Feb 4 (EN) Sri Lanka's main business chambers have called for a Bill of Rights as part of the new govt's reforms and to recognise the island's ethnic and religious diversity as an asset to be celebrated, not feared. They said they expect many of the challenges the country faced in the past will be overcome by the new govt's commitment to reforms to establish good governance, transparency and law and order. "We call on the govt to introduce a robust Bill of Rights as part of the reform process to more..

Feb 4 (CT) New Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board, Athukorala, is confident that Sri Lanka is well poised to attain the elusive two million mark in 2015. "Given the vibrancy of the private sector, the two million visitor arrivals can be achieved". We are targeting the UK market to generate 190,000 arrivals from the current 144,168, Germany to be 150,000 from current 102,977, whilst France is to yield 100,000 visitors from the current 78,883, just to name a few. more..

Feb 4 (SLA) Haiti-based UN Peace keepers of the Sri Lankan contingent (20th SRIBAT) was commended for its dedicated service to the Haitian people by the MINUSTAH Force Commander, Lieutenant General Jose Luiz Jaborandy Jr. (Brazil) during a special meeting held at the MINUSTAH Headquarters a few days ago. The Sri Lankan contingent (20th SRIBAT) came in for praise for its efforts in organizing a Marathon Race with more..

Feb 4 (Island) 'Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, a blessing we must celebrate rather than fear, the joint Chambers of Trade and Commerce state in a greeting to Sri Lankans on the occasion of Independence Day. 'With the government committed to a process of reform that aims to establish institutionalized good governance, transparency and law and order, many of the challenges we have faced in the past will be overcome, the statement adds. The press release: more..

Feb 4 (Island) With the new political dispensation of President Sirisena and the solemn pledges that have been held out to bring about a transformation of the political culture that prevailed in the country, by ensuring good governance and the strict enforcement of Law and Order in the country, the citizens of Sri Lanka have high expectations that this Regime will live up to their hopes and expectations. In this context, I feel it is necessary for the public to have an idea of what the concept of more..

Feb 4 (AP) Ethnic Tamil leaders told a visiting U.S. diplomat that Sri Lanka's new govt is not moving fast enough to free prisoners detained without trial and return private land seized by the military during a decades-long civil war. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal met with TNA leaders as part of her two-day visit to Sri Lanka. Lawmaker M.A. Sumanthiran said the party had hoped the govt would release some more..

Feb 4 (CT) Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) will shortly empower Sri Lanka's ageing population with computer literacy which would enable them to be more productive. "The next fastest growing segment in this country is the elderly. It is now time to see how they can be best empowered to make their lives more productive and comfortable. For this, the best way is to see that they are computer literate enough to make the best use of the information highway," more..

Feb 4 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday extended his greetings to the govt and people of Sri Lanka on the eve of the country's 67th anniversary of independence. In his message to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Mukherjee said India and Sri Lanka were close neighbours with a long-standing relationship of friendship and cooperation based on shared linguistic, religious and cultural traditions. "On behalf of the govt and the people of India and on my own behalf, more..

Feb 4 (DM) JVP led Voice Against Corruption (VAC) is to lodge complaints with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption against 20 ministers and officials of the previous regime on Thursday. Convener VAC Wasantha Samarasinghe said that they will actually handover files which contains corrupt deals of 20 ministers and high officials of the previous regime on Feb 5. He said they have to go through more..

Feb 4 (DM) Kollupitiya Police OIC Chief Inspector V. W. Indrajith has been transferred to Mullaitivu Police Headquarters with effect from Monday on service requirements, Police said. They said four more officers have been transferred with immediate effect. Kataragama OIC Chief Inspector Chandima has been transferred to the Anuradhapura Police Headquarters while Inspector A.G.B. Pushpakumara has been transferred from Batticaloa to Minneriya as the OIC. more..

Feb 4 (NS) UNP MP Thissa Attanayake who was arrested by the CID today has been remanded till February 11. Colombo Fort magistrate ordered to remand the parliamentarian until February 11, when he was produced in the court. The MP has been charged with forgery. MP Attanayake told the media that he was to pay the price for something not done by him, but the justice will triumph soon, while he was taken the vehicle by the CID officials after the Magistrate order was announced. more..

Feb 4 (NF) Attorney-at-Law Upul Jayasuriya has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Investments Sri Lanka (BoI) by President Maithripala Sirisena. A student of Royal College Colombo, Upul Jayasuriya joined the Attorney General�s Department as a state counsel in 1978. In 1978, he was also appointed as the First Legal Adviser of the Greater Colombo Economic Commission, which is the present BoI. more..

Feb 4 (CT) Elections monitoring bodies highlighted the need for a Complaints Commission or a Court to be established within the independent Elections Commission which would be instated in the 19th Amendment. PAFFREL said that the Complaints Commission or the Court's mandate should be extended to even being able to disqualify a particular candidate. Complaints Commission or the Court should be able to look at aspects like campaign financing, media control and the conduct of more..

