February 25, Colombo (LNW): The debate on the second reading of the 2025 Budget Appropriation bill is set to conclude today (25).
The debate, which has been ongoing since 18 February, is set to culminate in a crucial vote scheduled for 6:00 PM this evening.
The budget, officially presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, was initially introduced to Parliament last week.
This year’s budget represents Sri Lanka’s 79th, and it has been the focus of intense scrutiny and debate among lawmakers, reflecting the nation’s financial priorities for the year ahead.
The debate on the second reading, which spans seven days, will come to a close today, and the final decision will be made by Parliament through the scheduled vote.
This vote will determine whether the proposed allocations and financial plans outlined in the budget will proceed to the next stage of the legislative process.
Following the conclusion of the second reading debate, the next phase of deliberation—the Committee Stage—will begin on February 27 and will run until March 21.
This stage, which will take place over 19 days, including four Saturdays, allows for more detailed scrutiny and potential amendments to the budget proposals.
Finally, the third reading of the Appropriation Bill is set to take place on March 21, with a vote expected at 6.00 PM.
This final vote will determine whether the budget is formally approved, setting the financial framework for the country’s governance in the coming year.
February 25, Colombo (LNW): The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has made two further arrests in relation to the tragic murder of notorious underworld figure Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne, commonly known as “Ganemulla Sanjeewa,” who was fatally shot at the Aluthkade No. 05 Magistrate’s Court on 19 February 2025.
These latest arrests, which took place yesterday (24), have brought the total number of suspects currently in custody to ten.
The newly apprehended individuals have been identified as the mother and younger brother of one of the key suspects, Ishara Sewwandi, who is accused of playing a significant role in facilitating the crime and covering up vital information.
Both suspects are charged with aiding and abetting the murder, as well as withholding crucial details from the authorities.
The arrested individuals are:
Pingpura Devage Chamidu Thiwanka Weerasinghe (23), from Katuwellegama, Negombo. He is accused of concealing information and providing assistance to the perpetrators of the crime.
Sesathpura Devage Samanthi (48), also from Katuwellegama, Negombo. She faces similar charges of aiding and abetting the murder and obstructing justice by failing to inform the police about the crime.
According to the Colombo Crimes Division, both individuals had prior knowledge of the planned murder but did not report it to the authorities. Instead, they are believed to have actively assisted the criminals, further complicating the investigation.
In addition to these arrests, police have launched an appeal to the public for help in locating another key suspect in the case. The woman, identified as Pingpura Devage Ishara Sewwandi, is suspected of being instrumental in aiding the shooter. Aged 25, Ishara Sewwandi resides at 243/01, Negombo Road, Jaya Mawatha, Katuwellegama, and holds a National Identity Card (NIC) numbered 995892480V. Police are urging anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward.
To encourage the public’s cooperation, Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasuriya has announced a cash reward from the Police Reward Fund for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of Sewwandi.
Authorities have assured that the identities of all informants will be kept confidential to protect their safety.
February 25, Colombo (LNW): The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has expressed deep concern over a growing number of complaints lodged against the police, citing serious allegations of torture, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, harassment, and inadequate responses to grievances.
These alarming claims were highlighted during a recent discussion aimed at addressing critical human rights issues within the Sri Lanka Police force.
The HRCSL revealed that it has been inundated with complaints involving police officers, many of which involve disturbing reports of violence and misconduct.
Torture, in particular, has been a recurring issue, with numerous citizens alleging abuse at the hands of law enforcement.
Additionally, there are increasing accusations of arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions, along with instances where the police have failed to act on complaints made by victims of human rights violations.
During the dialogue, the commission acknowledged that the newly appointed police leadership is working to improve the situation, and there are efforts underway to address these systemic problems.
However, the HRCSL also stressed that much more needs to be done, particularly in holding perpetrators accountable.
The police force has set an ambitious target to drastically reduce the number of human rights violations within the next year, though details on how they plan to achieve this remain unclear.
One area of particular concern raised by the HRCSL was the role of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sri Lanka Police, which is tasked with investigating police officers accused of committing severe human rights abuses, including torture and enforced disappearances.
The commission highlighted the disturbingly low rates of prosecution and conviction in such cases, underscoring the need for greater accountability within the force.
Moreover, the HRCSL voiced its concerns regarding the rights of human rights defenders, particularly their freedom to peacefully protest against government policies without fear of harassment or retaliation.
The commission called for stronger protection of these individuals, who play a crucial role in advocating for the rights of vulnerable communities.
