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Hayleys Electronics Ltd., in collaboration with SolaX Power, recently brought together over 300 industry professionals and stakeholders in Colombo for ‘Unlocking the Power of Tomorrow’, an exclusive knowledge-sharing event focused on the future of intelligent energy solutions.

Held at The Kingsbury Colombo, the event explored advancements in smart inverter technology, hybrid energy storage and intelligent energy management, highlighting how technology is transforming the way energy is generated, stored and managed.

The Colombo event marked the beginning of an islandwide awareness and knowledge-sharing program by Hayleys Electronics and SolaX Power, which continued across Sri Lanka in September.

SolaX Power, is represented exclusively by Hayleys Electronics as its authorised dealer. The upcoming sessions have been strategically planned across Galle, Negombo, Kurunegala, Jaffna and Trincomalee to extend the program’s reach beyond Colombo and connect stakeholders across the island with the latest developments in smart energy technologies.

Hayleys Fentons Managing Director Hasith Prematillake said: ‘The transition towards smarter energy is about creating systems that are more intelligent, efficient and adaptable. Through our collaboration with SolaX Power, we are bringing global technological expertise closer to Sri Lankan stakeholders and supporting the country’s journey towards a smarter and more sustainable energy future.’

Hayleys Electronics Chief Operating Officer Clyde Gabriel said: ‘Unlocking the Power of Tomorrow reflects our commitment to creating greater awareness of the technologies shaping the next generation of energy solutions. Through direct knowledge-sharing with SolaX Power’s global team, we aim to equip industry professionals with insights into smarter energy technologies and strengthen access to globally recognised solutions in Sri Lanka.’

Sri Lanka has invited Malaysian businesses to actively collaborate with the strategically located Indian Ocean island nation to enhance the competitiveness of Malaysian corporates, establish strong and sustainable supply chains, and become key partners in Sri Lanka’s next phase of growth.

Speaking at the business networking event themed ‘Business Beyond Borders’, held on 22 September at the Commonwealth Club, Kuala Lumpur, to discuss trade and investment opportunities, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Malaysia Dharshana M. Perera, submitted that Sri Lanka provided a stable political and economic environment for business, pointing to the political stability achieved through a democratic process and the strong governance framework under the Clean Sri Lanka program.

He observed that the elevation of Sri Lanka’s Fitch sovereign rating from ‘CCC+’ to ‘B’ on 21 September reflected strengthening macroeconomic fundamentals, including fiscal stability, growing foreign exchange reserves and projected economic growth of 5% through to 2030.

The event, organised by the Malaysia-Sri Lanka Business Chamber (MSLBC) and the Malaysia-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce (MVCC) in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with key sponsors and with the support of the respective diplomatic missions of Sri Lanka and Viet Nam in Kuala Lumpur, brought together more than 75 business executives from multiple sectors, including manufacturing, tourism, IT, real estate and construction, consultancy services, trading, financial and banking institutions, among others, as well as key Malaysian government agencies.

Malaysia-Sri Lanka Business Chamber Chairman Anand Sharvanandan, Deputy Chairman Mahen Muthiah, Malaysia-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce Vice President Kelvin Ling, and Malaysia-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce Secretary General James Tan, provided organisational leadership for the ‘Business Beyond Borders’ event.

Presenting opportunities for collaboration in investment, High Commissioner Perera, presented a set of carefully developed Ready to Invest projects designed by the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka High Commission, covering the energy, tourism, manufacturing, real estate, shipping and logistics, agriculture and IT sectors. The proposals provided key information, including project locations, investment incentives, market growth trajectories, revenue models, and Net Present value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) calculations.

The High Commissioner invited Malaysian corporates to seize the opportunity to participate in the business and investment event, SRI LANKA EXPO 2027, scheduled to take place in Colombo from 14 to 17 January 2027. He said Malaysian businesses should consider Sri Lanka as a dependable supplier of goods, given its diverse range of export products, including IT services, boat and shipbuilding, gems and precious stones, fisheries, apparel and food products. He further highlighted opportunities for Malaysian businesses to partner with Sri Lanka and access a market of approximately 3.5 billion people in the EU, UK, India, Pakistan and other destinations through Sri Lanka’s market access.

Sri Lanka looks forward to welcoming Malaysian corporates to SRI LANKA EXPO 2027.

If the three T20 Internationals against England were totally one-sided, the three-match ODIs that followed flattered to deceive.

