The Indian High Commission in Colombo distributed 500 copies of the Sinhala translations of five Amar Chitra Katha Jataka Tales comic books to students at Siri Pagngnathissa Dharma Vidyalaya, located at Sri Sudarshanarama Purana Viharaya, Kiribathgoda, on the occasion of Medin Full Moon Poya Day.
Translated and published by Amar Chitra Katha, India’s largest comic book publisher, these books aim to present the timeless wisdom of the Jataka Tales in an engaging and accessible format. By illustrating the moral lessons and spiritual teachings of the Buddha, the initiative seeks to inspire children and instill core Buddhist values through storytelling.
Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre Director, Professor Ankuran Dutta, symbolically handed over the books to the students. The initiative received an overwhelming response, with children appreciating the effort to enhance their knowledge of Dhamma and Buddhist literature.
This initiative further strengthens the civilizational bond between India and Sri Lanka, reinforcing the shared Buddhist heritage between the two nations. The Indian High Commission has announced plans to expand the distribution of Jataka Tales comic books to Sunday schools across Sri Lanka, ensuring that young learners continue to engage with the teachings of the Buddha in a creative and meaningful way.
Ambassador Khalid bin Hamoud Alkahtani hosted a special reception to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.
The event, held in Colombo, was graced by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra as the Chief Guest.
Several Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Senior Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with Heads of Diplomatic Missions accredited to Sri Lanka and media professionals, were present at the occasion.
The reception celebrated the strong and enduring ties between Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, highlighting the two nations’ long-standing cooperation in trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
The Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday strongly condemned fraudulent cryptocurrency advertisements currently being circulated on Facebook and Instagram, falsely featuring Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other well-known Sri Lankan figures.
“These deceptive ads, operated by foreign entities, aim to mislead the public and exploit the trust associated with prominent personalities,” the statement said.
Investigations have revealed that the scam campaigns originate from fraudulent accounts based in Lithuania, specifically targeting Sri Lankan Facebook users. Similar misleading ads have recently featured Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Science and Technology Minister Chrishantha Abeysena, and journalists Amantha Perera and Sunanda Deshapriya, among others.
The Prime Minister’s Office has urged the public to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements promoting cryptocurrency investments, particularly those falsely claiming endorsements from government officials and public figures.
“No government official or ministry has endorsed any cryptocurrency investment scheme,” the statement emphasized.
Despite repeated reports and removal requests, variations of these fraudulent advertisements continue to appear on social media, raising concerns over Facebook’s inability to effectively curb online scams. The Prime Minister’s Office has called upon Meta (Facebook’s parent company) to take immediate and stronger action to protect Sri Lankan users from financial fraud.
Public Advisory: How to Stay Safe
Do not engage with or click on suspicious ads claiming endorsements from public figures.
Report fraudulent advertisements directly on Facebook and Instagram.
Verify financial opportunities through legitimate sources before investing.
The Prime Minister’s Office reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the public from online fraud and will continue working with relevant authorities to combat this growing threat. It also urged media organizations and digital platforms to act responsibly in curbing the spread of misinformation and scams.
For official government updates, citizens are advised to follow the Prime Minister’s Office’s website and official social media channels.
A discussion on the “Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival 2025”, organized by the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office, was held on March 12 under the patronage of Prime Minister’s Secretary, Pradeep Saputhanthri.
The festival is set to take place from May 12 onwards in and around the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, Temple Trees, Perahera Mawatha, and the Beira Lake area.
The event will showcase Vesak decorations, pandals, and lantern exhibitions, with contributions from the Tri-Forces, school students, university undergraduates, government institutions, and even prison inmates.
Additionally, in line with the Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival, special religious programs will be conducted in government schools and state institutions to promote the spirit of Vesak across the nation.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces during the afternoon or night.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Central, North-western and Uva provinces during the afternoon or night.
Fairly heavy showers about 50mm can be expected at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during 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.
March 13, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka continues to struggle with attracting substantial foreign direct investments (FDIs), with most private-sector deals averaging only $20 million—far below the $400-500 million transactions required to create a significant economic impact, according to Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka CEO Bingumal Thewarathanthri.
Speaking at SCB’s Annual Global Research briefing, Thewarathanthri emphasized the need for policy consistency to improve the ease of doing business, which would, in turn, encourage steady FDI inflows. While there is a promising pipeline of smaller investments driven by local investors, he noted that major deals are necessary to drive large-scale economic progress.
One of the key challenges, he pointed out, is the frequent shifts in economic policies, particularly in areas such as investment laws, land regulations, and tax structures. He highlighted that successive governments have made changes to these policies every few years, creating uncertainty and discouraging long-term investors.
Looking at past FDI performance, Thewarathanthri mentioned that Sri Lanka has attracted only around $20 billion in total over the past 20-30 years. Notable exceptions include the 2012 Shangri-La investment and the over $1 billion investment in the Hambantota port in 2017, both of which were driven by private-sector initiatives.
