March 17, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Uva provinces after 2.00 pm, the Department of Meteorology said today (17).
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kaluthara districts during the early hours of the morning.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers or thundershowers are likely at a few places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Hambantota via Galle during the evening or night.
Winds:
Winds will be easterly or variable in direction. Wind speed will be (20-30) kmph.
State of Sea:
The sea areas around the island will be slight.
Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
Afternoon showers, thundershowers expected in several areas: Misty conditions likely to occur (Mar 17)
Colonisation in the Guise of Tourism? How Weak Enforcement Turns Sri Lanka into a Playground for Illegal Foreign Businesses
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By: Isuru Parakrama
March 16, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s tourism revival is often celebrated as a symbol of economic recovery. Yet beneath the glossy marketing campaigns and official statistics lies a troubling reality: a growing number of foreigners are openly operating businesses on tourist visas, violating immigration laws, undermining local entrepreneurs, and exposing deep failures within the country’s regulatory authorities.
The issue is no longer anecdotal—it is systemic, visible, and increasingly damaging to Sri Lanka’s economy and social fabric.
Tourist Visas and the Law: Clear Rules, Frequent Violations
Under Sri Lankan immigration law, tourist visas strictly prohibit engaging in business, employment, trade, or self-employment. Such visas are intended only for activities such as sightseeing, visiting relatives, or short medical treatments, including Ayurveda. Even business visas allow only limited functions—such as attending meetings, conferences, or short training sessions—and do not permit foreigners to run ongoing commercial operations or repeatedly enter the country to sustain long-term ventures.
Yet in practice, these restrictions are routinely ignored.
Foreign nationals are establishing and promoting businesses—from wellness centres to hospitality ventures—while residing in the country on tourist visas. These informal operations often bypass legal requirements, evade taxation, and directly compete with local entrepreneurs who must comply with regulations and pay duties.
The Legal Route for Foreign Investors
The contrast with the lawful pathway for foreign investment could not be clearer. Foreigners are permitted to start businesses in Sri Lanka, but only through a structured process involving company incorporation, approvals from the Board of Investment (BOI), and appropriate visas. In many cases, enterprises must meet minimum investment thresholds—such as $250,000 under Section 16 of the BOI Law or $3 million or more under Section 17 for projects seeking incentives. Retail businesses targeting the local market require at least $5 million to allow full foreign ownership.
Moreover, certain sectors impose ownership restrictions. Fields such as education, travel agencies, and agriculture limit foreign ownership to 40 per cent, while industries including pawn broking, money lending, and coastal fishing are completely closed to foreign investors.
Legal investors must also follow procedural steps: reserving a company name through the eROC system, submitting corporate forms detailing directors and secretaries, publishing notices in newspapers, and obtaining a certificate of incorporation from the Registrar of Companies.
Yet informal operators bypass this entire framework.
The ‘Leela Healing Resort’ Controversy
One widely discussed example involves foreign TikTok personalities who established an Ayurvedic centre known as “Leela Healing Resort” while residing in Sri Lanka on tourist visas. These individuals not only operate the centre but actively promote it on social media. When questioned about the legality of their activities and the economic outflow of earnings, they respond by highlighting small-scale job opportunities provided to local daily labourers—an argument critics say deliberately ignores the broader economic consequences.
More controversially, the same operators reportedly cut down coconut trees on what they describe as “private property” to produce furniture for their establishment. Sri Lankan law, however, requires prior approval from both the Divisional Secretary and the Coconut Development Board to remove coconut trees, particularly due to national shortages and the crop’s economic importance. Even foreigners leasing land must comply with these regulations.
Questions have also been raised about the centre’s Ayurvedic practices. Critics point out that the operators advertise fixed “menu cards” of treatments for specific diseases, despite the fundamental Ayurvedic principle that treatments must be individually tailored because patients with the same condition may require different remedies.
Sporadic Enforcement and Institutional Paralysis
Meanwhile, enforcement remains sporadic. Authorities arrested 75 foreigners in 2025 for running businesses on tourist visas, deporting 15 of them. In 2026, crackdowns intensified through joint actions involving the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and police, including raids on tourism hotspots along the southern coast.
