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Sri Lanka needs centralised entity to guide research – NPP
Sri Lanka has amazing researchers and, unfortunately, successive governments have not used their talents to the betterment of the country, Prof. Gomika Udugamasooriya of the Texas Medical Centre, USA, and Head of Committee on Science and Technology Policy, National People’s Power (NPP) said talking about the NPP’s Science and Technology policy framework.
One of Prof. Udugamasooriya’s research interests is cancer diagnostic, therapeutic, and theranostic tool developments.
Prof. Udugamasooriya said that Sri Lanka now faces many of the medical challenges faced by the rest of the world. The country needs to come up with a methodical plan to deal with the crisis. The NPP’s Science and Technology policy framework also looks at the country’s indigenous medical practices, he said.
“There is a lot of demand from the west for food supplements. Sri Lanka can access a large market if we play our cards right. We need to come up with value added products, according to accepted quality standards. We need a lot of research and development for this,” Prof. Udugamasooriya said.
Sri Lanka only allocates 0.12 percent from the GDP for research and development, he said. The US allocates about 3.5 percent of the GDP, while South Korea spends about 4.5 percent for research and development.
“Of course, we can’t set such targets at once. However, we suggest that we must look at countries that are similar to us, like Thailand, Malaysia, etc. These countries spend about one percent of their GDP on research and development. Our proposal is to match those countries initially. People might say this is a country where people can’t eat. Of course we must address these basic needs first, on the other hand we must not forget that we are in this mess because our governments paid no attention to research and development and innovation,” he said.
Prof. Udugamasooriya said a lot of research has been carried out in the country despite the lack of incentives. However, those in power have not looked at commercialising this research, he said. Prof. Udugamasooriya said in the United States the government funds many research and these funds are earmarked for sectors that the state has identified as strategic.
“We also need to have a centralised administrative structure to bring together researchers that are spread across and to systematically channel this research. This is why we have called for the establishment of a centralised administrative committee and a high-level research management institute, which apply, govern, and regulate the core principles of R&D. Additionally, a series of research management divisions will be established to maintain the independence and free thinking of various research sectors,” he said.
In 2011, the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration tried to bring together Sri Lankan researchers across the world, he said, adding that he, too, took part in some of the discussions that were held.
“Most of the proposals were not implemented. Some proposals, like establishing the Sri Lanka Institute of Biotechnology, were implemented. However, this institute was established 12 years after we proposed this. We said this should be completed in two years. This is unfortunate, because I think that this institute was an answer to the dollar shortage we have. It was obvious that the then government took the initiative seriously. This lack of seriousness is why we are in this mess. If you look at any developed nation, research and development has been the base of development,” he said.
Prof. Udugamasooriya said the NPP has been much more serious about developing science and technology. The new framework is in-depth, and this is the first time such a policy was introduced by a political party, he said.
“We must first identify the market. We have identified trends in the world market. We must also be practical and figure out what we can do. Let’s look at my field, creating new medicines. We come out with new compounds and there are many steps to take before we are approved to sell the product in the market. Only about one out of 10,000 compounds become a drug. If you look at plant-based compounds that we use in Sri Lanka, we have been using them for a long time but we have not studied the science behind them. If we can do this, i.e., reverse pharmacology, it is much less costly,” he said.
On the other hand, a lot of research has been done on the properties of phosphate found at Eppawala. However, those in power have not shown any interest in finding out what can be done with this research, he said. This is one of the reasons why many scientists and researchers leave the country, he said.
“One of the main problems with research in Sri Lanka is that there is no central mechanism to guide research and researchers do what they like. Once the research is done, there is no entity to help them take the next step. In our policy framework, we are trying to reverse the brain drain by creating an enabling environment like what China and India have done,” he said. (RK)
‘Companies may face US sanctions’: Lanka to put ‘national interest’ first as 19 Iranian vessels seek help
(ToI) Sri Lanka said on Friday it would “prioritise our national interests” before providing assistance to the crews of 19 Iranian ships anchored in international waters near the island nation.The crews are facing shortages of food, water and fuel. A foreign ministry spokesperson cited the risk of US sanctions against Sri Lankan companies supplying the vessels as a key concern.
