May 22 (EN) Central Bank has cut its single policy rate by 25 basis points to 7.75%, saying it will help push up inflation to its 5% target. The central bank has allowed itself to push up inflation up to 7% without any questions being asked by the parliament under provisions of its monetary law. “Board is of the view that this measured easing of monetary policy stance will support steering inflation towards the target of 5%, amidst global uncertainties and current subdued inflationary pressures. more..

May 22 (AD) CoPF has raised concerns over potential revenue losses arising from inconsistencies in tax collection on imported motor vehicles, particularly used and short-distance driven units. CoPF Chair MP Dr. Harsha de Silva questioned officials from the SL Customs Department on the taxes levied on both registered and unregistered vehicle imports. He specifically sought clarification on the collection of VAT more..

May 22 (FT) Imagine an event commemorating a landmark (e.g., Gettysburg) in the American Civil War in which 650,000 died, which fails to mention the prevention of secession, the preservation of the Union and the abolition of slavery? Imagine the celebration of the Chinese Revolution which despite the anti-Japanese war was mainly a civil war, which fails to mention the Kuomindang and the reactionary dictator Chiang Kai-shek? Imagine the commemoration of Vietnam’s victory in 1975 more..

May 22 (FT) Although it is not totally uncommon to other developing countries, Sri Lanka is extremely indulged in political and power struggles between political parties and political leaders. This is also not uncommon to ordinary or even educated people. Perhaps that is one root cause of the whole scenario of political aggression, fighting and violence. Living in Switzerland (1984-1991) and in Australia (1991-1997 and 2011-today) I have seen even when Sri Lankans have a family party, more..

May 22 (NW) National Salt Company says that the arrival of a stock of imported salt to SL may be delayed by a few more days due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions. A shipment of salt imported from India, as a solution to the current salt shortage, was scheduled to arrive in SL last night (21). A stock of 3,050 metric tons of salt, including 250 metric tons of salt imported from the private sector and 2,800 metric tons of salt imported by the National Salt Company, was to arrive in SL. more..

May 22 (CT) Dialog Axiata celebrated Vesak by bringing together tradition and technology through a unique Data Dansala powered by its pioneering QR reload platform. Held on 12 and 13 May, this initiative provided over 21,000 Vesak attendees with 1GB of free mobile data each, by simply scanning a QR code at selected locations across Colombo. This seasonal extension of Dialog’s QR reload service—SL’s first reload system via QR code — was designed to reflect the spirit of sharing more..

May 22 (CT) Constitutional Council (CC), yesterday, rejected Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s nominee for the post of Auditor General by a majority vote, a position that has remained vacant for 42 days following the retirement of Chulantha Wickramaratne. Prez’s nominee, H.T.P. Chandana, received only 3 votes in favour and 5 against, with one member abstaining. The appointment was first discussed at the CC meeting on 20 May, more..

May 22 (EN) SL’s export board has organized an awareness session for exporters on the registration procedures for the mandatory General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) after issues were raised at a forum about a lack of familiarity. The awareness session on “Agricultural Product Exports to China through GACC Registration” was conducted to educate “exporters about the mandatory GACC (General Administration of Customs of China) registration process more..

May 22 (NW) The Govt is spending a total of Rs. 800 million annually to address the issue of stray dogs, including vaccination and sterilisation programmes, Deputy Health Minister, Hansaka Wijemuni, said in Parliament. Providing a cost breakdown, he said Sri Lanka is spending Rs. 280 million to provide medicines for persons attacked by rabies-infected stray dogs. He said that Rs. 180 million was spent on vaccinating animals, adding that the programme needs to be systematised. more..

May 22 (CT) Consultant Nephrologist at Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, Dr. S.B.A.M. Mujahith, and his team announced the hospital’s first successful kidney transplant surgery and made an appeal to the public in the Eastern Province to consider donating organs from brain-dead individuals. Dr. Mujahith said the transplant was carried out last Thursday, and the patient was discharged yesterday after six days in more..

May 22 (DM) A heated argument erupted between Minister Sunil Handunnetti and Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna in Parliament over the salt issue. Minister Handunnetti said MP Archchuna had organised a protest at the Elephant Pass salt factory with a group of employees claiming that distributing northern salt to the south must be stopped. "There is no salt called northern and southern salt. We have Sri Lanka's salt. You may have had Prabakaran's salt those days. more..

May 22 (Island) One-time Director General of Commerce, Gomi Senadhira, has warned that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK, signed on 6 May, could cause a significant drop in SL garment exports to the UK. The FTA is expected to take effect in Jan 2026. In an exclusive article to The Island––carried in today’s edition––Senadhira has said that the FTA will provide India with a nearly 10 percent tariff advantage. India would gain at the expense of other exporters, more..

