Oct 7 (TM) Vaccine Technical Committee today decided to start administering the first dose of Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 18 and 19 from Monday, the GMOA said. They said the decision was taken as the first step in a healthy children's vaccination programme. The vaccination rollout will be done at the Offices of the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and in the govt hospitals. The Vaccination Technical Committee meeting was headed by Heath Services Director General. more..

Oct 7 (EN) In a historic first for SL, three female Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) were promoted to the rank of DIG on Thursday (07). Police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that the promotions are part of a series of reforms that will make it possible for a female police officer to rise to the rank of IGP if she is qualified for the job. SSPs Renuka Jayasundara, Nishanthi Senevirathna, and Padmini Weerasuriya now serve as DIGs. more..

Oct 7 (FT) Stronger now with over Rs. 3 billion in capital, SMB Leasing PLC is gearing for higher growth with improved prospects for some of its core business, as well as seeking fresh opportunities via new products. The company benefited from a fresh capital infusion of over Rs. 2 billion recently following a Rights Issue. The Rights entailed 5.958 million voting ordinary shares in the proportion of five new shares for every one held at 35 cents per share (worth Rs. 2.09 billion), more..

Oct 7 (TM) Despite the Govt imposing a a one-off Casino Industry levy of LKR 1 Bn each on the 4 Casinos established in Sri Lanka in 2015, a report by publicfinance.lk details that the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is yet to receive arrears amounting to LKR 2.67Bn. Following the imposition of the LKR 1 Bn one-off levy, a total of LKR 4 Bn was owed to the Inland Revenue Dept. However, by the end of 2015, only LKR 80 Mn had been collected from these businesses. more..

Oct 7 (DM) Last week the Central Bank unveiled its six month road to recovery in ensuring the country�s macroeconomic and financial stability. Headed by the Governor of the Central Bank introduced this road map in a backdrop where SL�s foreign reserves have depleted while debt repayments mounted. A group of young economists and researchers joined an online discussion titled Sri Lanka�s economic crisis: Fact or Fiction more..

Oct 7 (CT) SL�s largest supplier of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) with a rich legacy spanning 150 years, Litro Gas Lanka Limited, recently donated a consignment of oxygen cylinders to the national healthcare sector to empower efforts to manage and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The first batch of 145 out of 600 medical oxygen cylinders were handed over to Dr. H.M.K. Wickramanayake, Director � Medical Supplies Division (MSD) of the Ministry of Health by the CEO and Chairman more..

Oct 7 (FT) SL Tourism has taken several strategic measures to increase visibility and appeal to a wider global audience both in key source as well as emerging niche markets. France is one such market of vital importance and accounts for anywhere between 4.5% -4.7% of the island�s annual arrivals. As a key source market, SL Tourism employs a synergistic strategy involving advertising, int'l public relations, digital marketing, events, and sponsorship activities to further position the destination. more..

Oct 7 (AD) Appropriation Draft Bill to provide for the service of the financial year 2022 has been presented to the Parliament today. The estimated govt expenditure for the said fiscal year is Rs. 2,505.3 billion. This bill will authorize the raising of loans in or outside SL and make financial provision in respect of certain activities of the govt for the said financial year. Further, it is expected to enable the payment by way of advances more..

Oct 7 (DM) After having relaxed the quarantine curfew, it has been observed that health guidelines and practices are going for a toss, the Public Health Inspectors' Union claimed today. PHI Union Head Upul Rohana said people's behaviour during the last couple of days were totally unsatisfactory and extremely poor. �People are not adhering to health practices properly when using public transport and visiting places. Besides, precautionary health facilities are not effectively maintained at more..

Oct 7 (Island) The SJB asked the govt to increase the price of a cigarette by Rs. 20 and utilize the proceeds to rectify teachers� salary anomalies. SJB Matara District MP Buddhika Pathirana said that the prices of cigarettes had not been increased since 2019 and if the prices of cigarettes were increased by Rs. 20 per stick, the Treasury would be able to collect an extra Rs. 50 billion annually. If the relevant measure was introduced, a total of Rs. 100 billion can be collected between 2021 and 2022. more..

Oct 7 (EN) Sri Lanka�s main opposition the SJB has challenged the impartiality of a probe ordered by President Rajapaksa on Sri Lankans named in the Pandora papers. SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said that the 20th amendment to Sri Lanka�s constitution has effectively politicised the independent Bribery Commission and that this raises questions about its fairness when investigating a close relative of the President. more..

Oct 7 (FT) Galadari Colombo celebrated its 37th anniversary on 6 Oct. The hospitality industry was one of the worst hit due to the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. This sent shock waves throughout the world causing many lives to be lost and in the process, resulting in shattered economies. Still the darkness has not been totally lifted but gradually people are trying to bring normalcy back into their day-to-day lives. The Galadari Colombo too faced many storms more..

