Jan 10 (TM) Following a decision by the Govt to take stern action against the CEB employees that staged a protest last week against the recently gazetted Electricity Bill and the restructuring of the CEB, CEB trade unions remain determined to resist disciplinary action that they think are unjust and to respond only to proper, lawful disciplinary actions. This was emphasised by CEB Workers� Union (CEBWU) General Secretary Ranjan Jayalal, more..

Jan 10 (FT) Govt approved a comprehensive proposal presented by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to disburse State sector workers� allowances to alleviate the financial burden and sustain essential services. The approved plan includes disbursing Rs. 5,000 from the increased Cost of Living (CoL) allowance for State workers starting from January, along with doubling of Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance for doctors from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000 from the same month. more..

Jan 10 (DN) The current value added tax increase will have an impact on inflation but it will not increase more than 5% this year, said State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. The YoY inflation has already increased from 3% to 4% in December. He said that the current inflation may rise up to around 5% due to the VAT increase but it would not move to the double digit level,� he said. He recalled that the govt did take prudent economic steps soon after the Aragalaya to bring down more..

Jan 10 (TM) GMOA and FUTA yesterday welcomed the Govt�s recent decision to double the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance paid for Govt doctors and the 25% increase in the study allowance given to university teachers. Cabinet of Ministers on Monday decided to double the DAT allowance paid for Govt doctors and 25% increase in the study allowance given to university teachers, more..

Jan 10 (FT) Economic concerns are adding new layers to the political role of the Buddhist Sangha in the post-Aragalaya period. At the height of the economic crisis, some groups of protestors saw Sinhala Buddhist nationalism as waning. However, developments in 2023, such as the contestations surrounding Kurundi archaeological site and reports of illegal Sinhalese cultivator encroachments in Mylathamadu, have shown that such a fundamental shift has not occurred. more..

Jan 10 (FT) For a few weeks now, there have been calls for electricity prices to be reduced, on account of unexpected rainfall received since October. Meetings called-up in Parliament of sectoral oversight committees, meetings at the Ministry of Power and Energy, meeting after meeting have been reported in the press, all to discuss how to reduce prices, how much is the profit of rain that must be distributed to electricity customers. A meeting in the Ministry of Power resulted in more..

Jan 10 (AD) Seven suspects including the former Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Janaka Chandragupta, were further remanded over the controversial procurement of substandard human immunoglobulin vials. Accordingly, the seven suspects were remanded until 17 January, on orders of the Maligakanda Magistrate�s Court. Chandragupta was arrested by the CID on 18 Dec, after he arrived to give a statement regarding the controversial substandard Human more..

Jan 10 (EN) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) plans to modernise operations of the EPF through digital enhancements and diversify the fund�s investment portfolio to generate higher risk-adjusted returns. CBSL said in its Annual Policy Statement for 2024 that the EPF will go near-paperless in 2024, with a number of technological enhancements also on the cards. �Going forward, the EPF is committed to enhancing operational efficiency to deliver efficient and effective services to its stakeholders. more..

Jan 10 (AD) The governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) says �good faith negotiations� are in progress with commercial creditors to reach an in-principle agreement as soon as possible. Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said the agreement is expected to reach within the next two months. Sri Lanka reached in-principle agreements with China�s Export-Import (Exim) Bank and the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) in late 2023 on more..

Jan 10 (DM) Observing a significant increase in leprosy cases, a total of 1,550 leprosy cases were logged in 2023 with 173 cases being reported among school children. The majority of cases have been recorded from the Colombo District with 315 cases while 168 and 151 cases have been reported from the Gampaha and Kalutara districts respectively. In light of the uptick in cases among school children, a nationwide programme was initiated at the school level to detect more..

Jan 10 (EN) SL will review exchange controls imposed in the recent past allowing economic activities to take place, CB Governor Nandala Weerasinghe said. SL�s Foreign Exchange Act will also be amended in early 2024. �With the observed improvements in the liquidity position of the domestic foreign exchange market, the Central Bank would review the existing restrictions on certain capital foreign exchange outflows on a priority basis with a view to gradually unwinding these more..

Jan 10 (DM) Applications have been received for ten new casinos but the govt is yet to grant its approval, State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya informed Parliament today. He came out with this information in response to a question raised by MP Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera on the move by the govt to allow new casinos in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna. �We have brought in new laws pertaining to casinos and therefore a sum of Rs. 500 m more..