Another area of focus was the lack of representation of female and Tamil-speaking officers within the police force. The HRCSL noted that this issue is particularly problematic in regions with significant Tamil populations, where the absence of Tamil-speaking officers can lead to miscommunication and discrimination.
In response, the Sri Lanka Police assured that future recruitment campaigns would address this imbalance.
The HRCSL also stressed the need for better training for police officers, particularly those who deal with sensitive cases involving women, children, online gender-based violence, and the LGBTQIA+ community. The Commission called for comprehensive training programmes that would equip officers to handle such cases with the utmost care and professionalism.
Acting Inspector General of Police, Priyanthya Weerasooriya, responded by confirming that the police have initiated actions under the Torture Act of 1994 to address allegations of abuse. He also agreed to issue advisory notes aimed at protecting human rights defenders, preventing custodial deaths, and safeguarding the rights of transgender individuals.
Additionally, the Acting IGP committed to raising awareness among officers regarding the HRCSL Act, which provides protections for commission officials from legal action.
February 25, Colombo (LNW): Authorities have apprehended seven individuals, including a woman, in connection with the murder of a man at Uswetikeiyawa beach last Thursday (20).
The suspects, who were captured in various locations across the island, are believed to include the alleged shooter responsible for the fatal attack.
The tragic incident occurred on the evening of February 20, when a 29-year-old man was discovered lifeless at the popular Morganwatta beach.
He had sustained fatal gunshot wounds, and investigators quickly began piecing together the circumstances surrounding his death.
February 25, Colombo (LNW): Showers will occur at times in Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Matale, Nuwara-Eliyaand Hambantota districts, and showers or thundershowers may occur at several places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts in the evening or night, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (25).
Fairly strong winds of (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Northern, North-central, Eastern and North-western provinces and in Matale and Hambantota districts.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers may occur at several places in the sea areas extending from Kankasanthurai to Hambantota via Trincomalee and Batticaloa. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the sea areas extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle during the afternoon or Night.
Winds:
Winds will be north-easterly and speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to (50-55) kmph at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Kankasanthurai via Puttalam and Mannar and from Matara to Batticaloa via Hambantota and Pottuvil.
State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coasts extending fromColombo to Kankasanthurai via Puttalam and Mannar and from Matara to Batticaloa via Hambantota and Pottuvil will be rough at times. Other sea areas around the island will be Moderate.
February 24, Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) recently initiated a reduction in solar power output to the national grid by instructing small-scale ground-mounted solar producers to scale down their generation between 11 AM and 1 PM. The directive, issued verbally on the morning of February 16, 2025, required each producer to cut production by 50 percent. However, it remains uncertain whether this measure will be repeated in the coming days.
Sameera Ganegoda, President of the Grid Connected Solar Power Association, stated that the affected plants all have a capacity exceeding 10 MW. He highlighted that the power purchase agreements (PPAs) between these producers and the CEB do not include provisions permitting such curtailments.
In response, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has requested an official report from the CEB regarding these unexpected power reductions, which were carried out without prior notice to the regulatory authority. Additionally, the PUCSL has sought clarification on CEB’s plans for managing solar power supply in the future.
This development follows the nationwide blackout that occurred on February 9, 2025. In an official statement, the CEB attributed the outage to a disturbance at the 33kV Panadura Grid Substation, which led to a sudden voltage drop across the power network.
At the time of the failure, over 50% of the national electricity demand was being met by solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, contributing 800 MW, while other sources included the Lakvijaya Power Plant at Norochcholai (470 MW) and hydropower plants (130 MW).
The CEB explained that the high penetration of non-synchronous solar PV generation resulted in low system inertia, making the grid susceptible to faults.
The disruption caused an imbalance between power generation and demand, leading to cascading failures and a complete system outage. A significant voltage drop triggered the disconnection of multiple solar PV systems, further destabilizing the grid.
As a precautionary measure to prevent similar incidents, the CEB announced plans to curtail ground-mounted solar PV generation during low-demand periods when necessary to minimize grid instability. However, this measure will not impact rooftop solar installations.
Industry experts have expressed concerns over the abrupt nature of these instructions, stating that they were unanticipated and lacked transparency.
They argue that the least-cost generation principle was violated, and it remains unclear how the specific power plants were chosen for curtailment and what criteria were used to determine the extent of these restrictions.
As the solar power sector seeks greater clarity, stakeholders are urging the CEB to establish transparent guidelines and consult with producers to ensure a fair and effective approach to managing grid stability while maximizing renewable energy contributions.
