<ul><li>Fresh provisions to target illegal foreign-run businesses&nbsp;</li><li>Informal sector registration, regulation to be addressed</li><li>Double taxation by Tourism authorities and LG bodies to be addressed&nbsp;</li></ul> The Ministry of Tourism has announced that sweeping reforms will be introduced through a proposed new Tourism Act, now in the drafting stage, aimed at strengthening regulation and enforcement within the tourism sector.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said the new legislation is designed to modernise the legal framework governing the industry, which he noted has evolved significantly over the past two decades.“The existing laws, Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005, is over 20 years old and no longer adequately addresses emerging industry trends, technological developments, and contemporary regulatory needs,” Prof. Ranasinghe said.He explained the current law, the, requires urgent revision to ensure the sector remains competitive, transparent, and effectively monitored.Minister Ranasinghe pointed out the new Act seeks to address the growing number of foreigners, primarily from Russia and European nations, who are entering Sri Lanka and establishing businesses illegally. He said that the current Legislation lacks the provisions necessary to take punitive action against such individuals.&nbsp;“What we do currently is to identify the situation as an overstay and to take action against them via the Immigration and Emigration Law regarding visa violations. That process is too complicated and has to involve the Immigration and Emigration officers as well,” he explained, adding, “Hence, we will be enforcing the proposed Tourism Act in a way the Tourism Department can directly take actions against them.”The minister also highlighted the rapid expansion of the informal sector within the tourism industry as a major issue expected to be resolved via the new Act. “Only about 10 per cent of those providing tourism-related services are currently registered with the Tourism Development Authority (TDA). The proposed Act aims to bring this informal sector under regulatory oversight,” he added.&nbsp;Addressing long-standing grievances from the private sector, he said the new Legislation seeks to resolve the issue of double taxation. “Currently, entities registered with the TDA are required to pay a 1% Tourism Development Levy on their revenue. Simultaneously, Local Government (LG) Authorities levy an additional 1% under their own statutes,” he detailed. "One of the complaints that we receive from the private sector is that they are ‘double-taxed’," he said. "We are expecting to find solutions for this issue as well via the proposed Tourism Act," he concluded.&nbsp;When questioned about the prevalence of foreign backpackers in the country, he said that while the overall increase in tourist arrivals has naturally led to a higher number of such individuals, and social media has amplified the visibility of the trend, it does not signify an issue of tourists spending less or an influx of low-economic-value visitors to Sri Lanka.

 Tourism Act to be overhauled

The Ministry of Education stated there is no immediate need to issue a fresh circular to prevent schools from collecting money from parents, emphasising that existing regulations already prohibit such practices.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that multiple circulars are currently in force governing the collection of funds from parents.“We are considering whether there is a need to issue another circular. However, there are already circulars that clearly regulate the collection of money from parents. We have advised schools not to collect funds from parents,” Kaluwewa said. He further clarified the Ministry has not instructed schools to raise money to establish digital classrooms.“The Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has already announced in Parliament that schools should not collect money from parents for digital classroom projects. That remains our instruction. There is no requirement for digital classrooms in every school, and we have not directed schools to build them,” he said.Kaluwewa acknowledged the Ministry has received complaints regarding schools seeking financial contributions from parents for digital classroom initiatives.He added the Ministry plans to provide digital classrooms to more than 6,000 schools by March and stressed that schools should not impose financial burdens on parents for such developments.“We observed a trend where schools began attempting to create digital classrooms independently. We will inform schools directly of the Ministry’s position, even if not through a new circular,” he said.The Ministry’s clarification follows calls by the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) to introduce a new circular explicitly banning schools from charging parents.CTU Secretary Joseph Stalin claimed that Circular 5/2015 should be suspended to effectively halt fund collections. He alleged that the circular requires schools to apportion expenses among students, resulting in parents being charged amounts ranging from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 11,000 in secondary schools and approximately Rs. 3,000 in primary schools.Stalin stated that many parents are struggling to bear such costs and argued that only a new circular, coupled with legal action against violators, would ensure compliance. In the wake of calls by the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) to issue a new circular to prevent schools from collecting money from parents, the Education Ministry stated that there is no apparent need to introduce fresh circulars as existing regulations already prohibit such collections. Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), Ministry Secretary, Nalaka Kaluwewa said that several circulars are already in force governing the collection of funds from parents. “We are considering whether there is a need to issue another circular, there are already circulars that clearly regulate the collection of money from parents. We have anyway advised schools not to collect funds from parents." He also clarified that the Ministry had not instructed schools to raise money to establish digital classrooms. "Prime Minister and Education Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya already announced in the Parliament that schools should not collect money from parents for digital classroom projects. That is our instruction. There is no requirement for digital classrooms in every school, and we have not instructed schools to build them. We have received complaints about schools collecting funds for digital classrooms." Speaking further, Kaluwewa said the Ministry planned to provide digital classrooms to more than 6,000 schools by March and stressed that schools should not impose financial burdens on parents for such developments. “We noticed that a trend emerged where schools started attempting to create digital classrooms on their own. We will inform schools directly about this position, even if not through a new circular,” he said. The clarification comes after the CTU Secretary Joseph Stalin said that the Government must suspend Circular 5/2015 to effectively stop schools from charging parents. He claimed that the said circular requires schools to divide total expenses among students, resulting in fees ranging from Rs. 11,000 to Rs. 8,000 in secondary schools and about Rs. 3,000 in primary schools being charged from parents. He added that parents are struggling to bear such costs and insisted that only a new circular explicitly banning all collections, along with legal action against violators, would ensure compliance.

