Monday, December 17, 2012
CID probes suspected OL paper leak
President sends condolences to the US
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Lanka among top five travel destinations
Sri Lanka has been named among the top five destinations in Kuoni’s annual poll of where UK customers want to spend their holidays. Sri Lanka also retained the number one destination for weddings, according to the report.
The top five holiday destinations for 2012 are the Maldives, Thailand, Sri Lanka, The United Arab Emirates and the USA.
The 20-page report also tracks hot travel trends and the top destinations for weddings and honeymoons, for families, for solo travellers, for pampering spa holidays, for the most exciting adventures and authentic experiences as well as the best destinations for those that care about the planet.
The report also highlights changes in holiday behaviour and includes trends in holiday booking behaviour, such as the importance of social media in driving holiday choices.
Kuoni predicts that South Africa will witness huge growth over the next 12 months, helped by the exposure from the football World Cup last year and the weakened currency against sterling.
The only mid-haul destination in the 2012 Top Ten selling destinations is the United Arab Emirates, which kept its fourth position from last year. Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah account for the popularity of this region.
For specific types of holidays, the Maldives retained its top slot for honeymoon destinations and also topped the wishlist for digital natives, better known as Generation X, Y and Z.
Sri Lanka retained number one destination for weddings, Kuramathi Island Resort in the Maldives kept the top slot for family destinations, as did Thailand for solo holidays.
The winner of the Top 10 adventure holiday is the 11-day tour of culture-rich Sri Lanka on the Ceylon Tour, while those looking for the best Planet Friendly Holiday voted for Governors Main Camp in the wildlife safari heaven of Kenya.
The Report’s 2012 figures are based on holiday bookings made as at December 2011.
Kuoni has been undertaking the annual Travel Trends Report since 1980, Thorne Gazette reports.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Nearly 300,000 unauthorized street lamps - Ranawaka
There are nearly 300,000 unauthorized street lamps-throughout the country, said Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.
He was speaking at a ceremony held at the Kurunegala district Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) office on Friday.
The minister said that electricity wastage in the industrial and commercial sector ammounted to Rs 30 million and domestic wastage was Rs 20 million per day. He said 80 percent of the economic growth targeted by the Mahinda Chinthana would depend on the energy sector.
“We should understand that economic growth cannot be achieved without developing the power and energy sector,” he said.
“Nearly 65 percent of the power supply is generated through power stations which are run by fuel. The CEB has to spend Rs 14 to produce one electricity unit. However the CEB gives one electricity unit to the customer for Rs 10.80,” Ranawaka said.
“As a result, the CEB faces a Rs 50 million loss per day. In addition, nearly 20 percent of power generation is wasted in Sri Lanka,” the minister said. He said a programme has been implemented to educate 3.4 million electricity customers regarding this.
Deputy minister's Maldivian visit strengthens bilateral relations
External Affairs Deputy Minister Neomal Perera during his two-day official visit to the Maldives from July 30 to August 2, held bilateral discussions with the Maldivian Government, reviewing the existing bilateral ties between the two countries, expand political, economic and cultural relations, and also to enter into new areas of cooperation.
The Deputy Minister negotiated the immediate release of the seven fishing boats which were held in Maldivian custody and also requested Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr Ibrahim Didi, for speedy legal procedures when dealing with future such cases.
Frequent landslide area under NBRO scrutiny
NBRO landslide studies Head RMS Bandara also stressed that special permission of the NBRO must be sought for any construction in landslide prone areas.
This has been made compulsory by a circular issued early this year. The landslide Prone districts include Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Matale, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Hambantota.
The NBRO has established 10 regional offices in these districts.
List LTTE fronts as terrorist entities
The Government July 28, updated its request to the European Union (EU) to list LTTE front organizations (FOs) as terrorist entities, as they had done the LTTE since 2006. This call was made, as the EU through Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 687/2011 of July 18 published in the official journal of the European Union on July 19, re-listed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist entity.
The EU terrorist re-listings made in terms of article 2 (3) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2580/2001 of December 7, 2001 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities to combating terrorism, proscribes organizations listed operating in EU member countries and freezes the assets.
The regulation noted that, “the Council has carried out a complete review of the list of persons, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 applies, as required by Article 2(3) of that Regulation”, “ has provided all the persons, groups and entities for which it was practically possible with statements of reasons explaining why they were listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 83/2011” and “took account of observations submitted to it by the persons, groups and entities concerned”.
