Broader investor base expected with lower GCash IPO price – analyst

The potential pricing of GCash shares at a lower level could make the upcoming Mynt initial public offering more attractive to a broader base of investors, including ordinary Filipinos who have traditionally had limited participation in the Philippine stock market, according to an investment analyst.

April Tan said the lower price should be viewed in the context of current market conditions, where companies seeking to raise capital may need to make their shares more attractive to investors.

‘I think, obviously, a lower price would mean that the stock is going to be cheaper, so therefore it might be more attractive,’ Tan said in an episode of Intelligent Investing.

Rather than viewing the potential lower pricing solely as a reflection of the company’s condition, Tan said it could be a response to the weakness of the broader market.

‘The market is really so weak, and if you want to raise capital, then you have to make the stock more attractive,’ she said.

The observation puts the GCash IPO in the broader context of efforts to expand participation in the Philippine capital market, particularly at a time when market conditions remain challenging.

For the mass market, a potentially more accessible share price could provide an opportunity for more Filipinos to become participants in the country’s equity market, although the actual level of participation will ultimately depend on the final offer price, investor demand and other IPO terms.

The potential wider participation is significant because the GCash platform already reaches tens of millions of Filipinos through its digital financial services, giving the Mynt IPO an unusual opportunity to connect a mass-market digital finance user base with the country’s formal capital market.

Tan stressed, however, that investors should not assess the IPO on price alone.

She said investors should examine Mynt’s financial performance and determine whether its profitability continues to grow, pointing out that a lower price in a weak market could potentially present an opportunity if the company’s underlying fundamentals remain strong.

‘Let’s look at the numbers. Let’s see if its profitability is still growing,’ Tan said.

Her comments highlight a potentially broader role for the Mynt IPO: not simply as another major listing, but as an opportunity to encourage greater participation in the Philippine capital market by bringing the conversation about stock ownership closer to the ordinary Filipino.

For first-time investors, the distinction remains important. A lower IPO price may make shares more accessible, but prospective investors still need to consider the company’s financial performance, valuation, risks and the terms of the offering before deciding whether to invest.

Against the backdrop of a soft market, the Mynt offering could therefore become a test of whether a major consumer-facing company can help broaden the base of Philippine equity investors while raising capital for continued business growth.

The potential outcome would be a more inclusive capital market in which participation is not confined to large institutional investors and experienced traders, but increasingly includes the ordinary Juan who wants to understand and participate in the growth of Philippine companies

Sara Duterte denies ex-Velasco aide’s claim he delivered over P2 billion to her

Vice President Sara Duterte denied knowing Police Corporal Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. and receiving money from him, after the former security aide of ex-House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco alleged that he delivered more than P2 billion in cash to her.

‘I do not know Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., nor have I ever received any money from him,’ Duterte said in a statement posted on Facebook on September 26.

Gracioso, who claimed to have served as Velasco’s head of security from 2018 until the latter’s speakership from 2020 to 2022, alleged that he delivered suitcases containing cash to Duterte, former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Velasco’s instructions.

He estimated that he delivered more than P2 billion to the vice president on more than 20 occasions. His sworn affidavit, a copy of which the National Bureau of Investigation gave to GMA News, detailed alleged deliveries of P20 million to P50 million in cash to various locations in Metro Manila, Davao and other areas.

The NBI is investigating Gracioso’s claims. NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the agency conducted a polygraph test on Gracioso and validated some of his statements through other means.

Duterte said her lawyers are waiting for an official copy of Gracioso’s affidavit from the NBI so they can begin preparing cases against him.

‘Once we are done dismantling the lies contained in his testimony, it will end up in the trash bin-just like the one from Ramil Madriaga,’ she said.

Madriaga has previously been described by Gracioso as Duterte’s alleged bagman and aide, a connection Duterte has denied.

Duterte also described Gracioso’s allegations as ‘another media stunt’ and an attempt to revive what she called a ‘faltering impeachment case.’

‘This is nothing more than another media stunt, an attempt to breathe life into a faltering impeachment case,’ Duterte said.

She accused the administration of seeking to bring her down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections and remain in power.

