By Professor Devaka Weerakoon, Department of Zoology and Environment Science, University of Colombo Sri Lanka’s decision to phase out oil palm cultivation has been shaped by perception rather than policy. At the center of the debate lies a powerful claim: that oil palm poses a significant threat to biodiversity and the environment. Scientific evidence however,…
The India–Sri Lanka Binational Bridge and Tunnel – Why Sri Lanka Should Embrace the Opportunity of the Century By Jithendra Antonio For decades, Sri Lanka has debated ports, airports, expressways, free trade agreements, and foreign investments as pathways to economic transformation. Yet one proposal has consistently resurfaced across governments, administrations, and geopolitical cycles as perhaps…
By Thareendra D. Kalpage The completion of the International Monetary Fund’s combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews under Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility is an important milestone. The IMF Executive Board’s approval on 28 May 2026 released SDR 508 million, approximately US$695 million, bringing total disbursements under the 48-month programme to SDR 1.778 billion, or about…
The 23rd FIFA World Cup tournament will take place from 11th June11 till 19th July in sixteen cities in three countries (eleven in USA, three in Mexico, & two in Canada). For the first time the tournament is hosted jointly by three nations & for the first time 48 teams will be taking part (from 32 previously)…
Confidence in the economy remained subdued in May as the corporate community signalled a cautious outlook – likely influenced by fuel and electricity price hikes, the rising cost of living, geopolitical tensions and mounting pressures faced by the wider community. THE ECONOMY The latest LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey, conducted in the first week of…
Business Sentiment: Global Turmoil Tests Confidence Fuel price hikes continue to dominate public discourse as the country grapples with mounting economic and social pressures. In just five weeks, businesses and the citizenry alike endured four rounds of price increases – the latest taking effect on 3 May. What’s more, the Sri Lankan Rupee has shed some…
By Prof. Samitha Hettige The PIC-NET (Public Impact Champions Network) to optimize Sri Lanka’s public services digitalization shall be implemented with men to man identified among serving officers. Minimizing hacking & cyber crimes etc. is the primary objective as national digital economy is forecasted to grow from 3% to 12% by 2030. The PIC-NET is…
The Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index for Construction (PMI – Construction), as reflected by the Total Activity Index, declined to 45.7 in April 2026, mainly due to the seasonal slowdown associated with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period. Further, many survey respondents cited input shortages, particularly of petrochemical-based raw materials, and rising costs…
Fitch Ratings – Sri Lanka’s tighter macroprudential restrictions on vehicle and gold-backed lending will benefit lenders’ risk profiles, particularly those of finance companies, Fitch Ratings says. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s lower loan-to-value (LTV) caps target two products that have expanded rapidly in recent years and represent a substantial share of mainly finance companies’…
By Prof. Samitha Hettige The Sripada (Adam’s Peak/ Samanala kanda) pilgrimage season running from December full moon day to May full moon day ended recently. President Premadasa was the last head of state to climb the mountain (early 1990s) after King Nissnaka malla (Ref. Mahavansa). The ‘Samanala’ hydroelectric power station (‘Laxapana dam’) built across the ‘Maskelioya-oya’ downstream…
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