The Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has called for applications from graduates to fill teaching vacancies in Sinhala, Tamil, and English medium schools across the island.

According to Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2474/18 dated February 2, 2026, graduates currently serving in the public service as of February 10, 2023, who are not more than 45 years of age and have completed their degree qualifications, are eligible to apply.

Meanwhile, Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2474/19, also issued on February 2, 2026, specifies eligibility for several other categories. These include graduates not engaged in public service who were under 40 years of age as of February 10, 2023, and have completed their degree qualifications. It also applies to officers under 40 years of age as of that date who were appointed to the public service after February 10, 2023, and are currently serving, as well as those who were engaged in public service on that date but later resigned with formal approval. In addition, officers under 40 years of age who are currently in public service and obtained their degree qualification after February 10, 2023, are also eligible.

The Ministry emphasized that applicants who previously applied under Gazette Notification No. 2317 published on January 27, 2023, are not required to reapply if they are already engaged in public service. However, those who wish to update details such as their telephone number, National Identity Card number, or mailing address may submit requests to the Department of Examinations and download an amended application form.

For further information, the Ministry has provided the following contact numbers during working days from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.: Sinhala – 0112 784819, 0112 785634, Hotline 1988; Tamil – 0112 785634; English – 0112 785258, 0112 784819, 0112 787399.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stressed that the extension of the emergency law is intended solely to accelerate post-Cyclone Ditwah reconstruction efforts and will not be used as a means of repression.

The President made these remarks at the Niyangoda School playground during an event held under the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ programme, which aims to provide land and financial assistance for the reconstruction of houses and the resettlement of families severely affected by the cyclone.

Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake said Cyclone Ditwah had caused extensive damage to both livelihoods and the national economy, noting that ordinary laws were insufficient to manage rebuilding efforts following a disaster of such magnitude. He said special legal provisions were therefore required to ensure an efficient and timely reconstruction process.

He explained that the Constitution allows for the enactment of special laws, while the Public Security Ordinance provides the legal framework to introduce them when necessary. “In situations like this, laws with special administrative powers are essential. That is why the emergency law was invoked,” he said.

President Dissanayake further assured that, unlike in the past when emergency regulations were often used to suppress trade unions or restrict media freedom, the current administration would not use the law for such purposes. He emphasized that the emergency provisions would remain in force only until critical reconstruction activities are completed.

He reiterated that the emergency law would not be used as a tool of oppression, stating that its extension is aimed at expediting procurement processes, land allocation, and rebuilding work, while also providing necessary legal protection for public officials involved in the recovery process. The President added that areas most severely affected by Cyclone Ditwah would be given the legal safeguards required to ensure rapid and effective reconstruction.

Laugfs Gas has announced revised domestic LPG refill prices for February 2026, effective from midnight yesterday (06).

Under the new pricing structure, a 12.5kg domestic gas cylinder will be priced at Rs. 4,330, while a 5kg domestic cylinder will cost Rs. 1,742.

Showers will occur at times in Uva province and in Matale, Nuwara-Eliya, Ampara and Batticaloa districts.

Several spells of showers will occur at Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota district.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere after 2.00 p.m. Fairly heavy showers above 50 mm are likely at some places.

Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Eastern slopes of the central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Matale, Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Badulla districts during the early hours of the morning.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Sri Lanka’s tea industry entered 2026 on visibly shaky ground, despite official assurances of recovery and growth. Market data from Forbes & Walker Research shows that tea prices have softened across all elevations, raising questions about whether government optimism aligns with ground realities faced by growers, factories, and exporters.

The National Sales Average (NSA) in January 2026 declined both month-on-month and year-on-year, settling at Rs. 1,164.54 per kilogram. This marked a notable drop from December 2025 and undershot January 2025 levels as well. More importantly, when measured in dollar terms, all elevations recorded negative year-on-year variances, reflecting pressure from global market conditions and currency dynamics.

