Headline: PM Discusses Sports Development & Education Reforms with Women's Cricket Team 🏏
• Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the Sri Lanka National Women's Cricket Team, including Captain Chamari Athapaththu, to discuss preparations for the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. • Key focus was on Government responsibilities for the betterment of women’s cricket and the overall development of the sport. • PM affirmed commitment from the Ministries of Education and Higher Education to extend maximum support for sports promotion. • Upcoming education reforms, scheduled for next year, will allocate more space for sports and extracurricular activities. • Emphasis was placed on promoting cricket at the provincial level and ensuring equal facilities for all sports across every province. • Special attention was drawn to ensuring the safety and well-being of female players and providing necessary facilities. • The PM appreciated the team's dedication in elevating women's cricket as a popular sport in Sri Lanka.
⚖️ Sri Lanka's Accountability Crisis vs. French Justice
• Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy began serving a five-year prison term for illegal campaign funding, becoming the first former French head of state in modern times to receive a custodial sentence. This highlights the principle that no one, not even a President, is above the rule of law. • In stark contrast, the article notes Sri Lanka has an "abysmal" record on accountability: not a single former Sri Lankan President has ever faced justice for alleged corruption, abuse of power, or human rights violations. • This culture of impunity, which has existed across multiple administrations, continues to corrode public trust. • Specific failures in accountability mentioned include: • Abrupt halting of the Chemmani mass grave investigation (under Chandrika Kumaratunga). • Allegations against Mahinda Rajapaksa concerning war crimes and corruption. • Allegations against Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding extrajudicial killings and wartime atrocities. • Maithripala Sirisena facing accusations of negligence over the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. • Ranil Wickremesinghe facing accusations of protecting those involved in the Central Bank bond scam. • The conclusion is that Sri Lanka's justice system remains paralyzed by political interference and fear, punishing the powerless while protecting the powerful.
📢 Major Opposition Alliance Launches Campaign; SJB Stays Away
• A broad coalition of opposition parties has announced the launch of a joint campaign, “Maha Jana Handa” (Voice of the People), against the current Government. • The campaign will commence with a large rally in Nugegoda on 21 November, followed by a series of rallies nationwide. • Key Parties Joining: The alliance includes the SLPP, SLFP, UNP, NFF, Pivithuru Hela Ururmya (PHU), and others. • Campaign Focus: Governance, corruption, and democratic decline. • SJB Stance: The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was notably absent from the media briefing. MP S.M. Marikkar confirmed the party will not participate in the proposed rally.
Urgent Repairs Fast-Tracked for 130-Year-Old Nuwara Eliya Post Office 🏛️
• The Government has moved to fast-track urgent renovation plans for the 130-year-old colonial-era Nuwara Eliya Post Office to safeguard its heritage and improve visitor facilities. • The primary goal is to restore the building's historical significance while transforming it into a key heritage tourism attraction for both local and foreign tourists. • A special discussion chaired by Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa directed officials to immediately prioritize urgent roof repairs to address leaks and disrepair. • The restoration process will involve selecting suitable conservation experts and adhering strictly to heritage preservation standards. • Key Policy: The current administration has affirmed that the site will not be privatized, ensuring it remains under the Department of Posts while being developed for tourism promotion.
🤝 Gov't & Private Sector Unity Key to Industrial Sector Strength: PM Harini
• Addressing the CNCI Achiever Awards 2025, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stressed that collaboration between the Government and private organizations like the CNCI is essential to strengthen local industries. • The PM noted that a strong industrial base is a "national necessity," directly impacting job creation, import reduction, and sustainable economic growth. • Support must focus on building capacity, encouraging innovation, facilitating expansion, and improving access to new markets. • A core emphasis was placed on women's participation in the industrial sector, which the PM highlighted as both a matter of fairness and a key economic strategy for boosting productivity and innovation. • The NPP Government is implementing measures to advance women’s economic role through policy reforms, including better access to credit, vocational training, equal pay for equal work, and institutional support for women-led enterprises. • Award Recognition: During the ceremony, Crystal Awards for outstanding contributions were presented to Haycarb PLC and Matara Freelan Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd.