Jan 10 (AD) UNP has decided to field Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe as its presidential candidate in the upcoming election, which is tipped to be held in September. Management Committee of the UNP convened a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Tuesday, under the patronage of the party�s leader, Prez Wickremesinghe. At the meeting, the Head of State revealed that plans are afoot to hold the Prez Election in September this year, followed by the General Election in Jan 2025. more..

Jan 10 (DM) The 3-judge-bench of the Supreme Court that was set to hear the expulsion petition filed by State Minister Diana Gamage challenging the SJB's decision to expel her from party membership has been postponed due to the unavailability of one judge who is a part of the three-judge-bench being indisposed. Due to the unavailability of Justice Kumuduni Wickremasinghe, Supreme Court two-judge-bench headed by Justice Gamini Amarasekara fixed the petition for further more..

Jan 10 (NW) Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has refuted recent media reports of a party organized on a ship for a group of ruling party members at the Colombo Port. Video footage emerged of several SLPP MPs, including former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa, being entertained while on a ship at the Colombo Port. SLPA said it conducts routine ship tours for politicians, delegates, and journalists to provide an update on the various development projects underway at the Colombo Port. more..

Jan 10 (TM) The distribution of bowling machines to 22 schools islandwide has taken place at the SLC headquarters with the participation of SLC President Shammi Silva, Vice President Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa, SL Schools Cricket Association President Thilak Waththuhewa, and several other SLC office bearers. Royal College; D.S. Senanayake College; Lumbini College; Moratu Vidyalaya; Isipathana College; Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya; De Mazenod College, Kandana; more..

Jan 10 (EN) A study by CAA has found that that the recent VAT hike has not affected the price of several essential goods, an official said, claiming that the CB�s inflation target of 5% can still be maintained. State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya responding to a question by opposition MP S M Marikkar said Dept of Census & Statistics has asked for more time to conduct its own survey on the impact of the VAT hike. more..

Jan 10 (DM) All health personnel, spanning administrative officers, health management assistants, development officers, assistants and hospital health assistants, have collectively opted to embark on a strike from 6 am tomorrow (11) until 8 am the following morning. This decision aims to express dismay over the recent remarks made by Dr. Rukshan Bellana. In addition, the trade unions demand the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance of Rs. 35,000. more..

Jan 10 (EN) Central Bank will issue guidelines on the appointment of directors to state banks which now account for 48% of banking sector assets, an annual policy speech by Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. �Accordingly, a framework is to be developed to strengthen the governance of state banks, requiring their Boards to have a majority of independent members,� the text of the speech said. Nominations for Board and senior management will be made by banks� nomination committees more..

Jan 10 (TI) The findings are hardly surprising, but a global gut-punch nonetheless: 2023 has been confirmed as the hottest year on record by a large margin. For the first time, every day of the year was 1C hotter at a global level than the pre-industrial era, EU�s climate change service Copernicus said. Nearly half the days in 2023 breached 1.5C (2.7F) � temperature goal set by the global Paris Agreement to stave off the most more..

Jan 10 (AD) The report containing proposals and suggestions for the revision of electricity tariffs in Jan 2024 was tabled in the Parliament today. The relevant report compiled by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Energy and Transport was presented to the Parliament by the committee�s chairman MP Nalaka Kottegoda. Presenting the report to the Parliament, MP said: �It has been specially suggested to provide people with the benefit of the increase in hydropower generation�. more..

Jan 10 (DM) The United States has echoed the concerns raised by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) regarding alleged human rights abuses during the recent Yukthiya Operation conducted by the SL Police and the Ministry of Public Security. US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie J. Chung, emphasized the importance of combating drug trafficking while stressing that law enforcement operations must adhere to the principles of the rule of law and due process. more..

Jan 10 (EN) Removing SL�s parate execution powers and making it less easy to recover loans, will make it more difficult for small and medium enterprises to get loans from banks, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. �If these laws are taken away it will hurt depositors and SME�s,� he said after presenting an annual policy speech. �Banks will be reluctant to give to other SMEs if there is no way of recovery when someone defaults.� Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa has said more..

Jan 10 (AM) In a bid to boost crowd attendance for the ongoing cricket series between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced free entry for the public to watch the 3rd ODI. Spectators will be allowed into the C&D Upper and Lower Stands of the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, free of charge. The entrance gates for these stands will open at 1 p.m. on the match day, providing an opportunity for cricket enthusiasts to attend the game without any cost. more..

