Dec 6 (GV) Despite having a high literacy rate, free education and good humanitarian development indicators, SL society�s attitudes towards the disabled are still mired in the past although the country has 1.4 million people or seven percent of the population living with some form of disability. Disability is a taboo topic and giving birth to a child with a disability is considered as a curse or a result of a sinful past life. The children are thus kept hidden from the community and society at large. more..

Dec 6 (DM) The success or the failure on the battlefield depends upon the leader who is wise enough to understand the context and bold enough to pursue success, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne said. Wisdom and knowledge intertwined with professionalism for an officer are considered foremost as these will decide the ultimate end state in a battle, Gen. Gunaratne remarked, therefore, we are in desperate more..

Dec 6 (ST) Royal Turf Club (RTC) is making necessary arrangements for the upcoming Horse Racing Festival for the year 2023, with at least seven race days on the cards. List of race days and its allocated dates and titles are yet to be determined, but according to confirmed reports, the date has been confirmed for RTC Governor�s Cup 2023, which has been noted as April 15th next year at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya. RTC has already identified the race days, but only confirmed more..

Dec 6 (Island) Recently, I was in a discussion on Feminism with the members of the Post-Graduate Research (PGR) community at the University of Hull, in the UK. They were my colleagues, from the Middle-East, Asia and Europe, representing the natural and social sciences, but, apparently, did not possess any prior knowledge on feminism. I say this because most in the natural sciences seemed to characterise feminism as a political ideology against man (man in this context represents male). more..

Dec 6 (Island) With the intention of uplifting the spirits of children in marginalized communities during the festive season, SL�s leading private sector bank HNB PLC, launched the Season of Giving donation campaign on its premier digital payment app SOLO, to support Caritas SL. The non-profit organization, the social arm of the Catholic Bishops� Conference of SL, is one of the largest and most respected humanitarian organisations working Integral Human Development projects more..

Dec 6 (ST) A proposal to increase the retirement age of the Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dassanayake from 60 to 63 has been turned down by the Staff Advisory Committee in Parliament, a senior official said. Mr Dassanayake is due to reach the retirement age of 60 in March next year. Another proposal to absorb the position of Coordinating Secretary to the Parliament Secretary-General to the permanent cadre (Executive Grade) with a pension after 10-year service also has been more..

Dec 6 (ST) The environmental impact assessment report for a proposed 34-turbine wind power plant to be built by CEB at Mullikulam in Mannar has proposed a further one-year study to gauge the project�s impact on the area�s rich bird population, particularly migratory species. EIA was conducted by the SL Programme for Forest Conservation for the CEB�s Project Division. One of the main negative impacts more..

Dec 6 (FT) Despite a wave of global and local volatility, the Board of Investments has attracted foreign direct investment at record levels, amounting to $ 713 million in the first nine months of 2022, or 71% of the full-year target of $ 1 billion, State Minister of Investment Promotion Dilum Amunugama said. During the 11 months, BOI has inked a total of 123 agreements to the value of $ 1.9 billion, which consists of $ 1.5 billion in new projects and $ 400 million in expansions. more..

Dec 6 (FT) ADB Vice President Shixen Chen said int'l monetary agencies are highly impressed with the strength of the SL leadership and its commitment to achieving a speedy revival through economic reforms. ADB Vice Prez made these remarks when he called on PM Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday. He said current visit is aimed at finalising proposed ADB projects for next year and assured ADB�s support for the country�s development and its efforts to overcome economic and fiscal challenges. more..

Dec 6 (TM) State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon noted on Sunday that in his personal opinion, the death penalty should be implemented for drug-related offences in order to safeguard youth and their families. Tennakoon said: �My personal opinion is that we have to bring in the death penalty for drug-related offences. However, the Govt is not on the same page when it comes to introducing death penalty for drug-related more..

Dec 6 (FT) For a long time, technological penetration into the animal protein industry has remained a fringe subject, and, generated little improvement for the lives of farmers, animals and the planet. After finishing his degree in Electrical Engineering, Colombo-native, Aamir Faaiz founded Beakbook to change this. He built an innovative system for weight collection and prediction of poultry, combing low-cost sensors and a custom API. Outside of farming, digital transformation more..

Dec 6 (FT) State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe reaffirmed the Govt�s commitment to preventing the hard-won development outcomes from being reversed due to the economic and other challenges faced by SL in the post-pandemic era. He made these remarks speaking at the inaugural session of the sixth South and South-West Asia Forum on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Pakistan yesterday. He added that the Govt is steadfast in achieving more..

