Sep 6 (TM) From traffic fines to streamlining state payments, Sri Lanka’s GovPay is reshaping how citizens interact with Govt services. On Kaleidoscope we feature Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) Board Member Harsha Purasinghe to discuss GovPay, driving digital adoption, and what is next in the bold push to make Sri Lanka’s public services smarter, faster, and cleaner. more..

Sep 6 (DM) The Opposition party leaders seem to be in a rude shock after the arrest and remanding of former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe over allegation of using public funds for what the govt leaders say was a private visit to Wolverhampton University in England where his wife Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe was awarded an honorary professorship in Sept 2023. It is not just the shock that the long arm of the law has reached one of the few political untouchables for the first time, more..

Sep 6 (CT) The govt’s decision to liquidate 33 non-functional State enterprises marks one of the most decisive moves yet in its drive to reform the public sector. Announced by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the plan is framed as a necessary step to reduce the mounting burden on the taxpayer and to redirect scarce resources towards more productive avenues. On the surface, the logic appears sound. more..

Sep 6 (CT) When Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in Jaffna last week, the symbolism was as important as the substance. For a region still bearing the scars of war, displacement, and marginalisation, a presidential visit always carries weight. This time, Govt rolled out a carefully choreographed programme: a coconut triangle, a fisheries harbour, a tourism feasibility study, a cricket stadium, and even a promise of justice for more..

Sep 6 (DM) Life in our country has been controversial since last month. On August 22nd, we witnessed our immediate past president (Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe) being handcuffed and bundled away in a prison van. He had to remain in remand custody for two days as the Magistrate’s Court did not sit until Monday, or so we were told. Since then, we saw the arrest and detention of powerful past political figures including former MPs, past ministers and high-ranking govt bureaucrats. more..

Sep 6 (CT) The after effects of years of lawless politics and lack of accountability among the political class and govt servants are coming home to roost SL after the NPP govt led by Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) arrested former Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe on criminal charges for alleged misuse of public funds on Aug 22. The arrest of Wickremesinghe had triggered a rare display of unity among leading opposition political parties who came together to address a press conference on more..

Sep 5 (FT) President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Wednesday declared that no crime will be allowed to disappear with the passage of time, pledging that the Govt will pursue offenders irrespective of when or where the crime was committed. He made these remarks at the 159th Police Day celebrations held at the Police Grounds in Thimbirigasyaya under the theme, Uphold the Law -Value Peace. more..

Sep 5 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers approved fast-tracking investigations into complaints of missing and disappeared persons through a special project to be completed by the end of 2027. The initiative will be carried out under the provisions of the Office on Missing Persons (Establishment, Administration, and Functioning), Act No. 14 of 2016, which established the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) as a dedicated mechanism to investigate and report on cases of disappearance. more..

Sep 5 (DM) A tragic bus accident on the Ella–Wellawaya main road last night (4) claimed the lives of at least 15 people, including the driver and nine women. The incident occurred between the 23rd and 24th kilometre posts when a bus carrying about 30 municipal employees from Tangalle, returning from an excursion in Ella, veered off the road after colliding with a jeep and crashing into a roadside safety fence. Bus then plunged nearly 1,000 feet down a precipice while heading towards more..

Sep 5 (DN) Shanudi Amaya of Sri Devananda Vidyalaya, Ambalangoda, Galle District has secured the highest score of 198 in Sinhala medium in this year’s Grade 5 Scholarship Exam. Meanwhile, A.Lakshan of Jaffna Hindu Primary School, Jaffna District, scored the highest score in Tamil medium, scoring 194 marks. Results of the 2025 Grade 5 Scholarship Exam were released online, midnight on Wednesday. more..

Sep 5 (TM) CID has uncovered that organised crime suspect Mandinu Padmasiri alias Kehelbaddara Padme had been operating an illegal ice drug production facility in Nuwara Eliya. This revelation emerged during interrogations conducted while the suspect, Padme,/i>, remains in CID custody. According to information obtained through further questioning, the suspect had invested over Rs. 4 million in the operation and had rented a house in Nuwara Eliya to carry it out. more..

