Category: Daily Financial Times

The recent Cyclone Ditwah has laid bare the longstanding vulnerability of Sri Lanka’s railway infrastructure much like the devastating 2004 tsunami, which swept away sections of the Coastal Line and swept away a train killing over 1,000 passengers in the world’s worst rail disaster. Ditwah has also caused extensive damage particularly along the Main Line rendering several sections impassable. The structural integrity of the key bridge near Peradeniya remains uncertain.

Sri Lanka’s railway network, mostly built over 150 years ago with limited consideration for environmental hazards, is now increasingly at risk from extreme weather events, cyclones, tsunamis, landslides, and floods. This is not just an infrastructure crisis, but a wake-up call to rethink our approach to railway planning and resilience.

Railway network, mostly built over 150 years ago with limited consideration for environmental hazards, is now increasingly at risk from extreme weather events, cyclones, tsunamis, landslides, and floods. This is not just an infrastructure crisis, but a wake-up call to rethink our approach to railway planning and resilience

In 2017, the SLSTL and the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) jointly proposed an alternative rail alignment to Kandy. Today, that proposal is more relevant than ever. As expressways now supplement Sri Lanka’s road network, the railway must also evolve towards safer, more resilient, and future-ready routes that are competitive with road transport.

Recent landslides at Pahala Kadugannawa underscore the fragility of this stretch. While urgent restoration is needed, long-term planning for an alternative route is equally essential.

Globally, countries are linking major cities with modern rail lines operating at 100-160 km/h. Known as Intercity Express (ICE) in Europe and Superfast in India, such services are now the norm. In contrast, the Colombo-Kandy Main Line takes over 2.5 hours, with serious capacity constraints between Rambukkana and Kadugannawa precisely the area hardest hit by Ditwah.

Historically, alternative alignments were studied as early as 1846 by engineer Drane, including the Galagedera, Hingula (Gadessa), and Alagalla traces.

In 1857, Capt. Moorsam favoured the Hingula trace. Yet in 1862, a new alignment, the Dekanda trace, was selected for cost reasons, despite its limitations. This is the alignment still in use today.

The SLSTL and IESL identified two viable alternatives in 2017, both of which can build on the proposed electrified double-track up to Rambukkana:

Galagedera Trace: Rambukkana to Katugastota and Kandy via Galagedera Pass

Pattiagedera Trace: Rambukkana to Kandy via the Yattewera Oya valley

These alternatives would enable:

Faster travel times (under 90 minutes to Kandy)

Electrification extensions from Polgahawela

Safer alignments with reduced landslide risk

Expanded access to Kandy and the hill country, supporting tourism

Double-track capability, allowing up to 50 trains daily (versus the current 20)

Avoid double tracking the existing railway which will be both environmentally unsound and extremely expensive.

Crucially, Kandy’s urban road network cannot absorb the traffic volume of a new four-lane expressway. A modern rail connection must be central to any sustainable transport solution.

In 2017, SLSTL and IESL also concluded that a new railway and two-lane road could be built at lower cost than the proposed Central Expressway. They urged a national policy shift prioritising intercity express rail as the 21st-century model for mobility. Many countries have already embraced this rail-first approach as a smart, sustainable alternative to road-heavy development. The SLSTL now urges the Government to treat this proposal as a strategic infrastructure priority. We call for trace explorations to begin in 2026, laying the groundwork for a modern, disaster-resilient, high-capacity rail corridor to Kandy that would evolve to become a national network.

In 2017, the SLSTL and the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) jointly proposed an alternative rail alignment to Kandy. Today, that proposal is more relevant than ever. The SLSTL and IESL identified two viable alternatives in 2017, both of which can build on the proposed electrified double-track up to Rambukkana:

n Galagedera Trace: Rambukkana to Katugastota and Kandy via Galagedera Pass

n Pattiagedera Trace: Rambukkana to Kandy via the Yattewera Oya valley.

These alternatives would enable: Faster travel times (under 90 minutes to Kandy); Electrification extensions from Polgahawela; Safer alignments with reduced landslide risk and Expanded access to Kandy and the hill country, supporting tourism

This is not just about repairing what was lost but about building something better. Let Cyclone Ditwah be the moment we choose to reimagine and rebuild smarter for a safer, faster, and more sustainable Sri Lanka.

The Oxford University Society (OUS) in Sri Lanka, the official alumni network of the University of Oxford, recently hosted a literary evening featuring celebrated Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferrey at the British High Commissioner’s residence.

