Business

Rebuilding housing post-Ditwah: Lessons from Sri Lanka’s Tsunami experience

Published

2 months ago

2025/12/30

Dr Nisha Arunatilake

The Ditwah Cyclone ranks second only to the December 2004 Tsunami in terms of damage to housing in Sri Lanka’s recent history. According to the government’s Disaster Management Centre, as of 9th December 2025, 86,488 houses were partially or fully damaged due to Ditwah. This is only slightly fewer than the nearly 100,000 houses affected by the 2004 Tsunami. The government has announced a redevelopment programme to assist affected families in rebuilding their homes in safer locations. It has many similarities to the 2005 post-Tsunami housing programme and holds important insights as outlined in the Post-Disaster Housing: Lessons Learnt from the 2004 Tsunami of Sri Lanka, to inform the Ditwah Cyclone housing initiative.

The Tsunami housing study was based on two surveys by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) covering 600 affected families across six districts in the Southern and Eastern Provinces to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the post-Tsunami housing programme. The first was done in April 2005 and the same households were re-surveyed after 18 months to assess progress.

The Post-Tsunami Housing Programme

A key feature of the 2005 post-Tsunami housing programme was the no-build buffer zone in the beachfront of affected areas, as it was deemed unsafe to build within this zone. Given this demarcation of the no-build zone, the post-Tsunami housing programme took a two-pronged approach. Families living outside the zone received cash grants to rebuild their homes (owner-driven rebuilding), while those residing inside the zone were provided with houses in alternative areas closer to their original residences (donor-driven relocation).

Owner-driven rebuilding: All affected individuals living outside the no-build buffer zone could receive a government grant to rebuild their homes. The grant, given in stages based on the extent of damage, required households to prove ownership. They could choose to rebuild their old home or construct a new one on land they owned. Families that effectively used their grant could also qualify for a LKR 500,000 concessionary loan to meet additional housing needs.

The selection of beneficiaries and the assessment of grant amounts followed a three-stage process. The Divisional Secretariat (DS) established a Damage Assessment Team (DAT) in each Grama Niladhari Division (GND) to support this process. The DAT included representatives from the relevant GND, donor agencies active in the area, members of the village rehabilitation committee (VRC), and technical officers from the DS. VRCs were created explicitly in each GND to incorporate community input during reconstruction. In the first stage, DAT compiled a list of households eligible for housing assistance. During the second stage, the GND and DS published preliminary lists of eligible families. Any disputes about eligibility were recorded and resolved at VRC meetings. Conflicts that could not be settled locally were escalated to a designated grievance committee at a higher level. After finalising the list, beneficiaries received certificates to confirm their eligibility.

Donor-driven relocation: All those living within the no-build buffer zone were promised a house built with the assistance of donors on land designated by the government. The households were not required to prove land ownership. The new homes needed to have at least 500 sq ft of space and access to electricity, running water, sanitation, and drainage facilities according to guidelines set by the Urban Development Authority (UDA).

The main challenge of this scheme was to find suitable land for relocation. The District Secretary and the UDA were responsible for identifying land for the move.

Post-Ditwah Housing Programme

The post-Ditwah housing programme too employs a two-pronged approach. Families living in unsafe locations are to be provided with either land or LKR 5 million to purchase new land, along with another LKR 5 million to construct a new house. In contrast, houses damaged by Ditwah are to be allocated up to LKR 2.5 million for rebuilding, depending on the extent of the damage.

Lessons for Ditwah from the Tsunami Housing Programme

Identifying beneficiaries

One main issue in the post-Tsunami housing programme was defining a ‘household’. A ‘household’ was understood as all individuals living together before the Tsunami. Clarifying this early on was important because, in some cases, extended families consisting of several nuclear families shared the same dwelling. The three-stage beneficiary identification process described earlier helped select beneficiaries transparently, with the involvement of a representative group of stakeholders.

Initially, during the post-Tsunami reconstruction phase, donors lacked an effective system for selecting beneficiaries. As many distributed donations by directly visiting affected places, those near main roads received most of the donations, while less visible groups received less. The eligibility lists were a valuable means of providing information on the needs of the affected.

The post-Ditwah housing programme could also benefit from clarity regarding who is eligible for different types of housing assistance.

Identifying house ownership

The lack of documents to prove ownership and identity was one of the main factors delaying the progress of the housing programme. According to the IPS Survey, 23% of those surveyed reported losing their deeds, and 41% reported losing their national identity cards during the Tsunami. Furthermore, the requirement to show land ownership made several households ineligible for a new house because some of the damaged homes were built on land that had been encroached upon.

The post-Ditwah reconstruction can avoid delays by establishing mechanisms to replace lost documents and, where that is not possible, other means of proving ownership, which is essential for accelerating beneficiary identification.

Process oversight and governance

The government formed the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) to ensure proper procedures in beneficiary identification and fund distribution in accordance with accounting standards. According to the IPS’ 2008 follow-up survey, the no-build buffer zone, difficulties in finding suitable land for family relocation, and issues with donor coordination were the primary reasons for delays in providing houses for the affected. The buffer zone was later relaxed to speed up reconstruction. In March 2006, the Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA) was established to improve coordination between DSs and donors.

