<ul><li>New business model, possible PPP, formal timeline to follow upcoming Cabinet submission</li></ul> The Government is preparing a restructuring plan for Sri Lanka’s National Carrier, which is expected to be finalised within the coming weeks before being submitted for Cabinet approval.A formal timeline for the process will be established following the submission of the plan, according to Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku.&nbsp;The remarks come against the backdrop of a request by SriLankan Airlines for an additional Rs. 10 billion in Treasury support to address mounting cash flow pressures threatening the National Carrier’s day-to-day operations.&nbsp;Speaking to The Sunday Morning on the airline’s financial health, Kodithuwakku explained that while a broader restructuring effort was underway, the immediate requirement stemmed from a liquidity crunch.&nbsp;“There is a problem with the cash flow, the money needed to maintain the airline, so SriLankan has requested additional funds,” Kodithuwakku explained.&nbsp;He also noted that the airline’s operating costs had increased, driven largely by global energy-related developments following the Israel-US war against Iran.&nbsp;“Our operational expenditure has increased slightly; fuel costs have doubled,” he said, adding that although the present funding requirement was substantial, the Government was closely monitoring the situation as “the price may change in the future as fuel prices decrease”.&nbsp;However, the Deputy Minister clarified that the Government was yet to release the requested funds.&nbsp;SriLankan Airlines reported a loss of Rs. 2.73 billion for the financial year ending 31 March 2025, compared with a profit of Rs. 7.9 billion the previous year, according to its Annual Report.&nbsp;The developments also come as Sri Lanka recently concluded its combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF), unlocking approximately $ 695 million in fresh financing.&nbsp;While the country’s economic indicators have improved, with 2025 growth reaching 5% and official reserves rising to $ 7 billion, the IMF has repeatedly pointed out the importance of restoring the financial viability of State-Owned Enterprises, particularly SriLankan Airlines and those in the energy sector.Beyond short-term financial support, the ministry is also drafting a broader roadmap aimed at modernising the airline’s management structure.&nbsp;Kodithuwakku said that the carrier had continued to operate under the same institutional framework since its inception and required a fundamental shift in direction. “We are planning to restructure SriLankan Airlines and are moving this towards a more scientific, new business model,” he revealed.&nbsp;He stressed that the initial phase of the process focused on institutional reform and efficiency rather than an immediate sale. “The first stage is to restructure this institution in a way that makes it more efficient as an organisation,” he said.Addressing the long-debated issue of privatisation, Kodithuwakku said the Government was considering multiple pathways to ensure the airline’s long-term sustainability, including a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.&nbsp;“We are looking at whether a PPP model is necessary for this,” he stated, while stopping short of confirming a final policy direction.&nbsp;The restructuring process is expected to move quickly, with the Deputy Minister indicating that a timeline would be determined shortly after Cabinet consideration.&nbsp;“We will have a timeline finalised in a week or two. It has to be submitted to the Cabinet to move forward. That is when the timeline will be prepared,” he said.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka, speaking on a separate occasion, said that the airline was currently operating without a chairman or executive director, but assured that appointments would be made soon.&nbsp;According to the Minister, the interview process for a new chief executive officer is underway, while a candidate has already been proposed for the position of chairman.&nbsp;Earlier this month, briefing Parliament on the restructuring process, Karunathilaka revealed that the restructuring of Rs. 91.3 billion in loans obtained from State banks had been completed.&nbsp;Responding to a question raised by an Opposition MP, the Minister said that an agreement had been reached between the Treasury, the Banking Directorate, and SriLankan Airlines on a structured repayment mechanism.&nbsp;Under the arrangement, the Government continues to inject capital into the airline to facilitate repayments to State banks, with payments made twice annually in April and October.&nbsp;Karunathilaka further stated that the restructuring of a $ 175 million international sovereign bond guarantee was currently underway and expected to conclude by the end of 2026.&nbsp;He also referred to concerns raised by the Auditor General regarding the airline’s long-term viability as a profitable enterprise.&nbsp;In response, the Minister said that the Cabinet and the Treasury Secretary had provided written assurances that the Government would continue to extend the financial backing required for SriLankan Airlines’ operations.&nbsp;However, he emphasised that the Government did not intend to maintain the airline indefinitely in its present form.&nbsp;The Minister further disclosed that SriLankan Airlines’ total outstanding liabilities stood at $ 993.78 million at present.&nbsp;

