Jan 16 (CT) Following local media reports that Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during his visit to China, plans to request the Chinese Govt to avoid involving middlemen in development activities carried out by Chinese companies in SL with the assistance of the People’s Republic of China, former Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has raised critical questions. He remarked, “Doesn’t this clearly imply that Chinese companies have corruptly intervened in SL to secure projects more..

Jan 16 (DN) This year, the Govt has decided to mark Independence Day in a dignified manner that reflects national pride while minimising expenses. Event is scheduled to take place at Independence Square in Colombo, and the public will also be able to witness the celebrations. Over 1,600 invitees are expected to attend and the Govt plans to conclude the event in one and a half hours at most. Tri-Forces and the Dept of Govt Factory have already commenced preliminary preparations for the Independence Day celebrations. more..

Jan 16 (CT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP MP Prof. L.M. Abeywickrama were elected as Co-Chairs of the Caucus on Climate. They were elected as the Co-Chairs at the first meeting to re-establish the Caucus on Climate for the Tenth Parliament, which was held on 8 Jan. Further, SJB MP Nalin Bandara and NPP MP Asitha Vithana were elected as the Deputy Co-Chairs of the Caucus. Additionally, SJB MP Rohini Wijerathna and NPP MP Anushka Thilakarathne were elected as the Co-Conveners of the Caucus. more..

Jan 16 (Island) The recent increase in cigarette taxes will generate an additional profit of approximately Rs. 7 billion for cigarette companies, according to Alcohol & Drug Information Centre (ADIC). While the tax on the most popular cigarette category rose by Rs. 4.51 per stick, the retail price has surged by Rs. 10 per cigarette, enabling companies to pocket significant profits. ADIC has attributed the profit windfall to the lack of a robust system for efficient tax collection. more..

Jan 16 (FT) In an effort to make responsibilities of the Opposition more effective, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has taken steps to implement a fresh system to directly obtain views of trade unions, civil society organisations, professionals & the public. A media and research unit under the Opposition Leader’s Office has been established, and a discussion was held in Parliament yesterday by Opposition Leader Premadasa to launch this new initiative to get the active support and more..

Jan 16 (FT) Sri Lanka has signed the agreement for the Hajj pilgrimage – 2025 on 11 January, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was signed by the SL delegation headed by Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Sunil Senevi and Hajj and Umrah Deputy Minister of Saudi Arabia Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashat. This agreement demonstrates the commitment of both Govts to enhancing the pilgrimage experience for SL Muslims. Minister Dr. Senevi is visiting Saudi Arabia more..

Jan 16 (TM) Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry warned the public against false reports of night visits being allowed to Sigiriya. "There are certain reports that night visits are being allowed in Sigiriya," Ministry Media Spokesperson Ruwan Liyanarachchi said. "These reports are false as night visits have never been allowed in Sigiriya." Liyanarachchi urged the public to beware of false news reports that may circulate on certain news media as well as on social media. more..

Jan 16 (NW) Representatives of SL’s three-wheeler accessory manufacturing sector met with senior police officials at Police Hq on Wednesdayto discuss recent challenges impacting their industry. During the meeting with Acting IGP manufacturers and sales agents voiced concerns over declining income and sales, attributing these issues to recent events and regulatory changes. Manufacturers highlighted difficulties stemming from govt regulations affecting the production and sale more..

Jan 16 (DM) Oficials involved in a modern, high-tech pilot boat worth around Rs. 260 million have become concerned after a complaint was filed regarding the loss incurred after it was involved in an accident during a private excursion, the Magen Ratata organisation chairman Sanjaya Mahawatte said. He said this after submitting a complaint to Minister Bimal Ratnayake today (15). Sanjaya Mahawatta said that in order to prevent the investigations from being influenced more..

Jan 16 (FT) CoPF recently approved reducing the CESS tax on cement, following an order presented by Finance Ministry officials. This decision is expected to reduce the price of cement by Rs. 1 per kilo, leading to a reduction of around Rs. 100 per bag of cement. The move was made at a meeting held on 8 Jan, Chaired by MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. During the session, several gazettes and financial measures were reviewed and approved to address taxation, export development, and welfare benefits. more..