Oct 7 (CT) Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage, on Tuesday (5), said laboratory tests have confirmed that the organic fertilizer samples sent from India are suitable for use in SL. Speaking in Parliament, Minister pledged the Govt will never import harmful fertilizers and will only import those that meet standards set by the SL Standards Institute (SLSI). In response to SJB MP Rohini Kumari Wijeratne during the Oral Question Round, Aluthgamage said according to the standards more..

Oct 7 (AD) President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has directed the District Secretaries to be prepared to work with renewed energy under the new normality to overcome COVID-19 pandemic setbacks suffered in all the sectors during the last two years. Although the govt was not able to achieve the desired goals as planned, it was able to successfully control the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of the commitment of all parties. more..

Oct 7 (SLN) Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne declared open navy-improved facilities at the Kelinkanda Janapadaya Primary School in Agalawatta of Kalutara District today. Thus, the Navy vested renovated classroom buildings, plumbing, safety fences, sanitary facilities, playground and other facilities with the children of the school. Going by the concept of developing schools with less facilities in each Naval Command, in parallel with 70th anniversary of SL Navy, more..

Oct 7 (TM) In response to Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Harsh Shringla�s request for the complete implementation of the 13th amendment to the constitution, Foreign Minister Prof. G L Peiris remained silent on the subject, preferring to speak to the media about the financial assistance extended in connection with Shringla�s visit. �India is ready to direct large-scale investments towards SL. India has identified pharmaceutical production and IT sectors as attractive sectors for investments more..

Oct 7 (AD) SL�s economy is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2021, but the medium-term outlook is clouded by pre-existing macroeconomic weaknesses and the economic scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic. A gradual recovery will likely lead to corresponding improvements in labor market conditions. Most countries in South Asia are far from pre-pandemic trend levels, says the World Bank in its more..

Oct 7 (TM) During the all Party meeting held yesterday (06) at the Abhayaramaya temple in regards to the teacher-principal salary issues, Ven. Muththettuwe Ananda Thero spoke at the meeting and revealed that he had informed Prez Rajapaksa that the people of the nation have lost their trust in the leaders of the country. �This problem has dragged on for 24 years. Prez spoke to me over the phone this morning. I told him that the meeting was about the problems faced by teachers. more..

Oct 7 (AD) The PM has inaugurated important milestones of the Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply Project which aims to provide safe drinking water to the population of the city of Jaffna and its surrounding urban and rural areas. Jointly financed by ADB and the SL govt, the 266 million USD Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply Project is expected to provide safe piped water to 186 Grama Niladhari Divisions by 2025 benefitting more than 300,000 people in 122,000 families in Northern SL, more..

Oct 7 (TM) Following the Cabinet of Ministers recent approval to import 100,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice considering the prevailing shortage of rice in the market, the Trade Ministry, which is tasked with importing the stock, is to import a portion of the 100,000 MT of rice from India, while the rest is likely to be imported from Myanmar and Pakistan. When inquired as to from which country the said rice consignment is being imported from, more..

Oct 7 (CI) Sri Lanka have named three new faces in their 17-strong squad, including the 16-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne, for next month's Women's ODI World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. The team will be captained by Chamari Athapaththu, who is currently in Australia for the WBBL. Gunaratne, a fast bowler who also opens the batting, has been named alongside the 19-year-old batter Imesha Dulani and 19-year-old left-arm wristspinner Sachini Nisansala. The trio is understood to have impressed more..

Oct 7 (DM) A Cabinet Paper to setting up of Fuel Price Stabilisation Fund with a view to mitigate the impact of the fuel price increase on the consumers, would be presented to the Cabinet next Monday, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said. He told parliament that he had presented the Cabinet Paper in connection with this to parliament in February last year and that it was referred to the cabinet sub-committee chaired by PM Rajapaksa after the Treasury refused to grant the approval to it. more..

Oct 8 (Island) This article is written based on information collated through consultations that were submitted as a technical report recently to Prez Rajapaksa and other relevant govt authorities. The consultations were among those who had been interested in dam safety and directly involved in managing the Narrowly-Missed breach and in the reconstruction of the Parakrama Samudraya bund after the Cyclone in 1978. They considered it appropriate in sharing concerns and more..

Oct 8 (DM) The Oct 3 expos� by the Int'l Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) was shocking though not unexpected. This is because public perception is that most politicians and business tycoons are usually corrupt. Their corruption reaches dizzy levels beyond the tolerable limits; yet in many countries, people have learn to live with it. Called the Pandora Papers, the expos� was the outcome of a painstaking investigation by some 600 journalists from 117 countries for two years. more..

Oct 8 (FT) UNP Leader and National list MP Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed concern over the continued detention of Wanni District MP, ACMC Leader and former Cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has been a MP without a break since July 1977, said in Parliament on 4 Oct that Bathiudeen should either be prosecuted if there was any evidence regarding his involvement in the Easter Sunday more..