Dec 6 (ST) Uni of Colombo (UoC) regained the supremacy after 11 years by beating University of Moratuwa (UoM) crew 22-20 at the 37th Inter University regatta concluded at the Colombo Rowing Club premises recently. UoC oarsmen won the A and B Sculls (A1X, B1X), B- Pair (B2-) and B-Four (B4+) to collect 22 points out of 42 to win the regatta. When the Fours were starting to row, UoC lads were leading the points table by 14 to 8 and all they had to do was to grab the 8 points of the B Four more..

Dec 6 (DM) The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) recently said that it was awaiting the Reserve Bank of India�s (RBI) approval to classify the Indian rupee (INR) as a designated foreign currency in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has made this request from the RBI to facilitate and promote trade and tourism in the SAARC region including India. After India approved Sri Lankan request to designate the INR as a foreign currency, Sri Lankans can now hold USD 10,000 worth of Indian rupees in a physical form. more..

Dec 6 (TM) Former State Minister MP Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that Govt has not identified its priorities, and is not releasing enough US dollars for the import of essential pharmaceutical drugs, and therefore warned that the continuation of this situation will inevitably cause a major collapse in the health sector in another few weeks. He said: �It seems to me that there is still not enough dollars to import drugs. more..

Dec 6 (DM) It is high time that Sri Lanka started debating whether the tertiary education must be charged and should the private sector be allowed to get engaged more actively in this sector, through facilitating investments for meaningful reforms in higher education, in order to produce the skills needed for high-paying jobs in a growing economy, a senior economic opined. Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, Executive Director at the Institute of Policy Studies, an independent think tank in Colombo, more..

Dec 6 (Xinhua) China hopes relevant countries and international financial institutions will work with China to play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka overcome the current difficulties. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks when asked to comment on media reports that an IMF team will travel to China this week to discuss faster progress on debt restructuring for countries including Sri Lanka, which is trying to get an assistance package from the IMF. more..

Dec 6 (DM) Minister of Wildlife has given an undertaking to the Court of Appeal that 2,000 firearms will not be issued to the personnel of the Civil Defence Force (CDF) living in areas rife with Human Elephant Conflicts. A cabinet decision had been taken in Dec 2019 to issue 2,000 firearms to CDF personal on the basis of protecting farmers and their crops. Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena gave this undertaking pursuant to a writ petition filed by Wildlife & Nature more..

Dec 6 (DM) Trade unions of top state institutions including SL Ports Authority, IRD, CEB, CNH and leading other hospitals are amongst a range of bodies to protest today as part of the countrywide national demonstration against the rising cost of living and the 2022 budget with a heavy tax burden on people. TUCC announced that the two-day national demonstration would be held on Dec 5th and 6th in countrywide selected locations and outside the respective state institutions. more..

Dec 6 (TM) Although the stock of 40,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice given to Sri Lanka by Govt of Tamil Nadu as humanitarian aid in June 2022 could have been transported to the relevant districts at a price of about Rs. 6 per kg, the Food Commissioner�s Dept has paid a price of about Rs. 12 per kg to transport the said stock, which has resulted in the misappropriation of about Rs. 200 million. In view of the economic crisis more..

Dec 6 (AD) A special gazette notification has been published, making it compulsory for public sector employees to retire at the age of 60 years. It was published by PM on Monday, in his capacity as Minister of Public Adm, Home Affairs PC & LG. Compulsory retirement age of govt workers will be effective from Jan 1, 2023. This order is not applied to civil officers whose age of compulsory retirement is fixed by the constitution or any other law, unless otherwise decided by a competent authority. more..

Dec 6 (EN) Sri Lanka has offered the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port to Japan, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said. Colombo Port�s West Terminal has been given to India�s Adani group to develop as a joint venture after the govt of previous president cancelled the ECT deal with India and Japan through a tripartite agreement. �If we really want to do it, we have to give the East Terminal,� Prez Wickremesinghe told the SL Economic Summit of the CCC more..

Dec 6 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe posed a challenge to the private sector at the inauguration of the most awaited annual economic event � Sri Lanka Economic Summit last night, and asked if the business community is ready to think outside the box and make sacrifices to achieve growth. Prez said he personally has no plan for reforms nor does the Govt, rebuilding similar structures will only more..