In similar action on July 6, the LTTE was re-listed among the UK’s “proscribed terror groups or organizations” based on the findings following a review carried out through the UK Strategy for Countering Terrorism (CONTEST), and presented to the Parliament on July 12.
In the recent update to its application for listing of LTTE front organizations handed over through the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels accredited to the EU, GOSL detailed action taken against the LTTE, activists of the LTTE/ LTTE front organizations, by member states of the EU, namely Belgium, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Germany, UK, as well as other states namely, Canada, India, Norway, Switzerland and USA, further substantiating the active participation internationally, of LTTE front organizations in terrorism, including money laundering, financing of terrorism, and human smuggling activities that continue to be carried out for, or on behalf of, or at the behest of the LTTE, an EU listed terrorist organization. It also highlighted action taken by the government in response to specific requests for intelligence and judicial assistance received in connection with these investigations from the relevant authorities of The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Norway.
The GOSL’s submission also draws attention to references made to the LTTE in the EU Terrorism Trend and Situation Report 2011 (TE-SAT 2011), published by Europol in April, in the context of fund raising, organized criminal activities in Europe, use of media networks for propaganda, as well as the connections between terrorist groups such as the LTTE and the PKK in organized criminal activities. According to the Report, in 2010 “27 individuals were arrested for terrorist offences linked to the financing of LTTE in France, Germany and the Netherlands”.
The GOSL has noted that the persons arrested by the European and other authorities, have all been found to be members of the Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC), the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), the Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO) and/or other LTTE front organizations, amply demonstrating that the activities of the LTTE front organizations are carried out for or on behalf of, or at the behest of the LTTE, which although militarily defeated in Sri Lanka, continues to be active internationally, particularly through its network of front organizations, espousing the ideology of the LTTE, using LTTE money and being manipulated by the LTTE’s surviving leaders. Brussels.
Government to go ahead with Samurdhi pension scheme
Economic Development Deputy Minister Laksman Yapa Abeywardena stated that the decision taken by the government under the Mahinda Chinthana Future Vision to launch a pension scheme for Samurdhi Development Officers will not be changed.
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Certain Samurdhi Development Officers’ Unions have made statements to the media that this pension scheme is going to be stopped.
However the cabinet paper is ready and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa is going to present it for cabinet approval in the near future.
Over 23,000 Samurdhi Development Officers will be entitled for this pension, he said.
The Samurdhi programme was started in 1995 with the aim of alleviating poverty and the government has taken measures to extend Samurdhi poverty alleviation programme to Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaitivu districts and other areas as well.
The minister was addressing a special press briefing held at the Information Department, yesterday.
According to the minister poverty in Sri Lanka has dropped.
In the year 2000 it was 24 percent and now it had reduced by 16.5 percent.
In the year 2000 there were 1.9 million Samurdhi beneficiaries and at present it is 1.5 million. There are 1,742 Samurdhi Bank branches established islandwide and over Rs.32,000 million have been deposited in these branches. Their interest rates too have been reduced.
Boon time for tourism
Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka have recorded a significant rise following the end to the conflict with the industry showing a 36.9 percent growth, Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said adding that the country had received US Dollars 585 million profit from the industry by the end of the first half of the year.
| Tourism boom * US $ 585 m profit * 2.5 m tourists arrivals targetted * Many programmes under way to meet demand |
“We have targeted 2.5 million tourist arrivals and total income of $2.75 billion and a large number of programmes are under way to achieve this goal,” the deputy minister said.
According to industry sources there is a need for over 45,000 rooms to accommodate the tourists with the expected boom. At present there are only 22,735 hotel rooms and all measures will be taken to finish construction of another 22,500 hotel rooms within the next four years.
A total of 381,538 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka from January to July and there were only 278,652 tourists arrivals in the corresponding period last year, the deputy minister disclosed.
The Economic Development Ministry had estimated that by 2016 the industry will be capable of creating 500,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities through the tourism trade.
All arrangements are in place to provide the necessary training in this respect which is vital to the tourism industry and the children of Samurdhi beneficiary families will also be recruited to these training programmes, he further added.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Managing Director Ravi Jaufar, Samurdhi Authority Director General Bandula Thilakasiri and Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management Director General Dr. Suranga Silva also participated.
Lok Sabha protest motivated by political gain - Deputy Speaker
The protest made by a few members of the Indian Lok Sabha against the visiting Sri Lankan Parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker was motivated by petty political gain said Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody in a statement issued yesterday.
