June 23, Colombo (LNW): A prominent Sri Lankan anti-corruption organisation has taken its concerns over a proposed amendment to company law to the nation’s highest court, warning that the reform threatens to entrench secrecy rather than promote transparency.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) lodged a public interest petition before the Supreme Court on June 19, 2025, challenging specific provisions within a government-backed Bill seeking to amend the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007.

At the heart of the legal challenge lies Clause 7 of the draft legislation, which proposes the creation of a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) register — a tool designed to expose the individuals who truly own or control corporate entities.

Whilst the stated purpose of the BOI register is to advance corporate transparency and counter financial crimes, TISL argues that the version laid out in the draft Bill does the opposite. Rather than enabling public scrutiny, the proposed system introduces significant limitations on access to ownership information, thereby frustrating efforts to detect corruption and illicit financial activity.

The organisation maintains that opaque business structures are routinely exploited to hide wealth, facilitate illegal transactions, launder money, and advance foreign interference and organised crime.

Against this backdrop, TISL insists that a robust and publicly accessible BOI framework is essential, particularly as Sri Lanka continues to recover from its recent political and economic crises.

Despite the government’s commitments under the Governance Action Plan 2025 and the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan for 2025–2029 — both of which pledge to establish an open, searchable online register — the Bill currently under consideration fails to deliver on these promises.

TISL is particularly critical of Section 130A(6), which merely instructs the Registrar of Companies to keep an internal list of beneficial owners, with no requirement for digital publication or coordination with other public data systems. Furthermore, Section 130D restricts the release of information to just the name of the owner and the nature of their control, and even then, only upon individual request.

This request-based model, TISL contends, is cumbersome and time-consuming, and would deter journalists, investigators, and civil society from accessing critical information in a timely manner.

The watchdog further argues that such a system runs counter to global best practices, citing international recommendations — including the 2023 IMF Governance Diagnostic Assessment — which advocate for open, verifiable registers as a central element of effective anti-corruption policy.

TISL’s petition calls on the Supreme Court to rule that Clause 7 of the proposed amendment conflicts with the Constitution, specifically Article 12(1), which ensures equality before the law, and Article 14A, which guarantees the public’s right to information. Whilst acknowledging the inclusion of the Right to Information framework in the draft law as a step in the right direction, TISL warns that the lack of proactive disclosure will weaken oversight, hamper asset recovery efforts, and diminish public trust.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): Amid growing public outrage over the distribution of substandard medicines in state hospitals, the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights has urged the government to launch a comprehensive investigation into all those implicated in the unfolding pharmaceutical controversy, which dates back to the tenure of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

Dr Chamal Sanjeewa, Chairman of the alliance, stressed that accountability must extend far beyond political figures. He called for scrutiny of a broad spectrum of officials who allegedly played a role in facilitating the supply and approval of unsafe medical products.

Amongst those named were individuals linked to the national blood bank, who are suspected of having diverted blood for use in the production of inferior pharmaceuticals. Senior figures at the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), including its former chairpersons, have also come under suspicion for having approved dubious procurements despite irregularities in the documentation.

Dr Sanjeewa has also urged the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to widen its probe to include regulatory officials at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). He alleged that the authority greenlit medications without adequate testing, further undermining public confidence in the country’s health safeguards.

Additionally, he criticised the Director General of Health Services for repeatedly failing to attend key decision-making meetings, thereby allowing questionable imports to proceed unchecked.

The implications of this scandal are deeply troubling. According to revelations made in court by the Attorney General, some of the drugs distributed to patients contained dangerous levels of bacteria and contaminated saline—posing a direct threat to patient safety.

The AG further clarified that the responsibility for oversight lies squarely with health ministry officials and not with his office.

Concerns have also surfaced over the Health Ministry’s failure to issue certificates confirming that imported medicines met the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO), casting doubt over the quality of pharmaceuticals administered in public hospitals across the country.

In a move to restore integrity to the system, Dr Sanjeewa offered his support for establishing a domestic drug testing laboratory accredited by the WHO. He appealed to the President to intervene directly, warning that unless immediate corrective measures are taken, patients with critical conditions such as cancer, infections, and diabetes remain at grave risk due to compromised treatment.

“The collapse of the mandatory quality assurance process under the NMRA Act has put countless lives in jeopardy,” Dr Sanjeewa stated. “This is not merely an issue of financial malpractice—it is a humanitarian crisis. Had the appropriate controls been in place, this dangerous lapse would never have occurred. The public deserves justice, transparency, and a healthcare system they can trust.”

June 23, Colombo (LNW): In a bid to curb the escalating threat posed by invasive pests—particularly whiteflies—the Coconut Cultivation Board is initiating a comprehensive national campaign dubbed “Coconut Fortnight” (locally referred to as Pol Desathiya).

This concerted effort aims to safeguard one of Sri Lanka’s most vital agricultural resources from further damage.

The inaugural phase of the initiative is set to begin on July 14, with Jaffna district identified as the starting point for field operations. Dr Sunimal Jayakody, Chairman of the Coconut Cultivation Board, stated that the campaign is being launched as an urgent countermeasure following mounting concerns over the whitefly outbreak, which has begun to impact coconut yield and tree health in several regions.

“The Coconut Fortnight is not just symbolic,” Dr Jayakody explained. “We are undertaking a systematic intervention to contain and eliminate the spread of whiteflies, beginning in the north. The trees in Jaffna will undergo a thorough cleansing process using water jets to physically remove these pests.

Though labour-intensive, this method has proven effective in reducing pest populations without the use of excessive chemicals.”

Preparations are already under way to mobilise personnel, equipment, and logistical support for what is expected to be one of the largest pest control operations carried out by the Board in recent years.

Authorities are coordinating with local councils and agricultural officers to ensure a smooth rollout of the campaign across all coconut-growing districts in the coming weeks.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, is arriving in Sri Lanka today (23) for an official visit that will span until June 26.

His presence marks a significant diplomatic development, being the first visit by a UN human rights chief to the island nation in over eight years.

According to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Türk’s itinerary includes high-level engagements across political, religious, and civil sectors.

He is expected to meet with the country’s President and Prime Minister, along with the Foreign Minister and several other key Cabinet figures. Parliamentary members, senior government officials, religious leaders, representatives from civil society, diplomats, and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka are also scheduled to hold discussions with the visiting dignitary.

The visit is framed as part of a continued dialogue between Sri Lanka and the UN on human rights matters and post-conflict reconciliation. Emphasis will reportedly be placed on strengthening cooperation in the areas of accountability, transitional justice, and the safeguarding of civil liberties.

As part of his tour, Türk is set to travel to the historic city of Kandy, where he will visit the revered Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and meet the Chief Prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters—two of the most influential Buddhist monastic orders in the country.

His journey will also take him to the northern and eastern regions, with planned stops in Jaffna and Trincomalee. There, he is expected to meet with the provincial Governors and engage with local communities, particularly those affected by the long-standing ethnic conflict.