Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings PLC announced that its maiden listed, rated, unsecured, senior

redeemable debenture issue was oversubscribed on its opening day, 15th September 2026.

The Company sought to raise Rs. 3 billion through an initial issuance of 30 million debentures at Rs.

100 each, with an option to issue a further 20 million debentures in the event of oversubscription of the initial issue, increasing the total issue size to Rs. 5 billion.

The Company said it had received applications for more than 50 million debentures, the full amount on offer, prompting the issue to close at 4:30 p.m. on the opening day (15).

The basis of allotment will be announced to the Colombo Stock Exchange as per regulatory requirements in due course.

By Ifham Nizam

The widening gap between climate commitments and actual projects on the ground has come under the spotlight in Colombo, with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) calling for a decisive shift from pledges and plans towards implementation, investment and measurable climate impact across Asia.

Some 150 climate leaders, government representatives and development partners from East and South Asia have gathered in Colombo for the GCF’s Regional Dialogue, as developing economies across the region seek greater access to climate finance to strengthen resilience, accelerate clean investment and protect vulnerable communities from intensifying climate impacts.

The dialogue has also given Sri Lanka an important platform to highlight the financing challenge confronting a climate-vulnerable economy seeking to strengthen resilience while rebuilding economic capacity.

Opening the dialogue, Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi called for moving ‘from pledges to projects, from plans to implementation, and from ambition to impact,’ stressing that transformative climate action would require stronger partnerships, increased climate finance and greater support for adaptation.

His message carries particular significance for Sri Lanka, where climate-related disasters increasingly threaten agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, livelihoods and economic activity.

For a country with limited fiscal space, financing climate resilience entirely through domestic resources remains a major challenge. International climate finance therefore has the potential to become an important source of investment for projects designed not only to reduce emissions but also to protect communities and economic assets from increasingly severe climate shocks.

The Colombo dialogue provides an opportunity for Sri Lanka to strengthen its engagement with the GCF and other development partners while highlighting the need to convert national climate priorities into credible, investment-ready projects.

The GCF said its portfolio across Asia and the Pacific currently comprises 129 projects in 36 countries, supported by USD 5.8 billion in GCF financing. It has also approved USD 163 million in Readiness support to help countries strengthen their institutional capacity and ability to access climate finance.

These figures underline the growing scale of climate investment in the region, but they also highlight the importance of countries developing strong project pipelines capable of converting available finance into implementation.

For Sri Lanka, this is likely to be one of the most important dimensions of the current climate-finance discussion.

Projects aimed at strengthening climate-resilient agriculture, water management, disaster-risk reduction, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure and ecosystem protection require significant upfront investment.

Access to concessional and climate-focused international finance could help reduce the burden on public finances while enabling projects with long-term economic and environmental returns.

The need for adaptation finance was reinforced by the opening of the Colombo dialogue, which began with a moment of remembrance for those affected by last month’s glacial flood disaster in Nepal.

For Sri Lanka, a more country-responsive climate-finance system could be particularly valuable at a time when investment needs are high but public resources remain constrained.

As the GCF begins its third replenishment, the real measure of the next phase will therefore be whether climate finance can move faster from international commitments to national projects—and ultimately from project documents to tangible results on the ground.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) & Ideal Motors, recently unveiled the All-New Bolero MaXX Pik-Up range at the Motor Show in Colombo, marking a significant milestone in Bolero’s growth strategy.

Building on the strong reputation of the Bolero City Pik-up, the Bolero MaXX range has been engineered to deliver higher productivity, superior load-carrying capability, enhanced comfort and improved safety for commercial vehicle customers. Developed around the pillars of MaXX Performance, MaXX Safety, MaXX Comfort and MaXX Profitability.

Backed by Mahindra and Ideal Motors’ extensive support network, the All-New Bolero MaXX Pik-Up range is poised to set a new benchmark in Sri Lanka’s Single Cab Pickup segment.

Available in 1.5-ton and 1.7-ton payload variants, the Bolero MaXX enables customers to choose the configuration of a vehicle best suited to their transport and business requirements.

Powered by Mahindra’s proven m2Di diesel engine, the range delivers strong performance, reliability and fuel efficiency.

Enhanced comfort features such as factory-fitted air conditioning, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat and improved cabin ergonomics ensure a more comfortable driving experience.