Despite these challenges, he remained optimistic that sustained policy stability and business-friendly reforms would gradually boost investor confidence. He cited Vietnam as an example of a country that has successfully leveraged policy consistency to attract significant FDI, whereas Sri Lanka’s inconsistency has hindered investor trust.
Beyond policy concerns, he also pointed to issues such as limited land access, inadequate capital availability, and infrastructure gaps as additional barriers to attracting investment. He criticized the prolonged policy development process for the Colombo Port City project, arguing that more effort should have been spent on enhancing its appeal to investors rather than delaying its implementation.
“Sri Lanka cannot afford to make short-term policy shifts every election cycle. To attract the kind of FDIs that will drive real economic growth, we need a stable, long-term economic policy framework,” he stressed.
March 13, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is set to transform Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) into a profitable venture by establishing an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility. This initiative aims to mitigate the significant financial losses the airport has incurred over the past five years, which amount to Rs. 38.5 billion.
Minister of Ports and Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, revealed that discussions are ongoing with major international engineering firms to develop the MRO facility. The government has received initial positive responses and is working towards finalizing agreements.
Previously, Sri Lanka invited foreign investors to establish an MRO at Mattala. A consortium from Russia and India was selected for the project, but the final agreements were never signed. In addition to the MRO facility, the government has also secured approvals for other airport-related activities, such as aircraft parking, cargo transshipment, and aircraft dismantling.
The development plan includes an initial investment of $50 million to improve MRIA’s infrastructure. The airport, which was built at a cost of Rs. 36.5 billion, is strategically located around 30 km from Hambantota Port, a major Chinese-built maritime hub.
A previous government in 2021 had proposed several initiatives to attract more traffic to Mattala Airport, including setting up an MRO unit, a transit hotel, and expanding duty-free services. These efforts were aimed at increasing airport utilization and making MRIA a key player in the region’s aviation sector.
The proposed MRO facility is expected to capitalize on the airport’s ample space and strategic location, positioning Mattala as a competitive hub for aircraft and engine repairs. SriLankan Airlines already operates an MRO facility at Bandaranaike International Airport, providing C-checks and other services to multiple airlines. However, Mattala’s larger area offers an opportunity to expand such operations on a broader scale.
Over the past year, Mattala Airport has already seen some business growth in areas such as aircraft layovers and crew changes. The government is also considering establishing a transit hotel within the airport premises to cater to tourists and airline crew with extended layovers or long connection times.
In addition to aviation services, MRIA is planning to enhance its commercial offerings. The duty-free section will be expanded beyond beverages, confectionery, and perfumes to include a wider range of Sri Lankan products. The airport will also develop its café and restaurant facilities to attract not only air passengers but also travelers passing through the area.
Authorities aim to leverage MRIA’s proximity to popular tourist destinations such as Kataragama and Yala National Park to attract more visitors. By promoting the airport as a convenient gateway for tourists, the government hopes to further boost revenue and ensure the long-term success of the project.
Currently, several international airlines, including SriLankan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Emirates, IndiGo, Maldives Air, Turkish Airlines, and China Eastern, operate occasional or seasonal flights to MRIA. The government’s goal is to increase traffic through the airport, making it a key aviation and tourism hub in the region.
March 13, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is currently navigating a challenging fiscal landscape, where the government has made significant strides toward fiscal discipline in response to growing economic challenges.
Efforts to control the nation’s fiscal deficit, curb inflation, and stabilize the economy have been central to policy decisions. However, maintaining these fiscal measures while ensuring sustainable growth remains a daunting task.
The government has placed a priority on reducing public debt and managing expenditures, particularly primary spending, which accounts for a large portion of the GDP. As part of these measures, the government has committed to a primary expenditure cap of 13% of GDP, though experts believe this target will require stringent efforts and will test the country’s economic resilience.
In this context, Sri Lanka faces the complex challenge of striking a balance between maintaining fiscal disciplines and investing in critical areas of development, such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
While there have been efforts to reduce inefficiencies and unnecessary expenditure, the nation’s fiscal policies continue to be scrutinized by both local and international experts. Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy, former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, provided insights into the government’s fiscal discipline and emphasized areas for improvement in a recent public lecture.
Sri Lanka’s Declining Tax Revenue and Expenditure Challenges
Former Central Bank Governor, Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy, lauded the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline but highlighted significant challenges in maintaining a primary expenditure cap of 13% of GDP.
Speaking at the 75th Anniversary public lecture of the CBSL, he cautioned that adhering to this target would be a formidable challenge given Sri Lanka’s current fiscal position.
Dr. Coomaraswamy pointed to the country’s declining tax-to-GDP ratio, which has dropped significantly from over 20% in the 1990s to a mere 7.4% in 2022.
This decline, he argued, was primarily due to substantial tax cuts in 2019 and tax holidays granted to emerging industries like apparel and tourism.
