The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) says the Banking Act directions made by its Monetary Board on cash margin deposit requirements against imports have been revoked.

The Bank succeeded in raising Rs 10 Bn in Tier 2 capital via a debenture issue in February 2023. Despite the depressing economic outlook in the Country, the issue was oversubscribed – a testament to the investor confidence placed in Sampath Bank and widespread acceptance of the stability and prudent governance of the Bank. The […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, during a meeting with Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Chief Secretaries, expressed confidence that the proper implementation of the government’s policy program would lead to economic prosperity surpassing the goals set by the International Monetary Fund. He stressed the need for collective effort to address the concerns raised by the youth regarding the […...

By Shamindra Ferdinando Opposition spokesperson Prof. G. L. Peiris has alleged that two new laws that dealt with terrorism and corruption were meant to consolidate the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa regime. The former External Affairs Minister discussed the government’s agenda pertaining to the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill and Anti-Corruption Bill. He said the Anti-Corruption Bill was actually meant to ...

CPC, CEB need to recover costs until end of Fund’s loan package By Rathindra Kuruwita The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had to recover costs until the end of the IMF programme, Sarwat Jahan, IMF Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, told a press conference in Colombo yesterday. The IMF also wanted the […]

Sri Lanka Telecom Group (SLT Group), the National ICT Solutions Provider, recorded positive consolidated revenues of Rs. 26.6 Bn for Q1 2023, an increase of 2.1%, compared to the same period last year, led by robust growth at company level from SLT, demonstrating resilience and optimism in the future undeterred by the challenging environment. The […]

by Norman Palihawadane Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said that there was no point Sri Lanka getting loans from World Bank or the International Monetary Fund if the people who handle those funds continue to be the fraudsters. Then the plight of the country and its people’s will remain the same. Delivering his homily at […]

Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has said there is no point in Sri Lanka getting loans from the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund if the people who handle those monies continue to be the same fraudsters. Delivering his homily at the 125th Jubilee Mass, offered in the church, dedicated to St, Joseph at […]

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 28 (ANI): Amid a rise in inflation and a shortage of foreign exchange reserves, people in Pakistan have started to face difficulties in performing Haj, Pakistan vernacular media reported. The Haj quota is now available for the first time in Pakistani history, but fewer people are making the pilgrimage. Most Pakistanis are […]

The prevailing economic crisis dealt a huge blow to the country’s fisheries sector resulting in setbacks and decline of production thereby raising the retail prices of fish during last year, says the Central bank in its latest annual report. The seventy third Annual Report of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando The Opposition yesterday (08) lambasted Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena for what it called a move to disrupt the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) ahead of the vote on a Bill titled ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka.’ Top spokespersons for the Nidahas Janatha Sabhawa (NJS) Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, and the main Opposition Samagi […]

Around 40 percent of Sri Lankans have resorted to livelihood-based coping strategies by reducing their spending on education and health owing to the current economic crisis, says the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, in its latest annual report. The 73rd Annual Report of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka released recently […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando SLPP MP Gevindu Cumaratunga, now functioning as an independent, yesterday (07), said that it would be the responsibility of Parliament to ensure that amendments, recommended by the judiciary to a Bill titled ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka,’ were duly incorporated. The National List MP said that the assurance given by Additional Solicitor […]

SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa Wednesday told a Colombo meeting attended by several opposition parties and groups sharing common ground on forthcoming legislation that the proposed Anti-Terrorist law now moved to the back burner by the government endangered Sri Lanka’s entire 22 million population of being labeled terrorists. The meeting at the Mandarin Hotel […]

Saturday 6th May, 2023 One of the main reasons for Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis is that successive governments have invested borrowed money in white elephant projects and enabled their leaders to pocket kickbacks at the expense of the state coffers. The situation took a turn for the worse, on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s watch, with […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Jathika Nidahas Sabhawa Spokesperson Prof. G. L. Peiris, MP, Tuesday (02) questioned the conduct of the Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, pertaining to obtaining compensation for the worst ever marine disaster, caused in Sri Lankan waters, following the sinking of container carrier X-Press Pearl, in the first week of June 2021. Rajaratnam […]

Thursday 4th May, 2023 Government politicians, save perhaps a few, and their backers are still cock-a-hoop over the IMF bailout which they naively think is a kind of economic panacea. They went so far as to paint the town red when the IMF approved the much-awaited extended fund facility, in March, lighting as they did […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita Sri Lanka had not taken a final decision on domestic debt restructuring, Cabinet spokesperson Bandula Gunawardena said on Wednesday. Addressing the media in Colombo, he said that the government was discussing with economists and other stakeholders ways and means of restructuring the domestic debt. Gunawardena said Sri Lanka had not even finalised […]