Category: Daily Financial Times

The Sri Lanka cricket team currently touring Pakistan has decided to donate the tour money and match fees from the ongoing Pakistan series to assist those affected by the devastating floods and landslides countrywide.

Head coach Sanath Jayasuriya went on social media stating:

‘The players and support staff are saddened by the situation our fellow Sri Lankans are facing by the devastating floods and landslides back home. As a team, our hearts go out to all of you and we have decided to donate the tour money and match fees from the Pakistan series to support those affected. We will continue to do more once we return home. Please stay safe, follow guidelines and care for one another during this difficult time. Standing together with all Sri Lankans.’

The Colombo stock market yesterday ended the week on the up after trading closed two hours earlier than the regular 2 p.m. close due to adverse weather conditions caused by cyclone Ditwah.

The ASPI ended up 0.35% or 80.37 points to 22,742.46 and the active S and P SL20 gained 0.16% or 10.12 points to 6,278.57.

The market closed at 12:30 p.m. yesterday on a turnover of over Rs. 1.9 billion on nearly 63.2 million shares traded. Foreign investors were net sellers with a net outflow of Rs. 326.3 million.

Week-on-week, the ASPI was down 1.17% or 269.9 points while the S and P SL20 declined 1.53% or 97.58 points. Foreigners were net sellers in the week on a Rs. 684.35 million net outflow.

First Capital Research said despite an early halt in trading, the Colombo Bourse gathered fresh momentum and nudged its way upward. Following a brief downward movement in the beginning of the session, market regained traction towards closing.

Key positive contributors to today’s upward movement included BUKI, AEL, BIL, LOLC, and DOCK.

The Capital Goods sector accounted for 35.4% of total turnover, followed by Banking and Telecommunication sectors, which collectively contributed 24.1%. Foreign investors remained net sellers, bringing the month-to-date net foreign outflow to Rs. 3.7 billion.

Two Indian aircraft carrying humanitarian aid arrived in Sri Lanka early this morning (29), delivering over 21 tons of relief supplies for those affected by the recent disaster.

Last week we ran an interview in this page with a foreign Artificial Intelligence (AI) engineer who was amongst the first batch in the Western world to enrol in it as an academic discipline soon after AI was introduced to the world in 2021. Today we feature a discussion with a Sri Lankan born Australia based professional in the health sector who wishes to introduce to Sri Lanka an AI led integrated approach to boost medical tourism.

Nidesh Kulatunga began his academic career in accounting, completing a bachelor’s degree in Australia before undertaking further professional training in business analytics at RMIT University – Melbourne city campus. Through independent study and the development of applications, he had earned awards from state government health agencies leading to him being a project lead in the health sector. His current position is as Principal Business Analyst within a Clinical and Business Intelligence unit in Australia. This interview is published as part of the mass media endeavor of the Harmony page towards encouraging a sound integrated approach towards national policy discourse keeping the lived in interest of the people of the country.

Q: Please introduce yourself and your work.

A: I have been living in Australia for the past 13 years, and have been a lifelong technology enthusiast, which naturally shaped my career trajectory. Over the past five years I have worked across several layers of the Australian health system, starting at the federal level, then moving into injury compensation and workers’ rehabilitation/return to workspace. Thereafter I specialised in the state public health sector. My work has involved training staff, leading and delivering state-wide health projects, and helping design and implement software and data driven platforms that improve how services operate. These roles placed me at the intersection of policy, operations, and technology, allowing me to understand both the human side of healthcare and the technical capabilities that can truly elevate it.

Q: What is it that you hope to introduce to Sri Lanka?

A: What I hope to introduce is a proposal for an integrated, AI-enabled health platform that can help both the public and private sectors evolve. Right now, many hospitals use different systems that operate in isolation, with no unified standards and no effective way to collect data across all large and small facilities. Because of this, the Government cannot make truly data-driven decisions for the health of the nation.

My goal is to change that. If we introduce a single platform that every hospital staff member can actually use in their day-to-day work, and we implement it properly, we can finally begin building AI models trained on real, national-level healthcare data. These models can help us predict, prevent, and manage health challenges in ways we have never been able to before.

Beyond the direct health benefits, I truly believe that this opens a bigger opportunity for Sri Lanka, to become an island of healing.

