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Sunday September 14th, 2008 |
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Mihin to
get new lease of life
In a bid to revive the ailing budget carrier Mihin Lanka, the
Aviation Ministry last week reconstituted the airline’s Board of
Directors, largely made up of engineering and aviation
professionals, The Nation learns.
(See
Inside)
Recalling injured
Indians, a matter between govts
Air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara has said
that re-calling Indian technicians working with the Sri Lanka...
(See
Inside)
If Ranil goes, we’ll return - Lokuge
The group of original UNP ‘reformists’ who crossed over to the
government last year claim their re-entry would entirely depend
on...
(See
Inside)
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Thank you for the smiles
President Mahinda
Rajapaksa was presented with a copy of a compilation of
newspaper cartoons featured on Mul Pituwa by Host of the
programme and Lake House Chairman Bandula Padmakumara at Temple
Trees last week. The book features cartoons by renowned
newspaper illustrators in Sri Lanka and the cartoon on the book
cover was illustrated by The Nation’s own Graphics Editor,
Wasantha Siriwardane
(Pic by Sudath Silva) |
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Election reforms to eliminate
preferential system
Parliament Select Committee on Electoral Reforms in its interim
report has recommended the elimination of the preferential...
(See
Inside)
Medical doctors to
launch token strike
Medical doctors attached to the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
Hospitals...
(See Inside)
SLAF bombards LTTE
hideouts in Iranamadu
Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets launched an air strike on a
heavily reinforced concreted building complex concealed 1 km
north...
(See
Inside)
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NEWS |
Lak Sathosa sets 200 outlets
target by 2009
The government has earmarked Rs. 450 million to fund Lak Sathosa
next year.
According to Commerce and Consumer Affairs Ministry Secretary
Dr. R.M.K. Ratnayake, the money is to be obtained through a
transfer of a building for Rs. 150 million to the Central Bank,
in a bid to expand the Lak Sathosa branch network.
An additional Rs.300 million is being set aside to provide
purchase and administrative costs to the company.
The six-storey structure, which is located at the top of Chatham
Street in Fort, would be transferred to the Central Bank within
the next month to finance a proposal to increase Lak Sathosa
Branches...
(See Inside)
No schools will be closed for A/L
paper marking — Exams Chief
No schools will be closed due to A/L paper marking sessions,
Examinations Commissioner Anura Edirisinghe has assured.
“Instead, we have worked out an alternative arrangement with the
principals of the respective schools where the marking will be
conducted. We would reserve a separate section in those schools
for the evaluation process so that the usual activities of the
schools can be carried out,” said Edirisinghe.
The fourth stage of the paper marking session commenced
on the September 9 and the Commissioner assured that it
is being...
(See Inside)
Railways on strike, today
Railway workers are to launch a 24-hour strike, commencing from
midnight today, Railway Services Trade Union Joint Alliance
Secretary Sampath Rajitha said.
Rajitha told The Nation that they were forced to resort to trade
union action because the authorities had failed to address their
grievances, despite repeated complaints.
“The Railway workers have been facing many problems
including salary increments, promotions and loans.
Although trade unions have informed the relevant
authorities on many occasions, nothing has...
(See Inside)
Gas Prices to come down by
November
The price of Laugfs Gas is to come down by
Rs. 120 per cylinder by November.
According to Laugfs Gas Chairman W. K. H. Wegapitiya, the
Automatic Import Parity Pricing Formula is taken into account
and the domestic gas prices are structured according to the
world gas prices.
“Therefore we take into consideration only the past two months
gas prices. Thereafter, a 30 day period is left aside to order
it to be imported, as well as releasing it into the domestic
market. On the whole, it takes three months for the gas prices
to show a change for consumer benefit” he said. Wegapitiya
emphasised...
(See Inside)
Ravi demands Rs. 1 billion from
ANCL
UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake has threatened to sue
Silumina newspaper of Lake House to the tune of Rs. 1 billion,
following a news item that appeared in its issue of September 7,
titled ‘UNP leadership rejected by the people’ quoting
Karunanayake as saying it.
Attorney-at-Law G.G. Arulpragasam, writing to the Associated
Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd, — Lake House on behalf of
the Parliamentarian, has said that the report under the
said headline is absolutely false and has been made with
the intention of creating a rift between the Leader...
(See Inside)
Tamils will not be sent back -
SSP Gunasekara
The government has no intention of sending back civilians,
who have entered Colombo to escape from the north and east
conflict, Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara has said.
Within the month of August alone, about 6,950 people have
arrived in the Colombo Police Division.
These people have found accommodation in lodges, houses and
various other places.
However, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa commenting on the
substantial influx of people from the eastern areas, has
declared that anyone remaining...
(See Inside) |
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POLITICS |
Will the broad alliance work for the
UNP?
 The Opposition United National Party (UNP), it was reported has
mandated its beleaguered leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, to form a ‘broad
alliance’ against the ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA)
ostensibly for the purpose of facing future elections.