Dec 6 (FT) Banks and Financial Institutions are net contributors to a country�s GDP with their core function in granting credit to businesses and individuals. The industry is confronted with a huge challenge today with twin factors of super high interest underlying depressed credit demand and low liquidity. The resultant low credit growth has adverse marked knock-on effects on other streams of income as well such as trade finance, exchange gains and guarantee income. more..

Dec 6 (FT) It was refreshing to witness the thought leaders in action amidst a socio-economic crisis fuelled by the absence of right leaders. Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), the only dedicated state-sector higher education entity in the business of leader breeding had its largest even convocation recently. It had an apt theme, The best fly above the rest. Today�s column focusses on the keynote speech delivered by Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, the Governor of the CB. more..

Dec 6 (AD) Minister oKanchana Wijesekera, at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday, has reiterated the need to increase electricity tariffs. When the matter was discussed at length at the Cabinet meeting on Monday, several ministers suggested that an alternative program should be in place to minimize the losses of the CEB instead of another tariff hike. However, Minister has pointed out that the prevailing issue cannot be resolved and that the duration of daily power cuts more..

Dec 6 (DM) Minister Kanchana Wijesekara today accused the PUCSL Chairman, Janaka Rathnayaka for providing electricity to the hotels and apartments at a lower rate. "We will reveal details on it soon," minister said in Parliament. "The PUCSL Chairman is creating issues as his misdeeds are exposed," Minister added. The Minister said this in response to MP Lakhman Kiriella who questioned as to why the minister is harping on a power tariff hike while the PUCSL Chairman has ruled it out. more..

Dec 6 (AD) Convenor of the IUSF, Wasantha Mudalige, and the Convenor IUBF, Ven. Sridhamma Thero, have been granted bail. The duo were granted bail on orders of the Kaduwela Magistrate�s Court, however Mudalige will continue to be detained for further investigations. The duo were arrested and detained under the PTA, when the Defence Ministry had issued detention orders against Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thero, more..

Dec 6 (DM) A total of 14,547 prisoners and 62,426 suspects have been imprisoned in SL for various charges during the last year alone and more than 300 graduates were among those imprisoned, the Prisons Dept said. The number of people who have been sentenced by the courts or placed under custody in connection with various charges has gradually grown compared to previous years. A total of 349 graduates (0.5%) and 5,395 prisoners (7%) who passed the GCE (A/L) have been more..

Dec 6 (DM) Bus fares would not be revised as announced earlier following the reduction of the price of diesel by Rs. 10, Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said. He said the provisions of the National Policy on bus fares were only applicable if the diesel price was increased by a 4% difference according to the fuel price formula. According to the National Policy, only a 1.1% price revision would be possible to apply to bus fare. more..

Dec 6 (DM) The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) uncovered a massive human organ trafficking racket operating at a private hospital in Borella deceiving people from poor families during the ongoing economic crisis. The CCD launched investigations into the racket after complaints were lodged by five persons including a woman to the Borella Police Station in connection with the non-payment after selling kidneys more..

Dec 6 (EN) Sri Lanka is proceeding with multiple free trade agreements, an official said as the country tries to boost exports and cut economic inefficiencies, in the worst currency crisis in the history of its intermediate regime central bank. �Directions givens to us (by the President) is to begin FTA negotiations with India, China and Thailand without delay,� Chandanie Wijayawardhana � Senior Additional Secretary to the Prez, Presidential Secretariat told more..

Dec 6 (DM) Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said today that he has not been informed by the Transport Minister to resign from the chairmanship. While writing a post on his official Facebook page, the SLTB chairman said that "No one has told me anything until now, and I still don't know anything as yet." However, according to a ministry statement, Minister Bandula Gunawardena informed the SLTB Chairman of his intention to resign. more..

Dec 6 (Island) Dengue is on the rise among the women of reproductive age and pregnant women must be extra cautious if they contract the disease, Senior Consultant Physician at the IDH Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama says. He told a webinar, Changing global landscape of dengue disease and addressing the challenges by Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), that anyone who developed symptoms of dengue must seek treatment immediately to avoid complications. more..

Dec 6 (DM) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene said he would look into the matter with regard to the alleged dual citizenship of MP Diana Gamage. He told this in Parliament when SJB MPs urged the Speaker to take action against MP Gamage who alleged to have dual citizenship. MP Chaminda Wijesiri said it was against the Constitution to function a dual citizenship as an MP after enacting the 21st Amendmend. He said the Speaker can take action against her more..