A few Parliamentarians representing Tamil Nadu voters had indulged in this act at a time when the Indian government and Lok Sabha were working in close co-operation with Sri Lanka in order to provide temporary pleasure to their voters.
This is not something new when we find even several local parliamentarians are seen holding placards and protesting in our own Parliament during sessions, said the Deputy Speaker in his statement.
The Sri Lanka government has ended the war and launched accelerated development in the North and East to cater to the war affected Tamil people and the Indian Government too was supporting that effort to the hilt and violated and insignificant events such as this would never jeopardise the friendship and goodwill between the government of India and Sri Lanka, the statement added.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Kings of Sri Lanka Rugby
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Minister highlights importance of eco-friendly technology
Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa stressed the importance of adopting an environmental-friendly technology to attain sustainable development, during a meeting with Singaporean Environment and Water Resources Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan in Singapore recently.
Minister Yapa said the cost-effectiveness and suitability of technology used in developed countries must be studied before adopting them.
They also discussed other environmental issues and mitigation options.
Minister Yapa invited Minister Balakrishnan to join him on an inspection tour of an environmental-friendly project conducted in Sri Lanka.
‘Govt will ensure language rights’
The government is committed to fill the existing vacancies requiring Tamil officers in government institutes to ensure the language rights of all citizens, said National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara.
The minister was speaking at a programme on ‘People’s Movement for Bilingual Social Activity’, organized by the National Languages and Social Integration Ministry in Badulla recently.
The minister said Sinhala and Tamil languages are official languages in the country. Therefore, trained bilingual officers must render an efficient and satisfactory service for the public.
The people can complain about the infringement of language rights to the State Language Commission, supreme court, magistrate court ombudsman and the Human Rights Commission, the minister added.
Technology to produce food items from murunga leaves developed
The Post Harvest Institute of Technology in Anuradhapura has developed a technology to produce biscuits, cakes and other nutritious food items by mixing drumstick (murunga) leaves with rice flour. This follows research conducted by the institute’s Director Dr Swarsika Tillakaratne. Dr Tillakaratne said food turned out of murunga leaves is rich in vitamins,
proteins, calcium and other minerals. It helps to combat malnutritions, diabetes and high blood pressure. Murunga leaves are abundant in the dry zone including the Anuradhapura district. The main purpose behind their finding was to wean people away from the consumption of wheat flour. The Institute is willing to provide the new technology to persons and institutions interested in it.
Iran’s FM pledges Rs.220 million
Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Ali Akbar Salehi has pledged to consider a grant of nearly Rs.220 million (US$ 2 million) for a refugee resettlement project in the North.
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This follows a recent visit to Iran by Industry and Commerce Minister, Rishad Bathiudeen who has planned to commence a pilot project to resettle 1,000 families out of nearly 20,000 families who were driven out by the LTTE in 1989 - 90 from the North, sources said.
Minister Bathiudeen told Foreign Minister Salehi during the visit that the government of Sri Lanka will provide land and other infrastructure facilities for the Northern Muslims to be resettled in their original homes which required US$ 5 million to build the first 1,000 houses to kick start the resettlement.
He told the Iranian Minister that the Sri Lanka government, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa would give top priority if funds for housing were available.
Minister Bathiudeen also thanked the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation for agreeing to spearhead this pilot project and also to provide micro economic assistance to set-up self employment in agriculture, fisheries and farming for the families who settle down back in their original areas of habitation.
The Rs. 220 million grant will also be a gift from the Iranian government for the Northern resettlement programme in addition to the gift of the Rs. 165 million housing project in Batticaloa already completed and due to be gifted to the people at a ceremony on Saturday. The meetings were arranged by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Tehran, following a request by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa inviting foreign aid to redevelop the North, devastated by 30 years of war which ended in the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009.
Welikada Prison computerized
The Welikada Prison has computerized all details of prison inmates for easy access, SP Lakshman Abeygunawardena told the Daily News yesterday. He said that this system has been implemented in all wards of the prison, including the female ward and prison hospital.
Abeygunawardena noted that there are 3,464 male inmates and 569 female inmates in the Welikada prison. The prison hospital houses another 300 prison inmates.
Computerized data include personal details, such as, name, residence, age, birthday, three special features of the body, school attended, education level, family details and a scanned photograph.