Feb 4 (DM) While claiming that the Omanthai military checkpoint would be operate as usual, the military today said that the priority will be given for vehicles transporting vegetables and fruits and other fresh rations from and to the Northern region at the Omanthai security check point from yesterday. Army Spokesman Jayanath Jayaweera said that vehicles and people will be inspected at the checkpoint as usual. Earlier, there were reports that the Omanthai Checkpoint had been opened entirely more..

Feb 4 (DM) Fisheries State Minister Dilip Wedaarachchi said the European Union�s ban on the export of fisheries products from Sri Lanka had been suspended for six months. �The Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera visited the EU and discussed the issues with regard to the lifting the ban on exports of fisheries products,� he said. This matter was discussed at the first cabinet meeting of the new govt and conditions laid down by EU more..

Feb 4 (CG) Queen Elizabeth II has sent a message greeting Sri Lanka on its 67th Independence Day anniversary and has wished the country happiness and prosperity. Her message, released by the British High Commission in Colombo in three languages, reads: �It gives me great pleasure to send Your Excellency my warmest greetings on the celebration of your National Day, together with my best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the people of Sri Lanka in the coming year.� more..

Feb 4 (AN) Today, we are celebrating the 67th anniversary of Independence while a civilized political culture is being created in our beloved motherland. When the Father of the Nation, D.S. Senanayake, the first prime minister of Sri Lanka launched the independence struggle, the main weapon he used was the unity and brotherhood among the communities that lived in harmony in our country. Once we gained independence, the challenge that we had to face was to more..

Feb 4 (Island) The predicament surfaced out of the issue of CJ 43, Shirani Bandaranayake and CJ 44 Mohan Peiris was nothing but another crisis generated by the J.R. Constitution of 1978, MP D.E.W. Gunasekera said. He said that conflicts and confrontations among the three organs of the State namely, Legislature, Executive and Judiciary have been the order of the day ever since the enactment of J.R. Constitution. more..

Feb 4 (AN) The celebration of this 67th anniversary of our Independence is of special significance as it sees the launch of a new era of good governance in the country. This comes with a new commitment to the unity of our people, to safeguard freedom and democratic rights, and proceed to a future that moves further from the re-emerging forces of colonialism. The strengthening and progress of peace in our country requires social, political and economic policies that give highest priority to more..

Feb 4 (DN) Sri Lanka will celebrate her 67th National Independence Day at the Parliamentary Sports Grounds in Sri J'pura Kotte with the participation of President Maithripala Sirisena. These are the first Independence Day celebrations held after the Presidential Election which marked a new beginning for the country and the people under the leadership of President Sirisena. President will pay floral tributes at the foot of the statue of Sri Lanka�s first PM D.S. Senanayake more..

Feb 4 (DM) Commenting on the controversial removal of Mohan Peiris from the post of Chief Justice and the reinstatement of Shirani Bandaranayake as CJ is null and void, former CJ Sarath N Silva said yesterday. He said the proper procedure had not been followed even in the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM. Mr. Silva said if each new govt set aside the proper procedure on matters of a fundamental more..

Feb 4 (DM) As we today celebrate the 67th anniversary of Independence in a new era of good governance, democracy and social justice, we need to reflect on what some great personalities have said regarding freedom and liberty. English historian and politician Lord Acton has said liberty is not a means to a higher political end, it is itself the highest political end. English writer and art critic, William Hazlitt has said the love of liberty is the love of others, love of power is the love of ourselves. more..

Feb 4 (DM) In the early weeks of November 2014, it seemed somewhat clear that Mahinda Rajapaksa was set to rule the country for at least another six years. But on Jan 8, 2015 when he finally went to cast his vote with the media surrounding him, even Mahinda appeared to have realized what the final verdict was going to be. Never before, during the past decade, had he looked so defeated; especially on the day of an election. Clearly, his political spark was flickering. more..

Feb 4 (DM) Civil Society Organizations take an active role in contributing to a country�s development. Engagement with civil society is critical to national ownership of development processes, democratic governance, and the quality and relevance of official development programmes. With the increasing demand for �good governance� many organisations have flocked round the present govt for the betterment of country more..

Feb 4 (ST) The Elections Commissioner is to recommend to the Govt to allow hospital employees and staff at ports and airports to cast their vote at their respective institution on election day, a senior official attached to the Election Secretariat said. He said the proposal will be made to amend laws under the 100-Day programme so that it could be introduced at the upcoming Parliamentary election. more..

Feb 4 (ENS) Symptomatic of the sea change in the atmosphere in Sri Lanka following the overthrow of the sectarian govt of Mahinda Rajapaksa, young Lankan Muslim women publicly observed World Hijab Day on January 31 without any fear of being targeted by govt-backed Buddhist extremist outfits like the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). �Lankan Muslims are breathing a sigh of relief. They want to feel free,� said Hilmy Ahamad more..

