Sep 12 (TM) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) would not agree to changes in key parameters of Sri Lanka�s programme such as primary surplus and debt-to-GDP ratio, as proposed by opposition presidential candidates, Bloomberg Intelligence said. Accordingly, Bloomberg Intelligence said that the opposition presidential candidates are proposing to renegotiate the IMF programme to make it less austere where the IMF is unlikely to agree to changes in key parameters. more..

Sep 12 (FT) JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva has criticised political rivals for using fear tactics in their campaign, as the NPP Prez candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, appears to be a strong contender for the Presidency. Silva accused opponents of avoiding a direct presentation of their policies and instead resorting to strategies designed to instil fear in the electorate regarding the NPP. Silva accused rivals of intending to more..

Sep 12 (Island) Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU) and Int'l Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have released a survey outlining extensive recommendations for a new national media policy in SL. Survey, which reflects input from 250 media representatives across the country, including journalists, academics, and media heads, aims to foster a robust and independent media landscape that upholds professional standards and serves the public with integrity. more..

Sep 12 (TM) Election Commission (EC) has clarified that while it does not have a direct role in the security of Prez candidates, it will however make some intervention upon receiving a special request. The Police recently stated that several Prez candidates have refused the assignment of security personnel amidst ongoing threats to the safety of some of them. When contacted and queried as to whether the EC plays any role with regard to the security of Presidential candidates, more..

Sep 12 (EN) Sri Lanka�s public sector wage bill will rise to 0.2% to 3.8% in 2025, under increments proposed by a committee, the Finance Ministry has said. In 2023, the public sector wage bill was 3.4% of GDP down from 4% in 2022 and it rose to 3.6% in 2024, the statement said. Under proposed increments it will rise to 3.8% in 2024 which will be below the 2022 level. But tax revenue are expected to go to 15%, more..

Sep 12 (FT) You cannot have system-change and economic stabilisation/recovery/growth, together, as a package. Gorbachev and Yeltsin tried and Russia experienced catastrophic economic collapse. China learned the lesson: never attempt economic and political macro-change at the same time, unless you want anarchy. China embarked on its economic miracle while maintaining its political system. So too Vietnam. However, both countries changed their national political leaderships many times. more..

Sep 12 (FT) The probability of a strategy, plan, goal, objective, dream, action, initiative or other endeavour yielding a positive outcome is directly proportional to the degree of heart and soul you put behind it and to the extent that you back it with the appropriate resources. Ned Miller, the American singer and songwriter summed it up aptly, when he sang, Do What You Do Do Well Boy � Do What You Do Do Well � Give Your Love and All of Your Heart � And Do What You Do Do Well. more..

Sep 12 (AD) The presidential candidate of the Sarvajana Balaya alliance, entrepreneur Dilith Jayaweera says that all the other three main candidates contesting the upcoming presidential election have presented the same programme. He stated this during a public meeting held at Nittambu yesterday, under the Dilith Gamata series of constituency meetings. �Now they have presented three political programmes. All three of them contain the same thing. more..

Sep 12 (DM) Following the release of the image of a marked postal ballot paper to social media, Election Commission has decided to bar voters from carrying their mobile phones inside polling stations at the presidential poll on Sept 21, an official said. Commission�s Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said the person who released the marked postal ballot paper is now under arrest. In a bid to arrest such a trend, he said the Commission will bar mobile phones into polling stations on Sep r21. more..

Sep 12 (TM) People's Struggle Coalition Presidential candidate Nuwan Bopage highlighted the close connection between the legal profession and politics at the Lawyers Meeting held on 9 Sept in Colombo. �Our profession itself is political. Politics has a profound impact on the legal field. We know that the first President of Sri Lanka originated from our profession; former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a lawyer. more..

Sep 12 (NW) Six players from Rathgama, Devapathiraja College have been selected for the SL U19 Girls squad touring Australia for the upcoming tri-series with Australia and NZ. Six players from Devapathiraja College in Rathgama include Sumudu Nisansala, Sanjana Kavindi, Rashmi Nethranjali, Hiruni Hansika, Shehara Induwari, and Nethagi Isuranjali. Former SL Captain TM Dilshan�s daughter Limansa Tilalkaratne who earlier this year arrived from Australia is also part of SL squad more..

Sep 12 (DM) Child Protection Authorities in Anuradhapura district expressed concern over the escalation of child abuse in the district. District Child Protection Officer Mahendra Dasanayake said 491 complaints on child abuse have been received during the last six months and that there could be more incidents that have gone unreported. He said Child Support Service 1929 has received 202 direct complaints and the Divisional Child Protection Officers have received 289 complaints. more..