National Carrier: Govt. to finalise SriLankan restructuring plan soon

<ul><li>Says authorities yet to get final info about calorific value&nbsp;</li><li>Estimates 6 days to unload 60,000 MT of coal&nbsp;</li></ul> The Energy Ministry on Friday (29) downplayed new allegations about receiving substandard coal in the face of renewed scrutiny over its emergency coal procurement processes following claims that recent shipments from Taranjot Resources had failed crucial quality tests.&nbsp;Reports recently circulated that multiple shipments from the supplier fell below the required gross calorific value during laboratory testing, raising fears of further power generation issues.&nbsp;However, Ministry of Energy Secretary Russel Aponsu denied these claims, highlighting the current status of the deliveries and addressing the technical parameters of the imported coal.&nbsp;“We have only finished unloading the first three shipments from Taranjot and they were all up to the required standard. The fourth shipment is currently being unloaded, and according to the load port reports, there is no issue. While the ash content is close to the upper limit, it remains below the maximum threshold,” he said.“We do have a different sample that exceeded the ash level, which is the specific issue currently being discussed in the media. I cannot confirm its calorific value yet because the unloading process only started today and we have not received the final information. No one is feeding it into the plant yet, so we cannot make a definitive statement without properly utilising it.”&nbsp;He further explained that calorific value and ash content were distinct measurements that did not necessarily correlate in the manner suggested by critics. “They are different metrics. If the ash content is high, for example, 16% in a 100 kg batch, it means you can only use 84 kg to generate energy because you cannot burn ash.&nbsp;“However, this does not mean that when you burn it, you will not achieve the required calorific value. Therefore, arguments suggesting the coal has a lower calorific value simply due to high ash content are completely inaccurate,” Aponsu claimed.Regarding the delivery schedule, the Secretary noted that the fifth shipment had already arrived and was awaiting processing. “It takes a normal duration of about 5–6 days for unloading. If the sea is rough, the work cannot be done. Recently, the sea was calm and the workers managed to unload 13,000 MT in a single day, which is our absolute maximum capacity. On average, they unload 10,000 MT per day. Since the ship contains roughly 60,000 MT, it typically takes about six days to complete the process,” Aponsu noted.&nbsp;The procurement process has drawn significant public interest, particularly following a special audit report that exposed major lapses in previous coal purchases for the 2025 and 2026 season.&nbsp;Recent updates from the audit highlighted a 40-day procurement lapse that necessitated these emergency purchases and noted significant recoverable losses from previous suppliers. Such administrative controversies have historically led to calls for judicial review, similar to past instances where Fundamental Rights petitions and court cases were filed by stakeholders to challenge the transparency of State energy tenders.&nbsp;When asked if Taranjot Resources had a questionable history of supplying substandard coal, the Secretary dismissed the notion.“This is an emergency purchase. I do not think it has a questionable history, as this is the first time Taranjot has supplied coal to us. The ministry did not receive these laboratory reports initially because we are not the procurement entity. The Lanka Coal Company handles all the documents and sends samples to the laboratories. Its job is to receive the coal and supply it to the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant,” he said.

