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Sri Lanka commenced their Super 12 campaign with an impressive nine-wicket triumph over a disappointing Ireland in Hobart on Sunday.

Namibia slip-up long forgotten

There were many fears for Sri Lanka when they were thrashed by Namibia in the opening match of the First Round, but the reigning Asia Cup champions are slowly gathering some momentum.

While the nine-wicket victory over Ireland was expected by most, the way the island nation went about it was ultra-impressive as they clinically dispatched of their opponents in clinical style with plenty of improvement to come.

Star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (2/25) took his eighth and ninth scalps of the tournament thus far and he was well supported by fellow spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2/19), who was thrust into the bowling crease during Ireland's batting Powerplay.

Not only did Sri Lanka take wickets at regular intervals, but they also kept the run rate down as Ireland's batters were unable to gather much momentum and were restricted to 128/8 from their 20 overs.

Sri Lanka's run chase was a mere formality, with in-form opener Kusal Mendis (68 from 43 balls) continuing his excellent tournament thus far with another half-century .

Ireland struggle for fluency

Much of the good Ireland managed from eye-catching victories over Scotland and the West Indies was undone against Sri Lanka, with the European side unable to back-up their strong showings from the First Round.

Veteran opener Paul Stirling (34 from 25 balls) got a handful of big shots away early, but young gun Harry Tector (45 off 42) was the only other player to look assured at the crease.

Their bowling didn't fare much better, with spinner Gareth Delany (1/28) the only wicket-taker as Ireland started their Super 12 campaign in disappointing style.

The road ahead

While Sri Lanka will be buoyed by their easy victory, the good news for them is they still have plenty of improvement left in them and can play much better.

First-choice opener Pathum Nissanka missed the clash against Ireland due to a groin injury, while the rest of their batting line-up – outside of Mendis – are yet to really hit their straps.

There is still four more matches Sri Lanka must negotiate during the Super 12 if they are to reach the semis, with their next test coming in Perth on Tuesday against tournament hosts Australia.

Ireland have two full days to lick their wounds and recover, with a difficult match-up against England their next assignment at the MCG on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Ashen Bandara, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, Lahiru Kumara.

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that immediate measures are being taken to create an investment-friendly environment in Sri Lanka and create economic stability.

The President said this addressing the gathering at the Mireka Tower Opening Ceremony at Havelock City in Wellawatte today (20), where he was the Chief Guest.

The President also said that laws that had been introduced under the Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC) will be re-enacted to introduce an efficient system replacing the existing slow process, to encourage foreign investment.

The President further said that he had already appointed a committee to bring the Board of Investment (BOI), the Export Development Board (EDB) and the Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation (SLECIC) together onto one platform and establish one investment promotion agency to encourage foreign investment in Sri Lanka.

He further added that Sri Lanka needs to be made an investor-friendly country to attract foreign revenue and get out of the vicious cycle of foreign borrowing.

The statement made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe is as follows;

“This complex, Havelock City is a tribute to Mr S. P. Tao and his commitment to Sri Lanka. I told Mildred, now you are virtually a Sri Lankan citizen. So let’s think of where the next investment is going to be. I first got to know Mr Tao in 1994 as I became the Prime Minister. He had started at the World Trade Center and after President Premadasa passed away, the late Sirisena Cooray brought him along to meet me. That’s how our first contact started. I met him many times, and not only the late Mr S. P. Tao but also Mildred Tao. Then I must say, the commitment is such that during the attacks, a lot of people wanted to pull out.

Instead, when I asked Mr Tao, he said, ‘no, I’m going to stay here. So first, thank you for that confidence in Sri Lanka’s future. When you crossed over and I was Prime Minister in 2003, again, I met S.P. Tao and he has been meeting me on and off, and he wanted to start a new project.

The new project came along and they were looking at the Havelock town, Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mill land that was abandoned. So some people asked why we wanted to give it. We can have some industrial business there. But I said Havelock town started as a residential area. So let’s look at this. This will be the start of the Havelock city development.

I had known this place earlier when I was young and the Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills were operational. I used to come here when Mr Solly Captain’s father was in charge of the mills. We used to have lunch there and also we were taken along to see the mills. Then in 1975 when I entered politics, President J. R. Jayawardena was the MP for Colombo South and he asked me to take over Wellawatte North. At the time this area was known as Wellawatte North Ward.

I used to come here and one of our meeting places was the old worker’s residence at the other end of the complex. So, I told Mr S. P. Tao, that whatever he does, to ensure that the workers who lived there were looked after, which he did. So I was more than happy. Here was the area that I had known when I was first in charge and I thought why not. I took over Biyagama next and started zones there.

