by Buddhika Samaraweera in The Daily Morning, Dec 29, 2023The Catholic Church claimed that it is in doubt as to whether President Ranil Wickremesinghe is allowing Public Security Minister Tiran Alles to continue making baseless accusations against Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and the Catholic Church with the aim of undermining their (the Church’s) programme to demand justice for the Easter Sunday terror attacks of 2019. In the recent past, Alles was seen criticising Cardinal…
Posts tagged as “colombo”
by Rajan Philips in The Island, Nov 12, 2023President Wickremesinghe’s political days are numbered in more ways than one. There are virtually none left for Mahinda Rajapaksa. The oldest of them, R. Sampanthan, is under pressure to formally retire. Vasudeva Nanayakkara has not been heard in a while, but he too belongs to the cohort of politicians who entered parliament in 1970 or 1977. They respectively came from Colombo, Hambantota, Galle/Kiriella and Trincomalee, and belonged…
Report in Daily FT, Oct 4, 2023State Minister of Investment Promotion Dilum Amunugama’s recent visit to China has resulted in the due attention of the major players in the Chinese business fraternity. The CZK Harui Economy and Trade Development (Beijing) Ltd., held initial discussions during the Minister’s visit to China and within a few weeks the representatives of the company visited Colombo to meet BOI officials. During the meeting, the representative of the company came…
By Easwaran Rutnam in Yhe Colombo Gazette online, Sept 13, 2023The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) are likely to form a grand alliance ahead of the next elections, Colombo Gazette learns. Sources told Colombo Gazette that talks in this regard are at the initial stages and includes attempting to agree on a common policy and framework on governing the country. While it is still not clear if there is…
by Buddhika Samaraweera in The Daily Morning, Sept 1, 2023Claiming that the proposed bridge to be built connecting Sri Lanka and India would be the beginning of many unnecessary problems, the Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith insisted that a referendum be held on the matter. Commenting on the proposed building of a bridge connecting Sri Lanka and India, he queried during a recent service as to whether the country was not having enough issues…
by Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana in Daily Mirror online, Aug 26m 2023A Chinese national who was caught distributing illegal Chinese-branded cigarettes in Colombo was imposed a fine of Rs.1 million by the Fort Magistrate yesterday. Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage imposed this fine when Kollupitiya Police produced the foreigner arrested for distributing a stock of Chinese branded cigarettes, which the sale and consumption is entirely prohibited in Sri Lanka. Two officials attached to the Kollupitiya Police on…
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan in Ceylon Today, Aug 23, 2023State Minister for Ports and Aviation Premalal Jayasekara yesterday (23) alleged that the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, under Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, had leased 13 acres within the Colombo Port to China’s CM Port to construct South Asia’s biggest logistic centre, without calling for tenders, procurement or government evaluation of the land. The CM Port also runs the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) and…
AFP report in Daily Mirror on line, Aug 23, 2023China has requested permission for a research ship to dock in Sri Lanka, Colombo said Tuesday, following a visit by a spacecraft-tracking vessel last year that sparked security concerns from neighbouring India. Sri Lankan foreign ministry spokeswoman Priyanga Wickramasinghe said Beijing had sought permission for the Shi Yan 6 to dock, but that no date had been set and the request was being processed. Chinese state…
by Kelum Bandara in Daily Mirror, August 11, 2023Sri Lanka finally allowed a Chinese warship to make a port of call in Colombo for replenishment yesterday despite India’s initial resistance, Daily Mirror learns. The navy said the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warship HAI YANG 24 HAO arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit yesterday. “The 129 metre-long ship which arrived in Colombo is manned by a crew of 138 and it…
By Saman Indrajith in The Island, Aug 5, 2023The government has moved beyond selling strategic industries and has started selling entire districts to foreign countries, National Peoples’ Power (NPP) stalwart Sunil Handunnetti said, addressing a seminar in Colombo on Thursday (03) night. “Ranil went to India recently and met Modi. But the real important meeting was with billionaire Adani. In India, people call Modi ‘Madani’. Because Adani is Modi’s pillar of power. Adani calls shots,”…
by Dimuthu Attanayake in SCMP, Aug 2, 2023Sri Lanka and India have cemented their long-standing ties with a rush of energy and maritime deals amid a push by New Delhi for more strategic influence in the region to counter China’s rising clout – even as analysts warn Colombo against becoming overreliant on its larger neighbour. Both South Asian nations agreed to boost maritime, air, energy and power cooperation, among other areas, during Sri Lankan President…