Jul 5 (TM) Thimbirigasyaya Road, or Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Nahimi Mawatha, is a central main road running through Colombo 5 from Police Park down to Baseline Road (Elvitigala Mawatha). Having been dramatically widened a few years ago, it is now a main street that is home to an interesting mix of businesses, both large and small. Many of these businesses are eateries, from large established chain outlets to smaller eateries that range from family businesses to one-man more..

Jul 5 (SO) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said if the Yahapalana cabal had won the 2019 Prez Election, it would have implemented the agendas of foreign conspirators and finished off SL. A Resounding mandate at the General Election is a must to conclusively defeat local and foreign conspiracies active against the country, he said. PM in a media release on Defeating domestic and foreign conspiracies against SL, stated that although the conspirators lost the Prez Election, more..

Jul 5 (ST) That a few tourist hotels treat Sri Lankans as second-class citizens has been a long talked of malaise in the country�s tourism industry. They are not allowed entry on one pretext or the other, while complaints to the authorities have often fallen on deaf ears. It is only when the hotels are empty that they welcome local tourists with open arms and 50% discounts. What of those state sector top officials who speak so disparagingly of more..

Jul 5 (ST) The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) is in a quandary as to when it will get the green light to recommence the stalled Dialog Schools Rugby League, after the virtual shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the SLSRFA was optimistic of recommencing the Dialog Schools League Tournament by end of July before the completion of the G.C.E. Advance Level (A/L) examination, but it looks like the wait will be a bit longer than expected. more..

Jul 5 (CT) Govt�s budget deficit increased by 24.42% (Rs 88,737 m) to Rs 452,175 million in the first four months of 2020, as compared with the deficit recorded in the first four months of last year. The reason for the increase in this deficit is the decline in revenue and grants, which fell by 20.84% (Rs 124,730 m) to Rs 473,696 million in the review period. However, the Govt prevented this deficit from increasing further by slashing capital expenditure (capex) and net lending by 47.86%. more..

Jul 5 (ST) Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage made several false claims to justify his allegation of a fixed 2011 World Cup final, investigations have revealed. This is a punishable offence under the recently enacted Prevention of Offences Related to Sports, as the Sunday Times first pointed out on June 21. Sunday Times last week provided documentary evidence to show the Minister was not being truthful when more..

Jul 5 (PMD) Prez Rajapaksa visited ancient Mihindu Aranya Senasana in Anuradhapura and received blessings today (4). Mihindu Aranya Senasana is dated between 5-6 AD and it has been the headquarters for Wanawasi Sanga Sabha of Rohana Chapter of the Siyam sect. Prez arrived at the Mihindu Aranya Senasana in the morning and engaged in pleasantries with the Chief Sanganayake of the Wanawasi Sanga Sabha, Most Ven. Galpatha Sumana Thero, after paying his obeisance. more..

Jul 5 (TM) Environmentalists urged the Govt to immediately stop the alleged attempt to fill up the Muthurajawela wetland under the guise of development. Environmental Conservation Trust (ECT) Executive Director Sajeewa Chamikara stressed that attempts are being made by the Agrarian Services Department to fill up a total of 50 acres of land in Muthurajawela. He alleged that the officials of the Department have already given approval to fill up the wetland, violating more..

Jul 5 (PMD) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says in Anuradhapura that now is the time for local farmers to increase their production aiming both local and foreign markets and earn more as importation of grains has been restricted. The President call upon framing community to engage themselves in mass cultivation of grains such as maize, Undu, Mun, Kawpi and Kurakkan. Prez made these remarks joining the SLPP election more..

Jul 5 (CT) Tourism industry is one of the most vulnerable industries in the face of global uncertainty. SL�s tourism industry also had to face many challenges during the last couple of decades. We faced a 30-year war and its consequences. After the war came to an end in 2009, tourism boomed as never before. Int'l tourist arrivals in 2010 rose to 654,476 and continued to increase until 2018 with 2,333,796 arrivals. Unfortunately, however, Easter attack in 2019 caused int'l tourism arrivals more..

Jul 5 (SO) CID hopes to record statements from the former Advisor to the PM R. Paskaralingam and the former People�s Bank General Manager Wasantha Kumar, over the CB Bond scam, in addition to the former Prez Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe. On June 18, Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC, had instructed the acting IGP to record statements of former Prez, former PM, S.Paskaralingam, former advisor to PM Wickremesinghe and a former bank official over the Central Bank Bond Scam. more..

Jul 5 (Island) A group of Colombo-based activists contesting the Aug 5 parliamentary polls on the UNP ticket strongly believes the ongoing political crises will influence the electorate to choose some of those new faces seeking entry into parliamentary politics. The Alternates of the UNP comprising attorney-at-law Chrishmal Warnasuriya, social media activist Oshala Herath, researcher Dr. Chandima Wijegunawardana, environmentalist more..