Education Ministry on schools collecting money: Already banned; No new circular needed

Litro has begun distributing 300,000 domestic gas cylinders to the market, the Company confirmed yesterday (23).A vessel carrying 3,900 metric tonnes of LPG arrived at Colombo Port on 22 February, with unloading operations commencing the same day. Two further LPG shipments are scheduled to reach the country on 25 and 28 February.The supply disruption followed an unexpected surge in market demand. To address the shortage, Litro Gas plans to release 100,000 cylinders daily, a move expected to gradually stabilise supply. The Company also confirmed that new orders have been placed to maintain adequate stock levels, with shipments anticipated before the end of February. Meanwhile, Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe recently stated that the Company expects to release a larger volume of Litro Gas cylinders to the market starting from 12 March. Over the past few days, consumers across several parts of the island have raised concerns regarding shortages of both Litro and Laugfs Gas cylinders, with long queues observed at various retail outlets. Traders had previously commented that Litro Gas had not provided specific dates regarding upcoming deliveries. Nevertheless, Litro Gas reiterated that with the release of 300,000 cylinders, the prevailing gas shortage is expected to ease systematically.

Litro commences LP gas distribution  

The Railway Station Masters' Union (RSMU) claimed the current Railway administration had failed to implement a proper recovery plan after cyclone Ditwah, despite the railway sector being one of the worst affected State institutions in terms of financial and operational losses. Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), the RSMU General Secretary, Kasun Chamara Jayasekara noted the Upcountry railway line played a major role in supporting the tourism industry and contributed to the country’s foreign exchange earnings, in addition to serving as the main mode of transport for thousands of public and private sector employees travelling daily from areas such as Kandy and Nawalapitiya to Colombo. "With train services suspended beyond Rambukkana on the Upcountry line, passengers have been forced to rely on road transport. The cost spent on a month of train travel is not sufficient to cover even three days of road transport. Commuters have faced serious psychological and economic difficulties due to this issue." He further said the Government initially proposed constructing a new double bridge at Peradeniya after damage to the Upcountry railway line but later decided to reconstruct the old bridge instead. "The Railways Department had announced that train services would resume up to Kandy by April. Reconstruction work carried out by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau had reached a certain stage before the Department's Engineering Technical Committee recommended halting the work. The Department has now decided to call for another technical report on the future of the bridge. This situation has left the restoration process uncertain." Jayasekara further claimed there is currently no plan to begin repairs on the railway line between Rambukkana and Kadugannawa and alleged the Department has become ineffective due to an inability to make timely decisions despite functioning as an engineering-based institution. He accused the present General Manager (GM) of Railways, Ravindra Pathmapriya of treating train operations as unnecessary, charging that several essential activities including track maintenance, improving power sets, and expanding operations have been neglected. "Even plans made after Ditwah to operate parcel and freight trains on sections of the Puttalam line that remained operational had not materialised following a decision by the GM." Claiming that Pathmapriya had been attempting to demonstrate the profitability of the Department by reducing train operations, he added that that was a flawed approach that had brought about adverse consequences for passengers. "Successive Governments have maintained railway services at concessional fares to ensure affordable public transport, with budgetary allocations provided to offset losses. The failure to consider alternative methods to reduce losses, and the GM’s unwillingness to seek or accept professional input from Departmental officials, has damaged the reputation of both the Government and the Department.""This issue is due to appointing an officer from the Administrative Service (AS) as the GM instead of a professional with railway engineering expertise. We request the Transport Ministry to appoint a committee comprising retired Department engineers who previously served as GMs to guide reconstruction efforts and restore services at the earliest possible time," Jayasekara added.When contacted by The Daily Morning regarding the allegations levelled by the RSMU, Pathmapriya said that the majority of train services across the country are functioning normally and that restoration work following Ditwah is progressing according to technical requirements. He said