Effective donor coordination was essential to ensure that all beneficiaries received support without overlap, thereby optimising donation utilisation. During the post-Tsunami reconstruction phase, some donors’ reluctance to register with the DS led to ineligible people receiving houses, while eligible people did not. To resolve this, all donors – whether national, international, multinational, or private – supporting the reconstruction phase had to register with the DS. This enabled the government to match donors with affected individuals using eligibility lists. Even donors outside the official reconstruction programme were encouraged to register with the DS to avoid duplicate assistance.

Taking measures to register potential donors and map donor assistance to eligible lists helps to highlight gaps in the reconstruction programme. Such information helps attract new donors and ensures that all eligible persons receive assistance.

It is vital for the Ditwah-housing programme also to ensure that an identified agency is given authority to ensure proper governance and coordination.

Skills, materials for rebuilding

The lack of skills, materials, and labour for building their own houses was a primary obstacle to the progress of the owner-driven housing programme. The IPS 2005 survey revealed that 62% of the affected households were unable to manage the rebuilding of their own houses. The reconstruction boom following the Tsunami increased the input prices, making the initial allocation of funds insufficient. Further, identifying land for relocation was a central issue during the post-Tsunami relocation period.

Ensuring the availability of necessary inputs and skills is essential for speeding up reconstruction in the post-Ditwah reconstruction phase. Early identification of suitable land for relocating families and ensuring that allocated plots are ideal for beneficiaries’ lifestyles are essential to expedite reconstruction and ensure beneficiary welfare.

The measures announced by the government to provide grants to Ditwah Cyclone affected households to move to safe locations and rebuild their houses are commendable. Expediting the reconstruction process by minimising bottlenecks and clarifying beneficiary eligibility is essential to speed up reconstruction, as described above, thereby improving the welfare of those affected.

By Dr Nisha Arunatilake, Director of Research, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)

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Business

Selling pressure makes a dent in CSE’s early trading gains

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/7

Thilina Walpola

CSE trading kicked off on a positive note yesterday but turned negative on account of selling pressure from investors deriving from tensions in the West Asian region, market analysts said. Amid those developments both indices moved downward. The All Share Price Index went down by 115.36 points, while the S and P SL20 declined by 55.67 points.

Turnover stood at Rs 5 billion with nine crossings. Top seven crossings were as follows: ACL Cables 7.5 million shares crossed for Rs 727 million; its shares traded at Rs 97, Ceylinco Holdings 185,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 616 million; its shares sold at Rs 3300, Renuka Agri 8.3 million shares crossed for Rs 111.6 million; its shares traded at Rs 12.56, HNB 164000 shares crossed for Rs 70.2 million; its shares traded at Rs 428, Hemas Holdings 2.2 million shares crossed for Rs 70 million; its shares traded at Rs 31.60, Commercial Bank 200,000 shares crossed for Rs 42.8 million; its shares traded at Rs 240 and JKH two million shares crossed for Rs 42.6 million; its shares sold at Rs 21.

In the retail market companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; HVA Foods Rs 226 million (35.9 million shares traded), ACL Cables Rs 196 million (two million shares traded), Colombo Dockyard Rs 175 million (1.2 million shares traded), HNB Finance Rs 174 million (17.5 million shares traded), Lanka Credit and Business Finance Rs 135 million (16.3 million shares traded), Softlogic Capital Rs 122.8 million shares traded) and Sampath Bank Rs 118.8 million (718,000 shares traded). During the day 196.5 million share volumes changed hands in 33719 transactions.

Royal Ceramics announced an interim dividend of Rs one per share. The share was trading at Rs 47.80, up 0.21 percent.

The banking, find manufacturing sectors performed well. Among banks Commercial Bank and Sampath Bank were impressive. In the manufacturing sector JKH led.

Yesterday the rupee was quoted at Rs 311.30/60 to the US dollar in the spot market,weaker from Rs 310.50/311.10 the previous day, dealers said, while bond yields were broadly steady across the yield curve with the exception of the 01.062033 which saw demand and edged down.

A bond maturing on 01.05.2028 was quoted at 9.10/14 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.10.2029 was quoted at 9.58/62 percent, down from 9.59/62 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 was quoted at 9.58/62 percent, down from 9.60/65 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.03.2030 was quoted at 9.60/64 percent, down from 9.65/68 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.07.2030 was quoted at 9.67/72 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 was quoted flat at 9.85/90 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.10.2032 was quoted at 10.22/28 percent, from 10.20/30 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.06.2033 was quoted at 10.48/51 percent, down from 10.50/55 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.06.2034 was quoted at 10.67/75, up from 10.65/75 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.06.2035 was quoted flat at 10.75/80 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.07.2037 was quoted at 10.85/95 percent.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

Business

CDS accounts on the increase, crosses one million accounts

Published

17 hours ago

2026/03/7

Thilina Walpola

Central Depository Systems (Pvt) Ltd (CDS), a subsidiary of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), has reached a milestone as total registered accounts surpassed the 1 million mark. This achievement coincides with the approach of the organization’s 35th anniversary in September 2026, marking three and a half decades of providing depository infrastructure for the Sri Lankan capital market.

