Mar 17 (DM) National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has decided to disconnect water supply for all consumers who haven't settled their water bills since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, NWSDB Additional General Manager (Billing) Piyal Pathmanatha said. He stated that the NWSDB has Rs. 7.5 billion in arrears from its consumers for having carried out uninterrupted water supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the NWSDB has given numerous more..

Mar 17 (AD) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says that there is no truth in the reports that the Governor of the Central Bank of SL (CBSL), Ajith Nivard Cabraal, has been asked to step down. In a statement issued by the PMD, the President is quoted as saying that he has every confidence in the Governor of the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, who will act as a powerful force in responding to the serious economic challenges facing SL. more..

Mar 17 (AD) Finance Ministry has decided to impose a special commodity levy on several imported items. The items include grapes, apples, oranges, dates and yoghurt. A special commodity levy of Rs. 1,000 per kg has been imposed on yoghurt, butter and spreads manufactured using milk. A special commodity levy of Rs. 400 per kg has been imposed on all verities of cheese while a levy of Rs. 200 per kg is imposed on dates (dried and fresh), oranges, grapes (dried and fresh), apples and other more..

Mar 17 (SLN) Five sailing boats of the Indian Navy arrived at the port of Trincomalee on 10th March 2022. Providing sail training experience to the officer under trainees of the SL Navy, those sailing boats arrived at the port of Colombo today (16). The �Van de stadt Tonga 56� and �LC Class 40� sailing boats - INSV Mhadei, INSV Tarini, INSV Bulbul, INSV Kadalpura and INSV Hariyal arrived in Trincomalee with a crew of 30 and remained in the port city on the east coast of SL for 03 days, more..

Mar 17 (Hindu) India on Thursday extended a $1 billion credit facility to Sri Lanka to assist the island nation through its worst foreign exchange crisis and enable it to procure food, medicines and other essential items. An agreement to this effect was signed between the State Bank of India and the Govt of SL on Thursday, during a visit of the country�s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to New Delhi. Mr. Rajapaksa, who met PM Narendra more..

Mar 17 (EN) Sri Lanka�s canteens and restaurants will be force to close from March 17 as cooking gas supplies dry up, threatening the livelihoods of around 500,000 persons, a media report quoting an industry association said. All Island Canteen Ownders Association Chief Asela Sampath was quoted as saying by Lankadeepa newspaper that canteens and restaurants around the country which provide prepared meals will be forced to shut from March 17. more..

Mar 17 (AD) Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who is on official visit to India on an invitation of the Indian Govt, met the Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy of India Shri Raj Kumar Singh in New Delhi, today (17). Minister Singh, recalling the age-old close relations between India and Sri Lanka, extended a warm welcome to the Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Mr. Milinda Moragoda. more..

Mar 17 (CT) SL singer Yohani de Silva has been signed as an exclusive artist with India�s T-Series. Known for their unparalleled mastery at discovering and nurturing musical talents and breakthrough artists, T-Series is home to some of the biggest record-breaking artists. From Guru Randhawa, Jubin Nautiyal, Tulsi Kumar, Sachet-Parampara, Honey Singh, Payal Dev among others, T-Series boasts of an enviable roster of artists. It has now signed on Yohani, whose song Manike Mage Hithe more..

Mar 17 (DN) The Colombo High Court yesterday temporarily lifted the travel ban imposed against SJB MP Champika Ranawaka over the case for an alleged motor accident that took place in 2016 at Rajagiriya. The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta. President�s Counsel Sarath Jayamanna appearing for accused Ranawaka requested Court to lift the travel ban imposed against his client from April 8 to April 27 to travel to Australia during that period. more..

Mar 17 (DM) Since its decision to close offices in SL, the international development organization Plan International came under harsh criticism. In a series of articles published in 2021 by the Guardian UK, and Norwegian global development website Bistandsaktuelt, Plan International was accused of abandoning some 20,000 vulnerable children in SL while misleading donors about the welfare of these children. more..

Mar 17 (CT) Omani trade delegation that was in SL to explore opportunities available in trade and investment between SL and the Sultanate of Oman, and to establish business links between the private sector of the two countries concluded their visit. A range of areas of mutual interest including promotion of trade, investment, tourism, and employment opportunities were discussed. The members of the Omani delegation who represented Omani manpower recruitment agencies met more..

Mar 17 (CT) If power outages and fuel shortage continue, the 280 factories in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and 1,500 factories outside the FTZ that are linked to the FTZMA would be severely impacted, and revenue would decline by 30%, Free Trade Zone Manufacturers� Association [FTZMA] said. FTZMA General Secretary, Dhammika Fernando said, they were hopeful as Minister of Power Pavithra Wanniarachchi informed the FTZ that there will be no power outage imposed on the FTZ. more..