📈 Engineering & Tech Services Giant Tata Tech to Hire More US Locals Amid Visa Crackdown
• Strategic Shift: India's Tata Technologies, a major engineering and technology services provider, will significantly increase the recruitment of local nationals in the US. • Reason: This move directly addresses the US President Donald Trump's wide-ranging immigration crackdown, specifically proposed steep fees on H-1B visas, which are heavily utilized by Indian tech firms. India accounted for nearly three-fourths of H-1B visa beneficiaries last year. • US Market Importance: North America contributes roughly one-fifth (~20%) of the company’s FY 2024-2025 revenue of 51.68 Bn rupees (US$ 587.97 Mn). • CEO Outlook: CEO Warren Harris remains "bullish" on the US market, anticipating a pickup in business within the next 6-9 months as major clients (including Jaguar Land Rover and Boeing) adjust to the new tariff regime. • Financials & Growth: Separately, the firm reported a 5% rise in quarterly profit and plans for more "targeted" acquisitions, following its recent €75 Mn (US$ 87.47 Mn) agreement to acquire German peer ES-Tec Group. The global workforce is already over 70% local nationals in countries including the US and UK.
📈 Cabinet Greenlights Initial Steps for Kelani Valley Railway Extension
• The Government has commenced the process to select a consultancy firm for the extension of the Kelani Valley Railway line from Avissawella to Ratnapura. • A sum of Rs. 250 million has been allocated to initiate the preliminary work, which includes conducting a feasibility study and preparing detailed plans. • The primary goal is to provide efficient railway services and improve public transport facilities, connecting key towns in the Sabaragamuwa Province. • The project, which will involve realigning the railway along the existing route, is planned for implementation in phases. • Cabinet has officially approved the procurement process to appoint the necessary consultancy firm.
Emergency Ambulance Service Name Change Sparks Controversy 🚨
• Sri Lanka's highly-acclaimed pre-hospital, emergency ambulance service, Suwa Seriya (1990), has been clandestinely renamed to the "Sri Lanka Emergency Medical Service" (SLEMS), as noted in a recent advertisement for the CEO post. • The service is internationally acknowledged for its effectiveness and speed. It was recently lauded by the World Bank (WB) as one of the most advanced and efficient worldwide, significantly bolstering the nation's healthcare system. • Suwa Seriya is synonymous with its founder, SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. The highly successful project was launched in 2016 (starting with 88 ambulances in two provinces) and was funded by the Indian Government. • Critics argue the name change defies logic, involves considerable taxpayer money for potential re-colouring/logo changes, and appears to be a politically motivated attempt to remove the founder’s association.
Major Administrative Reorganisation: Key Institutions Reassigned 📈
President Anura Kumara Disanayake issued a special gazette (Oct 18, 2025) detailing an extensive administrative reorganisation, reallocating institutions across ministries following the Cabinet reshuffle to streamline oversight. • Finance & Regulation: The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Fiscal Management now includes Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd. and the Casino Regulatory Authority, consolidating oversight of state enterprises and gaming regulation. • Power & Energy: Lanka Electricity Company Ltd. (LECO) and its subsidiaries are added to the Ministry of Power and Energy. Nuclear oversight (Atomic Energy Board/Council) is shifted to the Ministry of Science and Technology. • Ports, Aviation & Transport: • Ministry of Ports & Civil Aviation Services now supervises the SL Ports Authority, Lanka Shipping Corp., and SriLankan Airlines Ltd. • The new Ministry of Transport, Highways & Urban Development oversees 17 institutions, including Road Development Authority (RDA) and Sri Lanka Railways. • Security & Governance: • Civil Security Department (CSD) moved from Defence to the Ministry of Public Security. • Commission for Online Safety and Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company added to the Ministry of Digital Economy. • Health & Trade: Sri Lanka Triposha Ltd. is reassigned to the Ministry of Trade, Food Security and Cooperative Development. This major administrative move is intended to consolidate functions under the reconstituted Cabinet structure.