This data also includes the number of cases and complaints against the prisoner, whether reconvicted or not and the next date of Court hearing.
He said that this system has enabled prison officers to trace back the history of a prisoner very easily and fast. It has made the prison management more efficient, he said. This project is being conducted with UNDP funding. A spokesman of the Prisons Department said that it hopes to extend this system to other prisons as well in the near future.
Minister ensures smooth functioning of A-L exam process
The Education Ministry has taken all possible measures to ensure the smooth functioning of the A-L examination process and all teachers who would be assigned for examination duties have confirmed participation, said Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena.
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The minister said a staff of over 45,000 would be deployed at examination centres and majority of them are teachers.
He said they have confirmed their participation irrespective of the trade union they belong to.
“Over 294,800 students will sit for A/L examination this year. This is the first time that such a large number of students are sitting for the A/L examination in the country,” he said. The minister said that, almost all the teachers who would be assigned for the examination duties have confirmed their attendance. The Advanced Level examination will commence on August 8 at 2,400 examination centres throughout the country.
“A majority of teachers will be engaging in examination duties disregarding the trade union actions. These teachers will not make children fall prey as they have understood the duties and responsibilities of the teaching career. They never take hostage of children’s lives,” the minister Gunawardena noted.
He further said that examination coordinating officers will also be engaged in their duties as usual. The examination will be monitored and coordinated through 300 examination coordinating centres and 33 district coordinating centres.
UPFA LG Head appointments on basis of preferential votes
Heads of Local Government bodies won by the UPFA will be appointed on the basis of preferential votes, said UPFA General Secretary and Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha.
He said that the name lists of the chairmen and deputy chairmen for the UPFA won Local Government bodies had been finalized and were sent to the Elections Commissioner and other officials. He said that the names will be gazetted before July 31. He said that the appointments are the decision of the UPFA.
He also said that the UPFA has nominated Ven Gnanaprabha Thera as the chairman of Embilipitiya Urban Council.
The minister said that the newly appointed heads of the Local Government Authorities are expected to take oaths on August 1. The UPFA secured victory in 45 out of 65 Local Government bodies which went to polls on July 23.
Court issues injunction order
The Colombo District Court yesterday issued an injunction order preventing the UNP from taking any action to dismiss UNP parliamentarian Earl Gunasekera who expressed support to the government.
This injunction order was issued on UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and members of the Executive Committee. The order issued by Colombo Chief District Court Judge Ranjith N Wathupola is in force till the court inquiry is over.
Gunasekera who held the post of additional treasurer of the UNP filed this case on September 10, 2010 through attorney at law Athula de Silva against UNP leaders who attempted to dismiss him from the party. The Court had issued an interim order preventing Gunasekera from being removed from the UNP after a lengthy submission made by attorney at law M.U.M. Ali Sabri.
This interim order expired yesterday. The UNP General Secretary sent a letter to Gunasekera to show causes for extending support to the 18th Amendment of the Constitution within 14 days.
Gunasekera filed action against this move by Attanayake and other party leaders. Gunasekera in his plaint also cited that the party leaders were attempting to expel him from the membership of the party in an illegal manner. The parliamentarian in his plaint explained as to why he decided to extend his support to the 18th Amendment of the Constitution in Parliament. He pleaded court to issue an order that can prevent UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe from removing him from the party.
Gunasekera stated that he decided to extend his support to the 18th Amendment of the Constitution on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s invitation.
Lawyers appearing for the respondents stated that Gunasekera has violated the party constitution. The court ordered the respondents to make their submission on October 7. The case was fixed for October 7.
‘No move by Ranil to give up leadership’
Despite announcements by the Sajith Premadasa faction of the UNP of Karu Jayasuriya being pushed to lead the party and Jayasuriya reportedly responding positively, UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe in a statement only directed Jayasuriya to unite the party and had not hinted of any move to give up leadership, sources close to Wickremesinghe disclosed.
They said Wickremesinghe has viewed the Premadasa faction proposal in two ways and has reportedly agreed to direct Jayasuriya to unite the party. However, Wickremesinghe now overseas has stressed that he was elected as the leader unanimously by the Working and Executive Committee recently.
Wickremesinghe has also stressed that the unity of the party was paramount before thinking to change the leadership, a matter that had to be discussed at Executive and Working Committee level to reach a consensus. Meanwhile, the Premadasa faction insists that Wickremesinghe quits as leader to pave the way for Jayasuriya to lead and unite the party.
