The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has signed a loan agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to support the Kerawalapitiya–Port L Second Transmission Line Project, under which it will provide USD 52 million in sovereign-backed financing. The funding aims to enhance Sri Lanka’s power transmission capacity and unlock the country’s renewable energy potential, contributing to sustainable development.
The Sri Lankan Report
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka sold 19.1 billion rupees of bills at an auction Wednesday, which is around 67 percent of the offered volume, with rates kept unchanged, official data show. The debt office sold 5.43 billion rupees of bills at 7.52 percent down 1 percent, after offering 6.0 billion rupees. 9.1 billion rupees of 6 month bills were sold at 7.89 percent, flat. 4.53 billion rupees of 12-month bills were sold at 8.02 percent, also unchanged after offering 4.0 billion rupees. (Colombo/Oct08/2025)
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s cabinet has decided to extend an exemption of airport tax at Mattala International Airport till June 2027, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said. Some airlines, including Azur Air has expressed interest in operating to the airport, Minister Jayatissa said. Sri Lanka has earlier exempted the embarkation tax for passengers at Mattala airport to promote more traffic. Sri Lanka’s Katunayake International Airport is facing congestion, with a new terminal delayed due to an economic crisis. (Colombo/Oct08/2025)
The government has introduced a new “Ministerial Results Framework” for 22 line ministries and affiliated institutions, covering the period 2025–2029, to strengthen results-based management in the public sector. Prepared by the Department of Project Management and Monitoring of the General Treasury, the framework aligns with the current administration’s policy objectives and aims to ensure that development goals are achieved within the designated timeframes of each ministry. The initiative is designed to improve efficiency, accountability, and coordination across ministries, ensuring that public sector projects deliver timely results while boosting public confidence in government-led investments. The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the…
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the implementation of the Western Province Municipal Solid Waste Management Master Plan, aimed at addressing the growing waste management challenges in Sri Lanka’s most populous region. The project was developed under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Sri Lanka, aligning with the National Waste Management Policy approved by the Cabinet in October 2019. The master plan was formulated in coordination with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the collection, treatment, and disposal of waste in a secure, sustainable, and environmentally friendly manner. The proposal was presented by the Minister…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to award a long term contract for procurement of four shipments of Murban crude oil to BB Energy Asia Pte. Ltd. of Singapore, the government said. The approval was granted after the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) called bids called from registered suppliers under the two optional methods of payment when issuing from stocked tanks and payment within 30 days by a credit letter issued by the Bank of Ceylon for the procurement of four (04) shipments. The procurement is within the period of four (04) months from January…
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the award of the contract to Sanken Construction (Private) Limited for the construction of an airfield facility complex at the Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana. The project, first approved in September 2019, aims to enhance airport operations and infrastructure. Nine bids were received under the National Competitive Procurement Procedure, with Sanken identified as the lowest responsive bidder. The total contract value is Rs. 3,046.29 million, excluding Value Added Tax. The decision was made based on recommendations from the Procurement Evaluation Committee and the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee. (Newswire) The post Sanken Construction awarded Rs. 3…
A car that fled from police officers during an attempted inspection, endangering the lives of the officers, has been found abandoned on Janaraja Mawatha, Medawatta, Matara, the Police said. According to the Police, the driver was also arrested while hiding in the jungle area behind the University of Ruhuna. The Police said that the Special Rider Team attached to the Matara Division, which focuses on combating narcotics and organized crime, was preparing to inspect a suspiciously parked car near the Wellamadama Vehicle Emission Testing Centre in Devinuwara at around 8.50 pm yesterday. When officers approached the vehicle, the driver suddenly…
The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a special Wildlife Department office at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in Hambantota to address the growing problem of wild elephants and other animals trespassing into the airport premises. According to the government, the frequent movement of wild jumbos and other fauna into the airport area and across its access roads has become a serious concern, threatening the safety of passengers, airport staff, and infrastructure. These incidents have not only disrupted airport operations but have also led to significant repair costs for Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd, which manages…
Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has reported a 14.4 percent increase in air traffic during the first eight months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation. From January to August 2025, the airport handled 44,185 flight movements, compared with 38,607 during the same period in 2024. The highest number of flights this year was recorded in August, with 5,976 movements. Airport authorities noted that demand for air travel continues to rise ahead of the upcoming tourist season. They said measures are being taken to efficiently manage the growing volume of flights and ensure…
