News
Five Senior Journalists Honored at 25th Journalism Awards for Excellence
The Journalism Awards for Excellence 2023 celebrated a momentous milestone last Tuesday (7) as it marked 25 years of recognizing excellence in print media. Held at the Empire Ballroom of the Mount Lavinia Hotel, the prestigious event honored journalists across 38 categories, spotlighting their dedication, impact, and contributions to the industry.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to five veteran journalists: Ammaiappapillai Yogamoorthy, N.M. Ameen, Chandrika Wijesundera, Bennet Rupasinghe, and Zanita Careem. The awards recognized their decades of service and unparalleled contributions to journalism in Sri Lanka.
Organized by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Press Institute, the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement, and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, the event brought together media professionals from across the nation.
Among the night’s top honors, Sulochana Ramiah Mohan of Ceylon Today was named the Mervyn De Silva Journalist of the Year. Namini Wijedasa of The Sunday Times won the awards for Investigative Journalist of the Year and Best News or Feature Using RTI (English). Kamanthi Wickramasinghe of Daily Mirror received the Subramaniam Chettiar Award for Reporting on Social Issues.
The evening also acknowledged emerging talent, with Jayakody Arachchige Senuka Thiyasara Jayakody of The Sunday Times named Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year.
Winners in categories such as health, business, sports, and environmental reporting underscored the breadth of Sri Lankan journalism. The awards also highlighted achievements in design, cartoons, and photojournalism.
Journalism Awards for Excellence 2023 Final Results Sheet
Print Media
1. Mervyn DeSilva Journalist of the Year– Single Award Winner: Sulochana Ramiah Mohan– Ceylon Today Merit: I. Robert Antony- Virakesari
2. Best Health Care & Medical Reporter of the year– Sinhala Winner: Illankoon Arachchilage Sureka Nilmini Illankoon- Silumina Merit: No merit
3. Best Health Care & Medical Reporter of the year– Tamil Winner: Muththu Marikkar Mohammed Marlin- Thinakaran Merit: Mohammed Hussain Fathima Husna- Thinakkural
4. Best Health Care & Medical Reporter of the year– English Winner: Nadia Fazlulhaq– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit
5. Sports Journalists of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Fawz Mohomed- Silumina Merit: No merit
6. Sports Journalists of the Year– Tamil Winner: SM.S. Mohamed Firdous- Thinakaran Merit: No merit
7. Sports Journalists of the Year– English Winner: No submission Merit: No submission
8. Business & Finance Journalist of the Year– Sinhala Winner: No winner Merit- Kotudurage Rasika Nilantha- Silumina
9. Business & Finance Journalist of the Year– Tamil Winner: Anantha Ganesha Sarma Swaminathan- Virakesari Merit: NO MERIT
10.Business & Finance Journalist of the Year– English Winner: Madhusha Thavapalakumar– The Sunday Morning Merit: No merit
11.Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Best News or Feature using RTI– Sinhala Winner: Mithun Jayawardhana- Mawbima Merit: No merit
12. Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Best News or Feature using RTI– Tamil Winner: Karuppaiya Prasannakumar- Thinakkural Merit:– S. Sivakumaran- Virakesari and A.A.M. Rifthi Ali- Thamilan
13. Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Best News or Feature using RTI– English Winner: Namini Nimilamalee Wijedasa– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit
14.B. A. Siriwardena Columnist of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Shirley Anil De Silva– Lankadeepa Daily Merit: No merit
15. B. A. Siriwardena Columnist of the Year– Tamil Winner: S. Sivakumaran- Virakesari Merit: No merit
16. B. A. Siriwardena Columnist of the Year– English Winner: No submission Merit: No submission
17.Subramaniam Chettiar Award for Reporting on Social Issues– Single Award Winner: Kamanthi Wickramasinghe– Daily Mirror Merit: R. Ramkumar- Virakesari and Illeperuma Arachchige Don Nadira Kumari Gunatilleke– Daily News
18.Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Harsha Sugathadasa– Divaina Sunday Merit: No merit
19. Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year– Tamil Winner: Hassthani Radhakrishnan- Virakesari Merit: Kamil Asmy Mohamed Shabeer- Vidivelli and R. Ramkumar Virakesari
20. Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year– English Winner: Tharushi Weerasinghe– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit
21.Investigative Journalist of the Year– Single Award Winner: Namini Nimilamalee Wijedasa– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit
22.Scoop of the Year– Single Award Winner: No award Merit: No award
23.Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year– Single Award Winner: Jayakody Arachchige Senuka Thiyasara Jayakody– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit
24.Best Environmental Reporter of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Kanahara Arachchige Jagath Kumara Kanahara- Arachchi Merit: No merit
25. Best Environmental Reporter of the Year– Tamil Winner: R. Ramkumar- Virakesari Merit: No merit
26. Best Environmental Reporter of the Year– English Winner: Kasun Chethana Gamage Warakapitiya– The Sunday Times Merit: No merit
27.Best Designed Newspaper of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Deshaya Merit: NO MERIT
28. Best Designed Newspaper of the Year– Tamil Winner: No winner JMerit: Virakesari weekly and Thinakkural
29. Best Designed Newspaper of the Year– English Winner: Asitha Rathnayake- SUNDAY TIMES Merit: No merit
30. Cartoonist of the Year– Sinhala Winner: Awantha Artigala– Sunday Lankedeepa Merit: No merit
31. Cartoonist of the Year– Tamil Winner: Namal Amarasinghe– Tamil Mirror Merit: No merit
32. Cartoonist of the Year– English Winner: Awantha Artigala– Daily Mirror Merit: No merit
33.Photojournalist of the Year:- Single Award Winner: Kankanam Pathirana Pradeep– Daily Mirror Merit: Saman Kumara Abesiriwardana– Sathi Aga Aruna
Online Newspapers
34.Best Designed News Website– Sinhala Winner: lankadeepa.lk Merit: NO MERIT
35. Best Designed News Website– Tamil Winner: virakesari.lk Merit: thamilan.lk and tamilmirror.lk
36. Best Designed News Website– English Winner: ft.lk Merit: dailymirror.lk and themorning.lk
37. Best Video Story-telling– Sinhala Winner: NO AWARD Merit: NO MERIT
38. Best Video Story-telling– Tamil Winner: VIRAKESARI DIGITAL Merit: LOGESWARAN SELVARAJA- Virakesari and LUCIAS- Virakesari
39. Best Video Story-telling– English Winner: G.M. LAHIRU CHAMARA DOLOSWALA Merit: NO MERIT
News
China, Lanka intensify cooperation to fight cross-border crimes spreading across Asia and beyond
China and Sri Lanka have intensified joint law enforcement efforts to combat cross-border online gambling and telecom fraud, crimes that authorities warn are increasingly spreading across Asia and beyond.
