Soaring cost of living?

Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva and Commerce Minister Bandula Gunawardena at yesterday’s opening of a Consumer Court at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
Pic Kamal Bogoda

• * No bed for snake bite victim at Ragama hospital ICU
  DG Health calls for report on child’s death
  The Director General of Health Services has called for a complete report from the Ragama Hospital authorities on the death of a 6-year-old girl, a victim of snake bite, on Sunday.The child, Medina, who was admitted to the hospital at 3.45 p.m. died at 8.30 p.m. without proper care because there was no bed for her in the Intensive Care Unit, Hospital sources said.
  
  
• CEB unions want salaries increased if Payee tax is to be deducted
  A number of Ceylon Electricity Board trade unions yesterday said if they were to pay the payee tax then their salaries have to be increased, because the `take home’ salary cannot be decreased. The debt ridden CEB has a workforce of nearly 14,500 and pays the payee tax for a majority of the workers.CEB Joint Trade Alliance Convener Ananda Nimalaratne told The Island yesterday that the Board had been paying the payee tax for nearly 10 years.
   
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• FM on current status of war against LTTE
  I am glad to note that this course would also afford an exciting opportunity to further enhance and deepen regional cooperation and understanding on these issues.  I am particularly encouraged that for the first time officers from Indonesia and Thailand have been invited to participate in this programme, at the request of the Sri Lanka Navy.  As all of you are aware, maritime terrorism has assumed alarming proportions in recent times, and multilateral cooperation is essential to combat this growing menace.
   

• On food, fuel and the state of public debate
  Parliament was given what was described as a bit of good news the other day. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya proudly announced that he had successfully weaned most people in the country off wheat flour in the last twelve months, with sales plummeting by some 90% in villages, and consumption in Colombo also dropping by around 60%.  Wheat imports fell by about half between 2006 and 2007.  Sri Lanka was saving millions in foreign currency and the economy was clearly the better for it, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning told MPs.

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• CEB proposed tariff hike triggers vehement protests
  The views of various chambers were sought in connection with the re-imbursement of the PAYE tax paid by some officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board as an added benefit and eventually charged to the cost of power and recovered from the consumers of electricity.Noel Piyatillake, President of the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association, said " We are vehemently against the action of the CEB to reimburse the PAYE tax of some of its officials and add further burdens on the consumers of electricity.
   

• HNB profit growth up 41% to Rs 3.2 Bn
  Hatton National Bank (HNB), its subsidiaries and associate companies continued with its impressive performance for the third consecutive year in 2007 by reporting a 47.5% increase in pre tax profits to Rs. 4,566 Mn. Post tax profit attributable to the group was Rs 3,199 Mn which was a 40.5% increase over 2006. Commenting on the results, HNB’s Managing Director Rajendra Theagarajah said " We are delighted to be able to deliver such results especially against the backdrop of a domestic environment which saw inflation nearing the 20% level during the latter part of 2007.

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• India win by 9 runs Clinches series 2-0
  BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - India ended a tumultuous tour with a dramatic, Sachin Tendulkar-inspired 2-0 limited-overs finals series win over World Cup champion Australia.Tendulkar posted 91 in India's 258 for nine after winning the toss and batting, following his match-winning 117 not out in the game 1 at Sydney.

  India's Sachin Tendulkar raises his bat after making 50 runs against Australia during the second final of their tri-nations one day international cricket series at Brisbane, Australia, Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Tendulkar was out for 91.
  (AP Photos/Rick Rycroft)
   

• Inter School Under-13 Div. I final
  Wesley juniors win battle for pride
  While a decent crowd held their breath, the last pair of Wesley College held their nerve, to record a thrilling one wicket first innings win against St. Peter’s College in a nerve tingling Inter-School Under-13 Division I final which went to the wire at Thurstan College Grounds on Monday.
   
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