Q: Are you speaking of Western Medical systems alone?

A: No. With a stronger digital backbone, we can build a world-class medical tourism sector and elevate Hela Wedakama, Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani to the global stage. When healthcare becomes a national strength, it lifts other sectors and supports the country’s overall development.

Q: How long of expertise have you had in AI and health tech?

A: AI as a field has been evolving for decades, but the last three years have changed its pace entirely. I’ve worked with data for a while now, especially in health settings, but it’s only during the past two years that we’ve begun implementing real AI infrastructure and software at scale. This includes building the pipelines and environments needed for training models, integrating them with existing systems, and preparing organisations for AI-driven decision-making. While my foundation in data is long-standing, my hands-on experience with modern AI deployments, particularly in health sector, has grown significantly in the recent few years.

Q: How can AI benefit SL?

A: AI can help Sri Lanka unlock the true potential of every sector in Sri Lanka; healthcare, transport, agriculture, education, finance and tourism. By replacing old ways of working, and by finding a pathway for smarter decision making with real data and speed; AI can cut inefficiencies, uplift communities, and give the entire country a chance to leap forward instead of slowly catching up to the rest of the world.

Sri Lanka’s health system spans 25 districts and a wide network of National Hospitals, Teaching Hospitals, Provincial General Hospitals and Divisional Hospitals. Yet there is still no true unified digital system to manage health, hospital or pharmaceutical data. This means that many decisions, including how resources are allocated, are often made without the full picture. As an expat with experience in more digitally mature systems, I am trying to share this proposal with the current government, especially given their strong digitalisation agenda, on how technology, policy and practical workflows can be improved to support a modern, data-driven health sector.

Q: Last week we ran an interview in this page of a British born, France-based AI engineer who focused on both the positive and negative impacts of AI. What was highlighted was that AI does make mistakes and is only around 90% accurate and that this should be kept in mind when used in the health sector. Could you elaborate?

A: Yes, this is correct but AI is a realm that is here to stay and developing very fast and improving in accuracy. For Sri Lanka the opportunity lies not just in simply adopting technology for the sake of it, but in creating an ecosystem where the right data is captured at the right time, and is used to make better and faster decisions. AI in the healthcare should never replace clinical judgment, it should support it. The goal is not to rely on AI 100%, but to use it as a second set of eyes that helps staff make faster, more informed decisions, reduce errors, and ease administrative burdens. For Sri Lanka, the real opportunity is in building an ecosystem where the right data is captured, connected, and analysed consistently across all hospitals. With that foundation, predictive models can help the country anticipate medicine shortages, staffing gaps, operational bottlenecks, and even future disease trends.

This goes far beyond clinical care. With better data visibility, any government, present or future; can plan earlier, reduce unnecessary imports, strengthen local manufacturing and labour planning, and create a more resilient and sustainable national health system. AI is most powerful when used wisely, with good data and human oversight, and it can truly help Sri Lanka move from reactive decision-making to proactive leadership.

Q: Could you elaborate what Sri Lanka’s real competitive advantage lies in using health for tourism?

A: Countries like Thailand, Singapore, and India already attract patients for elective and specialised surgeries because they offer high-quality care at cost lower than Western countries, and Sri Lanka can absolutely join that space too. This is exactly what our proposal to the current Sri Lankan government lays out; a practical blueprint for how the country can enter this space confidently and competitively.

However what truly sets us apart is something those countries don’t have: our ‘paramparika wedakama,’ Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani traditions. These systems have deep cultural value and global curiosity, even though sometimes they’ve been undervalued here at home.

So yes, we can compete in modern medical tourism, but our real differentiation comes from integrating and elevating our traditional healing systems. With proper digitalisation, safety standards, outcome tracking, and true practitioner support by including them in designing this system, Sri Lanka can offer something no other country can: a blend of credible Western care and authentic Sri Lankan healing.

This makes our medical sector offering stronger, more diverse, and genuinely unique.

Q: Most elite Sri Lankans, including politicians hop on a plane to Singapore or elsewhere whenever faced with their mortality. Do you think Sri Lanka can compete in the Western medical system in tourism with other regional countries?

