Jan 9 (ST) London-headquartered Lyca Group has been actively expanding its operations in SL with Chairman and Founder Subaskaran Allirajah indirectly, deviously and circuitously, undertaking acquisitions in the local media sector, states a petition filed before the Supreme Court. “These transactions have been carried out through proxies to circumvent Sri Lanka regulations prohibiting foreign ownership of media entities, more..

Jan 9 (Island) Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance, and SJB MP, Dr. Harsha de Silva, told Parliament that the Undial and Hawala systems were not illegal in Sri Lanka and demanded the govt to take immediate action for proper regulation. Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Dr. de Silva proposed that individuals conducting international transactions through those informal money transfer systems be required to register within a 12-month period, from June 2024 to May 2025. more..

Jan 9 (ST) If the new govt’s upcoming budget proves favourable, the Colombo stock market will reach an unprecedented high in the coming weeks, stock market analysts say. This will back improved valuations, more foreign interest, and a rising stock market, analysts said. “People are looking for better cost management in govt spending which the incumbent govt has shown, and strong tourist numbers are a positive sign for the stock market.” Analysts noted that the IMF’s third tranche more..

Jan 9 (FT) A high-level meeting took place yesterday led by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Senior Vice President Shohei Hara and Airport and Aviation Services (SL) Ltd, (AASL) Chairman Harsha Abeywickrema, focusing on the BIA Terminal 2 development project. The discussion highlighted critical aspects essential to the project’s success, with an emphasis on enhancing project management efficiency and improving the quality of consultancy services. more..

Jan 9 (FT) Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) continued its legacy of fostering economic growth and innovation in Sri Lanka with a remarkable series of initiatives in 2024. With a mission to empower entrepreneurs and build a stronger, more resilient economy, COYLE has demonstrated its commitment to shaping the future of business through impactful programs and strategic partnerships. In 2024, COYLE launched several flagship programs, each designed to more..

Jan 9 (DM) A letter dated Dec 23, 2024 and signed by Secretary to the Treasury, Mahinda Siriwardena, was sent to the chairmen of commercial corporations, statutory boards and govt owned companies regarding the payment of bonuses for 2024. The letter provides details on the bonus payments for these institutions. The letter classifies the institutions eligible for bonus payments and specifies proposed bonus figures. more..

Jan 9 (EN) Sri Lanka’s insurers have been facing higher claim costs after high claims costs from currency depreciation, and are likely to further raise non-life insurance premiums, Fitch Ratings has said. “Underwriting performance has been under pressure since 2022, driven by inflationary pressures, rising administrative costs and increased claim costs due to higher spare part prices and medical costs from the depreciation of the SL rupee,” Fitch Rating said in a report on SL insurers. more..

Jan 9 (TM) This year Sri Lanka will commemorate the three year anniversary of the historic aragalaya movement on 9 July that prompted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to humiliatingly flee Sri Lanka and eventually resign while abroad. This significant event marks the awakening of a sleeping sovereignty and the shift towards a new political order. Today the spirit of protest remains strong among Sri Lankan citizens, who understand the efficacy of defiance against corruption. more..

Jan 9 (Island) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s signature project, Clean Sri Lanka, is experiencing some teething problems. One of this catch-all project’s objectives is to enforce road discipline, the absence of which is the main reason for the ever-increasing fatal accidents which snuff out precious lives at the rate of seven or eight a day. As for road chaos, the worst culprits are the undisciplined private bus and trishaw drivers, who are now all out to prevent the police from depriving them of more..

Jan 9 (ST) We have had this conversation earlier. When Human resource pundit HR Perera, popularly known as HR, called on Thursday, we engaged in a topic that had garnered a lot of attention in 2024 – Sri Lanka’s migrant workers and their role in the economy. The debate over whether overseas migration for work is a good thing or a bad example continues. Sri Lanka is not the only country that relies on migrant workers remittances to buttress the economy with foreign exchange inflows more..

