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Latest News from Sri Lanka: Wish our readers a Peaceful, Happy and Prosperous Sinhala & Tamil New Year! ...
[Last Updated = Sat, Jun 10, 2023, 11:54 am SL Time]
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LEGAL - SITUATION
June 10 (CP) Colombo- The Supreme Court was told that the former President Maithripala Sirisena had not followed the accepted legal procedure in granting the presidential pardon and releasing Jude Shramantha Jayamaha, who was sentenced to death in connection with the Rajagiriya, Royal Park murder incident.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- The Criminal Investigations Department has arrested seven officers of the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB), including a Sub-Inspector, over the death of a Vocational Training Officer while in Police custody.
Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court remanded the arrested PNB officers until the 23rd of June when they were produced in court.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- A Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus collided head-on with a lorry collided in the Colombo-Avissawella road at Embulgama in Hanwella, in the early hours of today (09) injuring 22 people.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- The body of a five-year-old child with stab wounds has been recovered from a construction site in Mulleriyawa.
The Police Media Division said that the dead body of the child was found yesterday evening (08) during an investigation carried out by the Mulleriyawa Police based on information received by the 119 emergency number.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka Navy has recovered a stock of over 128 kg (wet weight) of Kerala cannabis adrift in waters during a search operation conducted off Mamunai of Veththalakerni, Jaffna Thursday morning.
June 08, Colombo: State Minister of Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said as an extension of the excellent bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and India, cooperation in the area of Defense has continued to grow and strengthen over the years.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka will stand trial accused of raping a woman while in Sydney for the T20 World Cup, the Australian Associated Press reported.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Defense Attaché of the Embassy of Israel in New Delhi, Colonel Avihay Zafrany paid a courtesy call on the Defense Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne at the Defense Ministry in Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte on Tuesday (June 05).
June 07 (CP) Colombo- In a dramatic rescue operation, the Sri Lanka Navy successfully rescued 38 individuals who were stranded on a grounded trawler at the entrance of Delft Jetty this morning (07th June 2023).
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Leader of the Tamil National People’s Front Jaffna District Parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has been arrested at his residence in Colombo.
Police said a team of officers attached to the Maruthankerny and Jayapuram police stations arrested MP Ponnambalam for obstructing Police duties.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Following the flash floods triggered by heavy downpour reported in several parts of the island, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed 05 relief teams for flood relief efforts in Bulathsinhala, Baduraliya, Lathpandura and Walallawita in the Kalutara district and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- Addressing the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore recently Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor (NSA) Sagala Ratnayaka said that all stakeholders should enter into a positive dialogue to develop security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena stated in the Supreme Court yesterday (05) that Rs. 3.3 billion have been spent for the construction of the building called "Miracle Dome" where Pastor Jerome Fernando, who is said to have made insulting remarks against other religions including Buddhism, conducts services and there should be an investigation as to how he has received such a large sum of money.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- A French national who tried to illegally bring a stock of gold worth over Rs. 85 million has been arrested on Saturday (June 03) at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- A Chinese national died after falling from the 8th floor of a housing complex that is under construction in Union Place of Kompannavidiya, the police said.
The 24-year-old Chinese national was working as an assistant engineer at the building under construction.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- A Sri Lanka Air Force soldier while on duty has committed suicide by shooting himself with his duty firearm, the police said.
The deceased has been identified as 38-year-old Air Force Sergeant residing in Abeypura area of Trincomalee.
June 04 (CP) Colombo- Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles has called for a detailed report on the incident that took place in Jaffna between Member of Parliament Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), and the police officers.
June 04 (CP) Colombo- The Police Special Task Force (STF) officers have raided two cannabis plantation in the Yala reserve and arrested four individuals Sunday.
Following the information received by the officers of the Buttala camp of the Special Task Force, the raid was carried out in the Gonaganara Tammitakanda Yala reserve area.
June 04 (CP) Colombo- The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) says an investigation has been launched regarding a large-scale sand mining in front of Arisimale Aranya Senasana, in Pulmoddai, Trincomalee.
