Category: Daily Financial Times

How often have we heard players say ‘we didn’t bat well’ after losing a match. It makes no difference to Sri Lanka’s batting for they still never learn.

With barely a month before the T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka are struggling to come up with a competitive total to test their opponents and give their bowlers a fair chance of bowling out or restricting the other side.

‘There was nothing wrong with the wicket, we didn’t bat well. That’s why we couldn’t get to a big total,’ said Sri Lanka’s top scorer in the match Janith Liyanage after his team had lost the first T20I to Pakistan by six-wicket at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Invited to bat first Sri Lanka could muster only a miserly 128 and to make matters worse didn’t last their full quota of 20 overs.

‘The problem with our batting is that we lose wickets in clusters. That is an area we need to work at. I don’t think there is anything short with our skill but we have to examine why we lose wickets in succession,’ said Liyanage.

‘We had scored about 100 in 15 overs. From there onwards Wanindu (Hasaranga) and I thought we could get to around 150-160, but we didn’t execute our plans properly and we ended up scoring just 128.’

Knowing the Sri Lankan batsmen’s weakness against leg-spin Pakistan played two of them Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan both of whom sliced off half the side.

Apart from Liyanage who went on to score 40, none of the other batsmen were comfortable against them.

‘I found it difficult against them, so to unsettle them I used the crease and my feet. I think I was able to handle them successfully to an extent.’

Disappointed with the outcome Liyanage said, ‘We have several areas to work on and we are aware of them. In the game we have suffered collapses in the next match we hope to rectify our mistakes and win with our batting. We have done well with our bowling.’

Sri Lanka take on Pakistan in the second T20I with the three-match series on the line.

Mike Hesson, the Pakistani head coach, pleased with the outcome of the match said, ‘It was a clinical performance. We had some bowlers who worked very well to get into the side. Really pleased the way we started with the ball, the way we controlled the game and obviously our spinners, very pleased the way they performed. But we were a bit untidy on the field.’

For Pakistan who play all their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka this series is of great consequence to them.

‘The pitches in Sri Lanka are quite different to Pakistan, especially with the types of grass and the clay and the way the ball holds is important. In Pakistan the ball skids a little bit more. A number of players got the opportunity to play against a very good Sri Lankan spin bowling attack. From a competing point of view it could be a real challenge,’ said Hesson.

Apart from Babar Azam who is currently playing in Australia’s BBL, the rest of the Pakistan squad are part of their build up towards the T20 World Cup.

‘Babar provides a contrast to our batting group. We’ve got a lot of stroke players, and Babar provides the glue that brings everyone together. We are missing him here, but it provides an opportunity for players who might not necessarily be in the 11 but in the 15,’ said Hesson.

‘We have made really good progress with the team, and we will be arriving at the World Cup as prepared as we can be and take each game as it comes. Even to get to the Super 8 you’ve got to play good cricket. We know that any side that takes anyone lightly will be exposed and we don’t want to be one of them.’

Can Sri Lanka hit

$ 5 b without fixing what it already knows is broken?

We are celebrating the biggest tourism year in our history – and risk wasting it.

In Part 1 of this series, I focused on what our customers are telling us. In Part 2, I turn to what the industry itself has been saying for years, often behind closed doors, in association meetings, boardrooms and committee rooms, and ask the uncomfortable question: why do these complaints so rarely translate into reform?

In the past, I have sat on tourism committees, task forces and associations. The problems have been remarkably consistent. What has changed is not the diagnosis, only the excuses for not implementing the cures.

At the time of writing, Sri Lanka Tourism is targeting three million arrivals and $5 billion in revenue in 2026. That sounds impressive. But when you examine the numbers, it becomes clear that this is not simply a volume target, it is a quality shift mandate.

The $ 5 b ambition – what the numbers really demand

Today Sri Lanka closes 2025 with roughly 2.4 million arrivals and about $3.5 billion in tourism revenue. To reach the 2026 target, the industry must grow arrivals by 25% and revenue by 43% in just one year.

