Feb 19 (DM) Health sector trade unions claimed that govt hospitals are grappling with an acute shortage of critical medical equipment, including surgical equipment. According to Swastha which is the information management system of the availability of medicinal drugs, there is a significant shortage of stent items including esophageal stent, Double J stent 3Fr etc. This concern was also raised by Dr. Chamal Sanjeeva, president of the Union of Medical and Civil Rights Physicians. more..

Feb 19 (DM) Following successful discussions between representatives of the health sector trade unions and Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, a satisfactory solution to the grievances has been reached. Ravi Kumudesh, convener of Health Trade Union Alliance, confirmed that the discussions with the Health Minister resulted in a commitment to address their demands. Hence, the unions decided to refrain from any form of more..

Feb 19 (TM) The procedural challenges in the promotion of judges due to the Chief Justice (CJ) not providing information pertaining to their (judges) performance to the Constitutional Council (CC) remains unresolved, it is learnt. The CC had recently declined the recommendation made by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to promote Court of Appeal (CA) President, Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne to the Supreme Court. The CC stated that the situation had arisen as a result of more..

Feb 19 (TM) The prison health authorities said that congestion in prisons could further increase unless issues related to overcrowding and a lack of institutional cooperation are improved. Director of Prison Health Dr. Hemantha Ranasinghe said there was recently an extensive discussion between the stakeholders like the Ministry of Justice, the Police Dept, Ministry of Defence and judicial institutions. He also said that the increase in the number of people in remand custody more..

Feb 20 (DM) Media reports state that the govt is considering the abolition of the Executive Presidency instead of holding the next Prez election which is constitutionally scheduled to be conducted later this year - between Sept 18 and Oct 18. One website quoted former President Maithripala Sirisena as stating that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has tasked a group of lawyers with looking into the abolition of the Executive Presidency. According to the report, more..

Feb 20 (TM) Last week a senior US diplomat told a forum about US Indo-Pacific policy, that SL was a great comeback story in the South Asian region and highlighted the collective effort which helped SL to move forward from the crisis situation of 2022. SL recovery story, however comes at a cost, every story has one. We often forget them, perhaps because hardly anyone acknowledges them when history is written. Yes, SL should be thankful for all the support it got from regional and more..

Feb 20 (CT) MP Dharmalingam Sithadthan, leader of the PLOTE, founded in 1980 by Uma Maheswaran, has traversed a significant path in the Tamil struggle, transitioning from being part of the armed conflict to democratic representation, serving his people in Parliament. A soft-spoken MP Sithadthan, is an ICMA-certified accountant in the UK, where he studied and worked. He reflects on his journey, more..

Feb 20 (DM) A prudent suggestion is to abolish the Executive Presidency through a referendum, ensuring that the process is not driven by ulterior motives. An alternative approach could involve the immediate dissolution of Parliament after securing the necessary two-thirds majority. Following this, a two-in-one approach can be adopted by combining the referendum with the Parliamentary elections, streamlining the process and saving time, manpower and financial resources. more..

Feb 20 (ST) It is the season for reporting of third quarter (2023-24) results of companies, banks and other financial services, particularly those listed at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The public has access to these results through the CSE website. The results released cover the 3-month period Oct-Dec 2023 and the 9-month period April-Dec 2023. The flavour of the month, however, is the increase in the VAT from 15% to 18 % with effect from Jan 2024 and its impact on company results for more..

Feb 20 (TM) Sri Lanka�s prison system has five maximum security prisons, 18 remand prisons, two youth correctional centres, 10 work camps, and two open prison camps. As at Nov 2022, World Prison Brief states that SL had placed 32,402 people in prison, including pre-trial detainees and people on remand. This number has almost tripled with the ongoing Yukthiya (Justice) operation, which has resulted in over 56,000 people more..

Feb 20 (Island) The leaders of SLPP-UNP govt, troubled by the prospect of having to face elections, must be having sleepless nights. They are believed to be busy devising ways and means of putting off the presidential contest due in eight months or so. Prez�s Office has however said the next prez election will be held on schedule. The promises of govts in trouble are like pie crust; they are made to be broken. Speculation is rampant in political circles that the govt is planning to postpone more..

Feb 20 (CT) SL has once again managed to secure its spot at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to battling corruption in public procurement. According to a recent report by Verit� Research, SL is proudly flaunting its title as the only country in South Asia that doesn�t deem engagement in corrupt and fraudulent activities during procurement, a big deal. The report highlights two significant gaps: the legal gap, where procurement guidelines don�t allow for blacklisting contractors/suppliers more..