The United States and Iran have been at war since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes against the Islamic Republic.
“Sri Lanka will put its national interest first before considering any help, and the companies that supply ships are aware of possible secondary sanctions from the United States,” spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo told reporters, ruling out any immediate assistance to the vessels.
Rodrigo clarified, however, that Sri Lanka had received no communication from the United States warning of repercussions if it decided to assist the vessels.According to Rodrigo, the ships are stationed 24 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s coast.The Iranian Embassy said it had no information on the matter.
In March, a US torpedo attack sank the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena in Sri Lankan waters, killing 87 sailors.
The ship was returning to Iran after participating in a naval exercise at India’s invitation. A second Iranian vessel was brought to a Sri Lankan port after its crew reported technical problems.
Wounded sailors were treated at Sri Lankan hospitals, while those rescued from the second vessel were safely repatriated to Iran.
Sri Lanka is still recovering from an economic crisis, with both the United States and Iran serving as important trading partners. Washington played a key role in securing an International Monetary Fund bailout and supporting Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector to help avert a food crisis.
Sri Lanka CERT has warned the public of fraudulent social media advertisements offering admission to foreign universities after receiving complaints from parents and students who have lost hundreds of thousands of rupees to scammers.
The fraudsters reportedly pose as representatives of reputed foreign universities, promising admission, student visas, work permits and even eventual citizenship in return for registration fees and initial tuition payments.
They use convincing videos, photographs and documents circulated via email and WhatsApp to gain the confidence of unsuspecting victims before asking them to transfer money to foreign bank accounts. The scammers then disappear after receiving the payments, Sri Lanka CERT said.
The agency has urged prospective students and their parents to verify the authenticity of university representatives, documents and bank account details before making payments, and to seek overseas education opportunities only through legitimate and recognised channels.
Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and International Court of Justice judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to international law and efforts to promote peace, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced in Oslo on Friday.
Announcing the award, committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Pillay had “significantly enlarged the scope and impact of international law” and helped advance “a more comprehensive global legal order” with exceptional courage. He also praised her long career, which began as a lawyer confronting deep-rooted discrimination in South Africa, and described her as a person with a “firm moral compass”.
Pillay, 85, served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. Her tenure brought her into sharp focus in Sri Lanka, particularly over her assessment of the country’s human rights situation in the aftermath of the decades-long civil war.
During an official fact-finding visit to Sri Lanka from August 25 to 31, 2013, Pillay travelled to areas including Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Trincomalee, where she met civil war survivors, families of the disappeared and local communities.
Following the visit, she warned that Sri Lanka was moving towards authoritarianism and highlighted what she described as a persistent climate of fear.
She also reported intimidation and harassment of people who had sought to meet her during the mission.
Pillay urged the UN Human Rights Council to establish an international inquiry mechanism to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both government forces and the LTTE during the final stages of the 26-year civil war.
Her observations and recommendations became a significant part of international scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s post-war human rights record.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee received 287 nominations for this year’s Peace Prize, slightly more than a quarter of them being organisations. The committee traditionally considers efforts to promote peace, international fraternity and institutions that contribute to lasting stability.
Last year, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the prize for her campaign for a democratic transition in Venezuela. She was praised as a woman who kept the flame of democracy burning amid growing darkness.
The 2026 award marks the 125th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize, first presented in 1901. Over its history, the prize has recognised prominent figures and organisations involved in advancing peace, human rights and international cooperation.
Rahmat, Malik fifties lead Afghanistan’s strong reply
Showers above 75 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva and North-Western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Anuradhapura and Mannar districts.
Iranian ships stranded, Lanka fears US sanctions
Sri Lanka CERT warns of overseas university admission scams
Navi Pillay’s Lankan affairs in focus as she wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize
Lanka welcomes Indian SC remarks on Katchatheevu dispute
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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