Former Speaker and the National Movement of Social Justice (NMSJ) Chairperson Karu Jayasuriya, yesterday stressed the critical importance of effectively utilising the third tranche of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. Jayasuriya has, in a media statement, said steps must be taken to ensure proper use of the funds. The IMF released the third […]

by Nalaka Samaraweera The new National Education Policy Framework (NEPF), currently being implemented by the government, has begun to be noticed by the public. However, there is a noticeable absence of an in-depth discussion on the implications of the policies it proposes. So far critics have quite convincingly pointed out the neoliberal motives behind the […]

The Ministry of Finance yesterday said that the focus of envisaged Rental Income Tax was on high-wealth individuals, and not on average income earners. In a statement titled ‘Clarification on Imputed Rental Income Tax’ the Ministry said: The recent publication of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supported Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme related documents make […]

Washington (District of Columbia, United States) The International Monetary Fund released $336 million as part of a bailout loan instalment for Sri Lanka despite delays in the crucial restructuring of its foreign debt, including to China, the Washington-based lender said Wednesday. The South Asian nation was starting to recover, but the economy was “still vulnerable and the path […]

Egg on the face or the Emperor’s new clothes? Pick what you will. Both the president and his government has made a song and dance about a Rs. 1,700 daily wage for plantation workers with President Ranil Wickremesinghe announcing it on May Day at a Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) rally at Kotagala. Shortly thereafter Labour […]

A high level delegation headed by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya is scheduled to visit Russia to arrange for the repatriation of Sri Lankan ex-military personnel deployed in Russia for military purposes and the related discussions will be held on June 26 and 27, said Minister of Foreign Affairs, President’s Counsel Ali […]

Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security retired Vice Admiral Sarath Weerasekera has said an external mechanism is in place to prepare the ground for a war crimes probe against the Sri Lankan military and those who provided political leadership for the country’s war on terror. Addressing the last SOC held in the Parliamentary complex, […]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that there has been sufficient progress for Sri Lanka’s Debt Restructuring process to move forward. Joining the IMF press briefing on Sri Lanka’s second review of EFF programme held virtually yesterday morning (14), IMF Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka Peter Breuer stated that the IMF fully respect the democratic […]

Arrangements are being made by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages of the Sabaragumawa University to hold its second International Conference on Social Sciences and Languages (ICSSL) on the 18th and 19th of December 2024. A press release said that the conference will feature a wide range of presentations on multidisciplinary research activities in the fields of social sciences […]

The UN World Food Programme has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s donation of 300 tonnes of dates for vulnerable children in Sri Lanka.Provided through Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief, the dates will be given to primary grade children enrolled in the country’s national school meal program. The contribution was acknowledged at a signing event on Tuesday between […]

Groundbreaking solar-powered battery swapping stations recognized for their impact on sustainable urban mobility and economic development in Sri Lanka  The U.S. Embassy announced on Friday that Sri Lanka’s USAID-funded Sri Lanka Energy Project (SLEP) has received top honours at the 2024 annual conference for the Society for International Development, the premier U.S. event for international [̷...

Sri Lanka’s HC in the UK Rohitha Bogollagama has sought an opportunity to engage in further discussions on the UK models of devolution with the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish government representatives.The Foreign Ministry revealed this in a press release issued on Wednesday (12) regarding a team led by HC Bogollagama with the UK […]

The Colombo Stock Exchange’s (CSE) implementation of the shortened settlement cycle for equity trades has been executed seamlessly with the first settlement under the T+ 2 cycle taking place on 12th June 2024, marking a significant milestone in Sri Lankan Capital Market operations. Investors have experienced swift payment processing, receiving their funds within two days […]

A tournament of firsts has an addition: this is the first time South Africa and Nepal will meet on the international circuit. And they do so from opposite ends of the group’s points table. South Africa advanced to the Super Eight after the Nepal-Sri Lanka washout, but would have likely made it there anyway. They […]

The US Ambassador in Colombo Julie Chung says that the United States welcomes the International Monetary Fund s (IMF) approval of Sri Lanka s second review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.