Oct 8 (AD) Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA), the most senior automotive association in South Asia, have raised serious concerns about the importation of used Electric Vehicles to SL. In order to minimize the negative impact to the consumer, environment, society, and the economy, it is imperative that the country imports EVs which are directly shipped by the manufacturer with the recommendation for this tropical climate. EVs built for colder climates may not be suitable for more..

Oct 8 (ST) A teacher of a rural school in Puttalam has been feeding underprivileged children for nine years after he witnessed the state of the children�s nutrition. L A S Kelum, a teacher at Uttara Attawilluwa govt school provides soup or porridge varieties three days a week to school children. Principal of Attawilluwa School, Wasantha Weerakumara said that teacher Kelum is also an Ayurvedic doctor at Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda School but has stopped practicing more..

Oct 8 (EN) Sri Lanka�s foreign reserves edged up 3.6% to US$ 1,717 million in Sept 2022 from a month ago, the latest central bank data showed. The reserves rose by US$ 60 million to 1,717 million last month from the previous month�s US$ 1,657 million. 2022 after money was printed from 2020 to suppress rates and target an output gap. Eventually Sri Lanka defaulted on its sovereign debt in April 2022. more..

Oct 8 (CT) Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment is planning on abolishing or amending the Termination of Employment of Workmen Act, to attract more investors, Ceylon Today learns through reliable sources. This move could force thousands of employees, especially those in apparel sector, out of their jobs without any compensation from their employers, trade unions alleged. However, they have not taken any measures to do so, as an alternative Bill or an amendment to existing more..

Oct 8 (ST) Important issues including possible illegal settlers and the cause of the fire in Grandpass will have to be established before authorities decide on measures to take. The Kajeemawatta area in Grandpass was engulfed in flames for a third time Tuesday evening, displacing 316 people and 74 families. The fire also destroyed the possessions of at least 54 children. Authorities are awaiting recommendations of a presidential committee. The director general of the UDA, more..

Oct 8 (PTI) SL's former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed his first public meeting on Oct 8 since he was forced to resign in May and ouster of his younger brother and former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July. While addressing a public meeting organised by his party SLPP at Kalutara, 77-year-old Mahinda initially got confused as to who was the current president of the country. An aide whispered to him to correct him more..

Oct 8 (Island) SL will fulfill the pledges made to the UNHRC, PM Dinesh Gunawardena told the Parliament on Friday. PM said that steps were being taken to release the remaining LTTE detainees and the repealing of Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) had reached the final stage, he said. Those were the two main demands made by the UNHRC, he said. Prez will provide the necessary guidance in releasing LTTE detainees who had been languishing in prison for a long time, PM said. more..

Oct 8 (CT) TNA Spokesman, MP M.A. Sumanthiran, on Friday claimed the Department of Archaeology and other relevant departments have been confiscating lands of people in the North and East for a lengthy period. MP Sumanthiran added that the Dept of Archaeology was preventing Tamil farmers from cultivating on their ancestral lands in the Tennamaravadi and Thiriyai areas in the Trincomalee District. �Department of Archaeology is confiscating lands of Tamils in the North too. more..

Oct 9 (CT) Today�s column is in two parts. The first relates to a profoundly important concern, the second to a profanity if you call it that. A trilogy written by Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena (KPS) and two subeditors can be found on the Right to Information (RTI) Commissions website. It is an important document that people are not familiar with, and I urge you to spend some time with it. Access to Information helps the public hold the powers that be to account. Seeking & receiving information, more..

Oct 9 (CT) None too soon, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe appears to be putting the brakes on the govt�s policy of repression in dealing with public protests. His decision to initially sign the Gazette notification declaring key areas of Colombo to be High Security Zones was roundly criticized by human rights organisations including the govt�s own Human Rights Commission. The business sector also complained that this decision, which appears to have been made by security establishment, more..

Oct 9 (SO) In an interview Central Bank Governor Nadalal Weerasinghe talks of his plans to improve the country�s economy that has taken a free fall. Q: You took the steering wheel of a vehicle without brakes. Were you able to stop the vehicle or is it still moving towards a precipice? A: We have been able to stop the vehicle and bring it under our control. Likewise, I can say the economy has somewhat stabilised. more..

Oct 9 (SO) One of the fallacies surrounding the present economic predicament facing SL is that the island is somehow alone in this and that the phenomenon is uniquely ours. But if one analyses the economic trends in the wider world, it is crystal clear that both developed and developing countries are facing much the same conditions, though the former camp is more resilient. In fact, many developing countries including neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh have joined SL in more..

