Jun 29 (TM) Discussions are underway between the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and the Department of Management Services to restructure the SLTB in such a way as to reduce its employee cadre to 24,000, and to bring several depots under the administration of one office. A senior official of the SLTB said: �The SLTB does not currently have a large excess of employees due to the layoffs of employees on a compensation system. The SLTB currently has close to 26,900 employees. more..

Jun 29 (DM) Whilst alleging that liberalising SL's fuel distribution will result in the closure of the Sapugaskanda refinery, Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa today said he together with other opposition political parties will launch a struggle to save it. "Refinery is a national asset and we will do our utmost to save it," Premadasa told CPC trade unionists who met him yesterday. "We will not allow the present govt to destroy the refinery," he said. "Refinery supplies 100% of kerosene need, more..

Jun 29 (EN) SL Cabinet has given green light to a proposal submitted by the PM to obtain a grant from the US, nearly two years after Prez Rajapaksa rejected a $480 million from the U.S.-based Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The $57 million comes through two agreements signed between the Govts of SL and U.S. to supply funds to strengthen the cooperation for democratic good governance and social integrity� and more..

Jun 29 (TM) A heated situation arose yesterday when the Police set up barricades on the road leading to the President�s house in Colombo Fort after several persons, including National Organiser of the Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya � the women�s wing of the main Parliamentary Opposition, SJB � Hirunika Premachandra, attempted to enter the said road. Along with Premachandra, two other women had, according to Premachandra, been trying to enter the road leading to Prez�s house. more..

Jun 29 (TM) While the National Transport Commission (NTC) has agreed to increase the minimum bus fare from Rs. 32 to Rs. 40 and the rest of the fares by 30%, a conflict has arisen among private bus associations over the said increase in bus fares. A discussion was held in Colombo yesterday between Minister of Transport Dr. Bandula Gunawardana, officials of the Transport Ministry, NTC, and private bus owners� associations regarding the increase in bus fares with more..

Jun 30 (DM) Sometime in the year 1992, an Economics student at the Uni of Peradeniya confessed confusion over a comment by Dr S.B. De Silva regarding multinational corporations. Apparently, he didn�t have an issue with MNCs and the student had been shocked. Elaboration cleared it all up. What he had meant was that it doesn�t really matter, strictly in an economic sense, who rakes up the profits from a capitalist system; surplus value is anyway extracted and the worker is exploited. more..

Jun 30 (TM) The Morning yesterday reported about the dire situation those who have taken microfinance loans from microfinance lenders continue to face, despite the fact that these issues have been going on for years. In addition to high interest rates and unfair, unclear conditions that put groups of borrowers in difficulty at once, this menace of unregulated microfinance loans keeps pushing borrowers, especially women, to even more harmful situations such as sexual exploitation, suicide more..

Jun 30 (TM) Increasing youth representation in SL's politics is an endeavour that depends on several factors such as internal democracy within parties, open discourses at the grassroots level, raising awareness on what the youth can and should bring to the table, laws and regulations pertaining to campaign financing and the youth political quota, among other matters. However, when it comes to these matters, of which more..

Jun 30 (CT) Our country has collapsed. A few hours ago, govt spokesperson Bandula Gunawardane announced that fuel supply has come to a standstill and fuel will be available only for essential services. These is no one to blame, no one to look up to. When Ranil took over the govt, as there was no one else to take over, people had some hope that he will be able to bring in much needed dollars to our economy. People gave up protesting withdrew support for the aragalaya hoping that things more..

Jun 30 (GV) Title of this article is taken from a collection of short stories by Margaret Atwood who has attained celebrity cult status recently due to her dystopic novel The Handmaid�s Tale, which presciently identified the female body as a central focus for the vigilance and control exerted by an autocratic patriarchal state. While researching this article, a quotation from The Handmaid�s Tale kept surfacing. �Afterwards, she could not walk for a week, her feet would not fit into her shoes, more..

Jun 30 (CT) The repercussions of climate change have become more significantly noticeable over the years with its overall negative impact on the environment, agriculture, health, tourism and society making an upward trend. While SL is plunged in an economic crisis, questions have surfaced as to whether measures of mitigating climate change has been incorporated into the mechanisms and proposals adopted to more..

Jun 30 (CT) None of SL�s friends, other than India, has come forward to assist it to overcome its present fuel crisis underlined by a US dollar shortage due to corruption, not only to import fuel, but other essential imports as well. Nonetheless, talks are on with the Indian authorities to import yet more fuel on a credit basis, but no finality has been reached, it�s learnt. It�s not that SL�s other friends are not aiding the country at this critical juncture, but they are more interested in providing food, medicines, more..