The event, held in collaboration with the British High Commission, was hosted by High Commissioner Andrew Patrick and organised with the support of OUS Committee Member Professor Neluka Silva (Wolfson College, 2005).

Ferrey, an alumnus of Christ Church, Oxford (1979), is widely known for his novels and essays that blend wit with sharp observations of Sri Lankan society. The evening offered guests an opportunity to engage with the author and enjoy conversation in the elegant setting of Westminster House.

The gathering held particular significance as it coincided with a milestone year for the University of Oxford, which marked its tenth consecutive year at the top of the Times Higher Education Global University Rankings.

Distinguished guests included Professor G.L. Peiris and Sunethra Bandaranaike, alongside members of the OUS Committee: President Umayanga Nanayakkara, Vice President Sanjaya Ariyawansa, Secretary Insaf Bakeer Markar, Treasurer Hiran Embuldeniya, and Immediate Past President Rishan de Silva. Adding an international dimension to the evening, St. Cross College, Oxford Emeritus Fellow Professor Richard Briant, joined the event while in Sri Lanka to conduct interviews for the Chevening Research, Science, and Innovation Leadership Fellowship (CRISP), a fully funded program that enables mid-career professionals from Sri Lanka to undertake a 12-week fellowship at the University of Oxford.

The Oxford University Society in Sri Lanka is a volunteer-led alumni organisation that plays an active role in public diplomacy, educational outreach, and people-to-people engagement between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Run entirely by its members, the Society brings together Oxford graduates from across generations and disciplines to foster connection and community.

This year’s program has featured a full calendar of activities. The Society’s ‘Applying to Oxford’ sessions provide guidance to Sri Lankan students aspiring to study at the university, while ‘New Admits’ events welcome those who have secured places. The Society has also hosted a Charity Art Event, a first under its Impact Pillar and collaborated with fellow alumni networks, including a Boat Race watch party organised jointly with the Cambridge Society of Sri Lanka and a pub quiz held alongside the Ivy League Network.

Oxford University Society in Sri Lanka said literary evenings such as this one form part of the Society’s broader mission to widen access to intellectual exchange, global education, and the arts within Sri Lanka.

The Government yesterday commenced the online registration of institutions and members under the digitalisation of Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) services, marking a significant milestone in the modernisation of labour-related public services in the country.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the auditorium of the Labour Secretariat in Narahenpita under the patronage of Labour Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando and Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, along with Commissioner General of Labour Nadeeka Wataliyadda as well as Ministry Secretaries and senior Government officials.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Fernando

underscored the importance of technology in improving efficiency and accessibility in public

service delivery.

He said the initiative reflects the Government’s policy commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of citizens, noting that the new system would save time and improve coordination across institutions.

Acknowledging challenges in integrating systems and sharing information across Ministries, Dr. Fernando described the launch as a progressive step towards gradually bringing the entire public service onto a single online platform, thanking officials who contributed to making the program a reality.

‘The objective is to integrate all the State institutions online, real-time via digitalisation, which is materialising step by step,’ the Minister stressed.

Dr. Fernando said the launch of online EPF registration is expected to improve transparency, efficiency, and accessibility for both employers and employees, forming a cornerstone of the Government’s wider digital transformation agenda in the public sector.

Deputy Minister Jayasinghe said digitalisation remains a key Government priority aimed at all public services with global standards.

He noted that numerous complaints had been received daily regarding EPF-related services and expressed confidence that the new system would significantly reduce such issues.

Jayasinghe added that institutions previously unable to properly collect EPF contributions would now be able to resolve longstanding problems.

Noting that the initiative is part of a broader, whole-of-Government digital push, he said substantial funding had been allocated for digitalisation in the 2026 Budget and that delays of days or weeks in accessing benefits would soon be a thing of the past.

Ring in 2026 with an unforgettable night of glamour, music, and celebration as Taj Samudra – The Grand Marquee hosts a spectacular New Year’s Eve Gala on 31 December 2025.

Setting the tone for an elegant evening, the much-loved Lanthra together with the famous Doctor Band will take centre stage, delivering a powerful live performance to keep the celebrations alive well into the night. Adding to the vibrant atmosphere, DJ Shane will keep the dance floor energised, while Compere Minelle guides the evening with style and charm. This year’s theme is ‘The Oscars,’ inviting guests to dress to impress and step into a world of timeless Hollywood glamour. From red-carpet elegance to dazzling moments on the dance floor, the night promises a truly glam experience.

