Oct 14 (FT) Businesses should not bank on tax cuts in the 2027 Budget, the Treasury has signalled. Govt is instead relying on reforms, digitised tax administration and a World Bank-backed strategy targeting 7% growth to lift the economy. Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma was speaking yesterday at the SL Economic and Investment Summit. He was answering a question on whether the Budget would ease corporate tax, VAT and SSCL, which businesses say are among more..

Oct 14 (Island) "SL is a top market in the South Asian region for quality powder coatings," Franck Derouen, Business Director, Industrial MEA – West & Central Asia, Axalta Coating Systems (ME), said. ‘We see significant long-term potential for powder coatings in SL and look forward to working closely with Richardson Holdings to offer Axalta’s technology, expertise and global standards for all customers, Derouen said at a launch of the products in SL together with Richardson Holdings recently. more..

Oct 14 (FT) PM Harini Amarasuriya yesterday called on the private sector to take calculated risks, invest in workforce development and help create meaningful employment opportunities at home, warning that the country’s transformation cannot be left to the Govt alone. Addressing SL Economic & Investment Summit, she urged the businesses to move beyond immediate commercial interests and take greater responsibility for developing the skills and opportunities needed to retain young talent. more..

Oct 14 (FT) SL’s fiscal problem is not that it taxes too much but that too few people pay taxes, Centre for Poverty Analysis Consultant Dr. Roshan Perera said yesterday. She said the tax-to-GDP ratio must be maintained or raised for growth to be sustained. “I am going to say something that is not going to be very popular in this room. I think SL’s fiscal problem is not that we tax too much. It is that too few people pay tax,” Dr. Perera said, speaking on a panel at the SL Economic and Investment Summit. more..

Oct 14 (FT) Govt will raise up to $ 300 million through an issue of Domestic Dollar Bonds (DDBs), Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma said. It is opening the issue to diaspora and individual investors for the first time since the debt crisis. Speaking at the SL Economic and Investment Summit, Dr. Suriyapperuma said the $ 100 million offer could be topped up by another $ 200 million in two tranches. This is the second US dollar-denominated Bond offer since the debt crisis. more..

Oct 14 (FT) Embassy of SL in Bangkok organized a Sri Lanka EXPO 2027 – Promotion and Networking Session on 7 Oct 2026 in Bangkok, with the participation of prospective Thai business representatives, investors, buyers, industry stakeholders and journalists. The session was organised to promote Sri Lanka EXPO 2027, scheduled to be held from 14–17 January 2027 at the BMICH in Colombo, and to encourage greater participation from the Thai business community. more..

Oct 14 (FT) Top professional, Chaaminda Kumarasiri has won the prestigious CA Business Leader of the Year Award 2026 at the recently held CA Sri Lanka National Conference, recognising his transformational leadership, professional achievements and contribution to entrepreneurship and society. Presented by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka—CA SL, the country’s national accounting body—the award follows a rigorous evaluation of many outstanding candidates. more..

Oct 14 (CI) The series may have been lost but SL will be feeling a lot better about themselves following a comprehensive win in the third and final T20I. Kusal Mendis' 87 off 48 led the way in the chase, as SL hunted down Pakistan's total of 168 for 8 with 17 balls and eight wickets to spare. There was the customary fifty-plus score from Sahibzada Farhan but this time SL's bowlers ensured their plans were executed with more precision than had been for much of the tour. more..

Oct 14 (Island) The controversial appointment of General Secretary of the BBS Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera as the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force for One Country, One Law on 26 Oct, 2021, drew widespread condemnation. 13-member Task Force was tasked to prepare a report on the implementation of the much touted One Country, One Law concept. Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa disregarded strong disapproval expressed by the educated society in general against Ven. Gnanasara’s appointment more..

Oct 14 (Island) Sri Lankan political leaders never miss an opportunity to moralise, and their oratory often helps them win elections. But their words are rarely matched by deeds, so much so that they have come to be dubbed NATO (no action, talk only) leaders. These self-righteous characters portray themselves as paragons of virtue while condemning their political rivals as rogues. Leaders of the previous govt wrapped themselves in the flag and branded their critics as traitors. more..

Oct 14 (GV) In 2024, the NPP made Sri Lankans a clear promise: its manifesto pledged the abolition of all oppressive acts including the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Voters believed it and gave the NPP a historic mandate. Two years on, that promise has reached parliament. The Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill was gazetted on Sept 22, 2026 and presented on Oct 6. On paper it delivers: one clause repeals the PTA. Minister of Justice says the new law will target terrorism alone. more..

Oct 14 (CT) To understand the rapidly changing political landscape across the island, fuelled by the imprisonment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, his disrobing in prison, and the Justice for the Robe monks’ marches from Kandy, it is necessary to look beyond conventional political analysis. Decades ago, political philosopher Francis Fukuyama delved into a timeless idea from ancient Greece: thymos, the part of our human spirit that yearns for dignity and recognition. more..

Oct 14 (SO) Katunayake Bandaranaike Int'l Airport (BIA) is set for a major transformation into a modern aviation gateway, with the country taking steps to expand Terminal 1 and negotiations with Japan nearing conclusion to revive the long-delayed Terminal 2 project. The two projects are a major infrastructure priority for the NPP Govt, which aims to strengthen SL’s connectivity with international markets, support tourism and attract trade and foreign investment. more..

Oct 14 (TM) Crimes against children are a crime against the entire Nation. We say this easily at public events and religious gatherings. The latest figures from the NCPA show how little we have done to make the words true. Between January and September this year, NCPA received 9,613 complaints of child abuse and related issues. That is about 1,070 every month, or roughly 35 every single day. September was the worst month, with 1,554 complaints, nearly half as many again as the monthly average. more..

Oct 14 (DM) SL’s botanical and environmental science sphere recently witnessed a highly significant breakthrough: The discovery of a completely new plant species. A team of local researchers has successfully recorded a new species of Koodalu (l+vÆ) - Balsam (Impatiens), boasting remarkable point-endemism, marking its first-ever documentation in SL. Much like many great scientific breakthroughs, this remarkable creation of nature was discovered through a blend of serendipity, more..

Oct 14 (TM) Around 43% of young Sri Lankans aged 15–24 with post-secondary education are unemployed, according to data presented by the IMF, leading to questions about the gap between educational qualifications and the jobs available in the economy. At the same time, several industries are reporting difficulties finding workers with the skills they need, creating a labour market paradox where educated young people are struggling to secure suitable employment more..

Oct 14 (DM) On Aug 22, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he was appointing his close aide, Sergio Gor, as the next US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs. Seen against the historical background of India’s sensitivity about being clubbed together (being hyphenated with Pakistan), this might have been unwelcome in New Delhi. But realpolitik prevented a showdown with the US. In July 2025, the World Bank removed Pakistan from more..

Oct 14 (DM) Would a Presidential Commission of inquiry (PCoI) or a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) serve better to investigate the Anti-Tamil pogrom of 1983, better known as Black July? Democratic Tamil National Alliance MP Selvam Adaikalanathan has presented a private member’s motion demanding that a Presidential Commission of Inquiry be appointed to establish the truth about the 1983 ethnic violence and recommend measures to prevent its recurrence. more..

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..