Oct 8 (DM) Has the govt achieved the purpose of the State of Emergency that was issued by Prez Rajapaksa on Aug 30 through four gazette notifications? If it has achieved any, what are they? If nothing has been achieved, are those regulations valid any longer, or would the govt withdraw them like it withdrew the gazettes on control prices for rice and sugar on Sept 27? Emergency regulations have always been a suppressive tool throughout history, despite it having been primarily imposed to more..

Oct 8 (CT) SL levies a number of various import taxes on the poor man�s diet of fish, which is mainly led by tinned fish such as mackerel, jack and horse mackerel. The cumulative amount of these taxes work to an exorbitant 51% a kilo, Customs data showed. This has to be looked at in the context that the World Bank (WB), in a publication titled Fish To 2030 Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture said, �Fish is an important source of animal protein for human consumption.� more..

Oct 8 (CT) The fate of illegally captured elephants registered under false documents has been a highly discussed topic recently. There are several reasons as to why conservationists believe that elephants belong in the wild and not in captivity. In a backdrop where concerns pertaining to the continuous illegal capture and trade of elephants persist, the need to safeguard tamed elephants that are used for several different reasons in SL more..

Oct 8 (TM) The alarming revelations made by the Pandora Papers about two powerful and wealthy Sri Lankans have become the newest reason for the Opposition and the Governing Party to point fingers at each other. However, without much ado, the President directed the CIABOC to look into the allegations and submit a report in a month. However, without putting the burden of solving this case solely on the CIABOC�s shoulders, we should rather employ a more prudent approach involving more..

Oct 8 (ST) Despite an independent tracking system showing business confidence has improved (possibly because the number of COVID-19 cases has reduced and the vaccine programme is on schedule), the government is faced with a plethora of issues. Farmers are screaming for fertiliser, consumers are complaining because they have to join queues for milk powder and gas while importers are struggling with an acute shortage of foreign currency. more..

Oct 8 (DM) Human life is full of ups and downs. Some lapses are momentary Some falls are severe and the agony suffered amounts to mental pain. For those who lose their way in life there is help through counselling. On Sunday (10) all the nations plan to celebrate World Mental Health Day. Often humans who can�t cope with stress and rejection take a fall in life. In most instances the victims were left helpless because they had no one to talk to. A patient listener can often play the role of psychiatrist more..

Oct 8 (FT) Air France has agreed to launch Colombo flights thrice a week starting 5 November, in a move reflecting growing confidence international airlines have in Sri Lanka, said Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga. In Paris this week to attend the leading tourism fair IFTM Top Resa, the Minister met Air France Directeur G�n�ral Long Courrier Zoran Jelkic, Asia Pacific Business Development Director Francois Giudicelli along with Tourism Ministry Secretary S. Hettiarachchi. more..

Oct 8 (CI) An unbeaten 83 by Avishka Fernando and an assured bowling performance spearheaded by Lahiru Kumara saw Sri Lanka clinch a 19-run win over Oman. In the first of two T20Is the sides will play ahead of the T20 World Cup, Oman put Sri Lanka in to bat after winning the toss. They got off to a perfect start, reducing SL to 21 for 3 inside five overs. Fayyaz Butt removed Dinesh Chandimal and Kamindu Mendis more..

Oct 8 (FT) Over 12 million persons in the country have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and second dose coverage has risen to 55.67% of the total population. 82.4% of the over 20 population has received both vaccine doses. A total of 14,639,679 persons have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 12,043,368 persons have received the second dose as well. On Wednesday, 99,584 persons were vaccinated against COVID-19. This includes 22,283 persons who received more..

Oct 8 (TM) During the past few months, SL, or SL�s human rights situation, was discussed at several international forums, and the international community has expressed grave concerns about what SL has promised to do to uphold human rights. First, at the 46th UNHRC session held in March this year, a resolution was adopted against Sri Lanka, and then in June, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution to reconsider a temporary withdrawal of GSP+ trade concessions re-granted to SL more..

Oct 8 (TM) Govt this week agreed upon a slew of decisive steps to accelerate SL�s digital take-off in a bid to create new growth opportunities and improve efficiency, competitiveness and transparency. On a proposal made by Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday approved the appointment of committee comprising Govt and private sector individuals to advise the Cabinet on more..

Oct 8 (Island) The govt has made another U-turn. That�s no news, though. Perhaps, it has set a world record for volte-face. Minister Mahindananda Althugamage declared, the other day, that the govt would not import rice as the country had enough stocks thereof. He bragged that the govt was capable of making rice freely available at reasonable prices without rice imports. Not many bought into his claim. Despite his braggadocio, the Cabinet has reportedly decided to import rice from India more..

Oct 8 (CI) Talks about a potential tour of Pakistan by the SL women's team later this month have hit a stumbling block following a change in management at the PCB. As a result, the series will not be taking place in October but both boards are working to find a window for it before the 2022 ODI World Cup. Earlier this week, the SLC had seemed confident of the tour going ahead, with three ODIs and a practice game all but rubber-stamped. It would have been SL's first taste of international cricket more..