Feb 20 (TM) Today, Daily Morning Sports will go down the memory lane to the glorious days of schools cricket in the island nation where almost all top traditional schoolboy games regardless whether they were �big matches� or normal games, attracted a large fan base surrounding the venues. We spoke to Jeremy Brohier, a senior alumnus hailing from a sporting school, Wesley College Colombo. Here Jeremy takes us through timeless classics of his heydays playing for school on Karlsruhe Hill more..

Feb 20 (FT) Aitken Spence Logistics unveils its latest state-of-the-art Container Freight Station (CFS) to facilitate the growing requirements of the supply chain community in the region. This 100,000 sq. ft. facility, strategically positioned within the main logistics complex in Mabole, Wattala, reflects the company�s commitment to serve the Export-Import community of the region, providing operational excellence, supply chain value creation, and unparalleled service delivery. more..

Feb 20 (ST) Since January last year, govt has invoked the Essential Services Act (ESA) twenty-one times with the aim of ensuring that public services are not disrupted due to trade union action in critical sectors. Earlier, to block trade union action in vital sectors, the govt imposed regulations under the State of Emergency that ended in Aug 2022. The extraordinary gazettes under ESA are issued by Prez and have raised the ire of trade union more..

Feb 20 (FT) Leading industrial solutions provider, Hayleys Aventura, in partnership with global leader Invertek, renowned for cutting-edge drive technology, introduced Optidrive Eco Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to enhance energy savings and reduce emissions in manufacturing, agriculture, and hydro-based industries. These VFDs enable clients to control fan motor speeds, minimising energy consumption and CO2 emissions throughout the energy supply chain. more..

Feb 20 (FT) Interface Tourism, a leading marketing and communications agency in the tourism has announced the launch of a ground-breaking wellness campaign to promote SL, targeted at the French and German markets. This initiative, commissioned by the European Union Delegation with the support of SL Tourism Promotion Bureau, is a part of SL�s strategic effort to position itself as a premier wellness destination in Asia. Interface Tourism is launching a 2-month digital more..

Feb 20 (FT) Dialog Axiata yesterday positive topline performance across all business segments, namely, mobile, fixed, digital pay television, international, digital platforms and tele-infrastructure in FY2023. Group consolidated revenue was recorded at Rs. 187.8 billion for FY 2023 demonstrating a growth of 5% Year-to-Date (YTD). Group revenue for Q4 2023 was recorded at Rs. 43.4 billion down 7% Quarter-on-Quarter (QoQ). Downstream of topline performance Group Earnings Before Interest, more..

Feb 20 (FT) The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has collected penalties amounting to Rs. 14 million in total from 27 Sept to 31 Dec 2023 to enforce compliance on financial institutions. The institutions concerned are Bank of Ceylon, People�s Bank, and MMBL Money Transfer. The money collected as penalties were credited to the Consolidated Fund. FIU is Sri Lanka�s regulator for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). more..

Feb 20 (CI) Angelo Mathews bashed 42 not out off 22 balls, then claimed two early wickets, as SL stormed to a 73-run win in the second T20I to seal the T20I series. There were contributions from throughout SL's top order - Pathum Nissanka struck 25 off 11, Kusal Mendis struck 23 off 14, Sadeera Samarawickrama played an innings of substance as he hit 51 off 42, and Wanindu Hasaranga was hyper-aggressive again, hitting 22 off 9. more..

Feb 20 (TM) Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) is to commence a series of union actions from today (20) onwards, demanding solutions for issues in the education sector, including salary anomalies in the teachers-principals service. CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said that the series of protests is to commence from Kandy today and is to be continued in all parts of the island. He noted that the unions representing teachers and principals are planning to launch a strike if they do not more..

Feb 20 (DN) SL�s young tennis stars, both boys and girls, triumphed in all six matches they contested against Mongolia and Qatar at the ITF Junior Billie Jean King Cup and Junior Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Pre-Qualifying event. Tournament commenced at the SL Tennis Association (SLTA) courts in Colombo yesterday. In the boys� division, Ganuka Fernando, Lithum Jayabandu, and Aahil Kaleel represented SL. They played three matches, comprising two singles & one doubles encounter, against Mongolia. more..

Feb 20 (FT) US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu has described SL�s economic recovery as the greatest comeback story. �Americans love a comeback story. In the region I work on there is no greater comeback story than the story of SL. If you were to go back with me in time, a year and a half you will remember a country in crisis, you will remember mass riots on the streets, you will remember more..