that apart from the Upcountry railway line, all other lines are currently operational. The Northern line, he noted, is undergoing rehabilitation under the Indian credit line and is expected to resume full operations within the first two weeks of April, ahead of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. “Therefore, the claims made by the RSMU are not correct,” he said. Explaining the situation on the Upcountry line, he said that restoration work is being carried out in consultation with the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) due to landslide risks. "We are scheduled to receive the NBRO’s technical recommendations on 31 March. India has already agreed to provide assistance for the reconstruction under the credit line programme. There are still several high-risk locations. Repairs cannot begin until we receive the NBRO recommendations. Otherwise, any work done could become useless." Pathmapriya also dismissed allegations that train operations had been reduced, outlining the current operational status of railway lines. He added that services on the Coastal line, the Kelani Valley line, the Puttalam line and the Eastern line are fully operational, with the Meenagaya train between Colombo Fort and Batticaloa resuming services from yesterday. "On the Northern line, trains currently operate up to Mahawa, and on the Upcountry line, services run up to Rambukkana, with operations also continuing between Badulla and Ambewela. We are operating the maximum number of trains possible under the existing conditions,” he said.Addressing Union demands to increase train turns, he said that such requests are not practical when the passenger demand is insufficient. “If there are not enough passengers, operating additional trains serves no purpose." Responding to criticism regarding his appointment from the SLAS, he acknowledged his background but said that it enables him to identify long standing administrative shortcomings. “There are many deficiencies that unions may not have noticed, and I am working to correct them. I am open to constructive dialogue with employees. We must remember that the railway exists to serve the people. I am here to serve the public and I am also prepared to listen to fair demands of employees. Even now, discussions are ongoing to resolve issues affecting them,” he said.

Railways post-DitwahL: Station masters decry lack of recovery plan

<ul><li>Namal blames organised pressure, says remains committed to spirit of open dialogue</li></ul>The Oxford Union has cancelled a planned speaking event with SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa following backlash from Tamil student groups and campaigners, just days after the Cambridge Union cancelled his scheduled visit.Rajapaksa had been scheduled to address the Oxford Union yesterday (23). The cancellations come after criticism from Tamil societies at multiple UK universities.&nbsp;In a statement confirming the cancellation, the Oxford Union President Katherine Yang said, “A core part of the Union’s purpose is enabling direct, open questioning from students. In this case, a significant number of the students most closely connected to the subject matter communicated that they did not feel safe asking questions openly. While alternative formats (such as submitting questions indirectly) were considered, …I felt that the inability of those most affected to participate directly undermined the substance of the forum. An event where key stakeholders cannot engage on equal footing does not produce the kind of robust debate that the Union is intended to facilitate.”Responding in a statement, Rajapaksa said: "The traditions of the Oxford Union and the Cambridge Union have, for generations, represented the highest ideals of free inquiry, rigourous debate, and intellectual courage. Speakers invited to these historic forums are expected to face difficult questions, defend their views, and engage with opposing perspectives before an informed and critical audience. It was precisely this spirit of open dialogue that I looked forward to participating in and welcomed without reservation. It is therefore deeply unfortunate that circumstances arising from organised pressure prevented these engagements from taking place.&nbsp;“Universities and debating societies have long been spaces where disagreement is addressed through discussion rather than disruption, and where ideas are challenged through argument rather than silenced by intimidation. I would have welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with critics, including those who strongly oppose my views, because meaningful reconciliation and progress can only emerge when differing perspectives meet in open conversation. Denying such engagement does not strengthen democracy. It weakens it by replacing debate with division. I remain grateful to both Unions for their invitation and understand the difficult position in which they found themselves. I hope that in the future we will have the opportunity to meet in a forum where dialogue prevails and discussion is encouraged," Rakapaksa said.With inputs from foreign media