Sep 12 (TM) Amidst the export earnings from bulk spice exports increasing in July 2024, the govt is encouraging value added spice exports. EDB Export Agriculture Director Janak Badugama said: �90% of agricultural products are exported as raw materials. This is different from the coconut industry, where it captures some significant percentage for valuable products since their innovations and organisations have more..

Sep 12 (AD) The Postal Dept says that around 77% of official polling cards for the 2024 prez election have already been distributed thus far. Deputy Postmaster General Rajitha Ranasinghe says that the distribution of nearly 13.2 million official polling cards has already been completed. The polling cards will also be distributed to the voters tomorrow and the day after. If any voter has not received their official polling cards by Saturday, they can visit their local post office more..

Sep 12 (EN) Sri Lanka has sold raised 245 billion rupees from a bond auction and rejected all bids for 2034 bonds, data from the state debt office showed as rates spiked over the past few weeks amid political uncertainty. The debt office sold all offered 100 million rupees of Feb 15, 2028 bonds at a weighted average yield of 13.79%. Out of 150 billion rupees of 15 June 2029 bonds 145.96 billion were sold at a weighted average yield of 13.98%, rejecting other bids. more..

Sep 12 (DM) Minister Tiran Alles said he holds a visa allowing him to live in any country for ten years, and that he does not need to obtain a visa to leave the country after the Prez election. He told the media that he was unaware of any Minister who had obtained a visa to leave the country and added that there would be no need for anyone to flee after the Prez election. Replying to a query from the media regarding reports that 80 Ministers have obtained visas to leave the country after Prez election, more..

Sep 12 (NW) NPP Prez Candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged to shift SL away from its current economic model, which he described as overly dependent on imports and characterized by a buying and selling mentality. He argued that this approach stifles local production, benefits political elites, and weakens the country�s long-term economic prospects. Speaking in Kandy, Dissanayake criticized the import-heavy strategy of successive govts, noting that essential goods more..

Sep 12 (FT) In SL�s male-dominated political landscape, women who dare to enter often face significant challenges. �It is not an easy thing for women to join politics. You hardly see any women taking centre stage,� says SJB Moratuwa Municipal Council Member Lihini Fernando, who knows first-hand how tough it is for women to gain a toehold on this masculine arena. Entering politics without prior connections or experience, she faced more..

Sep 12 (CT) Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) opened a control room to monitor the marine environment and ship movements in SL territorial waters. �It will be functional round the clock, 365 days a year,� MEPA Chairman Asela B. Rekawa said. This is the first such control room opened in the history of MEPA and this unit will closely monitor the marine environment through satellite systems and will assist in finding ships and oil tankers that discharge toxic substances more..

Sep 12 (FT) In an increasingly interconnected world, financial crimes such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption present significant threats to national security and economic stability. SL, like many other nations, is grappling with these challenges through a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework, as discussed in recent presentations by leading experts. Their insights provide a detailed overview of the mechanisms in place to combat financial crimes, and more..

Sep 12 (ANI) ADB has approved a $100 million policy-based loan to support Sri Lanka's water supply and sanitation sector reforms. ADB stated that the approved loan will help to enhance the country's resilience to climate change impacts and promote long-term sustainability. It further highlighted the Water Supply & Sanitation Reform Program, composed of two subprograms of USD 100 million each. It will contribute to more..

Sep 12 (CT) Local onion farmers lamented that the yield of the local big onion crop this season has dropped by about 30% due to the bad weather conditions prevailing throughout the season. They also said although a programme was implemented to encourage the farmers to grow onions this season, the yield of the crops was reduced due to the bad weather conditions. Farmers are of the view that in good weather conditions, the maximum yield of 12,000-15,000 kg per acre of large onion more..

Sep 12 (DM) I decided to contest for the presidency only to stabilize the economy and not to focus on religion or ethnicity, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told a public rally in the East. "My focus is to focus on trade and agriculture and to stabilize the economy based on those sectors and not religion or ethnicity," Wickremesinghe told a rally in Sainthamaruthu and Kokavil. He said he has been able to mete out justice to Muslims of this country by assuring their right to bury their dead." more..

