Monday 5th February, 2024 Another ‘Independence Day’ has come and gone. Hours of pomp and circumstance complete with thunderous cannon fire were over and the sobering reality was dawning on Sri Lankans as this comment was written yesterday. Independence Day celebrations are replete with irony; beaming from ear to ear and singing the national anthem […]

From Pakistan to India, activists warn of tendency to throttle the net as elections near MADURAI, India — New legislation to regulate online content in Sri Lanka has renewed concern over freedom of expression ahead of expected elections. It also highlights a growing habit of restricting the internet across South Asia, from India to Pakistan. […]

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena says Sri Lanka is celebrating Independence Day at a time when the country is slowly returning to the right path of progress after facing an unprecedented economic crisis.

Secretary to the Treasury and Finance Ministry Mahinda Siriwardana has said that even if Sri Lanka achieves the goal of zero corruption, tax revenue will still have to be increased to bridge the budget deficit and lessen the country’s debt burden. Referring to the Supreme Court ruling pertaining to economic management delivered on Nov 14, […]

Thursday 1st February, 2024 Dr. Laksiri Fernando has, in his column published on the opposite page today, reminded us that the Voters’ Day of Sri Lanka falls on 01 Feb. The Election Commission (EC) conducts special programmes on this day to educate voters on matters such as the basic qualifications required for registration, and the […]

Sri Lanka had failed to attract substantial foreign investment in the mining industry during the last 50 years mainly due to the high sovereign risks associated with Sri Lanka, Chirantha Weerawardena, a mining engineer, said during a seminar, titled ‘Blueprint for Developing a Sustainable Sri Lankan Mining Industry by Attracting Foreign Investment,’ organised by the […]

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Partnership for Accelerating Results in Trade, National Expenditure, and Revenue (PARTNER) activity, with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), have completed an on-the-job coaching programme for 50 Development Officers (DOs) attached to the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (SLEDB), said a release from the CCC. At an […]

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha has said India and Sri Lanka are natural partners and their interests in matters of security or development are intertwined and interlinked. “The huge potential our partnership holds and the tangible impact it can have on the lives of the common people drives me to work harder to further deepen […]

by Lasanda Kurukulasuriya Sri Lanka’s remarks at the meetings of the 19th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement in Uganda, must surely have had observers of international relations, especially relating to West Asia, scratching their heads. President Ranil Wickemesinghe in Kampala on Friday (19 Jan.) said he welcomed the fact that the 19th Summit gave […]

ECONOMYNEXT –President Ranil Wickremesinghe has invited political party leaders in Parliament to discuss the IMF agreement implementation with the fund’s Managing Director. “I am willing to extend an invitation to the Managing Director of the IMF to participate in a collective dialogue here. Let us collaboratively explore different perspectives and propose modifications if deemed beneficial,...

President Ranil Wickremesinghe extended an invitation to all political party leaders in the Parliament to engage in discussions with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the implementation of the agreement with the IMF. Emphasizing the importance of unity in leading the country to success, he reiterated that withdrawing from the agreement […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged all political parties to formulate a comprehensive plan for rebuilding the country, especially when gearing up for the elections.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe underscored his commitment to guiding the country’s progress in the coming years, drawing inspiration from the success of Biyagama. Reflecting on his early political career in the Biyagama Constituency, where the region experienced notable underdevelopment, the President emphasized the positive impact of strategic economic decisions, particularly the establishment of...

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the 30th Annual General Meeting of the Lanka Confectionary Manufacturers Association (LCMA) yesterday (24) at Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo emphasized the potential for Sri Lanka to become a global player in the confectionery industry. He encouraged Sri Lankan confectioners to expand their horizons and tap into international markets. The President emphasi...

A repressive new internet law that Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is trying to rush through Parliament this week would create broad and vague new speech-related offenses punishable by lengthy prison terms, Human Rights Watch’s (HRC) Meenakshi Ganguly has said in a statement. The law would seriously threaten the right to freedom of expression as […]