Nov 14 (Island) The Opposition was trying to incite racial tensions during the COVID-19 pandemic situation prevailing in the country, State Minister Sisira Jayakody told Parliament. Participating in COVID-19 second wave debate, State Minister Jayakody said: �We would like to commend the measures taken by the President, PM, the Minister of Health, the security forces and the health sector to control the pandemic. The Opposition is saying that they would have closed the airports more..

Nov 14 (Island) Former UNF Minister Harsha de Silva said that the govt was planning to obtain 500,000 hectares of forest with high biodiversity and vest those lands under the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries for agricultural purposes. This could be considered the biggest ever robbery of lands with a high density of biodiversity in the recent history. he said. �Rivers, canals, waterways flow through those lands and there are also archaeological sites in them,� he pointed out. more..

Nov 14 (CT) Cricket has witnessed several rags-to-riches stories and SL�s latest fast-bowling sensation Dilshan Madushanka could be a new addition to it if he lives up to the expectation. While he is yet to earn a call-up from SL�s senior team, the youngster is on the right path at present. He was recently included in SL�s training squad for the forthcoming South Africa tour. The 20-year-old left-arm medium-fast bowler is one among more..

Nov 15 (CT) PM Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Finance Minister presented the Appropriation Bill for the year 2020. Full Speech: Honourable Speaker, I am very glad to be able to present the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill for 2020. Although, this is the 11th time I am presenting an Appropriation Act in Parliament, this Appropriation Act is different from those presented so far. That is because this Appropriation Act includes 4 Votes on Accounts and as such this is a report of more..

Nov 15 (SO) It is generally accepted that the conflict in the North and the East would not have ended without the political leadership provided by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the active military coordination of then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. This twin combination enabled the Sri Lankan Security Forces to march to victory in just over four years, a great achievement against a terror outfit that some foreign military experts called invincible. Once the war ended, more..

Nov 15 (SO) The pressure is on the health authorities to take adequate measures to curb the Covid - 19 virus from spreading further, with virus related deaths reaching over 50 and the number of cases exceeding 15,000. Health Ministry Media Spokesperson Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara, said that it is high time that the country explores ways to automate testing to detect Covid-19 patients faster. more..

Nov 15 (CT) Dear Hon Minister of Health, Mrs. Pavithra Wanniarachi. In the name of Justice, I write this letter on behalf of the beleaguered population of our two million strong SL Muslim community. The Muslims of SL � descendants of as far and wide as Morocco to Java, who now constitute nearly 10% of the island�s population, have been a peace-loving community since their advent in the 7th century and have always played a part at the forefront in safeguarding the interests of Mother Lanka. more..

Nov 15 (CT) In the last week of October, President Trump and the traditional Halloween pumpkin inspired the adaptation of C.S. Lewis� fictional dwarf to create a new political meme � Trumpkin: orange on the outside, hollow on the inside, and thrown out in November. The Nove 3 US presidential election has come and gone. Americans voted in record numbers in spite of the coronavirus, and did throw Trumpkin out. But the big yellow head has got stuck in the nation�s garbage chute. more..

Nov 15 (SO) State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal said he is confident that the expertise and the commitment of the Prez, PM, Cabinet of Ministers and other Govt officials, will enable us to achieve what has been set out in the Budget. State Minister said they are keen to ensure that the Budget is implemented fully and that all that has been set out are achieved. We are confident that the Budget implementation will actually be quite robust more..

Nov 15 (Island) There is little doubt among thinking people here who followed the U.S. prez election that Donald Trump was bad news for a land which prided itself as being the cradle of democracy in the world. He did everything but Make America Great Again, leaving a legacy of blunders and a personal stamp of a man too small for the very big pair of boots he wore during the last four years. But as the Trumpkin Pumpkin, (orange on the outside and hollow inside) depicted by a cartoon on this page, more..

Nov 15 (ST) My dear Pavithra Devi, I thought I must write to you when I heard you say in Parliament that you would even sacrifice yourself to the sea if that will rid Paradise of this deadly pandemic. I felt so proud, uplifted and relieved about having such a patriotic and selfless minister in charge of our health issues! You must see yourself like the great Viharamaha Devi who did something similar to appease the gods in ancient times, when Paradise was ravaged by floods � more..

Nov 15 (ST) The new Govt will be presenting its first Budget in the midst of a second COVID-19 wave. What began as a national health crisis about nine months ago quickly morphed into a severe economic crisis. This shock will have lasting effects on the entire social and economic fabric of the country. The CB, IMF, ADB and WB are projecting that the economy will shrink for the first time in two decades. Predictions vary from -1.7% of GDP to -6.3% of GDP indicating paramount uncertainty. more..

Nov 15 (SO) Malinda Pushpakumara the left arm leg spinner has been the most prolific scalp hunter in domestic cricket in recent years and the 33-year-old bowler is now the world�s second highest wicket taker in first class cricket in the last decade, according to the Australian based Testat Cricket database. From 2010 to 2019/2020 season Pushpakumara who plays for the CCC has picked up 667 wickets to become the world�s second highest wicket taker during that period. more..