‘The desperation of the administration to bring me down, push for Charter Change, prevent the 2028 elections, and cling to power is becoming increasingly diabolical,’ she said.

Duterte also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to undergo a public drug test and answer for the flood control scandal, saying that Filipinos want change.

‘The people want Marcos to take a public drug test. The people want Marcos to answer for the flood control scandal. The people want change,’ she said.

‘No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or manufactured distractions can ultimately silence the Filipino people,’ Duterte added.

Dizon to Cayetano: No ghost projects in Taguig

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Friday there are no ‘ghost’ projects in Taguig City, reinforcing the earlier claims of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

During the Senate finance subcommittee’s hearing on the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Cayetano asked Dizon about the status of his investigation into Taguig infrastructure projects.

‘Are there any ghost projects in Taguig?’ the senator asked Dizon who replied: ‘None, sir. Based on our investigation, there is none.’

Dizon added that their investigation of flood control projects nationwide is ongoing and the 107 projects in Taguig City have all reported ‘accomplishments.’

Sen. Panfilo Lacson earlier said that at least P3.713 billion in public funds may have been wasted on flood control and multipurpose projects in reclaimed portions of Laguna Lake in the city. Cayetano, however, denied his allegation.

Defense to present Romualdez in plunder case

Former Speaker Martin Romualdez will testify in the plunder case filed against him before the Sandiganbayan, his lawyer Ade Fajardo said on Friday.

‘Of course, the most important [witness] is the accused himself, Congressman Romualdez,’ Fajardo said.

‘He wants to defend himself in court and he will most likely testify and is about to be listed as actual witness when it is the turn of defense to present its evidence,’ he added.

Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and two others were ordered arrested by the Sandiganbayan on Sept. 7 on plunder charges.

The case was based on allegations that they received kickbacks totaling P7.44 billion from contractors, persons and entities with interests in flood control, infrastructure and/or other government projects funded under the General Appropriations Acts from 2022 to 2025

A lawmaker’s desecration of Oyo State House of Assembly

IF a person is meant for the mud, they will wallow in it even if you plant them in a palace. That is the story of many (wo)men in high places, and it is the story of the hideous, divisive faith merchant whose provocative utterances birthed this piece. The individual, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker in the Oyo State House of Assembly called Ibrahim Shittu, urged Muslim voters to reject political parties that field Christian candidates for the 2027 election in the state! If you haven’t seen the video circulating on social media in which Shittu, who represents Saki West State Constituency, made the idiotic remarks, I suggest you do so right away. Watching that video, you begin to wonder how such an intellectual cripple and political provocateur made it to a state House of Assembly, but then you realize that governance in the country called Nigeria has been sold to the dogs for ages, and it’s only fitting that you encounter characters like this.

Addressing a group of Muslim leaders, Shittu said: ‘We are appealing to you, our fathers, that you must stand with our candidates who are Muslims. Anyone who selects a Christian candidate for governor, let us reject them and not vote for them. If we vote for them, they will punish Muslims. Support all our Muslim candidates in APC. Any political party with a Christian governorship candidate must not be voted for. If such a person is voted in, Islam will suffer. Anyone that picks a Christian as governor, please let’s reject him and not vote for him because if we vote for them, Islam will suffer.’ Then, apparently referencing Governor Seyi Makinde, he said: ‘He is a Christian and we are Muslims; we know the kind of suffering he has meted out to us.’

Before certain lunatics invade the media space claiming Shittu was misquoted, let me say that I am Yoruba and I do not need anyone to interpret what Shittu said to me. I heard him, as they say, loud and clear. And my immediate question to him is this: Mr. Shittu, if Muslims are not to vote for Christian candidates in 2027, why should any Christian vote for Muslim candidates? What structure of a head does a monkey have that a gorilla does not? Specifically, why should Christians in Oyo State vote for Sharafadeen Alli, your party’s governorship candidate, or for you yourself? Or is your electoral world a one-way traffic populated only by Muslims?

