Sri Lanka News : InfoLanka News Room (2024)

Jun 18 (CT) The Coconut Development Authority has reported a 36 per cent drop in King coconut (Thambili) exports due to damage inflicted by white flies on King coconut cultivations in SL. According to the Authority, the spread of white flies in coconut plantations has significantly impacted King coconut plantations. The King coconut crops have suffered more extensive damage compared to regular coconut crops, as white flies are particularly attracted to yellow and orange colours.more..

Jun 18 (Island) A question SJB MP Buddhika Pathirana posed to the Justice Minister about Talduwe Somarama Thera, who was judicially executed for assassinating former PM S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike is listed to be taken up in Parliament, again, today. MP Pathirana has asked the Justice Minister why the death certificate of Somarama has not been released yet, according to today’s Order Paper of Parliament. The MP has asked whether the Minister is aware that the death of Somarama, on 06.07.1962, more..

Jun 18 (FT) Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) has decided to take legal action against plantation company owners who are not adhering to the Govt-mandated daily wage increase of Rs. 1,700 for estate workers. CWC Vice Chairman Thirukesh Sellasamy expressed frustration that despite a Govt gazette notification requiring the Rs. 1,700 daily wage from last month; many plantation companies have failed to comply. “CWC leader Senthil Thondaman has decided to sue more..

Jun 18 (DM) In response to the significant prevalence of HIV cases among young people between the ages 15-24, the health authorities have scaled up testing especially targeting the said group. Consultant Venereologist Dr. Vino Dharmakulasinghe highlighted a pronounced increase, particularly among males. The Western Province, notably Colombo and Gampaha, bears the brunt of this trend. In response, health officials are launching extensive intervention and awareness campaigns to haltmore..

Jun 18 (CT) President Ranil Wickremesinghe has stressed the unfairness of arresting and fining pilgrims enroute to sacred sites such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu in Mannar and Sri Pada. He instructed that if pilgrims are apprehended in the future, the President’s Office should be immediately notified. Wickremesinghe emphasised, “The roads leading to Madhu Church and Sri Pada serve pilgrims, and it is unjust to impose a fine of Rs 300,000 on those heading to the church.”more..

Jun 18 (EN) SL will exempt one house from a proposed wealth tax outlined in an IMF program, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said. About 90% of the people’s houses are likely to be exempt from the proposed tax, he said. “[O]ne house will be exempt from this,” Prez Wickremesinghe told parliament Monday. “It is going to have a very high threshold and I do not think the vast majority of the people in this country should even be worried about their house.more..

Jun 18 (AD) A discussion is scheduled to be held today between UGC and representatives of the Uni Trade Union Joint Committee (UTUJC) to address the latter’s wage issues. UTUJC co-chairman Dhammika Priyantha emphasized that the strike action, now in its 48th day, will continue until proper solutions are provided by the authorities. Underscoring the urgency of finding an immediate solution, Priyantha stated that if the UGC also fails to offer adequate solutions, trade union action will persist.more..

Jun 18 (CT) Under the stewardship of the NPP, the primacy accorded to Buddhism in Article 9 of the Constitution will remain intact, assured its Leader, during a public gathering in London. He emphasised that rumours that there are conflicts between the NPP and Buddhism are instigated by individuals who fail to adhere to the tenets of the religion. Article 9 of the Constitution states, “SL shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protectmore..

Jun 18 (EN) Supreme Court has found a number of clauses in a proposed amendment to the Telecom Telecommunications Amendment bill unconstitutional, speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said. “Clause No 8, proposed section 9A 2 of the bill is inconsistent with Article 12 1 of the constitution, however this inconsistency shall cease if word ‘may’ will be replaced with word ‘shall’ as set out in the determination of the SC.” “Clause No 9 is inconsistent with Article 12 1 of the constitution more..

Jun 18 (CT) To steer clear of falling prey to criminals posing as Police Officers, the Police urge the public to confirm the identity of individuals in plain attire who claim to be Police Officers before agreeing to any personal or property inspections. In light of an incident in Maradana, where an individual was robbed by two individuals impersonating Police Officers, the Police emphasised the public’s right to request official identification from plainclothes officers for verificationmore..

