Sep 27 (SO) Three former Cycling Federation officials have been banned from holding office in any National Sports Association after being found guilty of financial misconduct by a Committee appointed by Dept of Sports Development. Amal Edirisooriya, Dept�s Director General, fired three notification letters declaring that the Cycling Federation�s former President N. Karunaratne, former Secretary Nihal Gunasekara and former Treasurer Senaka Ranasinghe have been found guilty of more..

Sep 27 (ST) SL�s direct taxation is expected to witness a significant increase among other budget 2021 revenue proposals. The country faces several issues such as low level tax ratio with declining trend, slow structural change of tax composition, dismal outcome even after changing the tax system and low level of efficiency and productivity of VAT. Tax revenue and other proposals in budget 2021 will be aimed at providing more..

Sep 27 (Island) The BOI�s Horana Export Processing Zone ceremonially opened its 46 million-rupee new administrative building recently with BOI DG Sanjaya Mohottala as chief guest. The event was attended by a large number of investors, government officials and the senior BOI officials, the BOI announced. Mohottala said on this occasion that �our biggest challenge is to maintain the GDP rate at 6% for the next 10 years with the BOI charged with the responsibility of uplifting more..

Sep 27 (TM) Following concerns raised by exporters and local manufacturers, Ministry of Trade is planning to restrict selected ready-made apparel products which were permitted to be imported through an extraordinary gazette notification recently. Minister Bandula Gunawardana stated that this decision has been taken following a meeting between the Prez and exporters on Wednesday. �We will appoint a committee to look into each ready-made apparel item one by one and more..

Sep 27 (TM) The construction of a cross-country pipeline from Colombo Port to the Kolonnawa Terminal which was launched in 2015 has got a new lease of life after a report by the Auditor General revealed colossal losses caused by the absence of the said pipeline. AG recently revealed that the state-owned CPC paid about Rs. 488 million over the last 5-year period to shipping companies as late fees. more..

Sep 27 (CT) Sri Lanka should cater to the Chinese market in a more proactive manner because Sri Lanka Tourism only attracted 260,000 Chinese tourists during recent times, out of the 169 million Chinese national tourists who travel around the world, which is quite disappointing, stated Sri Lanka�s newly is appointed Ambassador to the People�s Republic of China, Dr. Palitha Kohona. Dr. Kohona stated this at a recent discussion on post COVID Tourism from China, held in Colombo. more..

Sep 27 (AD) A person believed to be the leader of the Jaffna crime gang dhanu-rock has been attacked with a sharp weapons by another group. The injured man has been admitted to the Jaffna hospital for treatment, stated the Police. The man had been traveling on a motorbike when a group of people who arrived on a car had chased the man down and attacked him using sharp weapons. The incident had occurred near the Perumal Kovil in Jaffna, this afternoon (26). more..

Sep 27 (ST) As the Treasury plans to curtail public expenditure in the 2021 budget, plans are underway to liquidate at least 10 bankrupt state institutions including Mihin Lanka while protecting the interest of their employees who are to be offered compensation, official sources divulged. Liquidation of these institutions will be carried out without affecting employees and it is a win-win for both govt and the staff, sources added. more..

Sep 27 (AD) The mother and the sister of the notorious underworld figure Angoda Lokka, who is alleged to have died in India, have been summoned to the Western Province-South Crimes Division today (26). This has been record a statement on 11 pieces of land believed to have been acquired through heroin trafficking and extortion and 3 pieces of land under the name of the sister. The two females have been interrogated for over 5 hours. The duo has also been questioned more..

Sep 27 (Island) In a global climate where China has established its standing as the second largest and fastest growing economy in the world, the extent of the country�s scale and integration has meant that proficiency in Chinese has become a coveted asset. H�nyǔ Services -SL-based Chinese content creation, translation & interpretation company- has launched with a wide portfolio of professional Chinese language services to fulfil growing interest in investing in this highly lucrative market. more..

Sep 27 (ST) SL avoided any commitment over an Indian call for the implementation of the 13th Amendment during a virtual summit between the leaders of the two countries yesterday. Indian PM Narendra Modi called on the SL Govt to address the �aspirations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace and respect within a united SL, by carrying forward the process of reconciliation with the implementation of 13th Amendment.� more..

Sep 27 (SO) Eighty-four people who came in contact with the Russian airline crew members will be tested for Covid-19 today and released if the tests proved negative. A member of the airline crew was tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, but the second and third PCR tests were negative. He and his colleagues, who arrived in the country on Sept 13, were quarantined in a hotel in Polhena, Matara. Officials initially contemplated a lockdown in Matara but it was ruled out later. more..

Sep 27 (ST) The Matara hotel owner, who lodged a COVID-suspect Russian airline crew member and 14 others, has accused the authorities of trying to make them the scapegoat for failure in health procedures at the Mattala airport (MRIA) as buck-passing continued amidst an official inquiry. Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said an antibody test done on the Russian came positive today and this meant that he had a past COVID infection. more..