In A Letter Concerning Toleration (1689), the English philosopher, John Locke, wrote: ‘No private person has any right in any manner to prejudice another person in his civil enjoyments because he is of another church or religion.’ But a kindred spirit, Voltaire, was even more direct: ‘The individual who persecutes a man, his brother, because he is not of the same opinion, is a monster.’ His reason: ‘We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other’s folly – that is the first law of nature.’

Naturally, for some people, Voltaire and Locke might well have been addressing the wind. Ask Louis XIV of France, the Catholic monarch who hunted down French Protestants and hounded many out of France. Ask Mary I of England, who took great joy in burning the same people, branding them as heretics. Ask Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, who used the Spanish Inquisition to enforce religious conformity. If men like Shittu and his ideological father, Muhammadu Buhari, had the power, they would do far worse to dissenters.

Ah, the Daura Deceiver. Here is a report by ThisDay on January 21, 2002: ‘As the year 2003 elections draw closer, former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), has called on Muslims across the country to vote only for the presidential candidate that would defend and uphold the tenets of Islam. Buhari, who made the call yesterday at the closing ceremony of the 16th National Qur’anic Recitation competition held in Gusau, Zamfara State, told Muslims that they have every reason to thank Allah for restoring Islamic Sharia under the present dispensation, which he said was destroyed by British colonialists during their crusade in 1903 against the Sokoto Caliphate.’ Was it any surprise, then, that in 2015 Buhari went on to become a rigidly provincial, provocatively partisan president who, in reference to Fulani herders who had staged a pogrom in the state on New Year’s Day 2018, asked a grieving Benue populace to ‘accommodate their countrymen’?

It is not a crime to love and propagate your faith. I have never hidden the fact that I am a Christian, although not a Trinitarian. I believe that Almighty God is a Sovereign Spirit who cannot be born, cannot die, and does not sleep. But I have never sought to impose my belief on anyone, nor looked down on anyone. In the world of people like Shittu and his father Buhari, only people in their religious circle matter; the rest are like dots in a circle and can go to blazes. All three Oyo senators in the National Assembly are Muslims, and Governor Makinde has been praised by Muslim leaders for his pro-Islamic gestures, yet Shittu says Makinde is tormenting Muslims in Oyo State. He did not provide a shred of evidence. This was the same way Buhari, before he got into office, said that an attack on Boko Haram was an attack on the North, that Muslims should only vote for fellow Muslims, and that there was nothing like subsidy. We all know how he ended up taking Nigeria back by many decades, causing untold poverty and despair and plunging it into unprecedented insecurity. Now, a dangerously subversive candidate once promised to impose the North’s brand of Sharia law on Oyo State, and another is preaching a janjaweed sermon.

Ibrahim Shittu has desecrated the Oyo State House of Assembly with his provocative utterances. He has shown that he is a religious bigot who can’t bear the thought of non-Muslims in public office. He can relocate to Afghanistan, where he will have unfettered access to his demons.

Re: Who bewitched Nigeria’s opposition?

GM sir. Don’t know why intellectuals like you are stressing over opposition party. What are they opposing? I personally listened to both Obi and Atiku, I saw nothing but emptiness hinged on ‘It is Igbos turn (Obi) ‘ and ‘I want to be president by all means.'( Atiku). Let Tinubu kuku continue jare, nothing positive will manifest if either of duo gets elected. Me I won’t vote and will convince anyone around not to waste their time.

Re: How could the Nigerian movie industry have started in the 90s?

If you ask me, ‘One Nigeria’ is the reason we are having conversation like this. Revisionism similar to Azikwe ‘s claim on Western Region’s election as exposed by Bolanle Bolawole. Lagos is no man’s land , Na we develop Lagos, etc. Igberaga, igbera sanle (Pride goes before a fall).

Enhancing great marital sex life through education

I have been having a lot of feedback from the readers on this Intimacy column. I have sold copies of my book on great sex. I have also been having one-on-one discussions with quite a good number of people. From the various experiences, I have come to realise that information is a great key to enjoying a great sex life for couples. The more one is informed, the better the sexual performance.

As a matter of fact, that I am involved in sex information came out of my own personal experience with gathering information to improve my sexual satisfaction in my marriage.

