Oct 13 (EN) SL has planned reforms in the public procurement system and alignment of budget and procurement timelines among key measures to speed up the spending under planned projects with capital expenditure allocated in annual budget, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. Dissanayake, also the island nation’s Finance Minister said the current procurement guidelines have become a barrier for public investment projects implemented through budget-allocated capital expenditure. more..

Oct 13 (NW) Transparency International SL (TISL) has filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings against former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and four former senior health officials over their alleged failure to comply with a court order to pay a total of Rs. 275 million to the State. According to TISL, the application was filed following the failure of the five respondents to make payments ordered by the SC in its March 27, 2026, judgment more..

Oct 13 (NW) Bribery Commission has revealed new details of an alleged financial irregularity involving former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, claiming that Rs. 10 million belonging to the National Savings Bank (NSB) was transferred to the Siriliya Saviya account under the pretext of purchasing a CT scanner for the Lady Ridgeway Hospital in Colombo. According to court reports, Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing for the BC, more..

Oct 13 (NW) Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said an investigation would be conducted into allegations regarding the circumstances surrounding the disrobing of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera at Welikada Prison. PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila said Gnanasara Thera had told him that prison officers had forcibly removed his robe despite his objections. He further alleged that one of the officers had made a video call to an influential person to show Thera being forced to wear prison attire. more..

Oct 13 (NW) The govt has approved obtaining a USD 100 million loan from the ADB to implement the second phase of SL’s Water Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal submitted by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, to enter into an agreement with the ADB to secure the financing. The USD 100 million facility will consist of USD 50 million from the ADB’s Ordinary Capital Resources and more..

Oct 13 (NF) SL's digital transformation is gathering pace, with the country's expanding digital payments ecosystem being recognised by the IMF as a significant driver of improved public service delivery, financial inclusion and fiscal governance. In its report, Shaping the Future of Asia: Opportunities and Challenges, IMF highlighted SL's GovPay initiative as a notable example of how digital payments can more..

Oct 13 (NW) Minister K.D. Lalkantha says Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera is a personal friend of his, but that friendship does not place the monk above the law. Speaking to the media, Lalkantha rejected allegations that the govt was deliberately targeting Buddhist monks or attempting to undermine Buddhism. “Gnanasara Thera is also my friend. But there is a law in this country. We did not make those laws, and he did not end up in this situation because of us,” Minister said. more..

Oct 13 (FT) The Board of Investment (BOI) is working on a new incentive scheme and plans a larger investment zone at Hambantota International Port, a BOI Board Member said yesterday, while naming policy inconsistency and labour laws as key brakes on foreign direct investment (FDI). Speaking at SLEIS 2026, BOI Board Member Vish Govindasamy said the agency would like a bigger zone at the Hambantota port to support clean energy, electric vehicle (EV) production and more..

Oct 13 (NW) Cabinet has approved awarding the contract to supply 420,000 metric tonnes (±20%) of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to Litro Gas Lanka Ltd for 2027 to M/s OQ Trading Ltd. The contract will cover a period of 12 months commencing Jan 1, 2027, with a minimum guaranteed supply quantity of 336,000 metric tonnes. The LPG supply contract will be awarded at the Saudi Aramco Contract Price plus a fixed premium of USD 133.93 per metric tonne, on a Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) basis. more..

Oct 13 (NW) The govt has decided to renew a MoU between SL’s Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) and the Philippines-based Asia-Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) to strengthen the country’s technical and vocational education and training sector. Cabinet has approved a proposal submitted by PM Harini Amarasuriya, in her capacity as Minister of Education and Vocational Education, to proceed with signing the new agreement. more..

Oct 13 (FT) Govt will hold to its target of a $ 15 billion digital economy by 2030 despite artificial intelligence (AI) eroding SL’s IT services exports, the President’s top digital adviser said yesterday, calling on the private sector to move from back-office services to products and to invest far more in talent and data infrastructure. “Whether we succeed or fail, the target must remain, because that is what SL needs,” Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said more..

Oct 13 (NW) Former SL captain Angelo Mathews has expressed shock over the decision to leave opening batter Lahiru Udara out of the national Test squad, warning that such decisions could damage players’ confidence. In a social media post, Mathews questioned the selection process, pointing out that Udara had been dropped despite scoring a century against the West Indies before struggling in just two subsequent Test appearances. “We always Talk about building confidence in players but more..

Oct 13 (DM) The Cabinet has approved the award of a Rs. 1.07 billion contract to Tudawe Brothers (Pvt) Ltd. for the widening and upgrading of a section of the Kandy-Jaffna road (A009). The contract covers the 4.76-kilometre stretch from kilometre 58+240 to kilometre 63+000 under the National Highways Widening and Upgrading Programme. Eight bids were received following a call for tenders under the National Competitive Bidding System. The contract was awarded to Tudawe Brothers (Pvt) Ltd, more..

Oct 13 (NW) The govt has decided to provide a Rs. 6,000 school stationery allowance to 1.5 million schoolchildren for the 2027 academic year, under the school stationery assistance programme introduced in 2025. Cabinet has granted its concurrence to the proposal following a briefing by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance. One million schoolchildren from families enrolled in the Aswesuma welfare programme will receive more..

Oct 13 (NW) Australian biosecurity authorities have stopped a traveller returning from SL from bringing elephant dung fridge magnets into the country, citing potential risks to agriculture, the environment and wildlife. The unusual souvenirs, made from elephant dung, were declared by the traveller upon arrival in Australia. Authorities warned that animal waste products could carry harmful bacteria, parasites, insect larvae and weed seeds, potentially threatening livestock health and introducing more..