Jan 9 (TM) In the restaurant that he co-owns in Ratnapura, Duleepa Madusanka stands over a simmering pot, preparing a dish for his clients. The simple act of cooking meals was something he had done thousands of times as a chef, but recently, it had become more complicated. Salt, a basic yet essential ingredient, had become difficult to find, and then a rise in price. Without salt, we all know that the food has no flavour, and more..

Jan 9 (TM) The Govt has finally commenced to force the public transport sector to take a bitter pill. This action has begun to address a myriad of issues with the State and private sector public transport system, in the island. The new campaign launched by the Govt under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, has begun to tighten screws on a long standing public safety and hazard; the culture of impunity and recklessness which the public transport sector has been upholding for decades. more..

Jan 9 (DM) Yesterday (8) marked 16 years since the assassination of The Sunday Leader Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickrematunge. 16 years is a long time for a wife grieving the loss of her husband, for children grieving the loss of their father, for relatives and loved ones and for colleagues in the media industry who still recall fond memories working with and/or associating with the late media legend. Wickrematunge was known for his courageous reporting and for staying true to the words more..

Jan 9 (DM) With the recent fiasco that took place with the Speaker and people getting confused as to whether an individual is a medical doctor or possesses a Doctorate, the question is raised as to whether SL politicians are being vetted enough before being given a high calibre portfolios like the Speaker of Parliament or even being appointed as a MP. Strong vetting procedures, like checking potential more..

Jan 9 (CT) The National Transport Commission’s (NTC) decision to compile a comprehensive list of passenger rights seems like an overdue glimmer of hope for Sri Lanka’s bus commuters. For years, a decent public transport has been a dire necessity for most of us. Regrettably, it has been a space where the daily grind becomes literal, as bodies are crushed against each other in overcrowded buses, tempers flare in the height of delays, and safety often feels like a distant dream. more..

Jan 9 (GV) Dept of Wildlife Conservation has, through pressure from the govt, commenced large scale elephant drives once more. They are trying to drive approximately 150 elephants from an area of high Human-Elephant Conflict, Kurunegala and A'pura Districts, to the Wilpattu National Park. Currently, some of these elephants have taken refuge in the National Livestock Development Board farm at Oyamaduwa and others have gone into locations that didn’t have elephants. more..

Jan 8 (AD) PM Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that changing the people’s attitudes is essential for social transformation, and it is not a process that can be achieved overnight. In response to a question raised in Parliament today by MP Asitha Niroshana regarding how to overcome the challenges of transforming the education and media sectors, the PM stated that the citizens voted for the govt to bring about a deep transformation in the country, rather than a change of individuals. more..

Jan 8 (Island) Mr. Shohei Hara, Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, at the Parliament of SL. During the meeting, Mr. Hara extended JICA’s commitment to supporting the nation’s development priorities. Key areas of discussion included debt restructuring, the completion of the BIA expansion project, and potential avenues for enhanced collaboration between the two countries. more..

Jan 8 (TM) Jana Aragala Sandhanaya (Peoples’ Struggle Alliance [PSA] Movement) observed that purportedly entrusting an Indian company with the power to issue digital identity (IDs) cards to SL citizens through a related agreement would pose an inevitable danger to democratic rights, national security, public safety and security, the State economy, and the sovereignty of the State and its people. more..

Jan 8 (EN) Lending rates for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) are still high despite lower market interest rates, the CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Announcing the policy agenda for 2025 and beyond he said the recovery in credit to the private sector has been supported by the noteworthy reduction in market lending interest rates. “However, the Central Bank observes some excessive, outlier rates of interest on facilities extended to MSMEs as well as more..

Jan 8 (DM) The members of Trishaw Operators Associations in Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Habarana areas yesterday staged a massive protect against the arrest of six trishaw drivers on charges of assaulting a car driver transporting a tourist and over robbery of a gold chain. The six suspects taken into custody had been produced in court and remanded. The protesters said the complainant was a former soldier of the army who had had forwarded nominations to contest the election to more..