Nov 15 (CT) Party Leaders� met on Wednesday, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, decided that arrangements will be made and facilities provided for both ruling and Opposition Party members to watch the 2021 Budget debate, which will commence on 18 Nov on television, from the verandah due to health reasons. Accordingly, only MPs who will speak and participate in the Budget debate and relevant Ministers, more..

Nov 15 (SO) Presenting the Appropriation Bill 2020 in Parliament, PM Rajapaksa said the Govt has already spent around Rs. 70,000 million on the identification of patients, quarantine activities, random testing and related welfare activities under the anti-Covid drive. He said the Govt hopes to meet its economic targets during the next few years despite the enormous costs and challenges posed by Coronavirus pandemic. PM said the govt has taken many measures to achieve its goals. more..

Nov 15 (TM) That�s one of the key items trending on SL social media these days. Not just among teenagers, but among educated Sri Lankans. Sri Lankans love to digress from reality and venture into a fantasy world. Right now, too many educated Sri Lankans are wasting time on an extraordinarily frivolous aspect of an election in a country half a world away. Meanwhile, we ignore what�s happening just next door, where a key election just took place in the north-eastern Indian state of Bihar, more..

Nov 15 (ST) Sri Lankans, like all others around the globe, are anxiously waiting for the week�s best news regarding a vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic. This is after Pfizer, one of the world�s leading pharmaceutical companies, announced that its two-part COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective at preventing the disease. However, the availability will involve a lot of delays, says the TIME magazine�s Coronavirus Brief more..

Nov 15 (Island) Sri Lanka are taking several young players to South Africa for the two match Test series and while most of them are there as cover because last minute injury replacements are impossible to be flown in due to the pandemic, the one who perhaps has got a chance to make his debut in the Boxing Day Test of Centurion is all-rounder Santhush Gunathilaka. The 21-year-old is a top order batsman who bowls seam and he has impressed Head Coach Mickey Arthur. more..

Nov 15 (Island) I read with interest, a commemorative speech which Mr. K.H.J. Wijayadasa, former Secretary to Presidents Premadasa and Wijetunga had delivered. It was to commemorate the life of Mr. G.C. Edirisinghe, former Principal of Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya. It was Mr. Edirisinghe who built up Dharmapala Vidyalaya, which is probably the last of the leading non-governmental independent schools to be established in Ceylon. more..

Nov 15 (ST) Sri Lanka Anti Doping Agency (SLADA), one of the foremost institutions that functions to prevent doping from sports and create awareness on banned substances in SL, marks its seventh anniversary today. Functioning as a statutory board, under the Ministry of Rural Infrastructure and School Sports Improvement, SLADA was established through an Act of Parliament as indicated in No. 33, Section 3 more..

Nov 15 (ST) Despite conducting the President�s Cup and having the honour of being the first national governing body to host a major sporting event in SL after the initial outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Football Federation of SL (FFSL) is in a dire situation on its future assignments. After successfully staging the 20-team FFSL Prez�s Cup through Aug and Sept, the FFSL was optimistic of holding future events, and drew a plan to hold a semi-professional competition for first time more..

Nov 15 (SO) SL�s best in-form but internationally untested batsman Lahira Igalagamage has been sent into cold storage after a 22-member squad was selected for a high-intensity training camp outside Colombo in preparation for next month�s tour of South Africa with no official sanction. The 22 players, some of them regulars and made up of seven fast bowlers, were picked on what is said to have been internal advice meaning recommendations given by SLC�s technical advisers more..

Nov 15 (ST) SLC will have one selection committee overlooking all selections of national men�s, women�s and junior cricket in future as the National Sports Selection Committee headed by Army Commander Shavendra Silva has recommended a seven-member new committee to overlook all selections including U-19 cricket. The new committee headed by former SL fast bowler Ashantha de Mel, includes more..

Nov 15 (CT) Playing inside bio secure bubble and moving from one bubble to another to play cricket has been the talking point among cricketers these past few weeks, with several of them expressing their concerns and mental challenges regarding the new world order consequent to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sri Lankan team too started their own bio secure bubble yesterday (13), with their practices targeting the forthcoming South African Test/ODI tour in December. more..

Nov 15 (TM) The owners of the mega league have so far failed to pay their fees! Who fools whom, ask the beholders. He will pay before the start, the officials who matter will tell us. Why take such a risk that can lose you several hundreds of millions of rupees? Is there no way the said owners might default? Is there any secret as to why the key sport�s higher-ups tend to take such fancy risks? On the other hand, why is he not paying still? Does he think this is a non-starting league? more..

Nov 15 (ST) Colombo Port�s largest vessel operator MSC has announced a temporary pull out from Colombo bypassing the congestion and thereby aggravating the crisis at the region�s key shipping hub. MSC is the largest client of the Colombo Port handling 30% of total volumes and amounting to 60% of the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) volumes. It is world�s 2nd-largest shipping line in terms of container vessel capacity. more..