Jan 16 (FT) Prime Lands Residencies, a name synonymous with innovation in real estate, is set to transform SL’s urban landscape with its ambitious The Colombo Border project. Following the resounding success of The Grand Ward Place, Prime Lands Residencies has secured an expansion of its BOI approval, injecting a colossal $ 65 million into The Colombo Border project. The investment represents a significant expansion of Prime Lands’ existing BOI project portfolio. more..

Jan 16 (DM) As SL stands at a critical juncture in its economic development, after facing what was the worst crisis in history, the first half of 2025 (1H25) would be a critical period for the island nation, a tax expert said. This is particularly to focus on building the necessary infrastructure needed to incentivise the industries that are capable of leveraging the ongoing geopolitical shifts in global trade and investment. “We are in perfect timing in terms of geopolitical shifts, more..

Jan 16 (CI) An extra ODI has been added to Australia's tour of Sri Lanka which will provide the visitors additional preparation for the Champions Trophy. The two matches will now take place on February 12 and 14 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and will be day games. The first of the games begins just two days after the scheduled fifth day of the second Test in Galle so it remains to be seen how many players featuring in that match can turnaround for the one-dayer if the Test goes the distance. more..

Jan 16 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday called on the NPP Govt, which came to power pledging to eliminate fraud, corruption, and theft, to punish companies that import unrefined coconut oil for evading taxes over Rs. 5 billion. “The Govt has lost tax revenue of Rs. 5 billion due to several companies failing to pay taxes on importing unrefined coconut oil. This has been reported in several media but the Govt is silent over this scam,” more..

Jan 16 (AD) Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation, Janith Ruwan Kodithuwakku, has stated that around 25 to 30 cargo ships that arrived in Sri Lanka have reportedly turned back due to delays in container clearance. He made this statement during an inspection tour of the Rank Container Terminals (RCT) in Orugodawatta today (15). President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a meeting last Sunday (12) with relevant parties to discuss the delays in clearing containers at the port. more..

Jan 16 (EN) India has signed an agreement with SL to provide 80 cabs and grant assistance of up to 300 million rupees. The project entails supply of at least 80 single cabs, spare parts and accessories to police stations in the island’s Northern Province, addressing a vital requirement of SL Police related to maintenance of law and order, Indian High Commission said on X. High Commissioner Santosh Jha and Secretary to Ministry of Public Security & Parliamentary Affairs D W R B Seneviratne more..

Jan 16 (TM) Electricity Consumers' Association (ECA) claimed that a preliminary study by the Auditor General’s (AG) Dept revealed that CEB officials based the 2024 and 2025 tariff revision proposals on inaccurate estimates, and hence urged the relevant officials’ immediate summoning before the COPF. ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) completely dismissed the third tariff revision proposal submitted by CEB in 2024, more..

Jan 16 (DN) Maheesh Theekshana reached a career-best third place in the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings after taking seven wickets in the final two matches of their three-ODI series against New Zealand, with the Kiwis winning 2-1. The ICC released the latest player rankings yesterday. He moved up four spots after taking 4 for 44 in the second match in Hamilton, where New Zealand won by 113 runs, and 3 for 35 in the third match in Auckland, which Sri Lanka won by 140 runs. more..

Jan 16 (Island) The concept of Free Education has long been a cornerstone of SL identity, championed as a remarkable achievement of Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara’s visionary reforms in the mid-20th century. However, in today’s globalised world, it is essential to critically examine what Free Education truly means—and whether SL’s system is as unique as it is often portrayed. Kannangara’s efforts to make education accessible to all SL children in the 1940s were groundbreaking for their time. more..

Jan 16 (ST) Football Federation of SL (FFSL) is set to embark on a transformative journey starting in 2025, aiming to revitalize local football with a multifaceted calendar of events. FFSL President Jaswar Umar announced the initiative, highlighting the launch of two eagerly anticipated elite tournaments—the Champions League and the Super League—which will commence in late February and run throughout the year. “We assumed the role of custodians of SL football under challenging circumstances, more..

Jan 16 (Island) Rising water levels in irrigation tanks are a blessing for the inhabitants of the dry zone, for they signal a time of plenty. Paradoxically, scores of families living in areas below the Senanayake Samudraya in Ampara are living in fear as the life-giving reservoir is fast approaching its maximum storage limit. More than one hundred people were evacuated the other day because a bank of Gal Oya, in Suduwella and Kotawehera, is at the risk of breaching owing to severe erosion. more..

