News
Lanka needs to switch from investing in non-tradable to tradable goods fast: MP
By NETHMI RAJAWASAM
ECONOMYNEXT –Sri Lanka continues to lag behind in its integration into global production networks due to short-sighted goals of producing non-tradables over tradable goods that can be exported, oppositional legislator Harsha De Silva has said.
“There has been a significant growth in the non-tradable sector and production of non-tradable goods between 2010 and 2019. From the growth in the total economy’s production, 70 percent was from the non-tradables sector which cannot be traded in the international market,” the opposition MP said during a debate in Parliament recently.
Non-tradable goods include items such as public services, real estate and construction, goods with very high transportation costs, and commodities produced specifically to meet local retail consumers.
The MP said that due to shortsighted large infrastructure investments such as the development that has gone into the Hambantota area, Sri Lanka’s production has shown exponential growth in the non-tradables sector.
About 50 percent of the foreign direct investments that came into the country in 2000-2020 were directed towards the non-tradables sector, while only around 25 percent went into the export-oriented market, former Chairman of the Board of Investment Thilan Wijesinghe said at a forum organised by Advocata Institute recently.
“This way the non-tradable sector that was developed with the massive foreign loans was proven to produce short term development that was unsustainable in the long run,” Wijesinghe said.
“In 2010 economic growth was recorded at 8 percent, in 2011 it was 8.4 percent and in 2012, 9.1 percent, but in 2013 it was recorded that it was 3.4 percent,” De Silva said, following a trend that denotes that growth has since been declining, due to the unsustainability of the concentration of investment in the non-tradables sector.
De Silva said North East Asian countries that employed sustainable practices have successfully integrated themselves into global trade networks.
“Our outlook on production should speedily switch to tradable goods or else face the consequences of being unable to match exports with imports,” he said.
The legislator pointed out that the reason behind the popularity of such short term goals in Sri Lanka have been the opportunistic nature of leaders.
“Since the political aim of achieving short term growth in the non-tradable sector had been achieved in the past, essential trade and investment reforms had been neglected. As a result of this, Sri Lanka’s growth was significantly stifled and slowed, in relation to its equals in the region,” he said.
The Royal Navy of Oman Vessel “SADH” arrived at the Port of Colombo on a logistics replenishment visit on Tuesday (10 Feb 26). The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in
compliance with naval traditions.
The 75m – long ship is commanded by Lieutenant Commander Shaheen Saud Abdul Rahman AI Balushi.
The port call will facilitate professional interaction and goodwill exchanges between the two navies.
During the stay in Colombo, crew members of the ship are expected to visit some tourist attractions in the city of Colombo.
* New Auditor General should not have been sworn in before Speaker – Opp.
* Suspended House Dy. Sec. Gen. Chaminda Kularatne takes his case to CA today
General Secretary of the National People’s Power (NPP) Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe yesterday said that there was no need for Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne to step down in view of the complaint lodged against him with the CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption).
NPP General Secretary said so in response to The Island query whether the parliamentary group of the ruling party discussed the growing Opposition calls for the Speaker, who is also the Chairman of the Constitutional Council, to step down to facilitate the investigation.
The NPP parliamentary group consists of 159 MPs, including 18 National List (NL) members.
NL member Dr. Abeysinghe asked whether any other person, who had been investigated by the CIABOC, stepped down from his or her position to facilitate the inquiry.
The top official emphasised that the CIABOC could go ahead with its investigation without any hindrance.
Chamindra and Dr. Jagath
Opposition sources said that there hadn’t been a similar situation before and the CIABOC investigation into Speaker Dr. Wickramaratne is unprecedented as he heads the 10-member CC responsible and directly involved in all key appointments, including that of members to the CIABOC.
Sources pointed out that the newly appointed Auditor General, Ms. Samudrika Jayaratne, took the oath of secrecy before the Speaker on 5 February in Parliament after suspended Deputy General Secretary of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne complained to CIABOC.
In accordance with Section 9 of the National Audit Act, No. 19 of 2018, Jayaratne took the oath of secrecy in her capacity as the Auditor General of the National Audit Office and Chairperson of the Audit Service Commission.
Sources said that Kularatne would move the Court of Appeal today (10) against his removal at the behest of the Staff Advisory Committee, headed by the Speaker.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court yesterday (09) further remanded 10 persons, including four Buddhist monks, arrested on 19 January, 2026, for allegedly placing a Buddha statue in the coastal reservation, on 16 January.
The Buddhist monks, including Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, and six other individuals, were further remanded until 11 February.
They have been accused of violating the Coast Conservation Act by placing a Buddha statue on a block of land belonging to the Trincomalee Bodhiraja Temple.
Of the four monks, Ven Balangoda Kassapa Thera and Ven Trincomalee Kalyanawansa Tissa Thera moved the Court of Appeal against the Magistrate’s Court decision. The case was heard on 22 January before a Bench comprising the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya, and Justice K. Priyantha Fernando.
Manohara de Silva, PC, and President’s Counsel Uditha Igalahewa, PC, appearing for the petitioners, urged the Court to take up the matter urgently, describing it as a case of exceptional importance.
However, the Court of Appeal on 3 February dismissed the petitions against the remanding of Ven Balangoda Kassapa Thera and Ven Trincomalee Kalyanawansa Tissa Thera.
The order was issued by the Court of Appeal bench consisting of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Rohantha Abesuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.
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