Feb 24 (DM) The attitude in children in the future to study the history and politics of this island might change. People belonging to the older generations studied the history and politics of this nation with interest. They couldn�t help it if pride too crept in when doing so. But can we expect students belonging to the present generation to study these two subjects with the same eagerness when key political figures in their study worked against the welfare of the nation; some eventually more..

Feb 24 (CT) We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned by reports on the continuing pressure applied on the Election Commission to postpone the local govt elections, scheduled for 9th March 2023. It has also become clear that this pressure originates from sections of the govt, particularly from its executive branch. We vehemently condemn attempts by certain powerful sections of the political and bureaucratic elite to undermine the people�s franchise, sovereignty, and representative more..

Feb 24 (TM) Govt is planning to spend close to a billion rupees to upgrade the IT infrastructure at Dept of Immigration & Emigration, aimed at addressing the numerous system breakdowns that have inconvenienced thousands who are seeking new passports. On Monday (13), passport issuing services at the Dept of Immigration & Emigration came to a standstill due to another system breakdown. more..

Feb 24 (DM) Sunday Times reported in July (2022) about an investigation carried out by the Global Finance Integrity (GFI); a think tank based in Washington, USA operating with govt support. Its task is to keep an eye on the export trade of countries of the world. GFI observes whether money is properly exchanged between two countries during a trade. According to its observations, between 2009-2017, Govt of SL has not received more than US$ 36 billion due from exports. more..

Feb 24 (TM) The controversial situation surrounding the non-reappointment of SJB MP and economist Dr. Harsha de Silva as the COPF Chairman appears to have attracted the attention of many. This was, after news started circulating that SJB MP Mayantha Dissanayake was to be appointed as the COPF Chairman instead of Dr. de Silva, with the Govt�s blessing. �I have been removed from the Chair of the COPF. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe�s Govt appointed Dissanayake, more..

Feb 24 (CT) With the collapse of SL�s economy, the Pyramid and Ponzi scheme trend is once again on the rise, which is none other than an attempt to push the public, who are already in misery because of the increasing cost of living, from the frying pan into the fire. Ceylon Today revealed a failed attempt of social media scam named the WhaleBoost targeting the youth, via tik tok advertisements on 14 January, in the article more..

Feb 24 (CT) Dept of Examinations announced that the evaluation of GCE A/L Exam 2022 answer scripts will be postponed indefinitely. This, in return, will have ripple effects on all other crucial exams scheduled for this year, as well. These includ GCE A/L Exam 2023 in Aug and O/L Exam in Dec. Ceylon Teachers� Union (CTU), which has the largest teacher membership, said evaluation of A/L Exam answer scripts will be postponed indefinitely, owing to the lack of interest by teachers to apply more..

Feb 24 (ST) When the late PM of Japan, Shinzo Abe was elected to office in 2012, he had to deal with Japan�s unusual macroeconomic problem � deflation. Japan was a country that had been caught up in a deflationary problem since the 1990s. Deflation is the term for decline in average prices. Although consumers are cheerful about living in a situation with deflation, it is as bad as inflation, if not worse than inflation. In a deflationary situation, consumers anticipate lower prices in the more..

Feb 24 (FT) Under the Aarohi (to ascend) initiative of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), another group of identified middle management level women executives visited SL last week. Aarohi is a pioneering effort and Indian Oil�s Commitment to develop unique strengths in senior women executives aimed toward their all-round development and enhancing their leadership quality, so that they can ascend into significant leadership roles and contribute to the organisation more..

Feb 24 (FT) Ahead of the two million eggs cargo from India this weekend, the Govt has slashed the Special Commodity Levy on imported eggs. The Finance Ministry said the Special Commodity Levy has been reduced from Rs. 50 to Rs. 1. The levy has been reduced for a period of three months from 21 Feb. A shipment of two million eggs procured by the SL State Trading Corporation (STC) from India is scheduled to arrive this weekend. Considering the increase in prices and the shortage of eggs more..

Feb 24 (Island) SBJB MP Harsha de Silva said that he had asked the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration to seek IMF assistance in 2020. �At that time a U.S dollar was selling at Rs 200. The interest rates were around 6%. Inflation was around six percent. The situation is completely different today. Our interest rates are around 35% and the inflation is over 50%. Dollar sells at Rs 370. We have defaulted.� No foreign nation or int'l more..

Feb 24 (Island) Pride is said to come before a fall. A few months before his ouster, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa audaciously declared in public that his word had to take precedence over govt circulars, and the state officials had to do his bidding. Intoxicated with power, President Mahinda Rajapaksa went so far as to have Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake hounded out of her job for refusing to lick the Rajapaksas� sandals, and manipulated Parliament to compass that end. more..