Mar 17 (TF) PM Narendra Modi will be attending a summit in Sri Lanka�s Jaffna district on March 30. In the backdrop of the all-important visit, MA Sumanthiran, the MP from Jaffna who is also the spokesman of TNA and a senior lawyer, spoke to The Federal about the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution, Sri Lanka�s relations with India and Tamil Nadu, and conflicts over fishing in international waters. Edited excerpts: more..

Mar 17 (DM) The daily COVID-19 deaths reported yesterday was the lowest after nearly 375 days. Accordingly, only one COVID-19 fatality was confirmed for Tuesday (15) by Director General of Health Services yesterday. This brings total number of deaths to 16,416. Meanwhile, the total COVID-19 cases reported so far in Sri Lanka stand at 657,134 while fresh cases, the number of patients under medical care stands at 21,525. Moreover, the total recoveries in the country stand at 619,193. more..

Mar 17 (DM) Video footage showing that a heated argument ensured between SL�s fast bowler Suranga Lakmal and another individual upon the national team�s arrival at the BIA from India earlier yesterday, over the national team setback during the Indian tour. Speaking to the media after the incident, Lakmal said that the particular individual criticised the national team for their poor performance in India. �When this particular person made a statement criticising team for losing matches in India, more..

Mar 17 (HT) Colombo Port City Economic Commission wants the port city to be an international city but it is also looking at more detailed, bespoke and customised solutions to create value propositions for key anchor investors, director general Saliya Wickramasuriya said in an interview. The Indian subcontinent is the largest target market for the $1.12-billion Port City Colombo, which will build on ongoing political alignment between more..

Mar 17 (CT) National governance is not possible in this country as currently, a family is ruling the country, Leader of the Up-Country People�s Front and SJB MP Dr. V. Radhakrishnan said. He said as the rupee continues to depreciate and the dollar rate continues to increase, commodity prices are rising rapidly on a daily basis. Fuel prices have increased and as a result, the transport sector has been severely affected. The public was forced to face the consequences of the Govt�s actions. more..

Mar 17 (NR) Scheduled power cuts will be imposed across the island tomorrow as well. The CEB said areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L will experience a three-hour-and-20-minute power cut between 8am and 6pm and a one-hour-and-40-minute power cut between 6pm and 11pm. Meanwhile, areas P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, and W will experience a 2-hour power cut between 9am and 5pm and a one-hour-and-15-minute power cut between 5pm and 10pm. more..

Mar 17 (Island) The failure on the part of the then Prez Maithripala Sirisena to convene National Security Council (NSC) had resulted in security lapses that led to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, Sanjeewa Jayawardena, PC, told the Supreme Court yesterday. Appearing for the Bar Association of SL (BASL) in the Easter Sunday case, Jayawardena alleged that Prez Sirisena had been responsible for causing confusion more..

Mar 17 (NR) Federation of Health Professionals has warned laboratory testing and essential medical services will have to be suspended under the present situation. Convener of the Federation Ravi Kumudesh said authorities have failed to pay Rs.10 billion for essential medical supplies purchased from external companies for laboratory testing. Kumudesh said some firms have informed the Ministry of Health that they can no longer provide medical supplies. more..

Mar 17 (AD) Litro Gas says that the tanker carrying 3,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has berthed at the Colombo Port, a short while ago, and that unloading will commence this evening. The gas company said that the distribution of domestic LP gas cylinders will resume by tomorrow (18). It was reported yesterday morning that Litro Gas and Laugfs Gas PLC, the two largest suppliers of LP gas in Sri Lanka, had decided to halt the distribution of cylinders for domestic use. more..

Mar 18 (DM) Protests by citizens should never be discouraged. A protest happens when citizens are unhappy and want a change. Last Tuesday�s protest staged by the main opposition gave a clear message to the president to change his ways. They openly asked for the conducting of a prez election. But the president the very next day addressed the nation on national television. He spoke of the hard work done by him and his team of lawmakers and assured that the people would sees their problems more..

Mar 18 (DM) One of the principal reasons for our failure as a nation to progress is the absence of strong institutions. If we had a National Panning Commission, Elections Commission with educational requirements to run for the national legislature and other strong institutions enshrined in our Constitution, politicians would not have misused power. Today sadly the people who are there to enact laws to guide citizens are those who have transgressed existing laws. more..

Mar 18 (DM) As some cities in China, the country where Corona virus was first discovered, have gone into fresh lockdowns due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, SL�s Health Ministry has also urged Sri Lankans to abide by health guidelines warning that the virus was far from over. Medical Technology Services Director and Coordinator in charge of COVID-19 at the Ministry of Health Dr. Anver Hamdani said that even to date more..

Mar 18 (Island) Cassandra had a dream ever since she got interested in politics; the dream being of a fast-developing nation of truly patriotic Ceylonese/Sri Lankans, dedicated to improving the state of the nation and the welfare of the people. Nature has been bountiful to the Island and the gods are benevolent. The sea surrounding the island and its earth are rich in resources � priceless gems included. The rains came at the correct time and do so still notwithstanding climate change. more..

