Apr 9 (FT) A Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) has raised concerns over non-compliance by senior officials and persistent losses at regional ports, even as SL Ports Authority (SLPA) reported strong overall profitability. At a recent sitting of the SOC on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, chaired by SJB MP S.M. Marikkar, members criticised the absence of the Ports Ministry Secretary, warning that repeated directives issued over the past six months had gone unanswered. more..

Apr 9 (FT) SL’s recovery from Cyclone Ditwah is entering a slower phase, with more than 149,000 people still displaced despite a steady scale-up in humanitarian assistance, according to the latest update by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). As of 3 April, over 291,000 people have been reached under the Humanitarian Priority Plan (HPP), implemented by 68 partner organisations across all 25 districts. Women account for the majority of beneficiaries, while more..

Apr 9 (NF) The Dept of the Registrar General has introduced a new instant hotline service under the number 1930, aimed at providing the public with more efficient and accessible services. Alongside the launch of the hotline, the department also unveiled its modernised official website, marking a significant step in improving public access to accurate and timely information. The launch ceremony was held under the patronage of Minister of Public Admin, PCs and Local Govt. more..

Apr 9 (DM) SL’s automotive sector is bracing for a market contraction, driven by the recent depreciation of the rupee and lingering consumer anxieties over the fuel situation. “If things were equal and you were having a normal movement of cars, you would have a 15% to 20% drop at least as a result of the fuel crisis and vehicle prices,” Kia Motors Lanka Chairman Mahen Thambiah said. He shared these remarks on the sidelines of an exclusive media unveiling on April 7, more..

Apr 9 (Island) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) announces a planned and orderly leadership transition, underscoring its commitment to strong governance, leadership continuity, and long-term institutional stability. Accordingly, Shiran Fernando has been appointed Secretary General and CEO, effective 8th May 2026, succeeding. Buwanekabahu Perera, who will conclude a threeyear tenure at the helm of the Chamber. Commenting on the transition, Krishan Balendra, Chairperson of The CCC stated: more..

Apr 9 (EN) Cabinet have approved a proposal to implement the GovTech App/Service Marketplace project in three phases during 2026-2027 at an estimated cost of Rs. 563 million, minister Vijitha Herath said. A centralized GovTech marketplace aims to streamline digital procurement and eliminate fragmented spending across state agencies, he told reporters. Currently, SL state institutions often procure technology solutions individually. Herath, who also oversees Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism, more..

Apr 9 (ST) The demand for apartment rentals in Colombo is mostly centred around expat workers, driving them to such soaring prices which locals cannot afford, experts said. Niloshan Mendis, General Manager of Business Development at Global Housing Real Estate said the local high-end income earners are buying apartments. About 80% of the sales are driven locally. Only about 20% of these belong to the diaspora. “Most expats are buying these apartments,” Mendis said at a panel discussion more..

Apr 9 (DM) SL’s national tea sale average fell in March, extending a broader softening in prices both month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY), reflecting continued pressure on auction realisations across the elevations. Average price for March 2026 stood at Rs.1,144.23 per kg (US $ 3.63), down Rs.7.88 and US $ 0.09 from February’s Rs.1,152.11 (US $ 3.72). Compared with March 2025, the decline was more pronounced, with the prices slipping Rs.39.53 and US $ 0.36, from Rs.1,183.76 (US $ 3.99), more..

Apr 9 (FT) SL’s National Audit Department has found that failures in procurement governance, supplier selection, and quality controls in coal purchases for the Lakvijaya Power Plant resulted in a loss of Rs. 2,237.7 million, with a further Rs. 2,332.5 million identified as recoverable penalties. This comes even as Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament on Tuesday that the issue stemmed from suppliers failing to meet required standards. more..

Apr 9 (Island) Marking World Health Day on April 7, health experts have called for a stronger commitment to science-based decision-making to address increasingly complex and evolving health challenges in Sri Lanka and beyond. Dr. Dayanath Ranatunga, Assistant Representative of the UN Population Fund, stressed that health is no longer confined to hospitals or traditional medical systems, but is shaped by a broad spectrum of social, environmental, and technological factors. more..

