Sep 17 (DM) Chinese automaker BYD saw a dramatic 80% surge in vehicle registrations in Aug 2025, signalling a strong recovery after a temporary setback. This rebound comes as the broader SL vehicle market experienced a modest 1.9% month-on-month increase, with a notable surge in three-wheeler registrations contrasting with a slight dip in car and motorcycle sales. BYD’s registrations climbed to 1,424 units in August, more..

Sep 17 (TM) In the wake of reports that he has been summoned before the Parliamentary Committee on High Posts, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, retired Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne said that he has not been informed to appear before the committee. When contacted, he said: “I have not been informed to appear.” It was however reported earlier this week that the said committee had decided to summon Seneviratne for an inquiry into legal cases pending against him, more..

Sep 17 (FT) World Bank’s Vice President for South Asia Johannes Zutt concluded his first official visit to SL yesterday. During his two-day visit, he met with Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, and other senior officials. The visit was built on World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga’s visit in May, when the Bank pledged over $ 1 billion in financing for the country over the next three years. more..

Sep 17 (DM) The RDA has commenced the systematic development of SL’s 119,000-km road network, including the modernization of rural roads in Pradeshiya Sabha areas with financial and technical assistance from the Authority, Deputy Minister Dr. Prasanna Gunasena announced. He made these remarks while inaugurating the development work on the Morapitiya–Aluthgamgoda road in the Agalawatte electorate, Kalutara District, under Punarudayata Maga national rural road more..

Sep 17 (Island) In a strategic move to uplift and empower SL’s next generation of IT professionals, the UK-headquartered College of Contract Management (CCM) is setting its sights on learners who need it most: school leavers with limited access to higher education. With a mission that puts practical skill development at the forefront, CCM is introducing industry-relevant courses aimed at equipping students with the tools necessary to thrive in a global tech-driven economy. more..

Sep 17 (TM) Election Commission (EC) has requested Rs. 10 billion through next year’s (2026) national Budget to conduct the long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) Elections. EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that funds for elections are sought on an annual basis and will continue to be requested until the polls are held. “When there is an election due, we request the necessary funds. Last year (2024), we requested money for more..

Sep 17 (FT) The Public Administration Ministry has rolled out digital signatures for Govt officers as part of efforts to modernise State services and improve efficiency in official transactions. Minister Chandana Abeyratne introduced the initiative at a ceremony marking the adoption of digital signatures within the Home Affairs Division. Highlighting the wider aim of the Govt, the Minister said the shift to digital tools is intended to reshape the public sector to meet the expectations of citizens. more..

Sep 17 (ST) Representatives of the Finance Ministry, Import and Export Dept, Customs and the Attorney General will submit proposals to court this week to end the stalemate over about 1,000 vehicles imported through third countries. The vehicles have remained at the port for nearly three months after they were imported through cross-border Letters of Credit (LCs) in a bid to pay lower taxes. The initial plan was to re-export the vehicles to their country of origin, but the move was abandoned more..

Sep 17 (FT) Verité Research launched the Budget Proposal Hub a first of its kind trilingual platform that empowers people to participate in the national Budget process by submitting proposals for the consideration of Parliament; as well as by voting on proposals. The think tank said that SL has lacked effective and convenient channels for public participation in the Budget process. In the Open Budget Survey 2023, SL had the lowest participation score in a decade, ranked 82nd out of 125 more..

Sep 17 (FT) Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved the signing of loan agreements to secure a $ 100 million facility from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support a new tourism field development program. The funding package includes two components: A $ 70 million policy-based loan and an investment-focused loan grant, to strengthen both regulatory and infrastructure aspects of the country’s tourism sector. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said more..

Sep 17 (FT) The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) voiced its concerns following the Govt’s decision to permit the importation of spices under a new regulatory framework that grants approved enterprise status to selected companies. The PA said that SL’s globally renowned spice industry, long celebrated for its authenticity, quality and heritage, was now confronting one of its most pressing challenges. more..

