Feb 17 (CT) Govt of SL's face value money printing (FVMP) debt decreased for the sixth consecutive market day to Wednesday, this time by 0.01% (Rs 14.03 million) to Rs 2,914,890.04 million (Rs 2.9149 T), thereby marginally defraying demand pull inflationary pressure. In the six consecutive market days to Wednesday, GoSL�s FVMP debt has fallen by 5.62% (Rs 173,538.13 million). Complementing these developments, on Monday, GoSL�s FVMP debt for the first time after 223 calendar days more..

Feb 17 (DN) Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel for the first time will diversify to the leisure sector by tying up with a leading boutique hotel operator, said Chairman SLT-Mobitel, Rohan Fernando. He said that SLT-Mobitel will provide some of the unused land from their premises on a long term basis to this international company. �They in turn will either build on the land provided by us or improve existing premises (where there is a building) to international standards and market it globally.� more..

Feb 17 (DM) Environmentalists have expressed concern about the ongoing environmental damage to the Karandagaswewa Forest Reserve, a highly sensitive environmental zone by the upcoming Deep Jungle Music and Cultural Festival which is scheduled to kick off in Habarana tomorrow. They said that both the wildlife and the life of foreign tourists would be in danger if the concert goes ahead as planned. more..

Feb 17 (AD) Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe says the govt has requested the Ministry of Finance to look into how the upcoming local govt election can be financed in order to safeguard the people�s franchise. He said funding for the election has become problematic due to an unprecedented economic crisis which has never been experienced during the time of any election. Dr. Rajapakshe also noted that the Election Commission is vested with the powers to make decisions on holding more..

Feb 17 (Island) The electricity tariff hike will have a devastating impact on exporters and others who are involved in the real economy, Chairperson of SL United National Businesses Alliance (SLUNBA), Tania Abeysundara says. She said yesterday that Sri Lankan manufacturers were already at a disadvantage in competing with their fellow South Asian counterparts. With the latest electricity tariff hike, the cost of production in Sri would be higher than anywhere else in South Asia. more..

Feb 17 (Island) Acting on a complaint, CIABOC arrested a pharmacist attached to Apeksha hospital, Maharagama. The arrest was made outside the hospital as the pharmacist sold a cancer drug for Rs 21,000. After initial questioning, the suspect led the CIABOC team to his residence, where a large stock of medicines issued by Govt Medical Supplies Division (MSD) and medicine received from donors were found. CIABOC official said that the racket had been going on for some time more..

Feb 17 (EN) SL�s energy intensives firms say they are struggling to face the latest electricity tariff hike amid worries over losing competitiveness. The state-run CEB has raised the tariff by 66 percent with effect from February 15 after a dragged clash between the CEB and the power regulator, Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL). �Already the Prices are up and we don�t actually know whether we might go for an increment or we are going to stay at the same price for now,� Ishaq Muzzammil, more..

Feb 17 (TM) Govt Printer Gangani Liyanage stated that main reason for the delay in the printing of the ballot papers for the postal voting at the LG poll is that despite many requests made to Police Dept, including to the IGP Chandana Wickramaratne by both the Election Commission (EC) and Govt Printing Dept to provide security for the ballot printing process, Police personnel are yet to be deployed for the same. more..

Feb 17 (FT) PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake declared that he wasn�t responsible for the decisions taken by the Govt to increase electricity tariff as well as assurance of uninterrupted supply now onwards. �As PUCSL Chairman I am not responsible but other Commissioners who rejected the alternative proposal of a lower hike are responsible and should be held accountable in the future,� he said. He also said that Govt arbitrary actions are undermining the value for and disrespecting mechanism more..

Feb 17 (TM) While the All Ceylon Canteen Owners' Association (ACCOA) has decided to raise the prices of lunch packets, fried rice, and kottu by 10% following the electricity tariffs being raised by 66% by the CEB, with effect from midnight yesterday, All Ceylon Bakery Owners' Association (ACBOA) stated however, that the prices of bakery products including bread will not increase. ACCOA Prez Asela Sampath said that although the gas prices were increased previously, canteen owners did not increase more..

Feb 17 (FT) Govt announced that an uninterrupted power supply will be provided countrywide upon the approval for higher electricity tariff revision by the PUCSL. Prez yesterday issued a directive to Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and relevant CEB officials to ensure an uninterrupted power supply for electricity users. He was also instructed to provide concessions for low-income families and provide solar rooftop systems more..

