Motor trade urges tax removal on new vehicles »
Sri Lanka’s new vehicles market is crumbling with poor demand owing to high tax levels of 300 to 400% which has seen prices rise sharply in some cases as much as three times of cars sold in Malaysia or Thailand, motor traders said. They urged the government to bring down the rates in the 2010 [...]
Talks end Kelaniya liquor ban »
The ban on liquor sales in the Kelaniya electorate was lifted on Friday, following a meeting with the owners and the newly appointed Deputy Media Minister Meryvn Silva, who is the MP for the area. Retail liquor sellers told the Sunday Times Mr. Silva had agreed to allow them to resume sales after they had [...]
Budget delayed: IMF deal in the balance »
Speculation was rife yesterday that the government would call off its three-year Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF as prescribed budget deficit targets would be hard to keep with the 2010 budget being further delayed. However, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said the targets were on track and the IMF deal was not under [...]
More Cabinet posts to come »
By Damith Wickremasekara The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) which was not offered a Ministry or a Deputy Ministry post in Friday’s Cabinet appointments has been promised a portfolio following the return of President Mahinda Rajapaksa from the SAARC summit in Bhutan next week. Professor Tissa Vitharana, of the LSSP who was overlooked said he [...]
Manape ‘robbery’: Complaints dry up after talks with MR »
By Malik Gunatilleke A week after claims of alleged manipulation in the counting of preferential votes during the recently concluded General Elections, many of the aggrieved candidates have decided not to take any further action. This was after they had spoken to President Mahinda Rajapaksa about the allegations. Following the General Elections on April 8, [...]
SRI LANKA:DM is new PM »
[Wednesday 21 2010] Former Minister and SLFP’s Senior Vice President D.M. Jayaratne took oaths as Sri Lanka’s 14th Prime Minister before President Mahinda Rajapaksa short while ago. The newly appointed Prime Minister D M Jayarathne is to visit Kandy on the 26th of April. It was also reported that arrangements are made by the people [...]
New Cabinet Ministers & Deputy Ministers »
New Cabinet Ministers & Deputy Ministers Cabinet Ministers 1. Prime Minister and Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister – D. M. Jayaratne. 2. State Management Reforms Minister – Ratnasiri Wickramanayake. 3. Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister – Nimal Siripala de Silva. 4. Disaster Relief Minister – A. H. M. Fowzie. 5. Health Minister – Maithripala [...]
Sri Lanka:All major parties confident of majority »
By Our Political Editor More than 14 million Sri Lankans go to the polls on Thursday, for a second time in three months, to pick their representatives to a new Parliament. They have a record 7,620 candidates representing political parties and independent groups to choose from. Their choices hinge on different issues. For the United [...]
