Business
Avani Bentota Resort reopens its doors to the world

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held marking the official reopening of Avani Bentota Resort to the public and beckoning a new age in post-pandemic travel. It was attended by Kapila Jayawardena, Group Manager Director/ CEO of LOLC Holdings PLC & Chairman of Serendib Hotels PLC; Eksath Wijeratne, Group General Manager of Browns Hotels & Resorts; Adrian Jansz, General Manager-Sales and Marketing at Browns Hotels and Resorts and Channa Ekanayake, General Manager, Avani Bentota Resort.
Set along Sri Lanka’s western coastline, originally designed by world renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, the renovated Avani Bentota Resort is now fully geared to welcome travellers from around the world. Fronted by an investment of Rs.300 million by Browns Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of Browns Investments PLC; a full renovation was carried out to meet the present day traveller’s needs.
The revamped resort features 75 chic guest rooms and suites, 03 dining outlets, a gymnasium, spa, as well as 02 conferencing and event venues, in addition to the modernised facilities, guest support service area and kitchen, in the hopes of providing guests with a more superior and efficient service. While the recently renovated resort boasts of a contemporary and sophisticated design, it retains Bawa’s signature style and an inimitable Dutch-colonial charm.
Take a leisurely dip and enjoy tropical bliss
Guests are sure to be spoilt for choice with one of the most extravagant breakfast buffets in the west coast, which also includes Sri Lankan specialties. For a more intimate setting, guests can indulge in exquisite dining experiences right on the beach with carefully curated menus, simply sip sundowners by the pool, or order in. Culinary adventures enhanced with dreamy ocean views are assured at Avani Bentota Resort.
LOLC Group’s investments in the leisure sector are clustered under Browns Investments, which maintains controlling interest in a number of properties in iconic locations in the country. The portfolio currently consists of Avani Bentota Resort, Club Hotel Dolphin, Dickwella Resort & Spa, Hotel Sigiriya, The Calm Resort & Spa, 5 boutique properties under Reveal The Collection, Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort, Occidental Paradise Dambulla and Occidental Eden Beruwala. A further 2 projects; including a 5-star resort in Beruwala, and Port City Mega Leisure development comprising of a 5-star city hotel are scheduled to be unveiled in the near future. A series of offshore investments in the Maldives including 4 resorts and 1 city hotel/condominium, and a 5-star resort in Mauritius too has been added to the development pipeline.
Commenting on the recent acquisitions, Kapila Jayawardena said, “With a steadfast approach to innovation and bold strategies, Browns Investments will continue to invest in the leisure and hospitality sector both in Sri Lanka and overseas, as we believe that there will be an upsurge in travel globally.”
left to right; Channa Ekanayake, General Manager Avani Bentota; Kapila Jayawardena, Group Manager Director/ CEO of LOLC Holdings PLC & Chairman of Serendib Hotels PLC; Adrian Jansz, General Manager-Sales and Marketing at Browns Hotels and Resorts and Eksath Wijeratne, Group General Manager of Browns Hotels & Resorts.
Eksath Wijeratne added, “While the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the hospitality industry worldwide, the global vaccination drives have been instrumental in regenerating and boosting tourist arrivals in to the country. Most tourists currently gravitate towards the informal sector. Nevertheless, we are hopeful that a steady increase in the overall tourist arrivals to the country will result in positive occupancy levels across both formal and informal sectors by end 2022.”
The unwavering efforts of Browns Hotels & Resorts in uplifting tourism even during the toughest of times, make it one of the most sought-after hospitality brands in the region, and is a testament to the optimistic outlook the Company has on post-pandemic travel, as they prepare to welcome travellers from around the globe.
Business
Foreign Direct Investment records 90% Increase in First Quarter of 2025