Feb 17 (TM) A man has died after being gunned down in Boragodawatta, Minuwangoda area last night. The deceased was identified as a notorious drug dealer named Prasad Priyankara alias Chanthu from Andiambalama, who was recently granted bail in a drug-related case. The 30-year-old, an accused in multiple crimes, is reportedly an accomplice of Heenatiyana Mahesh who operates his drug syndicate from Dubai, UAE. Chanthu had previously injured a police officer more..

Feb 17 (FT) The present crisis is complex and structural since it has its own interrelations with three key pillars, social, political, and economic. So, the IMF is just a minor portion of the total response for this crisis. Other parts should be implemented by the Prez and this unpopular govt which is highly unlikely under today�s situation. On the macro front, according to the IMF, SL�s tax-to-GDP ratio is among the lowest in the world. Some of the key factors in SL tax system are low rates, small base, more..

Feb 17 (DM) National Organiser of SJB Women's Wing former MP Hirunika Premachandra and nine others were today granted bail by Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court for allegedly committing offences during a protest held in July last year. Ten suspects including Hirunika Premachandra were present before Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage over an incident where they had staged a protest near the Prez�s official residence in Fort after obstructing police officers from carrying out more..

Feb 17 (FT) This is a response to a Briefing Paper (No. 8 dated Nov 2022) written by Umesh Moramudali and Thilina Panduwawala entitled �Evolution of Chinese Lending to Sri Lanka since the mid-2000s � Separating Myth from Reality� published by the China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI) of the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at the John Hopkins University (JHU) in the US. Moramudali and Panduwawala (2022: 33) maintain that there is nothing obscure about more..

Feb 17 (AD) The postal voting of the 2023 LG Election has been postponed until further notice, the Election Commission announced today. Announcing the decision, Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake mentioned that the election body has not received the postal voting ballots from the Dept of Govt Printing on time. The postal voting of the upcoming LG election, which is scheduled for March 9, more..

Feb 17 (DM) Due to a recent increase in the electricity tariff, the All Island Communication Owners� Association (AICOA) has decided to increase photocopy and printout charges by Rs. 5. ACCOA chairman Indrajith Perera told the media that they are in a critical situation providing the service with the increase in the electricity tariff by 66%. He stated that their business is currently suffering as a result of the suspension of imports and an increase in taxes on imported items more..

Feb 17 (NR) A visiting delegation of Israeli officials have assured Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara, that 2,000 job opportunities will be made available for female caregivers from Sri Lanka, this year. The delegation comprising Director of Israel�s Population and Migration Institute Shiely Raisin Sason and members Zindani Mary, Yaccow Kabilau, and Margarita Gaorodnitsky and several others met Minister Nanayakkara yesterday (16). more..

Feb 17 (AD) Permission has been given to import eggs to Sri Lanka, however, these stocks will only be available for the bakery industry, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says. His remarks came during a discussion held at the Agriculture Ministry on Thursday during which the focus fell on importing eggs and the measures that need to be taken for livestock development. Amaraweera stresses that imported eggs more..

Feb 17 (EN) Stocks edged up at close on Friday mainly pushed up by the price gains in banking and the financial sectors as well as the positive macroeconomics sentiments, analysts said. ASPI gained 0.06% or 5.31 points to 8,848.36, its highest since February 13. �ASPI edged up as a result of price gains in counters such as Commercial Bank, Hatton National Bank and Melstacorp,� an analyst said. During the week the ASPI and the S&P SL20 lost 1% and 1.6% respectively. more..

Feb 17 (TM) The persecution I am facing along with my colleagues is because of a personal vendetta towards me by Ranil Rajapaksa and he is just doing the dirty laundry of the Rajapaksa family, says SVB leader Hirunika Premachandra. "Not even Gotabaya Rajapaksa is this offended by our protests outside his residence, whereas Ranil Rajapaksa is highly offended and is taking revenge. Even if Ranil is doing the dirty laundry of Rajapaksa's, he doesn't need to make such an effort to silence me. more..

Feb 17 (AD) Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana has informed the National Election Commission of the difficulties in funding the 2023 LG polls. The election body says that the Treasury Secretary has cited the current adverse financial situation and the administrative decision taken by the govt to allocate funds only for essential services as the reasons for the inability to release the funds required for the election. Treasury Secretary conveyed this to election body�s chairman, more..

Feb 17 (NR) The study into the practical issues and difficulties that have arisen regarding the contribution and future plans of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission in promoting investments in the country has been discussed at the Parliament Select Committee to study practical problems and difficulties that have arisen in relation to enhancing the rank in the Ease of Doing Business Index in SL and make its proposals and recommendations. Select Committee convened recently more..

Feb 17 (EN) Days after he lambasted the govt for its tax policy, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa defended progressive taxation noting a serious income inequality in the crisis-hit South Asian nation. In a meeting held in Kandy with the city�s business community, Premadasa said SJB has a team of politicians who are experts on economic policy formulation. �There is serious imbalance (inequality) in our country. more..