Feb 24 (Island) Hopeless title since it connotes no hope. Thus Cassandra joins her front house neighbour�s refrain of a couple of months ago, when things were not so hopeless as now. He said, passing judgment on the govt: �Why won�t they let me die in peace? I have worked all my life earning income for the govt � earnestly and honestly. Now, I need peace and a sense of security. They prevent even that!� It is not only the old retired who appeal thus. Those who can, have deserted more..

Feb 24 (Island) SL cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka can use the WhatsApp messaging service and go out at night again after having his bail for rape charges varied. Gunathilaka, 31, applied to vary his bail in Sydney�s Downing Centre Local Court today. He is facing four counts of sexual intercourse without consent and has not yet entered a plea. After matching on Tinder, meeting up for a date and heading back to her home in Sydney�s eastern suburbs, the complainant alleges more..

Feb 24 (FT) Dipped Products PLC, a world-leading manufacturer of rubber gloves with a global market share of 5%, looks to diversify and seek new markets as SL exporters face an uphill battle against fiscal austerity measures. Currently having four glove manufacturing facilities in SL and one in Thailand, the fully-owned Hayleys PLC subsidiary, Dipped Products will unveil a new Rs. 1 billion facility at the Biyagama EPZ this April as it ventures into its newest product range, sports gloves. more..

Feb 24 (TM) More than 50 IUSF and IUBF activists, including IUSF convenor Wasantha Mudalige, were arrested by the Police during a protest at the Education Ministry premises against the closure of the Buddhist and Pali University of SL and the Govt�s failure to resolve other forms of issues which have arisen in the country. More than 50 IUSF and IUBF activists including Mudalige were holding a protest inside a section of more..

Feb 24 (AD) SL, amongst 5 other countries, is due to be reviewed in the upcoming session of the UNHRC on Int'l Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 137th session will be held from 27 Feb � 24 Mar, and will review the State reports of SL, Peru, Panama, Egypt, Zambia & Turkmenistan. All six countries are amongst the 173 members of the ICCPR, and are thus required to undergo regular reviews by the Committee of 18 independent int'l experts on the implementation of more..

Feb 24 (TM) The attention of the NWSDB has been focused on reducing the monthly expenditure of nearly Rs. 75 million for printing nearly three million bills which are issued to consumers. Deputy General Manager of the NWSDB, Piyal Pathmanatha said: �The NWSDB has to spend a large sum of money for printing bills. At present, nearly three million bills are being issued to consumers island-wide, and it costs nearly Rs. 25 to print one bill. The total cost of printing bills is about Rs. 75 million. more..

Feb 24 (TM) Attorney General (AG) Sanjay Rajaratnam yesterday informed the Supreme Court (SC) that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe would not place his signature on the verdicts delivered by any court of law in the country to implement the capital punishment. A total of 10 Fundamental Rights (FR) Petitions filed by several parties including the CPA, its Executive Director Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, and Attorney-at-Law Kavindu more..

Feb 24 (EN) Stocks gained at close on Thursday continuing on positive sentiments, mainly driven by the Capital goods, food and beverages and financial sectors. ASPI gained 1.05%, or 95.74 points, to reach 9,255.99, the highest for the year so far. �Investors are presently on a wait and see approach waiting for more macroeconomic cues to stimulate investing,� an analyst said. The wait and see approach was channeled after SL�s Supreme Court has ordered that a writ petition seeking more..

Feb 24 (DM) Sancharaka Udawa, SL�s premier travel and tourism fair, is scheduled to be held on May 19 and 20, this year, in Colombo, ending a 3-year hiatus. 10th edition of Sancharaka Udawa, organised by the SLAITO in collaboration with the SLTPB, will be held at the BIMCH. The event aims to provide a unique platform for all small and medium tourism service providers to exhibit their products and services and to network and build vital links with the tour operator community and public, more..

Feb 24 (DN) Two equally good teams Thurstan College and Isipathana College packed with spinners, will vie for major honours in the 60th annual Battle of the Brothers Inter-School Big Match at the SSC Grounds in Maitland Place today & tomorrow. This first Big Match for the current season, played for the coveted Blackam Wijewardena Trophy, will have a great amount of significance as the Grounds will be open for the spectators after a lapse of two years following more..

Feb 24 (Island) The govt was planning to reduce the salaries of those in the health sector by 15%, GMOA spokesman, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said yesterday. �On 13 Feb, the Secretary to the Ministry of Health issued a circular instructing the reduction of our salaries by 15%. The Ministry of Finance has only asked for a 6% cut and how can the Secretary to the Ministry of Health take such a decision?� he asked. Dr. Wijesinghe said that the entire health sector was already in crisis. more..

