Sri Lanka News : InfoLanka News Room (2024)

Jun 17 (FT) SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne announced that a future SJB Govt will revive the currently dormant Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and the Office for Reparations, as requested by politicians and residents of the North. Wickramaratne emphasised the significance of ideas and opinions from the people of the North in building a unified SL. “The opinions of the people in the North are crucial for fostering a unified SL.more..

Jun 17 (DN) A six-member boxing team from Sri Lanka departed yesterday for the Constitution Day Boxing Tournament in Seychelles, set to take place on June 21-22. Leading the senior team are HWGP Rathnasiri from SL Police, KG Pathmasiri from SL Army, DG Udayakumara from SL Air Force, and PSSP Fernando from SL Army. The junior team includes JMT Deshan from St. Sylvester’s College and Malith Bandara from Royal College Colombo. Team officials MU Kumaratunga will managemore..

Jun 17 (TM) The most veteran campaigner in the current SL T20 side, Angelo Mathews, speaking to media recently argued that We disappointed a nation. Apologies for that. Our batters failed while bowlers did their part. (Then let's go further this same way). Then who answers the alleged disciplinary breach within the national team in the US, who answers whether there was any foreign intervention in the controversial team selection, who answers why so early preparation ifmore..

Jun 17 (DM) Cash rewards to traffic police officers have been increased through a special circular issued by IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon. The decision has been taken after considering the tedious work of the traffic police officers, like having to endure long hours on the roads in order to ensure the safety of the public and motorists. Police chief has issued a special circular to increase the cash rewards which were paid to traffic policemore..

Jun 17 (FT) Sri Lanka has seen an influx of tourists, with over 43,000 visitors arriving in the first 13 days of June, pushing the cumulative number of arrivals this year to over 940,000. According to the latest data released by the SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), a total of 43,227 visitors arrived between 1 to 13 June, bringing the year-to-date (YTD) total to 940,006 travellers. The top tourist-generating markets for June so far include India, UK, and China. more..

Jun 17 (FT) All temporary employees of local Govt institutions have been made permanent on Friday, revealed PM Dinesh Gunawardena. Though not indicating the exact number, Premier made this announcement during remarks made at a ceremony on Saturday to distribute egg incubators under Chinese support at Kurunegala District Secretariat office. Having recalled the multiple challenges the country, the economy and the people at large faced, PM said: “In the midst of all these difficulties, more..

Jun 17 (FT) JAT Holdings, recently celebrated a key milestone with the ceremonial opening of its state-of-the-art binder plant in Horana. Company said the historic achievement marks the culmination of months of dedicated planning and construction, symbolising JAT’s unwavering commitment to innovation and operational excellence. JAT Binder Plant represents a significant leap forward for JAT Holdings, enabling it to manufacture its own binders, foundational component of wood coatingsmore..

Jun 17 (Island) SLPP-UNP govt is crowing about the release of the third tranche of the IMF loan, and has undertaken to fulfil some more bailout conditions such as the introduction of an imputed rental income tax. It has said the new tax will affect only the high-net-worth individuals, but the proof of the pudding is said to be in the eating. We will see what the new tax is really like only when it is implemented. The SJB and the JVP/NPP have vowed to renegotiate the IMF agreement in case of winning more..

Jun 17 (TM) The outcome of the IMF Executive Board’s second review of the EFF with SL is a positive development which provides another $ 336 million to help SL to implement policies to continue to stabilise the crisis-hit economy and the IMF’s seal of good housekeeping also gives confidence to citizens, local business, investors, trading partners and creditors that SL has been serious about implementing the EFF,more..

Jun 17 (GV) Although Sri Lanka is a world away from Palestine local activists, motivated by the slaughter and suffering that the Palestinian people are undergoing in their own land each day, are carrying out a concerted campaign to bring their plight to the notice of politicians and people here. While by no means an influential actor on the world stage the country, which has a long history of support for Palestine, can do much more than it is to back the Palestinian cause. more..

Jun 17 (Island) The new National Education Policy Framework (NEPF), currently being implemented by the govt, has begun to be noticed by the public. However, there is a noticeable absence of an in-depth discussion on the implications of the policies it proposes. So far critics have quite convincingly pointed out the neoliberal motives behind the proposals and the threat that it poses to the longstanding tradition of free education in Sri Lanka. These criticisms hold merit,more..

Jun 17 (TM) Sri Lankans have long had a recorded low opinion of the law enforcement services they receive, and given everything that has transpired in the last few years, the trust deficit in governance has grown. One confidence builder has been a number of unprecedented rulings and orders by the Judiciary. However, a recent move by the President, to grant a six months service extension to the chief enforcer of law, the Attorney General (AG), has now once again brought the chief prosecutorsmore..

Jun 17 (CT) The advent and the subsequent popularity of social media has put a lot of strain on mainstream media, something to which we print media are no strangers. However, the ease the social media offers for anyone with a smartphone to report and record with relative ease and the lack of legal repercussions the social media relatively lacks – despite there being codes of conduct and the social media companies trying their best to filter the content and to introduce rigorous andmore..

Jun 17 (CT) The historic amalgam of People’s uprising through the Peaceful new generation Aragalaya-2022 and the Country’s declared Bankruptcy has provided overwhelming and glaring evidence that cannot be matched by any measure of research, regarding the weaknesses in our Electoral system which has over the last several decades allowed Powerhungry, mediocre and nepotic politicians to rule the roost in our Parliament.more..

Jun 17 (ST) The proposal by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe to grant a six months service extension to SL’s Attorney General has put the hapless holder of that office in the centre of a vicious political whirlwind that further damages the already badly battered public reputation of the chief law officer of the land. This must be said clearly and categorically. Absent that extension, the incumbent Attorney General will retire later this month. This controversial proposal has been placed more..

Jun 17 (DM) The IMF after much fanfare released its third tranche from its Extended Fund Facility program for SL amounting to US$ 336 million. These tranches that are released every six months after excruciating reviews and much trepidation in the media are peanuts! For example last year the remittances from SL migrant workers on average was about US$ 500 million per month, compared to the IMF’s US$ 336 million every six months. Furthermore, SL’s foreign earnings, whethermore..

Jun 17 (DM) Today, Muslims all around the world celebrate the Hajj Festival at a time when the world is torn into various power blocs and has been divided into camps of conflicting ideologies where mutual fear and hatred are dominant. In an era like this, there is a strong desire in the hearts of men to go on pilgrimages to places of worship held holy by them. To visit such places of veneration and be inspired by them becomes the insistentmore..

Jun 17 (DM) We are entering the second half of this election-charged year. All major presidential candidates are now presently directing their political campaigns Northwards. The three main candidates are pledging various promises to the people of this once war-ravaged province. Prez Wickremesinghe from around a month-and-a-half earlier has been visiting the North and the East, holding meetings with diverse political groupings and political parties. He has promised to find a permanent solutionmore..

Jun 17 (CT) RW’s Economic Transformation Bill (ETB) passed in parliament aims to reach an economic growth target of 5% by 2027 and 8% thereafter for 15 years. ETB has been hailed as an ambitious yet achievable agenda for promoting sustainable development, enhancing productivity, social progress, and creating equal opportunities for all citizens. These objectives are expected to be achieved through a series of institutions such as the Economic Commission of Sri Lanka,more..

Jun 16 (ST) Perhaps never in a pre-election period has social media been as active as it is today. Among the many reasons is the proliferation of their outlets, the result of the rapid growth of mobile communications technology. So much So, Prez Wickremesinghe last Monday named a high-level committee of four to deal with social media, besides the mainstream media. It will be the apex body for all matters relating to prez election.more..

Jun 16 (Island) SL’s World Cup campaign ended in bitter disappointment even before they departed to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia on Thursday. Their game on Sunday against the Netherlands is a dead rubber, but pride is at stake against the Dutch. It’s been a campaign filled with hurt and disappointment for a team that had done reasonably well in white ball cricket this year. SL simply failed to get going in the World Cup the moment Wanindu Hasaranga won the toss and opted to bat against SA.more..

