Headline

Parliament will vote on the new microfinance bill in March. But it could crush non-profit village lenders like women’s societies. It falls short in protecting victims from predatory lending. The bill’s ambiguity may also affect supplier and trade credit.

The Easter Sunday trial-at-bar is speeding up; the trial moved to daily hearings this Wednesday. Defence counsel are unable to cope with the pace. They’re dropping out, leaving the accused to defend themselves. As a result, activists worry they may not have a fair trial.

The justice minister says his ministry intends to revise the occupants protection bill, following outcry over inadequate consultations. Condominium developers are challenging the bill in court. Meanwhile, the government will move to repeal the old Rent Act.

The attorney-general is caught in a social media storm criticising his choices in longstanding high-profile investigations. He defends his decisions to The Examiner. Meanwhile, the justice ministry awaits comments on the draft bill for a new independent public prosecutor’s office.

Multiple lab tests confirm the import of low quality coal at the dawn of the new year. The supplier previously failed to meet tender conditions for rice shipments. Experts worry about environmental damage.

The Examiner got the long-awaited Preliminary Transfer Plan for CEB’s restructure, approved by Cabinet this week — engineers may challenge it in court. Although the power reform czar resigned, electricity reforms will continue. Disagreement is still rife about the draft electricity policy.

Industry exporters hope that the coconut exports will beat tea this year. But low yield, driven by leisurely farming practices, is worrying the booming industry.

Cyclone Ditwah destroyed much of the upcountry’s road and rail network. As the island contends with the mammoth task of rebuilding, proposals urge the authorities to build back better, including a new double-track line past Rambukkana.

Doppler radar is vital for cyclone prediction. Despite trying for nearly two decades, Sri Lanka is the only country in the region without it. Met department mismanagement and negligence are the main cause, say audit reports. Ironically, Sri Lanka operated cyclone prediction radar in the 1980s.

Sri Lanka, while disaster-ready for milder cyclones, isn’t prepared for Ditwah-level devastation. In the weeks to come, audits will assess the gaps in our disaster management systems. But for now, we look at what worked and what didn’t – asking if any of the 486 deaths could have been avoided.