Apr 9 (Island) The whole world must have heaved a huge sigh of relief yesterday when the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with Israel consenting to follow suit. Pakistan deserves praise for a timely intervention to de-escalate the West Asian conflict and prepare the ground for negotiations aimed at working out a lasting solution. However, the situation is far from right as rain. What we are witnessing in the trouble-torn West Asia, which is red in tooth and claw, more..

Apr 9 (SO) SL’s long debated labour law reforms have returned to the policy agenda this time under a Govt that has promised to place workers, rather than employers, at the centre of the process. The previous administration was forced to withdraw its proposed Amendments amid sustained resistance from Trade Unions and civil society groups, who said the changes tilted too far in favour of employers and risked eroding hard won labour protections. Now, the NPP Govt is attempting a reset. more..

Apr 9 (TM) The proposed Jaffna Cricket Stadium in the Mandaitivu Island, under the purview of the SLC, has sparked controversy among environmental activists and lawmakers, and notably, the general public. The controversy erupted after activists revealed the SLC had commenced construction prior to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) being conducted, despite prevailing legal provisions in the country mandating that a prescribed project must undergo an EIA before implementation. more..

Apr 9 (SO) The country’s energy system is being tested—this time by a convergence of forces that range from the predictable rhythms of weather to the unpredictable shocks of global geopolitics. As reservoir levels fall, fuel shipments face delays, and electricity demand surges in the oppressive heat, the Govt is faced with a challenge : how to keep the lights on without pushing the system beyond its limits. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) says all is under control. more..

Apr 9 (DM) Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has stolen the limelight at least for a few weeks by launching his book Searching for the Mastermind of the Easter Sunday Attacks, despite it disappointing many Gammanpila in his book as well as his speech at the book launching ceremony had concluded that Zahran Hashim, the leader of the National Thawheed Jama’ath (NTJ) that carried out suicide bomb explosions in eight places on April 21, 2019, was the mastermind of those attacks. more..

Apr 9 (CT) Tragedies happen now and then, sometimes too often, as many around the world today would sadly confirm. There are some that could have been avoided and others that were too late to have been saved by human intervention or interception so that nations and their peoples would survive to pursue the glorious futures embedded in their minds. But there is another kind of tragedy which is really tragi-comedy, the product of some who consider themselves comedians that could make the world laugh. more..

Apr 9 (CT) SL entered the current Yala agricultural season with fertiliser stocks, covering roughly 60% of what its crops require, after the conflict that erupted in the Persian Gulf in late February triggered the cancellation of approximately half the country’s outstanding import orders. World urea prices rose from USD 460 to USD 690 per MT between the end of Feb and 30 March, and the country’s primary supplier, China, has simultaneously halted exports to protect its own domestic supply. more..

Apr 9 (GV) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his NPP party swept into power with the support of voters in the North and East, voters who usually place their confidence in Tamil political parties. But one year one, while still popular, the president and his govt are slowly losing support and credibility as they make little progress on the issues that are most important to the people in the North and East. Groundviews spoke to Mahendran Thiruvarangan, Senior Lecturer at the Jaffna Uni and more..

Apr 9 (DM) It is normal for patients to spend almost an entire day at a govt or private hospital in SL. It takes hours to complete their registration, doctor’s consultation and then obtain medicines from the pharmacy. Even for a common sickness like a fever, it is quite difficult to grab the attention of nurses or the supporting staff to get the temperature checked as they stick to strict procedures at times. The situation is no different at private hospitals, especially for doctors in high demand. more..

Apr 8 (DM) A woman from Maharagama has been arrested over allegations of defrauding more than Rs 10 Million by promising foreign employment opportunities in countries including Albania and Canada, SLBFE said. They said the suspect had been operating under the guise of a student visa agency called Global Educare Consultancy, where she reportedly collected large sums of money from individuals across the island by promising overseas job placements. more..