Emergency coal purchase: Government downplays substandard coal claims 

A new Amnesty International report has alleged widespread child labour, barriers to education, and debt-linked exploitation affecting children from the Malaiyaha Tamil community living and working on Sri Lanka’s private tea estates, with some as young as 14 reportedly being pushed into labour due to poverty, inherited debt, and precarious labour arrangements.&nbsp;The report, titled ‘Abandoned by the State, Trapped in Private Estates,’ drew on investigations conducted between January 2024 and January 2026 and painted a picture of entrenched poverty, insecure employment, and poor living conditions within parts of the private estate sector. The report was launched last week (28).&nbsp;According to Amnesty International, low wages and the increasing casualisation of labour created conditions in which families struggled to survive, forcing children into tea-plucking and other work on estates.&nbsp;The report stated that adult workers on some estates and smallholdings earned between approximately Rs. 1,350 and Rs. 1,750 per day, which Amnesty argued remained below a living wage.&nbsp;Among the cases highlighted was a 14-year-old girl who reportedly began working to support her mother and younger sisters. Despite receiving a reduced ‘casual’ wage of Rs. 750 because of her age, the report stated that she was still expected to meet adult tea-plucking targets of between 25 kg and 28 kg of tea leaves per day.&nbsp;Amnesty further alleged that access to education had been undermined not only by poverty but also, in some cases, by management practices on estates.&nbsp;According to the report, families often struggled to afford transport, uniforms, and school supplies, leading many children – particularly girls – to leave school early.&nbsp;The report also documented allegations from workers who claimed that some estate managements had discouraged or prevented children from attending school. Amnesty alleged that such practices had been used to ensure families remained on estates, with children effectively becoming a guarantee of continued family labour.&nbsp;Some parents interviewed reportedly said they concealed attendance at school meetings from estate management out of fear of being penalised for leaving work.&nbsp;The report additionally highlighted what it described as “replacement labour,” where children were pressured to enter the workforce when a parent became ill, died, or left the estate.&nbsp;In one case documented by Amnesty, a worker reportedly said estate management had insisted that her 14-year-old daughter replace her ill husband to satisfy rules requiring a minimum number of workers per housing unit.&nbsp;Debt and dependency formed another major concern raised in the report.&nbsp;Amnesty alleged that some children had become trapped in cycles resembling debt bondage, with inherited family debts restricting their ability to continue education or leave estate work. According to the report, some children had abandoned schooling specifically to work off debts linked to deceased or departed parents.&nbsp;Beyond labour concerns, the report raised questions about living conditions and safety on private estates.&nbsp;Children interviewed by Amnesty reportedly lived in overcrowded line rooms – often century-old, single housing units measuring roughly 10 by 12 feet – lacking adequate sanitation, clean water, and separate sleeping spaces.&nbsp;The report also alleged verbal and physical intimidation by estate management, including derogatory language directed at children and threats of violence aimed at compelling families to continue working.&nbsp;Amnesty said the reported practices were inconsistent with protections guaranteed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including safeguards against economic exploitation and the right to education.&nbsp;The organisation called on the Government to conduct targeted labour inspections and expand housing and land tenure programmes for Malaiyaha Tamil communities to reduce dependence on estate employers. The report noted that under Sri Lankan law, penalties for forced labour offences could rise to up to 30 years’ imprisonment when committed against a child.&nbsp;Responding to the findings, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Secretary Tharangani Wickramasinghe told The Sunday Morning that although many plantation companies were privately managed under long-term leases, the Government retained channels for intervention through the Plantation Management Monitoring Division and the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT), which worked with the ministry on early childhood development and preschool programmes.&nbsp;She acknowledged awareness of reports involving children allegedly being taken into labour when parents were unable to settle debts and said that the ministry addressed such cases through the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.&nbsp;Wickramasinghe also said that the ministry had requested weekly reports from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on incidents involving children to help identify sensitive cases requiring urgent attention. She urged the public to report child protection concerns through the 1929 helpline and women’s rights violations through the 1938 helpline.&nbsp;Meanwhile, NCPA Chairperson Preethi Inoka Ranasinghe stated that the authority did not receive many complaints from estates but referred child labour complaints to the Department of Labour, which possessed powers to initiate legal action.