That means the average revenue per tourist must rise from around $1,460 today to about $1,670 – an increase of roughly 15% per visitor. If average length of stay does not increase, daily spending must rise from about $170 per day to almost $200 per day.

Thailand already averages well above $220 per day and the Maldives over $700. Sri Lanka is trying to reach mid-tier performance while still operating a low-yield system.

Are we structurally capable of delivering that growth?

At three million arrivals, Sri Lanka would need to deliver nearly nine million room nights a year at today’s average stay lengths. Many coastal and hill-country destinations already report sell-outs during peak season, which means the system is operating close to capacity when demand is highest.

At the national gateway, the strain is even clearer: Bandaranaike International Airport was originally designed to handle around 6 million passengers a year, yet it processed over 11 million in 2024 – almost double its intended capacity.

In other words, we are trying to chase volume through a system already stretched to its limits, ensuring that growth comes at the expense of quality and value.

This is not incremental growth. It is a structural transformation. And it will not happen unless the machinery that delivers tourism is fundamentally repaired.

Why the system keeps failing to translate ambition into value

Governance and delivery failures – What is holding us back

These are the constraints that shape everything else. Until they are fixed, improvements elsewhere will remain cosmetic.

1. Tourism Development Levy – the black box

The Tourism Development Levy is collected from the industry and was intended to fund tourism promotion and development. Yet few operators can clearly explain how much is collected, how it is spent, or who truly decides. How much goes towards international marketing? How much to internal administration? Where is the public reporting?

Although the levy is paid by the private sector the industry has no real line of sight or control over how it is deployed. Consultation exists, but accountability does not.

2. Implementation culture failure

This is the ultimate constraint. We diagnose accurately, debate endlessly and then stall. Projects die in sub-committees. Task forces outlive their relevance. The country does not suffer from lack of insight. It suffers from lack of delivery discipline.

3. Weak enforcement culture

Sri Lanka does not lack rules. It lacks owners of those rules. Everyone is responsible, so no one is accountable.

4. Absence of dashboard metrics

Sri Lanka does not have public dashboard metrics that show how tourism is actually performing in real time. In plain language, we are not systematically measuring how long tourists stay, how much they spend, where they go or what frustrates them. Policy is being made without evidence.

Revenue, brand and yield engines – Where value should be created

These are the levers that determine whether three million tourists mean $3 billion or $7 billion.

5. Destination marketing vacuum

Sri Lanka still does not have a coherent, long-term global tourism brand. We lurch from slogan to slogan, trade fair to trade fair, minister to minister, without sustained funding or a stable narrative. Countries like Thailand and Vietnam invest continuously, not episodically. This is one of the biggest structural weaknesses and one of the easiest to fix.

6. Experiential product failure

The Pekoe Trail shows what is possible when experiential tourism is taken seriously. But beyond this, curated routes, themed circuits and slow-tourism journeys remain underdeveloped. What about developing alternative experiential products like an Ancient Cities Trail or a Buddhist Pilgrimage Trail? We still sell destinations, not stories.

7. Wildlife tourism commercialisation

Yala is not a park problem; it is a system failure. Unlimited vehicles chasing limited sightings degrade both conservation and experience. Tiered pricing, zonal access and low-density permits are global best practice. We simply refuse to adopt them. Whale watching appears to be another poorly managed experience.

8. Licenced guide shortage and underutilised graduate talent

Sri Lanka needs around 6,400 licensed guides to meet tourism demand. It currently has only about 4,800 – a shortfall of 1,600 guides, or almost 25%. More than one in five guides operate informally. Every heritage site without a competent guide is a lost storytelling opportunity.

This critical shortage also represents a major untapped opportunity. Tourism and tour guiding could absorb a meaningful share of Arts and Social Science graduates who currently struggle to find aligned work.

Friction in access and movement – Where tourists are lost before they spend

9. Visa policy chaos

Tourism demand has been damaged more by policy flip-flops than any competitor ever could. Free visas one month, cancelled the next. Multiple categories announced, then quietly withdrawn. And despite official assurances, long-stay visitors still travel to Battaramulla to extend visas. This is not tourism policy. It is tourism deterrence.