So, I thought, why not have one zone in Havelock town and no better person than SP Tao to start it off? So it is this venture’s results which we see today. Many people were involved in it. I see Rohini Nanayakkara, who was involved in this project from the very beginning.

She doesn’t want me to reveal her age. Okay, I will not reveal your age, I am only saying that you were involved. There’s Ajith Jayaratne and many others who were involved in the project. So I must again say thank you. I am saddened that Mr S. P. Tao is not here. After all, he had lived to 105. Nevertheless, this is a tribute to Mr S. P. Tao.

So I look forward to another investment, as I said, from the company. That will have to be Mildred’s investment. This is Mr S. P. Tao’s investment. So now you got to make one for Mildred. However, I must say that we have to now seriously look at foreign investment, replacing foreign loans, as our main source of income.

We have to become an export-oriented economy, and we have to keep increasing our foreign investments. Now, if we are to keep increasing our foreign investment, we must have an outward-looking economy. We can’t have an inward-looking economy. So, now as the economic stabilization is taking place, and the discussions are on between Japan, China and India, about the main creditors, on how to restructure the debt, we are also looking at how we can now revive growth.

One of the biggest issues we have is the number of government agencies that investors have to pass through. You go through BOI, Tourist Board, or some other ministry, then you go to Port City and then you come back to where you started. Then you do a second round. After about ten years, you can get the investment through. This just won’t work.

When we came in 1977, we started the Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC). There, the decisions were taken quickly and really in ten years, we got four zones going that is Katunayake, Biyagama, Koggala and Seethawaka. Then there was Pallekele which Mr Wijethunga wanted. Thereafter, what are the big investment zones that we have started?

The whole system has broken down. The Tourist Board is where people go around for various fairs and come back after they have had a good holiday. Therefore, I appointed a committee which is now looking at the whole structure and the investment authorities. What this committee is recommending and working on is that the BOI the EDB and Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation (SLECIC) are brought together as one investment promotion agency.

Secondly, the industrial estates and investment zones will be broken off. I think Katunayake and Biyagama are the best zones in South Asia. We are now looking at thousand-acre zones and initiating them from Bingiriya, then Hambantota and Trincomalee. A separate corporation will handle these.

Then we have to look at the laws. We have to cut through these laws and go back to the GCEC system. When the investment is made, the organization has two weeks to make their remarks and the thereafter-final decision is taken. That is the only way. Next is to develop the quality of human resources, and manpower available and look at the infrastructure.

If these steps are in place, we won’t need 40-year tax holidays. We should have an efficient bureaucracy and efficient infrastructure to ensure that investment can take off. Therefore we would be focusing mainly on zones, whether it be for manufacturing, IT or even tourism, rather than have people located everywhere they want. We could expedite matters earlier under the GCEC because we had an efficient system.

So this is the new system, we are looking at. How do we open up? There will be many laws that will be changed and there will be some who will object and say that we are betraying the country. So remember that propaganda will go on. But we must have fast growth. We have gone down. It doesn’t mean we have to stay down.

Sri Lanka can be like a football. You hit it, send it down and then it bounces back up again. So that’s what we have to be and we must go all out. We have several people leaving the country. That’s okay. We can’t stop that. We must train more people. We are modernizing the education system. So that’s what we are working on while we are looking at stabilization measures which we are working on with the IMF.

Certainly, we are also looking at modernizing the economy, looking at the industry and how we can go ahead. Another area of interest is going to be modernized agriculture. There’s so much land available. I thought I’d share with you what we are now working on because by the end of the year will be able to announce many of the measures that will be implemented by early next year to get the legislation enacted. Therefore, many measures are needed to be taken.

However, this is all to make Sri Lanka an investor-friendly country. And when investors come in, we will certainly have more employment, and higher income and we will be able to get off this vicious cycle of foreign borrowing. We can’t do this a second time. So let’s make up our minds. Let us commit ourselves to moving forward to promote greater foreign investment.

Before I conclude, I would like to say that Mr S. P. Tao, had a lot of faith in Sri Lanka. He looked at the locations and said, this is a good point. Even better than China or India. I too share the same view. So let’s hope it succeeds.

Thank you.”

Eight former LTTE cadres who were convicted by courts for LTTE activities have received a Presidential pardon.

According to Prisons Spokesman Chandana Ekanayake, this special amnesty was granted in accordance with the powers granted to the President by Article 34 of the Constitution.

As a result, four LTTE cadres held in Magazine Prison were released on 21 October.

He stated that two LTTE cadres would be released following the withdrawal of pending cases in the Court of Appeal.

In addition, the other two cadres will be released once the rehabilitation process is completed. He stated that it was referred to the Attorney General and that he will follow the AG’s instructions.

Targets must be reasonable and achievable if Sri Lanka is to succeed on its 17th agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), lawmaker Eran Wickramaratne said.