A team of GSMB officials including Mr. K. Vignesha Murthy, Trincomalee District GSMB Mining Engineer have visited the site and conducted a raid.
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NEWS - HIGHLIGHTS
June 10 (CP) Colombo- A permanent office has been set up to formalize the process of returning traditional lands in the North and East High Security Zones to the people.
The office headed by an army brigadier was established by the orders of Mr. Sagala Ratnayake, Chief of Presidential Staff, and Presidential Adviser on National Security.
June 09, Colombo: Responding to the report presented to parliament by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security on the plans to privatize Sri Lanka Telecom, the government said the cabinet will consider the report before making a final decision.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- The Ambassador of France in Sri Lanka Jean-François Pactet made a call on the State Minister of Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon at his office in Colombo, Thursday (Jun 08).
FINANCE - TRAVEL
June 10 (CP) Colombo- Dialog Enterprise, the ICT solutions arm of Dialog Axiata PLC, helped enable the digital transformation initiative of Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka & Finance PLC (MBSL) by successfully completing the deployment of its Secure Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN).
June 10 (CP) Colombo- The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) hereby expresses its deep concern and disappointment regarding the recent decision to end the long and well-functioning Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT) scheme.
June 10 (CP) Colombo- Fitch Ratings has upgraded Sri Lanka-based Kotagala Plantations PLC’s National Long-Term Rating to ‘B+(lka)’, from ‘RD(lka)’.
June 10 (CP) Colombo- Fitch Ratings has upgraded Sri Lanka-based Kotagala Plantations PLC’s National Long-Term Rating to ‘B+(lka)’, from ‘RD(lka)’.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- Ante LECO Metering Company (Pvt) Ltd., a subsidiary of LECO, annually produces 250,000 Single Phase meters required by Ceylon electricity Board and LECO in Sri Lanka.
From this year, the company will expand its services and start the production of three-phase electric meters and smart electric meters.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- Minister of Power and energy Kanchana Wijesekera Friday declared open a ground mounted solar panel system with a capacity of two megawatts implemented built by Horana Solar Power (Pvt) Ltd a fully owned subsidiary of Vidullanka PLC, and connected it to the National Grid in Horana.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka’s Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security has advised the government against the plans to privatize Sri Lanka Telecom, the leading telecom service provider in Sri Lanka as it could expose sensitive information related to national security.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- In an effort to accelerate trade facilitation commitments and bolster the business landscape in Sri Lanka, a high-level review of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) was conducted Wednesday (7).
June 09 (CP) Colombo- As well-established champions of sustainability in the global beauty industry, The Body Shop Sri Lanka commemorated World Environment Day this year by hosting “Beauty Upcycled” – a DIY and upcycling workshop aimed at spreading awareness on the importance of rethinking our approach to plastics as part of the larger goal of reducing our load on the planet.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, announced its partnership for the much-anticipated National Industry Exhibition 2023.
The exhibition, organized by the Industrial Development Board under the purview of the Ministry of Industries, will be held from the 22nd of June to the 25th June at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka Thursday signed an agreement with the US based Petroleum company RM Parks in a collaboration with Shell PLC for the company to enter the Sri Lanka petroleum business today.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved the eligibility of Sri Lanka to access concessional financing.
The Asian Development Bank in a statement said the availability of concessional assistance, offered at low interest rates, broadens Sri Lanka’s options
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Sampath Bank, as one of the leading banks in Sri Lanka, is taking a significant stride towards preserving marine biodiversity and combating climate change with its groundbreaking initiative, ‘A Breath to the Ocean.’
June 07 (CP) Colombo- AIA Insurance recently commemorated the one-year anniversary of its women’s program, ‘Aya Surakina AIA’ , in partnership with IFC-DFAT Women in Work program, with an evening of celebration.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Taprobane Seafoods Sri Lanka and Direct Source Seafood USA have entered into a strategic partnership to produce, market and sell Sri Lankan sustainable seafood in the United States.