Oxford cancels Namal’s speaking event

The relatives of those found guilty in the murder of late Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer have stated that they will file an appeal challenging the recent verdict delivered by the Gampaha High Court Trial-At-Bar.&nbsp;They made this statement while addressing the media after meeting a Director General at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (23).&nbsp;Speaking to the media, the wife of one of the individuals found guilty of the murder said that they expect a fair ruling from the Supreme Court. She stated that they had submitted a written letter to the President outlining what they described as the injustice that they have faced and informed him of their decision to file an appeal.&nbsp;“We came to meet the President today and handed over a letter explaining the injustice that we have been subjected to. We are also filing an appeal regarding our case,” she said. Expressing hope for a favourable outcome, she added,&nbsp;“We expect a fair verdict from the court. We have requested the President to ensure justice. We are very helpless at this time. There are many mothers with children affected by this.” She further stated that although they respect the decision delivered by the three-member High Court bench, one Judge had dissented and acquitted the accused.&nbsp;“We bow our heads in respect of the verdict given by the three-member Court. One Judge acquitted and released them, which has given us hope. There is another opportunity available to us, and that is the chance that we are taking. Our only hope now is to file an appeal and seek the release of these 12 individuals,” she said.

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives of death-rowers to file appeal 

<ul><li>Union says denial of timely treatment counts as workplace accident&nbsp;</li></ul> The Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (CIWU) President, attorney Swasthika Arulingam claimed that although the relevant Government institutions repeatedly state that systems are in place to safeguard private sector workers, the reality shows serious failures in ensuring their safety and well-being.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), she said that the situation regarding the death of a garment factory employee in October 2025 revealed gaps in labour protection and well-being. Explaining the incident, she said that a 44-year-old worker employed at a garment factory in the Free Trade Zone in Avissawella had complained of feeling unwell since the morning of the day of her death.&nbsp;“She had told three co-workers that she was sick and had asked her supervisor several times for permission to leave, but was not allowed to go home. The worker was later admitted to the Avissawella Base Hospital on the same day and died there." Arulingam added the CIWU became involved after factory employees informed them the relevant company planned to provide only Rs. 170,000 to the family of the deceased.&nbsp;"Following this, we lodged complaints with the Human Rights Commission (HRC), the Avissawella Police, and the Labour Department." She alleged that the company began to intimidate parties involved in the matter such as the workers, the deceased's family, and the CIWU representatives soon after the complaints were lodged.&nbsp;“When our organisers went to distribute leaflets in Avissawella, around 20 to 30 individuals wearing factory uniforms threatened and verbally abused them. We complained to the Police and the factory, but, no action has been taken,” she said, adding that the deceased had been living in a rubber estate and that representatives connected to the factory had later got the relevant estate management to urge her husband to accept the company’s offer. Arulingam added that the HRC was examining whether Government institutions failed to protect private sector workers, since its powers over private companies are limited.&nbsp;She further said the District Labour Office initially refused to categorise the death as a workplace accident. “The authorities think that only physical injuries count. We asked them, ‘If a worker is denied permission to seek medical treatment and dies afterwards, isn’t that a workplace accident?’,” she said, noting that an official inquiry is still underway. She added the incident reflects the situation faced by garment sector employees and private sector workers in general.&nbsp;“Government Departments including the Labour Department come to the media and say that protections exist, workers don’t experience them in practice. This case shows why the State must immediately intervene and also develop long-term plans to ensure the safety, health, and dignity of workers."Labour Ministry Secretary, S.M. Piyatissa was not available for comment.&nbsp;

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 death: Labour authorities under fire 