Jun 30 (Island) Some Opposition politicians would have the public believe that the present crisis cannot be resolved unless a general election is held. They insist that they can save the economy and deliver the people from suffering if they are given a popular mandate to govern the country. There is hardly anything SL politicians do not capitalise on, and therefore it is not surprising that they are making the most of the crisis. Chairman of EC Nimal Punchihewa has told them a home truth. more..

Jun 30 (DM) The headlines in the print and electronic media these days are depressing to say the least. They describe, in vivid detail SL�s sad state of affairs. Pearl of the Indian Ocean, the Granary of the East and formerly known to be an upper-middle-income country is today grappling with its worst-ever political and economic crisis, which has resulted in a shortage of foreign exchange making it impossible to import essential commodities such as food, fuel, medicines, medical equipment, more..

Jun 30 (Island) The recently concluded 0DI series between Australia and SL was one of the best if not the best cricket series witnessed on SL soil. I am of this opinion due to the highly competitive and attractive cricket played by both sides. 1st ODI at Pallakelle Stadium Kandy: This contest was won by Australia by two wickets on the Duckworth & Lewis method as the game was affected by rain. SL batting 1st scored 300 for seven in 50 overs, with Kausal Mendis returning to form with a commanding more..

Jun 30 (CI) Alright. Roll up. It's another one. Mad. Funny. Audacious. Godawful. Funny again, but for different reasons. Maddening. It's a Niroshan Dickwella day. There are no restraints on this thing. The brakes are worn. The harness is unclipped. SafeSearch is off. A life lived at 100 kilometres an hour, even if, sometimes, that is while the car is plunging into a ravine. You're not taking your eyes off it, though. more..

Jun 30 (CI) The long spells in which ball after ball lands on the same spot. Flighting it up, keeping it on a string, putting work on the ball, over after over. In Australia, maybe, but on South Asian tracks, it's about mixing it up a little, says Nathan Lyon. Here, it's about bowling ugly. Lyon claimed 5 for 90 on day one, accounting for SL's best batters in Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews, before dismissing Niroshan Dickwella - their highest scorer of the innings - and two lower-order batters. more..

Jun 30 (Island) US is keen to further enhance and consolidate its role in SL. The current turmoil that has been caused by waste, corruption, irregularities, mismanagement of the economy over the years as well as a spate of ill-advised decisions taken by the incumbent administration would facilitate the US strategy here. The global fuel and food crises caused by Russia rushing into a quagmire in Ukraine, essentially tailor made by the West, as happened to its predecessor Soviet Union more..

Jun 30 (ST) Govt�s plan to give fuel on Fridays to the health sector has drawn mixed reactions. Owners of filling stations complained that they did not receive enough stock from Ceylon Petroleum Corp. Doctors, nurses, attendants, radiologists and other healthcare services providers lined up on Friday for fuel on a priority basis. Some also lined up at smaller-scale filling stations not designated to provide fuel for healthcare workers. more..

Jun 30 (CT) Cuban coaches Luis Miranda and Sergio Manuel, who opted to work free for 6 months, are now stranded in SL as they have not been provided tickets to get back home. Sports Ministry decided to terminate their services last December with just four months to go for the Asian Games trials in April, which put several top national athletes in a dilemma with nowhere to go for training. Ministry did not bother to take any input from SLA or dozens of national athletes who trained under them. more..

Jun 30 (Island) Sri Lankan squash players went on to better their previous record at the 29th Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships held from June 15 to 19 in Pattaya, Thailand. Sri Lanka finished with five of their players, namely Linuka Silva, Bihandu Nanayakkara, Matheesha Wijesekara, Anargi Perera and Nevindu Lakman winning their matches and being placed among the top 16 players in the Asian circuit. At the last edition only two players reached that level. more..

Jun 30 (ST) Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has arranged three outbound training sessions for the members of the national men�s and women�s rugby 7s teams, ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, England. With exactly 32 days before the Rugby 7s scheduled to kickoff, the three specially designed outbound adventure programme, to be held on three different days, will provide the members of the two teams and its coaching staff the opportunity to bond further as a unit and more..

Jun 30 (CT) An official blunder by the SL Paralympic Committee may have cost a world record for Paralympics medalist Samitha Dulan, who threw 66.60m in the Javelin Throw (F44) category, which is better than the present world record of 66.26m held by Australia�s Michal Burian. SL had two medalists at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics in the Javelin Throw F46 category. Dinesh Priyantha won the Gold medal establishing a world record (67.79m) while Dulan finished 3rd for Bronze medal with 65.61m. more..

Jun 30 (DN) The Family Health Service Officers� Association has expressed concerns over incidents of childbirth taking place at households that have been reported in several places around the country. Association Chairperson Devika Kodituwakku said that a number of childbirths that had taken place in domestic households had been reported in the past few days. �Such incidents have been reported in more..