He made this comment in response to a special statement made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday (19) over the government's new tax policy.

Wickramaratne noted that creating a primary balance is a clear indication of debt sustainability, highlighting the fact that this was possible in the recent past because macro-economic management was independent of executive interference.

"It is inevitable that tax revenues have to increase. A primary balance has been created only 4 times since Sri Lanka’s independence," he said, referring to when the country was able to record a positive surplus twice in the 1950s and again in 2017 and 2018 under then finance minister the late Mangala Samaraweera.

"However, IMF targets on primary balances need to be revisited by providing a longer period to achieve the target," he said, adding that whilst the move from indirect taxes to direct taxes is inevitable in cushioning the poor and vulnerable given the foreign currency crisis.

He further said that taxation on exports should be implemented gradually and the government should revisit the 30% threshold on exports.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the delay in the Sri Lankan university system at the commencement of courses would be avoided enabling students to complete their studies within the stipulated duration.

The President made this observation during a meeting held with the prefects of Royal College,Colombo at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (22).

Head Prefect of Royal College Colombo Kaveesha Rathnayake and the prefects of the college participated in this meeting.

The matters concerning Royal College as well as matters regarding the country’s education sector were discussed there while the President answered the questions raised by the students on the measures taken by the government for the advancement of the education sector.

The President made queries from the prefects on the university education where the students brought the focus of the President to the vast difference between the duration to complete a degree in a foreign higher education institute and in a local university.

The President agreed with it and assured that remedial action would be taken without delay. He also highlighted the value of education in a local university over foreign education. He also emphasized that the government has taken many steps to expand the educational opportunities for students who have qualified for higher education following the completion of their school education. He added that measures have been taken to commence several new universities in Kurunegala and Batticaloa.

The President also mentioned that the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Colombo would be set up as a separate campus, while the National School of Business Management (NSBM) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) would be upgraded as national universities.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe raised the issue of ragging with the students during the meeting and said that it seemed that students who attend the universities from schools such as Royal College, Thurstan College, Ananda College and D. S. Senanayake College turn a blind eye when such ragging incidents happen, although a large number of students from these schools are within these universities.

The President also pointed out that the students of those universities have a responsibility to bring ragging in universities to an end and the head prefects of those schools could perform their roles while in school.

The president further said that university education is interesting but the rate of students suffering from physical and mental stress has increased due to ragging at universities and emphasized that he would take measures to solve the problem.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe also appreciated the role played by the Board of Prefects of the Royal College in the development of the school and its reputation.

Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President SagalaRathnayake also participated in the event. (PMD)

A decision has been taken to wind up operations of the “Covid 19 Health and Social Security Fund”, which was established to provide relief to those affected by the Covid 19 epidemic, and Cabinet approval has been obtained for it.

The Secretary of the Covid-19 Health and Social Security Fund, Dr Tharaka Liyanapathirana notified the public that the “Covid-19 Health and Social Security Fund” at the Bank of Ceylon, account number 85737373 has been closed down effective from October 18th and requested the public not to donate to this fund from now on.

He also notified donors not to send cheques or money towards this fund, to the Presidential Secretariat.

The secretary of the Covid-19 Health and Social Security Fund extended his appreciation to the donors who contributed to this fund to make this program implemented throughout the country during the Covid-19 epidemic, a success.

The Covid-19 Health and Social Security Fund had received a total of Rs. 2,207,164,785.58 (Rs. two billion two hundred and seven million one hundred sixty-four thousand, seven hundred and eighty-five and fifty-eight cents) in donations.

Out of this sum, Rs. 1,997,569,456.56 (One billion, nine hundred and ninety-seven million, five hundred and sixty-nine thousand, four hundred and fifty-six rupees and fifty-six cents.) had been used for providing facilities for PCR tests, awareness programs, quarantine activities, national vaccination program, purchase of beds for intensive care units and purchase of medicines.

As of October 18, 2022, the sum remaining in the Covid Fund was Rs. 216,877,431.05 (Two hundred and sixteen million, eight hundred and seventy-seven thousand, four hundred and thirty-one rupees and five cents), which has been credited to the President’s Fund to provide for surgery and medical aid assistance.

Scheduled power interruptions on Monday (Oct. 24) will not be imposed, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) says.

The power supply was slated to be interrupted for one hour during daytime and one hour and 20 minutes at night on Oct. 24.

However, taking into account the Deepavali Festival falling on that day, the PUCSL had decided not to impose the power cuts.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (19) granted permission to issue notice on Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appear in court on the 15th of December 2022 over the case filed over the enforced disappearance of social activists Lalith & Kugan, back in 2011.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Wednesday (19) granted permission to issue notice on Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appear in court on the 15th of December 2022 after a fresh petition was filed requesting to annul the Court of Appeal’s decision preventing the enforcement of an order issued by the Jaffna Magistrate's Court on former President Rajapaksa with regard to the enforced disappearance of Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganandan in 2011 within the Jaffna High Security Zone.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted permission to the complainant to sent notice to then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appear in court on Wednesday (19).

