President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he has done everything that needs to be done for the country and whether he should continue that journey, should be decided by the public. The President said that the people will have to decide whether the future of the country will be protected or not, when the Election Commission designates a date for the Presidential election in September or October.
Non-executive government employees, who reported for duty on July 8 and 9, 2024, will be granted a special salary increment as a token of appreciation for their dedication during a challenging economic period. This increment was approved by the Cabinet following President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Ranjith Rubasinghe emphasizes that since public transport including railway services have been declared as essential services, the strike to be launched by the Station Masters’ Union is illegal. Furthermore, he stated that strict disciplinary action will be taken against those are not reporting for duty.
Sri Lanka will wrap up talks with international bondholders on its restructuring process in a few weeks, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said on Tuesday, a major step for the island nation to emerge from its worst financial crisis in decades. Sri Lanka will also seek to balance its ties with giant neighbour India and China to ensure that there is no difference in dealing with the two, he said, s athe rival Asian giants are key creditors and investors but are also jostling for geopolitical influence in the small Indian Ocean country.
The acceptance of online applications for the 2024 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination has been extended further. The deadline for the submission of applications for the 2024 G.C.E A/L examination for both school and private applicants was scheduled for 10th. However, the Department of Examination stated that due to unavoidable circumstances, the deadline has been extended until July 12.
The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered to investigate into the loss of investments made by the depositors of ‘OnmaxDT’, which is believed to have been operating a pyramid scheme, and for a detailed report to be submitted to the court on August 07.
Police have arrested seven suspects including the owner of the tattoo studio in Athurugiriya where the shooting incident took place yesterday resulting in the deaths of Surendra Wasantha Perera alias ‘Club Wasantha’ and another person and four others were injured. The other arrested individuals are suspected to have aided and abetted in the shooting incident, police said.
The Sri Lanka Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament with amendments
The Western Province Passenger Transport Authority has decided to reduce the fare of three -wheelers running in the Western Province from July 15. Accordingly, a fare of Rs.100 charged for the first kilometer will remain unchanged, while the fare Rs.100 charged from the second kilometer will be reduced to Rs.90,” Western Province Passenger Transport Authority Chairman Prasanna Sanjeeva said.
Kathiravelu Sanmugam Kuhadasan took oath as a Member of Parliament in the presence of the speaker. He took oath to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following the demise of R. Sampanthan.
July 10, Colombo (LNW): The Government has decided to extend the lease agreements of plantation companies that pay a daily wage of Rs. 1,700 to plantation workers and to cancel the lease agreements of those that fail to meet this wage requirement.
In addition, the government will gazette non-estate areas where workers have built line rooms, houses, or huts, converting them into settlements. This proposal was presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe and approved by the Cabinet during a meeting held yesterday (09), according to Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara.
Minister Nanayakkara addressed estate workers who were protesting in front of the Labour Department, demanding wage increases. The workers dispersed after the Minister’s announcement.
Previously, President Wickremesinghe had proposed to the Cabinet to increase the daily wages of plantation workers. Although the Administrative Council discussed the matter, no solution was reached. Minister Nanayakkara used his powers to issue an announcement mandating wage increases for estate workers.
The order required plantation companies to raise the daily wage from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,350, with the remaining Rs. 350 to be paid based on productivity. A committee was appointed on the President’s advice to oversee the extension of lease agreements for companies that comply and the cancellation of agreements for those that do not.
Minister Nanayakkara confirmed that the Cabinet has decided to cancel the lease agreements of companies that fail to pay the required wages. Legal advice has been obtained, and further steps are being taken to enforce these decisions.
“These activities will commence today. We aim to implement measures beyond the gazette notification. Necessary steps are being taken to ensure proper payment to plantation workers. Several estate companies have already agreed to pay the increased wages, with Rs. 1,000 being paid this month and the remaining Rs. 350 based on productivity,” said the Minister.
July 10, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, has started a tradition of recognizing and felicitating long-serving Sri Lankan migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. At a recent event hosted by the Riyadh Embassy, Chandralal Senadhira, a Senior Manager at Saudi Almarai multinational dairy company who has served for over 30 years and is now leaving Saudi Arabia for good, was honored with a memento presented by the Ambassador.
Ambassador Ajwad highlighted the vital role Sri Lankan migrant workers play in strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. He emphasized their significant contributions to the host country’s development and the Sri Lankan economy through remittances.
The Embassy has introduced this tradition to acknowledge the positive impact these workers have on the relationship between the two nations. The Ambassador also expressed his sincere appreciation to the management of Saudi Almarai Company, which employs over 7,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers, for their trust and confidence in Sri Lankan manpower.
