Apr 19 (FT) SJB MP S. M. Marikkar proposed yet another alternative plan for a public debate between the SJB and the NPP party yesterday by suggesting the parties hold a debate between the economic councils of both parties, led by their respective party leaders Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Politicians from the SJB and NPP have continued to exchange rhetorical challenges regarding a public debate with no concrete plan to hold one being announced. more..

Apr 19 (FT) Bank of Ceylon said it yet again set a record during Avurudu Season with over Rs. 503 billion worth transactions carried out by customers via its service points. Bank said Rs. 185 billion worth transactions took place in BOC’s very own CRM and ATM terminals. Transactions made on the ATM and CRM network were recorded from 1 to 15 April was over 9.7 million transactions worth Rs. 185.9 billion. BOC from its countrywide branch network recorded 0.82 million transactions more..

Apr 19 (FT) Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa voiced concerns on the Govt’s decision to increase visa fees through its new online system, warning of potential setbacks for the thriving tourism industry. Addressing a gathering in Maharagama, Premadasa highlighted the recent recovery of the tourism sector from various challenges and expressed concern over the Govt’s decision to raise visa fees while abolishing the previous Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. more..

Apr 19 (FT) Immigration and Emigration Dept Controller General Harsha Ilukpitiya said the introduction of new visa procedures and the rollout of an online visa issuance system are set to attract a broader range of visitors, strengthening the country’s standing as a premier tourist destination in the region. “One of the key objectives behind the implementation of the new visa system is to attract new visitors to SL, whilst also ensuring a seamless experience for repeat visitors,” more..

Apr 19 (FT) NatCon 2024, the most awaited youth leadership conference will take place from 19 to 21 April 2024, at the Hotel Sudu Araliya Polonnaruwa. This isn’t just any conference; it’s the cornerstone event for AIESEC in Sri Lanka, charting the course for leadership and growth in the year ahead. With a special emphasis on diversity, leadership, and skill-building, NatCon 2024 will bring together over 400 students from over 20 universities across Sri Lanka. more..

Apr 19 (TM) In the wake of the proposed Electricity Sector Reforms Bill being published in the Govt gazette on Wednesday as the SL Electricity Bill, energy expert Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya claimed that the electricity consumers will not have the expected benefits from this particular Bill since certain long-term issues in the sector have not been addressed by the Bill. Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the Bill will be presented to Parliament in the next sitting week, more..

Apr 19 (ST) Once again, sea turtles have started to surface on the northwestern shores of SL for nesting. As large numbers come ashore at night, the officials of the Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) and security forces personnel are doing their best to ensure a safe environment for these nesting turtles. Sea turtles, which have been inhabiting the oceans for millions of years, are now a critically endangered species. Out of the seven species of sea turtles found worldwide, more..

Apr 19 (DM) Port City Colombo officials expressed frustration over delays in opening the downtown duty-free mall in Colombo. Originally scheduled to commence operations in April, the facility now faces an uncertain timeline for opening to the public, primarily due to unexpected legislative hurdles. While concerns have been raised regarding the potential impact of the duty-free mall on local businesses and SL’s taxation framework, CHEC Port City Colombo Deputy Managing Director more..

Apr 19 (FT) People’s Bank, a leader in digital banking in SL, has announced the successful selection of 100 students to take part in its Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators Youth Tech Skill Development program. This initiative, in partnership with Sarvodaya Fusion—the IT education arm of the Sarvodaya movement, aims to equip the nation’s youth with essential technological skills for future careers. The initiative reflects People’s Bank’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility more..

Apr 19 (FT) The Revamp SL Youth Start-Up Challenge 1.0, an initiative spearheaded by the Lanka Impact Investing Network (LIIN) in collaboration with the International College of Business and Technology (ICBT Campus), was held successfully on 4 April at the ICBT Campus in Batticaloa. The event showcased the entrepreneurial prowess of young minds in the Eastern Province, providing them with a platform to nurture and develop their innovative start-up ideas and entrepreneurial journey. more..

