Dec 3 (EN) SL�s smuggling of ulundu (vigna mungu) triggered by import controls and high taxes apparently initiated in a nationalist autarky drive came under fire from an opposition legislator representing the minority community. Protectionist taxes to give unfair profits to import substituting domestic producers have tended to drive smuggling, under in-voicing and corruption of customs authorities. �There is no permission to import ulundu or greengram,� MP Chanakyan more..

Dec 3 (ENS) Though half a century has lapsed since India signed the Indo-SL agreements (Sirimavo-Shastri Pact of 1964 and Sirima-Gandhi Pact of 1974) to resolve the status of Indian Origin Tamils (IOT) in SL, Indian govt has still not fulfilled its treaty obligations, observed the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Thursday. "While India was obliged to repatriate and grant citizenship to not less than six lakh IOTs from SL, as of date only 4,61,639 IOTs have been conferred with Indian citizenship," more..

Dec 3 (TM) Income tax files have been opened for all MPs, as stated by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). This was revealed at a workshop conducted last week by the IRD on the completion and submission of the annual income report to the IRD online. IRD stated that failure to complete the report for the year 2022/2023, i.e., from 1 April 2022 to 31 Mar 2023, would result in the imposition of a fine of Rs. 50,000. more..

Dec 3 (SO) A comprehensive census on various buildings, business premises and houses constructed on railway reserves on the coastal line from Colombo Fort to Panadura has begun. Minister Bandula Gunawardena has instructed the Divisional Secretaries and Railway authorities to present a full report within the next two weeks. The Minister has also instructed the General Manager of Railways to submit recommendations with modern technology to carry out railway reserve measurement work more..

Dec 3 (ANI) Indian PM Narendra Modi met with Prez Ranil Wickeremesinghe, during the UB Climate Change Conference held in Expo City, Dubai. The encounter occurred during the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Expo City, Dubai," posted the SL President's Media Division of Sri Lanka on X. The rendezvous between Prez Wickremesinghe and PM Modi marked a notable interaction during the international summit, emphasising the shared commitment of more..

Dec 3 (AD) A group of at least 180 university students, who were stranded in the Hanthana mountain range during a hike, have been rescued. They were found during a search and rescue operation jointly carried out by the army and police. According to reports, the group comprised students of the Kelaniya University�s Faculty of Medicine in Ragama. The thick fog in the area had initially made it difficult for the rescuers to locate the stranded students. more..

Dec 3 (Island) SLPP MP Gamini Lokuge on Friday in parliament challenged Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa to prove his educational qualifications to the House. Lokuge said that he knew that all MPs in the House have more educational qualifications than Premadasa�s father who had once been the executive president of this country. �The opposition leader goes on as if he is the only one educated person in this House denigrating all others of their qualifications. more..

Dec 3 (TM) National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is set to introduce a new pricing mechanism for pharmaceutical items from next year. NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said that the pricing mechanism was still under discussion and was expected to be drafted by early next year, following final consultations with the ministry. Currently, the Maximum Retail Price has been defined more..

Dec 3 (TM) Issues relating to the Chairman of the COPE will be addressed at the upcoming meeting this week, according to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. Speaker said that all concerns would be thoroughly discussed during the meeting scheduled for this week. On 17 Nov, the Speaker announced the cancellation of all COPE meetings until further notice, stating that the committee would not convene until matters regarding its Chairman had been resolved. more..

Dec 3 (TM) Water tariffs will not see an immediate increase despite the recent electricity price hikes, according to NWSDB Chairman Nishantha Ranatunga. He confirmed that the revision of water tariffs was not presently under discussion, but hinted at potential adjustments in the future and stated that the price revision formula was in the process of being finalised. A senior official at NWSDB also said that a proposed formula for tariff increments was under careful consideration. more..

Dec 3 (DM) Govt is reportedly considering decisive action against a high-ranking officer within the Excise Dept following allegations of soliciting bribes from liquor manufacturing companies. Source close to the Finance Ministry have disclosed that the implicated officer is accused of seeking cash inducements in connection with the suspension or revocation of liquor manufacturing licenses. Accused official�s questionable practices involve capitalizing on the closure of one company�s operations. more..

Dec 3 (ST) The Govt will introduce a visa policy this month in a fresh bid to attract investors, tourists, and online workers operating from Sri Lanka. Among the categories to be introduced are investment visas, digital Nomad residence visas for foreign online workers, Port City Commission residence visas and permanent residence visas for foreign spouses of Sri Lankans. Under another category, foreign students will be facilitated to complete the entire period of study making a one-time payment of US$ 200 more..

