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Defending Hong Kong International Sixes champions Sri Lanka captained by all-rounder Lahiru Madushanka left for Mong Kok yesterday to take part in the tournament.

Sri Lanka retained the same squad of seven players that won them the title last year, comprising Madushanka, Thanuka Dabare, Sandun Weerakkody, Dhananjaya Lakshan Tharindu Rathnayake, Lahiru Samarakoon, and Nimesh Vimukthi. The team is managed by Sri Lanka Cricket ExCo member Samantha Dodanwela.

Sri Lanka are placed in Group D with Bangladesh and host Hong Kong. They play Hong Kong and Bangladesh on the opening day of the tournament on Friday and England in the third quarter-final on Saturday.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said Sri Lanka’s 50-year relationship with the Holy See stands as a partnership rooted in shared values of peace, reconciliation, and human dignity, reflecting five decades of mutual respect and cooperation.

Speaking after a meeting with Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Herath said the relationship has been shaped by humanitarian service, education, religious harmony, and nation-building efforts led by the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka.

Archbishop Gallagher said the Vatican looks forward to strengthening bilateral relations with Sri Lanka and cooperating to address shared global challenges. He said the Vatican remains committed to deepening engagement with Sri Lanka through continued cultural exchange initiatives, particularly as both states mark 50 years of diplomatic ties this year.

Foreign Minister said: ‘The Holy See has long been a moral voice on the global stage, advocating for justice, reconciliation, peace and disarmament, and the rights of all peoples, values that deeply resonate with the aspirations of the Sri Lankan people.

Over the past five decades, our relations have been underpinned by shared values, especially in the areas of humanitarian service, education, religious harmony, and the promotion of human dignity. The Catholic Church has played a vital role in Sri Lanka’s religious and social landscape, contributing significantly to nation-building and reconciliation, particularly in post-conflict contexts.

We also recall with deep gratitude the historic visits of His Holiness Pope Paul VI in 1970, His Holiness Pope John Paul II in 1995, and His Holiness Pope Francis in 2015, each of which left a lasting impression in the hearts of our people and strengthened the spiritual and diplomatic ties between our nations.

On a personal note, I recall with sorrow and reverence my recent visit to the Vatican to attend the funeral Mass of the late His Holiness Pope Francis on 26 April 2025. That solemn occasion was a powerful reminder of the Holy See’s enduring moral voice in the world and the strength of our bilateral ties.

I also take this opportunity to extend, on behalf of the Government and people of Sri Lanka, our humble respects to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV as we look forward to strengthening our engagement with the Holy See under His Holiness’s esteemed leadership.

Today, as we celebrate this golden jubilee of our diplomatic ties, we reflect with pride on the multifaceted engagement between Sri Lanka and the Holy See, particularly in the areas of religion, education, healthcare, interfaith dialogue, and humanitarian cooperation. I also take this opportunity to note the enduring support and contribution of the Catholic community who serve as a bridge in Sri Lanka-Vatican relations.

The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka plays a significant role in nation-building, social cohesion, social services, and charity work for the poor and marginalised people in the country. The Catholic community with its multi- ethnic composition, plays a key role in promoting reconciliation that is widely respected across all communities.

During the discussions today, I took the opportunity to appreciate the assistance that the Holy See extended over the past five decades to Sri Lanka and reaffirm the commitment of Sri Lanka to continue to strengthen our multifaceted bilateral relations. The discussions that Archbishop Gallagher had with H.E. the President, the Hon. Prime Minister, and me were opportunities to share first-hand the developments in Sri Lanka following the elections of last year, the steps taken by our Government in stabilising the economy, ensuring genuine reconciliation amongst our people, combating bribery and corruption, as well as improving good governance, accountability and human rights. As Sri Lanka continues its journey toward lasting peace, reconciliation, and prosperity, we view the Holy See as a partner and a steadfast advocate for dialogue, inclusivity, and the protection of religious freedom for all communities.

We look forward to exploring new avenues for collaboration, particularly on global issues such as environmental sustainability and the challenges facing developing nations. We also expressed Sri Lanka’s readiness to collaborate closely with the Holy See at the United Nations and other multilateral fora on matters of shared interest.

