Singaporeans have chosen Tharman Shanmugaratnam as their next president – but many would have let out a small sigh of disappointment as they did so. On Friday, the former top minister won a record 70.4% of the votes, comfortably beating two other candidates in the country’s first contested presidential election in more than a decade. […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Two specialist doctors, Ajith Amarasinghe and Nilupul Perera, on behalf of the Eksath Janaraja Peramuna, have urged all MPs to sink their difference and vote for the no-faith motion against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. Addressing the media at the party office, they emphasised that if the no-faith motion was passed that would […]

The government yesterday (01) increased fuel prices again and announced the cancellation of the QR code system that was in place to restrict fuel supply in the retail market. The QR code system was meant to drastically drop fuel consumption due to the financial crisis that throttled the economy. The announcement was made close on […]

Debt, a lack of education, and the ability to adapt to disasters are factors that make most Sri Lankans feel vulnerable, says a new report, released yesterday (01 Sept.) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Oxford’s Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI). The Policy Report, titled ‘Understanding Multidimensional Vulnerabilities: Impact […]

Singaporeans have headed to the polls to vote in their first contested presidential election in over a decade. The president has a mainly ceremonial role in the city-state with few powers and little say in public affairs. But the result on Friday could be a marker of public sentiment on the long-term ruling People’s Action […]

Sri Lanka has repaid USD 100 million more to Bangladesh, which had lent USD 200 million to the crisis-hit island nation two years ago.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (29 May 2023) —The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $350 million special policy-based loan to provide budget support to Sri Lanka for economic stabilization. The program is part of a broader package of financial assistance anchored by the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Fund Facility for the country, which aims to stabilize the […]

The Civil Society Collective for Democracy (CSCD) says that recent statements from the President, the Speaker and some other MPs who attempt to undermine judicial independence are deeply troubling. CSCD says that the 21st Amendment to the Constitution has re-established the independent commissions, but the recent acts of intimidation targeting members of the Election Commission […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando The rebel SLPP group has demanded to know whether Adani Green Energy Ltd., represents the government of India.It has raised this question in the wake of Sri Lanka declaring its intention to consider the proposed construction of two wind and solar power parks in Mannar (286 Megawatt) and Pooneryn (234 megawatt) in […]

But unions say Madras Security Printer the number one culprit Excise Commissioner General Saman Jayasinghe has ordered liquor manufacturing companies to install CCTV cameras by 30 Sept., in their factories allowing centralised observation by the Excise officials as a measure to prevent the use of forged revenue stickers on bottles of liquor. He has warned […]

The Federation of National Organisations (FNO) has, in a letter addressed to Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, requested him to take up with US Ambassador Julie Chung her continuous interventions in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs. The letter was handed over to the Foreign Ministry on yesterday (31). Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera has signed the letter on […]

A meeting between the Permanent Resident Representative of the United Nations in Colombo Marc-Andre Franch, and the National People’s Power leader Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake, took place Tuesday (29) morning at the JVP head office. Edward Rees, Development Adviser and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Sri Lanka Office, and Comrade Bimal Ratnayake, National Executive […]

… urges Parliament to take up suspicious issue with the AG X-Press Pearl disaster: By Shamindra Ferdinando Former Chairperson of MEPA (Marine Environment Protection Authority) Dharshani Lahandapura yesterday (30) asked whether the government had accepted the USD 878,000 (Rs 285 mn) offer made by the insurers of the sunken X-Press Pearl container carrier. The vessel […]

Thursday 31st August, 2023 Neither the government nor the Opposition seems keen to knuckle down and help rebuild the economy. Both of them are wallowing in divisive politics and devising ways and means of shoring up their stock. This, they are doing while feigning willingness to cooperate for the sake of the public. They have […]

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCSL) in Sri Lanka yesterday appealed to the government to grant relief to the poor. CBCSL in a statement signed by its President Rt. Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera and Secretary Rt. Rev. Dr. J.D. Anthony Jayakody said that many people were on the brink of starvation while there seemd to […]