The International Monetary Fund downgraded Sri Lanka's growth to 6.7 percent on Wednesday from the 6.8 expected by Sri Lanka's Central Bank, as inflation is expected to hit double figures at 10.1 percent by the end of this year. The relatively conservative over-estimate by the Central Bank, came after it was forced to downgrade the initial 8 percent predicted forecast. In 2010 and 2011, Sri Lanka had a growth of 8 percent and 8.3 percent respectively. For 2013, the IMF predicted that Sri Lanka's growth would remain at 6.7 percent.
The Supreme Court in Delhi has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation, calling on the Indian government to ban the training of Sri Lankan defence officials. "It is a matter of foreign policy. We won't interfere with the policy matters," said judges at the court. The DMK, a member of the ruling coalition, said it will continue to push for a ban and said the judges only refused to comment on policy matters, but did not say whether the training programmes should be stopped or not.
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of National Languages and Ethnic Integration announced that it planned to introduce a hotline for resolving the language issues affecting the public service. The minister of the Ministry National Languages and Ethnic Integration, Vasudeva Naanyakkara, assured that the Ministry was fully committed to implement the Official Languages Policy, which alleges to promote language rights and equality, throughout the country. The Ministry’s plans form a stark contrast with recent developments in the Tamil north, which saw the opening of temples with plaques inscribed in only...
Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapksa has rewarded principals from the country’s Ministry of Education by promoting them to the military rank of Brevet Colonels, reported the Ministry of Defence . In a ceremony held in Colombo on Monday, 23 officials from the Ministry of Education and Education Administration Service Recalling his earlier days as a schoolchild, the Defence Secretary also reportedly, “expressed confidence that the new officers will enhance their knowledge of the military service and work towards the betterment of the country.”
Speaking at the opening of a new hall at a Buddhist centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary has praised the role of the Buddhist clergy in “safeguarding the motherland” and stated that the country was in the midst of a “Buddhist revivial” . See the report from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence, which reported on the Vihara opening, here . Excerpts have been reproduced below. "Speaking at the event Secretary Defence said that there is a Buddhist revival in the country and with the end of war the tri forces together with the civil defence personnel have helped to renovate a number of...
Sri Lanka lifted its travel advisory against travel to Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. The ban was instigated citing attacks against Sri Lankan pilgrims in Tamil Nadu. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “Following a series of unfortunate incidents faced by Sri Lankans visiting Tamil Nadu, in particular a group of Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting the Poornimatha Church in Thanjavur in early September 2012, the Government of Sri Lanka was compelled to issue a travel advisory for Sri Lankan nationals visiting the state of Tamil Nadu.
Judges in Sri Lanka protested on Monday, after a High Court judge was beaten with pistols and stabbed. In a statement, judicial association would not work for one day in protest at the attack. Speaking to Reuters, a judge who asked not to be names, said , "He was attacked by four gunmen asking if he was the secretary of the Judicial Service Commission," "He was attacked with pistols on his face and manhandled."
A 38-year-old mother of five was sexually assaulted and killed in Batticaloa on Monday, repored TamilNet on Monday. Ms A Sinnapillai was gagged and dragged out of her home by two Sinhalese workers and allegedly raped and murdered in a nearby jungle. Her body was found dumped upside down in a pit. Staff at Batticaloa Teaching Hospital were suspicious of the injuries on the victim’s body which was sent to a Colombo hospital for further medical examination. However the Batticaloa staff told TamilNet of the reluctance of Colombo’s medical authorities in issuing medical reports confirming rape. In...
Malaysia is planning to sign a memorandum of understanding with Sri Lanka regarding the oil and gas sector, reported the Daily News. Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Azmi Zainuddin said the MoU could help the Sri Lankan Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat to formalise business and investment opportunities with Malaysian firms. “We recognise the potential that Malaysian oil and gas companies could offer Sri Lankan companies in this sector. "Malaysian oil and gas companies have built their capabilities, resources, knowledge and relationships with business partners and vendors...
A visiting senior UN official to Sri Lanka has stated that more focus needs to be shifted towards the allocation of land and job creation of those who have been displaced by war. Dr. Ajay Chhibber, who is the UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific visited the island from earlier this week, as part of the United Nations Development Programme. Marking the conclusion of his visit he stated , "We need to pay greater attention to human needs of the people being resettled to enhance recovery." See our earlier posts:...