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday reaffirmed that there will be no further tax increases in the 2026 Budget, emphasising that the Government’s focus is on providing relief to industries and sustaining economic growth.

Speaking at the post-Cabinet media briefing, Dr. Jayatissa said President Anura Kumara Disanayake had already made it clear that taxation levels would not be raised further.

‘The expectation is to provide relief to as many industries as possible,’ he said.

The 2026 Budget, which aligns with the policy framework ‘Rich Country – Beautiful Country’, will focus on building a production-oriented economy and mobilising the contributions of all sectors toward national development.

The Cabinet had earlier approved the presentation of the Appropriation Bill for 2026, which was tabled and passed in Parliament in October. According to the approved schedule, President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Disanayake will deliver the Budget speech (second reading) on Friday.

The second reading debate will take place from 8 to 14 November, with the vote scheduled for 14 November at 6 p.m. The Committee Stage debate will follow from 15 November to 5 December, concluding with the third reading vote on 5 December at 6 p.m.

During the Budget sessions, Parliament will sit daily, including Saturdays, except on Sundays and public holidays. Sittings will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Mondays and 9 a.m. on other days, continuing until 6 p.m. to accommodate the extended debate.

Time will be allocated each day for five oral questions, one question under Standing Orders 27(2), and business under Standing Orders 22(1) to (6). Motions at Adjournment will be debated from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., on a 50:50 basis between the Government and Opposition, except on vote days.

UK Trade Envoy for Sri Lanka, Lord John Hannett, yesterday praised Sri Lanka’s resilience, beauty and growing appeal as a global travel destination, while reaffirming the UK’s commitment to deepening trade and tourism partnerships, at the opening of the Sri Lanka Pavilion at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London’s Excel Centre.

Addressing the gathering, Lord Hannett said it was a privilege to represent the UK as Trade Envoy to Sri Lanka, a country he described as ‘a story of strength and renewal.’

He commended the island’s tourism sector for its excellence, innovation, and resilience. ‘You are not only promoting travel-you are promoting understanding, helping communities thrive, and showing the world that Sri Lanka has an awful lot to offer,’ he said.

He also said the UK consistently ranks among the top sources of international visitors to Sri Lanka, a testament to the enduring affection and appreciation that Britons hold for this beautiful island nation. ‘Sri Lanka is more than a destination; it is a story of optimism, ambition and renewal,’ he added. Reflecting on his visit to the island, Lord Hannett said he was moved by the optimism and passion of Sri Lankans, particularly among entrepreneurs driving the country’s post-crisis recovery. He asserted that tourism has served not only as an economic driver but also ‘as a bridge between different cultures.’

He highlighted ongoing UK-Sri Lanka collaborations, including through the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and the UK’s Ocean Country Partnership Program, which supports Sri Lanka in expanding its ‘blue economy’ by tackling marine pollution, promoting sustainable seafood practices, and conserving marine biodiversity.

‘Sri Lanka has been identified as one of the world’s 36 global tourism hotspots for its beaches and water sports.Through our partnership, we are unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth and shared prosperity,’ he added.

Lord Hannett also praised the Sri Lankan diaspora in the UK for their vital role in strengthening bilateral ties across business, academia and healthcare. He noted that thousands of Sri Lankan students continue to pursue higher education in the UK each year, deepening the people-to-people connection between the two nations.

‘The relationship between our two countries is rooted in history but defined by the future, one built on shared values and global ambitions. From eco-tourism to digital innovation, from education to enterprise, the UK and Sri Lanka are building a partnership of opportunity,’ he said.

Fitch Ratings said this week that the recent series of bilateral trade agreements between the US and several APAC countries reduce uncertainty around the outlook for Asia’s exporters, and could provide a slight lift to GDP over the next few years for the countries involved. However, many details are still to be clarified, and tariff rates remain subject to change.