A: Yes, we can. This is also a prime example of how countries like Singapore, Thailand, and India earn significant revenue from medical tourism, combining high-quality care with strong infrastructure. Again, it’s not that Sri Lanka lacks expertise, I think we have highly skilled clinicians and practitioners locally, but we currently don’t have the digital systems, infrastructure, and equipment in place to compete directly with these countries.

The right digital health system can change this. By capturing accurate data from hospitals across the country, we can better understand the real health needs of our population, identify gaps, and make informed decisions about where to invest in equipment, staff, and facilities. AI and integrated platforms can help us optimise resources, improve outcomes, and support clinical excellence.

Over time, we can attract high-paying, repeat tourists seeking ongoing care, elective procedures, rehabilitation, wellness services, and authentic traditional therapies. If we build a strong, data-driven health system here, none of us will need to go abroad for specialised care. Sri Lanka itself would be able to provide world-class treatment, combining modern medicine and heritage healing, while also generating sustainable economic growth for the country.

Q: Are you aware of the warnings of environment damage caused by AI?

A: Yes. Many researchers worldwide are concerned about the environmental downsides of AI. There are serious concerns that the rapid expansion of AI; datacentres, model training, heavy computation, consume huge amounts of energy and water, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental stresses.

That said, I believe AI also offers us a chance to reduce waste and environmental impact. I’ll talk just about the health sector. For example, by using AI and digital health platforms, hospitals can optimise resource use: predicting demand for medicines, managing supply chains, reducing overstock and expiry waste, planning staffing and equipment needs precisely, and avoiding unnecessary procedures or duplicate diagnostics. This helps reduce waste, both material and operational, and lowers the environmental footprint of delivering care.

At the same time, there are many other factors affecting the environment. Leaving AI aside, the fact that telehealth has not been widely adopted in Sri Lanka means patients often travel long distances through traffic, burning fuel unnecessarily. We should give equal attention to these current inefficiencies and recognise the potential of digitalisation to reduce environmental impact. In this case, it means addressing the stigma around telehealth and remote care, educating patients, and making these services more accessible-a simple but powerful step towards greener healthcare.

So, in short, yes. The environmental risks of AI are real and must be taken seriously. But with the right experts who have experience in AI and health technology, in the long term Sri Lanka can build efficient, sustainable models that minimise energy use and optimise data management.

The People’s Movement Against Corruption (PMAC) yesterday called for an urgent and comprehensive Government investigation into a pattern of large-scale corruption and irregularities concerning the awarding of millions of dollars in contracts to Chinese State-owned companies for projects under the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB).

It said that revelations from a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by the PMAC have exposed a web of questionable practices and irregularities – including unsolicited bids, inflated costs, and significant financial disparities, primarily involving Chinese State-owned entities (SOEs).

The PMAC statement is as follows:

Documents disclosed following the RTI Application by PMAC revealed that from 2013 to date, China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. and China Geo Engineering Company was contracted for projects that were financed by the Sri Lankan Government, the Asian Development Bank, Agency for French Development (AFD) and China Development Bank. While some of these projects are currently ongoing, it has been revealed that several contracts were awarded at significantly inflated prices compared to initial estimates.

Further examination of the disclosed documents revealed a questionable joint venture arrangement for two major contracts with a locally registered entity, raising questions about the necessity of a local intermediary.

Both the $ 70 million Ambatale Water Supply System Improvements and Energy Saving Project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), and the $ 157.43 million Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project, financed by the Sri Lankan Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), were awarded to CMEC as the lead contractor. In both instances, a relatively unknown entity, Business Promoters and Partners Engineering Ltd., was included as a joint venture partner.

The documents disclosed in the RTI does not specify the role and scope of Business Promoters and Partners Engineering in these large projects. As the role and scope of Business Promoters and Partners Engineering in these substantial projects remain unclear, the PMAC calls the Government to probe into the role of such intermediaries, especially since numerous other large NWSDB projects with Chinese companies were directly contracted without such local joint venture partners.

A central focus of PMAC’s revelations is the Gampaha, Attanagalla, and Minuwangoda Integrated Water Supply Scheme, which serves as a clear example of how procurement procedures were exploited, leading to considerable financial strain for the country. This project, which was initially an unsolicited tender, was ultimately awarded at a cost 34.8 percent higher than its initial estimate.