But these measures reveal a deeper problem: the SLTDA’s own enforcement unit has reportedly remained inactive since October 2025 due to bureaucratic delays and procurement issues. Officials have suggested that tourism’s economic importance discourages overly aggressive crackdowns, leading authorities to prioritise regularisation rather than mass deportations. Political patronage has also been cited by sources as shielding some operations from scrutiny.
Rising Social Tensions in Tourist Zones
Beyond economic concerns, the situation is also fuelling social tensions.
In Ahangama, Israeli tourists reportedly assaulted locals in December of the previous year. In Arugam Bay, hotel owners were allegedly attacked simply for obstructing tourists. Social media videos show foreigners riding motorcycles without helmets, ignoring traffic laws, and intimidating police officers—behaviour some commentators have described as a form of “modern colonisation”.
The concentration of Israeli visitors in Arugam Bay has sparked particular controversy, with online commentators referring to the area as resembling a “small Tel-Aviv” spawned by “IDF propaganda”. Content creators allege that some of these Israeli nationals are ex-military, or more disturbingly “war criminals,” residing in small oceanic nations like Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka for personal benefit.
Double Standards in Everyday Enforcement
Yet contradictions persist even in everyday governance. At the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, locals report that police prohibit Sri Lankan visitors from taking photographs while allowing foreigners to do so, sometimes telling locals to “memorise and move on.”
“The police told us not to take photographs inside the Maligawa, but they allowed foreigners to do so. When we asked why, they told us that it’s because we’re Sri Lankans and they’re foreigners. They told us to see the Maligawa with our eyes and move on,” one pilgrim told LNW.
Another revealed that officers sometimes shout at locals with filthy words in an event of rules being breached, but exhibit a servant-like attitude towards foreigners and let them do whatever they please.
Critics argue that such behaviour reflects a troubling culture of deference toward foreign tourists while treating citizens with hostility.
Discrimination Within the Tourism Industry
Ironically, misconduct is not limited to foreigners. In Hikkaduwa, a restaurant known as “Funky De Bar” reportedly charged a foreign visitor higher prices because staff believed he was Indian based on his skin colour, even threatening him for recording the incident—raising questions about discrimination and human rights violations within the tourism sector itself.
Taken together, these incidents expose a deeper governance failure. Sri Lanka has clear laws regulating foreign investment, visa conditions, and environmental protection. The problem is not the absence of rules but the absence of consistent enforcement.
If authorities continue to turn a blind eye, the island risks transforming its tourism industry into a lawless marketplace—one where regulations apply only to those who choose to follow them, and where local entrepreneurs are left competing against a growing shadow economy operating in plain sight.
Government Introduces Weekly Midweek Holiday for Public Sector Amid Fuel Shortage
March 16, Colombo (LNW): In response to ongoing fuel shortages across the country, the Government has announced that public sector employees will receive a weekly holiday every Wednesday, beginning 18 March 2026.
Officials stated that the move is intended to reduce commuting demands and ease pressure on limited fuel supplies, which have affected transportation and daily operations in many parts of the island in recent weeks.
By cutting down one working day in the middle of the week, authorities hope to lessen fuel consumption linked to government office travel while allowing essential services to continue functioning.
The decision was confirmed by the Commissioner General of Essential Services, who explained that the measure was adopted after reviewing the current energy constraints and their impact on public administration.
He noted that the arrangement will remain in place for the time being as the Government monitors the evolving fuel situation.
Wickremesinghe’s Medical Departure for Cardiac Treatment in Singapore
March 16, Colombo (LNW): Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently traveled to Singapore to undergo a scheduled heart surgery. He departed on November 15 and is expected to remain hospitalized for approximately two to three weeks during his recovery.
Although the Indian government offered to cover the full cost of his medical procedures, the former leader gracefully declined the proposal. Instead, he has chosen to fund the entire treatment using his personal finances.