The focus of this write-up is about reinforcing the need for married couples to be deliberate about sex information for maximum satisfaction. You need to get the right education if you will enjoy a great sex life. There is no shortcut about it. If you don’t get informed, you will be sexually deformed. To be sexually deformed means to seek sexual satisfaction outside marriage.

That is why cases of infidelity resulting in children from outside marriage have been on the increase lately. It’s a sad development that we have to grapple with in the marriage setting these days. How can one raise children whose biological fathers are concubines to their mothers? Or husbands having children outside the marriage? All these, in most cases, are resultant effects of poor marital sex, which can be better handled with adequate sex knowledge.

My husband and I are doing well sexually in our marriage today because we intentionally sought knowledge about sex.

My husband has been having masterclasses for husbands who want to enjoy great sex in marriage, and the results are mind-blowing. As someone from overseas wrote to him last week, he confessed that he is lasting longer in bed now after his masterclass sessions with him. Others have also confessed that the information they gather about sex has brought great improvement to their sex life.

I am therefore strongly recommending that married couples must engage in personal sex development. It will give them icing on the cake in the marriage.

Avenues for sex information

Books on sex

It’s indeed no longer a hidden fact that reading improves the quality of life in all areas, sex inclusive. So, let couples improve their reading habits on sex matters. There is no need to shy away from reading about sex.

You can hardly see people holding books on sex publicly, or seeing them standing at book stands to buy books on sex. This is discreetly done by a few who dare to take the bull by the horn. I have read a lot on sex to get to where I am today in matters of sex. I am still reading, and I won’t stop because it’s highly rewarding.

Attend couples seminars, conferences, and gatherings

You will get to hear something new about sex during such outings. Pay if you must, and never take such opportunities for granted.

Enrol for masterclasses on sex matters

My husband’s experience lately on this is an eye-opener to the benefits of this avenue. You are able to ask down-to-earth questions, which attract adequate answers. It can be a one-on-one thing, or with a group of friends. You are able to share your personal experiences and compare notes with others in the group.

The beauty of this is that you will discover that you are not alone in the situation you are worried about. No more suffering in silence. There is a solution to every issue in life. You only need to go to the right places to access the solutions.

Social media platforms on sex matters

Some social media platforms are available for down-to-earth discussions on sex matters. Married couples should avail themselves of the opportunity. It’s highly rewarding due to the variety of information available through them.

Personal counselling on sex

There is nothing wrong if one goes to an experienced counsellor on sex matters. As long as it’s for your marital success, it’s not bad at all. In advanced nations of the world, some are trained or are professional sex therapists for such purposes. It has also been discovered how invaluable their services are to the mental health and happiness of married couples. We must improve on this in our society as well.

If you have a desire to overcome any sexual challenge, please don’t joke with these avenues to get informed. You will be surprised as to how easily accessible such solutions are from the avenues.

’Around the Island’ by Artist Nihal Sangabo Dias

Place and memory have a particular relationship in the work of Nihal Sangabo Dias. Sri Lanka is both familiar and continually changing in his paintings, an island of landscapes, villages, people and colour, filtered through an artist who has spent decades looking closely at it.

This way of seeing Sri Lanka is central to ‘Around the Island’, presented by ITC Ratnadipa this World Tourism Day. ‘Around the Island’ takes place at the WelcomGallery of ITC Ratnadipa, from 25 September to 11 October 2026, showcasing Sri Lanka as a Sri Lankan artist sees it, not as a fixed landscape, but as something observed, remembered and continually reinterpreted.

Rather than simply depicting the island, Dias invites viewers to encounter it through his own visual language. His interpretation offers a way into Sri Lanka beyond the familiar sights of a destination, shaped by what he has seen, what has stayed with him, and how he chooses to translate those memories onto the canvas. Tourism is often associated with the act of arriving somewhere, but a sense of place can also be shaped by the stories, images and perspectives through which a country is represented. In Dias’ work, Sri Lanka becomes something to be encountered through an individual artistic perspective, allowing familiar landscapes and everyday scenes to take on another dimension.