Documents disclosed from the RTI confirmed that this $ 229.5 million project was awarded to CMEC without any competitive tender process. Funding for the scheme included $ 195.075 million from a loan by the China Development Bank Corporation, with the remaining $ 34.425 million provided as a loan by the Bank of Ceylon. Notably, while CMEC had engaged Business Promoters and Partners Engineering as a joint venture partner in previous NWSDB projects, the available documentation for the Gampaha, Attanagalla, and Minuwangoda project does not indicate or mention any involvement of a local joint venture partner.

An independent probe by PMAC has revealed a significant disparity between the NWSDB’s original estimated project cost of $ 172 million and the final contract price of $ 229.5 million for the Gampaha, Attanagalla, and Minuwangoda Integrated Water Supply Scheme.

Despite the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC) noting a considerable deviation in costs by 2012, the Cabinet proceeded with the higher-priced award. Adding to concerns, CMEC’s lack of experience and expertise in water projects was repeatedly flagged, initially by the Project Assessment Committee (PAC) in 2010, and subsequently by the Auditor General’s Department in both 2016 and 2018.

The Auditor General’s findings specifically attributed the project’s escalating costs to a lack of competition, along with delays and payment irregularities.

The RTI disclosure also highlighted another unsolicited project costing over $ 120 million for the Tambuthegama Water Supply Project, contracted to China Geo Engineering Corporation. The funding for this project includes a $ 102.54 million loan from the China Development Bank and an $ 18.09 million loan from the Bank of Ceylon.

The RTI disclosure also revealed that the Greater Colombo Water and Wastewater Management Investment Programme was awarded as a joint venture to China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., and China Geo Engineering Corporation, through an ADB loan amounting to Rs. 13,917 million.

These projects have come under scrutiny due to questionable procurement procedures and apparent irregularities. The lack of transparency and oversight in awarding these contracts has potentially led to inflated costs, raising concerns about fiscal accountability.

In 2019, a report submitted to Parliament by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) highlighted concerns regarding irregularities and wastage of public funds by NWSDB. The report flagged significant financial irregularities, including a Rs.230 million debit balance written off without Treasury approval and Rs. 5.493 billion in unrecovered contractor advances from 2000-2013, with Rs. 683 million still outstanding as of December 2017.

PMAC demands that the Government immediately launch an independent, forensic audit and criminal investigation into all tenders awarded to Chinese state-owned companies by the NWSDB, particularly focusing on unsolicited bids and projects where costs have escalated without justifiable cause.

Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma yesterday detailed the Government’s financial interventions and operational facilitation measures introduced to accelerate emergency response and relief efforts amid the country’s disaster situation.

He said the Finance Ministry had stepped in ahead of time to ensure uninterrupted funding for rescue and relief operations, supplementing the Rs. 500 million already allocated for rescue efforts and the Rs. 1 billion set aside to support affected property and businesses.

An additional Rs. 500 million was released to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in recent days, while Rs. 220 million has already been deposited into District Secretaries’ accounts to enable immediate withdrawals based on local needs.

To fast-track relief delivery, he said the Ministry, working with the National Procurement Commission, has issued a special circular allowing divisional secretariats to bypass standard procurement procedures and directly procure goods and services up to Rs. 50 million during the emergency.

‘If further funds or facilitation are required, Divisional Secretariats have been instructed to contact the Finance Ministry directly using the details provided in the circular,’ he stressed.

Dr. Suriyapperuma added that the private sector has also stepped forward, with Chambers informing the Ministry of their readiness to support Government-led relief efforts.

In addition, multilateral agencies operating in Sri Lanka have likewise reached out and are preparing to provide financing facilities, in-kind assistance, medicine, food supplies and other essential aid, with detailed commitments expected shortly.

He also said State banks have been placed on alert to ensure uninterrupted financial access for district and divisional administrations.

‘The Bank of Ceylon will keep at least one branch in operation in every district, including tomorrow, to facilitate urgent withdrawals. The bank has also readied 10 mobile banking units to deploy where required for on-site cash assistance,’ he said.

Responding to communication challenges in disaster-hit regions, the Finance Ministry has secured seven satellite phones, three donated by a private company, three by the World Bank and one by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). ‘These will be distributed to critical areas where power outages and infrastructure failures have hampered coordination,’ he added.