Fuel Stocks Exhausted in Record Time as QR System Reintroduced Nationwide
March 16, Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has reported that fuel reserves intended to last six weeks were fully distributed in just nine days, highlighting the impact of recent international tensions on domestic supply.
According to the CEYPETCO, in the first ten days following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, around 57,000 metric tonnes of diesel and 47,000 metric tonnes of petrol were issued across service stations nationwide.
In response to both the ongoing crisis abroad and potential supply risks, the government reinstated the QR-based fuel distribution system for all vehicles, effective from 6.00 a.m. yesterday (15).
Authorities cited rising daily fuel consumption and uncertainties in global oil markets as key factors behind the decision.
Under the current QR allocation, weekly fuel quotas are strictly defined: motorcycles are limited to five litres, three-wheelers and cars to 15 litres, tractors to 25 litres, vans and special-purpose vehicles to 40 litres, buses to 60 litres, and lorries to 200 litres.
The system also includes revisions for bus allocations, with fuel now being distributed according to distance travelled rather than a fixed amount. Until the updated approach is fully operational, the Sri Lanka Transport Board will continue to manage bus fuel distribution.
CEYPETCO Chairman D. A. Rajakaruna explained that registered users of the QR fuel system can obtain fuel via the government portal fuelpass.gov.lk, provided there have been no changes in vehicle ownership or registered mobile numbers.
Vehicle owners who are newly registered, or who have updated ownership details or phone numbers, are required to register or re-register through the same portal.
The Department of Government Information stated that authorities are actively identifying users affected by changes in vehicle ownership or contact information and are working to resolve any issues promptly to ensure uninterrupted access to fuel.
Government Considering Work-From-Home Option for Public Sector Staff
March 16, Colombo (LNW): Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Prof. Chandana Abeyratne, has stated that the government is reviewing the possibility of introducing a work-from-home arrangement for certain public sector employees in response to the prevailing situation in the country.
According to the Minister, a key discussion on the proposal is scheduled to take place today, where officials will evaluate whether remote working arrangements could be implemented across selected government institutions.
The meeting is expected to take place following the weekly Cabinet session, with senior authorities examining the practicality of allowing public servants to carry out their duties from home while maintaining essential services.
Prof. Abeyratne noted that the government is seeking a balanced approach that would help ensure the continuity of public administration while easing operational pressures faced by employees during the current circumstances.
He added that the outcome of the discussion could lead to a prompt policy decision, as authorities aim to determine whether a temporary or structured work-from-home system should be introduced within the public sector.
Former MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena Indicted Over Alleged Illicit Wealth
March 16, Colombo (LNW): Former MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena has been formally indicted before the Colombo High Court on corruption-related charges involving the alleged accumulation of substantial unexplained assets.
The indictments were submitted today (16) by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) as part of its ongoing investigation into the former legislator’s financial dealings.
Authorities claim that Gunawardena is suspected of acquiring assets valued at approximately Rs. 243.8 million through unlawful means. The allegations centre on wealth that investigators believe cannot be justified by his declared income during his time in public office.
Gunawardena had earlier been taken into custody by officers attached to the anti-corruption commission. According to officials, the arrest took place when he appeared before the commission to record a statement in connection with the investigation.
Following his arrest, the former MP was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, where Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ordered that he be remanded in custody until March 24 while further legal proceedings continue.
China Urges Sri Lanka to Strengthen Investment Climate and Expand Industrial Growth
March 16, Colombo (LNW): China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, has underscored the importance of creating a more reliable and transparent environment for foreign investors, noting that such reforms would play a crucial role in accelerating the country’s economic recovery and long-term development.
Speaking during an interactive discussion with journalists and representatives of policy research organisations last Friday (13), the ambassador stressed that Sri Lanka should focus on establishing a business climate that is fair, open and predictable.
According to him, international investors carefully assess the regulatory and administrative framework of a country before committing funds, and therefore stability and clarity are essential.
He pointed out that companies looking to invest overseas often have to engage with several government institutions and regulatory bodies. As a result, a system that ensures transparency and consistency across all sectors would make the country more attractive to foreign partners.
