|
|
|
More Headline News
|
SAARC meeting in Colombo to promote South Asia tourism
Monday, 1 August 2005 - 10:22 PM SL Time
Minister of State for Tourism, Government of India, Ms Renuka Chowdry and other heads of delegation of SAARC countries attending a meeting of SAARC Tourism Ministers in Colombo Monday, signed a joint declaration for making joint efforts for promotion of tourism in the region, a press release issued by the Sri Lanka Information Department said.
Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State for Tourism, Government of India, is currently on a visit to Colombo to participate in the meeting of SAARC Tourism Ministers organized by the SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
During her address to the inaugural session of the meeting, today, she lauded the resilience of the people of Sri Lanka and India for bouncing back from the effects of tsunami which had taken a heavy toll on human lives, livelihood and industry, particularly the tourism industry. She said that the need of the hour was to collectively address common issues which will bring benefits to the people of the region.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Tamileelam TV to begin broadcasts
Monday, 1 August 2005 - 2:43 AM SL Time
The new National Television of Tamileelam (NTT) will begin broadcasting from Kilinochchi today, using Eurostar at 11.5GHz and will reach Southeast Asian countries, TamilNet reported.
`We faced several hurdles to inform our public the factual details of events that affected them during the period of war. Our media capability grew with our growth in military strength and now we have the capability to broadcast live news through satellite technology to most parts of the world where Tamils live. We urge all journlists to co-operate with us to make our new broadcast programme to South-East Asian countries a success,` said K. Veera of the NTT.
LTTE`s media co-ordinator Thaya Master and Director of NTT S. Karunakaran also participated in the event.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 41 )
Mervyn`s first act: A luxury vehicle
Monday, 1 August 2005 - 2:41 AM SL Time
Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva who is at the centre of controversy has reportedly ordered a luxury car worth Rs. 9.5 million for his official use soon after assuming duties last Monday.
The Daily Mirror reliably learns that ordering the luxury vehicle was one of the first tasks Deputy Minister Silva had carried out soon after taking office. The Deputy Minister had sought Treasury approval for the necessary allocation of funds and it is learnt that it had been granted.
The money has been sought as Supplementary Allocation number 918 of the expenditure of the Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment.
When contacted by the Daily Mirror, a top official of the Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Ministry confirmed that the Treasury had granted approval for Rs. 9.5 million for the purchase of a vehicle for the new Deputy Minister.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 22 )
|
More Headline News
|
|
|
|
|
Politics
|
Ranil condoles with Saudi Govt.
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:33 AM SL Time
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday expressed his profound sadness on the passing away of His Majesty King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
His message of condolence addressed to HRH Prince Abdulla bin Abdul Aziz states, 'Please accept our deepest sympathies on the great loss to you and the people of Saudi Arabia.'
Full Story
Post Reply To This
PM invites TNA for talks
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:31 AM SL Time
SLFP`s newly appointed presidential candidate Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse has invited the Tamil National Alliance for talks to solicit its support at the next presidential election.
The request was made through TNA Parliamentarian M.K. Ilavendran when he met the premier in Colombo.
Mr. Ilavendran said there was no problem regarding a discussion between the premier and the TNA, but the premier and the SLFP should realize the views and objectives of the Tamil community.
He said the Tamil people would not be too happy if the premier was to join hands with the JVP.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Election Commission a must, says GL
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:26 AM SL Time
KANDY - The non appointment of the Election Commission is a serious mistake committed by the President. It is an important institution, United National Party (UNP) MP Professor G. L. Peiris said distributing certificates to a group that followed a training programme organised by the Secretariat of the National Alliance for Peace.
Speaking on the occasion at the Kandy City Mission Hall Prof. Peiris said the appointment of the Election Commission is very important for the fact that there would be a number of elections in the future.
It is an important organ under the government amendment of the constitution, he stressed.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial News
|
Driven to polls
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:35 AM SL Time
Our good politicians, having dashed people`s hopes and wishes for a combined effort by them to solve the country`s burning problems, have pushed the country to the threshold of an election. From now onwards their time and energy will be diverted to programmes and projects designed to bring them victory in their struggle for power.
The parties in power, despite all their impressive pronouncements about refraining from using available state resources for election purposes, will utilize state resources, both material and human, to achieve their ends. The opposition parties will similarly make use of everything they can lay their hands on for the purpose of winning the elections. The burning problems of the people will, in the meantime, assume graver proportions. These problems will, of course, receive their attention, not for solution, but for gaining political mileage for their respective parties.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
`Peons`, presidents and elections
Monday, 1 August 2005 - 2:39 AM SL Time
The situation in which Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse finds himself as the SLFP`s presidential candidate evokes memories of the predicament of the late President Premadasa, who also entered the presidential fray as premier under a dominant president, JRJ. Mr. Rajapakse represents a government whose popularity has plummeted and the late Mr. Premadasa came from a government whose popularity had hit the rock bottom.
