President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged to take necessary steps to eliminate organized crime and drug abuse while introducing new legislation to strengthen law enforcement.
The President made these remarks during a discussion held yesterday (18) at the Presidential Secretariat with police chiefs of the Western Province.
He emphasized that maintaining the rule of law is a primary responsibility of the Police Department and stated that a just society cannot be established in Sri Lanka without ensuring the supremacy of the rule of law.
Among those present at the discussion were Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne, Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, and several Western Province police chiefs.
The misappropriation of government-allocated fertilizer subsidy funds meant for farmers has been exposed, with some recipients yet to receive their payments, State Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne revealed yesterday.
Speaking in Parliament, in response to a question raised by MP Susanta Kumara Navaratne, the State Minister disclosed that Rs. 2,934,310 allocated to 155 farmers in the Anuradhapura District had been misappropriated.
He further stated that a female official has already been taken into custody in connection with the incident.
Additionally, complaints have been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the disappearance of fertilizer subsidy funds, and further investigations are ongoing, the State Minister confirmed.
Sri Lanka’s ODI captain Charith Asalanka and Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva have filed a petition in the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the Inland Revenue Department’s (IRD) decision to levy Withholding Tax on national cricket players by categorizing them as employees of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The petition was heard today before a bench comprising Acting Chairman of the Appeals Court, Justice Mohamed Lafar Tahir, and Justice K.P. Fernando. The court ordered that the petition be called on March 28 for further confirmation of facts.
The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue, the Deputy Commissioner, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), its Executive Committee members, the Auditor General, and several others have been named as respondentsin the petition.
The petitioners argue that since Sri Lanka was awarded Test cricket status in 1983, players have signed written contracts with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, particularly after winning the 1996 World Cup. However, the SLC Executive Committee, at a meeting on January 17, decided to classify national players under contractual employment, rather than as independent service providers.
Asalanka and de Silva claim that this decision is unlawful, stating that national-level players are not part of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) or the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) and do not receive such benefits. After obtaining legal advice, they assert that they are not employees of SLC but independent contractors.
Despite this, the IRD has imposed a Withholding Tax, leading to financial disadvantages for national cricketers. The petitioners are requesting the Court of Appeal to:
Quash the decision of Sri Lanka Cricket to classify players as employees.
Overturn the Inland Revenue Department’s decision to levy Withholding Tax.
Issue an interim injunction preventing the implementation of the Withholding Tax until a final decision is reached.
Sri Lanka’s economy recorded an impressive turnaround, achieving 5% growth in 2024, supported by renewed macroeconomic stability, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
The Census and Statistics Department reported that the country’s economy grew by 5.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024, surpassing earlier projections.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had previously forecast 4.5% growth for Sri Lanka in 2024, but the actual figures exceeded expectations.
Key sectoral growth figures include:
Agriculture: Expanded by 8.3% compared to the previous year.
Industry: Recorded a substantial growth of 25.5%.
Services: Showed an impressive increase of 57.5%.
Sri Lanka’s economy had plunged into crisis in 2022, contracting 7.3% due to a severe foreign exchange shortage, soaring inflation, currency depreciation, and a historic foreign debt default. The downturn continued into 2023, with a 2.3% contraction.
However, a stronger-than-expected recovery took place in 2024, largely attributed to the $2.9 billion four-year bailoutprogram secured from the IMF in March 2023, which introduced economic reforms and financial stabilization measures.
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva stated yesterday that the Batalanda Commission was not appointed by the current government and that there were no hidden motives behind unveiling its report.
Speaking to the media at the party office in Battaramulla, Silva emphasized that the government was merely bringing to light a report that had been previously concealed from the public.
He further noted that a large number of people are prepared to testify about the events that took place in Batalanda and that, if proper evidence is presented, not only Ranil Wickremesinghe but many others involved will have to face legal consequences.
Silva assured that the government would take all legally possible actions while remaining within the bounds of the law.
“This is a complex task. Evidence must be gathered, past killings and crimes must be investigated, and justice must be served for the victims. There are ongoing investigations into the anti-democratic and inhumane acts committed during previous regimes. We do not act outside the law—it is our responsibility to enforce justice against those involved in these crimes,” he asserted.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has underscored the importance of providing high-quality infrastructure and services for tourists visiting Sri Lanka, as the country continues to gain international recognition as a premier travel destination.
During a discussion held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat with officials from the Tourism Ministry, the President instructed them to prioritize infrastructure improvements and take necessary actions to enhance visitor experiences.
