The Ministry of Science and Technology today (23) inaugurated its first Technology Service and Support Centre at the University of Vavuniya.

The centre was officially opened by Minister of Science and Technology Professor Krishantha Abeysena, together with Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi.

The initiative aims to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, research commercialisation and startup development, with a particular focus on strengthening the Northern Province.

As part of the initial phase, the Ministry plans to establish 24 Technology Service and Support Centres across the country, beginning with state universities and later expanding to provide district-level coverage nationwide.

Showers will occur at times in Northern, North-central, Eastern and Northwestern provinces and in Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Fairly Heavy falls above 50 mm are likely at some places in Northern, North-central, and Northwestern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere after 2.00 p.m.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North central, Southern and Uva provinces 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.

Nalinda Indatissa, President’s Counsel

In today’s digital world, personal data protection is considered sacred because it is no longer just about keeping secrets. Personal data—information that identifies or can reasonably identify a living individual—acts like a digital fingerprint, revealing habits, beliefs, financial status, relationships, and other private aspects of life. If this information is misused, the consequences can be serious, ranging from financial loss to emotional distress, reputational damage, and even manipulation.

For example, if a person’s banking details or NIC number are leaked, a criminal could open accounts or take loans in that person’s name. Similarly, leaked private photos or messages can ruin a person’s career or relationships. Even seemingly harmless information, like a travel pattern or phone number, can be used to stalk, harass, or manipulate someone.

Under Sri Lanka’s Personal Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022 (PDPA), personal data includes anything that relates to a living person who is identified or identifiable. This can range from obvious details like names, dates of birth, telephone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, NIC or passport numbers, to less obvious information like physical characteristics, movements, location, financial status, or property ownership. Personal data also includes images, audio recordings, or video recordings. It is considered processed when it is collected, stored, retrieved, consulted, used, disclosed, shared, transferred, or destroyed—whether electronically or as part of an organised filing system.

Even when personal data is pseudonymised—for example, where a person’s name is replaced with a code—it still counts as personal data if it can be traced back to the individual. Only information that is irreversibly anonymised, so that no individual can ever be identified, falls outside the Act. Certain types of data, such as health records, biometric data, genetic information, racial or ethnic origin, religious or political beliefs, trade union membership, or information about sexual orientation or sex life, receive extra protection. Processing this sensitive data generally requires explicit consent or a clear legal basis.

Protecting personal data is not just a legal requirement; it is a matter of human rights and dignity. Individuals gain autonomy and control over what they share and with whom. This allows them to participate in digital life freely without fear of surveillance or misuse. For instance, a person might choose to share health information with a doctor but not with a marketing company. Privacy also enables freedom of expression, association, and thought, because people can interact safely online or in public without constantly fearing that every action is monitored.
Personal data protection is also crucial in preventing harm. Identity theft, fraud, stalking, harassment, and reputational damage are real dangers in today’s world. For example, if someone’s online shopping or social media data is stolen, it can be misused to commit fraud or manipulate personal choices. Similarly, data leaks from medical or financial institutions can cause both personal and financial devastation. Without protection, even seemingly small breaches—like sharing someone’s phone number without consent—can have ripple effects that escalate into serious problems.

Another key reason personal data protection is essential is that it prevents manipulation and exploitation. Organisations and governments often collect large amounts of data to predict behaviour, target marketing, or influence political decisions. Without rules and safeguards, individuals are at a power disadvantage, unable to control who uses their data or for what purpose. This is why trusted systems and regulations are necessary, so that companies cannot abuse the data of users for profit or control.

Trust is the backbone of the digital economy. People will only use online banking, healthcare apps, government portals, and e-commerce platforms if they feel confident that their data is secure. Organisations that respect data protection laws build long-term credibility with users, whereas breaches can result in a rapid loss of trust and customer exodus. For instance, a hospital that mishandles patient records or a bank that leaks financial data will not only face legal penalties but also suffer reputational harm that may take years to repair.

To achieve these goals, countries and organisations need a robust personal data protection regime. This includes creating a strong regulatory framework, building awareness among citizens and businesses, ensuring compliance across both public and private sectors, and implementing internationally recognised standards. Such measures prevent crime, promote confidence in digital services, and allow development and marketing to be data-driven yet ethical. For example, a retail company can conduct targeted marketing without violating privacy if users’ consent is properly managed and their data is stored securely.