Feb 20 (ST) Tamil Nadu�s Rameshwaram fisherfolk have threatened to boycott the upcoming annual feast of St. Antony on Katchatheevu next week, demanding the immediate release of their fishermen, who were serving jail terms for illegal bottom trawling in SL�s territorial waters in the north. On Friday, Kayts Magistrate Court handed in a six-month jail term for two skippers of Indian mechanised bottom trawlers in addition to one-year imprisonment suspended for five years for engaging in more..

Feb 20 (ST) SL Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) is set to revolutionise the textile industry with its latest breakthrough � a natural dye from coconut husks, with an estimated value of nearly US$50 million after commercialisation. This innovative development comes on the heels of SLINTEC�s successful creation of a natural dye from king coconut husks, known as Kingco. Officials said that currently the bulk testing on this latest natural coconut husk dye is being conducted for more..

Feb 20 (Island) Int'l cricket returned to Dambulla after six years and a packed house turned out to witness the game with the tickets sold out 48 hours before the game at the 18,000-capacity stadium. SL have been unbeaten in this multi-format bilateral series against Afghanistan and they had to thank their bowlers, who defended a below par target of 161 in the first T-20 on Saturday. Afghanistan needed 14 off the last two overs with three wickets in hand and more importantly their captain more..

Feb 20 (FT) FPC member and independent MP Prof. G.L Peiris yesterday publicly announced his endorsement of SJB leader Sajith Premadasa�s candidacy in the upcoming Prez election, along with several other independent MPs. Peiris stressed that the Prez election should take place between 17 Sept and 19 Oct, with the new President being sworn in before 17 Nov. Peiris emphasised the necessity for the Presidential election to adhere to the designated dates within the current year, more..

Feb 20 (DM) In the wake of an influx of tourists particularly from Russia following the implementation of a visa-free entry programme, concerns have been raised regarding the involvement of some Russian female tourists, engaging in illegal activities such as prostitution during their stay in SL. In recent months, SL has seen a surge in int'l visitors, particularly from countries like India, China and Russia more..

Feb 20 (FT) French Ambassador for Indo-Pacific Marc Abensour underscored the significance of SL as a key partner in France�s strategy for the region, whilst highlighting its commitment towards regional inclusivity and stability. Speaking to a group of journalists during his 3-day visit to SL, he highlighted France�s deep engagement in the Indo-Pacific proactive engagement in the region aiming to strengthen partnerships and ensure regional stability amid evolving geopolitical dynamics. more..

Feb 20 (CT) An all round show helped Dambulla edge Kandy by 2 wickets in another game of the NSL Women�s T20 Tournament 2024 worked off at Colts Cricket Grounds, Colombo on Monday. Set to chase 128, Dambulla�s Skipper Harshitha Samarawickrama and Imalka Mendis came out all guns blazing as they gave the perfect start to the chase with a 72 runs partnership for the first wicket. However, their progress was halted when Harshitha departed for a well made 29 runs more..

Feb 20 (Island) Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana on Sunday urged all health professionals not to make incendiary statements against each other at a time when they had to come together to revitalise the state health sector. Responding to questions from journalists on the sidelines of a function in Colombo, Minister Pathirana said that he did not condone the statements made by Dr. Rukshan Bellana, Deputy Director at the Colombo National Hospital about health workers. more..

Feb 20 (TM) Govt is still not in a position where it can afford its expenditure, even though it has taken measures to cut down its expenditure as much as possible, said the Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Bandula Gunawardana. He said that the Govt is running with a shortfall of Rs. 10 trillion to meet the Govt's expenditure with its revenue, according to the statistics for last year (2023). However, he said that the Govt has been able to manage the country�s economic issues while more..

Feb 20 (TM) Amidst rising concerns surrounding the proposed non-governmental organisations (NGO) (Registration and Supervision) Act of 2024, NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs) are seeking a meeting with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to discuss their concerns. This is in a context where the concerns raised by them with regard to the proposed law with the NGO Secretariat have not received satisfactory responses. more..

Feb 20 (DM) In completion of seven years of truth-seeking agony to learn the whereabouts of their missing kith and kin during the war, the family members of the enforced disappearances are to stage a mass procession in Kilinochchi this morning. Hundreds of members of the Association for Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances (ARED) from the five branches of the Northern and Eastern Provinces will rally around in Kilinochchi to mark their grievances. more..

Feb 20 (DM) Archdiocese of Colombo today assured that the fisheries harbour in Pitipana, Negombo will be handed over to an authority. It ensures that the fisherfolk in the area get maximum benefit from it. �The Cardinal never had any intention of using the property for his personal purposes at any point,� Cardinal�s spokesman Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said. He made this remark in relation to a protest held by a group claiming to be fishermen, in front of Archbishop's House today. more..