Dec 8 (EN) The ruling SLPP enjoys great demand from potential presidential candidates, and the party will have to take a call on working with incumbent Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Namal Rajapaksa said. Rajapaksa claimed several names have come up concerning the SLPP�s candidate at next year�s presidential election. �There is great demand: entrepreneurs, businessmen, politicians, are all there. There are presidents too, ready to come forward with our party,� he said. more..

Dec 8 (AD) Vice Chancellor of Uni of Kelaniya has issued an announcement on the reopening of the faculties, following the temporary closure earlier this week. As such, the Faculties of Science, Computer Technology, and Management Studies will be reopened on Dec 11 (Monday). Meanwhile, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities is slated to reopen on Dec 18. All faculties of Kelaniya Uni, excluding the Faculty of Medicine, were closed on Monday (4) until further notice after more..

Dec 8 (FT) LTTE leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran, his spouse Madhivadhani Erambu, daughter Thuvaraka and sons Charles Anthony and Balachandran along with thousands of other Tamils died in the final phase of the armed conflict at Mullivaaikkaal in the Karaithuriaipattru AGA division of Mullaitheevu district in May 2009. Though 14 years have passed since the war ended, there are many who claim that more..

Dec 8 (DM) Acknowledging that there has been a scam in connection with the reversing of inferior quality organic fertilizer from China and making a payment of USD 6.7 million to the supplier, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said only a group of state officials have been involved in it, according to initial investigations. Responding to an oral question raised by MP Dayasiri Jayasekera in Parliament, Minister said the initial reports have revealed that no politicians are involved in the scam. more..

Dec 8 (AD) Defence Ministry has granted permission to the CID to detain the two notorious underworld figures Harak Kata and Kudu Salindu for another 90 days. CID has communicated this to the Colombo Fort Magistrate�s Court. On Dec 6, the Court of Appeal ordered the CID to produce Harak Kata before a suitable Magistrate�s Court if the evidence against him is insufficient to keep him in custody on detention orders. Nadun Chinthaka alias Harak Kata and his infamous accomplice more..

Dec 8 (AD) Dept of Census & Statistics has confirmed a significant decrease in SL�s annual birth rate between 2019 and 2022. Accordingly, data gathered by the dept showed that while there has been a continuous decrease in birth rates since 2014, SL�s annual birth rate has had a drastic drop between 2019 and 2022. There is a decrease of 6,401 in the number of registered births reported in 2023 and 2022, more..

Dec 8 (TM) Claiming that the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus is not interested in standing up for injustices against women including women MPs, the State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage, presently suspended from Parliament for one month over a disciplinary incident, said that she had decided to boycott the meetings of the said Caucus. She said that the Caucus had done nothing when woman MPs including her were subjected to harassment. more..

Dec 8 (AD) The operating hours of liquor stores and other liquor licensed establishments have been amended, with effect from 9 Dec, the Excise Dept reported. Accordingly, foreign liquor retail shops (FL4 licence) will now be open from 8 a.m. � 10 p.m. Meanwhile, Tourist board-approved hotels with FL7 and FL8 liquor licenses (hotels with 3 stars and above) can now operate from 10 a.m. � 2 a.m., while all other hotels have been permitted to sell liquor between 10 a.m. and 12 a.m. more..

Dec 8 (EN) A collective of postal workers� unions has demanded a 20,000-rupee pay rise for SL�s public sector workers during a protest held against purported govt plans to convert a colonial-era post office into a private-run hotel. United Front of Postal Unions Secretary Sampath C Liyanage told reporters at the protest, held in Battaramulla, Colombo, Friday Dec 8 morning, that govt workers haven�t received a pay rise in about eight years despite the increase in cost of living, more..

Dec 8 (DM) SL has been chosen to host the 37th session of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference (APRC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to be held from 19th to 22nd February 2024 in Colombo. FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve food security and nutrition. Asia Pacific Regional Conference will enable ministers of agriculture and high officials from 46 member countries more..

Dec 8 (DN) Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Sustainable Development which met under the Chairmanship of MP Ajith Mannapperuma, further discussed regarding the reduction of plastic and polythene use and the development of the recycling process in SL. A group of officials representing Ministry of Environment, Central Environment Authority, SL Customs and more..