Sep 5 (DM) Minister Ananda Wijepala said investigations have revealed that organised crime gangs had brought in foreign nationals to run an ICE drug manufacturing facility allegedly funded by underworld figure Kehelbaddara Padme in the Nuwara Eliya area. Speaking at the opening of the new Cinnamon Garden Police Station building, Minister said information uncovered by the CID revealed that 2 Pakistani nationals were involved in operating ICE drug manufacturing facility. more..

Sep 5 (NW) The Court of Appeal today issued an interim order temporarily halting proceedings in the case against Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne at the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court. Seneviratne, a retired Senior DIG, faces charges stemming from an Oct 2023 traffic incident in which he was accused of drunk driving and related offences. His lawyers petitioned for the case to be transferred to another court, arguing that the Mount Lavinia Magistrate had more..

Sep 5 (AD) The first round of Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Italy, co-chaired by Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra and Italy’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi, successfully concluded today (4) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in Colombo. MoU on the Establishment of a Political Consultations Mechanism was signed by the two Deputy Ministers before commencing the Consultations, more..

Sep 5 (DM) Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama instructed the CID to submit 40 pounds of gold jewellery, seized from Shadhika Lakshani, the wife of alleged underworld figure 'Backhoe Saman' to the National Gem and Jewellery Authority for evaluation and to obtain a report. The magistrate further directed the CID to submit a comprehensive investigation report relating to money laundering allegations against her. more..

Sep 5 (Island) Term of office of Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela, Chief Custodian of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, is scheduled to end on Sunday (7). The tenure of a Diyawadana Nilame is ten years. Dela was first elected to the post in 2005, and was re-elected for a second term in 2015. According to the provisions of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance, from 8 Sept an Acting Diyawadana Nilame must be appointed, and within 3 months a formal election more..

Sep 5 (TM) Court of Appeal (CA) has dismissed a petition filed by organised crime suspect J.A. Ruwan Kumara alias Midigama Ruwan, through his attorney, seeking an order to remove the officers of the STF from activities such as the internal inspections of the Boossa High-Security Prison. The CA issued this decision after considering the submissions made by Additional Solicitor General Shanil Kularatne, appearing for the Attorney General, that the relevant petition could not be maintained. more..

Sep 5 (TM) Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has considered a proposed supplementary estimate of monies to settle unpaid bills owed to the China EXIM bank, with regards to the Kandy North Pathadumbara Integrated Water Supply Project and for the completion of resolution on Sri Lanka and The UAE, meant for the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments. This was discussed at the meeting of the Committee on Public Finance Chaired by Dr. Harsha de Silva on 2 Sept. more..

Sep 5 (EN) Prophet Muhammad’s teachings were based on the principle of equality that no person is superior or inferior to another on the basis of race, caste, or colour, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said. “His commitment to abolishing social divides and instilling equality in the hearts of humanity stands as a timeless guide as we work today to create a lawful, ethical and virtuous society amidst contemporary social challenges,” Prez said in his message to mark Milad-un-Nabi. more..

Sep 5 (Island) SL’s Cherry Barb (Rohanella titteya), a freshwater jewel revered by aquarists around the world, is at the heart of an explosive scientific controversy involving allegations of flawed research and illegal specimen smuggling. A 2025 study led by Yu-Hui Tao and colleagues in China has drawn sharp criticism from SL experts, who accuse the authors of violating SL law and undermining decades of local taxonomic more..

Sep 5 (FT) Inland Revenue Dept (IRD) announced that starting 1 Sept, all applications for both temporary and permanent VAT registration must be submitted exclusively through its online e-Services platform. Dept stated manual submissions will no longer be accepted after 31 August, making the digital platform the sole channel for VAT registration going forward. Individuals and businesses seeking VAT registration have been instructed to complete the process via IRD’s official website. more..

Sep 5 (DN) I just kept calm and gave of my best to reach the target said Kamindu Mendis who was adjudged player of the match in SL’s first winning T-20game against Zimbabwe at Harare We had to adjust to the situation to get success and the plan was well executed under tremendous pressure. Chasing the target of 176 SL made a solid start of 96 by openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis but fell 5 wickets in quick session putting tremendous pressure at 125 for 5 after 15.3 overs. more..