Dr. Suriyapperuma thanked all domestic and international partners for their support, adding that the Finance Ministry and all relevant State agencies remain on standby to respond to emerging needs.

‘This is a painful moment for all of us. But we are ready to extend support wherever and whenever possible,’ he assured.

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) yesterday extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for the 2024/25 assessment year, granting taxpayers an additional eight days in light of countrywide disruptions caused by Cyclonic Storm Ditwah.

Under the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017, returns must be filed no later than eight months after the end of the assessment year, placing the statutory deadline on 30 November.

The IRD said adverse weather has hindered access to services and prevented some taxpayers from meeting the cut-off.

The Department confirmed it will not initiate late-filing action provided returns are submitted on or before 8 December. The grace period applies across all taxpayer categories.

The IRD urged those affected to make use of the extension to complete their submissions and avoid compliance issues once normal operations resume.

TVS Lanka Ltd., has hosted the TVS Knowledge Centre NVQ Certification Ceremony on 29 October, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) reinforcing its longstanding commitment to technical excellence and the development of Sri Lanka’s skilled workforce. As a private organisation in the country officially recognised by the Government to offer NVQ Level 4 certification through National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) for motorcycle technicians, TVS Lanka marked an important milestone in strengthening vocational education within the automotive sector.

At this landmark ceremony, 210 Private Garage Mechanics (PGMs) received their NVQ Level 4 certifications, formally acknowledging their advanced technical capabilities in motorcycle repair, maintenance, and service. Their training and assessments were conducted entirely through the TVS Knowledge Centre, a dedicated institute established to cultivate practical expertise and bridge the gap between classroom instruction and evolving industry demands. Since its inception, the TVS Knowledge Centre has worked closely with the NAITA and TVEC to deliver accredited, high-quality training aligned with national vocational standards. The growing number of certified technicians reflects the success of this public-private collaboration and TVS Lanka’s broader vision of elevating professional standards across Sri Lanka’s two-wheeler ecosystem.

TVS Lanka Chief Executive Officer Geethal Anthony said, ‘As one of the leading automobile brands in the country, TVS is delighted to contribute to this transformation of the country’s most valuable asset-the human resource of the nation.’ He emphasised that the Knowledge Centre stands as a catalyst for upskilling thousands of aspiring technicians, ensuring they are prepared for the demands of a modernised mobility landscape.

Deputy General Manager – Human Resources and Administration Lasantha Gunawardena added, ‘This initiative is aimed at uplifting the skill level and competencies of the Sri Lankan automobile workforce so they can compete even at a global level – and it is highly valuable as this is done entirely free of charge.’ He highlighted TVS Lanka’s firm belief in democratising access to technical education, particularly for youth seeking structured learning pathways and recognised certification.

The ceremony drew the participation of several esteemed dignitaries and industry leaders from Sri Lanka and India. Representing TVS Mobility Ltd., India, G. Srinivasan Raghavan, TVS Lanka Ltd., Director and Chairman and TVS Mobility Ltd., Managing Director, attended as Chief Guest, accompanied by TVS Mobility Ltd., Vice President P.K. Kannan. From TVS Motor Company PLC, India, Regional Sales Head Santanu Roy and Regional Service Head Thirunavakarasu were present to honor the graduates. Also in attendance were TVS Lanka Ltd., Director and Commercial Credit and Finance PLC Chief Operating Officer Rajiv Casie Chitty, along with members of the TVS Lanka leadership team including Geethal Anthony, Dayani Thulshika, Chief Financial Officer, and senior management representatives.

The event was also attended by First Secretary of the Indian High Commission Saurabh Sabhlok, as well as NAITA Vice Chairman and Director General P.A.D.S.F.D. Appuhamy, together with NAITA’s management team. Representatives from the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC), partner institutions, and other distinguished stakeholders including Eng. Ravith Silva, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Automobile Engineers’ Council, further underscored the national importance of this initiative.

TVS Lanka reaffirmed that the success of the NVQ Certification Ceremony is not only a celebration of individual achievement but also a meaningful step toward advancing Sri Lanka’s vocational talent pool. Through continuous investment in training, education, and capacity building, the company remains committed to empowering motorcycle technicians with the knowledge, confidence, and recognition they need to thrive in a competitive and fast-evolving industry.