February 24, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s debt crisis has been the most critical issue affecting its economy post the 2022 meltdown, with years of borrowing to finance development projects, cover fiscal deficits, and manage post-war reconstruction.
The current state of Sri Lanka’s debt repayments are still to be concluded and several measures need to be taken to alleviate the burden, and to manage its ongoing obligations, economic analyst company director and new Chairman at Union Bank, Dinesh Weerakkody said
While the road ahead remains challenging, Sri Lanka’s clear commitment to fiscal responsibility and economic growth prospects combined with international support, offers hope ,he added.
Sri Lanka is facing a significant debt service burden in the coming years, with payments in 2025 estimated at US $2.45 billion.
This amount comprises $1.37 billion in capital repayments and $1.08 billion in interest, according to Deputy Minister of Economic Development Ani Jayantha.
The financial obligations remain substantial in the following years as well. In 2026, the country must repay $1.19 billion in principal and $931 million in interest.
In 2027, the debt service includes $1.2 billion in principal and $893 million in interest, while in 2028, repayments rise to $2.13 billion, alongside $974 million in interest.
These figures, however, only reflect immediate debt commitments. Under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, projections from a June 2024 report indicate a much larger debt service obligation, rising from $7.18 billion in 2025 to an alarming $15.1 billion in the coming years.
Minister Jayantha noted in parliament that these projections would be revised periodically to reflect economic conditions and fiscal policies. The actual reserve collection under the IMF program is tied to a net international reserve target as a quantitative performance criterion, which Sri Lanka has so far managed to meet.
Net international reserves, defined as gross reserves minus reserve-related liabilities, remain a key concern. Sri Lanka’s central bank has historically borrowed heavily from multiple sources, including the IMF, India, and local banks, to support a fixed policy rate.
This was achieved through inflationary open market operations, which injected excess liquidity into the banking system.
Over the past two years, some progress has been made in repaying debts, including those owed to Bangladesh and portions of loans from the Reserve Bank of India and the IMF.
However, there have been calls for legislative action to restrict the central bank’s ability to borrow foreign exchange through swaps and subsequently lose them by maintaining a fixed policy rate.
Rising Risks and Economic Vulnerabilities
Sri Lanka’s debt service burden is exacerbated by structural economic vulnerabilities. The country has struggled with recurring balance of payment crises due to excessive reliance on external borrowing and currency mismatches in its debt profile.
At the peak of the crisis in 2024, the central bank’s net reserves plummeted to a negative $4.6 billion. A shift towards deflationary open market operations in recent months has helped reserves return to positive territory, but the overall debt sustainability remains fragile.
February 24, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is planning to allow number portability from June 2025, according to a statement on the proceedings of a Ministerial Consultative Committee on Digital Economic Affairs held at the parliament.
The Consultative Committee meeting was chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “The Committee also discussed the possibility of mobile phone users to regain the same mobile phone number they used when changing their mobile phone network operator, and in response, the officials said that this facility will be implemented from next June,” the statement said.
Number portability allows a subscriber to switch networks using the same number.Though there has been talk of allowing number portability for many years, it has not happened.Number portability allows greater competition which and can impact the larger players.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) is receiving queries from the public regarding the implementation of Number Portability (NP) service. The Commission has taken the following steps to implement NP service, TRC said in a statement in September last year
Initially, the Commission held discussions with the operators and made a plan to implement the NP service.A Public Consultation Paper was published in 2021, and the views of all relevant stakeholders were obtained, it added. .
The appropriate technical model was then decided in consultation with the telecom operators. A company called Lanka Number Portability Services (Guarantee) Limited (LNPS) was formed with the participation of all fixed and mobile operators for the operation and administration of the NP service, TRCSL disclosed. .
TRCSL granted the licence required for the operation of NP service to LNPS.The approval of the Attorney General’s Department has been granted for NP Rules and Guidelines, which were prepared in coordination with Telecom Operators.
LNPS initiated the procurement process to select a suitable entity to provide the technical system and the technical evaluation has been completed. TRCSL has been informed that the financial evaluation is being done and it can be completed by January 2025.
Upon completion of the entire procurement process, the LNPS will select a suitable equipment supplier and complete the installation of the system. It is expected to commence the provision of NP service thereafter.ut added.
However Sri Lanka’s telecommunications regulator has ruled out the implementation of the Mobile phone Number Portability (MNP) which would have allowed subscribers to switch networks while using the same number in November 2020.
The proposal has been rejected due to the huge cost involved (in its implementation). Former Director General of Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) Anusha Palpita at that time said at least US$96 million investment is needed to implement this service with the return on investment very low in a small mobile phone market such as Sri Lanka.