Feb 17 (FT) Browns Hotels & Resorts embraced the new year with another accreditation as its properties were recognised with the Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2023. This notable award is an annual appreciation program for hospitality partners with outstanding services, determined by the review scores that travellers leave after their stay. To be recognised with an award globally, accommodation partners had to have an average review score of 8 (out of 10) or higher, as of 11:59 p.m. (GMT) more..

Feb 17 (EN) SL�s tea exports 9.4% from a year ago to 17.56 million kilograms in Jan 2023, as plants were hit by the lagged effect of a chemical fertilizer and weedicide. Due to a collapse of the currency from 200 to 360 to the US after a two years of money printing to suppress rates as well as global rise in commodity prices due to loose US policy, rupee earnings rose 96% to 17.7 billion rupees. Export earnings were US$ 99.56 million in Jan 2023 up from US$ 91.93 million a year earlier. more..

Feb 17 (TM) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday (16) stated that connecting the national energy grid of SL with the Indian grid will not cause any risk. Responding to a query on the possibility of a risk arising in connecting the SL energy grid with India, Wijesekera said: �I don�t see any risk, because, if every other country has connected, what�s the risk for SL in connecting the grid? When the other countries are getting more..

Feb 17 (GDI) Embassy of SL in Iran, with the assistance of the Association of Air Transport & Tourism Agencies of Iran and the SL Tea Board, successfully organized SL's participation in the 16th Tehran Int'l Exhibition of Tourism and Related Industries held from 07-10 February 2023 at the Tehran Int'l Fairground in Iran. More than 30,000 visitors representing 45 countries participated in the event and about 200 domestic and foreign exhibitors including Tehran based diplomatic missions, more..

Feb 17 (DM) The heart of a Sri Lankan lady living in Ankara, Turkey has melted for the victims of the deadly earthquake which killed as many as 35,000 people (the number expected to rise further). Dilhani Chandrakumar who has lived in that country for eight years working as a project manager offered to help. She, along with her husband, was connected to the Salvation Church Association carrying out humanitarian tasks such as caregiving for the affected. more..

Feb 17 (EN) More SL tax payers have disputed tax claims and penalties decided by IRD, official data showed, as many taxpayers have not agreed to the tax authorities� calculations. By the end of 2021, the IRD data showed the island nation�s taxpayers had not paid 368.3 billion rupees of their tax dues. The IRD had also imposed a total penalty of 251.5 billion rupees for delayed or non-payment of tax. The total overdue tax and penalty recorded by end 2021 was 620 billion rupees. more..

Feb 17 (DM) A Colombo Magistrate today ordered police to provide court a list of names of doctors to select a 5-member panel of doctors to be appointed to conduct the post-mortem inquiry of leading businessman Dinesh Schaffter. Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasooriya made this direction to the CID during the magisterial inquiry into the suspicious death of Dinesh Schaffter apparently attacked and abandoned in Colombo Kanatte burial Grounds under mysterious circumstances. more..

Feb 17 (Island) Rebel SLPP MP Prof. G.L. Peiris says that the recent resignation of Ministers Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa & Ali Sabry, from a ministerial subcommittee inquiring into procurement of coal for Lakvijaya coal-fired power plant complex at Norochcholai revealed the failure on their part to take tangible action against corruption. Prof. Peiris said that the two Prez�s Counsel couldn�t absolve themselves of the responsibility for more..

Feb 17 (DN) A news was reported from the Borella Police where a woman arrived at the Borella Police Station OIC Janaka Vithanage�s room carrying a pair of dentures asking for justice, stating that she had collected money little by little and bought a pair of dentures for Rs. 53,000 but that it lasted only five months before it fell into her basin of gram. She had said that she was 58 years old and stated �Sir, we are women, just because we sell gram, it does not mean that we do not want to look good. more..

Feb 17 (AD) Court of Appeal has rejected the writ application challenging the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to approve the electricity tariff hike proposed by the CEB without taking it up for consideration. Electricity Consumers� Association and Centre for Environmental Justice had filed the writ application against the CEB�s electricity tariff hike proposal which sought to increase the charges by 66%. The writ application was called before the Appeals Court judge bench more..

Feb 17 (TM) Medical professionals have alleged that the Ministry of Health had decided to postpone surgeries, which the Ministry claimed to be non-essential and non-urgent based on medical advice in view of the shortage of pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment, without consulting the relevant parties including general surgeons. Specialist Dr. Ajith Amarasinghe, representing the 43rd Brigade led by Opposition MP more..