July 27, Colombo (LNW): A recent session of the Committee on Public Accounts (CoPA) has brought to light a troubling example of public expenditure lacking in meaningful impact, as over Rs. 2.4 million was reportedly spent on new signage alone for a large-scale reclassification of provincial schools.

The initiative, launched under a previous administration, aimed to rebrand 809 provincial schools as national schools. However, inquiries by the committee revealed that the transformation has been, for the most part, superficial.

The schools in question remain unchanged in terms of infrastructure, staffing, or academic standards—bearing only the new titles without the substantive improvements such a designation would typically imply.

Officials from the Ministry of Education were called before CoPA to explain the rationale behind the spending, which has been criticised for prioritising cosmetic changes over genuine educational development.

Members of the committee expressed concern that the move appears to have been little more than a symbolic gesture, with minimal benefit to students or the broader education system.

In response to the findings, CoPA has instructed the Ministry to compile a detailed report within three months. This report must cover the broader programme to expand the number of national schools to 1,000—a target set by the former government—as well as provide specific updates on 72 related projects initiated under the State Ministry of Education.

July 27, Colombo (LNW): A group of Members of the British Parliament paid a formal visit to Sri Lanka’s central seat of executive power on the afternoon of July 25, engaging in both diplomatic discussion and historical exploration.

The visiting delegation was welcomed at the Presidential Secretariat, where they took part in a brief but cordial meeting with Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, who serves as Secretary to the President.

The dialogue centred on matters of mutual interest, touching upon governance, democratic traditions, and the longstanding ties between the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka.

Following the meeting, the delegation was given a guided tour of some of the Secretariat’s most historically significant spaces. Amongst the highlights were the Presidential Secretariat Library, a repository of state documents and rare volumes, the venerable Old Parliament chamber which once housed the nation’s legislature, and the Cabinet Meeting Hall, where many pivotal decisions in Sri Lanka’s history have been deliberated.

Accompanying the delegation were Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage, and British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, along with several other senior officials from both governments.

July 27, Colombo (LNW): Several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Fairly strong winds of about 50 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern and North-central provinces and in Puttalam, Trincomalee, and Hambantota districts.

Marine Weather:

Condition of Rain:
Showers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle.

Winds:
Winds will be westerly to south-westerly and wind 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 Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota and from Kalpitiya to Vakarai via Mannar, Kankasanthurai and Trincomalee.

State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coast extending from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota and from Kalpitiya to Vakarai via Mannar, Kankasanthurai and Trincomalee may rough at times.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahuman has raised serious concerns in Parliament over an alleged tax evasion racket involving the importation of brand-new BYD electric vehicles to Sri Lanka.

Speaking in Parliament on the 24th, MP Rahuman claimed that there appears to be a suspicious discrepancy in the customs duties charged on brand-new versus used BYD vehicles, specifically the ATTO 3 model.

“These brand-new BYD ATTO 3 vehicles are being declared as having a 100 kW battery capacity, and a duty of only LKR 5.5 million is imposed. But when a used ATTO 3 vehicle is brought in, it is declared with a 150 kW battery and taxed at LKR 10 million,” Rahuman stated.

He pointed out that the official BYD website lists only a 150 kW version for the ATTO 3 model, and no 100 kW variant exists. “So how can a brand-new vehicle be declared as 100 kW and taxed less, while a used one is declared as 150 kW and taxed more? That’s a tax discrepancy of LKR 4.5 million per vehicle,” he added.

Rahuman further questioned whether the main company involved in importing these vehicles has any ties with the government. “Just like the recent scandal with container clearance, is this also being allowed to pass with reduced tax under some special connection?”

The MP urged authorities to investigate whether this was a deliberate misdeclaration aimed at reducing import taxes and whether there was any collusion involved.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya announced that the Government will establish a National Industrial Planning Think Tank aimed at revitalising the rural economy. The proposed body will provide essential technical, scientific, and advisory support to strengthen businesses across the country.

The Prime Minister made this announcement while attending the 40th Anniversary celebrations of the Regional Development Bank (RDB) at the BMICH on Thursday (25).