ITC Ratnadipa Head of PR and Marketing Dilshi Fernando said: ‘Since its launch in April this year, WelcomGallery has been envisioned as a platform for Sri Lankan artists to showcase their work to a wider audience, including the global travellers who visit ITC Ratnadipa. This exhibition is particularly special to us as it coincides with World Tourism Day. Through ‘Around the Island’, we celebrate the work of Nihal Sangabo Dias, who captures the beauty of Sri Lanka in its simplest and most authentic form, from fishermen and village life to the landscapes of Galle and Kandy. His work reminds us that the essence of Sri Lanka lies in these everyday moments and places. We warmly invite everyone to experience the exhibition and see our island through his eyes.’

Sharing his thoughts on the exhibition, Sangabo Dias said: ‘I hope these paintings offer a glimpse of Sri Lanka from the way I’ve seen its beauty, character, colours and the moments that have stayed with me. Through my work, I hope viewers will pause and look at the island a little differently, finding their own connection with the places, people and stories that make Sri Lanka so special.’

Through ‘Around the Island’, ITC Ratnadipa brings together art, place and perspective in celebration of the World Tourism Day, offering both local audiences and global travellers an opportunity to encounter Sri Lanka through the eyes of a Sri Lankan artist.

Sri Lanka strengthens presence in Georgia with appointment of two Honorary Consuls

Sri Lanka has further strengthened its diplomatic and consular presence in Georgia with the appointment of two Honorary Consuls, marking an important step towards expanding bilateral engagement, promoting trade and tourism, and enhancing assistance to the growing Sri Lankan community in the country.

Nino Makhviladze has been appointed Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in the capital, Tbilisi, with consular jurisdiction covering Tbilisi, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Shida Kartli.

Mikheil Dzadzamia has been appointed Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Batumi, with consular jurisdiction covering the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and Samtskhe-Javakheti.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Georgia resident in Trkiye, Niluka Kadurugamuwa, handed over the Commissions of Appointment to the newly appointed Honorary Consuls of Sri Lanka in Georgia, Nino Makhviladze and Mikheil Dzadzamia, at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Ankara on 22 September 2026.

Prior to handing over the Commissions of Appointment, the Ambassador briefed the two Honorary Consuls on the responsibilities entrusted to them and Sri Lanka’s expectations vis-à-vis their role in further advancing relations between Sri Lanka and Georgia and looking after the interests of Sri Lankans in that country.

The Government of Sri Lanka appreciates the cooperation and goodwill extended by the Government of Georgia in accepting the nominations of the two Honorary Consuls. Their appointments will further strengthen Sri Lanka’s representation and consular outreach in Georgia while providing fresh impetus to the growing bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Honorary Consuls perform an important role in advancing Sri Lanka’s interests overseas on a voluntary basis, without remuneration from the Government of Sri Lanka. Through their professional networks, local knowledge and commitment, they complement the work of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions in promoting the country’s economic and tourism interests, strengthening bilateral relations and assisting Sri Lankan nationals abroad.

Georgia is home to a sizeable Sri Lankan student community of around 400, the majority of whom are pursuing medical studies.

Saving Anojan: Saudi law, mercy and responsibility of diplomacy

The case of Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan migrant worker convicted in Saudi Arabia over an allegedly offensive social media comment concerning Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), has generated considerable discussion in Sri Lanka, particularly on Tamil social media.

The debate has acquired a more serious dimension following reports that a Saudi appellate court has increased his original sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of three million Saudi riyals to the death penalty.

The reported development has understandably caused anxiety among his family and the wider Sri Lankan public. It has also raised important questions concerning Saudi Arabian criminal law, the appeal process and the responsibility of the Sri Lankan Government to protect the life of its citizens.

As a former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, I believe the immediate priority must be to pursue every available legal remedy while simultaneously seeking mercy through sustained diplomatic engagement.

The two approaches should complement each other. The objective must be to protect the life of a Sri Lankan citizen while respecting the laws, judicial institutions and religious values of the Kingdom.

What does the original judgment reveal?

