The new Public Library Building of the Batticaloa Municipal Council was ceremonially vested in the public  on Wednesday (20)  morning in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with former Member of Parliament M.A. Sumanthiran officially declaring the building open.

In parallel with the opening ceremony, the official website of the library was launched by the President.

Addressing the gathering, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that he was pleased to witness the successful completion of the library project, which had previously remained stalled midway.

A notable feature of the newly opened library building is the establishment of a separate unit dedicated to providing children with scientific and technological knowledge.

The President further stated that, at a time when the culture of reading is gradually declining in the country, the continued enthusiasm shown by the Tamil community towards reading should be appreciated. He remarked that opening a library is akin to eliminating the need for a prison and expressed confidence that the opening of the new Batticaloa Public Library Building would help sustain and encourage the reading culture among the people.

The President also joined an inspection tour of the new library building and engaged in a cordial discussion with the staff of the Municipal Council. During the occasion, the Mayor of the Batticaloa Municipal Council, K. Sivam Packiyanathan, presented a commemorative memento to the President.

Marking the occasion, the President also planted a sapling within the library premises.

Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Eastern Province Governor Professor Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera, Kandasamy Prabhu, G. Srineshan, S. Rasamanickam and M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, along with government and opposition Members of Parliament, members of the Batticaloa Municipal Council and several state officials, were present at the event.

(PMD)

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya attended the 2026 OSGA Annual Lecture held at the University of Oxford on May 19, where she delivered a lecture titled “The Politics of Development: Sri Lanka and Beyond.”

The lecture was held at the St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, and organized by the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA), the department’s flagship annual event that brings together leading academics, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss contemporary global challenges.

Addressing an audience comprising students, academics, and researchers from across the University,  the Prime Minister reflected on the intersections of development, governance, and politics in Sri Lanka while discussing the broader realities faced by countries attempting to achieve meaningful social and economic reform.

During her lecture,  Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that development cannot be understood only through policies, statistics, and economic models, but must also be viewed through the everyday experiences of people. She highlighted that governance often requires balancing ideals with practical realities, particularly in countries recovering from economic crises, institutional challenges, and long-standing inequalities.

The Prime Minister also spoke extensively on women’s political participation and representation in Sri Lanka, noting the growing involvement of women in grassroots political movements and leadership spaces. She reflected on the efforts taken to create greater political opportunities for women and the continuing challenges faced in transforming deeply rooted social and political structures.

Speaking on economic recovery and social policy, Dr. Amarasuriya highlighted the importance of recognizing both paid and unpaid care work, stressing that the contribution of women to families, communities, and the economy has often remained invisible in traditional economic systems. She noted that sustainable development must ensure economic progress while also protecting dignity, fairness, and social well-being.

The Prime Minister further reflected on the relationship between governments, international development agencies, and local institutions, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that development priorities remain grounded in local realities and accountable to the people they are intended to serve.

Drawing from her experiences as a social anthropologist, activist, academic, and political leader, Dr. Amarasuriya also discussed the challenges of translating activism and public movements into long-term policy reforms and institutional change. She noted that meaningful transformation requires patience, negotiation, and sustained public engagement.

The lecture was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session with the audience, during which discussions focused on governance, institutional independence, political reform, economic recovery, and the challenges of balancing democratic accountability with policy implementation.

Professor Diego Sanchez-Ancochea, Head of the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, commended the Prime Minister’s lecture, describing it as an important and timely reflection on the relationship between politics and development, informed by both scholarly insight and practical political experience.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that politics is not something separate from development and it shapes every choice we make in governance, while addressing the 60th anniversary commemoration of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, Brighton. during her official visit to the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister and the accompanying delegation arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport at 8.00 p.m. Sri Lanka time on Monday [18 May], commencing the official visit to the United Kingdom.

The delegation was warmly received at Heathrow Airport by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, together with the Special Representative to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom and former British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Richard Wildash, along with other diplomatic officials.

On the following morning, the Prime Minister arrived at the University of Sussex in Brighton, where she was received by Professor Anu Joshi, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, Professor Mick Moore, and senior representatives of the University of Sussex.

Addressing the public event, the Prime Minister reflected on the relationship between politics, governance, and development, drawing from Sri Lanka’s recent political and economic experiences. She emphasized the challenges of balancing governance, economic recovery, social protection, and institutional reform while responding to public expectations and maintaining democratic accountability.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the government’s ongoing policy focus on recognizing paid and unpaid care work as a central component of the national economy, particularly the contribution and challenges faced by women within the care sector.

During the visit, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya is also expected to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by an interactive discussion with scholars and students.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is also expected to meet senior representatives of the United Kingdom government, including Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, and Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom. She is also expected to meet Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]