He added that such a huge investment should be made by local mobile telecom operators and it will be more prudent for them to use that money in providing a better service to their customers.
Mr. Palpita warned that if they go ahead with the plan to introduce MNP, local telecom operators would pass the huge cost incurred by them on to customers.
Those who are ‘confined to a specific network, simply because they want to keep the same number and not because of specific advantages from that network would be able to switch to a better network if this change is implemented.
February 24, Colombo (LNW): Under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Sri Lankan government is taking decisive steps to investigate and address major corruption scandals and financial crimes. A key focus of this initiative is the recovery of overseas assets linked to influential political figures, with efforts also directed toward revising international legal frameworks to enhance asset recovery.
Several high-profile cases are being revisited, including the Central Bank bond scam, the misappropriation of sugar tax revenues, the garlic fraud, irregularities in coal procurement for the Lakvijaya Power Plant between 2022 and 2025, and the controversial purchase of 96,000 metric tons of organic fertilizer.
To strengthen this anti-corruption drive, the government is preparing to introduce a new bill in parliament. This legislation aims to empower a specialized team of experienced investigators with statutory authority to handle complex financial crime cases. Currently, investigative authority is concentrated under the Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, but the new bill seeks to expand and expedite these efforts.
Wasantha Samarasinghe, convener of the JVP-led Anti-Corruption Voice and a key figure in the National People’s Power (NPP) executive committee, emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring corrupt individuals face justice. He highlighted that 118 files on financial crimes, originally investigated by the now-defunct Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), remain unresolved at the Attorney General’s Department.
In 2016, the NPP had submitted 570 cases to the FCID, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Bribery or Corruption Commission. Among these, 118 cases had been thoroughly investigated by the FCID and forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department, yet no legal action has been taken so far.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its Technical Assistance Report on Governance Diagnostic Assessment, acknowledged the critical role of Sri Lanka’s recent anti-corruption efforts. The IMF report noted that the mass protests of 2022 reflected public consensus on systemic corruption being a key factor in the nation’s economic crisis. The resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022 underscored the urgent need for governance reform as an essential step toward economic stability, with civil society actively pushing for greater accountability and transparency.
Significant legislative reforms have also taken place. The Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 replaced the outdated Bribery Act No. 11 of 1954, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption Act No. 19 of 1998, and the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law No. 1 of 1975. Under the new law, the Anti-Corruption Commission is authorized to conduct preliminary inquiries and, upon finding reasonable grounds, direct the Director General to initiate full investigations and legal proceedings.
According to the revised legal framework, if an accused individual pleads guilty, the magistrate can record a conviction and impose a sentence in accordance with the law. For those who contest the charges, the proceedings will follow the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979, with necessary adjustments made for magistrate court trials.
With these strengthened legal and investigative measures, the government aims to restore public confidence and establish a more transparent system to combat corruption and financial misconduct in Sri Lanka.
February 21, Colombo (LNW): We realized how dangerous rugby is in Sri Lanka with the death of Thajudeen. He was a player who represented Sri Lanka’s ‘A’ sports clubs. A very talented player. No one competed for him with a black belt. There was no two-minute silence before the matches started. No one stood on the road, holding up a sign to commemorate the fate of their comrade. Some may have been silently reflecting on how dangerous it is to strike your head against hard black rocks, while Some might have even thought about leaning against those black rocks and feeling comfortable.
That was because the game was overshadowed by the political noise surrounding the group suspected of being involved in Thajudeen’s murder, and their obsession with silencing others.
They also had the ability to leverage their diplomatic connections and garner more and more support both domestically and internationally. When Namal Rajapaksa became the Sports Minister of this country, we thought he would take big steps to promote his sport, rugby. But instead of supporting the current administration, he added his name to history. What he did was to bring rugby into disrepute internationally, to compensate for that crime by cutting funding for rugby development in this country, and to create an advisory council to put the administration under his control, by appointing the person who could have taken responsibility in Asia without an investigation, since the law was not enforced under his father’s government. Through existing state relations, with the blessing of the president’s cousin, and the son of the former president and then prime minister, the Asia President, he showed the way that Sri Lanka should have its own preferred rugby.
The social suspicion that challenges them within a criminal mechanism that is not limited to these crimes, at least creating resentment and threatening to say “I know everything” is considered an act that will not be allowed to be spoken about again has not yet been removed.
It is doubtful how a government that came to power with a social criticism that arose from understanding its depth and evil ideas and using that as one of the reasons, can still be blessed to maintain the rugby shape in a Rajapaksa-style form.