Oct 13 (FT) Sri Lanka must now convert economic stability into sustained growth, greater competitiveness and investment, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said yesterday, opening the SL Economic and Investment Summit 2026 before more than 800 delegates. The two-day summit, held under the theme Positioning SL in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy, more..

Oct 13 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has instructed relevant officials to expedite the cleaning of canals and drainage systems in Colombo District to ensure the efficient drainage of rainwater, in view of the anticipated increase in rainfall during the coming period. She further directed that these cleaning activities be completed within the next two weeks and that regular maintenance be carried out continuously thereafter. PM made these remarks today while attending more..

Oct 13 (FT) Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, is looking to deepen partnerships with SL businesses to take local products into India and strengthen cross-border manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution, as its top executive called for greater policy certainty and sustained investment to unlock the region’s growth potential. Delivering the keynote address at the inauguration of the two-day Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, more..

Oct 13 (NW) The IMF, in its latest World Economic Outlook report, has projected SL's economic growth rate at 4% in 2026 and 3.7% in 2027, indicating a gradual moderation in economic expansion over the next year. According to the IMF’s October 2026 report, titled World Economic Outlook: Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices, SL’s economy is projected to grow at a slower pace compared to the 5% growth recorded in 2025. more..

Oct 13 (FT) SL’s shortage of data centre and cloud capacity is to some extent a market failure, as clear demand from banks and other users has yet to draw private supply, forcing the Govt to invest in a sector it should not need to, the President’s top digital adviser said. “Govt really does not need to do it, but it will,” President’s Chief Adviser on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said during a conversation on digital transformation at the SL Economic and Investment Summit (SLEIS) 2026, more..

Oct 13 (DM) Zones 1 and 1A of Yala National Park, which were closed due to severe drought conditions, will reopen to local and foreign tourists from 6 a.m. on Oct 16, the park authorities announced. The two zones were closed to visitors from Sept 14 to Oct 15 due to the prevailing drought. Meanwhile, tourist bungalows and campsites within the national park will reopen from November 1, according to Park Keeper A.T.R. Ravinda Kumara. Yala National Park, located in the Tissamaharama area, more..

Oct 13 (TM) Govt is looking to create opportunities for private individuals to care for older people who have assets but no one to look after them, alongside plans to strengthen the implementation of legislation on elder care and allocate additional funding, Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyatissa said. He said that the National Policy for Senior Citizens had been finalised by the Legal Draftsman’s Department and that the Govt planned to regulate all elder care homes across the country, more..

Oct 13 (NW) The govt has decided to modernise the State Printing Corporation through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under a new strategic diversification programme aimed at transforming the institution into an advanced, technology-driven, high-security printing facility. Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal submitted by PM Harini Amarasuriya, in her capacity as Minister of Education, to implement the programme titled Smart Print Initiative. more..

Oct 13 (TM) Representatives of seven traders’ associations have sought a meeting with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake over the Cabinet decision to establish National Agri Markets (Pvt) Ltd to take over the management, control and administration of Dedicated Economic Centres (DECs) across the country. The traders have raised concerns that the proposed company would fundamentally change the existing more..

Oct 13 (DM) Ceylon Chamber of Commerce yesterday kicked off the two-day SL Economic and Investment Summit 2026, bringing together over 800 delegates, including more than 60 international participants and investors, to explore the country's growth prospects, investment opportunities and economic reform priorities. Held under the theme Positioning SL in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy, the summit marks 26th consecutive more..

Oct 13 (NW) The govt has decided to introduce a formal mechanism to upgrade roads maintained by PCs and LGs Authorities to national highways under the RDA. Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal submitted by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to establish a process for evaluating and taking over roads currently managed by other government institutions. According to the Cabinet decision, requests to upgrade such roads to national highways more..

Oct 13 (NW) The govt has decided to implement 35 activities under a Rs. 5.43 billion project aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka’s preparedness and response to pandemics and other public health emergencies. Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal submitted by the Minister of Health to implement the activities under the Integrated One Health Pandemic Preparedness and Response Strengthening Project. more..

Oct 13 (Island) Police probing SL’s organised crime networks have uncovered what they believe is a key financial link connecting several underworld figures, with Mohamed Irfan Faiz alias Undiyal Rifan allegedly handling their money transfers and settlements. Two telephone recordings now being examined by the CID and State Intelligence Service (SIS) allegedly place Rifan in conversation with Dubai-based underworld figure and drug trafficker Russell Smith, discussing lawyer fees and more..

Oct 13 (NW) SL’s international tourism promotion campaign has faced delays for nearly 18 months due to outdated govt procurement procedures, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has revealed. Speaking at the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Colombo, the President said existing procurement regulations were not designed to accommodate modern promotional campaigns, creating difficulties in selecting agencies and implementing tourism marketing initiatives. more..

Oct 13 (FT) Economic stabilisation achieved in SL since its declaration of bankruptcy in 2022 is indeed welcome. All those who are responsible for this must be commended. It is imperative however to mention here that had it not been for the fiscal discipline framework introduced by the IMF, and strict adherence to it as a pre-condition set by the IMF, this recovery would not have been possible as the primary reason for the bankruptcy was in fact the absence of fiscal discipline by successive past govts. more..

Oct 13 (FT) The prevailing situation in our country calls for serious reflection and a responsible response from organised movements, particularly trade unions, professional associations and independent civil society organisations. The direction in which our laws are evolving, the exercise of governmental powers and the implications of administrative directives deserve close public scrutiny whenever they may affect democratic freedoms, social justice and the rights of ordinary citizens. more..