Commenting on Sri Lanka’s current economic trajectory, Qi observed that the country appears to be gradually regaining stability. He noted that tourism earnings and worker remittances have been rising in recent months, while inflation and interest rates have largely remained within single-digit levels. These indicators, he said, suggest that the economy is moving in a positive direction.
However, he also acknowledged that a number of long-standing structural challenges continue to hinder the pace of economic growth. Addressing such deep-rooted issues, he remarked, requires sustained policy efforts and cannot be resolved overnight.
Drawing on a traditional Chinese proverb about the value of perseverance and hard work, the ambassador encouraged Sri Lanka to pursue continuous self-improvement and long-term planning in its economic strategy. He emphasised that while agriculture remains important, the country should place greater emphasis on strengthening its industrial base and developing value-added sectors.
Qi also highlighted the importance of simplifying procedures for investors. Referring to China’s own experience, he said efficient administrative systems — particularly one-stop service platforms — can significantly reduce delays and improve investor confidence.
He explained that in many Chinese cities, including Shanghai, foreign investors are able to complete most formalities through a single integrated system, often even before arriving in the country. Such digital and centralised services, he said, help streamline approvals and reduce bureaucratic obstacles.
The ambassador added that improving transparency alone would not be sufficient. In his view, Sri Lanka should also focus on making approval processes faster and more efficient so that investors can move from planning to implementation without unnecessary delays.
Police Clarify Legal Powers to Stop Vehicles and Check Driver Documents
March 16, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Police have issued a clarification outlining the legal provisions that empower officers to stop vehicles and request documentation from motorists, addressing several misconceptions circulating among the public.
According to the police, the authority to signal a driver to halt is primarily granted under Section 162 of the Motor Traffic Act. This provision requires motorists to comply with any verbal instruction or hand signal issued by a police officer who is in uniform and carrying out official duties. Such directions may include orders to stop, slow down, reverse, or move to a particular side of the road in order to maintain safe traffic flow.
Police officials also dismissed the widespread belief that only officers attached to the Traffic Division have the power to stop vehicles. They emphasised that any police officer wearing the official uniform has the legal right to do so. While the Traffic Division specialises in road-related enforcement, the broader mandate of the police service includes preventing offences and identifying individuals who may be involved in unlawful activity.
As part of this authority, officers may request drivers to produce essential documents such as their driving licence, National Identity Card and proof of vehicle insurance, particularly when there is a suspicion that a traffic rule has been violated.
The police further clarified that a single officer is legally sufficient to stop a vehicle and initiate legal proceedings if an offence is detected. There is no requirement under the Motor Traffic Act for another officer to be present as a witness during such an encounter.
Nevertheless, police personnel often conduct roadside checks in teams for operational efficiency and safety reasons.
Motorists have also been reminded that ignoring or refusing to comply with a lawful order from a police officer constitutes an offence. Authorities noted that obstructing an officer in the execution of their duties could result in fines or legal action before a Magistrate’s Court.
Police urged drivers to cooperate during routine checks, stressing that such measures are intended to improve road safety and assist in the detection of traffic violations and other criminal activities.
Public Warned Over Fake Fuel Pass Website Designed to Steal Personal Data
March 16, Colombo (LNW): Cybersecurity specialist Asela Waidyalankara has cautioned the public about a deceptive website that is posing as the official Fuel Pass platform in an attempt to collect users’ personal information.
In a message shared on X, Waidyalankara explained that the fraudulent site has been created to closely resemble the legitimate government system, making it easy for unsuspecting users to be misled.
He stressed that the website is not connected to the official Fuel Pass programme and warned that individuals who enter their details could expose sensitive information to cybercriminals.
He urged the public to exercise extreme caution when accessing online services related to fuel registration and to verify website addresses carefully before providing any personal data.
Waidyalankara emphasised that increased public awareness and careful online behaviour are essential to preventing such scams, urging people to report suspicious websites to the relevant authorities so that action can be taken quickly.
