Feb 18 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to hire 30,000 unemployed graduates into the public service, a budget for 2025 said with 10,000 billion rupees of taxes being allocated to give to those hired this year. “Due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn, and political instability, there is a large number of unemployed graduates and youth,” the budget said. “We will implement a strategic recruitment plan to hire 30,000 individuals in essential public service roles, more..

Feb 18 (FT) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday delivered a collective Rs. 345 billion bonanza for public servants via the 2025 Budget. He proposed to increase the minimum monthly basic salary by Rs. 15,750 or from Rs. 24,250 to Rs. 40,000. The current ad-hoc interim allowance and special allowance will be integrated into the basic salary, giving a net increase of Rs. 8,250 in the minimum salary. more..

Feb 18 (FT) With the appointment of the new head of state and the Govt that followed last year, Sri Lanka has unleashed a new attitude to the world – Prosperous country with smiling faces. My mind went to the words of nation brand building expert Simon Anholt, who said: “If a country doesn’t like its image – and most countries don’t – then the only way to change that image is through the things the country does, not by the things it says.” It was a very powerful statement that more..

Feb 18 (AD) Former Puttalam District MP Shantha Abeysekara and his son have been arrested by the Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division. The arrest was made when they arrived to give a statement regarding an illegally assembled vehicle, Police said. The arrested suspects are expected to be produce before the Mahara Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. On Feb 6, an illegally assembled luxury vehicle which was allegedly used by former MP and SJB member Abeysekara, was found more..

Feb 18 (FT) The increasing digital presence in children’s lives necessitates a proactive approach to online safety. Recognising this urgent need, the International Foundation for Digital Child (IFDC) conducted a trainer training program on preventing online child sexual abuse and promoting online safety. The session took place on 7 Feb 2025, at K/Dodangoda MMV and was attended by 52 teachers. To gauge educators’ awareness and concerns regarding online safety, more..

Feb 18 (DM) Vehicle imports will be very risky as prices of vehicles have gone up remarkably, SJB MP Harsha De Silva said. Opening the budget debate, he told Parliament that the Prez stated in his budget speech that the majority of tax revenue is expected from vehicle imports. The MP said vehicle prices have gone up remarkably where according to new prices, vehicles such as the Toyota Raize has gone up to Rs. 12.2 million, Toyota Yaris Rs. 18.5 million and a Prius to Rs. 28.9 million. more..

Feb 18 (AD) Executive Board of the IMF is scheduled to meet on Feb 28, to discuss and approve third review of SL’s EFF programme. IMF staff and the SL authorities reached a staff-level agreement on the Third Review of SL’s EFF program on Nov 23, 2024. Once approved by the IMF’s Executive Board, Sri Lanka will have access to around USD 333 million in financing. IMF had previously stated that release of 4th tranche more..

Feb 18 (EN) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has commended SL’s 2025 Budget for maintaining policy consistency by retaining the existing tax framework and avoiding ad-hoc tax measures to match the expenditure proposals. “The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce welcomes bold proposals in the budget that align with its recommendations, SL Economic Summit discussions, and Vision 2030 goals,” it said in a statement. Chamber chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa is advisor the SL’s president. more..

Feb 18 (TM) Army has issued a statement clarifying the retention of passports belonging to Army personnel following various interpretations circulating regarding an administrative order issued by the Army HQ on 16 Feb. According to the statement, measure has been implemented as an administrative procedure to enhance inter-departmental coordination within the Army. Under this directive, passports of personnel holding the rank of Major and below will be retained more..

Feb 18 (TM) Sri Lanka will introduce new legal frameworks to manage state owned enterprises (SOEs) and facilitate public-private partnerships (PPPs) with state entities, while a committee will look to reform the SOE setup. Presenting the Budget 2025 in Parliament yesterday, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that a new legal framework, namely, State Business Enterprises Management Act, will be introduced to ensure more..

Feb 18 (NW) Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP S.M. Marikkar says MP Harsha de Silva was not given the party’s Colombo Leadership due to party policy. MP said previously he had lost out on a similar position due to recommendations being made against the appointment, after which the party leader had assumed the post. “Even though I was the second highest to have obtained votes, recommendations were made not to appoint me as it could result in an issue. more..

Feb 18 (NW) A special discussion between Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Kumanayake and the heads of the health sector was held today at the Presidential Secretariat. During the meeting, it was discussed that a committee would be formed to explore possible steps that could be taken through the Prez’s Fund to reduce the number of patients on long waiting lists for surgeries in govt hospitals. The committee is expected to submit a report on the matter within one month. more..