Sri Lanka should be looking seriously at offering 60-day ETA visas to low-risk source markets such as Western Europe, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.

10. Airport bottleneck until Terminal 2

BIA Terminal 2 is unlikely to be available till early-2029. Until then, urgent operational reforms, in immigration staffing, processes, and queue management, are critical to handle growing volumes.

A pragmatic interim measure would be to selectively divert charter and seasonal tourist flights to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport during peak winter months. MRIA is closer to Ella, Yala, Udawalawe and Arugam Bay, sits beside the island’s fastest-growing resort corridor, and remains severely underutilised. Temporary incentives such as waived landing charges, fuel rebates and charter-only corridors could help activate a national asset that currently generates little return.

11. Fragmented transport ecosystem

Tourists consistently say they prefer regulated systems like PickMe with traceable drivers and fixed pricing. Yet we witness harassment of such systems and then fail to address it. Regulation protects visitors and drivers alike.

Capacity, standards and sustainability – The foundation we keep ignoring

12. Carrying capacity blindness

Growth without carrying capacity planning is chaos management. It is not just Yala. Ella, Mirissa, Sigiriya and Arugam Bay are already flashing warning lights. Without visitor caps and zoning, we will destroy the assets we rely on.

13. Human resource drain

Post-COVID, a significant exodus of trained tourism workers left the sector. There is no national tourism skills recovery plan, no accelerated certification, no wage-support framework. The unavoidable question is: how do we service growth and deliver quality with a workforce shortfall?

14. Crisis response vacuum

Cyclone Ditwah exposed the absence of any central tourist-crisis coordination system. No visitor registry, no unified messaging, no emergency helpdesk. In a disaster-prone country, this is indefensible.

15. Underused local tourism associations

Regional tourism bodies should be managing beach clean-ups, signage, litter bins and awareness campaigns. Instead, they wait for Colombo.

Conclusion – Counting tourists, not measuring value

We are celebrating record arrivals while the average stay shrinks. We are counting tourists, not measuring what they leave behind.

Unless Sri Lanka fixes the structural machinery of tourism – from governance and marketing to access, standards and crisis response – the $5 billion ambition will become another hollow milestone.

Growth without reform is not strategy. It is how countries squander opportunity.

Christell Luxury Wellness, Sri Lanka’s leading medical aesthetics and wellness clinic, has nabbed top prize yet again this year, after being awarded the Quality Achievement Award 2025 for the Healthcare Sector at the annual European Society for Quality Research (ESQR) Awards – further cementing its commitment to excellence in services and quality management strategies.

The annual ESQR Convention and Awards Ceremony was held this year on Tuesday, the 9th of December in Dubai, UAE, bringing together select organisations, institutions, and government agencies from across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia to be notably honoured for their outstanding achievements in quality management. A Swiss-based organisation, ESQR’s recognition program takes a comprehensive look at the initiatives and strategies that quality leaders implement in their organisations, highlights the efforts of exceptional and talented employers/employees, and provides motivation for continuous progress.

Christell Luxury Wellness Founder and Co-Chairperson Professor Ramani Arsecularatne said: ‘It’s an honour to be recognised by ESQR, validating the hard work that goes behind our brand. This achievement is not just a testament to our dedication, but also serves as greater incentive for us to continue what we have been doing and more.’

Christell Luxury Wellness CEO and Medical Director Dr Shanika Arsecularatne said: ‘2025 has been a phenomenal year of growth and recognition for Christell, both within Sri Lanka and worldwide. We are thrilled to be able to cap off the year with yet another award; and that too, one that honours our commitment to high-quality services for our growing clientele.’

In October 2025, the homegrown brand made history as the first Sri Lankan aesthetics centre to win the Wellness Clinic of the Year award for the entire Asia Pacific region at the prestigious GlobalHealth Aesthetics and Wellness Summit, Conference and Awards 2025. In addition to the ceremony’s top honour, Christell Luxury Wellness was also awarded Gold in three major categories: Aesthetic Clinic of the Year, Most Innovative Clinic of the Year, and Trichology Clinic (Non-Transplant) of the Year; additionally with Christell Clinic CEO and Medical Director Dr. Shanika Arsecularatne, recognised as the Icon of Aesthetics for Sri Lanka.