The biggest task before Mr. Premadasa was to break free from the centripetal presidential pull and woo the very electorate which the UNP had antagonised. A veteran politician and master strategist, he had, since he became Prime Minister, projected himself as `a peon` not capable of making crucial decisions for the party so that it was not he but the president who drew the flak when something went wrong. His `peon theory` has gained currency ever since and is the best reading of the position of the prime minister under an executive president: A premier under a president from his own party is a virtual peon (e.g. Prime Ministers Premadasa, Wijetunga and Rajapakse), while a prime minister from a party different to the president`s is a de facto head of state ' Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe even overrode the president as evident from his signing of the CFA without her concurrence. Ms. Kumaratunga with the UNP in power in Parliament was reduced to a figurehead, until she joined forces with the JVP and turned presidential tables on Mr. Wickremesinghe.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Read Replies ( 4 )
Do we have a race?
Sunday, 31 July 2005 - 5:14 AM SL Time
The fat is in the fire, with President Kumaratunga said to be invoking constitutional powers this week to seek the Supreme Court`s opinion on the date for the next Presidential election. Mahinda Rajapakse, in the melee, has become Sri Lanka`s answer to this country`s great friend Mr. Bill Clinton who was dubbed 'comeback kid`` in the first ugly phase of a U.S Presidential race. Written off more than once as a draft dodger and a pot smoker, Clinton came back saying he smoked but didn`t inhale. Rajapakse has come back after several narrow shaves, this time saying he opened accounts, but never misused the money. Same Clinton spin, different ball game.
But, it`s not the PM`s down-south doggedness but plain and simple anxiety that seems to have provoked the SLFP (..read President Kumaratunga) to name Rajapakse the party`s presidential candidate. That dull though unpredictable story-book character, the Commissioner of Elections, was said to be gargling his mouth to make the eventual announcement this week that the Presidential Election will be held in November of this year.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
|
|
|
| Security |
Tigers `cutting` through FDLs
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:32 AM SL Time
Security forces manning the Muhamalai Entry/Exit point discovered on Sunday that LTTE cadres had attempted to infiltrate the Forward Defence Line (FDL) when they found that the barbed wire strands of the fence had been cut on Saturday .
Military sources said that security forces had also observed that some of those LTTE infiltrators had left footprints. Earlier, four men, who infiltrated into Omantha FDL area, after cutting wire fences, were apprehended and handed over to the Police.
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was to be informed.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Top official assaulted
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:30 AM SL Time
North Central Province Lands Commissioner Keerthi Gamage was allegedly assaulted after a dispute with two drunken motorists.
Anuradhapura Inspector Jayalath Balagalle said the suspects were taken into custody soon after the incident and were produced before the Judicial Medical Officer who stated in his report that they were smelling of liquor.
The suspects had allegedly assaulted the Lands Commissioner -- who was returning home with his wife after attending a meeting -- when he asked the miscreants to close the vehicle doors and allow him room to proceed.
The suspects were produced in court yesterday.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Gang arrested soon after robbery
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:25 AM SL Time
An armed gang robbed cattle traders of 90,000 rupees at Maragashandiya, Sooriyawewa after stabbing the lorry cleaner last Saturday (30) night, but was soon apprehended by the police.
The traders from Kandana were on their way, in a lorry, to purchase cattle for slaughter, when three armed persons, held them up at gun point, at Maragashandiya around 11.30 p.m, stabbed the cleaner and robbed them of the cash.
Sooriyawewa police arrested the gang and recovered the gun and the cash they had robbed, OIC Rohan Pushpakumara said.
He also said that an elder brother of one gangsters had been arrested in connection with a bank robbery a month back and was remanded.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
|
|
|
Business / Economy News
|
Ceylon Chamber hits at politics, wage pressure
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:34 AM SL Time
The country`s premier private sector lobby group, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, yesterday came hard on political instability, deteriorating law and order and also pressure and intervention from the Government on commercial sector wages.
The following is the statement from the Ceylon Chamber on some of the pressing issues affecting the private sector.
Interference in Private Sector Salaries
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce views with considerable concern the announcement made by the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment, through certain media channels on July 27, that the Government intends reintroducing legislation to intervene in private sector salaries and wages. The Chamber, in association with the Employers` Federation of Ceylon (EFC), has constantly objected to such State interference in the determination of Private Sector wages outside the well-established framework of the Wages Board, Collective Agreements and market force mechanism. This is a sensitive area, which could have inadvertent consequences that will act as a deterrent to trade and investment and, in particular, be damaging to the competitiveness of Sri Lankan exports.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Tissue culture technology for seed potato production
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:29 AM SL Time
Potato farmers in the up country region will receive a- boost following a MOU signed between CIC Seeds and Uda Pussellawa Plantations to use Tissue culture technology and produce high yielding, quality seed potato.