Having gone through a difficult second half of the year with a home series loss to Bangladesh, two defeats in four against Zimbabwe and a bottom-place finish in the Asia Cup Super Fours, Sri Lanka will look to finish 2025 with a silverware when they take on host Pakistan in the final of the T20I Tri-Series final at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today.

The start of the Pakistan tour did not augur well for Sri Lanka as they lost the three-match ODI series 3-0 and began the T20I Tri-Series with back-to-back losses against Zimbabwe and Pakistan, stretching their losing streak in white ball cricket to 8 matches since the Asia Cup Super Fours.

When everything looked bleak for the team and an early exit was on the cards in the Tri-Series, the team managed to bounce back with a convincing 9-wicket win against Zimbabwe and follow it up with a close six-run victory over Pakistan to earn the right to play in the final.

It seems that Sri Lanka has started to peak at the right moment and all that is left between them and the silverware is Pakistan whom they have to defeat in the final today. Having tasted their first defeat Pakistan will also want to have one back on Sri Lanka and this is what makes the contest a real humdinger.

Sri Lanka’s problems lay with their batting where most of the batters got starts but failed to convert them into big scores. Pathum Nissanka, currently the foremost batsman in the team turned it around with a match-winning unbeaten 98 off 58 balls against Zimbabwe. Taking the cue from him, Kamil Mishara played the lead role in Sri Lanka’s win against Pakistan scoring a 48-ball 76. On both occasions Kusal Mendis played a crucial role with scores of 25* and 40 off 23 balls to put the pressure back on the opposition.

‘The key was our batting in the last two games it clicked,’ said head coach Sanath Jayasuriya. ‘We cannot say that we have broken the barrier but in every game we want someone from the top order to make a big score. Pathum did it against Zimbabwe and Kamil against Pakistan. You can’t forget the innings played by Kusal Mendis. His 40 off 23 balls gave a lot of confidence to the other players and confidence to the bowlers the way Dushmantha (Chameera) and Wanindu (Hasaranga) bowled.’

‘In the last two games, not everything went to plan but to some extent yes. Even though we were able to win there are little, little things to improve. Wherever we have gone wrong we have tried to address them.’

One of the key areas is that Sri Lanka must learn to close games when they have the opposition at their mercy. Sri Lanka did the difficult part by getting Pakistan’s top and middle order batters back in the pavilion to have them reeling at 99-5 in 13 overs but allowed them recover to 178-7 and nearly come within touching distance of winning the match. If that had happened it would have been Zimbabwe who will be playing Pakistan in the final and Sri Lanka flying home.

As regards today’s final, Jayasuriya said, ‘We have to do well in both batting and bowling departments to win a game. That is the key. The fielding has been really good. We have stopped about 10-15 runs in each of the two games and that’s an advantage. Like the last two games we will have to play to our strengths and execute our plans. We are trying our best to win the final.’

Sri Lanka are unlikely to make any changes to a winning team and will go unchanged. Pakistan who have been chopping and changing their bowlers throughout the tournament is likely to bring back speedster Naseem Shah.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday directed District Secretaries and District Development Committee Chairpersons to proceed with rescue and relief operations without allowing funding concerns to slow response efforts, as severe flooding continues across several districts.

Speaking at a virtual briefing with district officials, the President said Rs. 1.2 billion has already been released for disaster relief and a further Rs. 30 billion has been set aside in the 2025 Budget for emergency needs. He instructed officials to deploy available funds immediately and seek additional allocations where necessary.

To minimise procedural delays, the President asked the Public Administration Ministry to issue a new circular removing restrictions that could hinder urgent work. He also ordered the management of relief centres housing displaced families to be handed over to the Sri Lanka Army.

District Secretaries were asked to provide urgent assessments of requirements such as boats, helicopters, vehicles and other equipment needed for rescue missions. A new Coordination Unit is to be established at the Defence Headquarters, supported by 10 dedicated hotline numbers for emergency communication.

The President further requested full documentation of damage caused by floods, landslides and fallen trees, with restoration work to begin through the tri-forces once conditions stabilise.

Senior officials from the Presidency, Treasury, Defence, Public Administration, Irrigation, the Meteorology Department, the tri-forces and the Police joined the briefing.