The event was attended by Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Dulmith Waruna, outgoing Counsellor for Employment and Labour Welfare, H. W. Samantha, the newly appointed Counsellor for Employment and Labour Welfare, Mangala Randeniya, as well as Khaledl Rahman, Senior Manager, and other senior officials of Saudi Almarai Company.
July 10, Colombo (LNW): The National Olympic Committee announced that the Sri Lankan team representing this year’s Paris Olympics will join the opening ceremony wearing clothes designed and produced by LOVI Ceylon. It is not easy to create a dress for a national team. Knowledge beyond knowing patterns and sewing clothes must be used there. It must include a study of the country’s identity and history, around the year 1800. There, while bringing the dress to a certain modernity, beads have been used along with the designs of the clothing design art inherent to the clothing culture of Sri Lanka and the relevant hand-made embroidery. Composed of silk and natural fiber with beaded embroidery, this dress’s early period reflects the prince (nilame) and princess (manike) of the royal court, dating back to around 1800. Dressed in the same clothes, team leader Chandana Liyanage and Kaushalya Dantanarayana, who will join the official team of the Paris Olympic journey, appeared for photos with the six athletes representing the tournament at the Colombo Golfface Hotel premises. Adnan started singing. From left Chandana Liyanage (Team Principal), Nadisha Dilhani Secretary (Team Leader – Athletics), Kyle Abeysinghe (Swimming), Tarushi Karunaratne (Athletics), Ganga Senaviratne (Swimming), Aruna Darshan (Athletics) and Kaushalya Dantanarayana (Women’s officer) is shown in the main photo.
Put at the bottom *Adapted from original article https://sinhala.lankanewsweb.net/07/09/120173/ by Nishman Ranasinghe, published on 09/07/2025
July 10, Colombo (LNW): The Welfare Benefits Board has announced that the second phase of the “Aswesuma” welfare benefit programme, initiated under the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, will conduct its information census from July 15 to 30.
Following the first phase, which saw over 1.8 million people qualify, an additional 450,924 applications have been received for the second phase. The process of identifying eligible individuals for welfare payments is expected to be completed within this month.
In the first phase, a total of 1,854,000 individuals qualified for the “Aswesuma” programme, with the government allocating Rs. 58.5 billion. The Welfare Benefits Board has allowed those who missed or could not apply during the first stage to reapply.
The “Aswesuma” welfare benefits will be distributed across four social categories: transitional, vulnerable, poor, and extremely poor. In addition, allowances for the disabled, elderly, and kidney patients will continue as usual. To improve the efficiency of field data collection, the Welfare Benefits Board has introduced a new mobile app with features for taking photos, geo-mapping, and voice recording.
The mobile app will be piloted in the Colombo Divisional Secretariat Division, where the collection of information will be implemented first.
July 10, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute has projected an income of US$ 1.5 billion from tea exports this year. Over the past two years, the country’s tea industry has earned between US$ 1 to 1.2 billion in foreign exchange.
Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera conducted a review meeting on the progress of St. Coombs Tea Factory and the Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute in Talawakelle last Sunday (7).
The ban on chemical fertilizers in 2021 negatively impacted tea cultivation, reducing fertilizer application in 2022 and 2023, which led to a decrease in yield. However, this year, two government-owned fertilizer companies have begun providing fertilizer at concessional prices. These companies now offer three types of tea fertilizers, valued at around Rs. 14,000 in the market, at prices ranging from Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 7,500 per 50 kg bundle, with Rs. 1,200 million allocated by the Sri Lanka Tea Board for this subsidy.
The fertilizer application is being implemented in three stages. In the first phase, 30,000 metric tons of tea fertilizer are to be distributed, with 10,000 metric tons already distributed. Officials indicated that with the application of fertilizer and the planting of saplings in vacant areas, a significant increase in tea yield is expected next year.
This year, the income from tea exports has reached US$ 1.5 billion, with Sri Lankan tea being exported to 150 countries, and 20 of them purchasing in large quantities. Minister Amaraweera emphasized that the current land under tea cultivation is sufficient and no new land will be allocated for tea cultivation. Instead, the focus will be on increasing value-added tea products by applying fertilizers, planting saplings, introducing high-density cultivation systems, and enhancing tea-related products.
The Talawakele Tea Research Institute has introduced 70 new tea varieties, which are in high demand internationally. The progress review meeting was attended by officials from the Tea Research Institute, Agrarian Development Commissioner General A. M. H. L. Abeyratne, and others.
July 10, Colombo (LNW): Several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts in the evening or night.
Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provincesand in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Monaragala districts.
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
July 09, Colombo (LNW): The IT and BPM sector in Sri Lanka has collectively appealed to the government to reconsider recent tax measures affecting export services.