Sep 27 (TM) Colombo Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project is yet to be terminated despite the request made by President�s Secretary Dr. P.B Jayasundara as per the directives of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week. When contacted, Ministry of Transport Secretary Monti Ranatunga stressed that the directives to terminate the project should come from the Cabinet; as the project had been approved by the Cabinet, more..

Sep 27 (ST) Education Ministry wants to increase the maximum number of students in each class room to 40 in national schools in view of the increased demand for admissions. According to a SC ruling, at present, the maximum number of students in a classroom has been fixed at 35. However, Ministry Secretary Kapila Perera said that in view of the demand to get admissions to national schools, the ministry was seeking cabinet approval to get the number officially increased to 40. more..

Sep 27 (PTI) In accordance with the neighbourhood first policy and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday said India will give a special and high priority to its relationship with SL. Modi made the remarks during his first virtual bilateral summit with his SL counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, during which both sides, with an eye on China�s proactive moves in the Indian Ocean region, agreed to continue and further strengthen their mutual cooperation more..

Sep 27 (ST) As the first legislative phase of the 20th Amendment was through in Parliament last Tuesday, paving the way for stakeholders to challenge its provisions in the Supreme Court, indications of other accompanying measures have become evident. In a move that raised eyebrows, Chief Govt Whip Johnston Fernando informed govt MPs that their presence in the House was compulsory on Thursday. more..

Sep 28 (CT) The govt elected to office on the 5th of Aug has brought reforms in the form of the 20th amendment to the 1978 constitution. This constitution introduced the presidential system of governance to the country, replacing the previous constitution based on the Westminster model. At the time of its enactment, the one criticism about it was that it was paving the way for a constitutional dictatorship. Therefore, every successive election since was fought on the promise to abolish it. more..

Sep 28 (GV) Articles penned on Groundviews recently by Jayadeva Uyangoda, Asanga Welikala and Gehan Gunatilleke as well as elsewhere, by Jayampathy Wickremeratne, flag serious concerns with the 20th Amendment presented to Parliament last week. In this column, I capture the essence of their submissions, provide quick reflections and responses to key points and place for consideration why the President will doggedly pursue authoritarian ends. more..

Sep 28 (TM) The dust seems to be settling to some extent with regard to the one-time largest political party of the country, the UNP, following the election of a new Deputy Leader to take charge of the party�s reforms process. Ruwan Wijewardene was recently elected the UNP�s Deputy Leader in a secret ballot held during the party�s last Working Committee (WC) meeting. This week, newly elected UNP Deputy Leader Wijewardene more..

Sep 28 (TM) It is a standing joke, even though there�s nothing funny about it, that Sri Lankans in general � by nature � have a collective memory span of two weeks. Two weeks is all it takes for most of us to forget even the most profound events, be they good, bad, or even ugly. It�s this psyche that politicians of all hues have grown accustomed to exploit to the detriment of the country. How else could any rational individual explain the litany of broken promises of politicians over the years more..

Sep 28 (ST) As the United Nations began celebrating its 75th anniversary beneath a pall of COVID restrictions, and asked member states to answer the theme question What We Need of the United Nations, Prez Rajapaksa�s pithy reply was: �We expect the United Nation will place due emphasis on non-interference in domestic affairs of other states.� In a pre-recorded statement delivered via video conferencing to the High-Level Meeting to mark the 75th Anniversary Summit of the UN more..

Sep 28 (TM) Central Environmental Authority (CEA) estimated that major industrial parks of SL generate approximately 30 million cubic metres of wastewater per year. Although the CEA has set out standards for effluent discharge, the authority indicated that about 10% of the wastewater that is produced from industries gets discharged to the environment without being treated. This causes a serious threat to the environment as more..

Sep 28 (ST) Given highly misleading justifications of the draft 20th Amendment advanced by Govt Ministers, including those who profess to have some knowledge of the law and the Constitution, the record must be set straight even if that is the very least that is done. The claim made by Minister GL Peiris to the media this week that transferring the Prez�s powers to make key appointments to an unelected Constitutional Council (CC) is undemocratic, falls squarely into this category more..

Sep 28 (TM) The much talked about constitutional amendment � the 20th Amendment � was last week tabled in the House amidst protest by main Opposition, SJB. It was Justice Minister Ali Sabry who presented the 20th Amendment Bill to the House. The Bill was presented without any amendments that were proposed by governing party stakeholders with the agreement that amendments to the piece of legislation would be made during the committee stage in Parliament. more..

Sep 28 (DM) Parliaments and legislative bodies around the world impose certain rules and standards during debates and Erskine May�s guide to parliamentary practice is generally held to be the most authoritative reference book on parliamentary procedure. A tradition has evolved, that there are words or phrases that are deemed appropriate and/or inappropriate for use in the legislature whilst in session. In Sri Lanka, during a bygone era, that is, during the days of the State Council more..