Children in tea industry: Amnesty alleges child labour, debt bondage 

<ul><li>‘Aswesuma’ extension possible if fiscal targets allow it</li></ul> President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the Government’s temporary relief measures introduced in response to the Middle East conflict and Cyclone Ditwah will remain capped at Rs. 100 billion and be phased out by end-September, while additional support through the ‘Aswesuma’ welfare programme will be considered only if fiscal targets remain achievable.The commitment was made in the President’s letter to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva released alongside the IMF Executive Board’s completion of the combined Fifth and Sixth Reviews of Sri Lanka’s 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.&nbsp;The review unlocks an immediate disbursement of SDR 508 million, or about $ 695 million, bringing total IMF disbursements under the programme to roughly $ 2.4 billion.&nbsp;“All energy subsidies and other relief measures will be on budget, capped at Rs. 100 billion in total, and phased out by end-September 2026 to safeguard our hard-earned policy buffers,” President Dissanayake stated in the letter.He added that the Government could consider additional assistance through the ‘Aswesuma’ cash transfer programme during the fourth quarter of 2026 to protect vulnerable groups, provided Sri Lanka remained able to meet its primary surplus target.&nbsp;In his letter, the President said that Sri Lanka’s reform programme had restored macroeconomic stability following the economic crisis, citing 5% economic growth in 2024 and 2025, strengthened foreign reserves exceeding three months of imports, stable prices, stronger revenue collection, and debt restructuring progress.He also pointed to the Government’s response to recent shocks, stating that fiscal space created through reforms enabled authorities to rapidly deploy emergency relief following Cyclone Ditwah and implement targeted measures to cushion the impact of the Middle East conflict while maintaining fuel and electricity price adjustments under cost-recovery pricing commitments.&nbsp;The package includes electricity and fuel subsidies, fertiliser support for small farmers, assistance for fishermen, and ‘Aswesuma’ top-ups for vulnerable households.&nbsp;The IMF, meanwhile, said that Sri Lanka’s programme performance remained generally strong, with all end-December 2025 quantitative performance criteria met. While a continuous criterion on new external payment arrears was breached, the fund attributed this to a cybercrime incident involving a relatively small missing external debt payment and granted a waiver after corrective action.&nbsp;However, the fund warned that the Middle East conflict and Cyclone Ditwah had materially weakened Sri Lanka’s economic outlook.According to the IMF report, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, which reached 5% in 2025, is projected to slow to 3% in 2026 due to the fallout from the two shocks. Cyclone Ditwah alone caused an estimated $ 3.4 billion in damages and losses, equivalent to around 3.1% of GDP.&nbsp;The IMF further stated that the Middle East conflict was affecting Sri Lanka through rising energy costs, tourism disruptions, and inflationary pressures. Tourism arrivals fell 20% year-on-year in March amid regional aviation disruptions, while administered fuel prices increased cumulatively by 38–46% since February to maintain cost-recovery pricing. Headline inflation rose to 5.4% in April, its highest level since early 2024, largely driven by these energy price increases.The IMF said temporary fiscal easing in 2026 was appropriate given the shocks, noting that the Government had allocated additional expenditure for relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts and activated measures to shield vulnerable groups. However, it stressed that Sri Lanka had committed to reverting to its programme fiscal targets from 2027, including the primary balance target of 2.3% of GDP and adherence to expenditure ceilings.&nbsp;The IMF also said that debt restructuring was nearing completion but cautioned that debt sustainability risks remained high. It cited the March 2026 debt exchange involving SriLankan Airlines’ $ 175 million international bond as a key milestone and noted progress on electricity sector reforms, including steps towards unbundling the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to improve efficiency and financial transparency.&nbsp;While describing Sri Lanka’s recent policy response as adequate, the IMF stressed that maintaining reform momentum would be essential. The fund called for stronger public financial management reforms, continued revenue mobilisation, greater exchange rate flexibility, gradual removal of balance-of-payments measures, and sustained structural reforms to strengthen resilience in what it described as a shock-prone environment.&nbsp;