Apr 19 (FT) Govt issued an update on the progress of the divestiture of the initial set of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) saying all transactions other than SriLankan Airlines will be concluded by Aug 2024. Timeline for SriLankan Airlines is likely to extend to end Sep 2024, said a statement from the SOE Restructuring Unit (SRU). The update comes amidst concerns from prospective investors and their advisors over the inordinate delay in concluding some of the divestitures. more..

Apr 19 (Island) No Avurudu would be complete without an Avurudu Ulela. It has become part of our national social calendar, an event that must be organised, a tradition that must be kept. Practically every institution, from nurseries to universities to companies to Rotaract Societies, has a shot at holding one. The result is that somehow or the other, an Avurudu Ulela unfolds somewhere every other day until the end of April. In Colombo, and most major cities, Avurudu Ulela, more..

Apr 19 (Island) One wonders whether the Parliament of Sri Lanka, which is full of self-righteous members who moralise to the point of queasiness, has taken upon itself the task of serving as a moral compass of sorts for the nation. Its sessions are characterised by endless tub-thumping. During the past several weeks, Parliament has torn some public officials to shreds over matters related to their salaries and perks, which have since been put on hold pending downward revisions on the grounds that more..

Apr 19 (TM) Twenty-first April of this year (2024) marks the 103rd birth anniversary of Joan De Mel who founded Sumithrayo. She was a mentor and her selfless passion towards social change has inspired and touched all. Though her soul is free in the blissful realms beyond this world since 27 December 2008, the love and care that she showered on the Sri Lankan community linger on still through the emotional support provided to the needy. She will always resonate through her beautiful example. more..

Apr 19 (CT) I was extremely sad to hear the news of Dr A. T. Ariyaratne’s passing at the ripe old age of 93. He was the founder and President Emeritus of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement (SSM) of SL. He was untiring in his efforts to put into practice Sustainable Development and Peace based on the Buddhist precepts of Awakening of all. In principle, he was against the patterns of economic development based on neo-liberal values, which is unfortunately more..

Apr 19 (GV) The govt’s decision to conduct the funeral of Dr A T Ariyaratne with state honours is a recognition of the contribution that the founder of the Sarvodaya Movement made to the country over the past 65 years when he set up the organisation. Concepts he pioneered such as Shramadana (donation of labour), Gramodaya (village awakening) and Sarvodaya (the wellbeing of all) are today part and parcel of the mainstream of SL’s civil and political life. more..

Apr 19 (TM) The planned visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Colombo has stirred up a flurry of diplomatic protests, mostly through unofficial channels, with govt sources stating that the United States and others are unhappy about the official visit. According to reports the two day visit, which has been planned for 24 April, is yet to be confirmed. Last year, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe invited Iran's President to visit Colombo, which the Iranian President had accepted. more..

Apr 19 (GV) What is consent? When it comes to sexual relations, the concept of consent is that it must be between two consenting adults. In the case of legality, the age of consent for girls in SL is 16 years. This is a general global standard with countries such as Japan, Malaysia and Pakistan following the same. India and Nepal, however, currently have the legal age stipulated at 18 years for sexual relations. On Feb 9, the govt gazetted a Bill to amend Sections 363 and 364 of the more..

Apr 19 (CT) Teaching Hospital Karapitiya in Galle serves as a lifeline not only for the Southern Province but also for neighbouring regions. Patients from diverse backgrounds flock here seeking treatment, but many encounter the challenge of securing attendants to aid them during their hospital stay, a task burdened with financial strain and emotional stress. Presently, it’s common for families to pay between Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per day for an attendant to stay with the patient. more..

Apr 19 (DM) April 21 this year will mark five years since the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka. The targets included two Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Colombo, Zion church in the Eastern province, and three high-end hotels in Colombo. Around 315 people, including about 40 foreigners and 45 children, were reported to have been killed, making it the biggest post-civil war massacre in Sri Lanka. The damaged churches and hotels were quickly rebuilt. more..