May 22 (AD) NPP MP Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations. She was appointed the chair during the inaugural meeting of the committee held in Parliament today (22). NPP MP Wijesiri Basnayake proposed the name of Lakmali Hemachandra for the post while it was seconded by MP Kanthasamy Prabu, Dept of Communications of Parliament said. more..

May 22 (AM) The Supreme Court today ruled that the fundamental rights of four followers of the religious denomination Jehovah’s Witnesses were violated by the Walasmulla Police when they were arrested without any justifiable reason while engaged in religious proselytising activities, BBC Sinhala reported. Accordingly, the Court ordered the then Officer-in-Charge of the Walasmulla Police Station, S.J.B. Suwaris, to pay compensation of Rs. 50,000 to each petitioner. more..

May 22 (AD) There is no risk of a new COVID-19 variant spreading in SL, and therefore there is no need for unnecessary fear, according to Secretary of Ministry of Health Dr. Anil Jasinghe. He made this assertion , based on data from Epidemiology Unit. Jasinghe noted that although media reports indicated an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in several Asian countries in recent weeks, it could be due to various factors, more..

May 22 (CT) An Assistant Director of Education from North Central Provincial Education Dept, who is under investigation for financial fraud allegations, attended the Conference on Digital Transformation of Education in SL in China without permission. Secretary to the Ministry of Education of the North Central Province, K.M.H.S.K. Jayalath, said that the Assistant Director in question had applied for permission to travel abroad to participate in the conference, however, permission more..

May 22 (AD) Disgraced English language tutor Chandana Veerakumara, popularly known as Sakvithi Ranasinghe and his wife, who were accused of operating an unauthorized financial institution and exploiting its deposits worth over Rs. 164 million obtained from the public, have been handed suspended sentences by the Colombo High Court. After the accused pleaded guilty, High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige sentenced the two convicts to 1 yr of rigorous imprisonment. more..

May 22 (PMD) In a milestone moment for SL’s financial sector, the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) and the National Savings Bank (NSB) reported record-breaking profits for the year 2024, officially presenting their annual reports to Prez Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today. The achievements, marked by robust fiscal discipline, strategic vision and public accountability, signal a renewed trajectory of confidence in more..

May 22 (NW) Acting Minister of Labour, Mahinda Jayasinghe, says they expect to engage in a discussion with various stakeholders today over the closure of the NEXT garment factory in Katunayake’s Free Trade Zone, which has left over 1,400 workers unemployed. Addressing the Parliament yesterday, Mahinda Jayasinghe said it is expected to engage in a discussion with the factory’s administration, trade unions, and representatives of the Board of Investment (BOI) on the matter. more..

May 22 (NW) SL tea, known for generations as Ceylon Tea, carries behind it a heritage and a success story like no other, PM Harini Amarasuriya said. PM made these remarks while attending the International Tea Day, Tea for Harmony: Yaji 2025 China-SL Cultural Gala event held in Colombo yesterday. This event was organised by the China Cultural Centre in SL, the Dept of Cultural and Tourism of XiZang Autonomous Region, China, Ministry of Culture & Tourism, China and more..

May 22 (Island) ITAK MP Shritharan recently condemned continued genocide denial by senior SL politicians. The lawmaker was addressing a remembrance event held in Neduntheevu to mark the 40th anniversary of the Kumuthini massacre. “Sinhala supremacists who claim that no genocide was committed against the Eelam Tamils are attempting to blind the eyes and conscience of the world,” Shritharan said, denouncing ongoing state-sponsored historical revisionism. more..

May 22 (EN) A batch of 24 SL new legislators will leave for India later this week, for a capacity-building program at India’s Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) in New Delhi, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. Santosh Jha, High Commissioner met the inaugural batch of 24 participants who will be leaving for India later this week. The delegation, led by Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, consists of 20 MPs representing various political parties more..

May 22 (EN) Workers of a NEXT Manufacturing, a firm owned by a UK group said they sought discussion with labour authorities after a sudden closure of the firm which was one of the first foreign investment projects set up when SL went on an export industrialization drive in the late 1970s. Anto Marcus, Secretary General of the Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union said the firm had not consulted the workers as required more..

May 22 (AD) Members of the legal fraternity should be able to discharge their professional duties without any fear or limitation, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said in a strongly worded statement. The Bar Association said it has received reports of several instances where law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities seek to obtain access to information in the possession of Attorneys-at-Law in relation to the professional duties they discharge. The BASL emphasized that more..