Over 20 to 30 October, the US announced deals with China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and Cambodia. The greatest economic impact is likely to stem from a halving of the 20% fentanyl-related US tariff on China; this would reduce its effective tariff rate on China by around 10pp, other things being equal. The US and China have also agreed to pause for one year their recent tightening of trade restrictions, involving China’s curbs on rare earth exports, the US extension of export licensing requirements to companies majority-owned by entities on its key restriction lists, and higher bilateral tariffs.

Fitch expects these developments to have a small positive impact on economic growth in China and the US over 2026-2027. Some other Asian countries, especially Korea and Vietnam, should also see an uplift through the influence of stronger demand in China and the US, although in general the deals’ direct boost to growth will be more limited.

Greater clarity about tariffs should strengthen exporters’ confidence in planning medium- and long-term adjustments to supply chains. This, in turn, could support investment growth, particularly in markets with significant exports to the US, such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The trade deals indicate strong US support for the expansion of rare earth mining in non-China markets and could help drive investment in that sector in Southeast Asia and Australia, though we think the macroeconomic impact is unlikely to be significant in the next few years.

Fitch maintains its view that higher US tariffs will dampen US import demand and slow Asia’s export growth in 2026. Recent trade deals have moderated US tariff differentials between major Asian exporters, reducing prospects for tariff-driven supply-chain shifts within the region. However, India has yet to secure a trade deal with the US. Its 50% tariff is now significantly higher than those faced by most other Asian exporters – though the two countries may still reach an agreement in the near future. US tariffs on China also remain higher than those on most other countries, even after the latest agreement.

The reduction of the US tariff on car and auto parts imports from Korea, to 15% from 25%, brings it into line with that on similar Japanese and EU products. Korea also appears to have secured a commitment that any tariffs on semiconductors will not disadvantage Korea relative to Taiwan. Nonetheless, Korean and Japanese auto producers continue to face tariff-related challenges, and we expect Korea’s export growth to slow in 2026 as higher US tariffs and a slowdown in China hit sales.

‘Pledges by Japan and Korea to invest large sums in the US could face implementation challenges, but we cannot rule out an impact on Korea’s sovereign credit profile if such investments lead to sharp reductions in its foreign-exchange reserves. These investments, as well as the broader lack of clarity in the recent trade deals over the treatment of transhipments, are a potential source of future frictions with the US,’ Fitch said.

Meanwhile, according to Fitch, several governments in the region have adopted looser fiscal policy positions, such as Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines and Thailand, in part to offset growth risks posed by the US trade actions in 2025. This may impede fiscal consolidation and affect public debt trajectories, which are an important rating sensitivity for some APAC sovereigns.

Great Place To Work has announced Sri Lanka’s first ever study for the Best Workplaces for Parents 2025, recognising organisations that are striving to create truly family-friendly and supportive work environments.

Parents in the workforce have thus far been an overlooked demographic who are under-appreciated for the skills and potential they bring to the table. Moreover, working parents face growing pressures that directly affect retention, engagement, and productivity, due to limited support. Developing and sustaining family-friendly policies that nurture a positive workplace experience, therefore, not only demonstrates care, but also a strategic advantage in maximising the full human potential of all employees including parents, as well as attracting and retaining top talent.

This is why Great Place To Work Sri Lanka conducted a comprehensive study on the workplace experiences of employees with parental responsibilities, and in collaboration with Parenthood Global, recognised organisations who have fostered parent-friendly cultures.

The study spanned over 100 organisations and surveyed 64,000 employees, of which 33,000 respondents had parental responsibilities. The study period ran from November 2024 to July 2025 and only organisations that were Great Place To Work Certified during the study period qualified for evaluation. The 10 Best Workplaces for Parents were selected through the globally recognised Great Place To Work For All model, using two main components – the Trust Index survey (65% weightage of final score) and the Culture Audit (35% weightage of the score). An additional submission collected information about parent-friendly practices. The rigorous methodology ensured that employee feedback was statistically valid, anonymous, and verified through random audits.

The 10 Best Workplaces for Parents 2025, are AB Mauri Lanka Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., Classic Travel Ltd., Hayleys Plantations, Hilton, Intrepid Colombo Ltd., Marriott International, Omega Line Ltd., Toppan Forms (Colombo) Ltd., and Uzabase Inc.