Adding to its trophy cabinet, in November 2025 Christell Luxury Wellness was named the Best Service Provider in the South Asian Healthcare Sector, and Dr Shanika bestowed the title of Best Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at the South Asian Business Excellence Awards 2025.

Accolades aside, 2025 was also a milestone year for the company’s expansion and innovation, when Christell Luxury Wellness launched the Christell Super Specialty Hair Restoration Lab; marking a significant advancement in the field of hair loss management and restoration in the country.

Agribusiness solutions provider Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd. Has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Evonik Industries AG’s globally recognised specialty nutrient portfolio, marking the first-ever introduction of these advanced animal nutrition solutions to the Sri Lankan poultry industry. Headquartered in Germany and active in over 110 countries, Evonik is among the world’s top five animal nutrition companies and one of the largest specialty chemicals manufacturers globally. Its animal nutrition division is renowned for evidence-based, science-led innovations that improve animal health, optimise feed use and enhance overall production efficiency.

At a launch held on 25 November 2025 at The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo, key representatives from Evonik Industries AG, Hayleys PLC and Hayleys Agriculture were present, including Hayleys PLC Chairman/CEO Mohan Pandithage. Evonik Industries AG was represented by Head of Specialty Nutrition Evonik Animal Nutrition Dr. Marion Hax, Global Portfolio Development Manager Dr. Lukas Baur, Technical Head, Specialty Nutrients – Asia Dr. Girish Channarayapatana, and Business Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal Dr. Yuwraj Patil,.

Commenting on the partnership, Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Director and Hayleys Animal Health General Manager Dr. Susantha Mallawa Arachchi said: ‘Hayleys Agriculture Holdings is committed to elevating Sri Lanka’s livestock sector with globally benchmarked technologies. This partnership with Evonik Industries AG, one of the world’s most respected names in animal nutrition, enables us to offer scientifically validated, high-performance solutions that directly address the needs of poultry producers. Moreover, this collaboration combines the global scientific leadership of Evonik Industries AG with the deep local expertise and distribution strength of Hayleys Agriculture, reinforcing the country’s ability to adopt modern, performance-driven approaches in poultry nutrition. We believe this collaboration will significantly contribute to both productivity and long-term industry resilience.’

Sri Lankan feed producers and poultry integrators will gain access to Evonik Industries AG’s premium specialty nutrient solutions, including GUTCARE – a unique probiotic strain designed to strengthen gut health, improve resilience against stress factors, and enhance overall animal well-being; SPEOCARE T60 – a high-performance tributyrin that supports gut integrity and nutrient absorption particularly in challenging production environments; and GUANAMINO – a highly bioavailable guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) that improves energy metabolism, muscle development and reproductive performances. These products are recognised globally for delivering higher feed conversion efficiency, improved bird health and reduced overall production costs, enabling producers to remain competitive and sustainable in dynamic market conditions.

Hayleys Agriculture Holdings said it is committed to driving unparalleled economic value across an extensive ecosystem of outgrowers, farmers and other agricultural producers by creating links to global supply chains, modernising Sri Lanka’s agriculture industry and building capacity across networks through its widespread extension services. Its partnerships with globally renowned principals, extensive relationships across Sri Lanka’s agricultural value chains, domain-specific knowledge and best-in-class research and development capabilities support the longevity of the industry.

The partnership delivers a clear competitive edge by giving Hayleys Agriculture exclusive access to globally benchmarked, science-driven nutrition solutions that are not available through competing distributors. Being first to market with these innovations strengthens its value proposition to feed producers and integrators, positioning the company as a solutions partner rather than a conventional supplier.

This advantage is further reinforced by Hayleys Agriculture’s strong technical support, extension services and nationwide reach, enabling faster adoption, measurable performance gains for customers and deeper, longer-term relationships across the poultry value chain.