Police yesterday (23) revealed fresh details in the high-profile double murder of a lawyer and his wife, who were shot dead at a supermarket car park in Akuregoda on 13 February.Investigators said that a resident of Kottawa has been arrested for allegedly transporting the two gunmen to lodging houses prior to the killings. The suspect was taken into custody by officers of the Western Province South Crime Division.According to police, the suspect had acted on the instructions of an alleged underworld figure known as Malwane Tutu, who is believed to be operating from overseas. He is alleged to have arranged accommodation for the gunmen using false identities.Authorities further stated the arrested individual is an Ice (crystal methamphetamine) user and is suspected to have been involved in drug trafficking activities linked to Malwane Tutu.With this arrest, the total number of suspects taken into custody in connection with the Akuregoda double murder has risen to 10, including one of the alleged gunmen, Police said.Meanwhile, Police also disclosed that a 46-year-old suspect arrested while working at a cinnamon plantation in Delduwa, Ambalangoda, had provided crucial information during interrogation.During questioning, the suspect had claimed that he became acquainted with an individual known as Karandeniya Sudda during his time in the Sri Lanka Army, where both had followed training courses. After leaving the military, he had allegedly turned to robberies to make a living and was at one stage remanded over a robbery-related offence.Police said investigations into the double murder are continuing. Further arrests have not been ruled out.

Akuregoda murders: Malwane Tutu ordered hit?

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday (23) directed the Attorney General’s (AG) Department to file charges for contempt of Court against the former National Institute of Education (NIE) Director, I.G.S. Premathilaka.&nbsp;The order was issued following his failure to comply with a Court directive in connection with Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed over the 2024 Grade Five Scholarship Examination paper leak. The SC also ordered that notice be issued on the respondent to appear before it on 26 March.The three-Judge bench, comprising Chief Justice (CJ) Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and K. Priyantha Fernando, issued the order after considering the facts presented before it.On 31 December 2024, a three-Judge bench of the SC delivered its judgment on four FR petitions filed by a group of parents of students who sat for the Examination, following the leak of three questions from the paper. According to that judgment, Premathilaka was ordered to pay Rs. three million from his personal funds to the State as compensation for violating FR. The ruling stipulated that the amount be paid in full within four weeks from the date of the judgment. However, submissions made before the Court stated that the respondent had failed to comply with the order to date. Consequently, a request was made to initiate contempt of Court proceedings against him.The case was taken up yesterday before the bench comprising the CJ and the other two Justices. Appearing for the petitioners, attorney-at-law Anjana Rathnasiri informed Court that the respondent had failed to act in accordance with the SC’s directive. After considering the submissions, the bench directed the AG to file a charge sheet for contempt of Court against Premathilaka and ordered that notice be issued on him to appear before the Court on 26 March.

Tourism Act to be overhauled

Education Ministry on schools collecting money: Already banned; No new ...

Education Ministry on schools ...

Litro commences LP gas distribution

Litro commences LP gas distrib ...

Railways post-DitwahL: Station masters decry lack of recovery plan

Railways post-DitwahL: Station ...

Oxford cancels Namal’s speaking event

Oxford cancels Namal’s speakin ...

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives of death-rowers to file appeal

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives ...

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 death: Labour authorities under fire

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 dea ...

Akuregoda murders: Malwane Tutu ordered hit?

Akuregoda murders: Malwane Tut ...

SC order in 2024 Gr. 5 Schol. Exam leak: Contempt charges against ex-N ...

SC order in 2024 Gr. 5 Schol. ...

Education Ministry on schools collecting money: Already banned; No new ...

Education Ministry on schools ...

Litro commences LP gas distribution

Litro commences LP gas distrib ...

Railways post-DitwahL: Station masters decry lack of recovery plan

Railways post-DitwahL: Station ...

Oxford cancels Namal’s speaking event

Oxford cancels Namal’s speakin ...

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives of death-rowers to file appeal

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives ...

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 death: Labour authorities under fire

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 dea ...

Akuregoda murders: Malwane Tutu ordered hit?

Akuregoda murders: Malwane Tut ...

SC order in 2024 Gr. 5 Schol. Exam leak: Contempt charges against ex-N ...

SC order in 2024 Gr. 5 Schol. ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Education Ministry on schools collecting money: Already banned; No new ...

Education Ministry on schools ...

Litro commences LP gas distribution

Litro commences LP gas distrib ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Railways post-DitwahL: Station masters decry lack of recovery plan

Railways post-DitwahL: Station ...

Oxford cancels Namal’s speaking event

Oxford cancels Namal’s speakin ...

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives of death-rowers to file appeal

Amarakeerthi murder: Relatives ...

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 death: Labour authorities under fire

Factory worker’s Oct. 2025 dea ...