Business

A photograph of a Jaffna youth becomes a global symbol for Sri Lanka’s stalled reconciliation

Published

2 weeks ago

2026/02/19

In the world of travel photography, some images do more than showcase a destination; they act as a silent mirror to a nation’s unresolved history. When British photographer Mark Julian Edwards’ portrait, ‘The Boy on the Bus,’ claimed the People’s Choice Award at the 2026 Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) awards, it did more than celebrate technical brilliance. It signaled that the global community is still fixated on the scars of a region where the promise of a post-2009 peace has yet to be fully realised.

While the current NPP government often celebrates a ‘reunited’ Sri Lanka under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, this award-winning shot turns the gaze toward Jaffna – a city that remains the emotional and political epicenter of the North-South divide. Captured through a rusting bus window, the boy’s expression – described as ‘fragile yet incredibly resilient’ – speaks to the persistent chasm between the North and the South that has remained unbridged nearly two decades after the war’s end.

Whatever the rhetoric from political platforms regarding the end of distrust, the international resonance of this image suggests that the world recognises a different reality. The capture of a northern commute is not merely a travel detail; it is a reminder of a landscape where the path to a predictable future is still viewed through a prism of distrust and uncertainty.

The significance of this win lies in its source: the public vote. Out of 20,000 entries, thousands of people from 160 countries chose this specific face. This global endorsement serves as a poignant reminder that while the local reconciliation process may be stalled in policy and paperwork, the human element of the conflict continues to haunt the international imagination.

The boy represents a generation born after the guns fell silent, yet his quiet, searching eyes reflect the weight of a reconciliation process that many feel has been more about infrastructure than true social healing. In the North, where the dust of history is still settling, such images strip away the veneer of normalcy to reveal the underlying scars that politicians often ignore.

The success of Edwards’ work comes at a time when the Sri Lankan Tourism Bureau and Jetwing Hotels are looking to nurture the next generation of local storytellers. However, the global acclaim for ‘The Boy on the Bus’ suggests that the most vital stories to be told are not the ones that look like postcards, but the ones that acknowledge the sensitivity and professional excellence required to document a people still waiting for a ta truly inclusive future.

As this image makes its way into international galleries and media outlets like the BBC, it stands as a testament to a hard truth: a photograph can win international accolades but the bridging of the political and social chasm remains Sri Lanka’s true, unfinished business.

The 2026 Travel Photographer of the Year winners were showcased and celebrated in Sharjah – UAE, Birmingham – UK and Rome – Italy. This year’s programme includes a special mentorship and winners’ trip to Sri Lanka, hosted by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and Jetwing Hotels.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

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Business

Embedding human rights, equity and integrity into business leadership

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

Rathika de Silva, Executive Director

At its 2026 Social Sustainability Programme Kick-Off, the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka convened business leaders to advance the translation of global ambition into practical corporate action on inclusion, integrity and human rights.

On 24 February 2026, the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka (Network Sri Lanka) convened business leaders at Barefoot Garden Café for its 2026 Social Sustainability Programme Kick-Off, delivered in collaboration with Good Life X.

The gathering did more than introduce a calendar of events. It positioned Sri Lanka’s corporate community within the broader direction of the UN Global Compact’s 2026–2030 global strategy — a strategy anchored in three imperatives: equipping companies to act, catalyzing collective action, and advancing the business case for responsible leadership.

At its core, the 2026 Social Sustainability agenda is designed to move companies from commitment to capability.

Within the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, this means building practical pathways toward equal pay for equal work and strengthening male allyship as a governance issue rather than a cultural afterthought. It means examining sexual and reproductive health, disability inclusion, and mental health not as employee benefits, but as structural determinants of productivity and retention. It means sharpening strategic communications so inclusion is embedded in brand integrity. It also means applying science-based behavioural change approaches to shift organizational culture in measurable ways.

Across the Business & Human Rights Working Group, equipping companies takes the form of deepened engagement on decent work and living wage implementation, strengthening human rights due diligence processes, and addressing emerging risk areas such as AI and digital rights. It extends to reinforcing business integrity and anti-corruption frameworks, understanding the social dimensions of a just transition, and recognizing the link between child rights, nutrition, and workforce productivity.

Business

Union Bank to raise LKR 3 Bn via Basel III Compliant Debenture Issue

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

Shanka Abeywardene

Union Bank of Colombo PLC announced its proposed Debenture Issue 2026, a strategic move aimed at raising up to LKR 3 billion. This issue is designed to bolster the Bank’s Tier II capital base and provide a robust financial foundation for its upcoming growth initiatives.

The offering consists of Basel III compliant, listed, rated, unsecured, subordinated, redeemable high-yield debentures with Non-Viability Conversion. The instrument has been assigned a rating of BB (lka) by Fitch Ratings (Lanka) Ltd, reflecting the bank’s creditworthiness and the structured nature of the subordinated debt.

Investors can choose from three distinct interest structures starting from a high-yield 13% fixed rate per annum (Type A). This option is paid annually, while Type B offers a 12.5% fixed rate paid semi-annually (12.89% AER). For those seeking market-linked returns, Type C provides a floating rate of the 182-days Treasury Bill rate plus a 400-basis point margin, also paid semi-annually.

The debentures are priced at LKR 100 per unit with a 5-year tenure (2026–2031). The initial issue size is set at 20,000,000 debentures with an option to raise 10,000,000 at the discretion of the Bank and is scheduled to open on 10 March 2026.

Shanka Abeywardene, Chief Financial Officer of Union Bank stated “This debenture issue marks a significant step in the Bank’s journey towards enhanced financial stability. By strengthening its capital adequacy, Union Bank is well-positioned to navigate evolving market conditions while fuelling its long-term strategic objectives for sustainable growth”

Business

Sanjay Kulatunga appointed to WindForce Board

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sanjay Kulatunga

WindForce PLC announced the appointment of Sanjay Kulatunga as an Independent, Non-Executive Director to its Board with effect from 03rd March 2026, following the resignation of Dilshan Hettiaratchi. The appointment further strengthens the Company’s governance framework, strategic oversight, and long-term decision-making capabilities.

Kulatunga brings an established track record as a founder, entrepreneur, and senior executive across financial services and export-oriented industries. He is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of LYNEAR Wealth Management, a boutique investment firm established in 2013, which has since grown to become one of Sri Lanka’s largest private wealth management institutions, serving high-net-worth individuals as well as local and international institutional clients.

Prior to founding LYNEAR, Kulatunga played a pivotal role in the establishment of Amba Research, an investment research offshoring firm rooted in Sri Lanka and now operating as part of Acuity Analytics.

Over the years, he has contributed extensively to several key national institutions. His previous appointments include serving on the Financial Sector Stability Consultative Committee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, as well as the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka.