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More Headline News
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With no LTTE factions appearing, Probe Commission of no use
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:17 AM SL Time
A Presidential Commission (of Inquiry) tasked with investigating the ongoing wave of attacks on the LTTE (Vanni faction) wouldn`t be able to proceed unless the warring factions appeared before it.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Monday appointed the Commission, comprising two High Court Judges, `to inquire and report on the recent circumstances and or any other motives leading to attacks on LTTE cadres` in the Ampara-Batticaloa theatre.
The President has asked for the report within a month from the date of commencement of hearing.
The military pointed out that this would be a futile exercise without the participation of the LTTE factions, particularly Karuna loyalists responsible for a series of successful operations targeting the Vanni faction, particularly in the Ampara-Batticaloa theatre. Karuna loyalists launched attacks about a month after the Vanni faction dislodged Karuna cadres following a bloody battle on the banks of the Verugal river on April 9, last year.
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CBK says will quit party if it fails to serve the people
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:13 AM SL Time
President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday said the Sri Lanka Freedom Party was the only political party with a clear vision for the people and the country , but she would leave it if it did not serve the people.
Speaking at the SLFP Youth Conference held at the Maharagama Youth Center President Kumaratunga said: `Our party was formed because its founder, the late S. W. R. D Bandaranaike held a clear vision for the people, other parties who held the same vision joined the alliance last year in the hope of achieving this vision.`
`Every action we take must be to benefit the people of this country and for its development`, she said adding that the the youth formed the strength of the party and it was left to them to take the party's future political programme ahead.
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How the Tigers came to Canada
Wednesday, 2 March 2005 - 4:35 AM SL Time
On the edges of large nature preserves in India, farmers and fishermen often protect themselves from wild tigers by wearing a false face mask on the rear of their heads. Tigers like to attack from behind, and this two-faced look evidently confuses them.
When it comes to thwarting an equally deadly sort of tiger, Ottawa has its own two-faced approach. We are full and active partners with other nations in dealing with al-Qaeda and its jihadist ilk, yet have a sunnier face when it comes to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a violent insurgent group that is fighting to create an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka. While other Western nations have properly designated the LTTE a terrorist group, we have not.
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Politics
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Ranil says consensus of people essential for country`s progress
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:25 AM SL Time
The opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the inaugural ceremony of the discussion on the national agenda held on Tuesday at Galle Face hotel said for any country to march towards prosperity consensus of the people was essential.
He said for over a decade views were expressed not only by the civil society and religious leaders but also by political parties themselves that the political system of this country should be changed to pave way for consensual politics but it had not come true so far he said.
`We examined the ways and means through which countries like Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and Singapore achieved prosperity. We found these countries had followed the basic principle of having a consensus between political parties and the civil society.
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UNP fish in murky JVP waters
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:16 AM SL Time
The UNP is investigating irregularities at the JVP-run Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry, particularly the use of ministry funds to equip a party office at Mahamodara in the South.
This comes hot on the heels of the recent dismissal of Fisheries Secretary N. Bambarawanage, by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, on a request of Fisheries Minister Chandrasena Wijesinghe, a member of the nine-man JVP politburo.
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UNP initiates politics of convergence
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:10 AM SL Time
The United National Party initiated an open forum on an agenda towards the politics of convergence at a discussion held at the Galle Face Hotel on Tuesday.
Delivering the opening address, leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe said that countries can travel through two paths, one of politics of convergence and the other of divisional politics.
`Those who have travelled down the path of politics of convergence, such as Singapore and Malaysia, have benefited while those involved in divisive politics have stagnated in all areas of development,` he said.
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Editorial News
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Going beyond pledges
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 2:53 AM SL Time
Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama`s visit to Europe couldn`t have been timelier. It comes at a time when some UN specialised agencies are discovering that the assistance pledged by the world for post-tsunami reconstruction and relief is not being received by them in full.
This is the case with, for instance, the UNDP, which is aiming at restoring hospitals to a degree of normalcy and providing work for tsunami victims and the UNHCR, which is striving to supply tents to the affected inhabitants of the devastated regions.
In short, pledges are remaining just pledges in the case of some would-be aid donors. The danger exists that the enthusiasm shown by some to go to the aid of the tsunami-affected regions, in the wake of the disaster, would eventually evaporate when confronted with practical realities.