Dec 3 (ST) The Court of Appeal in a landmark judgment this week ruled that there cannot be any restrictions for a marriage entered into in Sri Lanka to be dissolved in a competent court in a foreign country if such court opines that such dissolution could be permitted under its laws. Till now, divorces obtained in foreign courts by Sri Lankans who married in Sri Lanka and moved overseas were not accepted here. more..

Dec 3 (CT) Despite an expenditure of Rs 9.7 billion on the Moragolla hydropower plant construction project, from 2018 to 2022, its physical progress stands at a mere 45%, Ceylon Today reliably learns. Moragolla hydropower plant construction, with an estimated cost of Rs 19,288 million, is being executed by the CEB, supported by a loan from the ADB. The project commenced under the management of a Chinese contracting company and engineering consultant company of CEB. more..

Dec 3 (CT) Although Rs 360 million has been allocated to initiate the four-year e-Motoring project, starting from 2018, Dept of Motor Traffic (DMT) has failed to utilise even Rs 1 million of that, National Audit Office, in its annual financial report for 2022 revealed. The report that showed although a total of Rs 360 million was allocated for the e-motoring project between 2018 and 2022, only Rs 0.18 million has been spent thus far. Audit Report emphasised that despite the allocation of funds, more..

Dec 3 (ST) A move by the Constitutional Council to introduce Rules on the discharge of its duties and functions brought the executive and the legislature to an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation last week. The matter, which reached a flashpoint, was resolved only after one side, this time the CC, blinked. At issue was the draft 56-page Rules which the CC has sent the Govt Printer for publication in the gazette. more..

Dec 4 (CT) Ranil Wickremesinghe�s second budget would soon go through its third reading and be passed without any hassle. It was claimed that 83 percent 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 deficit to reach 2.5% more..

Dec 4 (ST) My dear Roshan, I am writing to congratulate you on being sacked as the Minister of Sports. After battling Shammi, you again proved what we knew: We can change Presidents, govts, ministers and SL�s status with the ICC, but we can�t change who runs cricket in Paradise. That is why the lifespan of our sports ministers are very short. In the past 8 years, we have had 9 Sports Ministers: Mahindananda, Naveen, Dayasiri, Faiszer, Harin, Dullas, Namal baby, you & now Harin again. more..

Dec 4 (ST) The normally affable Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakshe was a frustrated man yesterday as he reacted angrily after being interrupted when speaking in Parliament. Mr. Rajapakshe, who chaired the special committee appointed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to probe the brawl that took place in Parliament�s lobby on Oct 20, was making a point on the floor of the House when he was interrupted by angry exchanges more..

Dec 4 (DM) In April 2022, our country declared it would be defaulting on its external debt of $51 billion. A result of domestic economic mismanagement and a drop in foreign currency reserves. In turn this led to shortages of imported food, medicines as well as fuel and gas which devastated living standards in the country. The country�s hospitals began running out of even basic medicines, while at the same time surgeries could not be performed due to a rolling power cuts more..

Dec 4 (DM) Cricket still takes up valuable Parliamentary time. Before we delve into today�s main topic, let�s spare a few lines for the Game. The legendary Dr. W.G. Grace was known for his remarkable skills and memorable incidents. In a county match in 1870; on being bowled Grace said, �T was the wind which took thy bail off, good sir.� Umpire replied, �Indeed, doctor, and let us hope thy wind helps the doctor on thy journey back to the pavilion.� Sagala, helped by Roshan�s coach, more..

Dec 4 (TM) According to the emergency rapid assessment conducted by the International Federation of Red Cross in 2022, an estimated 2.3 million children � nearly half of all children in SL � require some form of humanitarian support, said ChildFund International Asia Region Regional Director Hanneke Oudkerk, said. Oudkerk added that according to the Probation Dept and the National Child Protection Authority, more..

Dec 4 (TM) We all know of someone who has suffered from sexual harassment in their workplace or have experienced it ourselves. Sexual harassment is prevalent not only in workplaces, but also in public transport, public venues, and even in schools and the higher education system in SL. Sexual harassment in the workplace is a worldwide problem and affects both women and men. In SL, one of the key reasons for low female participation in the workforce is the prevalence of more..

Dec 4 (TM) In the turbulent seas of SL politics, a new wave is rising, personified by Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), a man whose journey from the ranks of the humble to the forefront of national consciousness reflects the evolving soul of a nation yearning for change. AKD�s political maturation has been both profound and public. Educated at the University of Kelaniya, he emerged as a seasoned participant in the political arena, reshaping his image from the grassroots level upwards. more..