Online Government Services Fully Restored ⚙️
The Information Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) announces that technical issues disrupting the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC) services are now fully resolved. • Operational Status: All affected online government services are now fully operational and accessible to the public. • Data Integrity: ICTA assures the public that at no point was the security or integrity of data compromised, and no data loss has been reported. High data protection standards were upheld throughout the restoration. • Future Resilience: The newly contracted, advanced LGC environment is now ready for a carefully planned migration. ICTA clarifies that the recent failure was not related to this migration exercise, which had not yet commenced. • ICTA extends special thanks to industry partners whose expertise and rapid deployment, treating the disruption as a critical national priority, were instrumental in the prompt return to operational status. Continuous measures are being taken to strengthen LGC resilience and reliability.
🇱🇰 Govt Launches Low-Cost Air Ticket Scheme for Migrant Workers
• A new government initiative was launched yesterday (Oct 16) to issue air tickets at prices lower than prevailing market rates for Sri Lankan migrant workers traveling overseas for employment. • The scheme was inaugurated by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Mr. Arun Hemachandra. • This facility is available to all outbound migrant workers, regardless of their destination country. • The government views this as a vital step towards supporting migrant workers, who play a key role in strengthening the national economy through essential foreign remittances. • The launch took place at the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency in Narahenpita.
🇱🇰 SL Investment Security Assured to U.S. Delegation 📈
• President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met a U.S. business delegation (incl. Crow Holdings, Hudson Institute) and affirmed that the security of investors and their investments is ensured under the current government. • Core Message: A secure investment environment has been established, and irregularities from previous administrations have been rectified. • Reform & Stability: The government is formulating new, democratic laws to ensure transparency and stability in the investment process. • Key Commitment: Attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a top priority, with steps underway to introduce an Investment Protection Act to formally reinforce investor protection and operational facilitation. • Supporting Climate: Efforts are also focused on building national unity, creating an efficient public service, maintaining transparent diplomatic relations, and overcoming technological barriers through digitalization.
📈 Plantation Workers Daily Wage Hiked to Rs. 1,750 by Year-End!
President Anura Kumara Disanayake announced a firm commitment to increase the daily wage of plantation workers to Rs. 1,750 before the end of 2025. • Wage Increase: The Government is determined to grant the community's long-standing demand of Rs. 1,750 within this year. • Community Well-being: The government is prioritizing the economic and social advancement of the Malayagam community, focusing on fair wages, housing ownership, health, education, and clean water access. • Housing & Support: The announcement was made during an event distributing land title deeds to over 2,000 plantation families under the 4th phase of a 10,000-housing project. • The project is implemented with significant Indian assistance, with India contributing Rs. 2.8 million per housing unit. • The Sri Lankan Government allocated an additional Rs. 400,000 per unit for infrastructure facilities.
📈 Cabinet Reshuffle Ahead of 2026 Budget
• President Anura Kumara Disanayake appointed three new Ministers and 10 new Deputy Ministers in a pre-Budget Cabinet reshuffle, aimed at accelerating national development and strengthening performance in key sectors like infrastructure, housing, finance, and urban development. • Key Ministerial Shifts: • Bimal Rathnayake moved to the Transport, Highways, and Urban Development portfolio. • Anura Karunathilake was appointed Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation. • H.M. Susil Ranasinghe was elevated to Minister of Housing, Construction, and Water Supply. • New Deputy Ministers: Ten were sworn in, including Anil Jayantha Fernando as Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning and Nishantha Jayaweera as Deputy Minister of Economic Development. • Continuity: Key Cabinet roles remain unchanged, including the President's portfolio (Finance, Planning and Economic Development), Prime Minister's Education portfolio, and Vijitha Herath's portfolios (Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism).