Business

‘Let us refuse to call it refuse’

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/18

by Arjuna Senarathna

When a country is in crisis, every little saving, every small opportunity, every tiny chance must be seized with alacrity. If a single person refuses to buy foreign made goods because they are automatically subsidized by the defence of the rupee against the dollar that is indeed an opportunity taken to save something not only for the family but for the nation as well. If the entire nation stops purchasing them, then the saving will be massive. What is needed is an increase in knowledge, a deepening of awareness and the bravery to break a bad habit and take on a better and more meaningful one. It is not easy because the chance is hidden by habit that must first be stripped off for the potency of a small act to be revealed.

It is the same with the massive amounts of material we bring into our homes only to discard them by giving it the derogatory names “garbage”, “waste” and “refuse”. The issue here is that a chance is hidden at the point of its acquisition. When a person buys say… butter, that person has trained him or herself to think “I bought 500g of butter”. However, the reality is that the person has bought a plastic bag, a cardboard pack, a cellophane wrapper whose costs have been added to the butter. Well, we can consume the butter but can we consume the unasked for other “purchases” that we paid for? What do we do? We are mad enough to throw something we bought out the window. We feel we cannot deal with it. Having admitted to incompetence, we let the garbage collector and the municipal council or urban council have a go at solving the problem. Do they? No. They cannot solve it either. That is why they too try to get rid of it either in a hole in the ground or piled up into a mountain that subsequently proceeds to poison thousands and kill a few dozen on April 14th of this year or that.

In a nation in crisis, to continue with that bad practice is the worst thing imaginable when every bit and piece becomes precious and wasting anything for any reason whatsoever is a sacrilege.

Suppose a household or a workplace were to gather all of these inadvertently purchased materials and sell it? In an instant, the refuse has turned into a resource. For a typical family, it means that there is at least a few kilograms of material to sell a day. For a nation of 21 million people? If done right, it can only be called one word: “wealth”.

What is needed is increased knowledge of the potency of something that has hitherto been discarded. What is needed is a heightened awareness that with every bit of such material that is thrown away, a family is actually losing money. What is needed is a painless system through which they can get the material to a buyer who will pay cash on the barrelhead.

With World Vision’s PHILA project, such a system is indeed in place. With resource banks (not collection centres or garbage point since it is a resource of significant economic value), placed at strategic locations in three locales where the method was pilot tested, resounding success was seen as outlined in the diagram.

They will now proceed to make this a whole-of-nation effort with all local government officials getting involved when they hold their national forum to upscale its success to the entire island.

In a time of crisis, it is indeed a fantastic opportunity for each and every one of us to execute our responsibility as citizens, break bad habits and take on the challenge of reimagining our country as a clean island without actually trying too hard.

It only requires people to change their mind set. It only requires them to refuse to call it refuse. It only requires them to call it a resource. It only requires them to call it cash.

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Business

Climate compliance pressure mounts on Lankan businesses

Published

18 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

Lankan businesses are facing increasing pressure to strengthen climate governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks as climate-related disclosure requirements, investor expectations, and regulatory standards continue to evolve.

Against this backdrop, Genesis – the Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future will host a specialised post-summit technical workshop titled “Climate Action: A Strategic Executive Workshop on Climate Resilience and Business Continuity” on June 12, in Colombo.

The programme is designed as a continuation of discussions initiated at the Sri Lanka Climate Summit 2026 and will bring together sustainability managers, compliance officers, ESG professionals, risk specialists, and corporate decision-makers. It aims to translate climate commitments into practical business strategies.

The workshop will focus on implementation rather than advocacy, examining emerging disclosure frameworks, financing mechanisms, and regulatory pathways shaping corporate climate action in Sri Lanka.

Keynote speaker Dr. Lalanath de Silva, an internationally recognised environmental lawyer and governance expert, will address the evolving legal and compliance landscape influencing climate-related business decisions.

Technical sessions will cover IFRS S2 climate-related disclosures, climate risk governance, green finance opportunities, internal carbon pricing, and access to climate financing. Speakers will include climate risk specialist Rohan Cooray, Shiranee Yasaratne of Biodiversity Sri Lanka, and Suganthi Samarasinghe of UNDP Sri Lanka.

Organisers said climate readiness is increasingly becoming a business necessity rather than a sustainability option, with growing scrutiny from global markets and regulators.

Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is required due to limited seating for professionals in sustainability, governance, compliance, and risk management roles.