Feb 18 (EN) Meal preparation using dirty fuels such as firewood, which is common in Sri Lanka, are making women more prone to health issues, a UNDP report shows. “Right now, a woman is risking her health through the simple act of preparing a meal,” UNDP says in its report on clean cooking No time to waste: Pathways to deliver clean cooking for all. “The energy transition is happening. The renewable revolution is accelerating. Yet, access to clean cooking is barely progressing. more..

Feb 18 (AD) The Meteorology Department says that the Heat Index, the temperature felt on human body, is expected to increase up to Caution Level tomorrow in the Northern, North-Central, North-Western, Western, and Southern Provinces and in Monaragala and Ratnapura districts. As per the advisory by the Department, under this level of temperature, fatigue is possible with prolonged exposure and activity while continuing activity could result in heat cramps. more..

Feb 18 (TM) Phase 1 of the Central Expressway Project (CEP), initially stalled for years, is now under renewed negotiations with Exim Bank of China to ensure that it can be recommenced at an affordable rate which reflects contemporary costs, according to Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena. The first phase of the project, covering Kadawatha to Mirigama, had been delayed for three to four years, leading to a demand for more..

Feb 18 (TM) Engineers attached to CEB have raised concerns over the operational stability of the Norochcholai Power Plant, warning that the plant may face another shutdown if all three generators are pushed to maximum capacity, especially given the current instability of the national grid. While the CEB has assured that the plant is functioning sufficiently with two generators operational and the third on standby, engineers caution that running the plant 24/7 with full load could lead to a more..

Feb 18 (EN) Digital transformation is important for SMEs, SL’s Export Development Board has said, adding that women entrepreneurs need to leverage branding and digital tools. EDB and the International Trade Centre (ITC) recently conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme under the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, funded by UK International Development. “The programme equipped participants with advanced skills in branding, digital marketing & AI-driven tools more..

Feb 18 (EN) Central Bank is closely monitoring the key policy changes in US under Prez Donald Trump’s second term including possible tariff hikes, but major downside impacts are unlikely, a senior official said. President Trump has said he would impose reciprocity soon on every country that charges duties on U.S. imports, in a move that ratchets up fears of a widening global trade war & threatens to accelerate US inflation. more..

Feb 18 (AD) Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe today provided a clarification with regard to the process of salary increments to the public sector employees scheduled to be implemented as per the 2025 Budget proposals. He said that certain individuals are misleading the public regarding the increase in govt employees’ salaries. Accordingly, Jayasinghe explained that the salaries of the employees in the lowest level of the public service, PL 1, will receive an increment of Rs. 5,975. more..

Feb 18 (EN) SL Bank’s Association said it welcomed a budget for 2025, would support its implementation and expected improved governance to reduce the gap between management and audited accounts. “We anticipate that a focused approach to strengthen key sectors would result in improving the governance framework and reduce discrepancies between Management and Audited accounts, the usage of personal bank accounts for business transactions…” SLBA said in a statement. more..

Feb 18 (DM) The govt will definitely take steps to reduce taxes on fuel in the future, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said today. He told Parliament that the govt has provided the maximum relief possible to the people through the budget, adding that no taxes have been imposed in the budget. Minister said this while responding to a question raised by MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, whether the taxes on fuel will be reduced, as claimed by the National People's Power (NPP) during election time. more..

Feb 18 (NW) Former Minister Piyankara Jayaratne has been indicted before the Colombo High Court on charges of corruption, during his tenure as Minister of Civil Aviation. Jayaratne is accused of allegedly coercing officials to deposit Rs.494,000 into a bank account in Chillaw during his ministerial tenure. In January this year, Bribery Commission filed a case against the former minister for misleading the officers of the Civil Aviation Authority into transferring Rs. 494,000 to to a Chilaw NSB account, more..

Feb 18 (DM) The CEB acknowledged the recent island-wide power failure, explaining that the high penetration of non-synchronous solar PV reduced grid inertia, increasing its vulnerability to faults. This imbalance between generation and demand led to cascading disconnections, which ultimately resulted in a total power outage. CEB media spokesman Dhammike Wimalaratne highlighted that the cause of the power failure more..

Feb 18 (DM) Colombo High Court today granted bail to SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa after serving him with indictments in connection with the controversial Krrish deal case. Colombo HC Judge Manjula Tillekaratne ordered Namal Rajapaksa to be released on a cash bail of Rs.100,000 with two sureties of Rs. 10 million each. Court further ordered that his fingerprints be obtained to ascertain any previous criminal records. Meanwhile, the court fixed the pre-trial conference for March 27. more..