A letter dated 16 September 2026 from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, widely available in the media, confirms that Anojan’s lawyer submitted a memorandum of appeal to the Court of Appeal in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region on 24 August 2026.

According to media reports, the Ministry forwarded the memorandum, together with an unofficial English translation, to Anojan’s family.

As per the memorandum, the trial court found Anojan guilty of verbally insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), an act prohibited under Sharia, and of producing and publishing online material contrary to religious values and public morals.

The court sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of three million Saudi riyals. It also ordered the confiscation of the digital device used and the closure of the relevant online account.

However, the memorandum reveals another important fact.

The trial court rejected the Public Prosecutor’s remaining requests, including a request for severe discretionary punishment, known as Ta’zir, for the verbal insult against the Prophet.

This distinction is central to understanding the case.

The original proceedings were not confined to a cybercrime allegation. They also involved a finding concerning conduct prohibited under Sharia, for which the prosecution had sought a more severe punishment.

What does Saudi law actually provide?

Article 6 of Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Cybercrime Law prescribes a maximum punishment of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of three million Saudi riyals, or either punishment, for specified offences involving online material that infringes religious values, public order or public morals.

The provision does not itself prescribe the death penalty.

However, Saudi Arabia’s legal system incorporates both statutory legislation and Islamic criminal law.

Under Islamic criminal jurisprudence, Hudud refers to offences for which particular punishments are prescribed, while Qisas concerns retributive justice, principally in cases involving homicide and bodily injury.

Ta’zir refers to discretionary punishment for offences where the punishment is not fixed in the same manner.

Contrary to some assertions circulating on social media, capital punishment under Saudi law is not confined exclusively to Hudud and Qisas offences. Saudi courts have also imposed death sentences for certain offences classified as Ta’zir. This does not establish that capital punishment is legally justified in Anojan’s particular case.

The crucial question is whether the reported appellate decision was based on reconsideration of the prosecution’s original request for severe discretionary punishment or on some other legal ground.

That question can only be answered conclusively by examining the written appellate judgment.

It would therefore be misleading either to assure the public that a death sentence is legally impossible or to assume that the reported sentence is necessarily lawful.

The appeal and the available legal remedies

The memorandum submitted by Anojan’s lawyer primarily challenges the severity of the original punishment.

It argues that the trial court imposed both the maximum imprisonment and maximum financial penalty prescribed under Article 6.

The lawyer requests reconsideration of the sentence, taking into account the circumstances of the incident and Anojan’s personal circumstances.

The memorandum also argues that the incident involved a single comment made during a verbal confrontation rather than a sustained campaign.

An important procedural question remains unanswered: did the Public Prosecutor separately appeal against the original judgment, particularly the rejection of the request for severe discretionary punishment?

The available documents do not establish this. Nor do they establish whether Anojan and his family were advised that the appellate proceedings might result in a more severe sentence.

These matters deserve careful examination without prematurely assigning responsibility to any individual or institution.

Saudi Arabia’s criminal procedure framework provides for Supreme Court review of capital judgments. A reported death sentence at the appellate stage should therefore not automatically be treated as a final, executable judgment.

The immediate priority should be to obtain the authenticated appellate judgment, establish the applicable deadlines and ensure that experienced Saudi criminal counsel pursues every available judicial remedy.

Beyond the legal route: Seeking mercy

While every available legal remedy must be pursued, the diplomatic avenue of seeking mercy deserves equally serious attention.

A legal appeal seeks relief through the judicial system, whereas a diplomatic appeal for mercy seeks compassionate consideration through the appropriate Saudi authorities, within the framework of the Kingdom’s laws and established practices.

The availability of executive clemency depends on the legal classification of the offence and the applicable Saudi provisions. A royal pardon should therefore not be assumed to be automatically available in every capital case.

Nevertheless, every lawful possibility for clemency deserves careful examination and sustained diplomatic pursuit.

Islamic teachings place considerable emphasis on mercy and forgiveness.

The Holy Qur’an describes Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a mercy to the worlds (21:107). It also states: “Let them pardon and overlook. Would you not love for Allah to forgive you?” (24:22).