Sep 17 (DN) I always plan to adjust to the condition of the wicket and play my normal game to get success said SL opener Pathum Nissanka who was adjudged the player of the match against Hong Kong in their B Group Asia Cup match played at Dubai Stadium on Monday. Nissanka who scored back to back fifties in this tournament always tried to lay a good platform and his duty is to get runs during the power play and build up the innings. 27-year-old right hander’s shot selection always give more..

Sep 17 (NW) A pre-budget discussion on the automobile and electronic equipment industries was held yesterday at the Prez Secretariat, chaired by the Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando. Importers of automobiles and electronic equipment expressed their full support for the govt’s economic development programme, led by Prez Dissanayake. Vehicle importers noted that the sector has expanded due to recent government decision regarding vehicle imports and more..

Sep 17 (ST) A committee has been appointed to decide how to proceed with the incomplete, much-delayed Asian Development Bank-funded Port Access Elevated Highway (PAEH), which is expected to connect the New Kelani Bridge to the Colombo Port and beyond, RDA sources said. Meanwhile, officials within the RDA have opposed moves to award the construction of two approaches – called ramps – to the same joint venture more..

Sep 17 (DN) SL under 19 team led by Vimath Dinsara ended their West Indies tour in a high note when they beat West Indies Under 19s by 130 runs (DLS method) in their seventh and final game played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium North Sound, Antigua on Monday. Despite this victory West Indies Under 19s secured the seven match series 4-3 but SL Youth team got good exposure during this tournament. Kavija Gamage the all rounder of Kingswood College came to the highlight more..

Sep 17 (Island) SL slipped back into Abu Dhabi late Monday, top of Group ‘B’ in the Asia Cup after their scrappy win over Hong Kong. But despite the points on the board, the bus ride was as silent as a dressing room after a batting collapse. The players knew full well there was little to be proud about. If their opening win over Bangladesh had been a textbook chase, the Hong Kong fixture was more like a scratchy net session. Five dropped catches kept SL afloat, yet they still contrived to turn more..

Sep 17 (FT) CBL Group said it has entered into a strategic partnership with Aamalcom Holdings, a diversified group operating in multiple sectors, to expand its footprint and strengthen market reach in Saudi Arabia. The agreement was signed in Colombo by Aamalcom Holding Company KSA Chairman Sheikh Qinan Rashdan Al Marel and CBL Group Director Rasith Wickramasingha. Through Aamalcom Holdings, CBL’s flagship brands, Munchee, Ritzbury, and Tiara, will see more..

Sep 17 (FT) SL Export Development Board (EDB) and Germany’s Import Promotion Desk (IPD) will formalise their longstanding collaboration through a Cooperation Agreement, expanding support to SL’s digital products and services sector alongside natural ingredients and processed foods. Since 2019, EDB and IPD have partnered to strengthen SL’s export competitiveness, particularly in natural ingredients. Their joint initiatives have enabled small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to meet more..

Sep 17 (FT) Sri Lanka’s Rs. 10 billion Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS), introduced in 2016 to modernise tax administration, is facing serious risks due to weaknesses in IT capacity, governance, and vendor management at the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), World Bank has warned. “The lack of functionality in the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) more..

Sep 17 (Island) The recently unveiled education reforms have provoked considerable buzz among scholars, researchers, teachers, parents, and students. Everyone is seeking to contribute, but the govt is proceeding without a consultative process or proper document, relying only on an evolving PowerPoint presentation. While the reforms remain obscure, the Education Minister has been issuing statements about how people should not rely on news regarding reforms that are circulated more..

Sep 17 (GV) On Sept 21 Anura Kumara Dissanayake will be completing his first year as president of SL. The govt of the NPP is an unprecedented experiment in SL political history. This is the first time a left-leaning coalition has formed a govt. Left wing parties have been in coalition govts but only as junior partners. The JVP, the driving force of the NPP coalition, has been an outsider to the country’s traditional economic and political elite. As a party with roots among more..