In our interconnected world, personal data often crosses borders. National laws alone are insufficient. It is time for countries to cooperate globally, share intelligence, assist in cross-border investigations, and ensure consistent enforcement. Global cooperation can reduce personal data violations, combat cybercrime effectively, build trust in international digital transactions, and ensure organisations adhere to consistent standards.

Modern technologies like blockchain can also support personal data protection. Blockchain allows data to be stored in a tamper-proof, decentralised ledger, making it nearly impossible for hackers or unauthorised users to alter or misuse information. It can also track who accessed data, when, and why, giving users greater transparency and control. For instance, a patient could allow a doctor to access medical records via blockchain without risk of the data being altered or leaked.

Taking care of personal data is therefore much more than a legal obligation. It is a matter of respect, trust, and responsibility. In an increasingly digital world, controlling one’s personal information is key to living connected lives without sacrificing security, freedom, or dignity. Personal data protection is the shield that preserves autonomy, prevents exploitation, enables trust, and supports global development. In short, safeguarding personal data is sacred because it ensures that people remain human beings, not mere data points, in the digital ecosystem.

Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide PLC is attempting to chart a recovery path at a time when Sri Lanka’s jewellery sector remains under sustained economic pressure. The company has confirmed that it is engaged in discussions with a potential strategic investor from within the jewellery industry, a move aimed at rebuilding its weakened capital base and restoring long-term viability.

The Board’s decision follows the recognition that the company’s net assets have fallen sharply below legally required levels. As at the end of March 2024, net assets amounted to Rs. 114.56 million, less than half of its stated capital of Rs. 252.04 million. This decline, categorised as a serious loss of capital under the Companies Act, compelled the company to formally inform shareholders and convene an Extraordinary General Meeting.

Financial disclosures paint a stark picture. Blue Diamonds recorded a substantial annual loss of Rs. 138.68 million, with accumulated losses nearing Rs. 198 million. Management attributes this downturn to prolonged unfavourable market conditions, shrinking profit margins, high fixed overheads, and ongoing working capital constraints. These pressures have been compounded by the costs associated with regulatory compliance and maintaining a public listing during a period of limited revenue growth.

In response, the company has outlined a multi-pronged remedial strategy. Central to this plan is the proposed entry of a strategic investor, subject to due diligence, regulatory clearance, and the resolution of outstanding non-compliance issues with Colombo Stock Exchange listing rules. If negotiations conclude successfully, Blue Diamonds intends to pursue a capital-raising exercise, pending approvals from the CSE, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and shareholders.

The anticipated benefits of such an investment include capital restoration, improved liquidity, stronger working capital management, and access to established jewellery markets. Management believes that partnership with an experienced industry player could help reposition the company for sustainable profitability.

Parallel to investor talks, the Board has committed to rectifying governance and compliance shortcomings. These include submitting delayed audited accounts, addressing audit qualifications, regularising board composition, amending Articles of Association where required, and settling outstanding statutory and professional dues. Such steps are critical if the company hopes to regain regulatory standing and resume share trading.

Trading in Blue Diamonds shares has remained suspended since December 2024, reflecting unresolved compliance and financial concerns. The prolonged halt has limited liquidity for shareholders, even though the company’s non-voting shares retain a public float of nearly 56%.

While the outcome of investor negotiations remains uncertain, the company insists it is acting transparently and in the best interests of shareholders. The coming months will be decisive in determining whether Blue Diamonds can convert its strategic value into a credible turnaround—or whether its struggles will become another example of the sector’s ongoing consolidation under economic strain.

Beyond the headline figures of revenue windfalls and rising imports, Sri Lanka’s vehicle boom in 2025 reveals deeper structural changes in consumption, inequality, and economic priorities raising questions about sustainability beyond fiscal arithmetic.

