April 27, Colombo (LNW): The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has issued a prohibition order against four individuals, barring them from entering or remaining in the vicinity of examination centres today (27), as the Ministry of Health conducts competitive recruitment examinations for supplementary health service courses.

The court action followed a request by the Officer-in-Charge of the Maradana Police Station, who reported credible intelligence indicating plans to stage a protest intended to disrupt the examination process.

Police stated that there were concerns the demonstration could dissuade or intimidate candidates intending to sit the exams, which are crucial for recruiting graduates into key health sector roles.

Those named in the court order include M.N.M. Nustri, co-convener of the Allied Health Science Graduates’ Union, Nandun Dasharika Hewapathirana, secretary of the union, Madushan Chandrajith, convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), and Ravi Kumudesh, chairman of the Joint Council of Supplementary Medical Professionals.

Under the court’s directive, these individuals are forbidden from entering the Colombo hospital square within the Maradana Police Division and from engaging in demonstrations or protest marches that could obstruct pedestrian access along major roads such as Deans Road, De Saram Road, Kinsey Road, and Regent Street. This measure specifically seeks to prevent disruptions to the operations of hospitals and medical facilities located in these areas.

The order also extends to prohibiting loitering or staging protests in front of two of the designated examination venues — the School of Nursing Colombo and the Post Basic College of Nursing — during examination hours, which run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the competitive examination, organised by its Examinations Division, is being held across four locations: the School of Nursing Colombo, Post Basic College of Nursing, College of Nursing in Kandana, and the Castle Street Hospital for Women.

The tests are scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. and are critical for filling vacancies in the roles of Medical Laboratory Technologists, Radiographers, and Physiotherapists within the public healthcare sector.

Candidates were notified through mailed admission cards ahead of the examination date, with the Ministry emphasising the importance of maintaining order to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of the process.

April 27, Colombo (LNW): The special public exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, known as the Siri Dalada Wandanawa, is set to conclude today (27) at the historic Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, drawing overwhelming numbers of devotees right up to its final hours.

The veneration ceremony, which has been taking place daily from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., witnessed a surge of worshippers gathering from across the island, forming long queues stretching through the ancient city’s streets.

Despite the impending closure of the event, thousands continue to make the pilgrimage to pay homage to the revered relic of Lord Buddha, with many braving long waits in the spirit of devotion.

Throughout the duration of the exposition, numerous individuals and religious organisations generously organised Dansal (alms giving) and offered various services to the devotees, creating a vibrant and deeply spiritual atmosphere across the city.

Temporary shelters, refreshment points, and first aid stations were also set up to accommodate the needs of the visiting crowds.

This year’s Siri Dalada Wandanawa holds particular significance as it marks the first time in 16 years that the Sacred Tooth Relic has been displayed for public veneration. The event officially commenced with ceremonial observances on April 18, followed by a 10-day public exposition beginning on April 19.

In just over a week, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of devotees have participated in this rare religious occasion, demonstrating the enduring importance of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Sri Lankan Buddhist culture.

To support the influx of pilgrims and maintain the city’s sanctity, the Central Province authorities have initiated a comprehensive city-wide cleanliness drive. Chief Secretary of the Central Province, Ajith Premasinghe, announced that efforts to clear garbage and improve sanitation in and around Kandy have been intensified, beginning today, to restore the city following the massive turnout.

April 27, Colombo (LNW): The Intertropical Convergence Zone (where winds from the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere converge) affects the island’s weather, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (27).

Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island during the afternoon or night.

Several spells of showers may occur in Western province and in Puttalam, Mannar, Jaffna, Galle and Matara districts in the morning.

Heavy falls about 100 mm are likely at some places in Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Vavuniya, Mullaittivu and Kurunegala districts.

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

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Centraland Uva provinces during the morning.

Marine Weather:

Sri Lanka’s export sector is gaining significant traction, recording a solid recovery in the first quarter of 2025 with earnings exceeding $4.2 billion—marking a 5.87% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

According to the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), this growth reflects continued resilience and rising global competitiveness across both merchandise and services exports.

March 2025 stood out with total exports surpassing $1.5 billion, up 6.24% year-on-year (YoY) and 11.76% higher than in February 2025. This sharp rise highlights the country’s growing momentum in international trade.

“This positive export performance underscores Sri Lanka’s growing prominence in global trade and reflects the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to enhance export competitiveness,” EDB Chairman and CEO Mangala Wijesinghe stated, commending the adaptability and resilience of local exporters.

Merchandise exports in March reached over $1.2 billion, led by strong contributions from gems and jewellery, and petroleum products. In the first three months of 2025, merchandise exports totaled over $3.3 billion, reflecting a 4.61% YoY growth.

