News
The English Writers Collective Creative Writing Competition 2023

Entries are invited from Lankans above 18 years of age for the above titled competition comprising two sections: prose and poetry. Short stories of up to 2,500 words and poetry of 32 lines or less may be submitted, abiding by the stated guidelines. Three poetry entries are permitted by each competitor. First, second and third prizes will be awarded in each category.
Payment of a submission fee of Rs 1,000/- per competitor (reintroduced due to rising costs of printing and publication) must be made to The English Writers Collective of Sri Lanka, account number 0076463484 at the Bank of Ceylon, Kiribathgoda Branch. Proof of payment should be WhatsApped to 077 727 4483 along with the payer’s name and title/s of work.
Entries of poetry to be emailed to:
nelandshaza@gmail.com
Two paper copies of each entry to be register-posted to: Nelani Goonawardena, 197/22, Pattiyawatte Road, Kothalawela. Kaduwela.
Prose entries to be emailed to nandaewc@gmail.com
Two copies of word processed/typed short stories to be registered-posted to: Rukmini Attygalle, 37/2, Gregory’s Rd, Colombo 7.
The prize winning entries and highly commended poems and short stories will be published in the EWC journal Channels 2023.
Closing date for all entries – May 31st, 2023
Latest News
Accepting deposits for Local Authorities Election concludes

Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
Latest News
Former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court

It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
News
Ex-Minister ordered to pay loan interest in arrears for 24 yrs

The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
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