Feb 4 (IRIN) Sri Lanka�s new govt says it will address outstanding concerns relating to the civil war that ended in May 2009, including allegations of human rights abuses, missing persons and political prisoners. The new administration, which came to power last month, appears to be willing to tackle sensitive issues that were effectively taboo under the previous administration. But activists warn only swift, decisive, action can more..

Feb 4 (SL) The swearing in of a new Govt has not released the pressure on Sri Lanka for a UN led investigation over the war, with human rights groups insisting that it is the only way forward. Govt had last week dispatched Jayantha Dhanapala, Senior Advisor on Foreign Affairs to President Maithripala Sirisena, to meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra�ad Al Hussein in Geneva, and briefed him on more..

Feb 4 (CT) Chief Minister Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran said the replacement of the military Governors in the North and East with members of foreign and civil services (Foreign Secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara), combined with measures such as the removal of the travel restrictions to the North, signifies a symbolic step in the right direction in commencing the process to restore civilian administration and also more..

Feb 4 (Island) SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that the Opposition expected Minister John Amaratunga to resign if he lost a no-faith motion to be moved against him over the recent violent incident at Wattala Pradeshiya Sabha. MP Yapa alleged that Wattala PS Chairman Thyagaratna Alwis and several other PS members had been assaulted at the behest of Minister Amaratunga within PS premises more..

Feb 4 (Island) The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) bigwigs are continuing to hold discussions with the Treasury to have some taxes waived to lessen its debt burden amounting to Rs. 500 billion which also includes number of loans. A top official said that they hoped to get a positive response from the Finance Ministry soon to ensure the debt-ridden CPC would not get into further difficulties. more..

Feb 4 (Xinhua) The United States said on Wednesday there is a lot of work to be done in Sri Lanka after a new govt came to power last month. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal, who just concluded a visit to Sri Lanka, also said her govt looks forward to partnering with the Sri Lankan people to address the challenges and help Sri Lanka realize its true potential. more..

Feb 4 (AP) Sri Lanka has failed to heal its deep ethnic divide since the end of the nation's civil war five years ago, president acknowledged in a major speech calling for national reconciliation. President Maithripala Sirisena's Independence Day speech was a sharp departure from those of his predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who typically celebrated the country's military victory over Tamil Tigers after a quarter century of conflict. more..

Feb 4 (CT) For 66 long years, Independence Day has been a day of disunity than unity. Opposition political parties always decided to boycott the national ceremony. Tamil political parties have boycotted national functions for decades. For the first time, leaders in the TNA were present when President Maithripala Sirisena took oaths as President at the historic Independence Square on 9 January. Independence Day displays military might which is the showpiece of the celebrations. more..

Feb 4 (DM) SriLankan Airline flight UL563 bound for Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris from BIA Colombo was diverted to Tehran Khomeini International Airport, Iran for an urgent medical emergency of a passenger. The passenger concerned complained of a chest pain and on examination by a medical doctor on board, the pilots were recommended to initiate a diversion to the closest airport. Accordingly flight UL563 landed in Tehran Khomeini International Airport, Iran at 2.10am (local time) where more..

Feb 4 (Reuters) As Sri Lanka looks beyond Mahinda Rajapaksa�s defeat in the presidential elections, the island nation�s history of a bloody war has been retold as a reminder of a past that exists today. In The Seasons of Trouble, Indian journalist Rohini Mohan tells the story of Mugil, once a member of separatist group LTTE, and her failed attempts to rebuild the lives of her family caught in the war. Then there is Sarva, a seaman, who ends up in a detention centre because more..

Feb 4 (Island) JVP led Samurdhi Development Officers� Union (SDOU) asked new Samurdhi Minister Sajith Premadasa to relax regulations on withdrawing compulsory savings deposits of Samurdhi beneficiaries which now took three to four months. At present a Samurdhi beneficiary should complete 70 years to withdraw money deducted from their handouts. "Even after completing 70 years, the beneficiary would have to show clear reason to withdraw the money according to more..

Feb 4 (IT) China's President Xi Jinping described his country's ties with Sri Lanka as unshakeable, indicating that Beijing did not expect the change in govt in the country to have a significant impact on relations. In a congratulatory message to newly elected SL President Maithripala Sirisena sent on the occasion of 67th anniversary of Sri Lanka's founding, President Xi said both countries were traditional friendly neighbours more..

Feb 4 (Island) JVP has asked the govt to introduce a methodology to increase the salaries of the private sector employees as budget increase only the salaries of the public sector employees. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake recommended Rs. 2,500 salary hike to private sector employees in his supplementary budget in Parliament, but the govt could not force private sector to grant it, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said. There were 7 million private sector employees, but only 1.5 million in more..