The MOU will see CIC Seeds producing potato micro tubers in their culture laboratory at Pelwehera, which will be transferred to the Uda Pussellawa plantations where it will be grown for three months under poly tunnels. Following this the potato seedlings will be grown in the fields of the Uda Pussellawa Plantations for seeds. The seed potato will then be bought back by CIC Seeds and sold to Potato farmers in the region.
Obtaining high yielding quality Seed Potato has been a major problem for Potato farmers over the years. The joint venture between CIC Seeds and Uda Pussellawa Plantations will ensure that high yielding, quality and disease free Seed Potato will be produced and be accessible to farmers. CIC Seeds will initially produce around, 25, 000 potato micro tubers in their laboratory using parent stock obtained from Holland.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Inflation rate jumps
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:25 AM SL Time
The country`s annualised inflation rate jumped to 12.7 per cent in July, up from 12.6 percent last month and 4.3 percent a year ago due to rising fuel prices, the Central Bank said Sunday.
The increase in overall prices in July had deviatated from the seasonal decrease usually observed for the month, the bank said in a statement, citing `the impact of fuel price increases`.
The government last week withdrew a 15 per cent tax on diesel in a bid to maintain the same retail prices in the wake of rising oil prices in the international market. (AFP)
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
|
|
| Sports News
|
Sanath out of harm`s way
Tuesday, 2 August 2005 - 2:26 AM SL Time
The Sri Lankan cricketers in Dambulla was relieved when Australian surgeon David Young phoned them from Colombo to inform that the shoulder injury of opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya was nothing serious and he will be able to take part in the remainder of the Indian Oil Cup series involving the West Indies and India.
Dr. Young took a look at Jayasuriya`s MRI scan on Monday and determined that it wasn`t an injury to be alarmed of and declared Sri Lanka`s highest run getter in both forms of the game fit to play the remainder of the series as the dislocation of his shoulder hasn`t caused any harm to the rotator cuff.
Jayasuriya, however, still has a slight pain in his right shoulder and will sit out of today`s game against the rookie West Indian side. He`s expected to return for the big game against India on Wednesday, which will be Sri Lanka`s last group match against the neighbouring country. 20-year-old Upul Tharanga, from NCC, is set to make his debut in today`s game opening the innings in the company of captain Marvan Atapattu. `He`s got a good chance of making his debut in tomorrow`s game. If he plays he`ll open the innings,` Atapattu told reporters after a two hour training session at the Dambulla International Stadium.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Injured Jayasuriya breaks Indian hearts
Monday, 1 August 2005 - 2:39 AM SL Time
Over the years Sri Lankan opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya has given Indian cricketers and fans plenty of nightmares and he added to their woes once again when he helped his side score a thrilling three wicket win over them in the curtain raiser of the Indian Oil Cup here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium under lights on Saturday. Set a target of 206 Sri Lanka got there with 10 balls to spare thanks to Jayasuriya who made an unbeaten 43 in 50 deliveries with six fours.
Sri Lanka already weakened by injuries to fast bowlers suffered a further set back when Jayasuriya injured his shoulder while trying to stop a drive from Yuvraj Singh. He went away from the field and received treatment in the dressing room after partially dislocating the shoulder from Sri Lanka`s physiotherapist and Australian doctor David Young who has successfully done shoulder surgeries on players like Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
Batting worries behind Test wins
Sunday, 31 July 2005 - 5:03 AM SL Time
First it was lack of match practice, then rustiness and finally a difficult track. These were the excuses given for the failure of the Sri Lanka`s top order batsmen against the West Indies during the recently concluded two match Test series. The final outcome was in favour of Sri Lanka ' Sri Lanka won the first match staged at the SSC by six wickets and the second played at Asgiriya by 240 runs. Yet, the struggle of the homsters to achieve those wins should not go unnoticed.
Of course there is no crown without thorns and gain without pain. Test matches mean a test of character. But given the opposition that lacked a number of established players including the batting maestro Brain Lara, cricket fans expected Sri Lanka to have a cakewalk ' to thrash Windies novices by innings. The West Indies possessed just one world class or established batsman in their captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul (88 matches, 6069 runs). The majority of the team was rookies who did not have enough Test match experience. For a team with a number of hither to unknown teenagers wielding bats yet to be adorned with sponsors labels Sri Lanka series should have been a nightmare.
Full Story
Post Reply To This
|
|