Dec 4 (ST) Attorney General has made arrangements to adopt facial recognition identification technology into the country�s justice system for the first time during the Trial-at-Bar on the killings of MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his bodyguard. The technology will be used to positively identify the accused who have been indicted before the 3-judge High Court Trial-at-Bar over the killings, which took place on May 9 last year in Nittambuwa during the height of the Aragalaya. more..

Dec 4 (ST) Angelo Mathews and Wanindu Hasaranga have been listed among the registered players among a total of 1,166 players for the IPL auction, which is set to take place in Dubai on Dec 19. Mathews� name is among the list 25 players registered for the upcoming auction with a base price of Indian Rupees 2 crore, while Hasaranga, who was released by his former franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, is registered among the top 20 players with a base price of Rs 1.5 crore. more..

Dec 4 (ST) Slowly but surely SL�s health sector is beset by malaise due to the severe brain drain of medical specialists, the non-return of post-graduate specialist trainees, potential retirement of specialists who turn 60+ and those who join either universities or the private sector. While this is impacting the major hospitals, GMOA had pointed out to the Health Ministry that 40 small hospitals and medical units across the country including more..

Dec 4 (Island) Cricket Mafia is so powerful that it has brought the three branches of govt on a collision course. The Executive, which is sympathetic to the cricket nabobs under a cloud, has taken on legislators who are critical of them. The Opposition and dissident govt MPs have struck back and made some caustic remarks about the judiciary as well. Now, a case has been filed against MP Roshan Ranasinghe over an allegation he recently levelled against the judiciary while speaking in more..

Dec 4 (CT) A handful of mill owners controlling all the strings of paddy and rice operations in SL is not necessarily brand new information to the general public. In fact, this monopoly over rice has been going on for so long that it has now been more eloquently termed, Rice Mafia by many. As if on cue, during every festive season the spoils of the so-called rice mafia surfaces and this year around during the December season, it is the scarcity of the much in-demand rice variety, Keeri Samba. more..

Dec 4 (FT) The first-ever MICE tourism road map, outlining a visionary three-year plan for 2024- 2026 was unveiled by the SL Convention Bureau (SLCB) on 15 Nov. Bureau has outlined its ambitious target for 2026, aiming to generate 20% of tourist arrivals through MICE activities, projecting an 11% increase in MICE arrivals from 2023. One of the distinctive features of this initiative is the unprecedented collaboration between the public and private sectors, marking a significant milestone more..

Dec 4 (FT) Lanka Confectionery Manufacturers Association (LCMA) President S.D. Suriyakumar last week expressed grave concerns about the survival of its members in the face of mounting challenges, citing dilemma faced by both producers and consumers in a market struggling with economic pressures. �We have been in survival mode, but the very act of surviving has become increasingly difficult now,� he said. The industry exports $ 275 million worth of confectionery, but more..

Dec 4 (FT) �Corporates are poised with apprehension as the proposals outlined in Budget 2024 take effect with a sense of uncertainty clouding expectations for the upcoming fiscal year,� leading business magazine LMD reports, in its December edition. LMD states: �Optimism among business executives that the economy will improve over the next 12 months has diminished, falling to 8% in November. more..

Dec 4 (ST) More documentary evidence has emerged on the Health Ministry�s disastrous fast-track emergency procurement scheme that led to counterfeit drugs entering public sector hospitals. Letters between key officials show the plan was in place as early as September last year. That month, a Health Ministry Additional Secretary wrote to the Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) stating that it was decided at a meeting chaired by former Health Minister more..

Dec 4 (ST) A decade-old unfinished probe is being relooked at by the capital market regulator. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is determined to expedite the probes against capital market offenders that have been in their hands for nearly 10 years. The freshly opened ones deal in Employees Provident Fund (EPF) investments in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), banking sources revealed to the Business Times on Tuesday. Viraj Dayaratne, former Chairman SEC more..

Dec 4 (SCMP) A US-funded port project in SL that is partly owned by a private group close to India�s ruling party could signal a new form of partnership to counter growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The Adani Group, controlled by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and with businesses ranging from ports to edible oils, is developing the Colombo West International Terminal project in SL�s capital and holds a 51% stake in the project, more..

Dec 4 (AD) The matron of a juvenile detention centre at Islamabad in Kalmunai, who was arrested over the death of a 14-year-old detainee at the centre, has been ordered to be remanded until tomorrow (04), after being produced before the Kalmunai Magistrate�s Court today (03). The 28-year-old arrested woman is a resident of Trincomalee, police said. On Thursday morning (30), the warden of the juvenile detention centre in question had informed Kalmunai Police Station that a child, more..