Dr. Mahinda Parakrama Dissanayake, a distinguished maritime, logistics, and corporate leader, has been appointed Adviser to the President on Maritime, Ports and Logistics with immediate effect.

Dr. Dissanayake is currently Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Aitken Spence PLC and holds several senior leadership roles within the Group. He previously served as Secretary to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development and has twice held the position of Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

He has accepted the position on an honorary basis.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his gratitude to Dr. Dissanayake for accepting this important responsibility, which aims to fulfil the Government’s objective of leveraging the country’s strategic position and unlocking its full potential as a key logistics hub.

An internationally respected professional, Dr. Dissanayake has served as an expert on shipping with the UN/UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Panel. He has also led the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Sri Lanka) and the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (Sri Lanka).

Dr. Dissanayake was the first non-British International President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (UK) since its founding in 1911.

His academic and professional credentials include Chartered Shipbroker (UK), Chartered Fellow of Logistics and Transport (UK), postgraduate qualifications in business and marketing, executive education at Harvard Business School, Oxford and Cambridge, and visiting professorships in maritime studies.

He has also served as Chairman of the State-owned and lead Jaya Container Terminal, Sri Lanka Port Management and Consultancy Services, and Hambantota International Port Services Ltd., and as a Board Director of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation, South Asia Gateway Terminals Ltd., (SAGT) and Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd., (CICT).

Dr. Dissanayake has received multiple national and international awards in recognition of his leadership in shipping and logistics.

Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday said its efforts to build a more resilient and stable financial sector will continue under the Master Plan for the consolidation of banks and finance companies, with a strong focus on long-term sustainability and systemic stability.

Delivering the annual policy address, he said the CBSL has commenced enhanced monitoring of finance companies based on scores achieved under the revised Phase II assessment framework. ‘These measures are aimed at improving financial stability, operational efficiency, and risk management standards across the non-bank financial sector,’ he added.

Dr. Weerasinghe noted that consolidation will enable banking and financial institutions to achieve the scale and balance sheet strength required to support large-scale and complex investments, which are critical to boosting investment activity and economic growth in the country. ‘Consolidation is also expected to facilitate greater investment in technology, promote financial inclusion, and foster healthy and sustainable competition within the financial system,’ he said.

Reflecting on the 2022 economic crisis, the Governor pointed out that the turmoil highlighted the urgent need for a robust and effective financial sector resolution framework. ‘In response, significant progress was made during 2025 to strengthen Sri Lanka’s resolution framework, with particular emphasis on enhancing institutional preparedness to manage distressed financial institutions,’ he outlined.

He said these initiatives are expected to be completed in 2026, in line with international best practices. ‘Once implemented, the strengthened resolution framework is expected to reinforce financial system stability and ensure the orderly and timely resolution of troubled banks and finance companies, thereby safeguarding depositor confidence and overall financial sector resilience,’ Dr. Weerasinghe said.

Last Saturday, marking an unprecedented event in the contemporary history of international relations, the former President of Venezuela cum unpopular dictator Nicolás Maduro Moros and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by US forces via Operation Absolute Resolve on the orders of the US Commander-in-chief Donald Trump. Trump had accused the Venezuelan leader of running a so-called narco terrorist organisation. In 2020, during the first term of Trump’s presidency, the US Department of Justice filed a major criminal indictment charging Maduro and 14 current and former Venezuelan officials with a range of serious crimes tied to drug trafficking and corruption.

Upon assuming the Presidency for the second time, Trump has been quite vocal about Maduro’s alleged role in leading and facilitating cocaine trafficking aimed at the US. The alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy by Maduro and his associates revolve around using drug trafficking to fund or support terrorist activities with the intention of harming US society. In 2024, Maduro won the Presidential election for a third term. However, many independent observers provided strong evidence to claim the ousted dictator lost the election by a wide margin. Subsequent to the widely disputed election, many powerful Western democracies began to question the legitimacy of Maduro’s rule in the South American state.

Critics have pointed out the controversial action by Washington was aimed at controlling oil and other resources in the Latin American nation. Venezuela is the country which has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. Hours after the capture of Maduro, Trump had stated that America would be taking a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground in Venezuela and US oil companies would spend billions of dollars to fix the badly broken oil infrastructure in the oil-rich state.

