Apr 4 (EN) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) Chairman Janaka Ratnayake promised to withdraw a court case against the recent tariff hike if the state-run CEB provides immediate tariff reliefs that will pass on the benefits of rupee appreciation and fuel price reduction to the public. �CEB should reduce 50% of the 65% tariff hike that was implemented in mid-February this year,� Ratnayaka said. �With the rupee appreciating about 15% more..

Apr 4 (CT) Although, an income of Rs 6.94 billion has been received by the State in the past three months, after implementing the newly introduced income tax scheme, confusions have arisen, as the tax database shows a gap of Rs 360 million, a senior official from the IRD said. The official said as a result, the database shows the total tax revenue as Rs. 6.58 billion. Accordingly, APIT income in January was Rs 771 million, in February Rs 5.57 billion and in March Rs 607 million. more..

Apr 4 (TM) SL marathon champion Hiruni Wijayaratne won the silver medal in the women's 10-mile marathon event at the Credit Union Sacktown Marathon held in the US. After recording a time of 56.45 minutes. This made history as the best time recorded by a SL athlete in the 10 mile marathon. Previously, in 2016, Hiruni recorded a time of 1:01:16 for the 10-mile marathon as her best performance. Hiruni, who is training in the US, said after her event: more..

Apr 4 (DM) If the SL govt did not take legal action within 45 days for X-Press Pearl Disaster, the island nation might not receive the compensation, Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said. CEJ Senior Environmental Scientist Hemantha Withanage said that a new research report finds heavy pollution in the marine environment around the Xpress Pearl Shipwreck. "CEJ believes that under Sri Lanka law, more..

Apr 4 (Island) Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has secured an appointment from Rohini Marasinghe, Chairperson, Human Rights Commission to discuss the progress in the ongoing investigation into the destruction of his residence and other properties in Gampaha in the wake of May 09, 2022 violence. An aide to Urban Development and Housing Minister Ranatunga told The Island that the meeting would take place on April 24. Asked to explain the delay in arranging a meeting in spite of Minister more..

Apr 4 (TM) Sri Lanka is to experience a reduced demand from first-time travellers from Germany due to the alleged �travel warnings� issued by the Foreign Ministry of Germany. Dr. Dietmar Doring, Head of Asian-German Sports Exchange Programme Research (AGSEP Research), a research institute in respect of Sri Lanka tourism development stated: �These caution notices have a tremendous impact on first time travellers. There is a grave difference between the situation in SL more..

Apr 5 (DM) Since his assumption to the office of Prez, Ranil Wickremesinghe has on numerous occasions referred to SL�s strategic location on important trade routes in the Indian Ocean. He has emphasised the need to make maximum use of this position. He also warned tensions could break into conflict and spill into the Indian Ocean region. In this situation he emphasised the need to steer a balanced course between conflicting parties without endangering Sri Lanka�s relations more..

Apr 5 (CT) Historians are sometime called prophets in reverse. But Hobsbawm�s statement is prophetic enough to depict the current situation in SL where the economy is virtually under IMF�s direction from Washington. It is an economy operated by remote-control. Almost every utterance by the Prez in praise of the IMF deal, his blind condemnation of the opponents and critics as anarchists and saboteurs, his warning to the nation about the mortal danger of rejecting the deal, and more..

Apr 5 (TM) MV X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, which was named the biggest maritime disaster in SL�s history, led to a number of discourses on the country�s maritime laws and policies, the response to the disaster, and also about the medium- to long-term impacts of the same. While the former and present govts have taken various measures in this regard, environmentalists have raised concerns about effectiveness more..

Apr 5 (DM) I wish to begin this article with a very broad assertion, namely, Sri Lanka's present economic crisis is the result of a series of deliberate and short-sighted policy measures taken by post-liberalization regimes since 1977. These policy measures led to not only structural changes in the economy but also far reaching changes in many other sectors such as education, health, transport and social welfare. As regards the economic changes, the trends have been quite clear. more..

Apr 5 (GV) SL awaited the IMF bailout package to find some breathing space so that it can provide basic needs of energy, medicine, food and essential inputs for agriculture, industry and services. Following the IMF other donors are expected to resume their lending to SL. The govt is expecting moratorium on loan repayments for five years or so that economy can bounce back and get to a trajectory of growth resulting higher tax revenues to repay about $98 bil foreign/domestic debt. more..