Jan 16 (FT) China yesterday expressed readiness to collaborate with Sri Lanka towards a new era of development. This was conveyed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his meeting with the visiting SL President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing. Dissanayake, on a four-day State visit to China, received a warm welcome on arrival on Tuesday and held an official meeting with President Xi yesterday at the Great Hall of the People. more..

Jan 16 (FT) Major importers yesterday revealed that they are facing increasing costs due to delays in releasing over 1,000 containers, with additional expenses exceeding Rs. 100 million. These containers include essential food items, raw materials, and other critical goods. The delays are causing importers to incur extra costs of over Rs. 100,000 per container, with some facing expenses as high as Rs. 300,000 due to increased transportation charges, port delay fees, and additional staffing needs. more..

Jan 16 (FT) LOLC Holdings Group Managing Director Kapila Jayawardena last week declared that the $ 120 million Marina at Colombo Port City is poised to redefine the tourism and maritime industries in SL. “This is a landmark occasion for Colombo Port City and Browns Investments. We stand here with immense pride as pioneer developers for Colombo Port City, and specifically for this iconic Marina development; a project that is poised to redefine SL’s tourism and maritime industries,” more..

Jan 16 (DM) The legal education system in Sri Lanka, while rooted in tradition, faces significant challenges in preparing students for the rapidly changing demands of the modern legal profession. As the legal landscape evolves driven by globalisation, technology, and increasing societal complexities there is an urgent need for a fundamental transformation in how law is taught and practiced. This article proposes several key reforms that could revitalise legal education in SL, more..

Jan 16 (TM) With a young govt at the helm Sri Lanka is entering 2025 with much to gain, and significant risks to navigate. The coming few years will be fraught with many internal and external pressures which SL needs to meet with foresight and planning. Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake commenced his foreign visit, with the first to New Delhi last year, and this week he is in Beijing and met Chinese Prez Xi Jinping. A statement issued by the PMD stated that during the discussions, more..

Jan 16 (TM) Sri Lanka, a nation that has endured one of the world’s most protracted humanitarian crises (the three-decade internal conflict), now faces a quandary with the Rohingya refugees who have sought protection in a country they might have believed would offer them safety. In a context where various parties, including govt ministers, suggest that this issue involves human smuggling beyond the scope of refugee-related concerns, more..

Jan 16 (CT) In Nov 1978, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva did a brief think piece on the Open Economy which he called The New Comprodorism. He presciently identified the only path forward for the left. He said “It may be that we revolutionaries have to study again- and closely -the old comprador-ism in order to understand the new comprador-ism with which we have to deal for we shall have to bring the masses in to struggle on a new footing. We shall have to find new ways and means to bring more..

Jan 16 (ST) It was not too long ago that the Health Minister, who wears several official hats, promised the new govt would not interfere with the media’s freedom of expression. His intention no doubt was to disabuse the minds of some media institutions, big and small, that they would not perish under the governmental pressure of a political alliance that had a history in days gone by of perpetuating authoritarianism and that its modern ideological handlers would do the same if in power. more..

Jan 16 (SO) The Clean Sri Lanka project has ignited intense discussions over the past few days, eliciting a range of reactions, both positive and negative across mainstream and social media platforms. This national initiative has quickly become a focal point of public interest, particularly regarding the removal of unnecessary decorative metal accessories from buses and three-wheelers, which has raised questions about its objectives and implementation. more..

Jan 16 (DM) After Ranil Wickremesinghe handed the baton over smoothly to the winner at the 2024 Prez Elections, Sri Lankans still had concerns if worries wasn’t the best word to use at that period of time. The concerns were whether an inexperienced set of lawmakers could play administrator roles and turn around a crashed economy. Now those concerns are slowly turning into worries. This is a country where its inhabitants see the word worry etched in their minds. more..

Jan 16 (DM) The NPP govt’s Clean Sri Lanka campaign has already received mixed reactions from the public. While some have applauded the initiative, others continue to debate on whether the govt, like previous govts have gotten their priorities mixed. The govt announced this project by initiating to remove all unwanted modifications in public transport. However the official project website indicates that this project aims to address a cleaner physical environment and a nationwide more..