These verses do not override the judicial process, but they provide an ethical foundation for a respectful humanitarian appeal.

Sri Lanka should seek compassionate consideration of Anojan’s personal circumstances, his family and the possibility of rehabilitation, without diminishing the seriousness with which Saudi Arabia regards offences involving religious values.

Such an appeal requires sensitivity, discretion and sustained engagement at the highest appropriate diplomatic level.

Creating the right diplomatic environment for mercy

Seeking mercy in a case of this nature requires more than submitting a formal diplomatic request. It calls for a carefully cultivated atmosphere of goodwill, mutual confidence and understanding between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia hosts a substantial Sri Lankan expatriate community, commonly estimated at around 300,000 people. Their welfare, employment and contribution to Sri Lanka’s economy give the bilateral relationship an enduring human and economic dimension.

It is therefore essential that Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintain smooth, cordial and constructive relations with the Saudi Government, particularly when seeking humanitarian consideration in sensitive cases.

In diplomacy, the atmosphere in which a request is made can be as important as the request itself.

When a government approaches another country’s leadership seeking an exceptional act of mercy, it should ensure that the broader relationship is not burdened by avoidable irritants that could diminish the goodwill necessary for a sympathetic hearing.

Two issues deserve attention in this context.

The first concerns the Saudi-funded housing project in Norochcholai, Ampara, undertaken for families affected by the devastating tsunami of December 2004.

The prolonged controversy surrounding the distribution of the 500 houses built with Saudi assistance has been an unfortunate feature of the bilateral relationship.

The Government should establish the project’s present status and take appropriate steps to resolve any outstanding legal and administrative obstacles, consistent with the rights of the intended beneficiaries.

The issue is not merely one of development assistance. It also concerns Sri Lanka’s responsibility to honour the humanitarian purpose for which Saudi Arabia extended its assistance.

The second matter concerns Sri Lanka’s diplomatic response to attacks against Saudi Arabia by the Houthi movement.

I have not seen a specific public statement by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemning the recent attacks against Saudi Arabia, although this does not necessarily mean that no diplomatic communication has taken place.

Given the substantial Sri Lankan community residing and working in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia’s security and stability are also matters of direct concern to Sri Lanka.

A consistent expression of concern over attacks against civilian populations and infrastructure, and a reaffirmation of respect for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, would be in keeping with Sri Lanka’s established foreign-policy principles.

Such a position need not compromise Sri Lanka’s relations with other countries or its commitment to the peaceful settlement of regional conflicts.

These two matters may appear unrelated to Anojan’s judicial proceedings. However, they illustrate a broader diplomatic consideration: the importance of addressing outstanding bilateral issues and maintaining mutual understanding when approaching the Saudi leadership with a particularly sensitive humanitarian request.

This does not mean that resolving these issues would guarantee a favourable response to an appeal for clemency. Nor should Sri Lanka’s consular responsibilities be made conditional upon concessions in unrelated bilateral matters.

Rather, it is a question of creating an atmosphere in which a sincere appeal for mercy can receive sympathetic consideration without being overshadowed by avoidable diplomatic irritants.

Diplomacy must now deliver

The case of Sivarasa Anojan presents Sri Lanka with a serious consular and diplomatic challenge.

The Government must ensure that every available legal remedy is pursued, that the family receives accurate and timely information and that Anojan has access to experienced Saudi legal counsel.

However, the pursuit of judicial remedies should not delay diplomatic engagement aimed at securing mercy and clemency.

Sri Lanka should mobilise the goodwill accumulated through decades of friendship with Saudi Arabia and seek compassionate consideration through appropriate channels, including high-level communication between the political leaderships of the two countries where warranted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should simultaneously address avoidable irritants in the bilateral relationship, creating the most favourable diplomatic environment for such a sensitive humanitarian appeal.

Diplomacy cannot guarantee a favourable judicial outcome in another sovereign state. However, it can ensure that every available opportunity to protect a citizen’s life is meaningfully pursued.

For Anojan and his family, the issue is no longer merely a debate about the interpretation of Saudi criminal law.