The study revealed that pride stands out as the strongest focus area among employees with parental responsibilities, while manager integrity and ethical leadership emerged as key differentiators among the best workplaces. However, fairness in profit sharing and pay equity were identified as areas with room for improvement across the wider pool of surveyed organisations.

Great Place To Work Sri Lanka Director/CEO Kshanika Ratnayaka said, ‘Fostering family-friendly policies is not just a compassionate approach, it is a critical strategy for building sustainable workplaces that empower employees to thrive both personally and professionally. When organisations invest in supporting parents, they create an environment where all employees feel valued, motivated, and able to bring their best selves to work. Empowered parents, in turn, raise empowered children, helping to shape stronger generations and contributing to the long-term well-being of our society.’

A detailed report on the study’s findings is available on www.greatplacetowork.lk offering in-depth insights and benchmarks for organisations seeking to understand the parental perspective and workplace trust.

The learning forum, Parent Inclusive Workplace Summit held in collaboration with Parenthood Global, will take place on 14 November 2025, where key learnings and best practices will be shared with business and HR leaders dedicated to advancing family-friendly workplaces.

For a long time, development economists, donor agencies, and international organisations have been projecting that Sri Lanka would experience a rapid increase in its elderly population prior to becoming a developed economy. Such predictions have been affirmed by the results of the latest population census conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics – Census of Population and Housing 2024.

As per the latest census, population under 15 years of age have declined by 4.5%, while the number of people aged more than 65 years has increased by 4.7% compared to the previous census period – 2012. Furthermore, the working-age population – the people aged 15-64 – have declined marginally as a share of the total population. Unlike in the past, people tend to live longer in Sri Lanka due to the vast improvements in the healthcare facilities of the country. The life expectancy in Sri Lanka has significantly increased over the years, from 60.6 years in 1960 to 77.48 years in 2023 owing to improved healthcare, a decline in mortality rates, and other factors, leading to a larger elderly population.

The phenomenon of ageing would have accelerated over the last three to five years, with families postponing child births due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the worst economic crisis experienced by the country in its contemporary history. The cost of raising children has become highly challenging for many married couples due to elevated levels of cost of living in the economy. It was only a few days ago, Sri Lanka was declared as the second most expensive country to live in South Asia.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a report published in 2019, which examined the challenges Sri Lanka has to experience due to its ageing population, pointed out the demographic shift to an ageing society in the island nation is far more rapid than in many other countries at a similar level of development, and occurring at the same speed as in countries with much higher per capita income. According to the Manila-based global development financial institution, the absolute number of working-age population will start to decline from 2030, which would adversely affect the economic growth prospects of the country. The increased educational standards of women compared to many decades ago, resulted in married couples delaying giving birth to children. There is also a tendency among young, educated, urbanised ladies in the country to refrain from attaining motherhood altogether as raising children is considered a hindrance to realise full potential in their chosen careers. The ideals of feminism discourage women from becoming mothers or even getting married by emphasising that women should not lose their independence by entering into a bond with individuals of the opposite gender.

Rising preference among the youth and middle-aged individuals to leave the shores en masse in search of greener pastures has contributed towards the declining working-age population in no small measure. Motivated by the desire to provide excellent education for their children, a number of families with sound educational backgrounds migrated to prosperous economies in the West, impeding the socio-economic progress of the State. The declining working-age population will reduce the country’s labour force, causing a drag on the new Government’s ambitious objectives with regard to economic growth, attracting foreign direct investments, increasing exports, etc. A declining labour force would make the cost of hiring workers expensive which would result in the country becoming a less attractive place for investment.

The increasing elderly population would pose numerous challenges to the society and would have numerous implications for businesses as well with the changing patterns of consumption driven by demographic change. Countries that faced similar problems adopted liberal policies towards inward migration to boost their supply of labour. However, the Sri Lankan society has always feared arrival of foreign nationalities. Pragmatic and forward-thinking policies are vital to overcome this serious demographic challenge.