Sep 28 (Island) Much-respected surgeon, Prof. A.H. Sheriffdeen, has given the errant members of SL�s medical fraternity a rap on the knuckles over an unpardonable delay on the part of Lady Ridgeway Children�s Hospital (LRH), where a 10-year-old child with a ruptured appendix did not receive emergency surgical care. Prof. Sheriffdeen�s letter to the Prez of the College of Surgeons of SL, is tantamount to a refresher course on medical ethics for SL doctors who have among them some shirkers. more..

Sep 28 (TM) Both The Hotels Association of SL (THASL) and SL Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) have expressed concerns over the number of PCR tests the country has imposed on tourists entering SL. During a media briefing, THASL Chairman Sanath Ukwatte pointed out that the number of PCR tests stipulated by the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) might act as a deterrent for prospective visitors. more..

Sep 28 (Island) This is written as a tribute to my friend Dr Upen de Zylva who passed away a few days ago and who throughout his life had an abiding interest in nature � in all things related to flora and fauna. He was greatly disturbed by the human invasion into the natural habitat of heritage sites such as the Sinharaja forest reserve. There have lately been several references to elephant attacks and those of other wild animals such as packs of wild fox on villagers as well as more..

Sep 28 (CT) The CID recently informed the Colombo Fort Chief Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage that according to investigations conducted so far, an illegal organisation in Qatar had sent a sum of Rs 13 million to an entity owned by detained lawyer, Hijaz Hisbullah, allegedly for extremist activities. According to CID investigations, this amount had been deposited by an unlawful terror outfit based in Qatar, known as Califford, to Save the Pearl organisation, run by Att-at-Law Hisbullah. more..

Sep 28 (Island) Much respected retired Professor of Surgery A.H. Sheriffdeen has questioned the failure on the part of the Lady Ridgeway to promptly treat a 10-year-old, boy with a ruptured appendix due to the non-availability of a senior surgeon at the premier paediatric hospital in the country. The incident took place on Aug 22. Dr Sheriffdeen has brought the incident to the notice of the President, College of Surgeons of SL, more..

Sep 28 (FT) Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have announced the launch of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), giving average investors an opportunity to reap the benefits of real estate investment and the advantages associated with investing in publicly traded securities on the CSE. While investing in real estate appears to be a popular choice, the rising cost of property poses a significant challenge to individual investors more..

Sep 28 (AD) Biyagama Police Crimes Division has arrested two drug traffickers who were fleeing in a three wheeler after causing an accident that injured a police officer. Based on a tip-off received by the Biyagama Police that drugs are being transported in a three wheeler, a team of officer from the Crimes Division had carried out a sudden inspection using a road blockade on the Malwana area in Biyagama. However, a 3-wheeler had sped away disregarding the road block causing an accident more..

Sep 28 (ST) A spate of recent arrests of Customs officers is tied to a broader criminal investigation targeting the Customs Department which police claim has turned into a den of corruption over the years, authoritative sources said. B reports have been filed in courts in relation to seven Customs officers who are suspected to have earned billions of rupees through illegal channels and used some of it to buy properties, more..

Sep 28 (DN) Last year�s local champion surfer from Weligama SC, Lakshitha Madushan dominated as he carried away the National Surfing Championship 2020 at Arugam Bay Beach, yesterday. Madushan was evenly challenged by two Surfers from Arugambay Surf Club: L.H. Prabath and Praneeth Sandaruwan. In Addition to the National Championship, Asanka Sanjeeva won the men�s� singles title. There were five foreign competitors in the women�s surfing event, more..

Sep 28 (ST) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will submit a concept paper to the government on publicly listing Private Public Partnerships (PPPs). Chinthaka Mendis, Director General SEC has said in his annual statement that PPPs combine the skills and resources of both the public and private sectors through sharing of risks and responsibilities, which in turn will enhance the competitive landscape and provide immense benefits to the country in many folds. more..

Sep 28 (ST) Sri Lanka is looking at the possibility of introducing AliPay to the market in a bid to encourage more Chinese travellers to visit the country and ensure their payments will be made prior to arrival, a key govt official said on Wednesday. Ambassador-designate to China Palitha, Kohonna speaking at the discussion on post COVID Tourism from China at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said that there is a possibility of introducing AliPay. more..

Sep 28 (TM) Parliamentary Secretariat is to rent a Central Bank (CB)-owned building as a residence to accommodate a number of new MPs. Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said they were looking at a location close to the Parliamentary Complex. �We have identified a building of the CB situated in Rajagiriya and we hope to rent it out to house some new MPs,� he said. There was a shortage of residences at the MPs� headquarters in Madiwela, as more..

Sep 28 (TM) Reports for a total of 9,000 drug samples sent for examination to the Govt Analyst�s Dept by courts islandwide are pending, creating a backlog in drug-related cases being heard, The Ministry of Justice revealed. Minister of Justice Ali Sabry PC, said: �Between 2015-2019, only 14 analysts were working at the laboratory. This year, we increased the team up to 28 analysts after new analysts were recruited. We have also asked for assistance from the qualified officials more..