Sep 17 (Island) 119th birth anniversary of the first Executive President of SL, J.R. Jayewardene (JRJ) falls today. The Old Fox is long gone but his legacy endures, with even his fiercest critics following in his footsteps. All those who sought to oust or even kill JRJ, denounced his policies and condemned him vehemently for attacks on democracy, have emulated him all these years. The SLFP, which came to power, promising to undo what JRJ had done, chose to continue his policies more..

Sep 17 (SO) Much of the non-Western world’s leadership was in China recently for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin and Beijing’s military parade marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan. SL was absent from both events. It was also absent from last year’s BRICS summit at Kazan, in Russia, although it had applied to become a member. Its staying away from summits of regional groupings not only carries a serious opportunity cost for an economy more..

Sepy 17 (CT) On 21 Sept, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake — leader of the Marxist-Leninist JVP and the NPP — will mark his first year in office. Swept into power on a formidable wave of public demand for systemic change, the anniversary is both a milestone and a moment of reckoning. High expectations are colliding with the harsh realities of an economy still reeling from the 2022 crisis. This tension is starkly captured by Anura Metre more..

Sepy 17 (ST) Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill, which sought to abolish many of the perks enjoyed by former presidents and widows of former presidents, was passed overwhelmingly by the House on Wednesday by a majority of 150 votes. The ruling NPP Govt had pledged to abolish special privileges enjoyed by former presidents and their families in the party’s election manifesto A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life. As such, Govt MPs who took part in the debate on the Bill more..

Sepy 17 (CT) Central Bus Station in Pettah is finally getting a full redevelopment. For the first time in sixty years, the place is closed down completely and stripped to be built anew. Govt has promised a modern, fully equipped terminal with clean facilities, bright lighting, and all the features a city transport hub should have. If it goes according to plan, passengers will walk into something very different by April 2026. The real question is not what the new station will look like but more..

Sepy 17 (TM) Recently, Cabinet approved a proposal presented to formally close down 33 non-operational State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) as part of the second phase of the Govt’s State-sector reform programme. Analysts welcome this move and believe that the decision could free some fiscal space, while highlighting the need to efficiently address the other concerns regarding SOEs in a financially viable manner. more..

Sepy 17 (DM) This article provides a critical assessment of the profound challenges facing the SL Army’s premier medical facility, the Narahenpita Military Hospital. For sixteen years since the conclusion of the civil conflict, this institution has served as the vital medical hub for thousands of serving and retired service members, upholding a national commitment to those who sacrificed for the country. However, a detailed analysis reveals that this central pillar of military welfare is at a more..

Sepy 17 (TM) Revelations about the assets some govt ministers and MPs have amassed triggered a robust debate in the online realms where the JVP-led NPP masses thrive. The asset declarations of some NPP members of the House, or that of their family members, reportedly list numerous properties and millions of rupees in savings, while some are said to have savings in foreign currency. This, during a period where those who the NPP claim to represent have depleted their savings, more..

Sep 16 (AD) A 3-judge bench of the Colombo High Court has ordered the release on bail of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and other defendants, who are accused of misappropriating govt funds by purchasing substandard medicine during the previous govt. Accordingly, each defendant was ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and two surety bonds of Rs. 5 million each. The court, which imposed a foreign travel ban on the defendants, also ordered that their more..

Sep 16 (FT) Digital Economy Ministry announced Sri Lanka TechFront Fortnight, a flagship series of events running from 17 to 30 September as part of the Govt’s Digital Economy Month initiative. This national campaign is designed to accelerate Sri Lanka’s journey towards a digitally empowered, knowledge-based economy, while positioning the country as a regional hub for technology, innovation, and AI-led transformation. Digital Economy Month is a national initiative aimed at more..