News
Cardinal wants reins of govt. handed over to capable persons
Text and Pic by Jude Denzil Pathiraja
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday said that the rulers should keep in mind that they were not the owners of the country.
Addressing the media at the Bishop’s House in Colombo, Cardinal Ranjith said that the political leaders had deceived the people for the past 74 years and divided Sri Lankans to compass their political ends. He said the current situation was a curse.
“I request Sri Lankans to unite to change this corrupt system, whilst urging the authorities to step down by handing over power to someone capable of steering this country for betterment. I bless those involved in the current agitation and urge everyone to join hands to chase away the corrupt politicians and bring in a fresh leadership to unleash the true potential of Sri Lanka,” he said.
“We cannot forget the bloodshed that happened three years ago at St. Sebastian Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, where over 100 innocent people were killed. The present government used the Easter Sunday attacks to regain power,by spreading fear and ethnic strife, especially among the Muslim communities. However, before long we understood that it was an act of cowardly political conspiracy and urged people not to be deceived by such hatred to fellow Lankans,” Cardinal Ranjith said.
The Cardinal said that it was now clear to all Lankans who were behind the conspiracy to regain power.
“The true faces of the people behind the ruthless Easter Sunday attacks are evident. Although the conspirators could gain power, they could not sustain it, as their power was cursed by God. Maybe it is one of the main reasons why the country has not moved forward in any direction during the past two years,” he said.
“Over the past two years, we continuously requested the government to bring justice to the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks. But to date, they have only blamed the Muslims and tried to defend the real culprits. We would like to remind the President and his government that the prevailing situation of the country is a curse of God and the sacrifices made through the bloodshed of those innocent victims,” he said.
As per the provisions of section 51 of the Public Finance Managaement Act No. 44 of 2024, the public should be issued with a report on the final budgetary situation for each year and, the report is then published in the official website of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Thereby the report has to be submitted to the Parliament. The final budgetary situation report (Annual Report) – 2025 has been prepared by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and published. The report contains the Public Finance Policy, strategies and challenges, economic trends in 2025, macro – economic and socio – economic indicators covering all sectors of the economy as well as description on the global economic growth.
Furthermore, it accompanies a detailed description government revenue and expenditure, cash flow management, financing the budget deficit and the loan structure.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 to Parliament.
Business
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.03.2026 to obtain United States Dollars 380 million from the policy – based loan facilities of the Asian Development Bank in the year 2026.
United States Dollars 100 million out of it is allocated for Trade, Investment and Industries Development Programme – Sub Programme 1. However, amidst the economic uncertainty resulting from the current Middle East crisis and the climatic tragedies, the Asian Development Bank has agreed to assist
by increasing a supplementary financing package of United States Dollars 100 million so that it will beMincreased up to United States Dollars 200 million.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to take further measures to obtain the said loan grant.
News
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was given at the meeting held on 23.02.2026 to impose the custom import duty amounts under four (04) categories as 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% which had been executed only under three (03) categories in order to increase the target export income of the country, to execute the
recommendations of the national customs duty policies committee, and to implement new national sub division customs codes for promoting the local agricultural and industrial sector.
Imposing provisions in relation to the above, the Revenue Protection Order – No. 01/2026 under the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 has been published in the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2478/03 of 03.03.2026.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the said revenue protection order to Parliament for its concurrence.
Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 submited to parliament
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Resettlement of unauthorized settlers affected by the Land Acquisition process for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project
Cabinet approves project to modernize school hostel facilities during the 2026–2028 period at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,008 million
New National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management to be drafted
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