Lanka News – Lanka Gazette – Sri Lanka News Portal

The government yesterday reiterated that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the only forum where a lasting settlement to the ethnic issue can be found through discussion among various political parties and the JVP should express its stance on the PSC soon.

According to Acting Media Minister and Deputy Economic Development Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, the JVP has failed to announce whether they are participating in the PSC so far though various reports appeared in the media that the party would not be present in the Committee.

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Tamil Nadu has intensified security along its entire coastal belt based following intelligence reports of increased smuggling between India and Sri Lanka. It is also aimed at preventing Indian fishermen from crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) between the two nations.

As an initial step to curb enhanced smuggling, 30 more marine police stations are being set up in Tamil Nadu to bring the state’s entire coastal belt under close vigil, a top police official in the State said.

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Nalanda College Colombo beat St. Sylvester’s College 24 (Three goals and a penalty) to 19 (Two goals and a try) in their Singer League Rugby group B division one match played at Air Force Grounds Ratmalana yesterday.

Nalandians were leading with a total of 14 points at the end of the first half with two tries scored by Bodhaka Jeewantha and Asanka Maduranga which were successfully converted by Kasun Jayanath. St. Sylvestrians started to gain points with the help of a try scored by Danuka Wijethilake which was converted by himself. At half time, Sylvesterians’ score read seven.

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“Stock market inflows so far this year have been positive and on target while net outflows mounted to US $ 172 million in 2011,” said Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal updating the media on Sri Lanka External Sector Developments at the Central Bank Auditorium yesterday. He said Sri Lanka’s economy recorded a highly successful year, with the help of external sector stability in 2011 despite global turmoil. Indicating growing positive investor sentiment, cumulative net inflows in 2012, up to May 2, amounted to US $ 172 million, compared to the annual target of US $ 500 million.

Referring to the performance of the sovereign bonds market he said at present all Sri Lanka sovereign bonds are trading at a premium, and that augurs well for a new bond issue. The debut sovereign bond issued in 2007 will mature in October 2012 and it is expected to issue a new US $ 500-1,000 million sovereign bond in 2012. The issue is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s presence in the international capital markets and maintain the yield curve.

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A five wicket haul by Vishwa Fernando (5/62) and equally supported by Upul Indrasiri (3/92) helped Bloomfield C and AC to restrict Ragama SC to 290 all out to record an outright win of 142 runs in the Inter-Club Premier League Tier ‘A’ match continued at Bloomfield grounds yesterday.

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The Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday granted anticipatory bail to the UNP Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) member Kithsiri Rajapaksha in connection with a case filed against him on charges of assaulting and obstructing a CMC officer from carrying out his duties.

 While granting anticipatory bail to the CMC member, Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne directed the Slave Island police that Mr. Rajapaksha be released on a cash bail of Rs.5,000 and two sureties of Rs.50,000 each if he was arrested on alleged charges. The Magistrate further ordered the CMC member that a statement regarding the incident be given immediately to the Slave Island police.  The CMC member filed an anticipatory bail application in Court to pre-empt the possibility of his arrest on charges of non-bailable offence. In his petition, the CMC member cited the OIC of the Slave Island Police Station as respondent. In a case before the Colombo Fort Magistrate, the Slave Island Police alleged that the CMC member Kithsiri Rajapaksha had allegedly assaulted Mohideen Mohammed Ramesh a director attached to the CMC’s playgrounds.  Police informed Court that they had conducted investigations to arrest CMC member and thereby police officers were sent to Suduwella, Maradana in find the suspect and he was still absconding.  Filing the anticipatory bail application, CMC member stated that he was assigned to organise the Independence Day celebration activities which were organized by the CMC. He stated that he went to the office of the CMC playgrounds director located at Slave Island and made a request regarding national flags and iron bars which were required for the Independence Day celebration.  He further stated that when he made a request for those items, the playground director and he exchanged a few words. He further stated that the director had made a false complaint with Slave Island Police alleging that he assaulted him and obstructed him from carrying out his duties.  Finally, the petitioner moved court that an order is issued on the respondent, to be released on an anticipatory bail if the petitioner was arrested over the alleged charges. Appearing on behalf of the petitioner counsel Jayantha Dias Nanayakkara with R. Ranjith Lakmal submitted in court that a false complaint had been made against their client over a political dispute. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)Tweet

Sri Lanka must do its best for the Maldives to ensure a peaceful settlement to its crisis, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday.

“We must do our best to ensure normalcy in the Maldives,” he said making a statement in the House yesterday. He reminded that the SAARC and Commonwealth countries and others that are all there to help defuse the crisis.

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Jubilant Foodworks , which runs the Dominos Pizza chain in the country, plans to open two more stores in Sri Lanka over the next two months, its chief executive Ajay Kaul said in anearnings conference call yesterday.

 The company entered Sri Lanka last September and operates one store in the country.  (Reuters)Tweet

A fire which broke out around 2.30am yesterday in an apartment in a housing complex in Wellawatte, claimed the lives of two persons.

The fire brigade put out the fire with the assistance of Wellawatte Police and prevented it from spreading to other apartments. Police said the body of P K Sathyanadan, 64, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in the burnt down apartment while S Shermila, 32, succumbed to her injuries at the Colombo National Hospital.

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Thousands of commuters were inconvenienced by the sudden and unannounced railway employees’ strike yesterday afternoon.

The strike was called off at 7.30 pm. Transport Minister, Kumara Welgama asked the railway unions not to hide behind labour rights to strike at peak hours, putting the public in great difficulty.

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