May 4 (FT) Minister Harin Fernando yesterday distanced himself from the recently implemented new visa regime, asserting that neither he nor his Ministry were consulted in the process. He emphasised efforts made towards introducing hassle-free entry processes to attract more tourists to the country. �I have not supported initiatives to complicate the process to enter the country,� Fernando stated firmly, underscoring more..

May 4 (PTI) Sri Lanka�s rupee, which suffered severe depreciation because of the island nation�s unprecedented economic crisis since 2022, has started to make gains in comparison to other currencies. During the first four months of the year, SL rupee had appreciated by 9.1% against the US dollar, 12.7% against the Euro, 10.8% against the UK pound, 11.4% against the Chinese Yuan, 21% against the Yen, 9.5% against the Indian rupee and 14.2% against the Australian dollar. more..

May 4 (Island) The govt is misusing state property at a time a crucial election is only a few months away, PAFFREL has said. PAFFREL Executive Director, Rohana Hettiarachchi said that the govt had launched a number of initiatives, aimed at the anticipated presidential election. These initiatives, including the distribution of rice to the poor, is costing billions in tax money, he added. �The govt has allocated 10 million rupees for each local govt area for development activities. more..

May 4 (DM) The award of contract for issuing on-arrival visas at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to a foreign consortium including VFS Global as the key technology partner is mired in further controversy since it has been done without following due tender process, any consideration to a threat on national security and the impact on increased charges from foreign nationals on the country�s burgeoning tourism industry. more..

May 5 (TM) Here�s a poser: has any country withdrawn its own onsite border control personnel at key ports of entry and planted a third party to directly deal with immigration traffic? The answer is provided by the very company that is now in the eye of a storm in SL, VFS Global, which states on its official website: �The company manages non-judgemental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services.� Thereafter, the website further explains: more..

May 5 (SO) The recent move by the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Uni (KDU) to offer medical graduate courses on a fee-levying basis has created an uproar, with some elements throwing a spanner in the works. The GMOA, which itself previously acknowledged the glaring shortage of doctors in Govt hospitals, has however, opposed every move to broaden medical education, starting with North Colombo Medical College (NCMC), then South Asian Institute of Technology & Medicine more..

May 5 (TM) Workers� rights took a back seat last week, with political parties engaged in a competition to show their might in the approach to the Prez Election this year. Spending millions of rupees on what seemed like May Day shows, parties that held May Day rallies have reportedly spent the highest amount of funds for a rally last week. A news report in the Sinhala media last week pointed out that seniors of all key parties that had held more..

May 5 (CT) May Day this week lived up to expectations as pregame to the presidential election that is expected before the end of October. Political parties strutted their wares and prospective candidates made their pitches. Little was said that was not already known but what was said by each contender does give clues to the direction that each one�s campaign would likely take. There was one constant refrain in the editorials and commentaries before and after May Day that more..

May 5 (Island) Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Yahapalana Prez and leader of the SLFP, resorted to an utterly irresponsible course of action in 2015. Having won the 2015 prez election, with the support of a UNP-led coalition that included the TNA and the JVP, one-time SLFP General Secretary had no option but to fully cooperate with the UNP. Prez Sirisena bent over backwards to appease the members of the Coalition that ensured his victory. TNA that once recognized the LTTE as more..

May 5 (TM) The NBRO has uncovered a substantial ground disturbance in the Karandagolla and Maliththagolla areas, adjacent to the recently-inaugurated controversial Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP). The project has come under intense scrutiny, with environmentalists warning that the soil layers surrounding the tunnel in the Uma Oya are unstable, evidenced by numerous cracks observed. more..

May 5 (ST) My dear AKD sahodaraya, I know you are the person everyone is talking about these days (or rather, the common enemy of all other political parties). I am not writing to you about that, but because of what happened at a recent television discussion that has become the talking point after what one of your other sahodarayas said. It is true your colleague was opposed by two pohottuwa chaps who are not the brightest stars in the sky. That, they displayed in good measure. more..

May 5 (ST) This week�s May Day rhetoric from numerous platforms was on the subject of corruption; who is responsible and how each will tackle the issue. There were thundering pledges to find the loot stashed abroad by corrupt politicians � and bring it home. If only it was such a walk in the park. After years in the pipeline, SL is ready with a framework for a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) that provides for restraint, preservation, seizure, protection, management more..

May 5 (SO) Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam passed away peacefully on April 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, US at the ripe age of 89. As a Sri Lankan athlete, he touched many hearts by achieving a unique double, reaching the elite podium and completing a doctoral degree. He strode to the high jump bar and scaled the bar with nonchalant ease to become one of the all-time greats of Sri Lanka. He represented the country at successive Olympic Games � Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. more..

May 5 (Island) May Day falling last week, as is very well known, has long lost its Labour Day intent and flavour certainly in this country, degenerating into the political carnival all Lankans are familiar with. With a presidential election due later this year, predictably the various contending parties made the occasion one of trying to demonstrate their pre-poll strength by transporting their supporters by bus and train for the various rallies organized in Colombo. This, of course, has always been done, more..

May 5 (SO) SL�s rugby team came up with a well organized plan and crushed the heavily built Kazakhstan team by a convincing score-line of 45 points (7 tries, 5 conversions) to 7 points (a try, a conversion) in the final of the Asia Rugby Division I tournament encounter played at the Race Course ground in Colombo last night. They stuck to their plan well especially in defence when they went low to bring down the heavier opponents more..

May 5 (EN) SL Climate Summit 2024, on the theme of Code Red: Climate Risks and Opportunities for Sri Lankan Businesses, will be held from May 7 to 9 at the Shangri La Hotel in Colombo. �As Sri Lanka stands at a critical juncture, with scientific consensus warning of the potentially devastating consequences of accelerating climate change, the three-day summit will serve as a platform for national dialogue on the impacts and opportunities of climate change for businesses,� more..

May 5 (TM) Adverse weather conditions together with high fertiliser prices have resulted in local tea production falling by around 1.5 million kg Year-on-Year (YoY) during the first quarter of this year in comparison to the equivalent period in 2023, SL Tea Board (SLTB) reveals. SLTB Chairman Niraj de Mel revealed that the slight YoY gains in local tea production volumes during January and February had been eliminated during March, with the latter seeing tea production fall by nearly 2.5 m kg more..

May 5 (SO) Royal College�s promising young sailors dominated the Optimist Class with last year�s junior skipper Yusef Hazari winning the ILCA 4 Class at the Navy Cup Sailing Regatta held at Galle Face on April 26 and 27. In the Optimist Class, Kevaan de Costa clinched gold while Royal�s Luqmaan Aneeq and Binal Perera won silver and bronze respectively in a fiercely fought competition with a large fleet of more than 20 boats battling for titles in the junior category. more..

May 5 (ST) The gradual increase in dollar reserves and the rise in the value of the rupee will allow the import of vehicles at least by next year, State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. The committee appointed to carry out a comprehensive study to systematically remove restrictions on the import of vehicles has already made its recommendations, he added. Meanwhile the Govt is planning to pass a law implementing vehicle import standards to prevent malpractices and irregularities more..

May 5 (JT) Strategically placed SL's economic recovery is essential for stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said Saturday, urging Colombo to swiftly restructure its foreign debt. After talks with her SL counterpart, Ali Sabry, Kamikawa said that Colombo should secure agreements with bilateral lenders and international sovereign bondholders to unlock suspended foreign funding. more..

May 5 (AD) The second meeting of the strategic dialogue between Sri Lanka and the UK is scheduled to be held in Colombo on 07 May 2024, at the senior officials� level. The meeting will review developments in foreign and security policies, as well as progress in the areas of bilateral engagement, including trade, investment, tourism, climate change, environment protection, migration, and maritime cooperation among others. The meeting will also take stock of cooperation by more..

May 5 (ST) As Sri Lanka readies to clinch its first world cricket title in a decade, there is optimism that the 2014 champions could secure the World T20 title again when the tournament kicks off next month in the Caribbean and the USA. Despite participating in three World T20 Tournaments after their victory against India in 2014, SL�s performances have been below par, failing to secure a top-four finish in the last three editions. However, with a strong squad of players getting ready more..

May 5 (ST) In a bold move aimed at reinvigorating the spirit of Test cricket, SLC has announced a substantial increase in match fees for players participating in the longer format of the game. The decision, which sees match fees for winning matches soar from US$ 7,500 to US$ 15,000, represents a 100% increase of the compensation currently received by players. With a clear intent to incentivise involvement in more..

May 5 (SO) Two heavyweight candidates will contest the top post when the Netball Federation of SL (NFSL) conducts its election on May 30. Nominations closed on April 22 and the two who have submitted their names to contest the top post are former national player and president Tamara Dharmakeerthi Herath and the incumbent president Lakshmi Victoria. Both of them are well known to have worked hard to uplift the standard of the game. However, the current membership will know more..

May 5 (SO) SLASSCOM recently conducted an orientation program for newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners of SL designated for overseas missions to harness the potential of SL�s IT/BPM talent and explore the vast opportunities the country has to offer. Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the session will equip the diplomats with insights into the country�s tech prowess and its potential to attract foreign investments while facilitating market access more..

May 5 (EN) SL�s racing car drivers blamed senior officials on Saturday for the seven deaths at the Fox Hill event, stating that the organizers were poorly prepared to host the event and that basic safety precautions were not taken. SL Racing Drivers Association said that the authorities ignored repeated pleas from their members to ensure the track was watered to prevent dust and to ensure that visibility was not affected. Two of the cars ploughed into spectators and track marshals, more..

May 5 (DM) Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa cannot deny what he told me during the telephone conversation he had with me in 2021, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said today. Cardinal was referring to the statement of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa where he denies telling the former that recormendations made by the Presidential Commission cannot be implemented as he will have to take action against people and associations which were close to him. more..

May 5 (TM) A total of 100 Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) officials have been trained to act as border controllers in the event of immigration and emigration officials refusing to perform their duties at the BIA. Sources said that operations of VFS Global would continue without change as per a Cabinet decision to entrust local visa handling to a third-party company. Official SL eVisa website notes SL�s transition from the ETA system more..

May 5 (DM) Election Commission of India is organizing the International Election Visitor Programme (IEVP) during the ongoing Lok Sabha 2024 elections, scheduled from May 4 to May 9, 2024. As part of this initiative, a 10-member delegation from Sri Lanka will be participating, comprising two representatives from the Election Commission of SL and eight from PCOI (Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Make Recommendations for Election Law Reforms). more..

May 5 (DM) The Supreme Court granted leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights petition filed by former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekara challenging the National Police Commission�s decision to interdict him from police service following the Presidential Election 2019. Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Kumuduni Wickremasinghe and Mahinda Samayawardena granted leave to proceed for violating Fundamental Rights guaranteed more..

May 5 (ST) Controversy surrounds the newly introduced online visa system (e-Visa) which was awarded to VFS Global through a cabinet paper in Dec 2023. All foreigners arriving in the country, subject to on-arrival visa or on-arrival free-visa, are mandatorily required to pay US$ 25.77 (service fee $18.50 and convenience fee $7.27) through the e-Visa system. Earlier a local mobile service provider, SLT-Mobitel had provided the system for the Dept of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) for more..

May 5 (EN) Sri Lanka�s main opposition has called for a parliamentary investigation into extraordinary fees charged by a private contractor, questioning what are the actual costs of operating platform to justify such excessive fees. A contractor called IVS-GBS and VFS Global is operating the website which is directly linked to the Department of Immigration giving it the opportunity of make excessive profits technically known as rents by virtue of operating a monopoly. more..

May 5 (TM) Twelve islands in Kalpitiya, entrusted to the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) as free grants, remain dormant in terms of tourism development even after more than a decade, a recent audit report by the National Audit Office (NAO) reveals. The total land area transferred by then Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa amounted to approximately 2,056.73 acres, designated as free grants under Section 2 of more..

May 5 (ST) The govt will go ahead with the agreement it signed with GBS Technology Services, IVS Global-FZCO and VFS VF Worldwide Holdings Ltd. to handle documents related to electronic and on-arrival visas to enter SL, Public Security Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunetilleke said. The delays and issues with the system were a technical fault. �Next week, we will implement it,� he said, declining to give a date. Controversy erupted this week after video clips were published on social media more..

May 5 (ST) Sri Lankans living overseas and unable to obtain dual citizenship due to existing laws in the respective countries will soon be able to obtain a renewable permanent residence visa to live and work here, Immigration and Emigration Controller General Harsha Ilukpitiya said. The regulations had been finalised and would soon be gazetted before the implementation of the scheme, he said. Those Sri Lankans whose citizenship has ceased after obtaining citizenship in another country, more..

May 5 (ST) Amidst the riot of colour and hoarse slogans at last Wednesday�s May Day rallies and processions, lay a plethora of political realities different from previous years. Most importantly, for both ruling and opposition political parties, May Day became a launching pad for the presidential election campaigns. The presidential election is due any time after three months. There were negatives too. There were no shocks more..