May 22 (AD) The Court of Appeal has scheduled further consideration for 28 May the petition filed requesting an order to nullify the decision taken by the Inland Revenue Department to impose withholding tax on national cricketers who have signed contracts with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), treating them as employees of the institution. The writ petition was filed by Charith Asalanka and Dhanajaya De Silva as respective captains of the ODI and Twenty20 cricket teams and more..

May 22 (DM) A young British woman facing years locked in a grim SL jail after being caught with £1.2 million worth of cannabis has told of her despair – and insisted she has been set up. Charlotte May Lee, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was arrested in Colombo last week after police discovered 46 kg of Kush - a synthetic strain of cannabis - in her suitcase. Miss Lee, a former cabin crew worker, had just arrived in SL more..

May 22 (NW) CIABOC has arrested two public officials in separate incidents for allegedly soliciting bribes. In the first case, a unit manager of the Mahaweli Authority was taken into custody on Tuesday (21) after allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs. 20,000 from a resident of Welikanda. The complainant states that the officer solicited the bribe in exchange for allocating a different plot of land and facilitating the approval of a land permit for a 20-perch block in the Athugala area, more..

May 22 (DM) A female elephant, believed to be around 25 years old, was found badly injured at the Siwalagama Forest Reservation, prompting an urgent response from wildlife and veterinary officers in the area. Acting on received information, officers from the Thirappane and Pandulagama veterinary offices in A'pura rushed to the location yesterday to provide medical assistance. According to wildlife officers, the elephant was struggling to walk due to a severe injury on its back left leg. more..

May 23 (DM) Galle is a celebrated tourist destination for both local and foreign tourists. Very recently a partnership that Sri Lanka and China entered into added to the importance of Galle, which is already a UNESCO heritage site. This week, China and SL set up a bilateral cooperation focusing on Galle. The partnership is aimed at boosting heritage-led tourism and cultural economy development. This partnership is sure to unlock economic and diplomatic opportunities for both nations. more..

May 23 (TM) Commuting into and from Colombo, you can’t help but observe the number of people who are struggling with some form of a flu or respiratory illness. With authorities warning about the cyclic rise of vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya, the public is at a loss to figure out what ails them and how to get cured. Meanwhile, there was a concern growing that a new variant of Covid-19 had emerged and was doing the rounds through urban communities. more..

May 23 (DM) Peter M. Haugan, the policy director at the Institute of Marine Research, Norway and a professor at the Geophysical Institute, Uni of Bergen in Norway, shares his vision on the blue economy and what the ocean holds for the benefit of mankind. He has more than 30 years of experience in marine scientific research and international ocean science coordination covering ocean, climate and energy issues. more..

May 23 (CT) Since the establishment of the AKD/NPP govt about six months ago, it paved the way for the opening of the Sri Lanka–New Zealand High Commission in Wellington, NeZ, on March 3, 2025. This has been a long-felt need for various reasons. NZ’s Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, will make an official visit to SL from May 24 to 28, 2025. This marks a historic and significant occasion for SL, as it is the second visit by a NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs. more..

May 23 (FT) Orion City recently introduced OC by Orion City, a new chapter in flexible office solutions, located at one of the most prestigious and connected addresses in Colombo 3. Designed to meet the evolving needs of modern businesses, this new building offers a seamless blend of convenience and comfort. OC by Orion City is more than just an office building; it is a place where businesses can focus on growth without the distractions of traditional setup costs and overheads. more..

May 23 (SO) After nearly five years of import restrictions, the Govt has opened the gates to the global automobile market. As of Feb 1, 2025, all types of vehicles are once again permitted into the island, under a new regulatory regime aimed at balancing economic revival with foreign exchange discipline.Nearby car dealerships. The decision marks the most significant shift in trade policy since the 2020 blanket ban on vehicle imports more..

May 23 (CT) As of late, functioning without a definitive authoritative figure at the helm has become somewhat of a second nature for SL governance. Not so long ago, country had a ghost Police Chief whom no one could find, but the Police work kept on going. Following Prez Election, the whole country functioned without having a proper govt and a strong Cabinet high in number, just like how it has been in the past govts. Local Govt effectively stopped functioning many months ago, more..

May 23 (Island) TV news showed Keheliya Rambukwella with a walking aid and grizzled unshaven, attending courts and leaving in a prison van. His son Ramith is implicated in a corruption case being heard against his father. So it’s a case of like father, like son. We recall this cricketer son was no gentleman. He supposedly broke into an office in his college – Royal, Colombo 7 – to interfere with a marks sheet or whatever. More notoriously, returning from Australia as a member of a cricket team, more..