Key industry groups, including the Sri Lanka Association of Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM), the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), the BCS Sri Lanka Section (BCS), and the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL), have issued a joint statement expressing their concerns.
The sector has demonstrated significant resilience and growth despite numerous challenges. In 2023, the industry generated approximately $2 billion in export revenue and employed over 144,000 IT-BPM professionals. Global companies like EY GDS, Virtusa, and HSBC have reaffirmed their commitment to Sri Lanka, significantly contributing to the economy.
The industry is troubled by the prospect of becoming one of the highest-taxed sectors in the region, which could deter growth and expansion plans. High employee costs, particularly due to a 36% personal income tax, already burden companies. This makes retaining top talent and countering brain drain increasingly challenging, leading to higher compensation demands.
The joint statement highlights several potential negative impacts of the new tax measures: includingiIncreased operational costs could stifle innovation and reduce global competitiveness against countries offering tax incentives.
Higher taxes could limit investments in training, affecting employment opportunities, especially for underprivileged groups.
Additional taxes on the knowledge sector could slow economic recovery and reduce its contribution to the national economy.: Taxing housing could exacerbate the talent exodus, hindering sector growth.
The new tax measures could undermine Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy Strategy 2030, which aims to position the country as a leading digital economy in the region. The IT and BPM sectors are pivotal for innovation and growth, and increased taxes could hinder these industries, leading to missed opportunities and reduced global competitiveness.
The industry groups propose continuing the current tax exemption until 2026 to allow the sector to recover and ensure sustainability.
They suggest a phased implementation of new tax measures with provisions to offset training and internship costs to mitigate the impact. Additionally, they recommend establishing continuous consultation with industry representatives to develop sustainable tax policies.
SLASSCOM, FITIS, BCS Sri Lanka Chapter, and CSSL remain dedicated to supporting the growth and development of Sri Lanka’s knowledge and innovation sector. They believe that careful policy adjustments can balance economic stability with fostering a thriving, innovative industry.
By addressing these concerns and adopting the proposed measures, the government can help ensure the continued growth and success of the IT and BPM sectors, contributing significantly to the country’s economy and global standing.
SLTransport and Highways sector gains significant progress during past 2 years
Sri Lanka’s Transport and Highways sector has made significant progress over the past two years, despite the economic crisis from 2021 to 2022. Ministry secretary Eng. Ranjith Ganganath Rubasinghe noted that the government allocated Rs.390 billion for road development, with Rs.300 billion paid to contractors and Rs.90 billion for debt repayment.
Phase 1 of the Central Expressway is under discussion, and Phases 2 and 3, the Ruwanpura Expressway, and the Athurugiriya elevated highways project are expected to start soon through public-private partnerships.
An electronic toll payment system for highways will be implemented within months, and preliminary discussions with Japan for the Light Railway Project (LRT) are ongoing. Negotiations with China, India, and Japan are also in progress for new projects. The sector aims to grow by 10%-15% over the next five years.
Director General of the Road Development Authority (RDA), S.P.M. Suriya Bandara, announced the completion of the second phase of the Kompannavidiya flyover and the Kohuwala flyover next week, with the harbor entrance runway expected to be completed by September.
The RDA is implementing thousands of projects nationwide, including 320 km of rural roads under a 1,000 km project, set to be completed by August.
Acting General Manager of Railways, Sanjaya Mudalige, stated that the railway department is offering land leases for its 12,000 acres, with legal action planned against non-registrants.
The Mahawa-Omanthai railway line modernization will finish in August, and a freight train service from Beliatta to Colombo will commence on the 15th. Plans are underway to develop coastal railway stations into multipurpose projects with the private sector, and India has agreed to donate 20 train engines, with the first batch arriving in two months.
National Transport Commission Chairman, Shashi Welgama, mentioned that amendments to the National Transport Commission Act will allow regulation of three-wheelers, school and office transport, and taxis.
The ‘Sisu Sariya’ program provides transport for 110,000 children across 5,000 schools, and the ‘Gami Sariya’ program aims to improve living standards in remote rural areas by offering transport facilities. Inter-provincial bus schedules are being prepared, and the public can contact customer care for assistance and complaints.
Chairman of Ceylon Transport Board, Lalith de Alwis, highlighted that 1.2 million passengers use their buses daily, with 5,500 trips serving the public. The board is focusing on digitization to reduce revenue losses, having refurbished 400 buses last year with plans for another 400 this year.
Approval for 1,000 new buses has been granted, with immediate procurement of 400 buses. Subsidized bus fares are available for school and technical college students, with 811 buses for school routes and 890 for other services daily. Future initiatives include introducing electric buses, enhancing fleet operations, and improving passenger information services, alongside existing online seat reservations and service timetables