Oct 9 (Island) The Govt has made a change in the composition of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). A major change is that its chairman, Tissa Vitarana, is no longer a member and thus no longer the chairman. As many people have asked me why this has occurred, I thought that for the record and to avoid any misunderstandings, I should make a public statement. As COPA chairman I have done my duty to the best of my ability with the support of the members of the committee. more..

Oct 9 (SO) Minister Ramesh Pathirana said he hopes that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution would be taken up for debate during the next parliamentary session most probably on Oct 20 and 21. Minister said there are certain arguments in relation to amendments and the composition of the 22nd Amendment. However, we can always iron out those differences through discussions. There are issues raised by certain political parties and more..

Oct 9 (TM) The Geneva post-mortems are in full swing as usual and concerted efforts are being made to portray the disastrous outcome in a positive light by resorting to the hackneyed glass half-full theory as opposed to half-empty. Whatever the attempts, the inescapable reality is that the country finds itself in a far worse place today in terms of respect for human rights than a year ago and the just-concluded UNHRC sessions in Geneva simply reflected that reality. more..

Oct 9 (Island) When now Prez Wickremesinghe was made PM by then Prez Rajapaksa, the country was presented with a candidly accurate picture of the economic predicament Sri Lanka was mired in. RW chose parliament as the forum to take the country into his confidence and convey the bad news not once but many times over. The people, of course, needed no convincing. Kilometers long fuel queues, gas queues, power cuts and rocketing food prices were evidence enough. more..

Oct 9 (CT) Hearing the likes of G L Peiris, Dullas Alahapperuma and Tissa Vitarana, one would think that they were always in the anti-Rajapaksa camp in national politics � as much akin to the UNP parent and its more energetic SJB breakaway group � and equally so, like their Tamil counterparts. Then, two earlier crops of Rajapaksa-baiters, with whom these worthies have to compete for political space, even if they may end up contesting future elections as an alliance. First, you have the likes of more..

Oct 9 (ST) In Sri Lanka, sovereignty is with the people, says the introduction to the country�s Constitution, but these very people must have surely lost track of the political manoeuvring that has gone on in recent years with their representatives and the many attempts at tinkering with the Fundamental Law of the nation. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution (22A) is now on the table of the country�s legislators, and the theatrics around it is a classic example. more..

Oct 9 (ST) SL is one of 42 countries, out of 193 member states, blacklisted by the UN for retaliating against human rights activists and journalists who are either behind bars, persecuted or under govt surveillance. These activists also faced reprisals and intimidation for cooperating with the UN on human rights, according to a recent report. Highlighting a number of disturbing trends over the past year, the annual report by more..

Oct 9 (ST) My dear Uncle Ranil, I thought of writing to you because, in a few days� time, it will be three months since you took on the top job of the land. It hasn�t been an easy three months, but no one, least of all you, thought that it will be. However, it is a good time to take stock, especially when you have only 24 months left! The circumstances of how you got that job was disputed by many. How can someone who contested the last election, but came to Parliament through its back door, more..

Oct 9 (Island) Test cricket being the highest form of the game and a real test of character are all true no doubt but T-20 cricket has become the most popular format of the game for a variety of reasons. There�s more money being invested by sponsors for T-20 cricket as that�s where you see the younger generation getting involved. In a fast paced world, after five days of Test cricket, younger generations find it difficult to come to terms with the fact that games can still end in no results. more..

Oct 9 (ST) The passage of the 22nd Amendment (22A) to the Constitution, widely considered as a key component in the political reform process, was delayed in Parliament this week amid sharp divisions between the govt and opposition over the draft amendment. Differences of opinion regarding the content of the draft amendment were far more apparent within the ruling SLPP, despite the rather clumsy attempt by govt leaders to hide it and pin the blame for the delay on the opposition. more..

Oct 9 (ST) SL�s tourist guide lecturers have met diplomats from major tourist markets to persuade them to facilitate the arrival of more tourists from their respective countries, although they are hit by not only the dearth of tourists but also poor pay and unauthorised foreign guides. The national guide lecturers� meeting with the diplomats came as World Tourism Day was officially celebrated in Habarana on Sept 27. Tour guide lecturers, like hundreds of thousands of others directly employed more..

Oct 9 (ST) Former captain Mahela Jayawardena joined the Sri Lanka T20 squad in Australia on Friday, as the team prepares to take up the challenge in the upcoming ICC Men�s T20 World Cup, which begins from October 16. Jayawardena, who joined the side in the capacity of Consultant Coach, will mainly provide strategic planning while the coaching staff, headed by Englishman Chris Silverwood, continues to more..