Dec 8 (CT) Senior officers of the Army informed the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) that providing a daily diet containing 3,400 kilocalories to soldiers has become challenging due to the present economic crisis. They highlighted that this situation is adversely impacting the morale and physical fitness of military personnel. It was also revealed at the committee meeting that nearly 30,000 soldiers have left the Army since 2021. COPF Chairman, Dr. Harsha de Silva, expressed concern, more..

Dec 8 (EN) Sri Lanka will soon award the management of Mattala International Airport to a private investor on a 30-year contract, Ports and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. Investors have responded to a call for expressions of interest he said. �We expect to give the whole airport on a management contract for about 30 years,� Minister de Silva told parliament Friday. �We called for investors. Investors have come. By next week we will be able to finalize it.� more..

Dec 8 (CT) CEB Engineers� Union (CEBEU) has voiced apprehensions about the restructuring of the CEB, expressing concerns over the approval of the proposed Electricity Sector Reforms Bill by the Cabinet. They cite a distinct lack of transparency and consultation throughout the process. Despite assurances from Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, regarding the provision of the Bill�s copy after Cabinet approval, more..

Dec 8 (Island) Court of Appeal has asked Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage to promote petitioner Brig. Chandana Ranaweera to the rank of Maj. Gen. with effect from 1 Jan, 2021. Court of Appeal bench consisting of Justices Nissanka Karunaratne and Chamath Moraes has also directed that the petitioner, an officer of the Light Infantry, be paid salary, etc., he is entitled to as a Major General, with effect from that day. The ruling pertained to a fundamental rights application filed by more..

Dec 8 (CT) Health Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala and Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena paid a surprise visit to the Accident Service of the National Hospital, Colombo. A senior spokesman for the Health Ministry said, the two had examined the services carried out by the health service staff including the X-ray and CT scan examinations. He noted that the visit had been carried out on the instructions of Health Minister, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. more..

Dec 8 (PMD) In a significant diplomatic encounter, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in discussions with a diverse delegation representing Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and esteemed Buddhist monks. Meeting took place at a pivotal juncture, where the Joint Himalayan Declaration was formally presented to the Prez. Joint Himalayan Declaration, a collaborative effort between GTF and Buddhist delegation, advocates for a pluralistic SL that actively promotes the well-being of all more..

Dec 8 (AD) The Colombo District Court on Friday issued an injunction against SLVLOG Pod Talks, a political and current affairs talk show aired by the SLVLOG YouTube channel. The relevant order was issued when a complaint filed by Power House Ltd, the parent company of the Derana Group of companies, against Hasalaka Thushara, demanding a compensation of Rs. 500 million, was taken up in court this morning. The complaint was filed by the media conglomerate after an episode more..

Dec 8 (ADB) Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $200 million concessional loan to the Govt of SL to help stabilize the country�s finance sector following the sovereign debt and economic crises that started in April 2022 when it suspended its external debt payments. Financial Sector Stability and Reforms Program comprises two subprograms of $200 million each. Subprogram 1 targets short-term stabilization and more..

Dec 8 (TM) Dept of Police is to look into the possibility of withdrawing STF officers from their duties in expressways in order to deploy them in more productive endeavours. Measures will be taken to withdraw the STF cops from expressways once the Dept receives the approval of the relevant authorities in this regard. This decision has been in the making for many years since the Dept has identified the importance of obtaining the maximum service from STF cops who are deployed more..

Dec 8 (AD) A Presidential election is slated to take place in 2024, and will be followed by the Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections, President Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed. Speaking further in this regard, the Head of State noted that only thereafter can constitutional amendments or the drafting of a new constitution take place. �My idea is to hold the Presidential election next year followed by parliamentary elections and then the Provincial Council elections; more..

Dec 8 (TM) Minister of Health, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana has expressed regret to the concerned medical specialists regarding a statement made by SJB MP, Thalatha Athukorala that they (the specialists) are against providing general wards at the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital to establish a professorial unit of the Faculty of Medicine of the Uni of Sabaragamuwa. Speaking in Parliament, Athukorala said that more..

Dec 8 (DM) Attorney General informed the Supreme Court today that the Constitutional Council headed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana has decided not to proceed with its earlier decision, calling for a report from the Chief Justice seeking information about the performance of a judge nominated for promotion to the SC. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appearing for the Attorney General made these remarks when the Fundamental Rights petition filed by more..