Jun 16 (TM) Hoteliers warn that they will take legal action if the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) does not revoke its much-publicised recent decision demanding that hotels stop all happy hour promotions. The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President M. Shanthikumar stated that happy hour promotions were not unique to Sri Lanka and were arrangements relied on by hoteliers around the globe to bring customers into their establishments. more..

Jun 16 (DM) IMF, in its latest report has proposed an imputed rental income tax from owner-occupied and vacant residential property to be introduced by April 1, 2025, with an exemption threshold and a graduated tax rate schedule. The report says the introduction of such a tax is critical to sustain revenue mobilization efforts as a substitute for the property tax which was initially planned for 2025 but faced institutional impediments.more..

Jun 16 (ST) Govt intends to soon pass laws to establish an authority with the power to acquire, without a court order, movable and immovable property purchased through illegally earned money, including drug trafficking. Cabinet approval will be sought next week to present the wide-ranging Proceeds of Crime Bill to Parliament, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said. The proposed authority will have powers to acquire the property without court proceedings after establishing more..

Jun 16 (EN) Sri Lanka has exceeded key quantitative targets set in an IMF program for March 2024, based on preliminary data the Washington based agency said in a report. The March data are not performance criteria on which reviews are conducted but are indicative targets which shows the progress of the program and are a stepping stone for a September review based on June data. An indicative target for the primary balance (roughly overall deficit minus interest costs),more..

Jun 16 (ST) SL’s film production, distribution and screening at cinema halls will be given an official recognition as an industry by overhauling and modernising the outdated national film corporation, Finance Ministry sources divulged. It has been revealed that cabinet approval is essential, and will be sought, to abolish the entertainment levy imposed in accordance with archaic entertainment tax ordinance. A cabinet memorandum will also be presented soon giving prominence tomore..

Jun 16 (DM) The Provincial Council system will continue in its current form under the NPP govt until a new system is identified to create harmony among the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities, NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today. Addressing a gathering in London, he said the NPP never accepts Provincial Council system as a solution to the national issue. Dissanayake said the Tamil and Muslim communities believe that the Provincial Council is a right that they had wonmore..

Jun 16 (TM) Amidst political tensions, Election Commission (EC) Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake bluntly dismissed claims by Minister Harin Fernando regarding a 5 Oct election date, asserting that the EC, not the Cabinet or Govt, held the authority to set the election schedule. “From 17 July onwards, EC members will convene independently to determine the election date,” Rathnayake declared.more..

Jun 16 (AD) The ASP of Anuradhapura Sanjeewa Mahanama, who allegedly aided in the orchestrated shooting at the vehicle of former Anuradhapura District MP Uddika Premaratne, has reportedly fled the country. Investigations have uncovered that the suspected police officer has handed over his official firearm to another person at the airport and left the country. Meanwhile, Ministry of Public Security states that action will be taken to arrest the relevant suspect as per court orders.more..

Jun 16 (PMD) The draft constitution, prepared by the Judge Chitrasiri Committee for the SL Cricket Board, was presented to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe today (15). The draft was handed over to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe by the Committee Chairman, retired SC Judge K.T. Chitrasiri, accompanied by other committee members. To address the challenges faced by SLC and provide appropriate recommendations, a Cabinet Sub-Committee was appointed on Nov 6, 2023.more..

Jun 16 (TM) Power and Energy Ministry has taken steps to significantly reduce solar tariffs, with a top Govt official familiar with the matter stating that a Cabinet paper has been submitted outlining plans for a major tariff revision. The official disclosed that the tariffs would undergo a notable reduction from the current rates. However, specifics regarding the percentage of the tariff cuts were withheld, citing pending Cabinet decisions on the proposed tariff adjustments.more..

Jun 16 (ST) Sri Lanka’s present foreign currency-denominated debt volume has increased as a result of rupee fluctuations despite the suspension of all external debt repayments, Finance Ministry sources spelled out. According to the ministry’s quarterly debt report 2024, Sri Lanka’s govt debt has increased by US$ 4 billion to $100 billion as at end March 2024 from end 2023. Of this total external debt, 57% is domestic debt, 37% external debt and 15% commercial loans.more..