Since its inception in 1991, the CDS has held the distinction of being the first depository in the South Asian region. In its core capacity as a depository, the institution is responsible for holding a wide array of securities including shares, debentures, corporate bonds, and units belonging to investors in electronic form.

The crossing of the one million account threshold also reflects the aggressive broad basing of the retail investor market over the past five years. This expansion is largely attributed to the comprehensive digitalization of the CSE, which has created accessibility for individuals across the country. Digital tools such as the CSE Mobile App and the “CDS e-Connect” portal have revolutionized how investors interact with the stock market, providing them with real time access to their holdings and a seamless interface for account management. The “CDS e-Connect”, originally launched in 2016 and revamped in 2021, has become a one stop shop for stakeholders, by offering services such as client profile management, real time balance and transaction viewing, eNomination facility, monthly statements and newly introduced dividend payment history viewing option. From 2016, by offering eStatements and SMS alert facilities CDS ensures transparency and security for the CDS accountholders. By decentralizing account openings and introducing online facilities in 2020, the CDS successfully brought the stock market to the fingertips of the general public, moving away from the traditional, paperwork heavy processes that once characterized the industry.

A critical pillar of this 35-year history was the 2011 launch of the full dematerialization drive. This initiative was designed to significantly reduce the movement of physical certificates, which were prone to loss, damage, and forgery. Today, the success of this drive is evident as the CDS holds 97 percent of listed equity and 100 percent of corporate debt in scripless form. This near total transition to electronic records has provided a secure and accessible service environment. The Central Control Unit plays a vital role, ensuring that all functions performed by the depository and its participants align with strict rules and regulatory guidelines. By identifying operational, financial, and market risks early, the CDS maintains the integrity of the ecosystem and fosters trust among both domestic and international investors.

Beyond its primary depository functions, the CDS has significantly expanded its influence through the Corporate Solutions Unit (CSU), established in 2017. The CSU was created to standardize and elevate the benchmarks for corporate action services in Sri Lanka and has since grown through the strategic acquisition of PW Corporate Registrar arm. This diversification allows the CDS to expand registrar services and manage corporate actions for both listed and unlisted companies, providing a holistic suite of services that includes the distribution of dividends, rights issues, and e-applications for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). The digitization of issuer services has been a hallmark of the CSU’s work, introducing innovations such as eDividend payments, eWarrants, and eNotices. These advancements have streamlined the process for issuers while ensuring that shareholders receive their entitlements promptly and securely.

The strategic outlook for the CDS is now centred on the newly formed Research and Development Unit, which is essential to the organization’s vision for the future. This unit functions as a Project Management Office and is responsible for developing innovative services. By cultivating strategic alliances and international collaborations, the R&D unit ensures that the CDS remains a future forward institution capable of adapting to the evolving needs of the global financial sector.

As the CDS looks toward its 35th year of service, it remains focused on digital transformation, strategic partnerships that power progress, new service offerings and enhanced international relations. The integration of new technologies continues to ensure robust infrastructure for the next generation of market participants.

Head of CDS Nadeera Athukorale commenting on the vision of the CDS, remarked “By balancing its core depository duties with non-core registrar and consultancy services, the CDS has positioned itself for long term sustainability and industry leadership.”

The achievement of one million accounts serves as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the Sri Lankan capital market infrastructure, demonstrating CDS’ ability to facilitate a growing digitized market while continuing to serve as the backbone of the nation’s investment landscape. (CSE)

Business

TONIK set to become next Sri Lankan hospitality brand reaching the global stage

Published

17 hours ago

2026/03/7

Thilina Walpola

Garfield Bungalow by TONIK

TONIK, a new hospitality venture under Sri Lanka’s Acorn Group, has unveiled its vision to place culture, storytelling and design at the heart of island exploration, positioning itself as the next Sri Lankan hospitality brand to achieve global recognition.

Built on the Acorn Group’s decades of expertise across aviation, travel, logistics and leisure in multiple Asian markets, TONIK aims to elevate Sri Lanka’s tourism by translating the “soul” of destinations into curated experiences. The brand’s philosophy, “Every Stay Is a Story”, treats villas and boutique hotels as “living narratives” shaped by architecture, memory, craft and community.

The venture addresses a key market gap: while Sri Lanka features exceptional independent villas, many struggle with visibility and global reach. TONIK seeks to resolve this by amplifying each property’s unique value proposition – transforming distinctiveness into revenue -generating potential for owners.

“TONIK’s philosophy aligns with the evolution of our industry- where authenticity and meaningful experiences are no longer optional but essential,” said Harith Perera, Partner at Acorn Group. “Sri Lanka’s narrative deserves platforms that elevate its voice globally.”

For property owners, TONIK offers access to Acorn’s intelligence networks across the Maldives, Middle East, Europe and Asia, including insight into High-Net-Worth travel patterns.

CEO Sundararajah Kokularajah said: “By nurturing properties as living narratives, we aim to shape a new chapter for tourism – authentic, future-ready and deeply Sri Lankan.”

By Sanath Nanayakkare