Dec 8 (DM) Galle Udugama Primary Hospital inaugurated its newly constructed Oxygen Generation Plant building supported by the Government of Canada providing a financial contribution of Rs. 200 million through UNICEF. The unveiling ceremony witnessed the presence of Christian Skoog, UNICEF's representative in SL, Eric Walsh, the Canadian Ambassador to SL and the Maldives and Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, the Minister of Health. more..

Dec 9 (ST) Jayantha is from a village in Kandy and works as an office assistant in a university in Colombo. He is a father of two little children, while he must look after his elderly mother, who is sick too. As Jayantha is working in Colombo, his wife must attend to all family matters at home, including children�s schooling and her mother-in-law�s treatments. Jayantha�s immediate superior is a professor and the head of a department of studies in the uni. Intermittently, he has expressed his more..

Dec 9 (CT) In order to meet the revenue targets stipulated by the IMF, the Govt recently announced that the VAT will be increased from 15% to 18%, effective from 1 Jan 2024. The imminent increase will mark an all-time high in the last 20 years of VAT increase. The daunting news comes against the backdrop of a remarkable 51% increase in tax receipts in the first nine months of the year. Surprisingly, or rather unsurprisingly, Govt has still not been able to meet the IMF targets more..

Dec 9 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe who attended the UN COP 28 Summit in Dubai returned home, after completing his assignment successfully, at dawn last Tuesday. In the afternoon he headed to the Parliament as the weekly Cabinet meeting had also been fixed at the Complex amidst the ongoing budget debate. Even before he had arrived there his Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Ashu Marasinghe was present with a cake more..

Dec 9 (CT) Just think� A land where a 45-year political hack who not only lost his seat at the elections but his entire party being appointed the executive head of a broken, bankrupt nation by the very crooks who ruined it! A land that was proud of being the more prosperous of the few in South Asia not so long ago is now classed as a failed and bankrupt nation. A land where people has gotten poorer to the rock bottom and any anger they display at the main Street is crushed with more..

Dec 9 (GV) As we approach the end of 2023 and with about a year to go for the next presidential election due before end 2024, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s frequent refrain and indeed the rationale for his administration is the revival of the national economy after it was spectacularly destroyed by his predecessor�s administration, ironically elected on the platform of bringing about vistas of prosperity and splendor. Instead, the third Rajapaksa administration bankrupted state, more..

Dec 9 (TM) Discrimination faced by Sri Lanka�s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer and questioning (LGBTIQ) community members remains prevalent in several areas of the health sector across the country. While certain areas such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention and care have evolved with more awareness, other areas in the healthcare sector await further progress. more..

Dec 9 (FT) Ranil Wickremesinghe�s second Budget would soon go through its third reading and be passed without any hassle. It was claimed that 83% of the previous Budget had already been implemented. But who did the calculation and on what basis no one knows. However, IMF was disappointed with the failure to reach the revenue target set by that Budget, and raised serious concerns over poor governance. This means the expected reversal of the deficit to reach more..

Dec 9 (FT) I was invited to deliver the keynote speech on Citizens and CSO Role in Accountability and Governance by the Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya at its 67th Annual Conference held recently. This article is based on my speech. Sarvodaya Sangamaya is the largest civil society covering more than 15,000 villages for the promotion of good governance devoid of violence. I was intrigued by a statement made by the Buddhist priest who participated in a Dhamma more..

Dec 9 (ST) SL�s private sector has not internalised the deep trouble the country still is in, despite the relief from the acute hardships faced last year. �Just because gas is freely available, there are no fuel queues and there isn�t a scarcity of goods, SL is not out of the woods. What happens in politics impacts the economy � what happens in the economy impacts politics. There is nothing called an economy, it is just a political economy,� Director General State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Restructuring Unit more..

Dec 9 (FT) Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told Parliament yesterday that a committee headed by a judge has been appointed to conduct an independent probe into the incident relating to the Chinese fertiliser ship. The committee members were scheduled to be appointed yesterday, and the Minister said subsequent steps regarding the ship would be determined based on the recommendations put forth by the committee. Minister made this statement in response to more..

Dec 9 (ST) Sri Lanka will lose an estimated US$ 22mn�approximately Rs.7bn�in direct and indirect income following International Cricket Council�s (ICC) decision to shift the U-19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa. The 16-team tournament was originally scheduled from Jan 13 to Feb 4 across five venues in Colombo. But the escalation of hostilities between then Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and SLC more..