Feb 24 (TM) Following the appointment of SJB MP Mayantha Dissanayake as the Chairman of COPF yesterday, immediate past COPF Chairman, fellow SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva claimed that he had been illegitimately removed as he had become a headache to a bunch of rogues. In a statement issued in this regard, Dr. de Silva said: �The tax money of the people of a bankrupt country should be used in such a way that more..

Feb 24 (DM) Uncertainty looms on the appointment of MP Mayantha Dissanayake as the new Chairman of COPF as the MP saying he has no issue in resigning from the post in the midst of SJB insisting on appointing MP Harsha de Silva to the post. It was reported that Dissanayake was appointed as the Chairman while MP de Silva cried foul play by the govt. � I must have been a headache to the govt as I did not allow any financial regulations to go through without investigating them closely,� more..

Feb 24 (AD) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) recorded a net profit of Rs. 6.3 billion for the year 2022, making this the highest annual net income earned by the institution in its entire history. This record marks a 3-fold year-on-year increase compared to the Rs. 2.1 billion of net profits earned in 2021. The latest growth in net income was mainly generated from four revenue segments, namely, int'l cricket, domestic cricket, sponsorship contracts, and ICC annual member disbursements. more..

Feb 24 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed that Bar Association of SL (BASL) President, Saliya Pieris should not be representing the Election Commission (EC) in the cases related to the LG poll as Pieris is a political lawyer. Prez made these comments during a debate in Parliament yesterday. Whilst speaking of the cases filed against the EC recently by various individuals pertaining to the LG election, he said: �When they opted for Pieris, some Govt MPs approached me and asked more..

Feb 24 (FT) Rubber Improvement of Value Chain and Embedded Smallholders Resilience (RIVER) project yesterday entered into a MoU to start off a project supported by the French Govt and top tyre manufacturer � Michelin Group to support 6,000 rubber farmers. The initiative is supported by the French Govt, Michelin Business Consortium and Michelin Lanka Company. Project will support farmers to improve their value chain of rubber products and expand their capacities through more..

Feb 24 (TM) LG poll will not be held on 9 March 2023 as scheduled, sources said. It is understood that this is due to the current situation that has arisen as a result of the lack of funds provided by the Treasury for the LG poll. When contacted yesterday to inquire as to whether the date of the poll had been changed or postponed, EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa said that a decision in this regard will be taken today. more..

Feb 24 (DM) Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has appointed a 10-member committee, chaired by former SC Judge Justice KT Chitrasiri, to submit a draft of the proposed new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Issuing a media release on Thursday, Minister said the independent panel of governance experts would conduct "necessary stakeholders inquiries and deliberations, impartially and objectively, with the assistance, guidance and advice of the Technical Committee of the ICC." more..

Feb 24 (DM) Despite statements made by the govt, there is no legal barrier to holding elections, Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi said. "Supreme Court only postponed the hearing of the petition filed seeking the postponement of the LG elections, until May 11, 2023. Therefore there is no legal barrier for the Election Commission to hold polls," he said. However, in practical terms govt is blocking funds through circulars, causing a delay in polls, more..

Feb 24 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe dropped a bombshell in Parliament yesterday by claiming the Election Commission of SL has failed to take an official and legal decision on the holding of LG elections and therefore there was no election to be postponed in the first place as alleged. Participating in the parliamentary debate on the postponement of LG polls, Prez said: �The election has not been postponed. more..

Feb 26 (CT) As an Island surrounded by oceans, the int'l market for narcotics has become increasingly accessible and our society has fallen prey to the narcotics menace. Drugs are a detriment to individuals, society, health and the economy on the whole, due to which measures to tackle the menace is more than imminent. With the economic crisis that the country is plunged into, there could have been a slight deviation from tracking down drug traffickers but the authorities have in fact played an active role more..

Feb 26 (TM) Back in the day when Bata used to dominate the local footwear landscape, one of its more endearing ads read, First to Bata, then to school. We were reminded of this when Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe recently said that the first, second, Back in the day when Bata used to dominate the local footwear landscape, one of its more endearing ads read, First to Bata, then to school. We were reminded of this when Prez Wickremesinghe recently said that the first, second, and third item on the agenda, more..

Feb 26 (CT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who was conducting the SJB election campaign, in full-blown mode, on Thursday claimed that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe was behaving like a madman. Addressing a public rally, Premadasa alleged the mastermind behind all the attempts to delay the LG Election was none other than Prez Wickremesinghe. �Prez is ranting like a madman, declaring that there will be no election because the Election Commission has not legally declared an election. more..