IMF EFF programme: Relief measures to end by September: President 

<ul><li>Defence Min. Secy. addresses high-profile security summit in Moscow&nbsp;</li><li>SL advocates adherence to int’l law, freedom of navigation; calls for collective action&nbsp;</li></ul> Ministry of Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha, addressing a security forum in Moscow on Thursday (28), called for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to remain a zone of peace.&nbsp;Thuyacontha made the request while addressing the 14th International Meeting of High-Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters held in Moscow, Russia.&nbsp;Addressing the gathering on the topic of ‘Emerging global security challenges in the context of a multipolar world order,’ Thuyacontha said: “Traditional security threats are increasingly compounded by non-traditional challenges including cyberattacks, terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, disinformation, and the misuse of emerging technologies.”He added that economic instability, food and energy insecurity, and climate-related disasters continued to intensify vulnerabilities, particularly among developing nations and small states, noting: “These interconnected challenges demonstrate that security today cannot be viewed solely through a military lens.”The Secretary said that these developments carried particular importance for Sri Lanka due to its position at the centre of the Indian Ocean.&nbsp;“The Indian Ocean has become an area of increasing geopolitical and economic significance in the emerging multipolar world. As competition among major powers expands into the region, maintaining stability, freedom of navigation, and respect for international law becomes essential for regional and global security. Sri Lanka firmly believes that the Indian Ocean should remain a zone of peace, cooperation, and shared prosperity. We therefore advocate constructive engagement, mutual respect, and dialogue among nations to prevent the law from escalating into confrontation.”He also warned that strategic competition amongst major powers, growing geopolitical tensions, and the weakening of multilateral consensus were creating uncertainty in the international security environment.&nbsp;“Sri Lanka also recognises that no country can address modern security threats alone. Challenges such as cybercrime, maritime insecurity, terrorism, and climate-related risk require strong international cooperation, intelligence sharing, and collective action.&nbsp;“As a nation guided by the principles of nonalignment and peaceful coexistence, Sri Lanka continues to maintain balanced and friendly relations with all countries. We believe that smaller states have an important role in promoting dialogue, building trust, and supporting stability in an increasingly complex global environment,” he said.“The emergence of multiple worlds must not divide the international community. Instead, it should encourage a more inclusive and cooperative global order based on mutual respect, sovereignty, and shared responsibility,” the Ministry of Defence Secretary told the audience, stressing that Sri Lanka remained committed to working closely with all partners to strengthen international security, promote regional stability, and contribute towards a peaceful and secure future for all.

Indian Ocean security: SL wants Indian Ocean to remain a zone of peace 

<ul><li>Rs. 57 b Govt.-backed subsidy to remain in force until Sept.&nbsp;</li></ul> No fuel price relief is in sight for consumers in the coming months, with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) indicating that elevated global prices, massive subsidy costs, and losses on imported fuels continue to weigh heavily on Sri Lanka’s fuel pricing framework.&nbsp;CPC Managing Director Dr. Mayura Neththikumarage told The Sunday Morning that the existing subsidy mechanism would remain in place until September.&nbsp;“The present decision is to continue the subsidy arrangement until September. The CPC is bearing part of the burden, while the Government is also carrying a portion of it, having allocated around Rs. 57 billion for this,” he said.&nbsp;Against this backdrop, Dr. Neththikumarage said that there was no expectation of fuel price reductions in the coming months.&nbsp;He noted that the CPC was using accumulated profits to absorb part of the financial burden arising from current losses highlighted by the Ministry of Energy.&nbsp;Figures released by the ministry point to mounting financial strain on the corporation.According to the data, the CPC incurs an estimated loss of approximately Rs. 35 per litre on octane 92 petrol, Rs. 367 per litre on auto diesel, and Rs. 325 per litre on kerosene.&nbsp;The ministry’s figures further show that as kerosene carries no tax component, the entire pricing shortfall translates directly into losses for the CPC.&nbsp;For auto diesel, the total tax component amounts to approximately Rs. 163 per litre. However, even after offsetting this against the pricing gap, the net loss decreases only marginally.&nbsp;Meanwhile, despite recording a loss of around Rs. 35 per litre on octane 92 petrol, the fuel carries a tax component of approximately Rs. 101 per litre, partially offsetting the deficit.Commenting on the upcoming domestic fuel price revision, Dr. Neththikumarage said that a reduction in local fuel prices could not be expected based on current global market trends.&nbsp;He explained that while global fuel prices had eased slightly compared to March and April levels, they remained above prices recorded prior to the outbreak of the Middle East conflict.&nbsp;The CPC Managing Director added that global fuel prices for 29 May would be determined later in the day, following which local pricing decisions would be considered based on prevailing market conditions.&nbsp;However, he stressed that no final decision had yet been taken on the next fuel price revision.&nbsp;He noted that the CPC’s regular fuel pricing announcements were usually made on the 31st of each month, but the timing of this month’s review required closer monitoring of global oil market movements before any decision could be finalised.“We usually announce our prices on the 31st. However, since the 31st falls on a Sunday this time, today’s global oil prices will be announced this evening (29). We will consider all of that and make a decision,” Dr. Neththikumarage said.&nbsp;“No special discussion has been initiated regarding this yet; it needs to go through several rounds of discussions. Therefore, we cannot say anything at this moment. However, there will clearly be no reduction; we need to assess whether prices will remain at the current level or whether there will be a slight increase. Nevertheless, there won’t be a significant increase, so there is no need for undue concern,” he added.&nbsp;Dr. Neththikumarage also stated that a crude oil shipment carrying 89,000 MT of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude had arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday (28). In addition, another vessel carrying 95,000 MT of Murban crude is scheduled to arrive on Sunday (31).