Vehicle registrations surged to decade highs in December, driven not by mass affordability but by concentrated purchasing power. Small vehicles below 1,000cc and low-capacity EVs accounted for over 90% of registrations, although financing penetration hovered around 50%, suggesting significant cash-driven demand. This points to a consumption pattern dominated by higher-income households able to absorb steep upfront costs and some of the world’s highest vehicle taxes.

This dynamic has delivered undeniable benefits to the State. Vehicle import taxes generated more than Rs. 900 billion in 2025, making them the single largest source of indirect tax revenue growth. Industry turnover alone is estimated at nearly Rs. 1.7 trillion around 5% of GDP although much of this reflects trading activity rather than domestic value addition.

However, the social and structural implications are more complex. Premium vehicle registrations, while small in volume, highlight widening income disparities. December alone saw imports of ultra-luxury brands, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley, even as broader household purchasing power remains under strain. Such conspicuous consumption has effectively underwritten fiscal adjustment, shifting the tax burden toward high-end discretionary spending rather than income or wealth taxes.

The shift in vehicle composition also signals changing preferences and policy outcomes. SUVs and crossovers now dominate the market, while traditional small cars have steadily declined. Meanwhile, electric and hybrid vehicles have gained momentum, particularly from Chinese manufacturers, reflecting a gradual diversification away from Japanese dominance and a policy tilt toward electrification.

From a policy perspective, the reliance on vehicle taxes raises questions about durability. Vehicle imports are inherently cyclical and sensitive to regulatory changes. The 2015 boom, triggered by tax revisions, was followed by sharp contractions. Today’s revenue surge similarly hinges on policy settings that could change if external pressures re-emerge.

Moreover, while vehicle imports have not destabilised the external account so far, their contribution to growth remains consumption-heavy. Unlike capital goods or export-oriented investment, vehicles do little to enhance long-term productivity. The economy benefits fiscally, but the growth impulse may fade once pent-up demand is exhausted.

The Government’s challenge is therefore twofold: to manage vehicle imports without reigniting balance-of-payments risks, and to avoid overdependence on a volatile tax base. Without parallel growth in exports and domestic value creation, today’s vehicle-driven fiscal comfort could mask underlying fragilities.

Sri Lanka’s vehicle boom, then, is not merely a story of cars and taxes it is a reflection of who is spending, how the State is earning, and how growth is being temporarily sustained in a post-crisis economy.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, the Government has placed micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at the centre of its economic recovery agenda, rolling out an unprecedented expansion of concessional credit, guarantees, and disaster relief lending.  However  behind the impressive numbers lies a critical question: are these mechanisms effectively translating into real recovery for cyclone-hit businesses?

The Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry has consolidated all MSME-targeted financial facilities into a single framework valued at Rs. 95 billion. This centralised structure, administered through an online, rules-based platform, is intended to curb discretion, reduce political interference, and improve transparency—longstanding weaknesses in state-backed lending.

A key component of the post-cyclone response is the Comprehensive Disaster Relief Loan Scheme, launched with a Rs. 10 billion allocation. Under this facility, micro enterprises affected by Cyclone Ditwah can borrow up to Rs. 250,000, small businesses up to Rs. 1 million, and medium or large firms up to Rs. 25 million. The loans carry a concessional 3% interest rate, a six-month grace period, and a three-year repayment horizon—terms designed to ease immediate liquidity pressures across agriculture, fisheries, tourism, manufacturing, and services.

Access, however, is tightly structured. Disaster-affected borrowers must secure certification from Grama Niladharis and Divisional Secretaries, while other MSME schemes require multiple layers of business assessments and field inspections by officials attached to development agencies. Although the digital approval pipeline aims to accelerate processing, entrepreneurs in remote cyclone-impacted areas report delays linked to administrative bottlenecks and documentation gaps.

To widen reach, the Government has enlisted 16 public and private banks to deliver these loans, spanning state-owned giants such as Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank, alongside major private lenders. While this has broadened geographical coverage, lending decisions remain largely bank-driven, raising concerns that risk-averse behaviour could still sideline smaller, informal enterprises hardest hit by the cyclone.