Nov 15 (Island) Distilleries Company boss Harry Jayawardena has warned that real coconut arrack will soon be out of the market if the concerned authorities do not look into the step-motherly treatment now being accorded to the coconut arrack industry. Jayawardena, Chairman of Distilleries Company of SL (DCSL) has sounded this warning in the recently published annual report of the company where he has complained about prevailing exorbitant pricing structure of coconut arrack more..

Nov 15 (SO) With declining govt revenue and rising current expenditure, the resultant high budget deficit at about 10% of the GDP this year and prolonged economic recovery, the govt should wade through the crisis and lay the foundation for long term growth in the future, former Central Bank Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena said. He said the 2021 Budget is to be presented at a critical time when the country and the whole global community has been hit by the disastrous Covid-19 pandemic with more..

Nov 15 (Island) Though SLPP members have unanimously called for the party�s political strategist to return to Parliament through the National List, Basil Rajapaksa has still not made up his mind whether he should take to active politics again, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said. �It is an entirely a matter left to Basil Rajapaksa to decide on, despite a popular demand from SLPP parliamentarians for him to return to parliament to serve the nation�, more..

Nov 15 (ST) In the face of suppliers refusing to do business with the state-run Lanka Sathosa due to the non-settlement of bills, the Trade Ministry is seeking approval to obtain Rs 2 billion for purchases. This money will be used for immediate spot purchases from private traders to get over the problem. Lanka Sathosa, Govt�s main retail outlet, has run up an arrears of Rs 7.7 billion. Treasury had given a guarantee in Sept for a credit facility from a state bank amounting to Rs 2.2 billion more..

Nov 15 (ST) Vehicle import controls will be continued and heavy concessions granted to the tourism and export sectors, according to the highlights of the 2021 Budget to be presented in Parliament on Tuesday by PM and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Accordingly, vehicle imports suspended this year to prevent the foreign exchange outflow will continue. Permit holders will be able to continue to buy their vehicles from available stocks in the market. more..

Nov 15 (ST) Federal prosecutors filing in the US District Court this week have asked a judge to sentence American fixer and venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi to between 10 and 13 years in prison for an array of crimes, including pocketing US$ 5.6mn that SL paid him in 2014 to improve the country�s image after its victory against the LTTE. The deal Mr. Zuberi struck with the SL Govt was part of the case against him. more..

Nov 15 (ST) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is seeing a flock of retail and High Networth Individuals (HNWI) � essentially due to low deposit interest rates, analysts said. �This trend can be sustained with the low interest rate regime,� a stockbroker said. But some analysts are not so sure. �There is a revolving trading pattern right now � the same shareholders are buying and selling the same shares. This cannot continue after a particular point. With significant profit in encashment, more..

Nov 15 (SO) There had been some easing of the restrictions, as announced, but it is mainly shifting some HS Categories from banned to compulsory 90 days or 180 days Credit Terms, said CCC, Import Section, Chairman Delano Dias on the current status of the easing of the import ban. Around 749 HS Category goods were banned for a period of 3 months by Gazette in April which was revised with more HS categories added bringing the Banned list to 1,076 in May. more..

Nov 15 (ST) The lack of adequate employees at SLPA to handle the operations of the Colombo Port, particularly at Jaya Container Terminal (JCT), has posed a huge threat to the continuous supply of daily essentials to the local market. Over 40 vessels have already bypassed the Colombo Port without unloading containers at JCT. As a result, essential food importers fear their containers would not arrive before more..

Nov 15 (SO) Brandix is yet to determine the date of reopening the Minuwangoda plant. Our top priority at this juncture is the welfare of our employees, a senior official of the company said elaborating on the current status of the company following the detection of the first Covid-19 affected employee at its Minuwangoda factory in October.He said reopening the facility and recommencing operations will be in line with the direction of the health authorities and supervision of the Govt, and until such time, more..

Nov 15 (AD) More areas of the Colombo District will be under isolation orders from November 16, according to Commander of Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva. Accordingly, Maradana, Fort, Pettah, Slave Island, and Dam Street areas in the Colombo District will be declared isolated areas until further notice. The order will be in effect from 5 am on Monday (16), the Army Chief said. Meanwhile, the status of areas already under isolation will continue as previously informed. more..

Nov 15 (ST) Concerns are growing among Sri Lankans as the Govt fights an uncontrollable spread of the dangerously contagious Covid-19 pandemic. As a ten-day curfew and lockdown ended, swathe of damage caused by the spread has reached newer proportions. Deaths are on the rise. More and more are falling victims. Business activity has been crippled. Upmarket complexes, for example Majestic City, carry tell-tale signs. more..

Nov 16 (CT) Budgeting in the face of a combined attack on public health and national economy by a global pandemic is indeed a daunting task for any govt. After all it is the people who are the producers and beneficiaries of an economy, and without the people there is no need for an economy. Therefore, it is difficult to choose which one of the two should receive priority when drawing budgetary plans by a govt. Although the budgetary measures for 2021 are yet to be submitted the speech by the PM more..