Jan 8 (NW) The family of assassinated journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge has expressed hope that the Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led govt will find the truth behind the incident and provide justice. Lasantha Wickrematunge’s brother said there were four govts within the 16 years since the death, but none had a political motive to investigate the incident. He said, however, NPP govt has promised to investigate not only more..

Jan 8 (DM) Considering the excessive generation of plastic waste in the country, Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) urges the govt to implement a tax on single-use plastics. CEJ Chairman Hemantha Withanage said that a case was filed before the Supreme Court and a letter was sent to Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He highlighted that about 20 million plastic bags are discarded daily, in addition to other plastics. This volume of waste poses a significant threat more..

Jan 8 (FT) SJB MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday expressed strong criticism of the new Govt’s failure to deliver on its promises and questioned the impact of its policies on the well-being of the public. Marikkar highlighted that while Govt revenue and tax collection have increased significantly, this has been achieved through higher taxes and inflated bills which have negatively impacted the people. He questioned, “Has the happiness of the people increased as a result?” more..

Jan 8 (DM) Wildlife Department today confirmed that a pod of Common Bottlenose Dolphins was found dead on the sea border of the Wilpattu National Park. They said the pod was found dead near the Kollan Kanaththa area, close to the National Park. The information was received by wildlife officers attached to the Mollikulama Wildlife Security Office. Investigations conducted by the wildlife officers resulted in a report being handed over to the Puttalam Magistrate yesterday. more..

Jan 8 (DM) Lonely Planet has ranked the Colombo-Badulla train journey as the 7th best in the world for 2025. This recognition highlights the route’s unparalleled scenic beauty and the immersive cultural experience it offers travelers. Spanning over 290 kilometers from Colombo to Badulla, this journey is renowned for its breathtaking views of verdant tea plantations, mist-covered mountains, and picturesque waterfalls. Often described as one of the most scenic train rides in the world, more..

Jan 8 (SCMP) Sri Lanka is reversing a year-long ban on foreign research vessels in its waters, opting instead to draft new protocols that aim to balance India’s security concerns with China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean. The moratorium, which expired on December 31, was introduced in late 2023 after New Delhi raised alarms about the Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6 that conducted a joint maritime survey with Sri Lanka’s maritime agency. more..

Jan 8 (AD) Fort Magistrate’s Court has issued an order preventing the Convenor of the Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF), Madushan Chandrajith and others from entering the Presidential Secretariat, President’s House, Finance Ministry premises etc. during a planned protest in Colombo today. Additionally, the court order restricts them from causing any inconvenience to pedestrians or vehicular traffic on several roads in Colombo, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. today. more..

Jan 8 (CT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has expressed regret over the Govt’s decision to make changes to the leadership and Board of the 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation. “Suwa Seriya project was an extremely successful programme implemented in this country. Suwa Seriya project provided uninterrupted services during very difficult times – during Covid and when the country went bankrupt,” he said. “Suwa Seriya project made a huge contribution to strengthening free healthcare more..

Jan 8 (TM) The Govt aims to establish a laboratory that is capable of checking high-quality medicines in accordance with World Health Organisation standards within a period of three years, Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the Parliament. He added that although the NMRA has laboratory facilities to check the quality of medicines, it would not be adequate given the national level requirement for medicines and the issues more..

Jan 8 (FT) Govt seems to have now realised the winning of election based on attacking previous Govts of the past 76 years was easier than governing the State. They tactically leveraged the momentum of 2022 Aragalaya to their advantage, dropping a load of garbage, filling the ears of masses with anger and hatred, assuring to fulfil the immediate unthinkable promises, pledges, expectations of the public in short term with the change of Govt. more..

Jan 8 (TM) Bill for the Amendment of the Local Authorities Elections Act to enable the cancellation of the nominations submitted for the 2023 Polls and to call for fresh nominations has been gazetted. The Bill is to be presented to the Parliament for approval on a later date. It is reported that the Bill for the Amendment of the said Act to cancel the nominations called for the 202 LG Elections has been published in the Govt Gazette as per the order of Minister of Public Admin, PCs & LG. more..