Guests will enjoy a Gala International Dinner Buffet, followed by a comforting Sri Lankan Breakfast Buffet to welcome the New Year. The event is BYOB, and as a special highlight, tables of 10 guests will receive a complimentary beverage offering at the dance. The excitement doesn’t stop there-guests can look forward to table draws, raffle draws, and a series of engaging games, making the night even more rewarding and fun-filled. Tickets are priced at Rs. 23,000 nett per person, offering exceptional value for an all-inclusive New Year’s Eve celebration at one of Colombo’s most iconic venues.

This grand event is supported by leading print media sponsors: Wijeya Newspapers, Daily FT, Daily Mirror, SUN, Hi Online, and HI Magazine. Step into the spotlight, celebrate in a timeless style, and grab your tickets soon for a New Year’s Eve that promises elegance, entertainment, and unforgettable memories. For inquiries, please call the Festivity desk on 011-2446622.

The Asia Tea Alliance (ATA) meeting held in Colombo on 27 November, brought together tea-sector leaders, policymakers, researchers, and smallholder representatives across six producer countries, to accelerate practical pathways toward a regenerative, resilient, and carbon-responsible tea sector.

The ATA is placing its current emphasis on the measurable leadership showcased through the Tea Reimagined Awards; recognising organisations and individuals driving regenerative action, credible assurance, and value-chain collaboration in tea.

Formed in April 2019, ATA was established to strengthen a unified regional platform for Asian tea producers in response to shared pressures including climate risk, rising input costs, and sustainability expectations, while ensuring smallholder voices are represented in sector coordination and solutions.

Focus on regenerative integrity: Outcomes, assurance, and producer benefit

A key message reinforced during the Colombo sessions was the need to protect the credibility of regenerative claims through clear outcomes, inclusive farm-level approaches, and third-party auditing with transparency alongside carbon integrity that ensures benefits flow to producers.

Speakers also cautioned against fragmented approaches where individual companies define ‘regenerative’ on their own, highlighting the importance of cost-effective audits and shared assurance models across supply chains.

Tea Reimagined Awards: Recognising regenerative leadership and partnerships

The Tea Reimagined Awards recognised achievements across smallholder systems, corporate sustainability leadership, innovation, and regenagri-linked progress, including the enabling role of credible inspection and verification partners.

Award recipients:

Asia Tea Alliance Smallholder Sustainability Leadership Award – Tea Smallholdings Development Authority (TSHDA)

Asia Tea Alliance Sustainability Champion Award – Hayleys Plantations; Kelani Valley PLC; Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC; Horana Plantations PLC

Asia Tea Alliance Innovation Award – Aitken Spence – Elpitiya Plantations PLC

Asia Tea Alliance regenagri Trailblazer Award – Lumbini Tea Valley Ceylon

Asia Tea Alliance Media Leadership Award -Nisthar Cassim, Editor/Chief Executive Officer, DailyFT

Asia Tea Alliance regenagri Pioneer Award – Halgolla Estate

Asia Tea Alliance regenagri Partnership Award – Control Union Inspections Ltd

Asia Tea Alliance Social Impact Award – Plantation Human Development Trust

Special Award – Dr. Shatadru Chattopadhayay, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Sri Lanka’s Tea Sector

regenagri in practice: From certification to value-chain innovation

The Colombo meeting reinforced regenagri as a practical, outcomes-based framework for strengthening climate resilience and quality systems at farm level-supported by credible, third-party assurance that protects the integrity of regenerative claims and enables scale across supply chains.

The award recipients illustrate how verified practice, effective partnerships and producer-linked benefit models can move regeneration from isolated initiatives to sector-wide delivery. As one example, Lumbini Tea Valley cited climate pressures and alignment with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) as key drivers for its regenagri pathway, supported by Control Union and linked to an emerging carbon insetting approach within supply chains.

Sri Lanka Customs’ revenue collection continues to soar to new heights, surpassing Rs. 2.49 trillion as of 26 December, marking a historic milestone in the Government’s fiscal performance.

Customs exceeded its original annual revenue target of Rs. 2,115 billion in early November 2025, prompting the Finance Ministry to revise the target upward to Rs. 2,231 billion. That revised target was also surpassed by 26 December, with total collections reaching Rs. 2,497 billion.

Sri Lanka Customs Spokesman said the Department expects revenue to rise further with three working days still remaining in the year.

He noted that Sri Lanka Customs is aiming to exceed Rs. 2,525 billion by 31 December, which would set an all-time record for the institution.

He attributed the strong performance to improved compliance, enhanced enforcement measures, and increased import volumes as economic activity gradually recovered during the year.