This partnership is set to exceed $ 20 million in annual sales in 2023, with plans to surpass $ 40 million in annual sales in 2024 and beyond.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Building an inclusive distribution and retail network is key for long-term continuity and resilience of corporate supply chains in Sri Lanka, reveals a new study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
June 06 (CP) Colombo: The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently with the Eastern University, Sri Lanka, to formalize collaborative efforts to improve financial literacy among undergraduates in Sri Lanka.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- With the current GSP+ regulation set to expire by the end 2023, it is imperative that Sri Lanka takes measures to secure concessionary access to the European market.
Securing GSP+ depends on Sri Lanka upholding the already ratified conventions spanning human rights, labor, environment and governance.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- India’s Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the India’s first international cruise vessel MV Empress from Chennai to Sri Lanka in Chennai Monday.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- Sectoral Oversight Committee on Foreign Employment and Labor has instructed the official representing the Central Bank to submit a report on the institutions in which the money pertaining to the Employees Provident Fund has been invested.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- At the invitation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently briefed key representatives of the IMF on recent economic developments in Sri Lanka, and their impact on the country’s economic trajectory.
June 05 (CP) Colombo- In today’s fast-paced landscape, understanding and embracing emerging technologies is not a luxury but a necessity. Recognizing this, SLASSCOM is excited to announce the return of the EmTech Conference for its second year.
June 04 (CP) Colombo- Trans Asia Cellular(Pvt) Ltd. -Sri Lanka’s leading mobile phone accessories and telecommunications parts provider- has opened its first international retail store in Dubai, UAE, heralding the first steps for the brand’s global expansion plans.
June 04 (CP) Colombo- Nestlé Lanka hosted Nestlé’s dairy team from the Zone Asia, Oceania, and Africa (AOA) for a workshop aimed at developing a roadmap towards achieving a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 in line with the company’s sustainability ambition.
June 04 (CP) Colombo- The golfing fraternity in Sri Lanka bore witness to a spectacular display of skill, and sportsmanship at the recently concluded Nations Trust Golf Championship on May 27, 2023.
The tournament, held in partnership with the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC), showcased the eighth edition of the Stableford Golf Tournament
June 09 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Friday, helped by financial and consumer staple stocks. The CSE All Share index settled up 0.58% at 8,818.39, rising for a second straight session.
June 08 (Reuters) Sri Lankan shares closed lower on Thursday, helped by financials stocks. The CSE All Share index settled up 0.52% at 8,767.34, snapping two straight sessions of loss.
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POLITICS - GENERAL
June 10 (CP) Colombo- The State Minister of Finance Dr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says that the Customs Act will be amended so that goods detained at the Customs due to various legal issues can be released on bail during court proceedings.
June 10 (BP) The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has set aside a 19-million-baht budget to repatriate an ailing Thai elephant called Sak Surin from Sri Lanka next month, according to minister Varawut Silpa-archa.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- President Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken decisive action to combat the spread of Covid-19 and Dengue in the country by establishing both a Ministerial Committee and an Expert Committee.
These Committees have been formed in accordance with Cabinet Decision No. 23/Miscellaneous/026 issued on June 22nd, 2023.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says that a proposal with the consent of the local poultry industry to control the increase in the price of chicken meat and reduce the current shortage of eggs will be submitted to the Cabinet next week.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne today (09) submitted a private member’s Bill to amend the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, No 14 of 2002 to transfer the powers vested in the Minister of Finance to Parliament.
June 09 (CP) Colombo- The first meeting of the Committee on Public Finance for the fourth session of ninth Parliament was held recently under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Harsha de Silva.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- The Ministry of Agriculture has decided to establish a mandarin orange zone in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts.
Although oranges are cultivated in many districts in Sri Lanka, there is a great demand of the public for the mandarin oranges imported from foreign countries.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- The National Livestock Development Board has made arrangements to import 176,000 hatching eggs instead of mother hens to solve the current shortage of chicken meat and eggs in the country.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Sri Lanka’s largest state-owned retail chain Lanka Sathosa has announced in a statement that it has further reduced the prices of ten essential consumer items.