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday denied actor Shilpa Shetty permission to travel to Sri Lanka for a YouTube event, saying she should first pay Rs 60 crore in fraud charges before the matter is considered. The court noted that a Lookout Circular (LOC) issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Shetty and her husband, Raj Kundra, remains in place. Due to this, they cannot travel abroad without the court’s or the investigating agency’s permission. Shetty’s lawyer told the court that the actor needed to attend a YouTube event in Colombo from October 25 to 29. When the court…
Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake called for more responsible media reporting, citing a newspaper article about a fatal accident in Doluwa that killed three women. Speaking in Parliament, Rathnayake said while newspapers provide a valuable public service, the report in question unnecessarily highlighted the driver’s gender. “There is no issue with the reporting of the accident itself. But the report also says that the female driver had stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes,” the Minister said quoting the newspaper report. “I’d like to point that this didn’t happen because the driver was a female. This happens to drivers. At…
ECONOMYNEXT – The removal of the Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT) scheme will trigger a cash flow crisis across the entire rubber sector, the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers & Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) said, urging the government to rethink policy. “The move will trigger a cash flow crisis across the entire rubber value chain, from smallholder farmers and SMEs to large-scale exporters, with damaging repercussions for livelihoods, supply chains and Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange inflows,” SLAMERP said. “Without a tested, reliable mechanism, the removal of SVAT will destabilize an entire export sector with ripple effects across the economy,”…
The former Acting Director General of the Office for Reparations has been arrested by the Bribery Commission over a suspected compensation fraud involving land owned by the Mahaweli Authority. According to the Bribery Commission, the accused currently serves as the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and was arrested this morning. She is accused of conspiring with former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa during the compensation process for a Mahaweli Authority property damaged in the 2022 ‘Aragalaya’ protests, specifically the Kiribbanwewa site, which was set ablaze. The official is identified as the second suspect in the bribery investigation against Shasheendra…
The Department of Meteorology has issued an advisory for severe lightning in the Northern, North-central, Central, Eastern, and Uva provinces today. Per the weather advisory, effective until 11.00 pm, red alerts have been issued to 15 districts, and amber alerts to 10 districts. The public has been requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by lightning activity. (Newswire) The post Lightning advisory : Red alert issued to 10 districts appeared first on Newswire.
Former Member of Parliament Sajin Vass Gunawardena appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this morning to provide a statement related to the ongoing investigation into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Former President Maithripala Sirisena had previously stated that he received phone calls from Indian intelligence services regarding the attacks. Police have revealed that, based on investigations into the relevant phone numbers, those calls were reportedly made by Sajin Vass Gunawardena. They confirmed that a statement was recorded from him today in connection with this matter. (Newswire) The post Easter attacks : Sajin Vass Gunawardena questioned by CID appeared first…
Photo courtesy of Global Press Journal It has been over 40 years since Free Trade Zones (FTZs) were established in conjunction with the open economic policy. Although they initially offered numerous concessions to both foreign and local investors, the past few years have not brought significant benefits to the workers. Workers in FTZs face a range of problems including wages that fail to keep pace with the rising cost of living, excessive working conditions with constant production targets, uncertainty about job security and the erosion of their right to organize in trade unions. Despite the many concessions granted to industrialists…
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa met European Union Ambassador to Sri Lanka Carmen Moreno today (08) for a special discussion focused on Sri Lanka’s decision to suspend the Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT) system and the multiple challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The meeting, held at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, also saw the participation of Dr. Johan Hesse, First Counsellor of the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka, along with senior members of the EU diplomatic team. Following private discussions, Premadasa, Ambassador Moreno, and Dr. Hesse joined a roundtable with local MSME business leaders who directly…
ECONOMYNEXT – Sunimal Bandara Weerasooriya has been appointed as an independent, non-executive director to the board of Sri Lanka’s state-owned Bank of Ceylon, with effect from October 7, 2025. “This appointment has been made pursuant to instructions dated 31.07.2025 from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development with the recommendation of a five member special selection committee.” the bank said in a stock exchange disclosure. Central bank approval was granted based on the affidavit submitted with the approval of the Board, it said. A profile as provided by the bank follows: Sunimal Weerasooriya Mr. Weerasooriya is a highly experienced…
A Myanmar military strike on a festival event and protest killed 40 people, including children, an attendee, and a local committee member said on October 7. Myanmar has been reeling from civil war since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, prompting pro-democracy rebels to take up arms and ally with ethnic armed groups against the junta. Hundreds of people were gathered in central Myanmar’s Chaung U township for the Thadingyut full moon festival on Oct. 6 evening when the military dropped bombs on the crowd, according to a member of the committee that organized the event. The woman,…