Meanwhile, services exports for March were estimated at $291.12 million, up 7.79% from March 2024. In the first quarter, the sector earned $887.04 million—a robust 10.88% YoY increase. Key service categories such as ICT/BPM, logistics, construction, and financial services were major contributors to this growth, also generating high-value employment opportunities.

The apparel and textile sector performed strongly with a 11% YoY rise, generating over $1.3 billion in Q1. Agriculture exports also soared, with tea earnings up 5% to $370.95 million, coconut-based exports jumping 26.44% to $257.46 million, and spice and concentrate exports surging 71.43% to $119.04 million.

Transport and logistics services saw a 25% YoY increase in Q1 to $506.88 million, while ICT/BPM services earned $352.53 million, up 11%.

 Looking ahead, Sri Lanka has set an ambitious $19 billion export revenue target for 2025—$14 billion from merchandise and $4.2 billion from services—aiming to reach $36 billion in total export earnings by 2030.

Among Sri Lanka’s top export destinations, the United States, United Kingdom, India, Germany, Netherlands, France, and China all showed positive growth. The U.S., which accounts for 23% of Sri Lanka’s exports, rose 13.83% in March 2025 and 9% for Q1, totaling $775.6 million.

Exports to the UK grew 10.71% in March and 4.74% in Q1, while exports to India and Pakistan under Free Trade Agreements climbed 24.02% YoY in March, totaling $95.89 million.

Fitch Ratings has raised concerns about the financial health of Sri Lanka’s state-owned banks, warning that their capital levels remain weak despite strong profits in 2024. This is mainly due to a mandatory capital reserve they must maintain to cover risks from restructured foreign loans given to the government.

According to Fitch, the Central Bank has instructed banks to set aside a special reserve equal to 15% of their outstanding foreign currency loans and bonds to the government, which were recently restructured.

This reserve is not counted as part of the banks’ capital, directly affecting their capital adequacy ratios. The rule applies for six months from the end of 2024, but Fitch expects further regulatory measures to follow.

This move hits state banks hardest, particularly Bank of Ceylon (BOC) and People’s Bank (PB), which together had to allocate 72% of their profits—equal to 2.2% of risk-weighted assets—toward this special reserve. Without this requirement, their capital ratios would have increased by about 2 percentage points.

Fitch noted that over two-thirds of these restructured loans originated from a state-owned enterprise, and they accounted for around 14% of the banks’ combined loan books and 7% of their total assets. These loans were restructured as part of the broader sovereign debt restructuring completed in 2024.

Despite the financial strain, state banks are not expected to fail. Their high exposure to the government—more than half of their assets—continues to tie their financial health closely to the state. However, Fitch warns that if the risk weights on these foreign loans were raised to 100%, the Tier 1 capital levels of BOC and PB could fall below 10%, a potentially worrying threshold.

With this in mind, attention is now turning to the government’s 2023 budget, which allocated Rs. 450 billion for possible support to state banks and other sectors. There is growing speculation that a portion of this amount could be infused into BOC and PB during 2025 to shore up their capital base and help meet regulatory buffers.

Fitch said the long-term pressure on these banks will ease if lending shifts more toward the private sector and less toward the government. However, in the short term, state support may be necessary to keep them compliant and stable.

The strong national ratings of the state banks still reflect their dominant market share—over one-third of sector assets and deposits—and solid funding through wide branch networks and close government ties. But Fitch made it clear: without capital infusion or regulatory relaxation, their vulnerability will remain a key concern.

In contrast, large private banks like Commercial Bank and Hatton National Bank faced a much smaller impact, as their exposure to government debt—mostly through international sovereign bonds—was lower, making up just 3.2% of assets.Private banks were also able to reverse some provisions set aside earlier for potential losses from government bond exposure. Initially, they had provisioned about 52% of their holdings, but after the final losses turned out to be only around 30%, the excess was written back, boosting profits

The “Siri Dalada Vandanawa,” the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, will conclude on Sunday (April 27) as previously scheduled and will not be extended, according to Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara, the Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa.

In a special statement issued, he noted that the event had seen a larger-than-expected turnout of devotees. “We have been fortunate to have more devotees worshipping than planned,” he said.

He added that the city of Kandy has become extremely crowded due to the influx of devotees from across the country. This situation has created difficulties for many in accessing the opportunity to venerate the Sacred Tooth Relic.

“At the same time, we had to face obstacles in providing facilities in terms of environment and hygiene,” the Diyawadana Nilame explained. He further emphasized that, for the convenience and safety of the public, the decision was made to conclude the exposition on April 27 as initially announced.

The ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’ began on April 18, offering both local and international devotees a rare chance to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic. This year’s 10-day exposition marks the first public display of the relic in 16 years.