Jun 30 (EN) Stocks recovered on Wednesday, recovering from a two-month closing low hit on the previous session on the hopes that the country will finally reach an IMF deal, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed 0.73% or 53.26 points higher at 7,365.92, recovering from its lowest close since April 27. �The market moved up on the hopes of an IMF deal as the staff-level discussions ended today while there was some bargain hunting as market had slipped significantly,� more..

Jun 30 (Island) Dept of Agriculture has handed over proposals with an action plan for the revival of the agriculture sector to the Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Wildlife Conservation, Mahinda Amaraweera. Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Rohana Pushpakumara, Director General of the Dept of Agriculture, Ajantha de Silva, and its Directors, representing respective divisions, were also present. The focus of the proposals is on the importation of chemical fertilisers and more..

Jun 30 (TM) Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) alleged that the suspicious death of an inmate at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, following which the mass escape of over 500 inmates also occurred, was due to an assault by an Army officer. CPRP General Secretary Sudesh Nandimal Silva claimed: �Army oversees the rehabilitation of inmates at Kandakadu. As per the information more..

Jun 30 (ST) In our day-to-day communications nowadays, many of those whom I meet would ask me the question �what�s happening to our economy now?� Given the current state of the SL economy, it�s not a surprising question to me as well as to many others. Instead of saying our common expression �how are you?� you may have also noticed that many would ask now, �what�s happening to us?� My answer: �We are at an �early stage� of a crisis!� �What do you mean? Are there more to come more..

Jun 30 (DN) SLC honoured late spin legend Shane Warne with an on-field commemoration and presentation for his family before the first Test between Australia and SL for the Murali - Warne trophy which commenced at the Galle Int'l Cricket Stadium yesterday. Just before the first Test SLC top officials, Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Nick Hockley, two team members and few former SL World Cup winning team members including captain Arjuna Ranatunga gathered in this ceremony more..

Jun 30 (CT) The Schools� Rugby curtain raiser was on Thursday (23); the teams were St. Joseph�s and Kingwood. There were more matches on Friday and Saturday. Spectators, primarily parents and some old boys, were in the stands. Trinity, Royal and St. Peter�s had close games, but came through unscathed. St. Joseph�s showed what they are capable of with a run-away victory. Isipathana, though winning, did not display the quality of a champion team. Wesley looked good despite more..

Jun 30 (DM) SL�s bunker licence holders have reached a consensus with the govt to import and supply jet fuel on an immediate basis, as the country�s jet fuel reserves ran dry with Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) failing to import the required jet fuel, due to the foreign exchange crisis. In a meeting held with the bunker licence holders Tuesday, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva assured the bunker licence holders that they are legally cleared to import/supply jet fuel for short term more..

Jun 30 (AD) The World Bank would extend further support after reaching an agreement with IMF, World Bank�s Country Director for SL Faris Hadad-Zervos says. There are 17 ongoing World Bank-funded projects in SL, he said adding that the projects will be redesigned to provide financial assistance to face the current crisis. This was mentioned at a discussion between World Bank representatives and Prez Rajapaksa more..

Jun 30 (DM) As the fuel shortage has sent the country into a lockdown situation, people, particularly those in Colombo and the suburbs, are facing a risk of losing access to food and other essential stuff, with the retailers struggle to restock their shelves on time, as they scramble to refuel their delivery fleets. The shelves at the supermarkets in Colombo and the suburbs have gone largely empty since the weekend and the store managers & staff say they do not get supplies on time, more..

Jun 30 (Island) Frontline Socialist Party, on Tuesday, said that amending of laws in favour of forex racketeers by the Yahapalana govt in 2017 was one of the main causes of the prevailing forex shortage crisis. FSP Education Secretary, Pubudu Jagoda, said that the then PM Wickremesinghe had got the Exchange Control Act amended. �Since 1953, we have had the Exchange Control Act which prevented questionable outflows of forex. Wickremesinghe brought in a new law under the name more..

Jun 30 (TM) Ministry of Justice has appointed a team of officials to deal with the lawsuit filed by the Hamilton Reserve Bank Ltd. against the country demanding full payment of principal and interest on bond debt payments. Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that the Ministry has appointed a separate team of officials and is holding discussions on how to proceed with the case. He added that he would inform the public more..

Jun 30 (FT) CPC owes debt and payments worth nearly $ 1 billion, PM revealed exposing the bankruptcy of the State-owned entity which has aggravated the on-going fuel crisis and urgent procurement. �With accumulated debt and other pending payments, the total due is almost $ 1 billion,� Wickremesinghe told a meeting with editors of print and electronic media where he explained the current economic situation including the emergency measures being taken to address fuel crisis. more..