The credit guarantee mechanism is intended to counter this. Through the National Credit Guarantee Institution (NCGI), established in 2025, banks are shielded from a portion of default risk. By end-2025, guarantees worth over Rs. 5 billion had enabled more than 1,200 entrepreneurs without acceptable collateral to access formal credit. In 2026, guarantees are expected to expand further, potentially unlocking Rs. 10 billion in new MSME lending.

Yet questions persist over whether disaster-hit micro enterprises often undocumented and operating outside formal value chains—can realistically navigate these systems. While policy architecture appears robust, its effectiveness hinges on last-mile execution, coordination between local officials and banks, and the capacity of enterprises to restart operations amid damaged infrastructure and disrupted markets.As Cyclone Ditwah exposed the vulnerability of MSMEs to climate shocks, the Government’s response signals a shift toward embedding disaster resilience within economic policy. Whether this translates into sustained recovery or merely short-term relief will determine if the cyclone becomes a turning point or another setback in the MSME sector’s long struggle for stability

Hambantota International Port (HIP) has introduced an Automated Gate Pass Management System (AGPMS), becoming the first port in Sri Lanka to implement a fully automated, QR-code-based, paperless gate pass solution.

The new system replaces the traditional manual gate pass process with a digital, QR-based access control mechanism, enabling faster and more secure entry to the port. AGPMS significantly reduces processing time, administrative complexity and human error, while enhancing security, transparency, traceability and overall operational efficiency. It also improves traffic flow within the port and offers a more user-friendly permit issuance process for port users.

Speaking at the launch, HIPG Chief Executive Officer Wilson Qu said the initiative reflects the port’s long-term vision for smart operations. He noted that adopting a fully automated, QR-based system strengthens security, improves efficiency and aligns port operations with global best practices.

Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS) General Manager Capt. Miyuru Gunasekara said the system enables real-time monitoring and stronger compliance, supporting tighter access control and greater accountability across port operations. He added that AGPMS is expected to deliver immediate operational benefits.

The Automated Gate Pass Management System was officially inaugurated at the Hambantota Maritime Centre.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said the exclusion of women from decision-making is structurally maintained through gendered power hierarchies, stressing that meaningful change requires transforming institutions and power structures to create environments where women can lead with confidence.

She made these remarks while addressing the World Woman Davos Agenda 2026 on January 21 at the World Woman House, held on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

Speaking at a high-level forum themed “Women Leading the Changing Global Order,” the Prime Minister noted that although women worldwide are increasingly asserting themselves in political, economic and social spheres, their contributions remain systematically undervalued, particularly in unpaid care work, informal labour and agriculture.

Dr. Amarasuriya said women in leadership, especially in politics, often face harassment, character assassination and systemic marginalisation, which discourages participation and reinforces entrenched patriarchal structures. She emphasised that addressing these challenges is not about protection, but about enabling women to exercise leadership with autonomy, authority and confidence.

Highlighting progress in Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister said the country has made historic strides in political representation under the current inclusive government, with 20 women elected to Parliament for the first time. She said this reflects a clear shift towards more inclusive governance.

Concluding her address, Dr. Amarasuriya said leadership should go beyond occupying seats within existing systems and instead focus on restructuring those systems themselves. She reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to feminist and intersectional leadership and called on global actors to ensure women and marginalised communities are central to shaping the future global order.

Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Chairman MP Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera said a proposal to empower the committee to directly file complaints with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) will be presented to Parliament shortly.

Speaking to the media in Kandy, Dr. Samaraweera explained that at present, matters related to fraud and corruption uncovered by COPE are referred to the Attorney General, a process that often causes delays as cases must be re-studied before being forwarded to investigative authorities. The proposed change aims to speed up action against corruption.

He said the proposal has already been submitted to the Standing Orders Committee, which has given its consent, and now awaits parliamentary approval. Once approved, COPE will be able to directly hand over evidence and findings to the CID or CIABOC for further investigation.

Dr. Samaraweera noted that there is a recurring pattern of abuse of power by both politicians and public officials, resulting in serious harm to the public and misuse of state funds. He stressed that enabling COPE to act directly is a crucial step toward eliminating fraud, corruption, theft and waste.

He also revealed that several necessary amendments have already been introduced to the Audit Act, with more reforms currently being prepared, expressing hope that all Members of Parliament would support these measures without opposition.