High Grown teas averaged Rs. 1,143.12, recording a monthly decline though posting a modest rupee gain over last year. Medium Grown teas showed the steepest deterioration, falling sharply from December and registering declines on both rupee and dollar comparisons year-on-year. Low Grown teas, traditionally a strong performer, also recorded consistent declines across both metrics.

These price movements come against the backdrop of supply disruptions caused by cyclone Ditwah, which halted production for nearly a week in December 2025 and resulted in losses of over one million kilograms. Despite this, Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairperson Rajpal Obeyesekere maintains that the industry is on track to achieve between 290 and 300 million kilograms of production in 2026, provided weather patterns remain favourable and fertiliser subsidies continue.

Production figures show that Sri Lanka produced 264.12 million kilograms of tea in 2025, a modest increase from 2024 and a stronger rebound compared to 2023. However, the Department of Census and Statistics reported an 8.1% contraction in tea production volumes in the third quarter of 2025, citing rising input costs, labour shortages, and delayed replanting efforts structural challenges that predate cyclone impacts.

Export performance has offered some relief. Tea exports in 2025 rose by 11.65 million kilograms, while export earnings climbed 4.8% to $1.506 billion. The average Free On Board price remained largely unchanged, signalling that volume gains, rather than price improvements, drove revenue growth.

Authorities and industry bodies remain focused on long-term interventions such as replanting and mechanisation. While these initiatives are underway, their benefits will take years to materialise. Meanwhile, less than 7% of factories have adopted mechanisation, leaving labour shortages unresolved.

As prices soften and dollar earnings remain under strain, the contrast between market indicators and policy optimism suggests the sector’s recovery may be more fragile than official narratives imply.

Sri Lanka’s Central Bank has launched investigations into at least 18 entities accused of illegally collecting public deposits through plantation-based investment schemes, exposing a fast-growing shadow financial sector that thrives on regulatory loopholes and investor ignorance.

These schemes, often marketed as long-term investments in teak, mango, or wallapatta plantations, promise unusually high and “guaranteed” returns backed by land assets. However, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has warned that such assurances are legally and financially unsustainable. Accepting public deposits with a promise of repayment is a regulated financial activity, and entities engaging in it without authorisation are operating outside the law.

CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has publicly cautioned investors against land-backed, high-yield investment ventures, describing them as inherently risky and frequently deceptive. Unlike Licensed Finance Companies (LFCs) or Licensed Specialised Banks (LSBs), these plantation-based entities are neither regulated nor supervised by the Central Bank. As a result, investors have no legal protection if the schemes collapse.

Financially, many of these companies display classic red flags. They typically lack audited financial statements, rely on continuous inflows of new investor funds to meet earlier payout commitments, and offer returns that far exceed yields achievable from genuine agricultural production. In several cases, projected profits are based on unrealistic assumptions about land appreciation, crop survival rates, and export prices.

The CBSL has clarified that Specialised Leasing Companies (SLCs), which are sometimes used as a front to lend credibility to these schemes, are strictly prohibited from accepting public deposits. SLCs may raise funds only through approved instruments such as debentures or commercial paper and only with prior Central Bank approval. Any deviation constitutes a violation of financial law.

The legal implications are severe. Entities found to be illegally mobilising public funds face prosecution, asset seizures, and potential imprisonment of directors. More importantly, investors risk losing their entire capital, as funds placed in unauthorised schemes are not covered by any deposit protection mechanism.

The ongoing crackdown has also exposed a regulatory blind spot surrounding alternative investments. While agriculture and land development are legitimate economic activities, combining them with deposit-taking without oversight creates fertile ground for financial abuse.

The CBSL has urged the public to independently verify whether an investment scheme is legally recognised and to demand transparent explanations of how promised returns will be generated. As the investigations continue, authorities warn that financial literacy—not attractive brochures or celebrity endorsements remains the strongest defence against plantation-themed investment scams.

Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry has taken a decisive institutional step by formally establishing the Tax Policy Analysis Unit (TPAU) under the Department of Fiscal Policy, signalling a move away from ad hoc tax policymaking toward a more rules-based fiscal framework. The initiative comes at a critical juncture as the country seeks to consolidate post-crisis revenue gains under its IMF-supported reform programme.