It is a question of life, mercy and the responsibility of the State towards one of its citizens.

While every available legal remedy must be pursued, Sri Lanka should simultaneously mobilise the goodwill of its longstanding friendship with Saudi Arabia to seek mercy and clemency. This is a moment when diplomacy must combine legal diligence with compassion, discretion and sustained engagement at the highest appropriate levels.

NCE Council flags export challenges

Sector representatives raised several concerns affecting export businesses, including certification requirements for food shipments, the cost of locally sourced rubber, logistics expenses and delays in obtaining approvals, at the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) Council meeting held on 17 September at the NCE secretariat.

A major concern raised during the meeting was the certification process for processed food exports, especially the health/phytosanitary certifications required for shipments to Australia, which had resulted in considerable difficulties in clearing shipments. It was noted that certain country-specific wording needs to be included in the certificate, while differences in the documentation issued in Sri Lanka had created problems for exporters.

The meeting was also informed that some shipments had been held for several months due to documentation issues, and that the issue had also been brought to the attention of Sri Lankan officials during discussions in Australia. The concern was raised in relation to the processed food export sector and the need for certification procedures to meet the requirements of destination markets.

In July 2026, Sri Lanka’s rubber export earnings grew 3.17% YoY to $ 87.24 million, reflecting sustained international demand. Industrial and Surgical Rubber Gloves increased 19.01%, while Gaskets, Washers, Seals, and other Hard Rubber Products increased 47.56% compared to July 2025.

Yet, despite these gains, the rubber sector also raised concerns over pricing and the cost of raw material. Members noted that Sri Lankan rubber was currently more expensive than imported rubber, despite high shipping costs. As a result, a large number of exporters were importing rubber rather than purchasing from the local market, which was affecting local value addition.

Exporters also reported that market prices had not increased in line with their costs and that profit margins had fallen. The meeting noted that discussions on improving rubber plantation productivity had been taking place for several years, while improvements in supply would take time to produce results.

Meanwhile, Tea export earnings fell 17.22% YoY to $ 116.73 million in July 2026, mainly due to declines in Tea Packets and Bulk Tea. This was largely due to a 47.93% drop in Middle East exports, including steep declines in Iraq (-78.54%), Iran (-73.09%), the UAE (-57.49%), and Saudi Arabia (-3.44%).

In this context, the tea sector highlighted the continued impact of high logistics costs, especially in the Middle East, and freight rates to European markets were also described as a concern. While exporters had been seeking alternative logistics routes, the cost of these alternatives remained a problem.

Concerns were also raised about the capacity of the coconut sector to meet future export targets.

Sri Lanka’s coconut shell-derived Activated Carbon exports grew 26.72% YoY to $ 24.28 million in July 2026, highlighting the increasing earnings and global growth potential of value-added coconut products.

The meeting referred to efforts to expand cultivation in the Northern region and the distribution of coconut seedlings, while noting that the Coconut Cultivation Board’s capacity to undertake further planting was limited and that greater private sector participation would be required.

The Council also discussed the use of preferential trade agreements and the need for improved awareness among exporters on how these arrangements can be used when entering overseas markets. The NCE plans to work with relevant authorities to increase awareness and examine barriers that may be limiting the use of such agreements.

Sri Lanka’s overall export performance has been steady, with total exports surpassing $ 10 billion in the first seven months of 2026 (a 5.5% YoY increase), and merchandise exports leading performance at nearly $ 8.2 billion, growing 5.05% YoY.

In addition to sectoral matters, the NCE briefed members on its upcoming international delegations and market access activities. Delegations to India, Dubai, Bahrain and Italy are being planned. The Chamber has also signed and is pursuing several MoUs with overseas business organisations.

The Chamber is also preparing an AI-driven digital marketing program with NIBM for export-oriented businesses, aimed at marketing, business development and customer engagement staff. A new national youth awareness program on the export sector is also scheduled to be soft launched in October. The program will target school leavers and young people through physical and online interactive sessions featuring exporters and other industry representatives.

With these events, the NCE remains committed to supporting exporters through market access and business development programs.