Sathosa also says that this discounted price will be effective from tomorrow in all country wide Sathosa outlets.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara has instructed the fuel distributor Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to take legal action against dealers who violate the terms of agreement by failing to maintain minimum fuel stocks.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Director General for South Asia Kenichi Yokoyama and newly appointed Country Director Takafumi Kadono held discussions with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena today (June 8) at the Temple Trees in Colombo.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, Abdulla Shahid called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees in Colombo on June 7.
During the meeting they exchanged views on strengthening existing areas, and exploring new avenues of cooperation, particularly on trade, investment, education and culture.
June 08 (CP) Colombo- United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie J. Chung met the two Sri Lankan teams that advanced to the World Finals of Microsoft Imagine Cup 2023 during her visit to the Microsoft Office recently.
Team Sipsara and The Green Tycoon were among the 48 teams from around the world who made it to the finals of the recently concluded Microsoft Imagine Cup 2023
June 08 (CP) Colombo- As the Micro, Small and Medium scale Enterprises (MSMEs) sector has been among the most affected sectors in the economy during the recent and ongoing economic crises, the government should take a policy decision to facilitate the continuation of the moratorium given to them in the past said MP Eran Wickramaratne.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said South Korean assistance to Sri Lanka by imparting knowledge and providing assistance in many fields is all the more praiseworthy as it is a continuous process.
He said this when Korean President’s Special Envoy Lee Jin-bok and a team of Korean Parliamentarians called on him
June 07 (CP) Colombo- The Minister of Labor and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara informed the National Labor Advisory Council that a summary of the proposals currently being presented to prepare a unified labor legal system will be presented on June 14th.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Minister of Plantation Industries and Minister of Industries Ramesh Pathirana instructed the officials yesterday (06) in Parliament to speed up the activities of providing credit facilities through the intervention of the Ministry of Industry in order to avoid the difficulties faced by the small and medium scale industrialists.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- Professor Ranjith Bandara, Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) took stern exception at the non-compliance of the Board of Geological Survey and Mines Bureau that despite this being the third time it was summoned before the committee, no redress had been made for outstanding issues.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced plans to establish a Digital Promotion Agency aimed at developing computer applications for the collection and monitoring of data from various government entities in Sri Lanka.
Previously, private companies had been responsible for creating such applications for government organizations.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- U.S. Department of the Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Asia Robert Kaproth visited Sri Lanka June 5 – 6. He met with Ambassador Chung and a range of officials in the country.
June 07, Colombo: President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened a meeting today with a delegation composed of members from the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) and the prestigious International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The primary objective of the meeting was to provide President Wickremesinghe with a comprehensive update
June 07 (CP) Colombo- A woman and a small child have been diagnosed with monkeypox virus in Sri Lanka.
The Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena said a woman and her daughter, who have arrived in Sri Lanka from Dubai, have tested positive for monkeypox
June 07 (CP) Colombo- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the European Union (EU)-funded BESPA-FOOD (Best Standardized Practices for the Agri-Food Sector) project will support the government to establish a well-coordinated food safety system in the country.
June 07 (CP) Colombo- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) are pleased to announce the MoJo Lanka festival, a two-day event celebrating the power of mobile journalism and digital storytelling.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- The United States Treasury Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Asia, Robert Kaproth is visiting Sri Lanka this week to meet with the government civil society, and economic leaders to discuss Sri Lanka’s path to maintaining stability & promoting economic prosperity.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- Participating in the opening session of a workshop on Data-based Statistics for Administration, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said responding successfully to challenges and shocks, Sri Lanka’s future decision-making can only be done on the basis of data and statistics.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to adopt a lenient policy when including previous offenses and minor offenses in the police clearance report to be obtained while leaving for foreign employment.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- Addressing the Panel Discussion of the National Law Conference 2023, Presidential Advisor Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga, emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of land laws, labor laws, capital laws, and technology laws in order to meet the requirements of a competitive economy.