The operational launch of the TPAU was accompanied by a two-week technical training programme conducted by the International Monetary Fund from January 19 to 30, focused on strengthening analytical capacity in tax policy design and reform evaluation. Senior IMF officials subsequently engaged with Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma and fiscal policy leadership to discuss how the Unit would be integrated into the Government’s decision-making process.

According to the Finance Ministry, the TPAU has been mandated to conduct revenue forecasting, economic and distributional analysis of tax measures, evaluation of tax expenditures, stakeholder engagement, and work on international taxation and cross-border tax cooperation. These functions address long-standing gaps in Sri Lanka’s fiscal architecture, where tax policy decisions were often fragmented across institutions or driven by short-term political considerations.

The Unit’s creation follows a year in which Sri Lanka recorded historic highs in income tax and duty collections, achieved largely through rate increases and base-broadening rather than administrative reform. Economists have warned that without a permanent analytical mechanism, such gains risk erosion through exemptions, poorly costed policy reversals, or politically motivated concessions.

IMF guidance has consistently emphasised the importance of dedicated tax policy units within finance ministries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In its Fiscal Affairs Department recommendations, the Fund argues that durable revenue mobilisation depends on technical capacity for forecasting, equity analysis, and expenditure review—functions that temporary commissions or external consultants cannot sustainably provide.

From an investor perspective, the establishment of the TPAU is seen as a credibility-enhancing reform. By institutionalising tax analysis within the fiscal framework, the Government may reduce uncertainty around revenue projections and signal greater commitment to policy continuity, a key concern following Sri Lanka’s history of abrupt tax changes.

However, analysts caution that the Unit’s effectiveness will depend on political buy-in and its ability to influence final decisions. Without insulation from short-term pressures, even technically sound analysis risks being sidelined. Nonetheless, the TPAU represents a structural reform aligned with IMF benchmarks, aimed at anchoring fiscal management in evidence rather than expediency

The Cabinet’s approval of the Renewable Energy Resources Development Plan 2025–2030 marks a significant policy milestone in Sri Lanka’s long-term energy transition. The framework sets out an ambitious target of meeting 70 percent of national electricity demand through renewable energy sources by 2030, while aligning the power sector with the country’s broader commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The plan was submitted to the Cabinet by Energy Minister Eng. Kumara Jayakody and developed by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) in accordance with the National Policy on Renewable Energy and statutory obligations under the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority Act of 2007.

The legislation mandates the preparation of a long-term renewable energy development roadmap, positioning the newly approved plan as both a policy requirement and a strategic response to growing energy security concerns.

According to Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, the plan focuses on three core pillars of renewable energy development. These include the identification and prioritisation of suitable land for projects, the establishment of a structured implementation timeline, and the advancement of a comprehensive Renewable Energy Map to guide future investments. The proposal also introduces the concept of Renewable Energy Gardens centralised zones designed to streamline project development and grid connectivity.

A notable feature of the plan is the inclusion of floating solar panel projects, aimed at diversifying generation sources while reducing pressure on land availability. This reflects a growing recognition of land scarcity and competing land-use demands, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas.

From a policy standpoint, the framework is intended to bring greater coordination to renewable energy deployment, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, and strengthen energy security amid volatile global fuel markets. Supporters argue that a clearly defined roadmap could also improve investor confidence by offering greater clarity on timelines, locations, and government priorities.

However, analysts note that the plan’s success will depend heavily on execution capacity, grid readiness, and regulatory consistency. Sri Lanka’s renewable ambitions have previously faced delays due to grid congestion, procurement bottlenecks, and shifting policy signals. Without parallel investments in transmission infrastructure and institutional coordination, the scale of expansion envisioned may prove difficult to achieve within the stated timeframe.

Nonetheless, the Cabinet’s approval represents a clear political endorsement of a renewables-led energy future. If implemented effectively, the plan could reshape Sri Lanka’s electricity mix, lower long-term generation costs, and anchor the country’s climate commitments within a structured policy framework.