Arukgoda also said around Rs. 870 billion was generated from vehicle imports.

The record-breaking collection is expected to provide a significant boost to Government finances at a time when the State continues to face heavy fiscal pressures and post-disaster recovery costs.

Sri Lanka’s apparel industry has delivered a robust performance during the first 11 months of 2025, with cumulative exports reaching $ 4,571.99 million, marking a 5.42% increase over the same period last year, according to data released yesterday by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).

Sri Lanka’s total apparel exports for November 2025 reached $ 367.60 million, representing a slight decrease of 1.96% compared to $ 374.94 million in November 2024.

The monthly performance showed mixed results across key markets: US $ 152.32 million (up 5.79% from $ 143.98 million), EU (excluding UK) $ 119.61 million (up 3.35% from $ 115.73 million), UK $ 43.63 million (down 13.83% from $ 50.63 million), and other markets $ 52.04 million (down 19.44% from $ 64.60 million).

Despite the November softness, cumulative apparel exports for the 11-month period from January to November 2025 demonstrate solid growth, reaching $ 4,571.99 million-a 5.42% increase over the corresponding period in 2024 ($ 4,336.84 million).

Year-to-date (YTD) performance by market: EU (excluding UK) $ 1,435.39 million (up 13.07%); other markets $ 742.98 million (up 5.75%); US $ 1,769.08 million (up 1.73%); and UK $ 624.54 million (down 0.22%).

The JAAF said: ‘The 5.42% growth in our cumulative exports for the first 11 months of 2025 reflects the resilience and adaptability of Sri Lanka’s apparel sector in navigating a challenging global environment. While we experienced a modest 1.96% decline in November, this should be viewed within the broader context of our strong YTD performance.’

‘Particularly encouraging is our 13.07% growth in the EU market, which demonstrates the success of our strategic focus on strengthening relationships with EU buyers and meeting their increasingly stringent sustainability and compliance requirements. Similarly, our continued growth in the US market, despite tighter margins, shows that Sri Lankan manufacturers remain competitive on quality, delivery, and ethical manufacturing standards,’ it added.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday said that Sri Lanka has proposed the establishment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country, as part of broader discussions with China on post-disaster assistance and infrastructure cooperation.

In a social media post, the Minister said the proposal was made during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Herath said the Chinese Ambassador indicated that Beijing would first assess the impact of the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah before determining the form of assistance it could extend to Sri Lanka across relevant sectors.

He added that Sri Lanka has sought urgent support to restore railway lines and bridges damaged by flooding, and that the Ambassador had agreed to convey this request to the Chinese Government without delay.

The Minister said he also drew attention to the growing import of EVs from China and other markets, noting that a nationwide charging network would be essential, particularly in light of the Government’s plans to expand the electric bus fleet. According to Herath, the Ambassador responded positively to the proposal and undertook to brief the Chinese authorities on the matter.

Sri Lanka has set a new tourism record, welcoming 2,333,797 tourists in 2025 as of December 29, surpassing the country’s previous highest annual total recorded in 2018.

Hutch has unveiled Roopa Hala, a premium streaming platform launched in collaboration with Evoke Digital Australia, bringing Sri Lanka’s most-loved cinema and storytelling to audiences at the tap of a screen. Designed to make top local content instantly accessible at home, on the go, or away. Roopa Hala brings Sinhala films, series, and exclusive premieres into one seamless platform for an enjoyable viewing experience. Roopa Hala is available in not only Sri Lanka but also globally, allowing audiences worldwide to access Sri Lankan and regional content.

Roopa Hala offers an extensive library of 1000+ hours of immersive content, including more than 500 Sinhala films, a rich collection of Timeline Classics, the latest releases, TV series, web series, and exclusive movie premieres curated for both local and global audiences.

With a strong focus on Sri Lankan content and viewing preferences, the platform is built to serve the Sri Lankans at home, as well as the diaspora looking to stay connected to local culture through film. Starting this Christmas season, Hutch customers residing here locally, travelling globally, or residing abroad long-term can subscribe to Roopa Hala via the mobile app available on App Store and Google Play, or through https://roopahala.com.au/, ensuring seamless experience across a wide range of devices. In addition, the Roopa Hala Smart TV app is also available for effortless viewing on all major smart TVs.

The launch of Hutch’s Roopa Hala with Evoke Digital Australia aligns with Hutch’s ongoing journey to empower Sri Lankans with world-class digital services that enhance and improve lives.