Jun 18 (DM) While highlighting in Parliament today that the Supreme Court has engaged in judicial cannibalism with regard to its determination on the Gender Equality Bill, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe proposed appointing a select committee to look into the judgment. “The SC has ignored a certain section which the Gender Equality Bill has addressed. It has eaten up all the judgments including one which had been given by a bench of ten judges with regard to women's rights.more..

Jun 18 (AD) The inaugural public rally of the Sarvajana Balaya, the new alliance formed by several opposition parties, has commenced in Nugegoda today (18). The public rally is being held at Ananda Samarakoon Open Air Theatre in Nugegoda under the theme of repowering the aspirations of 6.9 million people. The public rally commenced after the processions arriving from five different directions converged at the Ananda Samarakoon Open Air Theatre. Representatives from seven political parties more..

Jun 18 (EN) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has signed an agreement with the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) to increase trade cooperation between India and SL. The MOU was signed by CCC CEO Buwanekabahu Perera, SGCCI President Ramesh Vaghasia, in the presence of Dr Valsan Vethody, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Mumbai, India. “With the signing of the MoU, … Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and SGCCI aim to facilitate trade between the two countries via initiatives more..

Jun 18 (DM) In a startling revelation, SL's law enforcement agencies have reported a surge in incidents regarding live-streaming sexual content involving youth, who are allegedly selling these explicit clips to international companies. According to recent disclosures by the police, these illicit activities have seen a notable increase due to their lucrative nature. Police disclosed that a significant number of complaints have been filed, primarily concerning young couples more..

Jun 18 (DM) Applications have been called from interested individuals to fill in a vacancy in the post of a member of the National Police Commission, the Communications Department of Parliament said. As stipulated in Article 155A of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, a person who is a Member of Parliament, a Provincial Council or a local authority is not eligible for appointment as a member of the National Police Commission.more..

Jun 18 (AD) National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWS&DB) says that even though the damaged transmission pipeline from the Kalatuwawa Treatment Plant has been repaired, the water supply to around 85,000 housing units is yet to be restored. However, the water board said that the situation is likely to normalise by around 6 p.m. today. The water transmission pipeline supplying water from the Kalatuwawa Treatment Plant had been damaged at Godagama near the High-Level Road owing to a vehicular accident. more..

Jun 18 (FT) As Sri Lanka gets ready for another Presidential election to choose the country’s leader for the next five years we are hearing the same slogans, we need a system change, we need to change the system again. But how do we do this, practically? We have come to treat leaders, whether they are in the fields of politics, business, community, or any other, as some magical creatures who can perform wonders. Management literature has contributed to this thinking, more..

Jun 18 (FT) Last week, concluding their second review of the ongoing Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, the IMF decided on 12 June to release the third tranche of $ 336 million from the agreed $ 2.9 billion soft loan that intends to support macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability in Sri Lanka. Thus, the third release would make a total of $ 1 billion to date. Declared intentions of the IMF program with Sri Lanka say, apart from macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, more..

Jun 18 (Island) Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship, Peace Ark set sail from a military port in Zhoushan in east China’s Zhejiang Province on Sunday morning for Mission Harmony-2024 to visit three countries, including SL. Chinese media reports said that this is the 10th Mission Harmony for Peace Ark since its commissioning in 2008. The Peace Ark will offer free diagnosis and treatment for common andmore..

Jun 18 (DN) Chief Public Health Inspector for Dehiwela, Wasantha Pushpakumara said that a stock of food unfit for human consumption was found for sale in the doctors’ canteen of the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital. The PHI’s Office of the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council had raided the location as per the instructions of the Municipal Commissioner. The PHI’s Office stated that due to the current economic situation, many food sales outlets have been serving unhygienic foodmore..

Jun 18 (Island) SJB MP Niroshan Perera’s question to Finance Minister and Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, on fees, etc., pertaining to France-based Lazard and Clifford Chance LLP retained by the governmnet as financial and legal advisors, respectively, for debt restructuring, is listed to be taken up in Parliament today. MP Perera has referred the question to the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, according to today’s Order Paper of Parliament.more..

Jun 18 (FT) All Ceylon Traditional Coconut Oil Manufacturers Association (ACTCOMA) and the National Consumer Front (NCF) have voiced strong concerns over the recent surge in coconut oil prices, labelling the increase as unfair to consumers and local industries already struggling with a high cost-of-living. ACTOMA Convener Buddhika De Silva attributed this increase to coconut oil importers hoarding stocks in anticipation ofmore..

Jun 18 (Island) A future SJB Govt would take a firm stance against religious extremism, asserted the SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa. Premadasa emphasised that no religious group would be permitted to promote extremist ideologies under his leadership. Premadasa also outlined the SJB's vision for a unified SL, where all religions and ethnicities are treated with equal respect and dignity. He stressed that the country’s progress is hindered by divisions based on religious & ethnic lines,more..

Jun 18 (TM) In the wake of investigations by the CID revealing that the shooting incident involving former SLPP MP Uddika Premarathne in Anuradhapura last September was reportedly orchestrated by Premarathne himself, Police Dept is yet to make a decision on arresting the MP. A senior Police officer stated that while the CID will be taking necessary steps to arrest Premarathne according to the developments of the probe, it is still too premature to make a comment on the particular matter.more..

Jun 18 (ST) A bill on the disposal of court productions is to be presented to Cabinet next week to enable the govt to auction thousands of vehicles currently languishing in courts and police stations. Under the provisions of the bill, if a judge is unable to give a ruling on any vehicle that is presented as a court production within three months, that vehicle can be auctioned. The money from the sale of that vehicle will be deposited in a Fixed Deposit (FD) account opened specifically more..

Jun 18 (AD) SL Railways has decided to implement a special railway service offering toll-free rides for a week starting from today (17) for passengers heading to Mihintale from A'pura for Poson Poya Day. Moreover, necessary steps have been taken to implement a special bus service from Maho railway station to A'pura for the railway passengers who come from Colombo to Maho. Due to the ongoing renovation activities along Northern Railway track between Maho & A'pura railway stations,more..

Jun 18 (IT) SL captain Wanindu Hasaranga slammed the social media trolls, claiming that they're just trying to make the other fans of the team angry at them after their horrid show in the T20 World Cup 2024. SL were eliminated in the group stages after they lost to South Africa and Bangladesh in the first two matches and their game with Nepal was washed out. SL would salvage some pride with the win over the Netherlands,more..

Jun 18 (FT) The Consulate General of Sri Lanka to Dubai and Northern Emirates has announced the participation of a distinguished 20-member delegation at the Industry Expo 2024, taking place in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 19 to 23 June. This delegation comprises representatives from various sectors, including SL Business Council (SLBC) for Dubai and Northern Emirates, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce, ESPA, petroleum, Lulu Hypermarket & various other key stakeholders in UAE.more..

Jun 18 (AD) Former Prez Maithripala Sirisena says he resigned from his position as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) for the betterment of the party and its members. He went on to say that there is an ongoing national conspiracy aimed at destroying the SLFP, and that he appointed Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as the Acting Chairman of the party as there was no other person qualified to hold the position within the SLFP. Speaking to the media in Galle, Sirisena said:more..

Jun 18 (PMD) Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Mr. M. N. Ranasinghe, stated that the period from 2022 to 2024 will be historically significant for the highest number of law reforms in Sri Lanka. He highlighted that since 2022, 59 legal reforms have been passed in Parliament, with an additional 07 drafts and 44 legal amendments slated for future approval. Mr. Ranasinghe made these remarks during a press conference more..

Jun 18 (EN) Legal alcohol is too far away for some customers to access in Sri Lanka’s North due to the lack of legal outlets, forcing them to consume illicit products, though new licenses issued recently have helped in other areas, according to an industry official. While the average distance to a legal alcohol outlet was 45 square kilometers, in the Northern district it was 167 square kilometers. “Clearly, this opens the door for informal activity as these distances are simply beyond reasonable,” more..