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Representative ticks and body politic
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:20 AM SL Time
Kenyans are reported to be up in arms against plans by their lawmakers to award themselves a ten-thousand-pound bonus. A parliamentary committee has, according to a news item in The Guardian, which we reproduced yesterday, recommended that each of the 222 MPs (Sri Lanka has 225!) be given 1.5 million Kenyan shillings, which is equal to 10,270 pounds. These MPs are said to be earning as much as 4,450 pounds per month inclusive of allowances while the vast majority of Kenyans live on a meagre half a pound a day. This is not all; the committee has, The Guardian says, also decided to provide MPs with offices equipped with telephones, computers and a staff of five each.
A minority of Parliamentarians in that country is said to be opposed to this proposal but others are, it is reported, not only for it but also issuing threats to block the budget unless they are given what is promised.
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Big bouquets to the cricketers and the artistes
Tuesday, 1 March 2005 - 12:49 AM SL Time
It was extremely pleasing to see the selfless and valiant efforts put in by the cricketers and the artistes to help alleviate the sufferings of the tsunami victims. Hope the public and the politicians, especially those who are waiting to make capital of the situation, take note of this and act likewise.
It is at a time like this, when disaster has struck, that those in the forefront in society should take the lead in setting an example to those whose lives have been devastated, on how to pick themselves up from the ashes and patch up the broken strands of their lives and who better to do so, than the cricketers and the artistes who are extremely popular, who are looked up to, or even hero worshipped by their fans, on account of the special talents they possess.
Of course there are other individuals and organisations that have risen to the occasion, but I am sure I am merely echoing the sentiments of the vast majority of the Sri Lankans, when I say that the cricketers and the artistes deserve a big bouquet for the selfless work carried out by them and request them to continue using their talents in reaching for higher goals so that they could bring some much needed light into the lives of those who have been affected by the tsunami.
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| Security |
Karuna group a formidable force against LTTE
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:12 AM SL Time
Colombo, Mar. 2. (UNI): The Tamil militant group led by renegade rebel commander V Muralitharan, well-known as `Colonel` Karuna, had emerged as a formidable opponent to the mainstream Tamil Tiger rebels especially in the Eastern Amparai district, STF Deputy Inspector General of Police (GIG) Nimal Lewke has said.
`It is evident that the Karuna group, which has become a strong opposition to the LTTE, is enjoying a great deal of sympathy and support within the Tamil community of the area and has also become a force to reckon with, a fact that the LTTE is not prepared to accept,` the state-run Daily News quoted the Special Task Force (STF) Commandant as saying in a statement.
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Pakistan Air Force team due
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:11 AM SL Time
A delegation from the Pakistan Air Force, led by Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat is scheduled to visit Colombo next week.
Air force headquarters said that the Pakistan delegation would arrive on March 8 for a five-day visit.
The delegation is scheduled to meet the President, the Premier, Deputy Defence Minister, Defence Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff and the Army Commander. (SF)
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Tigers bodily throw monitors out of Vavuniya office
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:10 AM SL Time
A group of SLMM officials, who had gone to the LTTE political office in Vavuniya, to investigate complaints, about members of rival Tamil political groups being held forcibly by the LTTE, were shoved out of the office by the scruff of their necks by the LTTE's political wing members on Tuesday (1) sources in the north reported.
However, the Vavuniya LTTE political wing leader Gnanavel has said that no member of the SLMM will be allowed to enter the LTTE's political wing office at Vavuniya to inquire into any complaints.
The SLMM has lodged a complaint with the Vavuniya police regarding the aggressive way they were treated by the LTTE in this instance.
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Business / Economy News
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PB confident of over 6% growth in 2005
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:24 AM SL Time
Though the donors as well as the Central Bank have lowered Sri Lanka`s economic growth forecast to below 5.5% Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P.B. Jayasundera yesterday expressed confidence that it would exceed 6% this year.
`Although the average growth rate projected for 2005 is revised downward to around 5 - 5.5%, I am quite positive that this year`s growth rate will exceed 6%,` Dr. Jayasundera said delivering the Central Bank`s Independence Commemoration lecture titled `The impact of the tsunami disaster on the economy of Sri Lanka - Challenges for rebuilding the nation.`
He said that the downward revision of GDP by JBIC, ADB, World Bank joint assessment as well as by the Central Bank was predominantly on account of the expected decline in the fish production by about 33 percent and the decline in tourist arrivals by about 30 percent. Further, claims on insurance which are expected to be in the range of Rupees 20 Billion and non- recoverable debt expected to be around Rs. 3.5 Billion, will have a burden on the performance of banking and financial institutions. The service sector may also have a setback from the destruction to water supply, electricity and telecommunications services.
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Commercial Bank launches HRD subsidiary 'X-Pertise Ltd.
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:15 AM SL Time
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has established a fully-owned subsidiary to offer employee training and development, banking education, executive search and recruitment, Human Resources (HR) consultation and other HR related services to corporate sector entities in Sri Lanka.
The new company, X-Pertise Limited is an extension of the training facilities provided by the Bank's Staff Development Centre into a fully-fledged HRD solutions provider.
X-Pertise Limited will provide a wide range of HR services such as general and customised programmes conducted both locally and overseas, training needs analyses and formulation of training plans as well as training and feedback mechanisms. In addition, the new subsidiary will also offer consultancy and operational HR Services in key areas of Human Resource Management such as recruitment and selection, compensation management and performance management for other corporates.
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Sheraton chain to construct five-star business hotel in Colombo
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:14 AM SL Time
The Sheraton chain is to construct a 225 room five star business hotel with all the state- of- the-art facilities in the heart of Colombo with an investment of 40 million US dollars. It's a joint venture between American giant Starwood Corporation and Universal Enterprises Pvt Ltd of Maldives. The Prime mover of the Project is Maldivian business tycoon Mohamed Umar Maniku, Chairman of Universal Enterprises who is no stranger to Sri Lanka having made considerable investments in Sri Lanka in diverse fields such as hospitality industry, education, meat products and mineral based products. Maniku speaking to 'The Island' about the new venture said negotiations have been held with the UDA to lease out a block of land at D. R. Wijewardene Mawatha and construction of the five star will get underway early next year and is expected to complete in 1 1/2 years time.
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| Sports News
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Ruchira`s burst bust up the batting best
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:24 AM SL Time
Defending champions Central Province look set to retain the title for yet another year as they ended the second day`s play in a commanding position against North Central Province in the inter-provincial cricket final at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium yesterday.
Paceman Ruchira Perera who took a hat-trick in the first innings to bowl out NCP for 175 chipped in to do more damage as he sent his opponents reeling to 165 for 8 in the second innings after Central Province were bowled out for 202.
Ruchira finished the day taking 4 for 54 while Prashan Silva took 3 for 28.
Earlier in the day Central Province who were struggling on the first day with four of their top order batsmen back in the pavilion for 81, were boosted by a 91-run stand for the fifth wicket between Tharanga Paranavithana who made 57 and Hasantha Fernando who chipped in with 47.
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Bowlers take charge on opening day
Thursday, 3 March 2005 - 1:19 AM SL Time
The final of this year's Inter-Provincial cricket Tournament between North Central Province (NCP) and Central Province (CP) being played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium was heading for a decision as 14 wickets fell for 256 runs on an opening day dominated by bowlers on Tuesday.
NCP, led by Mahela Jayawardena, were put into bat by CP captain Kumar Sangakkara and were bowled out for 175 after early blows by paceman Ruchira Perera (5 for 64), who is yet to play Test cricket since his last appearance in November, 2002 in South Africa. Central Province were 81 for four wickets at close.
In-form NCP openers, Avishka Gunawardena and Shantha Kalavi-tigoda, gave a decent start to their innings with a sedate 31 but they were soon in trouble losing three quick wickets, including those of Gunawardena and Jayawardena, within 10 runs (41 for 3). Kalavitigoda, 36 in 69 balls, then added 29 with the last match's double centurion Tillakaratne Dilshan (17) for the fourth wicket but fell as the fifth. NCP were soon stuttering at 83 for six following Kalavitigoda's dismissal.
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No cricket for Dalai Lama in India
Wednesday, 2 March 2005 - 4:16 AM SL Time
NEW DELHI, Feb 28 (AFP) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will not inaugurate the opening match of Pakistan's cricket tour of India because the Pakistanis were unhappy with his attendance, it was announced on Monday.
The Dalai Lama was due to inaugurate on Thursday the three-day match between the tourists and an Indian board president's team in the northern hill resort of Dharamshala where the Tibetan leader's government-in-exile is based.
Media reports on Monday said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan had told Indian officials that Pakistan should not be put in an embarrassing position since it enjoys very good relations with China.
A statement from the Tibetan leader's office said the Dalai Lama had decided not to accept the invitation by the organisers, the Himachal Pradesh cricket association, to inaugurate the match.
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