Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasised in Parliament that the Government has taken steps to amend the Anti-Corruption Act not to weaken its objectives, but to further strengthen the anti-corruption process by addressing practical, institutional and human resource challenges identified during its implementation.

The Prime Minister made these remarks during the parliamentary debate on the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill held on Thursday [8 October]. The Prime Minister pointed out that although discussions on anti-corruption laws and institutions had been ongoing since 1994, those institutions had existed largely in name only, without the necessary human resources, financial allocations, resources and infrastructure required for their effective functioning. She further noted that although the new Anti-Corruption Act was introduced in 2023, the practical challenges associated with its implementation became apparent only after it began to be actively enforced in 2025.

Accordingly, the current amendments have been proposed to facilitate the recruitment of the required human resources, rectify inconsistencies between the Sinhala and English versions of the Act, and resolve practical difficulties encountered in its implementation. She also noted that discussions had taken place regarding the need to consider the privacy of public officials and all other parties connected with the State in relation to asset and liability declarations made under the Anti-Corruption Act.

However, neither the original Act nor the current amendments had, at any point, exempted elected representatives from these obligations. “The Opposition’s statements clearly reveal its agitation and discomfort regarding the establishment of an anti-corruption culture in the country and its effective implementation,” the Prime Minister stated.

Recalling that one of the key demands of the people’s struggle was not merely to punish those who had misappropriated public funds, but also to recover those funds for the State, the Prime Minister stated that the current amendments also seek to strengthen mechanisms for achieving this objective. She pointed out that, in addition to ensuring that individuals involved in corruption are brought to justice, another objective of the amendments is to strengthen the mechanisms necessary to recover losses incurred by the State.

“This is not an attempt to weaken the anti-corruption process. It is an effort to resolve the practical, institutional and human resource challenges that arise in its implementation. We have nothing to gain by abandoning the fight against corruption. If we were to abandon it, that would be our defeat,” the Prime Minister emphasised. The Prime Minister further stated that it was deeply regrettable that, in a country where a significant protest of people had taken place against corruption, the Opposition was attempting to mislead the public by presenting false arguments. She noted that such actions only served to demonstrate that the Opposition was once again attempting to protect a corrupt political culture.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Sri Lankan professionals trained in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme have formed a national alumni association. The Sri Lanka ITEC Alumni Association was formally launched at its inaugural meeting on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Grand Crystal Ballroom of Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo.

The Association is a unique initiative of the Education Wing of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka. The Wing oversees India’s education and scholarship programmes for Sri Lanka, including the ITEC programme. The initiative was led by Sandeep Chaudhary, First Secretary (Education), High Commission of India. His vision and support were key to bringing Sri Lanka’s ITEC alumni together under one platform for the first time.

The Government of India launched ITEC in 1964, and it has since become one of the cornerstones of India’s development partnership with countries of the Global South. The programme is fully funded by the Government of India and offers civilian training in a wide range of fields, including public administration, finance, information technology, engineering, management, agriculture, health and the environment. Courses are delivered at leading Indian institutions. Over six decades, ITEC has trained officials and professionals from more than 160 partner countries. Sri Lanka has been one of its most active participants, and thousands of Sri Lankan public servants and professionals have benefited from the programme.

The new Association brings these alumni together from government, semi-government and private sector institutions. Its aims are to foster professional networking, knowledge sharing, capacity development and community service. It will also encourage collaboration among alumni and guide and support future Sri Lankan participants in ITEC programmes. In doing so, the Association seeks to deepen the long-standing friendship and people-to-people ties between Sri Lanka and India.

At the meeting, members elected an Executive Committee to lead the Association. Ms. Gayathri Suveendran was elected President. The other office-bearers are:

Vice Presidents: P.B. Hasith Sandaruwan and Leo Darshan
General Secretary: Anupa Weerarathne
Assistant Secretary: Vimukthi Dushantha
Treasurer: S. Rubadharshan
Assistant Treasurer: I. Ravikumar

Four sectoral committees will carry the Association’s work forward:

Establishment, Administration and Finance: Prof. M.I.M. Mujahid Hilal, M. Farwis, Milroy Aluthwatta, W.P. Suraweera, M.S. Thayaraj and Asinsala Senevirathne.

ICT, Digital Transformation and Innovation: Sujah Ameer, Danushka Diunugala, T.M.M. Perera, Tharanga, M.K.H.P. De Silva, Pubuditha Madushan and Arulkumaran Mahalingam.

Coordination, Organising and Legal Affairs: T. Srirajeevan, Theja Jayathilaka, Eng. A. Lingeswaran, Chaminda K. Uda, Kumuduni, S. Sinthujan and Ananda Arasu.

Media, Public Relations and Publications: Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi, Dr. Gayani Kaushalya, Anandi Premarathne, Vimukthi Dushantha, R. Suhanthan and Shyam Nuwan Ganewatta.

The founding of the Association marks a significant milestone for the ITEC community in Sri Lanka. It turns individual training experiences in India into a shared national resource, and it adds a new professional dimension to the enduring partnership between the two neighbours.

The government is taking all necessary measures to protect the Diyagama forest area located in Homagama within the Colombo District,  Deputy Minister of Environment, Anton Jayakody,
stated on Friday  (9) while delivering a special address in Parliament.

Originally an abandoned plot of land, it has regenerated naturally over the past two decades into a sensitive ecosystem bearing the characteristics of a rainforest. With rapid urbanization, numerous wildlife species displaced across
the Colombo District have now migrated to and found sanctuary in this ecological haven.

Citing field research conducted by a team of scholars from the University of Colombo—including Prof. S.W. Ranwala, Prof. Ileperuma, and Prof. Abeykoon—the Deputy Minister pointed out that nearly 120 species of flora and fauna have been identified in the area. Among them are species endemic to Sri Lanka, as well as rare wildlife such as the red slender loris and pregnant animals close to giving birth, clearly testifying to the rich biodiversity thriving within this habitat.

Located adjacent to the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium and the Japan–Sri Lanka Friendship Baseball Ground, this green zone serves as a vital ecosystem for absorbing carbon
dioxide emitted by athletes and residents in the vicinity.

In addition to directly contributing toward Sri Lanka’s commitments under the Paris Agreement to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the forest also functions as a vital catchment area feeding into the Bolgoda water basin.

Accordingly, following the approval of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee (DCC) with the participation of the Divisional Secretary, government officials, and environmentalists, steps will be taken to submit a Cabinet paper to formally declare this valuable woodland a forest reserve, the Deputy Minister emphasized.