Apr 5 (TM) Sri Lanka�s proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill has come under fire from human rights activists and lawyers for being overbroad, vague, and a threat to civil liberties. The bill, which seeks to repeal the PTA, has been criticised for giving authorities sweeping powers to suppress dissent and curtail freedom of expression. �The definition (of the bill) does not align with the current internationally-agreed-upon formulation. more..

Apr 5 (TM) Despite various efforts by the political and public authorities, SL�s health sector continues to remain a crisis-hit sector, with increasing reports of various inadequacies in the sector � with some of the major ones being the scarce supply of medicines, the lack of facilities available for treatments including for surgeries and the lack of specialised doctors. Former and current health authorities as well as health professionals� trade unions and their professional bodies have more..

Apr 5 (CT) The new taxation policy introduced recently stirred up several controversies, and while some took to the streets to decry the measure, others even went to the extent of going to Court. The concerns of people are, however, justified, as the taxation affected employees who have toiled for years to get to where they are and several other sectors. The authorities� only justification was that only a fraction of the income was taxed and that such a measure is essential to recover from more..

Apr 5 (ST) A new bill which will pave the way for Sri Lanka to earn at least Rs.1 billion a year from the sale of hydrographic maps to ships entering SL waters is to be presented to Parliament next month. The National Hydrographic Bill that will be presented to Parliament in May will set up a National Hydrographic Bureau that will oversee the sale of the maps to ships sailing in SL waters and docking at the country�s harbours. Hydrographic maps mark out a safe passage for vessels more..

Apr 5 (Island) A significant feature of the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) is that offences are very broadly defined and thus bring within it conduct without a reasonable nexus to terrorism that could be dealt with under ordinary laws. This is precisely what criminal justice and human rights experts warn against. A few examples would be helpful. The object of a strike is to prevent the provision of a service or the conduct of an activity�in short, to paralyse the institution concerned. more..

Apr 5 (FT) In its standing as the foremost national body of accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of SL (CA SL) took the leadership role in facilitating a productive dialogue between key stakeholders, including policymakers, business leaders, and experts, last week to promote a deeper understanding of the economic challenges facing SL and the solutions needed to overcome them. more..

Apr 5 (ST) Privatisation. To some it�s a scary thought; to others it�s a means of promoting competition and giving customers value. The above headline might seem unkind to the governing authorities who are on the path to selling off loss-making state ventures to private parties. After all, the intention is to provide the consumer a better deal or is it a process of garnering valuable foreign exchange to beef up the country�s forex coffers? These thoughts were on my mind when more..

Apr 5 (Island) There have been substantial reductions in fuel prices, and they will go a long way towards tackling inflation. The economy is said to be showing some signs of recovery, but more trouble is apparently brewing for the hapless Sri Lankans, who are struggling to keep the wolf from the door. Now, the govt is planning to restructure domestic debt, having refused to be drawn in on the issue all these months. That will be a double whammy for the public reeling from unprecedented tax more..

Apr 5 (Island) International Master Susal de Silva and Women Candidate Master Dahamdi Sanudula won the SL Open and Women�s National Chess championships respectively for the year 2023. The Nalanda College prodigy de Silva scored 10.5 points out of 14 to clinch his third consecutive title. In the Open category, 14 players competed for top honours. De Silva was the top seed of starting rank list. Young Dishal Weerasekara and FM Ranindu Liyanage were tied for the first runner-up more..

Apr 5 (DN) Sri Lanka team led by Dasun Shanaka is expected to register first ever T-20 series win against New Zealand today when they will meet Kiwis in their second T-20 game at University Oval grounds, Dunedin, commencing at 6.30am (SLT). After the first match thrilling victory in the super over SL team had a successful training session yesterday at Dunedin and skipper Dasun Shanaka said SL never won a T-20 series in NZ and this is good opportunity to achieve this. more..

Apr 5 (FT) Central Bank of SL maintained policy interest rates at their current levels saying such a stance was necessary to reduce inflation followed by lowering of interest rates. Monetary Board which met yesterday considered the recent and expected economic developments, and macroeconomic projections on domestic and global fronts. Board viewed that the maintenance of the prevailing tight monetary policy stance more..

Apr 5 (DM) The panel appointed to look into administrative and financial issues of the Football Sri Lanka (FSL) between 2012 and 2022 has found over 30 instances of corruption, Minister Roshan Ranasinghe said. 5-member panel, headed by HC Judge Justice Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena had found that out of the grants received for football development, only 2% have been spent on the sport and players. Significantly a sum of Rs 100 mil has been splashed on a tour of Malaysia alone more..

Apr 5 (AD) Association of Education Professionals has decided to provide leadership to the commencement of evaluation activities of GCE A/L exam answer sheets, which have been halted for more than 40 days. The decision has been arrived at following a discussion that took place between the association and Minister of Education, yesterday (3). Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thero, President of National Union Against Teacher-Principal Pay Disparity stated that the Minister agreed to more..

Apr 5 (TM) Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that provisions have been included in the proposed Anti-Corruption Bill in such a way that the CIABOC can seek the assistance of the Attorney General (AG) to file cases at any time. A discussion on the theme Will Sri Lanka be able to take a sustainable path towards anti-corruption, organised by the NMSJ was held in Colombo more..

Apr 5 (DM) Cabinet nod has been granted to provide upto Rs.40, 000 as a financial subsidy for paddy farmers to procure fertilisers in the upcoming Yala season. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on Monday sought the approval of the Cabinet to provide Rs.20, 000 per hectare as a financial subsidy for farmers, up to a maximum of two hectares to procure fertilisers during 2023 Yala season. Meanwhile, Prez Wickremesinghe sought approval of Cabinet to provide additional 850,000 low-income more..

Apr 5 (CT) The former Head of State�s involvement in Covid control made it difficult for those engaged in it to function to their fullest capacity, Secretary to the State Ministry of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva said. Dr. de Silva said yesterday that the advice which had been given to former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa on several matters including Covid control had cost him (Rajapaksa) his position as the Head of State. more..

Apr 5 (EN) Cabinet has approved payments for 48 days for those who went on no pay leave in their govt jobs to run for LG election earlier scheduled for March 9, Cabinet Spokesman said. The election, however, was not held as scheduled on March 9. The move comes amid street protests demanding to hold local polls as soon as possible with thousands of govt employees who had taken leave to contest in the LG polls were not allowed to join their former jobs officially amid delay to hold the polls. more..

Apr 5 (AD) SL Agripreneurs� Forum (SLAF), as the leading agribusiness association in SL, commends the Prez's plan to plant 3 million jackfruit trees as a part of the govt's food security program to create a local and foreign jackfruit market and to promote jackfruit among the SL people. This ambitious plan will not only help in addressing concerns regarding national food security but also boost the economy by creating new job opportunities and promoting agriculture-based industries. more..

Apr 5 (Island) A conflict between the IMF-prescribed economic reforms and the conduct of the Govt was in the making as the latter had failed to uphold rule of law more than six times during the past couple of months, Chief Opposition Whip and SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday. He said that the IMF had released the first tranche of its bailout package to Sri Lanka conditionally. more..

Apr 5 (DM) Action should be taken against the Principal of the Law College as he has defied the decision made by Parliament with regard to allowing students to sit for the exams in their respective mother tongues, several MPs alleged. MP Dayasiri Jayasekera requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene to take action against the principal as he had defied the decision made by Parliament. �Gazette notification under which a regulation was imposed to conduct law exams in English more..

Apr 5 (DM) Hollywood star Christian Bale who portrayed Bruce Wayne / Batman in The Dark Knight film trilogy was given a memorable Sri Lankan experience during a flight from Colombo to Male yesterday. SriLankan Airlines said they welcomed legendary actor Christian Bale on UL 115 of April 3, 2023. "It was our absolute pleasure to have presented him a memorable Sri Lankan experience on his journey. We anticipate welcoming him again" the airline said. more..

Apr 5 (CT) Supreme Court has informed that none of the clauses in the Central Bank Amendment Bill is inconsistent with the Constitution, Speaker announced to Parliament yesterday (3). Therefore, the Bill can be approved by a simple majority in Parliament, the Speaker said. Central Bank of SL Bill was presented to Parliament on 7 March by the Leader of the House Susil Premajayantha. This Bill was presented for ancillary matters, including the establishment of the Central Bank of SL, more..

Apr 5 (AD) Cabinet has given the nod to provide 10kg of rice per month to 850,000 more low-income families in the country. On 16 Jan, cabinet approval was given to provide 2 million low-income families with a rice quota of 10kg for a two-month period. However, the govt has identified that there are 850,000 more low-income families on the waiting list and that they should also be included in the proposed program. Thereby, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by Prez more..

Apr 5 (TM) The Convenor of the Collective of All Trade Unions, Ravi Kumudesh said yesterday that they will continue their trade union actions further until the Govt decides to withdraw the new Anti-Terrorism Bill. He said this after a protest march organised by the Collective against the new Anti-Terrorism Bill yesterday (04) in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station. Members affiliated with nearly 100 trade unions participated in this protest. more..