It is becoming clear that such operations are hanging in interesting places everywhere. Some of those who have left the Rajapaksa network, not in the spirit of last-minute departures, may have come with the desire to protect it. But the less experienced sometimes touch on these with the heavy words sown by officials about separate severe official responsibility, and not from real practicality. Officials are very capable of breeding these to ministers. The former Ombudsman informed the Director General in July 2024 that it was worth investigating the worst tragedy in rugby history. He must also have known about some of the facts. At the time of this incident, the Immigration and Emigration Commissioner was in office and not only the Director General but also the then Secretary to the Ministry was informed. If it is said that this was not informed, it is worth examining the letters that arrived from the Ombudsman’s office to the offices of the Director General and the Ministry Secretary on July 4th and 5th.
These events are very clear. They are planned. They may have been done from a distance that the minister cannot see. Accordingly, the chief executive of the administration related to the biggest rugby tragedy will have to be brought to the chairman of the National Sports Advisory Council by the minister.
Those who were in every sports body that caused a lot of damage by carrying forward the actions of the Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa have come and taken their seats again with the responsibility of advising. In order to ensure the obedience of the sports clubs in that category, which have not seriously affected the player who played within their circle since the murder of Thajudeen, a constitutional change that will transfer more of the burden of the rugby mechanism to them is being made in accordance with international demands, disregarding the judicial agreements of Sri Lanka.
There is also something to think about. Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s naval exploits are a very well-known story. The current Director General, who was at the top of the Navy at that time, had no desire or feeling to oppose any of the privileges he received. It is not that there are not those in the army who have gone off duty due to some wrongdoings and returned to hold high positions. For example, Shani Abeysekara, who was summoned to the police at this moment with great confidence, can be taken. Therefore, as an officer who knows the formula for achieving his immediate goal by being flexible and working more flexibly to politics or appearing to be so, the Director General has been able to gain the trust of three Sports Ministers in this limited history as a close officer.
The Minister does not understand the need to continue the responsibility of changing rugby with an international face and influence under the old constitution, even if the court says so, as a result of not reading the source and not experiencing it in practice. Even if so, when the local rugby administration, which is doing business with the international community, goes to the constitutional amendment with decisions taken on matters that affect the destructive present of rugby in Sri Lanka, many of those who are trying to protect it by amending the constitution without going to an election at this moment may not even have the opportunity to stay in rugby again.
But everything is happening and the minister is also holding that he believes that he has to believe that he has to believe that we are not clear about what poison has been fed to us. But it will be more credible than the risk of our lives. We do not hesitate to accept the risk. It is the witnesses of a history that we have experienced. Once, in an incident that raised suspicions of being chased and kidnapped, this writer and Priyan R. Wijebandara came forward on behalf of Sanath Balasuriya. The result was that the famous white van transport service came after us. Since there was a loving heart in Keells on Marine Drive, we were allowed to hide in it for a while.
But our friends and family, like us, were victims of this brutal political invasion. They challenged it knowing it better than us. They gave us the knowledge and practice of giving meaning to life for people who continue to live in the face of signs of death. Before our friend Poddala Jayantha was brutally attacked, he came to our office for discussions and before leaving, we were so scared that we asked, “Is there anything wrong, man? Can you go?” The ‘Poddala’s’ courage showed us the way to take them with a light smile and engage in their practice. In such a way, when we realize that many media friends who were victims, while fulfilling their responsibility, did not waste time on the terrifying shadows of death that followed them, and even reduced our meetings for a moment to keep our lives safe, we know that in a society that sees sports as a game, its socio-political impact and the scope of its potential for spread are enormous. Therefore, when looking at political history, it will be felt that the need to bring foreigners who were fined £50,000 to play sports in Sri Lanka is similar to topics such as the money flowing into sports clubs and the Hambantota Commonwealth Games.
Therefore, knowing the danger and its fear, we will not allow ourselves to be silenced. We do not know whether the Sports Minister, as a man who does not maintain this silence, has completed the struggle exercise that he agreed to at the first moment after assuming power. However, it must be said that wreaths are unnecessary on a day when we are silenced when the truth is not spoken due to the opportunity given to lies.
Having concluded that Thajudeen died on Park Road from injuries sustained when his car was involved in an accident, caught fire, and some of the equipment in the car struck his body like blunt weapons, leaving aside grief for his comrade, there is no protest against the team that is trying to improve the entire sport by surrounding people who are happy with the accused, only a sense of disappointment that has been completely shattered.