Sep 5 (FT) Senior Economic Adviser to the Prez Duminda Hulangamuwa last week warned that SL’s plantation industry faces an urgent need for structural reforms if it is to remain sustainable in the face of declining output and a shrinking labour force. Delivering the keynote address at the 171st AGM of the Planters’ Association of Ceylon last Friday, Chief Guest Hulangamuwa stressed that the plantation sector remains a backbone of the economy, more..

Sep 5 (FT) SL Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), in collaboration with the Department of Samurdhi Development, has launched the Sathkaraye Shrama Sena – Hotel operations multitasker program, a nationwide initiative aimed at creating a multi-skilled workforce to serve SL’s growing tourism and hospitality sector. The official launch, held at the SLITHM Auditorium, marked a milestone in vocational training through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. more..

Sep 5 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday ended the holiday-shortened week on a mixed note amidst moderate turnover. ASPI gained by 16 points whilst the active S&P SL20 was flat. Turnover was Rs. 5.6 billion involving 306.7 million shares. During the week, ASPI and S&P SL20 lost 0.03% and 1.19% respectively, whilst recording an average daily turnover of Rs. 8.22 billion. The market exhibited high levels of intraday volatility with the ASPI ultimately closing at 20,992, up 16 points. more..

Sep 5 (FT) Pagariya JBN Power Conclave, an exclusive international summit for JITO’s Chief Patrons (CPs) and leading Jain business leaders, was held from 15 to 17 Aug at the ITC Ratnadipa in Colombo. Hosted by JBN Apex and JITO Chennai Plus Chapter, the 2.5-day conclave brought together over 600 influential entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders from India and across the globe. The gathering was designed to enable high-level networking, sectoral collaboration, and more..

Sep 5 (FT) National Chamber of Exporters (NCE), in collaboration with Southern Agriculture Entrepreneurs Development Centre, successfully organised a special delegation to the Southern Province to strengthen partnerships between exporters and regional producers. The event attracted over 75 suppliers, producers, and aspiring exporters from the region. They were joined by 25 NCE member companies, who engaged directly with them to explore opportunities for sourcing, more..

Sep 5 (DN) Today marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) – founder of Islam and one of the greatest reformers in human history. The commemoration, known as Meelad – un – Nabi, falls on the twelfth day of Rabi – ul – Awwal, the third month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Around two billion Muslims worldwide observe this occasion, honouring his noble character, compassion, and more..

Sep 5 (TM) Since 2019, male-to-male transmission has become the leading mode of HIV transmission in Sri Lanka and given that anal sex carries the highest risk for HIV transmission, it is pivotal to direct targeted preventive measures toward men who have sex with men (MSM) within the 15-24-year age group. These concerns were raised and recommendations were made in an editorial on A silent surge of HIV infection among SL’s youth which was authored by Community Physician, more..

Sep 5 (DM) Despite being the apex institution to ensure law and order in the country, most citizens look down upon the police force due to its way of dealing with citizens for minor offences. In most instances, police officers are seen arguing with people who have violated traffic laws. Some even go to the extent of twisting existing laws to impose fines just to prove that they are above ordinary citizens. There was a time when the uniform itself spoke volumes about the entire police force but more..

Sep 5 (Island) State-owned Sevanagala sugar factory remains embroiled in a protracted crisis, with sugarcane farmers and transporters demanding their overdue payments. Farmers’ associations have accused the govt of trying to close the sugar factories owned by the state by allowing the country to be flooded with imported sugar at the expense of the local sugar industry. They have also claimed during their recent protests that a large stock of locally produced sugar remains unsold more..

Sep 5 (CT) Govt recently announced a Seiri Week to revitalise the State institutions. Under the umbrella of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, the programme was carried out in the first week of September with the aim of enhancing efficiency and productivity in public service. Seiri alone might not ring that many bells, but it is neither a new concept nor is it the first time it has been implemented in Sri Lanka. It is the first ‘S’ of the world-famous Five S Concept, which originated in Japan. more..