Officials provided a briefing on the budgetary allocations designated for the Tourism Ministry and outlined the projects currently being implemented under those funds. The discussion also focused on utilizing these allocations for essential infrastructure development, as Sri Lanka targets three million tourist arrivals this year.
Foreign Affairs, Tourism, and Foreign Employment Minister Vijitha Herath, Tourism Deputy Minister Dr. Ruwan Ranasinghe, President’s Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Foreign Secretary Aruni Ranaraja, and several senior officials from the Tourism Ministryattended the meeting.
Sri Lanka marked International Recycling Day 2025 today at the Ministry of Environment, under the theme “Recycling Heroes.” The event recognized individuals, organizations, and initiatives that promote recycling for a sustainable planet and a greener future.
The event was organized by Mr. Mahinda Werahera, Director of the Environmental Pollution Control and Chemicals Management Unit, under the patronage of Minister of Environment Dr. Dammika Patabendi. The Secretary to the Ministry, Mr. K. R. Uduwawala, along with representatives from private sector organizations and environmental institutions, also participated.
World Recycling Day, established in 2018, aims to promote a circular economy by reducing solid waste and encouraging the recycling of materials such as paper, plastic, metal, glass, and electronic waste. The current government has emphasized identifying recyclable materials for new product production, reducing plastic waste, and tackling the growing issue of microplastics.
The absence of an efficient recycling system has led to environmental harm and economic losses, including job reductions and habitat destruction. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 highlight recycling as a crucial measure to address these challenges.
Through the “Clean Sri Lanka” program, the government is committed to fostering a balanced and green economythrough effective recycling practices. Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi also stated that upcoming cabinet decisionswill focus on further streamlining recycling efforts across the country.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced the formation of a five-member committee tasked with reviewing the legal framework for implementing recommendations made by Parliamentary Committees.
The committee will also provide guidance on actions that can be taken within the constitutional framework in cases where these recommendations are not implemented.
The decision to appoint the committee was made during a Committee on Parliamentary Business meeting on January 23, and its formation was officially confirmed during a meeting on March 15.
The committee will be chaired by Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law, M.P. The other members include Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law, and Members of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, Ajith P. Perera, and Oshani Umanga, the latter of whom was nominated as an additional member.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m. Fairly heavy showers above 75 mm can be expected at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
Several spells of showers may occur in Eastern and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva and North-central 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 18, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has taken an important step in promoting the growth of the country’s boat building and boating industry by creating a comprehensive regulatory framework. This initiative is designed to enhance the sector’s potential and improve its international competitiveness.
The boat and shipbuilding sector has grown rapidly, emerging as a multi-million dollar industry that offers great promise for economic growth. With Sri Lanka’s ability to construct and operate yachts for chartering and nautical activities, there is significant potential to bolster the country’s nautical tourism industry.
By attracting foreign yachts and visitors, Sri Lanka can offer unique experiences like whale and dolphin watching, scuba diving, leisure fishing, and water sports, making it an ideal year-round tourist destination.
To ensure effective collaboration and understanding of these changes, the EDB organized awareness sessions for both public and private stakeholders, focusing on a recent gazette notification related to the new regulatory framework. These sessions aimed to inform and engage the stakeholders in the process, helping them understand the importance of these regulations for the sector’s growth.
For the industry to thrive, a robust regulatory framework covering the entire value chain is crucial. There has been a gap in regulating leisure craft operations and managing the registration of visiting yachts, which has hindered the sector’s development.
In response, the Sri Lankan Government allocated funds to create an effective framework. Working in collaboration with the relevant Ministry and Lloyd’s Register Asia, the EDB facilitated consultations and workshops to gather insights and feedback from public and private sector representatives, ensuring the regulations addressed all necessary aspects.
After completing the consultation process, the Merchant Shipping Secretariat under the Ports and Shipping Ministry took steps to finalize the regulations. These were gazetted under the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 52 of 1971, with the official Gazette issued on 31 December 2024.
To support the implementation of these new regulations, the EDB held awareness sessions for government officials on 25 February and for private sector stakeholders on 11 March.
The introduction of these regulations is a crucial move towards strengthening the boat building and boating industry in Sri Lanka. This effort is expected to significantly contribute to the country’s economic growth and position Sri Lanka as a prominent player in the global maritime industry.
By addressing the sector’s regulatory needs, Sri Lanka is on track to maximize its boat building and boating potential, creating new economic opportunities and enhancing its maritime tourism appeal.