Oct 9 (ST) Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) is cracking down on social media sites and groups promoting stocks on WhatsApp mainly targeting investors trading on the Internet. �This has been going on for some time and there are a large number of gullible investors being misled but now the new SEC Act has provisions to prosecute these types of tools,� a stockbroker said. The regulator is monitoring WhatsApp accounts and warning certain investors who are operating these accounts, more..

Oct 9 (ST) Dr. R.L. Hayman Trophy returned to S. Thomas� College Mount Lavinia (STC) after a long-lapse of six years when they reclaimed it in style defeating their arch-rivals Royal College 14-7, at the end of the second-leg, last evening at the Sugathadasa waters. The aggregate, thus, after the 29th edition read, 37-17. Opening moments of the second-leg saw enthusiastic attempts by both schools. Royal finally scored the first goal of the evening at the fifth minute. more..

Oct 9 (TM) CPC plans to import a consignment of octane 95 petrol by the end of the month as existing stocks are dwindling, it is learnt. Last week, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera tweeted that octane 95 petrol had not been imported in the last five months by the CPC and that the current price at the pump did not reflect the current costs. CPC Managing Director Susantha Silva confirmed that stocks of octane 95 petrol were dwindling and that a new consignment would be ordered this month. more..

Oct 9 (Island) Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith called on the rulers of the country to refrain from what he termed as boru shoke to celebrate the forthcoming Christmas and get their act together to provide for hundreds of thousands of people who are starving. Addressing a ceremony for blessing and consecration of the newly built St Francis of Assisi Church, Udugampola of the Burulpitiya Parish last week, the Cardinal said that he read in the newspapers that those in more..

Oct 9 (SO) Five former Observer SLT Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketers of the Year will be seen in action during the forthcoming T20 World Cup tournament which starts in Australia next week. Out of the five Sri Lankans in action, three will be playing for the national T20 team while the other two will be on duty as ICC officials. Bhanuka Rajapakse (2010 and 2011 winner), Kusal Mendis (2013 winner) and Charith Asalanka (2016 and 2016 winner) will be the Sri Lanka T20 players in action while more..

Oct 9 (SO) SL will actively pursue the formulation of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with several countries to boost bilateral trade, said State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya. He said that in addition to the FTA with Bangladesh, which had made some progress, the Govt is also looking at formulating FTAs with China and Singapore as well. Talks regarding the Bangladesh FTA commenced some time ago and both Govts have already exchanged request lists of products. more..

Oct 9 (TM) CPC yesterday confirmed that the stock of low quality (octane 80-85) petrol which had been refined by the Sapugaskanda Refinery and was currently in the possession of the CPC would be upgraded to 92 octane standards. It is reliably learnt that the CPC refinery, which is using outdated technology, had also used a new crude oil � Ural Crude � which has run into much controversy in the past few weeks, accumulating 2,300 MT of more..

Oct 9 (ST) At least one oil supplier has threatened to cancel the fuel supply contract if SL authorities fail to pay its balance payment, further exacerbating the crippling fuel crisis in the country. Leading energy trading firm, BB Energy has informed the state-run CPC that they have the right to cancel the fuel supply contract owing to the non payment of their due amount as per its provisional invoice for 280,000 barrels of gas oil within more..

Oct 9 (Island) Long jumper Razwin Carrim of Lyceum International, Panadura will make SL�s debut in the boys� long jump at the Asian Youth Athletics Championships which will commence in Kuwait on Oct 13. The athlete trained by former national athlete Nayana Prasad has performed well during recent championships. His latest achievement was winning the Under 18 boys� long jump at the Western Province Schools Athletics Championships which concluded at more..

Oct 9 (EN) SL is drawing up a new banking law, which is expected to be passed by parliament next year, and will also form part of an IMF backed program Deputy Governor Yvette Fernando said. �On the Banking Act we have done a new Act,� she said. �..[W]e want to do a little bit more consultation also there,� �Because we want to expand on the resolution area. So that is happening now.� The new banking law which will have provisions to more easily resolve troubled banks. more..

Oct 9 (ST) The tourism industry is readying to welcome its winter traffic following a successful roadshow in India that has sparked new bookings; but hotels are trying to overcome some of the key challenges faced by the sector. Fuel and food are available enough to keep the home fires burning but authorities need to heed to certain issues faced by the industry to keep the sector afloat. Tourist Hotels Association of SL (THASL) President M. Shanthikumar explained that the required more..