Apr 8 (NW) MP Ramanathan Archchuna has publicly shared his Parliament salary slip for March 2026, stating that the public should be aware of the earnings received by MP. According to the document shared by the MP, the gross monthly salary and allowances amounted to Rs. 415,169.93. After deductions totalling Rs. 19,308.71, net salary credited to his account was Rs. 395,861.22. The salary breakdown includes a monthly allowance of Rs54,285, telephone allowance of Rs50,000 more..

Apr 8 (AD) National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd. has requested the PUCSL for a further 15% increase in electricity tariffs for the second quarter (April-June) of 2026, in addition to the 10% tariff increase that has already been implemented for the same quarter. National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd (NSO), one of the state-owned private companies established after dissolving the CEB, had submitted its revised generation cost more..

Apr 8 (TM) Multilateral financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank is expected to buffer against the potential impact of dwindling foreign reserves as SL’s tourism arrivals drop, and debt repayment obligations arise this month, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in parliament yesterday. The assistance includes $ 700 million from the IMF, $ 1.2 billion from the ADB, and additional World Bank funding for development projects. more..

Apr 8 (TM) Around 99% of transactions in Sri Lanka are still made in cash, as Rs. 6.3 trillion cash-based transactions were made in the fourth quarter of 2025, while QR-based transactions remained below Rs. 400,000, said Minister of Digital Economy Eng. Eranga Weeraratne speaking at the National Payment Adoption Launch Programme yesterday under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “Sri Lanka has been able to establish advanced digital facilities so far. more..

Apr 8 (NW) Fast bowler Nuwan Thushara’s legal challenge against SLC over the refusal to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the 2026 IPL has drawn international attention, with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) expressing concern over players being forced to take legal action to secure playing opportunities. WCA CEO Tom Moffat said the situation reflects a broader global issue regarding player rights more..

Apr 8 (AD) Strengthening local industries is a primary objective of the Govt, and there are plans to expand opportunities for domestic businesses in meeting Govt procurement needs in the future, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated. Prez made these remarks during a discussion held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat with the Ceylon United Business Alliance (CUBA). During the meeting, extensive discussions were held on the challenges faced by local industries more..

Apr 8 (AD) The newly renovated Pettah Central Bus Stand has been officially opened to the public today. The event was attended by Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Rathnayake, Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena and the Commander of the SL Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Edirisinghe, among others. The renovation was carried out under the govt’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative, with the aim of improving facilities and enhancing convenience for commuters using the bus stand. more..

Apr 8 (DM) Claiming that the electricity tariff increase implemented on April 1 was not a result of the current crisis, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday the current estimates suggest that losses over the three-month period may reach approximately Rs. 32 billion and that the people will have to bear Rs. 10 billion out of it while the govt and the electricity companies will bear the rest of Rs. 22 billion. Making a special statement in Parliament, he said more..

Apr 8 (DM) In a bid to restrict reporting of child abuse, PM Harini Amarasuriya hinted that the govt is looking into the possibility of introducing some regulatory system in order to safeguard the victims from the suffering they have to undergo following media reports on their plight. PM who is also the Minister in charge of Education said regulatory framework pertaining to the reporting of child abuse is considered as media is engaged in reporting on child abuse by uncovering more..

Apr 8 (DM) Despite having a principled position that SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier, should be revitalized, the govt still remains undecided whether it should involve the private sector or retain sole authority, according to Minister Anura Karunatilake. The restructuring of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is a core pillar of the IMF EFF programme for SL. It is designed to address fiscal risks and restore long-term debt sustainability. more..

Apr 8 (ANI) Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha took part in the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard and Dredging Corporation of India. High Commission said that the Indian maritime sector also stands to benefit from the high skill set of the Colombo Dockyard. High Commission said, "High Commissioner Santosh Jha witnessed the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard & Dredging Corporation of India. more..

Apr 8 (DM) Public consultation has commenced on the report of the committee appointed to submit recommendations for the establishment of an Education Council in SL. The proposed Education Council, introduced under the guidance of PM and Minister of Education, aims to enhance the overall standards of the country’s education system. Its key objectives include legislation, quality assurance, accreditation of programmes and institutions, and certification of education professionals. more..