Business

SPAR Sri Lanka Opens New Outlet in Kurunegala

Published

18 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

SPAR Sri Lanka has expanded its retail network with the opening of a new outlet in Kurunegala, marking another milestone in the supermarket chain’s growth across the country.

The new store, strategically located to serve the growing population of the North Western Province, offers a wide range of products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, premium meat products, bakery items, household essentials and both local and international brands.

The outlet also features several specialty sections, including a Coconut Corner, Wellness Corner and a dedicated area catering to pet care products.

Speaking at the opening, SPAR Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Kumar de Silva said the new outlet reflects the company’s commitment to delivering a “glocal” shopping experience by combining international retail standards with local customer preferences.

“Our Kurunegala outlet reflects our dedication to providing customers with the best range, superior quality and exceptional service under one roof,” he said.

The store also offers SPAR’s signature fresh food concepts, including in-store bakery products, ready-to-eat meals and freshly prepared juices aimed at meeting the needs of busy consumers.

The company said customers will benefit from a range of promotional offers, loyalty rewards, weekend deals and seasonal discounts.

SPAR Sri Lanka said the expansion would also contribute to local economic development through employment generation and support for local suppliers, further strengthening the country’s retail sector.

Pic and Text by SK Samaranayake

Business

Royal end title drought with dramatic shootout triumph

Published

18 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

The victorious Royal College Under-20 hockey team pose with the championship trophy after emerging unbeaten champions of the All Island Under-20 Hockey Tournament at the Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale. Front row (left to right): Ronal Edirimanne, Sulaiman Shihar, Gunitha Dissanayake, Dilsara Prabath, Kumuthulu Goonathilake, Savain Karunasiri, Vidu Wijesinghe, Seth Pathirathne, Pasindu Epa and Hirun Lindula. Back row (left to right): Stefan Anthonypillai, Geesath Bathisa, Haazim Dhailamy, Teacher-in-Charge Uditha Kumara, Coach Damith Panditharatne, Captain Aathif Faleel, Kithmina Rathnayake, Vice Captain Lithum Karunasiri, Nehan Wijayanayake, Yusuf Shihar, Ruvi Perera and Rumal Jayasinghe.

Royal College, Colombo, emerged unbeaten champions of the All-Island Under-20 Hockey Tournament after defeating defending champions St. Thomas’ College, Matale, in a nail-biting sudden-death penalty shootout at the Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale last week.

The final ended in a 1-1 draw after Royal equalised five minutes from time to cancel out the Matale side’s earlier lead.

With the penalty shootout also ending in a 4-4 deadlock, the match proceeded to sudden death. The Reid Avenue outfit eventually prevailed in the second round of sudden-death penalties to clinch the title.

A brilliant save by goalkeeper Stefan Anthonipillai, who stretched to his right to deny a crucial attempt, and the decisive conversion by Rumal Jayasinghe helped Royal secure the Under-20 championship for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 2014.

Royal’s centre-forward Savain Karunasiri was one of the team’s standout performers throughout the tournament, scoring crucial goals, including strikes in both the semi-final and the final. Anthonipillai was equally impressive, guarding the goal superbly throughout the seven-match campaign.

Royal finished runners-up when the tournament was held in Matale last year.

The Colombo school produced a series of consistent performances despite having to play on an uneven grass surface that was not ideally suited to the fast-paced modern game.

Royal began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Christ Church College, Matale, before defeating arch-rivals St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, 1-0. They then beat Kingswood College, Kandy, 2-0 and Maris Stella College, Negombo, 2-1 to top their group.

In the quarter-final, coach Damith Panditharatne’s side overcame fancied Dharmadutha College, Badulla, by 2-0.

Royal then edged out St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa, 1-0 in the semi-final, adopting a disciplined defensive approach against the aggressively attacking Puttalam outfit.

In the other semi-final, St. Thomas’ College, Matale defeated Trinity College, Kandy, 3-1. St. Joseph Vaz later beat Trinity 1-0 in the third-place playoff.

Panditharatne’s five-year development programme, with a strong emphasis on fitness, stamina and technical skills, played a key role in Royal’s success. The title marked Royal’s first national Under-20 tournament triumph since winning the National Schools Games in 2017.

A former national player, Air Force striker and Sri Lanka Police coach, Panditharatne has focused on addressing the weaknesses of individual players while building a cohesive unit. The former Christ Church College, Matale player has been coaching Royal since 2022 with the support of the Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC), comprising former Royal hockey players.

For his outstanding performances, Anthonipillai was adjudged the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Royal College was also named the Most Disciplined Team of the Tournament.