Jan 10 (EN) A UN agency and the US have partnered with SL�s ministry of agriculture for a US$ 9.2 million project to enhance paddy productivity, diversify crops on marginal land, and promote sustainable farming practices. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and US govt through the US Agency for Int'l Development (USAID) have partnered with the ministry for the project aimed at more..

Jan 10 (TM) Chamber Of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) urged the general public to obtain the Tax Identification Number (TIN) in order to avoid penalty, in a recent statement. Statement read: � TIN does not imply liability for tax payment. Instead, it provides individuals with convenient access to numerous services offered by various state institutions without any complications. As of Jan 1, individuals failing to obtain a TIN will face a penalty not exceeding Rs. 50,000, more..

Jan 10 (AD) Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the Princess Royal of the United Kingdom accompanied by her spouse Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, who are on a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka, met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the President�s House a short while ago. The Princess Royal and her spouse arrived in Sri Lanka this afternoon for a three-day visit. The visit comes as Sri Lanka and the UK mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. more..

Jan 10 (DM) With the elections looming on the horizon, the political landscape is witnessing strategic moves and party-switching among politicians, marking a season of political skulduggery. In this case, some politicians, uncertain about re-election representing the parties they currently represent, are making headlines by crossing party lines to carve out electoral standings in different setups. NPP, a political coalition led by JVP, has remained more..

Jan 10 (DM) The elder brother of Dharmasiri Perera alias Dharmasiri, a major drug trafficker operating abroad, was arrested at the BIA over the alleged murder of a woman near the Kahathuduwa interchange of the Southern Expressway. The 47-year-old Dunston Prasad Perera, the paramour of the victim, was arrested at the BIA as he attempted to flee the country last night. The victim, a 41-year-old employee of the CAA, was brutally attacked and killed near Kahathuduwa interchange more..

Jan 10 (AD) State Minister Ranjith Siambalapitiya, emphasised the strict enforcement of laws to eradicate the trade mafia generating profits without registering with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). He also outlined the govt�s plan to expand the tax base, anticipating a rise in the direct tax percentage to 40%. These remarks were made during his participation in a special VAT awareness conference at the Ministry of Finance yesterday, organized by Saman Ratnapriya, more..

Jan 11 (GV) December�s deaths caused by illegal electric fences of three tuskers, beloved characters in their territories, marked the 449th elephant death of 2023, bringing the estimated death toll to the highest ever recorded in SL. More than 169 people too have lost their lives, mostly from rural communities engaged in agriculture. For centuries elephants have roamed the verdant forests coexisting with other animals and humans and gaining a reputation for being gentle, more..

Jan 11 (DM) SL has begun a new year with petrol, gas and all essential goods available in the market, but the country�s citizens are still in search of a leader who can be trusted. Recently there was a video that went viral on Youtube where a prospective presidential candidate met with one of the chief prelates of a well-known Buddhist chapter in the Central Province, and instead of winning the heart of the saffron robed monk was forced to eat humble pie. more..

Jan 11 (TM) In many countries, the right to access for information was established with a legal basis long ago, but the Right to Information (RTI) Act No. 12 of 2016 was introduced as recently as 2016 in SL. UNF (Good Governance) Govt, which came to power in 2015, introduced this Act as a result of years of struggle waged by various parties. With the enactment of the RTI Act, any interested individual or group was provided with more..

Jan 11 (DM) In SL as elsewhere, women need to play a key role in vital areas such as politics and business. We have already passed a law that women need to comprise at least 25% of Parliament and other local bodies. But the number has fallen far short and thereby the country has suffered. This year being an election year women need to agitate for gender equality in politics, business and other important fields or work because in most cases women work harder than men, and more..

Jan 11 (CT) 2024 has just dawned and Sri Lanka is already in the grip of election fever. Led by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) every leader or spokesperson of every political party and pressure group is trying to score points by pointing fingers at each other for the country�s poly-crisis. RW wants to hold the Presidential Election first while the opposition demands a General Election ahead of it. Whichever the election that comes first the issue facing the country today and more..

Jan 11 (CT) Every year, 8 January comes and goes. Every year, on 8 January journalists from the Sunday Leader newspaper meet at Borella Cemetery, to pay their respects to their Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was brutally killed in broad daylight while on his way to office to write the popular Suranimala column. Years go by, but sadly there is no progress in his murder case. Politicians make false promises to gain more..