Sri Lanka lost the ODI series 2-1 after coming back strongly in the second to level it which saw a full house at The Oval for the series decider. But Sri Lanka failed to live up to expectations and fell flat on their face to be beaten comprehensively by a massive 233 runs.

On a pitch where England had racked up an imposing 355-7, Sri Lanka failed to enliven the contest and folded up rather tamely for 132 inside 30 overs without a semblance of a fight, disappointing their supporters who had turned up in their numbers to watch a spectacle.

Inconsistency in the batting has been Sri Lanka’s Achilles heel in T20I cricket but not so in ODIs although the results in the recently concluded series indicate.

It is not that Sri Lanka cannot compete. They showed that they can, by coming back after losing the first ODI to beat England by 16 runs in the second.

What they lack is the toughness to fight back when the chips are down. This is an area that needs to be addressed in white ball cricket especially with the Cricket World Cup 12 months away.

Winning and losing is part and parcel of the game, but it is the manner in which Sri Lanka loses is what irks many. What you want to see as a cricketing nation is to compete hard and run your opponents close which was not witnessed in all the defeats on the tour.

You don’t just simply throw away your wickets as Sri Lanka did against England in the first and third ODIs. It was poor shot selection coupled by some intelligent bowling by England that resulted in their downfall.

Another factor that needs to be looked at is whether the Lankan cricketers adapted to the English conditions suitably. True, they went weeks ahead of the start of the series, and also lost the two warm-up games against England Lions which should at least have given them food for thought of what was in store for them in the white ball matches to follow.

In red ball cricket Sri Lanka are a different entity as they showed in their fight back against India after being asked to follow-on in the recent Test series. Why that same principle cannot be applied to ODI cricket is baffling.

Sri Lanka has the bowling to win matches but there should be runs on the board to make it happen. This has been a long-standing problem with white ball cricket.

The manner in which England beat Sri Lanka in the ODIs gives the impression that there is a big gulf between the two sides, which in actual fact is not. T20I cricket yes, but not in the 50-over where Sri Lanka are capable of giving some of the best teams a good run.

Sri Lanka’s Head Coach Gary Kirsten said that the team’s disappointing white ball tour of England must be viewed as part of a bigger rebuilding process with the 2027 World Cup firmly in mind.

Despite the setback Kirsten is looking beyond immediate results and focusing on developing the right players, building consistency and preparing Sri Lanka to compete at the highest level when the World Cup arrives.

‘For us to win a series against a team like England, we need to reach all our goals on tour. We had set targets for the tour but did not meet all of them,’ said Kirsten looking back on the tour. ‘They were very realistic things that we set out for ourselves, which we didn’t get to all of them.’

Kirsten admitted that Sri Lanka’s batting was disappointing, with the team failing to build momentum despite arriving early for the tour and playing two warm-up matches.

‘We’ve got some senior players in the batting group and there’s a lot of experience there, so we just never got the batting going. There’s a bit of work to be done. Hopefully, we can leave here having learned a lot about each individual and what they need to do to develop their game.’

‘I think once we get our shape right as an ODI team, how we want to play, who needs to do what and what roles everyone needs to be playing, we’ll be on our way. We’ll be competitive against any team.’

Kirsten said the highlight for him on the tour of England was the fielding.

‘I thought our ground fielding was outstanding. We put a lot of effort into eliminating unforced errors. Pavan Rathnayake had an outstanding series with his fielding and he certainly set the tone for us.’

He also singled out debutant Sachindu Colombage, Dunith Wellalage and left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka for their performances during the series.

‘I thought Sachindu did really well as he began his ODI career. That’s a step in the right direction. Dunith did really well too. He showed what he’s capable of as an all-rounder, but I thought his bowling was fantastic. Madushanka showed us that he can be an all-format bowler. I am quite excited by him as well and certainly want to develop him as we go along.’

Sri Lanka’s next assignment is a three-match T20I series in Pakistan followed by a one-day tri-series with Pakistan and England also in Pakistan.

Kirsten said the upcoming one-day tri-series would provide another opportunity to improve, including two more matches against England.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday congratulated javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage on winning Sri Lanka’s first Asian Games Gold medal in the event, pledging continued State support as the athlete turns his attention to the Olympics.

In a post on ‘X,’ Dissanayake said Pathirage had made the entire nation proud.

‘On behalf of all Sri Lankans, I wish you continued success as you set your sights on the greatest prize of all: Olympic gold,’ the President said.