This may appear quite ironic, since Wickremesinghe is struggling to find
allies in his own party so he could remain at the helm of the UNP. But
nevertheless, the need for, and the possible implications of this ‘broad
alliance,’ merits discussion.
The fact that such an alliance is being mooted, is in itself an
indication that the collective Opposition feels, for all its sabre-rattling
rhetoric, that it cannot march separately and strike separately at the
UPFA or...
(See Inside)
Ragged controversies of dissension
plague UNP
The crisis in the UNP was continuing last week.
Parliamentarians Lakshman Seneviratne, Johnston Fernando, and
Thalatha Atukorala held several rounds of talks on the issue
while the Pro-Ranil group held separate talks. However, Party
Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who was not concerned about the
things going on discussed the issues affecting the country and
the party with his friends who visited him. The rival group met
the UNP members of the Western Provincial Council and severely
criticised the leadership. However, several Provincial Council
Members expressed opposite views.
(See Inside) |
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NEWS FEATURES |
UNSOUND NOISE
 Although countries around the world have been fighting noise
pollution for decades, it is a relatively new concept for Sri
Lankans. Until few years ago, it was inconceivable that a Sri
Lankan government would introduce legislation to deal with noise
pollution.
The CEA talks
According to Chairman- Central Environment Authority (CEA),
Udaya Gammanpila, the authorities decided to implement
regulations regarding noise pollution after a Fundamental Rights
application filed by a mosque in Weligama accusing the OIC of
the Weligama police station of permitting another mosque to have
extra time to operate their speakers during...
(See Inside)In Deadly Peril
 The United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government’s fight
to eradicate terrorism has reached its climax, with government
troops determined to march into LTTE strongholds in the
Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.
It was with the intention of taking the Tigers head on, that the
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) two weeks ago dropped leaflets,
requesting civilians to move out of LTTE controlled areas.
Following this, the government also gave instructions to aid
workers, both local and international, to leave the Districts of
Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi – a request promptly complied with by
the aid workers.
Whether or not all the civilians have moved out, in keeping with
the SLAF request, is yet to be seen.
(See
Inside)
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Raheem
sisters, Unamboowe grab the limelight
Two promising swimmers Mayumi Raheem and Heshan Unamboowe
grabbed the limelight at the National Age Group Championships
concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium swimming pool yesterday.
Mayumi, the 16-year-old Sri Lankan swimmer back from Singapore
took part in her first local meet after the Beijing Olympics and
once again proved her brilliance to establish four meet records
including two Sri Lankan records.
Trinitian Unamboowe who is the current local number one swimmer
showed his excellent form by setting up seven new meet records
to finish the meet in grand style.
In addition 12-year-old Machiko Raheem followed her elder sister
Mayumi by setting up three new meet records. However the most
dynamic performance came from Polonnaruwa Royal...
(See Inside)
China tops 100 medals, Du
Toit wins fourth gold
 China pulled away from its Paralympic rivals Friday
as the host nation’s medal tally soared over 100, while South
African swimming sensation Natalie Du Toit grabbed her fourth
gold.
Away from the sporting arena, International Paralympic chiefs
were forced to defend the controversial banning of an Irish
athlete and speak out against the doping problems in power
lifting.
China’s total of 109 medals means it has a bigger haul in six
days of competition than it won during the whole of last month’s
Olympics, when it collected exactly 100.
Its 37 golds include 17 in athletics and eight in table tennis,
elevating China well clear of second-placed Britain, on 33 golds...
(See Inside)
Point Blank
Riding the crest of a wave
 It seems these days young spin marvel Ajantha
Mendis cannot put a foot wrong. Frankly he is riding the crest of a
wave which doesn’t seem like subsiding. What he has achieved within
the space of five months since April is something that any
international cricketer would envy. Mendis introduced himself to
international cricket in the Caribbean by appearing in the
three-match one-day series and immediately caused problems for the
batsmen with his ability to send down five different varieties of
spin in one over. What made it difficult for the batsmen to pick him
up either from the hand, wrist or off the pitch was his unusual grip
of the ball. No bowler perhaps in the history of the game has held
the ball on the tips of his fingers and done so much. What is unique
with Mendis is that he not only has an unusual grip but he also has
a ball delivered with the flick of his middle finger like a carrom
player slicing...
(See Inside)
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INTERVIEWS |
There is a hidden hand behind the
reformists: John A.
 The
United National Party (UNP), at present, is disunited for
several reasons. It was sometime ago that,
a contingent of 17, led by Minister Karu Jayasuriya, left the
party, saying that, if they had to continue with the party,
there should be reforms and a change in the leadership. However,
similarly, again, a few others have begun to clamour for the
same reforms and the UNP, apparently, is sharply divided over
these demands for constitutional amendments by some stalwarts.
While the reformists are threatening to tear the party to
pieces, John Amaratunge, a senior member of the UNP, sees the
squ abble within his party as a mischievous one. He says that
those opposing the constitution of the party, may possibly have
obtained the blessings of the UPFA government. On the other
hand, he points out that, the demands made by the so called
reformists are not anything new, but have been in the pipeline
for some time for implementation. “I don’t know...
(See Inside) |
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