Nevertheless, experts in international law have stressed the action by the Trump administration was in contravention of the international law, emphasising the US is likely to have violated the terms of the article 2(4) of the UN charter, which was signed in October 1945. The rules specify that states must refrain from using military force against other countries and must respect their sovereignty. Observers have underscored that the attack could have only been considered lawful if the US had a resolution from the UN Security Council or was acting in self-defence.

Despite sceptics condemning the questionable US action, the ouster of Maduro has been universally celebrated by the Venezuelan immigrants across the world. During the period of the evicted despot, the resource-rich state went through an era of decline and currently an estimated 80% of residents in the turbulent nation live in poverty. Around 8 million people had fled Venezuela under the disastrous rule of the exiled tyrant. Many Venezuelans who fled their homeland under the Maduro regime and his predecessor Hugo Chavez are hopeful the significant development in their motherland marks an end to more than 25 years of political persecution and economic ruin that destroyed their beloved country.

Although the ruling NPP politicians were passionate admirers of Chavez and Maduro (especially during the days of the JVP dispensation), the response of the Government to the unprecedented act of the White House has been quite timid to say the least. The Statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry did not even refer to the USA. The behaviour of the Government is diametrically opposite to the hyper-sensitive anti-US sentiments the NPP/JVP used to express before coming into power.

Commentators in international affairs have opined that the unilateral measure by the Trump administration could set a dangerous precedent for the global world order as it could inspire other powerful states to take similar steps that would threaten the sovereignty of small neighbouring states in the pursuit of advancing geopolitical interests. Such a scenario would undoubtedly create chaos and turmoil while destabilising the accepted convention of multilateralism in international affairs.

Salesforce, this week announced the upcoming launch of the Salesforce Startup Program in Sri Lanka to foster growth and innovation for the country’s vibrant startup ecosystem.

The program, scheduled to go live by the end of January 2026, will provide Sri Lankan startups access to the vast Salesforce ecosystem. This includes AI-powered products, mentorship programs, joint go-to-market opportunities, and a community designed to help them build, grow, and scale.

This launch reflects Salesforce’s recognition of Sri Lanka’s rapidly evolving startup landscape and its growing potential for high-growth, innovation-led businesses. Emerging as the second-strongest startup ecosystem in South Asia after India, Sri Lanka is witnessing steady momentum in founder-led innovation, driven largely by software and data startups that now account for nearly 60% of the country’s startup base. As global interest in Sri Lankan innovation continues to rise, the Salesforce Startup Program aims to help founders translate early momentum into sustainable scale by connecting them to global platforms and markets.

Since its launch in India in December 2021, the Salesforce Startup Program has demonstrated measurable impact across markets. The program today supports a community of over 435 startups across India and Singapore, including more than 230 AI-first startups, with success stories spanning companies such as CloudFiles, Xoxoday, Yellow.ai, Locobuzz and Trupeer.ai.

Salesforce – South Asia President and CEO Arundhati Bhattacharya said: ‘Sri Lanka has built a strong foundation of technical talent and entrepreneurial ambition that is increasingly visible across South Asia and globally. Through the Salesforce Startup Program, we are committed to playing a catalytic role in Sri Lanka’s innovation journey, helping startups move beyond early success to global relevance, and building companies that can compete with confidence and create long-term economic impact.’

Sri Lanka also continues to be an important growth market for Salesforce, with a growing base of customers driving digital transformation across industries, including leading enterprises such as John Keells Holdings and Cinnamon Hotels.

Alongside customer momentum, Salesforce is investing in the country’s long-term digital talent pipeline through its Trailhead ecosystem. In collaboration with local workforce development partners, these initiatives aim to skill nearly 1,000 learners over the coming year through structured training, mentorship, and locally led cohorts.

Salesforce Senior Director Sridhar Hariharasubramanian told the media that the introduction of Startup Program in Sri Lanka was inspired by its success in terms of impact in India and Singapore. He also said the timing was perfect given Sri Lanka’s own ambitions in spearheading digital and entrepreneurial economy.