‘We remain fully committed to supporting you, and all our aspiring sportsmen and sportswomen, on the road to international success,’ he added.

Pathirage claimed the title at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Japan with a best throw of 88.55 metres, delivered on his final attempt. After opening with 73.53 metres, 83.34 metres, and a foul, he seized the lead in the fourth round with 88.33 metres before extending it in the sixth.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is recruiting a Red Team Specialist on contract to test its cyber defences by simulating attacks on its own systems and to hunt for threats before they cause damage, according to a vacancy notice.

A red team attacks an organisation’s systems in the way a real adversary would, so that weaknesses can be found and fixed before criminals exploit them.

The specialist will run breach and attack simulations using the MITRE ATT and CK framework, a publicly available catalogue of the tactics and techniques used by hackers. The role includes working with the CBSL’s detection team to turn known attacker methods into alerts with few false alarms, using techniques that include machine learning.

The specialist will also track ransomware groups, phishing kits, and fraud campaigns on the dark web and open sources, and create indicators of compromise, the digital traces that signal a system may have been breached. The role involves supporting incident response teams on containment and recovery during security incidents, and briefing senior management on emerging threats.

Applicants need at least four years’ experience in red teaming or penetration testing, which involves authorised, simulated attacks on systems. They also need either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Security or a related field specialised in information security, from an institution recognised by the University Grants Commission, or one or more of eight listed certifications, including Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).

Applicants must be below 30 years of age as at 31 October 2026. Leadership experience, participation in bug bounty programs, which pay researchers for reporting security flaws, and in Capture the Flag hacking competitions will be considered an advantage.

The post is offered on contract for not more than three years, with negotiable pay and contributions to the Employees’ Provident Fund and Employees’ Trust Fund. Applications must be submitted through the CBSL careers page by 31 October 2026, and shortlisted candidates will be called for interviews.

The recruitment comes after a separate cyber fraud at the Finance Ministry for which the CBSL has drawn much flak.

The Ministry lost $ 2.5 million after cybercriminals diverted debt repayments due to Export Finance Australia, part of a $ 22.9 million external debt repayment, through 10 transactions made between December 2025 and January 2026, using emails that altered the creditor’s bank details.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had recorded statements from 21 individuals, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament on 7 May. In June, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) granted Sri Lanka a waiver after the missed payment breached a performance criterion under its Extended Fund Facility, describing the breach as minor.

Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka and Finance PLC (MBSL), a subsidiary of the Bank of Ceylon, plans to raise up to Rs. 1 billion through a debenture issue.

The company’s Board of Directors has approved an issue of five million unsecured, subordinated, redeemable five-year debentures at Rs. 100 each, raising Rs. 500 million. MBSL may issue up to a further five million debentures at the same price if the initial tranche is oversubscribed, which would take the total to Rs. 1 billion.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka approved the issue in a letter dated 24 September. The issue remains subject to all other necessary regulatory approvals, and the company did not disclose the interest rate, the issue dates, or how the funds would be used.

Harischandra Mills PLC has appointed Revantha Devasurendra to its Board as a Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director.

Devasurendra is an experienced board member, investor, and business leader with a diverse portfolio spanning listed companies, food service, export manufacturing, hospitality, and technology. He combines sharp financial analysis and investment appraisal with hands-on expertise in brand development, business restructuring, and management systems.

As a Board member, Revantha brings a strong entrepreneurial perspective to governance, focusing on strategy, accountability, people development, and disciplined growth. He has held notable board positions at entities such as Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, and presently holds Board positions at Colombo City Holdings PLC and enterprise tech firm MillenniumIT ESP.

As an entrepreneur and investor, he serves as the Managing Director of British Ceylon Capital, focusing on hospitality real estate, and has led the expansion and modernisation of heritage brands such as Green Cabin using structured business scaling frameworks.

Deeply embedded in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem, he is a founding board member and former Chapter President of the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (EO) Sri Lanka, and a certified Bloom Growth Coach. He holds a degree in Industrial Economics from the University of Nottingham and a specialised certification in Hotel Real Estate Investments from Cornell University.

BYD, together with its authorised distributor in Sri Lanka, John Keells CG Auto, has announced the opening of its 11th showroom in the country, further expanding its presence in the Western Province.

