Category: Featured

President justifies tax hikes amidst criticism

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President justifies tax hikes amidst criticism Says country will have to revert to an era of queues if revenue is not raised through direct tax increases Admits new tax measures are IMF recommendations, hence critical to secure international support to salvage SL economy Insists tax hikes not being taken wilfully but being done reluctantly Reveals SL lost Rs. 700 b due to wrong economic policies in the past Inflation rate increased to 70% since Rs. 2.3 t printed during the past two-and-a-half years Suggests tougher times ahead but reassures Govt. ready…

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Dutch FMO proposes $ 10 m investment in Sri Lanka seafood exporter

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Dutch FMO proposes $ 10 m investment in Sri Lanka seafood exporter Taprobane Seafoods’ 15 facilities mainly employ underprivileged women HANOI – Dutch impact investor FMO said it has proposed a $ 10 million investment in one of Sri Lanka’s leading seafood exporters, which mainly employs underprivileged women including war widows. Established in 2010, Taprobane Seafoods has one main processing facility and 14 smaller locations in the South Asian nation and employs over 2,000 people. Taprobane processes blue swimming crab and white-leg shrimp, which it began farming two years ago.…

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RTI Commission holds sessions in Jaffna on IDUAI Day

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RTI Commission holds sessions in Jaffna on IDUAI Day Jaffna GA Office 28 September 2022 RTI Commission holds sessions in Jaffna on IDUAI Day Marking the International Day for Universal Access to Info-rmation, on 28 September the Right to Information Commission of Sri Lanka held a series of discussions in collaboration with the District Secretariat of Jaffna, the Press Clubs of Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi and academics of the Northern Province on 28 and 29 September.  At the meeting at the District Secretariat of the Jaffna presided over by the…

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Parliament passes resolution on ‘National Council’ without objection

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Parliament passes resolution on ‘National Council’ without objection The resolution proposed by the Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to constitute the Parliament Committee called the “National Council” was passed in parliament yesterday without objection. National Council will consist of the Speaker of Parliament as the Chair, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the House of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Chief Government Whip and not more than thirty-five Members of Parliament representing the Ninth Parliament from recognised Political Parties in Sri Lanka as determined by the Leaders…

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‘The Writing Was on The Wall’: Debt Distress and Ways Forward in Sri Lanka – Jayati Ghosh

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‘The Writing Was on The Wall’: Debt Distress and Ways Forward in Sri Lanka – Jayati Ghosh In the fourth in a series of talks organised by Polity magazine of the Social Scientists’ Association and the Women and Media Collective with feminist economists abroad to help us in Sri Lanka think through this economic crisis that we inhabit, and how best to respond to it in ways that take forward or at least protect the interests of classes and groups that are most marginalised, Professor Jayati Ghosh  spoke from New Delhi on 29…

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22nd Amendment and the determination of the Supreme Court.

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22nd Amendment and the determination of the Supreme Court.   The Island 13th 14th &15th of September. Three-part article.  Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne,President’s Counsel  Part I: Removal of the PM The Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill (22A) was showcased by the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa Government as a restoration of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution (19A) of 2015. Most 19A provisions were removed by the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution. Many, including the writer, have pointed out that not all the provisions of 19A are sought to be introduced by 22A. The…

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The Clarks Hotels and Resorts opens its first property in Sri Lanka

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The Clarks Hotels and Resorts opens its first property in Sri Lanka (Ceylon today 14th Sep 2022) The Clarks Hotels and Resorts strengthens its footprints in Sri Lanka by opening The Albatross Golf Resort in Kandy. They are aiming to promote the country to Indian travellers and take advantage of the growing Sri Lankan business and leisure travel market. The brand is aggressively looking for expansion in the neighbouring country by opening properties in different key locations in Sri Lanka, a spokesman said. The Albatross Golf Resort Digana, Kandy by…

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UNHRC chief urges GoSL to commence national dialogue

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UNHRC chief urges GoSL to commence national dialogue Acting UNHCHR Nada Al-Nashif presents report on SL Calls to advance human rights and combat impunity Notes fragile political and economic situ and troubling’ PTA use Proposes independent, transparent probe with int’l assistance on Easter attacks BY Mirudhula Thambiah United Nations (UN) Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) and Acting HCHR , presenting the report on Sri Lanka’s human rights situation at the 51st UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) yesterday (12) in Geneva, Switzerland, encouraged the new Government to embark on…

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Bid to scuttle probes alleged

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Bid to scuttle probes alleged By Shamindra Ferdinando The reappointment of two key parliamentary watchdog committees, COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) has been further delayed for want of a consensus among political parties on who should head them.In spite of earlier indications that the ruling SLPP might go ahead with the original plan to give leadership of COPE and COPA, in addition to that of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) to the Opposition, the government seems to have second thoughts, political sources said.…

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CBK to open Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya HQ today

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CBK to open Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya HQ today Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will declare open the new party head office of the Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya (New Lanka Freedom Party) in Battaramulla today (5- 9-2022) morning. The new political party is led by Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama. He said the party is set to implement programs to train youth under the age of 40 and take steps to establish a corruption-free youth-led political movement in the future. Welgama formed the Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya on 6 March 2020, claiming…

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