While these measures were intended to stimulate growth, they failed to compensate for the revenue losses from traditional sectors such as tea, rubber, and coconut, resulting in a reduction of overall tax revenue.
The former Governor stressed that the focus should be on increasing tax revenues rather than cutting essential public expenditures.
He emphasized that once companies become profitable, they must contribute taxes, irrespective of the sector they belong to.
Furthermore, he advocated for modernizing Sri Lanka’s tax administration, specifically calling for the full implementation of digital systems like the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS), which could improve transparency and streamline revenue collection processes.
Dr. Coomaraswamy argued that these reforms would significantly enhance compliance and reduce inefficiencies in the system.
In addition to the tax issues, Dr. Coomaraswamy expressed concern over the country’s declining export sector, noting that exports as a percentage of GDP have fallen from 35% in 2000 to below 20% today. He attributed this to the failure of successive governments to execute export-led growth strategies effectively.
Moreover, Sri Lanka’s intermediate exports remain low, representing less than 5% of total exports, compared to over 50% in countries like Malaysia and Vietnam.
The former Governor also warned against Sri Lanka’s protectionist policies, which have hindered foreign direct investment (FDI) and prevented the country from fully integrating into global supply chains.
He pointed out that the country’s distorted tariff structure and additional para-tariffs, such as PAL and CESS, have rendered Sri Lanka uncompetitive in the global market.
March 13, Colombo (LNW): The Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has been briefed on irregularities surrounding the purchase of medicines during the tenure of former Health Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella.
The session, held recently, saw key officials from the health sector, including those from the National Medicine Regulatory Authority of Sri Lanka (NMRA), provide crucial insights into the matter.
Among those present were NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, CEO Saveen Semage, and Dr. Asela Gunawardena, the Director General of Health Services.
It was revealed that crucial technical documentation had been absent from records related to the medicines purchased during that period.
Both Dr. Wijewickrama and Mr. Semage confirmed that the paperwork issued by the previous NMRA Board failed to include necessary technical details, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the procurement process.
Dr. Gunawardena spoke out during the meeting, highlighting his reservations about the transparency of the procurement procedure. He disclosed that he had been handed a file outlining a “special path” for purchasing medicines, a process he deemed problematic.
Dr. Gunawardena explained that, due to the lack of supporting documentation, he had advised the Health Ministry Secretary against granting approval for the purchase without the required papers.
He added that he had expressed his concerns through formal recommendations, but his role had been limited to this advisory capacity.
Further complications emerged when Dr. Pradeep Kumarasinghe De Silva, a board member of the NMRA, revealed that a board meeting had been organised abruptly, just prior to a planned dinner for the NMRA staff. During this meeting, the issue of medicine procurement was raised, but it was revealed that the details of the purchases were not open for discussion.
Dr. De Silva explained that a document listing several medicines was submitted for approval at the end of the meeting, but when board members questioned the lack of discussion, they were told that Cabinet approval had already been granted. This raised concerns about the lack of transparency and due process in the decision-making.
Prof. Priyadarshani Galappaththi, a member of the expert committee tasked with investigating Anaphylaxis incidents related to drug use in healthcare facilities in 2023, shed further light on the situation. She disclosed that the Medicines Evaluation Committee had been sent a list of 300 medicines for approval, many of which were subject to a request for a waiver of registration.
Prof. Galappaththi and her colleagues had objected to the approval of these medicines, citing concerns over their safety and the lack of adequate evaluation. However, they were informed that the medicines were considered “essential,” and failure to approve them could lead to a shortage in Sri Lanka.
In a particularly concerning revelation, Prof. Galappaththi stated that some of the companies involved in the procurement had previously been blacklisted, yet they were still allowed to participate in the bidding process.
The COPE committee was also informed that during this period, Professor S. D. Jayaratne served as the head of the NMRA, Dr. Vijith Gunasekera as the CEO, and Keheliya Rambukwella as the Minister of Health.
March 13, Colombo (LNW): The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has issued a statement today confirming that there have been no revisions to the maximum retail prices for raw rice, despite reports circulating that some rice mill owners and wholesalers are attempting to sell rice at inflated prices.
According to the CAA, these traders have been misleading retailers, suggesting that the government’s price regulations on rice have been altered.
As a result, numerous retailers have been approaching authorities with queries, uncertain whether the controlled prices still apply.
The CAA has firmly stated that the maximum retail prices for raw rice, as per the official gazette notification, remain intact. There has been no change to the prices set by the government, and they continue to be as follows:
Raw red rice – Rs. 220 per kg
Nadu rice – Rs. 230 per kg
Samba rice – Rs. 240 per kg
Keeri Samba rice – Rs. 260 per kg
The regulatory body has also reassured the public that it will continue to monitor and enforce these price controls with the utmost diligence.
Regular raids and investigations will be carried out across the country, with legal action planned against any vendors found attempting to sell rice at prices above the regulated limits.