Opening on 11 September, the new BYD showroom, located at No. 254, Chilaw Road, Negombo, joins a growing retail and service network that includes Colombo, Galle, Kurunegala, Kandy, Ampara and Rathnapura. The latest launch further strengthens BYD’s presence along the Western Province’s coastal belt, bringing its range of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles closer to customers in Negombo and surrounding areas, while strengthening the brand’s countrywide accessibility.

Customers around Negombo can expect the same level of reliable service, support and access to vehicles that BYD is known for across its existing network. The new location will initially operate as a showroom, with plans underway to develop the facility into a fully-fledged 3S facility, offering Sales, Service and Spare Parts under one roof. The showroom will feature a range of BYD vehicles including the BYD Sealion 5, BYD Sealion 6, BYD Sealion 8, BYD Atto 1, BYD Atto 2, Shark 6 and BYD Dolphin.

JKCG Auto Chief Executive Officer Charith Panditharatne said: ‘Reaching our 11th showroom is a significant milestone for BYD in Sri Lanka. In a relatively short period, we have seen the market move from building awareness around new energy vehicles to seeing them become a more familiar choice for Sri Lankan customers. Our focus now is on continuing to build the network and the support infrastructure around it, so that customers can have the confidence to make the switch to new energy mobility wherever they are in the country.’

In line with its commitment to building a strong NEV ecosystem, Keells has deployed 43 chargers island-wide. BYD’s recently announced strategic partnership with GreenEV unlocks access to an additional 73 chargers, bringing the total public charging network to 116 chargers across all nine provinces of Sri Lanka. Every BYD and Denza customer also receives a home charger as standard, giving them greater flexibility and convenience when charging their vehicle.

With its 11th showroom now open in Negombo, BYD said it continues to strengthen its retail and service network across Sri Lanka. Its showrooms and service centres now span the Western, Southern, Central, North Western, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa provinces, bringing BYD’s vehicles and customer support closer to customers across the country.

A property tax on houses proposed under Sri Lanka’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) program has been deferred for another year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a public rally in Gampaha on Sunday.

Dissanayake said the tax would have fallen on houses built with the savings of people who had already paid tax on their earnings.

He said that in the run-up to the elections, there had been fearmongering that a National People’s Power (NPP) Government would take away people’s second houses.

‘Even at that time, there was an agreement that there would be a property tax. We are now presenting the third Budget, and there is still no property tax,’ Dissanayake said.

‘Our argument is that property is built by saving earnings that have already been taxed. So that person has paid taxes for the property. On that basis, we have deferred the property tax,’ he said.

The IMF’s Second Review of Sri Lanka’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), published in June 2024, proposed an imputed rental income tax on owner-occupied and vacant residential properties, replacing a nationwide property tax originally envisioned under the program.

The tax was expected to be implemented before the start of the tax year in April 2025. An imputed rental income tax is levied on the rent a homeowner could earn if the property were let out, rather than on income actually received.

In December 2024, Dissanayake told Parliament the Government had begun talks with the IMF on the program’s Third Review, addressing preconditions agreed by the previous administration, including a property tax based on imputed income. However, the property tax was left out of subsequent Budgets since then.

Greece stunned Germany 1-0 in Augsburg to go top of their Nations League group and spoil Jrgen Klopp’s debut in the home dugout.

Dimitrios Kourbelis scored the only goal in the 74th minute, earning Greece their first-ever victory in 11 matches against Germany. Ivan Jovanovic’s side now lead Group A2 with six points from two matches; Klopp’s side are third with one point from two games after a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands on Thursday.

The hosts were in control for most of the game and had close to 80% possession in the first half alone. Germany were ultimately punished for sloppy defending, especially in the second half, which gave the visitors space to attack.

Felix Nmecha fired wide in the 54th minute, moments after the Greece keeper Konstantinos Tzolakis had palmed a Joshua Kimmich free-kick over the bar. The Greeks then almost scored in the 66th after Kimmich lost possession in his own half, but the substitute Fotis Ioannidis fired just wide of the post.

They did better eight minutes later, with Kourbelis’s deflected low drive earning their second victory in a row after their last-gasp 2-1 win over Serbia on Thursday. Greece will now host the Dutch on Thursday, while Germany are at home to Serbia.

Klopp shrugged off the defeat after the final whistle. ‘Personally, I’m completely unbothered by it,’ he told ARD. ‘I’ve lost far more matches in my life than I would have liked … but as long as you draw the right conclusions, a loss is ultimately just a piece of information – no different from a win.’