First Sri Lankan Salesforce Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and Hall of Fame Chamil Madusanka shared the strides made by the Salesforce community in Sri Lanka.

He first brought together other professionals in a LinkedIn group, which was soon recognised by Salesforce as Sri Lanka’s first official developer group. Today, six official groups exist across two cities (Colombo and Jaffna), serving developers, women in tech, and admins. All inspired by Chamil’s efforts to grow the community. He is the Head of Salesforce Practice at Australian-based IT firm iTelaSoft.

The first MVP title was awarded to Chamil in 2019, recognising his incredible contributions to the community. By this time, Chamil had published two books, ran a popular support blog, and was providing career opportunities and mentorship to newbies. He went on to be awarded MVP again the following four years, becoming a Hall of Famer in 2024.

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Lanka Securities Ltd., in a statement yesterday clarified reports relating to Wednesday’s trading disruption at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE).

‘Lanka Securities did not place any pre-open sell order of Wealth Trust Securities PLC shares at a price of Rs. 25,000 per share, nor was the company responsible for triggering or contributing to the incident, as suggested in certain media reports,’ the statement said.

Lanka Securities is a licenced market intermediary operating under the regulatory framework of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and in accordance with the rules and surveillance mechanisms of the CSE.

‘The matter is currently under review by the relevant regulatory authorities, and Lanka Securities is cooperating fully with the process,’ the statement added.

Lanka Securities said it remains firmly committed to conducting its operations with the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and regulatory compliance. ‘The company places paramount importance on responsible market conduct, investor protection, and the maintenance of confidence in the capital market, and will continue to uphold the values, disciplines, and best practices expected of participants in Sri Lanka’s regulated securities industry,’ the statement added.

Sri Lankan garment manufacturers have now gained unprecedented access to UK markets under liberalised trade rules.

The changes allow manufacturers to source up to 100% of inputs for garments from any country worldwide whilst maintaining tariff-free access to the UK market. Fewer processing requirements now apply, removing the previous rule that two significant manufacturing processes must take place in Sri Lanka.

The liberalised rules also include the creation of an Asia Regional Cumulation Group of 18 countries applicable to all other exports from Sri Lanka. This enables Sri Lankan manufacturers to source materials from regional partners whilst maintaining preferential tariff benefits.

British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick said: ‘The reforms that are now in force demonstrate the UK’s commitment to creating shared prosperity through trade partnerships. By simplifying rules of origin, we are supporting Sri Lanka’s economic growth by improving market access to the UK and helping to further diversify exports. We recognise the Sri Lankan Government’s ambition for export growth and continue to advocate for improved utilisation of the scheme. Therefore, I invite exporters to explore how they can benefit from these reforms and access the zero tariffs that the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) offers.’

Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Secretary General Yohan Lawrence said: ‘The reforms to the UK’s DCTS remove previous restrictions requiring materials to be sourced regionally. Sri Lankan manufacturers can now compete equally by accessing global supply chains. The garment sector accounts for over 60% of Sri Lanka’s exports to the UK and supports 1 million livelihoods across the country. It is a significant boost for our export potential to an important market, and we are excited to work with buyers and manufacturers in creating significant growth from this opportunity.’

Council for Business with Britain (CBB) President Mark Surgenor said: ‘We are excited for the potential that the reforms will bring in enhancing the UK-Sri Lanka trade relationship. The most significant boost is to the garment sector. But with over 90% of products eligible for zero tariffs under the UK’s DCTS, we hope exports from other sectors will also seize the benefits arising from the creation of a larger number of regional countries from whom they can now source inputs. We are keen to see greater utilisation of the DCTS. This will form part of the CBB’s ongoing information sessions aimed at supporting Sri Lankan businesses in growing their trade with the UK.’

The changes respond to requests from many businesses and countries, including the Sri Lankan Government and the JAAF. The UK is Sri Lanka’s second largest garment export market at approximately $ 675 million in value, with exports expected to increase significantly under the new arrangements.