As part of the anniversary event, the Prime Minister launched the ‘RDB Quick App’, a new online banking facility, and opened a three-day business product exhibition. A commemorative stamp issued by the Department of Posts to mark the milestone was also officially presented to her.

In her address, Dr. Amarasuriya praised the RDB’s role in empowering small and medium-scale entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas.

“The hand extended by the Regional Development Bank to small and medium-scale entrepreneurs in uplifting the rural economy is highly commendable,” she said. “The Bank’s engagement with rural communities—offering not just capital but also technical guidance and marketing support—has helped elevate local talent to international standards.”

The Prime Minister also highlighted the significant role of women in the Bank’s operations and customer base, noting that most small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka are women-led. She emphasized the importance of RDB’s support in empowering these women and called for continued collaboration in realising the Government’s vision of ‘A Prosperous Country, A Beautiful Life’.

Also present at the event were Colombo Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazaar, RDB Chairman D.M.T.S. Kumara, and senior officials from the Bank.

Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath announced yesterday (25) that the Government has decided to waive visa fees for tourists from 40 additional countries, in a major move to boost arrivals and revitalise the tourism industry.

Speaking at the inauguration of the “Hotel Show Colombo 2025” exhibition held at the Bandaranaike International Conference Hall (BMICH), Minister Herath said that the Cabinet of Ministers had approved the decision, and a formal Gazette notification will be issued soon to implement the new visa policy.

“We will allow tourists from forty more countries to enter Sri Lanka without paying a visa fee once the relevant Gazette is published,” he said.

The Minister acknowledged that the Treasury would forego approximately USD 66 million annually in direct revenue from visa fees. However, he underscored that the potential indirect economic gains far outweigh the losses.

“While we may lose that amount directly, we expect to earn much more through increased tourist arrivals and the growth of the tourism industry,” he added.

The Government is aiming to attract more than 2.5 million tourists in 2025 as part of its broader post-crisis economic recovery strategy.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya assured Parliament yesterday (25) that the Government will not hesitate to take strict action against any individual — including officials currently serving in the Government — found to have played a role in the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

Responding to a question raised by SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri, the Prime Minister stated that action would be taken based on the recommendations provided by the Attorney General, following a thorough review of the Easter Attacks Investigation Commission Report.

“Once the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) concludes its investigations, all those found guilty — regardless of rank or position — will be dealt with under the Penal Code. If any public official currently serving is implicated, they too will face the full force of the law,” she stressed.

Dr. Amarasuriya reiterated the Government’s commitment to a fair and transparent investigation and rejected MP Wijesiri’s claims questioning the impartiality of the probe due to Defence Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekara’s presence in the Government.

“The presence of any individual in office will not influence the integrity of the investigation,” the Prime Minister affirmed.

Leader of the House and Minister Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament yesterday (25) that there is no requirement for Defence Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekera to step down in order to ensure impartiality in the ongoing investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

He clarified that the investigation is being carried out by the Ministry of Public Security, not the Ministry of Defence, and therefore there is no conflict necessitating the Deputy Minister’s resignation.

Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala also addressed the House, stating that he had already presented a comprehensive and detailed account to Parliament on the matter.

Minister Ratnayake added that the Public Security Minister is fully entitled to respond to questions raised by the opposition regarding the Easter attacks and the progress of related investigations.

The Implementation Letter on Debt Restructuring between the Governments of Sri Lanka and France was officially signed on Thursday (July 24), marking a key milestone in Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process.

This follows the bilateral agreement signed between the two governments on June 16, 2025, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Office of the Controller of Creditors (OCC) on June 26, 2024, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said in a statement.

As part of the agreement, the Finance Ministry, acting as the authorised representative of the Sri Lankan Government, was tasked with finalising Implementation Letters with key French institutions: the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Bpifrance Assurance Export, and the Banque de France—who serve as representatives of the French Government in executing the provisions of the bilateral agreement.

Accordingly, the Implementation Letter with AFD was signed at the Finance Ministry premises on July 24, 2025.