy is set to be in effect till 31 March 2024. He expressed confidence that the visa-free policy will not only attract an influx of visitors but also create a positive ripple effect across various sectors of the economy. more..

Oct 24 (FT) FPC member and MP Prof. G.L Peiris said the dismissal of Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella to replace him with another is not an effective remedy for the ongoing crisis in the country�s healthcare sector. Peiris called the move a band-aid solution and said it would not resolve any of the issues faced by the health service. �This won�t bring about a resolution. It�s all just a theatrical act. No one in the country holds the belief that replacing one individual with another more..

Oct 24 (TM) If someone claims that IGP Chandana Wickramaratne would apprehend a particular drug trafficker within three weeks and that it was the Constitutional Council (CC) that prevented him from doing so by not approving the third service extension granted to him, they should rethink as to why he (Wickramaratne) failed to achieve it during the past four years during which period he was also the permanent IGP, more..

Oct 24 (TM) Ministry of Health stated that a system has been prepared in coordination with the relevant institutions to verify whether documents submitted by pharmaceutical drug-importing companies are authentic. Recent incidents of a local drug supplier named Isolez Biotech Pharma AG importing a batch of human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and another batch of Rituximab injection, which is administered to cancer patients, led to great controversy in recent past. more..

Oct 24 (DM) State Minister Diana Gamage yesterday expressed her intention to handle the situation if she had been given the opportunity to remove her sandal during the altercation with MP Sujith Sanjay Perera in the Parliament complex a few days ago. State Minister Gamage also said that the truth will come out after the investigations into the incident. �I don't see anything obscene there. I didn't even say obscene words. They were the ones who said obscene words. more..

Oct 24 (Island) It is cruel to think or wish that any player is injured and ruled out of any form of cricket leave alone a World Cup, but Dushmantha Chameera getting a look in place of the misfiring Matheesha Pathirana isn�t a bad idea at all. SL will be hoping that it�s a blessing in disguise. The team management had submitted Pathirana�s medical papers to the ICC�s Event Technical Committee and should get the clearance to bring in the team�s premier fast bowler Chameera into the squad. more..

Oct 24 (ST) Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration has instructed top govt officials to only hold online meetings with District and Divisional Secretaries on Tuesdays and Fridays following complaints from the public that the officials were frequently unavailable due to such meetings. The circular by Public Administration Ministry Secretary Ranjith Asoka, and addressed to all Ministry Secretaries, Chief Secretaries of the Provinces and Heads of Department, more..

Oct 24 (FT) MP Udaya Gammanpila made startling claims, suggesting Govt involvement in a potentially vast car smuggling operation. He asserted that a Cabinet paper, presented by the President in his capacity as the Investment Promotion Minister opens the door to a scheme more significant in scale than the infamous Central Bank fraud. �The paper, dated 8 Sept 2023, proposes exempting electric/hybrid vehicle more..

Oct 24 (DM) While welcoming the newly appointed Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana, GMOA stressed the importance of doing away with certain health officials in the health ministry and other institutions, especially the NMRA and MSD. GMOA Media Spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said the new minister should come up with a new set of policies to address the issues the health sector is grappling with at present. �However, if the new minister is to be successful, he needs to get rid of certain more..

Oct 24 (DM) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that his ministry intends to designate 14,000 acres of land and water areas for the purpose of generating 4,000 MW of electricity through the installation of solar panels within the next 6 years. He said that the Ministry is hoping to allocate land areas from the govt and private sector and to later engage with tender procedures. Accordingly, Ministry is planning to allocate 12,000 acres of land for the generation of 4,000 MW of electricity using solar power. more..

Oct 24 (DN) SL team had their first training session yesterday evening at M. Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in Bangalore. Both travelling reserves Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera also trained to focus on the England game which is scheduled to be held on October 26 at the same venue. A senior member of the team management said they are expecting Maheesh Theekshana�s MRI scan report to observe his condition of the injury. We hope Theekshana will be fit to play next game more..

Oct 24 (CT) The family of Anula Jayatilleke Ratnayake (49), who died during a Hamas raid into Israel on 7 October, has been requested to provide their DNA for confirmation that the body is indeed that of their relative. The family is in denial of the death, SL Ambassador to Israel Namal Bandara told Ceylon Today. Hence, he has urged Anula�s two children, a 29-year-old son and a 23-year-old daughter, to submit their DNA test sample reports to verify the situation. more..

Oct 24 (DM) Parliament's Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security has recommended informing US Ambassador Julie Chung, urging her to refrain from making statements regarding the internal affairs of SL in the future. This recommendation comes in response to the ambassador's remarks following the incidents that occurred on May 9, 2022. Two weeks ago, the Committee, with Committee members, more..

Oct 24 (DN) The two Mahanayakas of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters said that incidents of bringing drugs to Sri Lanka through sea routes are regularly reported and it is important to pay special attention to this and carry out joint raids with the three armed forces and the police. The two Mahanayaka Theras spoke to Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa about this yesterday when he went to the Malwathu and Asgiri Maha Viharas to receive their blessings. more..

Oct 24 (Island) Chairman of the COPF Dr. Harsha de Silva has unveiled a pioneering PAYE tax restructuring proposal aimed at benefiting professionals and bolstering SL�s economic prospects. Under this initiative, a comprehensive tax calculator is now accessible to the public, allowing citizens to understand and evaluate the proposed changes. Tax calculator allows the public to compare the existing tax structure, which reaches up to 36%, with the proposed reforms that more..

Oct 24 (FT) Ruling SLPP expressed its deep displeasure on yesterday�s cabinet reshuffle by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, which included changes to several ministerial positions, including that of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam expressed the party�s disappointment over Prez�s decision to allocate one ministerial position and one state ministerial position to two members of SLFP, more..

Oct 24 (FT) This article describes the complex and contentious relationship between taxpayers� rights and the taxing rights of a state. Taxation is not only the second-oldest profession in the world but is also a fundamental part of modern governance and provides states with the revenue they need to provide essential services to the public, including taxpayers. Taxes and public services are intertwined and essential for the functioning and well-being of a society. more..

Oct 24 (FT) Last week, SL registered the 1 millionth tourist arrival in the country with reports emerging that the industry is poised to cross the 1.7 million number, overcoming the original set target of 1.5 million visitors in 2023. Even though the global communication campaign has not kicked in, for SL to achieve the above performance level means the product is strong or it could be that global travel demonstrates strong growth due to the concept called Revenge Tourism. more..