The Chinese Embassy in Colombo said both countries are working closely to dismantle scam centres and fraud networks that have relocated to Sri Lanka from other parts of Southeast Asia. The Embassy noted that such operations often intertwine with human trafficking and other serious crimes, posing grave risks to public security and social stability.
China’s position on cross-border gambling remains firm: Chinese capital is prohibited from investing in overseas casinos, citizens are barred from operating them, and foreign casinos are forbidden from soliciting Chinese nationals. The Embassy stressed that gambling “almost invariably leads to financial ruin,” with tens of thousands of Chinese citizens suffering losses and harm. Recent amendments to China’s Criminal Law have criminalised cross-border gambling activities.
The Embassy pointed out that Sri Lankan authorities have carried out multiple raids in recent months, dismantling gambling and fraud dens and arresting suspects from several countries. Several Chinese nationals, involved in fraud-related crimes, have been handed over to Chinese authorities, producing what officials described as a strong deterrent effect.
The Chinese Embassy praised the efforts of Sri Lanka’s ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Public Security, particularly immigration and police officials, for their cooperation.
It warned that without firm and immediate measures, the spread of illegal gambling and fraud could damage Sri Lanka’s international image, undermine social stability, and harm the safety and security of its people.
China has already conducted similar law enforcement cooperation with countries including Spain, the UAE, Myanmar, and Cambodia, leading to arrests and repatriations of overseas fraud suspects. It has also proposed the creation of an international alliance against telecom and online fraud to coordinate global efforts, it said.
Going forward, China pledged to actively implement the Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, while continuing to deepen law enforcement and security cooperation with Sri Lanka.
The Embassy said these efforts aim to safeguard lives and property, protect financial security, and build a “clean, safe, and beautiful Sri Lanka,” while contributing to a new global framework for combating transnational crime.
An assistant manager and a security officer, attached to a state bank branch in Horana, have been arrested in connection with the robbery of more than Rs. 30 million that was being transported to replenish automated teller machines (ATMs), Police said.
The two suspects were taken into custody on Friday after statements were recorded from them regarding the incident, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon at the Horana branch of the People’s Bank.
According to Police, a bank employee was carrying two bags containing cash through the rear entrance of the bank at around 2.45 p.m. when an individual, who had arrived on foot, allegedly snatched the bags and fled the scene.
The stolen money, amounting to approximately Rs. 30.5 million, had been prepared for distribution to ATM machines and transportation to other bank branches. Earlier reports had estimated the loss at around Rs. 35 million.
Investigators subsequently arrested a suspect believed to have been directly involved in the robbery and recovered Rs. 17 million of the stolen cash.
Police have not disclosed the exact circumstances that led to the arrest of the assistant manager and security officer but said investigations uncovered information linking them to the incident.
The Western Province North Crime Division is conducting further investigations to determine whether additional suspects were involved and to recover the remaining stolen money.
The daring daylight robbery has raised concerns over security procedures employed during transportation of large sums of cash to/from banking institutions.Further investigations are continuing.
by Norman Palihawadane
The death toll from the fire at an elders’ home in Batagoda, Anguruwatota, has risen to 13 after another resident succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at the Horana Hospital, Police said yesterday.
Six others remain hospitalised with serious injuries.
The fire, which broke out on June 3 at the facility housing nearly 70 elderly residents, left 10 people dead on the spot after they were trapped inside the building, according to Police. A total of 51 occupants were rescued as firefighters brought the blaze under control.
Following the incident, approximately 50 survivors were initially accommodated at Batagoda Junior School before being relocated, with the assistance of Sri Lanka Army personnel, to another branch of the same care organisation in Galpatha.
Police said a Magistrate’s inquiry was conducted at the scene on June 4, during which burnt remains were recovered, under judicial supervision.
Meanwhile, the director of the elders’ home was arrested in connection with the incident and produced before the Horana Magistrate’s Court. He was remanded until June 11.Investigations are continuing into the cause of the fire.
by Norman Palihawadane
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Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
China, Lanka intensify cooperation to fight cross-border crimes spreading across Asia and beyond
Asst. Manager, security officer arrested over Rs 30 mn snatch at Horana PB branch
Anguruwatota elders’ home fire death toll rises to 13
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