Attorney Nuwan Bopage apearing for the complainant requested permission from the Supreme Court to sent notice to the Wijerama Mawatha residence of the Former President, as it has come to light that Rajapaksa is no longer living at his residence located in Mirihana.

Permission was granted to re-issue notice on the Former President by the Supreme Court Judge-bench comprising of Justices Gamini Amarasekara, Yasantha Kodagoda and A. H. M. D. Nawaz.

The UNP-affiliate Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union is to have a new leader in Sagala Ratnayaka.

Incumbent Harin Fernando, a cabinet minister, has told the party’s management board that he wanted to step down.

A meeting of the board, chaired by president Ranil Wickremesinghe, accepted his resignation and decided to appoint Ratnayaka in his place.

Ratnayaka, who also plays a key role as chief-of-staff of the president and senior adviser on national security, will assume duties in the coming week following Fernando’s resignation.

State-owned Lanka Sathosa has announced a reduction in the prices of 06 items.

According to Lanka Sathosa, the price drop comes into effect today, 19th October 2022.

The reduced prices of the 06 items per kilogram are as follows:

Garlic reduced by Rs. 60 New price – Rs. 490

2. Wheat flour reduced by Rs. 55

New price – Rs. 320

3. Sprats reduced by Rs. 50

New price – Rs. 1,450

4. Lentils reduced by Rs. 30

New price – Rs. 285

5. White sugar reduced by Rs. 15

New price – Rs. 260

6. Imported white rice reduced by Rs. 5

New price – Rs. 169

The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed in Parliament with amendments by majority vote.

It will be added to the constitution of Sri Lanka as the 21st Amendment.

174 votes were cast in favor of the amendment during the third reading in Parliament, while no one voted against it.

However, during the second reading of the amendment 179 votes were cast in favor, and Dr. Sarath Weerasekera exercised his vote against it.

Six MPs who were in parliament during the vote for the second reading were not present for the vote for the third reading.

The Samagi Jana Banavegaya, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Tamil National Alliance, and the National People's Power voted in favor of the constitutional amendment.

Notably, over 40 Members of Parliament were not present in the chamber when the vote was taken up.

This constitutional amendment features the inclusion of the constitutional council and enforcement of the Independent Commissions.

Anyone who is a dual citizen will no longer be allowed to be a member of Parliament, and present dual-citizen MPs will also lose their seats.

The constitutional amendment also allows the President to dissolve the parliament after 2 and a half years of the parliament being elected.

In addition, the Opposition Leader will also have to consult when appointing civil society members to the constitutional council.

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka, a supernatural satire set amid a murderous Sri Lankan civil war, has won the Booker Prize.

The Sri Lankan writer's novel is about a photographer who wakes up dead, with a week to ask his friends to find his photos and expose the brutality of war.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, presented the prize, and the author said it had been "an honour and a privilege" to be on the shortlist.

Pop singer Dua Lipa was the star guest.

The prestigious £50,000 prize, for a single work of fiction published in the UK in English, also gives the other five writers on the shortlist £2,500 each.

The writer said he decided in 2009 to write "a ghost story where the dead could offer their perspective" after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, "when there was a raging debate over how many civilians died and whose fault it was".

Head judge Neil MacGregor praised the "scope and the skill, the daring, the audacity and hilarity" of the novel, calling it an "afterlife noir" which "takes the reader on a rollercoaster journey through life and death".

He said the judges' decision had been unanimous, adding all of the shortlisted books were "all really about one question, and that is what's the point of an individual life?"

Karunatilaka said as he accepted his prize: "My hope is that in the not too distant future... Sri Lanka has understood that these ideas of corruption and race-baiting and cronyism have not worked and will never work.

'I have self-censored'

"I hope it's in print in 10 years... if it is, I hope it's written in a Sri Lanka that learns from its stories, and that Seven Moons will be in the fantasy section of the bookshop, next to the dragons, the unicorns and will not be mistaken for realism or political satire."

He later added that he had "self-censored" a couple of short stories after author Salman Rushdie was stabbed in August, having faced years of death threats for his novel The Satanic Verses, which some Muslims see as blasphemous.

"I was in the process of publishing a collection of short stories when this incident happened, and I discovered a couple which I don't think was offensive to any religion," Karunatilaka said.

"But my wife said, can you not do that? You've got two young kids. This story is not that good. Just leave it out."

He added that "this is something that hangs over all of us if we're writing in South Asia, especially writing about politics or religion".