CPC rules out fuel price reduction   

<ul><li>GMOA expresses caution over crowds at public functions&nbsp;</li></ul> Health authorities have urged the public to maintain strict hygiene practices and avoid crowded environments as Sri Lanka experiences a reported increase in enteroviral meningitis cases, particularly among school-aged children.The first cases of enteroviral meningitis were reported from Deniyaya in the Matara District in April. According to the Ministry of Health, the disease has since been identified in the districts of Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Badulla as well.The Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health issued special instructions and health guidelines to health authorities and relevant institutions islandwide on Friday (29) to prevent and control the spread of the disease.&nbsp;The guidelines included information on symptoms, clinical diagnosis, treatment procedures, sample collection, school- and community-level preventive strategies, and health precautions for public gatherings.Epidemiological and environmental investigations also identified both cluster outbreaks and sporadic cases.According to the Epidemiology Unit, the primary symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, and vomiting, which can emerge three to seven days after infection. Authorities further stated that patients generally made a full recovery within a week with proper medical treatment and advice.Commenting on the situation, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya emphasised the need for public awareness and preventive measures, particularly given the large crowds.“It is spreading through respiratory as well as oral routes, through food and saliva droplets. With the upcoming dansal season and crowd congestion, there is a higher risk,” he said.Dr. Weerasuriya advised the public to exercise extreme caution in crowded areas and at public food distribution events, stressing that the illness could spread rapidly through close contact.He further explained that meningitis could be caused by a variety of organisms, adding that the current situation appeared to involve a viral infection, which in many instances behaved similarly to a regular viral illness and generally subsided within a week with proper medical care.The Ministry of Health has also encouraged the public to wash hands regularly with soap and clean water, cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals, and ensure adequate ventilation in homes, schools, and workplaces.Steps have been taken to brief the entire health sector, including all provincial and regional directors of health services, hospital directors, medical superintendents, district community physicians, and medical officers of health responsible for areas across Sri Lanka, to implement control measures.According to the latest available data, around 200 meningitis cases had been reported from several parts of the country, with nearly 50 patients receiving treatment in hospitals across four districts.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education issued guidelines to all provincial directors of education, based on instructions from the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, outlining preventive measures to be implemented.