Jul 5 (ST) Politics in SL seems to play the same melody from time to time. If there is nothing else to gain publicity, lets attack the cricketers! In 2015 when Kusal Janith Perera was allegedly approached, and such approach was informed to the then captain of the team, Angelo Mathews and was reported to ICC Anti-Corruption officer, for reasons unknown to the author or to anyone for that matter, the much feared FCID and the regime at the time decided to conduct a full blown investigation. more..

Jul 5 (ST) SL�s civil aviation authorities are currently considering granting air ticket refunds to passengers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and whose bookings have had to be cancelled. A number of passengers had to cancel their bookings on airlines due to a number of issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic since airports were closed and airlines had stopped flying to various destinations. Local travel agents have sought assistance from the civil aviation authorities on refunds for their more..

Jul 5 (ST) The govt on Friday agreed to install three Chinese cranes at the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port to defuse tensions caused by protesting trade unions during the week but fell short of allowing these to be commissioned. This decision was made in the backdrop of diplomatic discussions underway on rearranging an agreement to run this terminal made about a year back. PM Mahinda Rajapaksa called for more..

Jul 5 (TM) While election propaganda seems to have levelled up to include the now mandatory face masks, since last week, the Election Commission (EC) has requested the Police to confiscate any such merchandise bearing candidate serial numbers and political party symbols. �The EC shared their observations and lodged a complaint over face masks that bore candidates� serial numbers and political party symbols. On Thursday, we sent out a circular to all police divisions to take due more..

Jul 5 (ST) Govt is strongly skewed towards increasing single shareholder limit of banks, bolstered by many requests from such main shareholders. This came after many such shareholders in the past few months appealed to the CB to reconsider its rules because time is running out for them. Most are supposed to sell the excess stakes by the end of the year. According to CB regulations, one party or parties acting in concert can own up to 10% in a bank. more..

Jul 5 (ST) While the Govt continues the ban on ethanol, it has permitted clearing a batch of pre-ordered containers belonging to the Distilleries Company of SL (DCSL) on the prez�s directive. This massive consignment of around 74 imported ethanol containers of DCSL held at the Colombo Port by SL Customs under the ethanol import ban effective from Jan 1, 2020 has been released recently on Directive of Finance more..

Jul 5 (TM) Highways Ministry is expected to complete the Northern Highway Connectivity Project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) by June next year. Accordingly, the Cabinet has extended the period of the relevant loan granted, up to the end of this year. Highways Ministry Secretary Ranjith Premasiri said the project had begun in 2014 and has been delayed due to the Covid-19 situation in the country. �There was only some development work to be completed,� he said, more..

Jul 5 (CT) The public should be aware that the face mask is worn to protect others from COVID-19 more than themselves, Executive Committee Member of the GMOA, Dr. Haritha Aluthge said. He added the public should be encouraged to wear the face mask while in public places to ensure that COVID-19 does not spread, if even one amongst them was infected. The recommended face mask is the surgical face mask. However, those who are among high-risk groups � especially those who have direct more..

Jul 5 (TM) The Cabinet has officially removed the Chinese contractor from the Ruwanpura Expressway Project (REP) Section I from Kahatuduwa to Ingiriya and decided to go ahead with local funding. The local funds are to be raised through state banks and the Ministry of Roads and Highways is yet to lay out a mechanism for funding purposes, Secretary to the Ministry of Roads and Highways Ranjith Premasiri said. more..

Jul 5 (ST) Election Commission is in a dilemma over the delay on the part of the Health Services Director General issuing a gazette notification required to make preparations for next month�s parliamentary elections. This comes hot on the heels of Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) complaining the lack of legal backing for their work. A senior EC official said they were unable to go ahead with the procurement of items including face-masks, sanitisers and related equipment needed to conduct the poll more..

Jul 5 (ST) Students from selected classes return to school tomorrow after more than three months amidst tight health precautions in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Ministry Secretary M.H.M. Chitrananda said the school authorities had been given clear instructions on health restrictions to be followed when classes began. He said that to avoid confusion schools should design flexible time tables for the teachers working longer hours on one or two days a week. more..

Jul 5 (ST) A highly unusual feature ahead of the August 5 parliamentary elections, thirty days away, is the absence of visible campaigns by the contestants. There are no large public meetings, display of posters or placards. A handful so far have been confined to small gatherings inside buildings. With no fee except the cost of a template with their symbol and number, candidates have launched their propaganda mostly on social media hoping more..

Jul 6 (CT) The Central Bank�s annual report for calendar 2015 contained the following paragraph on the operations of the Regional Development Department (RDD): �RDD invests excess funds held by it under custodial arrangements in Repo investments. As at 31 December 2015, Repo Investments amounting to Rs.1.40 Bn were found to be uncollateralized� If these investments cannot be recovered, it affects the future functions of the Dept and expansion of existing projects. more..

Jul 6 (DM) The coronavirus pandemic which broke out in China in December last year, has left in its wake over ten million affected people, and over 500,000 fatalities. It has forced countries the world over, to go into lockdown mode including quarantine measures. People were confined to their homes. Health systems the world over were overwhelmed, business houses forced to go into temporary closure, millions lost their jobs, educational activities came to an abrupt halt, int'l trade came to more..

Jul 6 (SO) Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said when PM Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President, the resettlement of the Northern Muslims was carried out methodically by the Task Force headed by former Minister Basil Rajapaksa. But unfortunately, it was not completed. The former Minister said there were many more waiting to be resettled in their own lands in the North. more..

Jul 6 (TM) There is a game that probably every Sri Lankan has played in his or her youth, called hora-police. Unfortunately, some of those who play the game at a tender age develop such a strong affinity towards it that they continue to indulge in the game well past their youth. Politicians of all hues have been noted to fall into this category. If that isn�t bad enough, the situation becomes dire when policemen who should actually be playing police, take on the role of the hora. more..

Jul 6 (ST) If anyone thinks that America � or China or India for that matter � gives millions of dollars in foreign aid to Lanka out of an abundance of love and concern and without any strings attached that promote their countries own interest, one hasn�t the foggiest what is meant by aint no such thing as a free lunch. The Greeks have a saying: Never look a gift horse in the mouth. So why this political circus over examining every tooth, canal and cavity of this 480 million dollar more..

Jul 6 (SO) New coalition Tamil Makkal National Front (TMNF), also known as Tamil People�s National Front hopes to deliver goods that the TNA failed to give the Tamil community. �People are already fed-up of the TNA. People need a change,� said leader of the EPRLF Suresh K. Premachandran, who will be contesting under the banner of the TMNF at the forthcoming General Election. more..

Jul 6 (TM) The US MCC deal has turned into kryptonite for the UNP, following the publicising of the MCC Expert Committee report last week and the revelation that two agreements to the tune of $ 10 million were signed under the deal. UNP, issuing a statement, has refuted the allegations levelled against the former Yahapalana Govt by the Committee. The UNP said that according to media reports, Committee Chairman Prof. Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan�s committee report alleges $10 m more..

Jul 6 (ST) Reading a daily newspaper, Serapina exclaimed, "Pinance company wala karadara aapahu paththara-wala thiyenawa, (The problems with finance companies have once again hit the news).� Adding to the conversation, Kussi Amma Sera said that �mage nedeyoth salli dala thiyenawa kada wetichcha pinance company eka-kata (my relatives have also deposited money in a finance company which has collapsed)�. �Wena monawada karanne. Evala banku-walata wediya poliyak more..

Jul 6 (Island) Neville Ladduwahetty�s contribution to The Island of 30 June 2020, entitled �A fresh perspective on the MCC compact� deals with aspects relating to the MCC Compact, ACSA and SOFA and the report of the Expert Committee, headed by Prof Lalitasiri Gunuruwan. This reader�s attention was attracted to the statement "While these professed intentions are noteworthy, one has to look at history as forewarned by the words of Thucydides who, in the 5th century B.C., said: more..

Jul 6 (Island) Most political parties have launched their election campaigns officially. They are marketing old wine in new bottles. The govt has set a very bad example by holding rallies in violation of the health guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19. Physical distancing was conspicuous by its absence at those SLPP events attended by govt leaders including Prez Rajapaksa. Other political parties will do likewise, and one can only hope that the govt will refrain more..

Jul 6 (FT) Fiscal operations of the Govt in the first four months of this year have showed a mixed performance even before the impact of COVID-19, though the Treasury attributes this to the decline in revenue mobilisation stemming from the outbreak in mid-March 2020 and the reduction of Govt expenditure. According to the Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2020, the Budget deficit for the first four months of 2020 was Rs. 452 billion, more..

Jul 6 (ST) What does the summoning of SL�s celebrated cricketers to appear before a special investigation committee of the Ministry of Sports tasked to inquire into a wild allegation by a former Sports Minister that the 2011 ICC Word Cup cricket final was fixed have in common with the ad hoc appointments of Task Forces and Commissions of Inquiry? This may seem like the fabled riddle of the Sphinx which, as the ancient legend has it, used to sit outside the city walls of Thebes more..

Jul 6 (TM) The good news is that the University of Peradeniya was ranked 401-500 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2020 last month. The bad news is that the overall performance in the rankings of SL�s universities is weak when compared to the western world and many Asian nations. China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and India count multiple universities among the world�s top 500. It is perhaps time to change this situation among our many more..

Jul 6 (AD) Sea Marshal from Jinthupitiya, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on July 2, has once again tested negative for the virus in five PCR tests. 154 of his close associates were also subjected PCR tests as a precaution and that all of them had tested negative for the virus as well. Therefore the Sea Marshal from Jinthupitiya has been discharged from hospital while the 154 close associates of his who were quarantined more..

Jul 6 (FT) Bank of Ceylon (BOC), the largest bank and the market leader in the financial services sector in SL, has successfully raised Rs. 5 billion via a private placement of Basel III Compliant, Unlisted, Unsecured, Subordinated, Perpetual, Additional Tier I Capital Bond issue with Non-Viability Write Down features. The private placement opened on 25 June and subsequently closed on 3 July, as it was fully subscribed. Managers and Registrars for this bond issue is the Investment Banking Division more..