June 06 (CP) Colombo- Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi informed the Department of Wildlife Conservation to arrange for the speedy completion of the new entrance gate and other constructions proposed to be started in the Balangoda Handagiriya area for entering the Udawalawa National Park.
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SPORTS
June 09 (ESPNCI) Sri Lanka’s dalliance with Angelo Mathews in ODIs appears to have been short-lived after the veteran was left out from the 15-man squad set to fly out to Zimbabwe for the World Cup Qualifier later this month.
Mathews had been recalled to the ODI side ahead of Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year following an absence of two years.
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June 07 (ESPNCI) Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara blasted out Afghanistan’s top order, the spinners took care of the lower order, and then Sri Lanka’s top three raced to the target of 117 in 16 overs. It wasn’t much of a workout ahead of the World Cup Qualifier, which starts on June 19;
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June 06 (BBC) He led India to a historic Test series win in Australia in 2021 and was dropped from the side in 2022. This year, he finds himself in the squad for the World Test Championship final.
It is difficult to be Ajinkya Rahane.
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June 05 (ICC) Afghanistan have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Hambantota on Friday.
Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction
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WORLD
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June 09 (CNN) Former President Donald Trump has been indicted in the special counsel’s classified documents probe, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN, a stunning development that marks the first time a former president has faced federal charges.
Trump has been charged with seven counts in the indictment, according to another source familiar with the matter.
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June 07 (BBC) The destruction of a major dam in Ukraine will have "grave and far-reaching consequences for thousands of people", the United Nations has warned.
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said the scale of the catastrophe at the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine would only become clear in the coming days.
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June 07 (BBC) Air India is set to send a replacement plane to ferry stranded passengers from a US-bound flight after its plane made an emergency landing in Russia.
The Delhi-San Francisco flight had 216 passengers and 16 crew members on board when one of its engines developed a snag on Tuesday.
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June 06 (BBC) Five days after a deadly three-train crash killed 288 people in India, more than 80 bodies remain unclaimed.
The crash on Friday evening in the state of Odisha involved two passenger trains and a stationary goods train.
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About Sri Lanka ::-
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Introduction to Sri Lanka ::-
Sri Lanka is a beautiful island paradise in the Indian Ocean with white sandy beaches lush greenery, exciting adventures, amazing wildlife, cascading waterfalls and a rich heritage. The island of Sri Lanka is roughly pear-shaped. The total area of Sri Lanka is 65,610 sq km. Sri Lankas coastline is about 1,340 km (about 833 mi) around.
The people in Sri Lanka are warm and friendly. Sri Lankans are known for hospitality in all over the world. People in Sri Lanka ethnically fall into four main categories. The population of Sri Lanka is about 20 million. Sri Lanka has a tropical climate. Sri Lanka has a democratic government. Sri Lanka is mainly an agricultural country. Colombo is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948. Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon.
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Sri Lanka became a plantation economy, famous for its production and export of cinnamon, rubber and Ceylon tea, which remains a trademark national export. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of export, and further declined to 16.8% in 2005 (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments have reached 63%. The GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% during the early 1990s, until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000, with average growth of 5.3%.
Sri Lanka, with an income per head of $1,350, still lags behind some of its neighbors including Maldives and Mauritius but is ahead of its giant neighbor India. Its economy grew by an average of 5% during the 1990s during the 'War for Peace' era. According to the Sri Lankan central bank statistics, the economy was estimated to have grown by 7% last year, although inflation had reached 20%.
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June 09 (CP) Colombo- President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened a discussion at the Presidential Secretariat Thursday to address the Action Plan for Reconciliation.
During the meeting, the President instructed the relevant departments to expedite the drafting of legislation necessary for the plan’s implementation, the President’s Media Division said.
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Cabinet to consider report on Sri Lanka Telecom by Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security
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