Mar 18 (TM) It is no secret that the prevailing fuel crisis has created a social crisis, and that it is crippling vital sectors such as the transport sector. People spending hours, or sometimes days, at fuel stations, fighting with those waiting to purchase fuel and fuel station attendants, and cursing the Govt for allowing a fuel crisis to arise in the country, have become common sights in today�s society. One negative impact of these social changes triggered by the fuel crisis is people panic buying and more..

Mar 18 (CT) Road accidents are globally acknowledged as an increasing threat to society, as they result in severe injury or fatality. SL has the worst road fatality rate in South Asia. Globally, around 1.3 million people die annually as a result of road traffic crashes and more than 3,000 deaths are reported daily. Between 20 and 50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability. more..

Mar 18 (CT) Yesterday, the lead story of this newspaper carried the heading This crisis was not created by me: Prez. It was based on Prez Rajapaksa�s address to the Nation made on the previous day, Wednesday. �The root cause of current issues is our foreign exchange (FX) crisis,� that article further quoting Rajapaksa said. SL has faced FX crises before, the last major crisis prior to this having taken place 45 years ago, covering a 7-year period from 1970 to 1977 when more..

Mar 18 (ST) There was absolute chaos in the money markets and foreign exchange trading this week after CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal finally wilted under pressure and allowed the rupee to float. �There is absolute chaos in the markets these days. I don�t know whether I am sitting or standing!� exclaimed Arty, the veteran money market trader, when I asked how the market was faring. �I can�t understand how Governor Cabraal agreed to devalue the rupee after stubbornly holding it more..

Mar 18 (DM) The address to the nation by Prez Rajapaksa on Wednesday might have aimed at instilling confidence in him and his govt in the minds of the public who have been and still to be battered by the severe economic crisis that the country is currently faced with. However, one would wonder if the purpose is achieved as it was not so convincing for the ordinary people, since the part of his speech dedicated to the purpose was inundated with billions of dollars which sounds for the ordinary man more..

Mar 18 (Island) There has been a mixed reaction to Prez Rajapaksa�s address to the nation on Wed. Opposition has sought to pooh-pooh it as something sans substance, and the ruling party propagandists claim that it was quite reassuring to the public. One may not agree with the detractors of the govt totally on their assessment of the presidential address, but those who expected a speech similar to the inspiring ones delivered by Winston Churchill in wartime were disappointed. more..

Mar 18 (ST) Environmentalists and farmers are worried that dangerous pathogens and pests may be introduced into the country through commercial and ornamental plant smugglers who evade quarantine at entry points. Endemic species could be in danger. Vegetable farmers, house plant enthusiasts who sell ornamental flower plants and those who locally produce new hybrids fear their livelihoods would be destroyed. more..

Mar 18 (Island) At a massive public rally on Tuesday, the Leader of the Opposition is reported to have challenged Prez Rajapaksa to call a snap prez election. If the SLPP was not prepared to do so, the Leader of the Opposition was reported to have demanded that it should hand over the govt to the SJB. It is unfortunate that a politician at the helm of a major political party should have made such irresponsible and unattainable demands. Under our Constitution, Prez has no power to call a more..

Mar 18 (CT) A top knock from Oshada Fernando, combined with half centuries from Kamil Mishara and skipper Kamindu Mendis, helped Kandy end day one on top against Dambulla in the 8th Match of the National Super Provincial 4-Day Tournament commenced at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday. The trio dominated the Dambulla bowlers as they posted 297-3 on day one at stumps after electing to bat. Kandy had the perfect start with Kamil Mishara opening the batting along with more..

Mar 18 (Island) Former Governor of Uva, Southern and Central Provinces Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that those who objected to the govt seeking IMF�s assistance had ruined the economy. Prez Rajapaksa had, in his address to the nation, expressed his willingness to seek IMF assistance, Tennakoon said. Tennakoon, one-time Executive Director of CaFFE said that in fact SL had been engaged in discussions with more..

Mar 18 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 27,071 persons on Wednesday and 77.45% of the total population has received at least one vaccine dose. 65.45% of the population has received the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 34.81% has received the third dose. The first dose has been administered to a total of 16,981,180 persons and the second dose has been administered to 14,354,752 persons. A total of 7,646,167 persons have received the third vaccine dose. more..

Mar 18 (ST) Four people who pleaded guilty for electrocuting a tusker and burying its body have been fined Rs. 1.25 million by the Puttalam Magistrate�s Court. Additional Magistrate Asela de Silva imposed the fine on Tuesday on the four accused including the main accused Roshan Dissanayake, alias Ali Roshan. They were arrested following an investigation into the discovery of a buried tusker carcass. Wildlife officers had discovered that tusker had been electrocuted more..