Apr 19 (DM) These are days when politicians in the country are getting ready for upcoming elections, hence there are thoughts about whether anyone of them would use schools and education to promote their cause. Some of the candidates have already started mingling with students and presenting them with opportunities to ask questions on hot topics that are bothering them. One of the probable candidates in the presidential elections is seen offering material goods to students. more..

Apr 18 (CT) Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has requested the Public Administration Ministry Secretary to conduct an investigation into the misleading recommendations and political influence used in suspending the Association’s President, Dr. Chamal Sanjeeva from service at the Health Ministry. A spokesperson for the MCPA alleged that Dr. Sanjeeva had been suspended from govt service, allegedly by former top administration more..

Apr 18 (DM) Excise Dept, one of the three main revenue generating arms of the country’s Ministry of Finance is struggling with a severe dearth of staff even to perform day-to-day duties, as the 17 top rung positions are vacant for months now. Daily Mirror broke the story on January 3 this year under the heading Excise Dept on the brink of collapse, as its entire top rung officials are to retire in the coming few months has not seen any solution to the matter but the situation is getting otherwise worse. more..

Apr 18 (Reuters) The IMF stands ready to support SL's discussions with international bondholders and will provide a formal assessment after the parties reach a tentative agreement-in-principle, an IMF spokesperson said on Thursday. "We hope an agreement consistent with the parameters of the IMF-supported program and official creditors' Comparability of Treatment requirements can be reached soon, more..

Apr 18 (DM) The monthly expenses of a person in Sri Lanka decreased in February compared to January, the Census and Statistics Department said. They said the minimum amount required for a person in this country to meet their basic needs is Rs. 16,975 per month, and a person living in the Colombo district needs Rs. 18,308 to meet the minimum basic needs. The Department revealed this while releasing the Official Poverty Line Chart for the month of February 2024. more..

Apr 18 (CT) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the President has allocated a sum of Rs 25 billion to continue the modernisation programme in the agricultural sector this year. The Minister revealed this while participating in the presenting of fruit plants, required for the National Tree Planting ceremony at the Auspicious time on 18 April, to the staff of his Ministry. In order to get more productivity from the agricultural sector, new technology must be introduced. more..

Apr 18 (AD) State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SRU) of the Finance Ministry has officially released the names of the local and foreign firms that have submitted responses to the respective requests for quote and the shortlisted bidders for the divestiture of shares held by the Govt of SL in several key state-owned enterprises (SOEs). SRU also said that it is envisaged that all SOE transactions other than SriLankan more..

Apr 18 (DM) Police department has decided to enhance crime detection by integrating public and private CCTV camera systems with the Police CCTV camera system, a senior police officer said. In the initial stage, around 2000 CCTV cameras from private entities, including residences in Colombo city, will be linked to the police's camera network. This initiative will be carried out in collaboration with interested participants. Individuals and private companies with CCTV systems are more..

Apr 18 (TM) Private bus owners claim that despite having made many requests to the authorities, they are yet to receive any relief with regard to the damages caused to the buses during the aragalaya (a public movement seeking the resignation of the then Govt led by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) protests in 2022. “We have not received any form of compensation to fix the damages,” Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairperson Gemunu Wijeratne said, more..

Apr 18 (DM) Strict measures will be taken against anyone causing inconvenience to foreigners visiting the country. She expressed concern over a group of individuals engaging in such indecent behavior, labeling them as disgraceful, State Minister Diana Gamage said. "These individuals show no respect towards foreigners. Their actions pose a threat to our country's reputation and cannot be tolerated," she stated. State Minister highlighted that modern-day tourists are well-informed & not easily misled. more..

Apr 18 (Island) Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, has appealed to the Supreme Court against the granting of bail to 41 accused in the killing of Polonnaruwa District SLPP MP Amarakeethi Athukorala and his Personal Security Officer (PSO) Jayantha Gunawardena on 09 May 2022, at Nittambuwa. AG’s appeal has been fixed for argument on 09 July, 2024, before a bench comprising five Judges, presided by Justice P. Surasena, the AG’s Dept has informed more..