Feb 18 (CI) Chamari Athapaththu is set to miss the final phase of the WPL for UP Warriorz (UPW) to join Sri Lanka on a white-ball tour of New Zealand starting March 4 in Napier. Athapaththu's departure will be the second big blow for UPW who are already without their full-time captain Alyssa Healy because of injury. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that as of now, Athapaththu is going to be available for UPW until Feb 26, which is four more games for them, before she tends to national duties. more..

Feb 18 (NW) Govt has defended the continued deployment of STF security for former Minister Tiran Alles, citing intelligence reports that warn of threats to his life. The issue came under scrutiny during a cabinet press briefing on Feb 11, when a journalist asked Minister Nalinda Jayatissa why Alles still receives STF protection while security for other former officials, including ex-Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been reduced. more..

Feb 18 (DM) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the monkey incident is now over and requested the Opposition not to remind the monkey incident all the time. He told this in Parliament while responding to a question raised by MP Ravi Karunanayake regarding the incident where a monkey has caused the tripping of the national grid recently. MP Karunanayake, raising a question under Standing Order 27/2 asked how the monkey incident at the Panadura sub-station contributed to the outage and more..

Feb 18 (TM) Lanka Coal Company (LCC) Ltd. has initiated the tender process to secure long-term coal suppliers with final selections expected around May or June, according to LCC Manager of Procurement Sujantha Ratnayake. While tenders had already been called, the selection process was still underway, he said. The procurement will follow an international bidding competition, ensuring a competitive selection process. However, when asked about the current naphtha stock, more..

Feb 19 (DM) Two days ago Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake had the somewhat daunting task of presenting his government’s first budget. AKD as the incumbent president, was voted into power by a population sick and tired of the corrupt rulers who promised much, but delivered only excuses for broken promises. Sadly, up to this moment of time Dissanayake and his Cabinet of Ministers, Deputy Ministers et al have not been able to live up to the expectations of the masses. more..

Feb 19 (DM) Since assuming power, the NPP Govt has tried to strike a delicate balance between fiscal consolidation guided by the IMF reform formula and NPP’s expansive campaign promises and election rhetorics. During the first four months in office, it played within the confines of the IMF programme, which was the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s quicker-than-expected economic recovery. That not only helped assuage investor fears, but also managed to notch a higher-than-expected economic growth – more..

Feb 19 (TM) The final decision on the controversial shipment of hydrated lime imported for water purification remains pending despite multiple test results confirming that it exceeds the permissible chromium limit. While National Water Supply & Drainage Board (NWSDB) insists that the substandard stock has been kept separate and not used, concerns are mounting over repeated testing and delays in rejecting the shipment. more..

Feb 19 (CT) Daily Mirror reports that The Bar Association of SL (BASL), in a letter to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, strongly emphasised that decisions of the Attorney General in criminal matters should not be subject to review by political authorities. Such interference, would undermine the rule of law, it claimed. This high-horse morality is from the BASL that unanimously condemned even before it was released the Report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability, more..

Feb 19 (TM) The Indian Ocean Region is one with many opportunities and challenges. Small Island States like Sri Lanka which call the Indian Ocean home, have faced the challenges of upholding their sovereignty, and acting with agency time and again. Having long promoted inward-looking policies and being focused on land-centric development, Sri Lanka is slowly casting her gaze on the maritime domain around the island, which has been the nation’s line for millennia. more..

Feb 19 (SO) For families of victims, justice is often the only source of solace. In the aftermath of losing their loved ones under horrific circumstances, many, as we have seen in Sri Lanka, have relentlessly pursued justice, refusing to let their pain go unheard. This week, two family members of victims, both allegedly killed by state agencies, took a bold step by sending open letters to officials they feel have failed to support their efforts. more..

Feb 19 (CT) For years, children with disabilities, especially with regard to mental health, in SL, have been sidelined, their needs overshadowed by social taboos, systemic neglect and inadequate support. In such context, the announcement by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the 2025 Budget Speech, outlining a five-year national programme and substantial financial commitments for healthcare and education, marks a long-overdue shift in priorities. While this proposal offers a glimmer of hope, more..

Feb 19 (Island) Several MPs, representing both sides of the House, were at their oratorical best, defending media freedom and people’s franchise, during Monday’s parliamentary debate on the Local Govt Elections Bill, which was passed. The govt members lashed out at their Opposition counterparts for having postponed elections, and not to be outdone, the latter tore into the former. Prominent among the debaters were SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa and NPP MP Bimal Ratnayake. more..