Public health warning issued for meningitis 

Ministry of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera formally tendered his resignation on Friday (29) in the wake of a high-profile Supreme Court ruling against him, although ministry officials dismissed speculation that the resignation was linked to the verdict.&nbsp;A senior official attached to the Ministry of Transport, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Sunday Morning that Perera had stepped down for personal reasons and not as a result of the court ruling.“He had planned to submit his resignation due to a separate academic programme in the US, where he had planned an eight-month stint. This had already been communicated and is entirely a personal matter. There is no connection to the Supreme Court ruling. He is an academic and he did not wish to abandon his academic commitments,” the official claimed.&nbsp;The departure has raised questions over the immediate future of the ministry’s administrative leadership. The official clarified that Prof. Perera intended to return to Sri Lanka after completing his academic programme.&nbsp;“He will be coming back after eight months, but you cannot leave the position of secretary vacant for that entire period. Therefore, he submitted his resignation, but he may return and rejoin as secretary again. Until he returns, or a permanent decision is made, we will have to appoint an acting secretary. As of now, there is no decision as to who will assume the role,” the official added.&nbsp;The reported resignation came days after the Supreme Court ruled that Prof. Perera had violated the Fundamental Rights of a senior public official by preventing him from carrying out his duties as an Additional Secretary at the ministry.&nbsp;In a judgment delivered on 19 May, the Supreme Court held that Prof. Perera, in his capacity as Secretary to the then Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, had infringed the fundamental rights of W.S. Sathyananda, a Special Grade officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service.&nbsp;The ruling followed an extended hearing into a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Sathyananda, who challenged the treatment he said he faced after being appointed Additional Secretary to the ministry.The judgment was delivered by Supreme Court Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere, with the concurrence of Justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Janak De Silva.According to the petition, Sathyananda, a public officer with nearly 30 years of service, had been appointed Additional Secretary through a letter issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on 18 December 2024 and had reported for duty on the same day.&nbsp;He told the court that at around 12.30 p.m. on the day he assumed duties, Prof. Perera had entered his office and informed him that his services were not required by the ministry, instructing him to leave immediately.&nbsp;The petitioner argued that the conduct of the Ministry Secretary towards a senior public official had caused him humiliation and severe mental distress, amounting to an arbitrary violation of his Fundamental Rights.&nbsp;Delivering the judgment, Justice Obeyesekere observed that under Rule 107 of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Rules, published in Extraordinary Gazette No.2310/29 of 14 December 2022, the authority to appoint an additional secretary rested exclusively with the PSC.&nbsp;The court further noted that Rule 61 of the same regulations stipulated that any person who directly or indirectly sought to influence or obstruct a decision of the PSC or one of its committees, other than in the lawful discharge of duties, committed an offence punishable by a fine of up to Rs. 100,000, imprisonment of up to seven years, or both.&nbsp;The Supreme Court concluded that by interfering with a lawful appointment made by the PSC, the Ministry Secretary had seriously undermined the rule of law and breached the public trust placed in him.&nbsp;The court emphasised that public officials were custodians of public trust and were expected to exercise their powers responsibly and in accordance with the law. It further held that the supervisory authority vested in a ministry secretary did not extend to appropriating the constitutional powers granted to the PSC in matters relating to appointments and transfers.&nbsp;The court ultimately found that the respondent Secretary had deprived the petitioner of the dignity due to him as both an individual and a public officer, and unanimously ruled that his Fundamental Right to equal protection of the law under Article 12(1) of the Constitution had been violated.

Secy. Perera’s resignation tied to US academic prog.: Officials 

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sri Lanka’s Maharaja Media Network, part of the Capital Maharaja Group.&nbsp;The agreement marks a major expansion of a relationship that began with an initial broadcast arrangement in 2023, and now moves into a broader framework of content sharing, co-productions, and professional exchange across television, radio, digital platforms, and content development.&nbsp;Maharaja Media Network is Sri Lanka’s largest media network, operating across television, radio, digital platforms, music, and movies. It includes MTV Channel Ltd. and MBC Networks Ltd.&nbsp;For Sri Lanka, the partnership is more than a media agreement. It creates new pathways for local media professionals to engage with one of the region’s most respected public broadcasters, and contribute to a deeper exchange of stories, skills, and ideas across the Asia-Pacific.&nbsp;“This is an arrangement that will cover co-production, the sharing of content, and greater cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region in producing stories that will speak to both of our countries, and I couldn’t be more excited. We’ve got a great legacy of this,” said Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Matthew Duckworth.

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