Sep 12 (CT) Alliance of Health Professionals (AHP) accused State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) of instigating pharmaceutical companies to go against Health Secretary�s decision to create competition between the companies and save about Rs 16 billion. AHP President, Ravi Kumudesh, alleged that SPMC was merely a label. Although the majority of the public thought that it manufactured medicinal drugs, in reality, it only placed its label on many finished products. more..

Sep 12 (NF) Uni of Sri J'pura has been closed indefinitely, due to a conflict between two groups of students that took place last night. The Vice Chancellor Prof. Pathmalal Manage, has instructed students to vacate the university premises by 6 pm today. Students residing at the university hostel were also instructed to leave the premises by 6pm today. VC said that strict legal action will be taken against any student who remains at the university premises in violation of this order. more..

Sep 12 (AP) SL�s opposition leader contesting the prez election next week said that if he comes to power he will renegotiate with the IMF the 2022 economic reforms package to ensure that the rich pay more taxes and the poor see their conditions improve. The reforms were introduced after Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt creating the worst economic crisis in its history. Sajith Premadasa, the opposition leader more..

Sep 12 (AD) The election of the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha is scheduled to be held on October 26, according to the Returning Officer of the Galle District. The deadline for the handing over of nominations for the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha ended at 12 noon today while time was given until 1.30 p.m. to submit objections. Accordingly, a total of 09 registered political parties and 02 independent groups had handed in nominations. The following parties had presented nominations: more..

Sep 12 (EE) Retired SL accountant Milton Perera hoped to use his vote in upcoming prez elections to vent his fury at political mismanagement as well as an economic crisis that slashed healthcare. Instead, his widow Pushpalatha will cast her ballot in the Sept 21 polls in memory of her husband, mourning a man who died with chronic asthma unable to afford medicine. Like many disillusioned by the chaos of protest, and ground down by tough day-to-day living, Pushpalata says she will vote to show her more..

Sep 12 (EN) Prez candidates Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa led in voting preferences for Aug 2024, though with small declines for both, with a rise in support observed for Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe from March through August, according to an independent study, which also found that no candidate is likely to poll close to 50%. Institute for Health Policy (IHP)�s SL Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) more..

Sep 12 (NW) Warrant Officer II Samitha Dulan, who recently set a new world record and won a silver medal in the F44 javelin throw event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, was honoured by the SL Army Military Police. Colonel Commandant of Army Military Police, Major General Najeeva Edirisinghe, along with Officers and Other Ranks of the Regiment, extended a warm welcome to the silver medalist, Samitha Dhulan Kodithuwakku, his wife, and his sports coach. more..

Sep 12 (PMD) President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the country will soon see the establishment of numerous new educational institutions, both public and private. These new institutions will provide young people with opportunities for higher education that meet global standards. The President made this statement during a ceremony this morning (12) at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, where he inaugurated the Times School of Higher Education. more..

Sep 13 (CT) Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) has been with the parliament for about 47 years. Without support from the voters, he became president in 2022 because of his luck. He wants to stay in power, but his leadership is questioned by many, given his performance, particularly over the last two years. Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has been in the parliament for about 20 years and was a minister and the Chief Opposition Whip from 2015 to 2018. Both RW and AKD are prez candidates. more..

Sep 13 (DM) Humans are wonderful animals. This can be especially said about children and minors. That�s why that shrewd old politician, wearing the satakaya (shawl), had the habit of picking up toddlers during election campaigns and fondling them with much love. That act helped the old man get closer to the public; the public who were gullible fell for his charm because his true intentions could never be read so easily. He was only exposed when he chose to contest the prez election for more..

Sep 13 (TM) It has been over three months since SL finalised a deal with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) of the Paris Club to restructure its bilateral debt. The finalisation of bilateral debt restructuring was touted as a turning point for the country, promising the recommencement of key infrastructure projects, particularly the construction of expressways that had been halted due to the economic crisis. more..

Sep 13 (DM) Politics and corruption are inseparable twins in most developing countries, including SL. Yet, no election campaign is complete without corruption becoming the topmost vote-catching strategy in these countries. Except during the 2019 election campaign, where national security was the decisive factor, SL�s election platforms have seen opposition politicians branding the ruling party politicians as corrupt. But once the opposition becomes the ruling party, more..

Sep 13 (CT) For many Sri Lankans, who are exhausted by the never-ending economic woes and a crisis that heralds an uncertain future, foreign employment has become the last resort to alleviate their suffering. This trend has not only contributed to the so-called �brain drain� but has also had a ripple effect, extending from the nuclear family to the entire societal ecosystem. The majority of these individuals are young, educated, and either newly married or soon to be. more..