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has successfully increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by US$96 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.
This was disclosed today (20) during a progress review meeting of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, chaired by President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.
BOI officials also noted that, relative to the first quarter of 2024, domestic investment rose by US$21 million, while export income increased by US$176 million during the first quarter of 2025. In total, Sri Lanka has attracted US$4,669 million in investment proposals thus far in 2025.
The meeting also focused on the issues and challenges associated with attracting investment to the country and discussed potential strategies to address them.
Addressing the gathering, President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that the Board of Investment holds a pivotal role in enhancing the national economy and improving the living standards of the rural population.
He stressed that opportunities to attract investment in traditional sectors are becoming increasingly limited and therefore the nation must identify new areas for investment, an endeavour that falls under the BOI’s mandate.
The President further noted that Sri Lanka has attracted only around US$22 billion in investment since 1978. In comparison to other countries in the region, he stated, Sri Lanka must advance rapidly, referencing Vietnam’s achievement of securing US$23 billion in investment in 2022 alone.
He went on to state that the BOI should prioritise the expansion of investment in the services sector and proactively seek new investment opportunities, rather than focusing solely on recapturing missed ones.
The event was attended by senior officials of the Board of Investment, including Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs; Arjuna Herath, Chairman of the Board of Investment; and Ms Renuka Weerakone, Acting Director General of the Board of Investment.
Business
The World of the Black Leopard

Sri Lankan explorer, photographer, and author Senaka Kotagama unveils his debut book, The World of the Black Leopard, at its highly anticipated launch in Colombo. This self-published masterpiece, born from over five decades of global exploration—from Sri Lanka’s misty tea highlands to Kenya’s rugged Laikipia plateau—chronicles Senaka’s groundbreaking discovery of Giza (Black Beauty in Swahili), a rare melanistic leopard. In 2023, Senaka became the first Sri Lankan to track this elusive “ghost in the darkness,” inspired by wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas’s pioneering camera-trap images. Blending gripping adventure with a noble cause, all profits from the book support the Rotary for Little Hearts project.
Born in the mid-1960s in Sri Lanka’s lush tea country, Senaka grew up in a family that cherished the outdoors. The rolling hills and dense forests were his playground, fostering a deep connection to nature that would define his life. This early bond with the natural world set him on a path of exploration that few from his homeland have followed. By profession, Senaka is a Tea Taster, but his true calling lies beyond the tasting room—in the untamed corners of the planet.
Senaka’s adventures read like a catalogue of the world’s wildest places. In South America, he tracked jaguars and anacondas through the dense Amazon rainforest. He dived into Brazil’s Abismo Anhumas, a surreal underwater cave, and rafted beneath the roaring Iguaçu Falls. His scuba-diving exploits took him from Sri Lanka’s coastal waters to the pristine Similan Islands, all the way to the Myanmar border, where he swam alongside rare tiger sharks, and the whale-rich seas off Vietnam. In Chile’s Patagonian Andes, he pursued elusive pumas across windswept peaks, while Tanzania’s Serengeti brought him face-to-face with cheetahs and a near call with an angry lioness. India’s Bengal tigers, China’s Manchurian tigers, and Indonesia’s Komodo dragons have all crossed his path, each encounter fuelling his insatiable curiosity.
The World of the Black Leopard immerses readers in Laikipia’s wilderness, a hidden Kenyan gem often eclipsed by the Maasai Mara. Few outsiders have glimpsed Giza, a revered “freak of nature” among the Samburu and local tribes. Senaka’s multiple journeys to this mystical plateau spotlight its wonders, inspiring Sri Lankan and global wildlife enthusiasts to explore this remote region. His vivid prose—often penned on his phone amidst rugged terrain—pairs with stunning photography from his vast archive, capturing the wild’s fleeting magic with authenticity and depth.
More than a memoir, the book fuses drama, firsthand knowledge, and philosophical reflection, offering a window into a shrinking habitat through the eyes of a modern explorer inspired by literary giants like Wilbur Smith. Accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, it invites readers on a journey of empathy, awe, and cognitive awakening. For Senaka, the true reward lies in nature’s lessons, not financial gain. All proceeds from The World of the Black Leopard will fund Rotary for Little Hearts, a Rotary District 3220 initiative aiming to raise $1 million for Sri Lanka’s Lady Ridgeway Hospital. This project seeks to expand intensive care and surgical facilities for over 3,000 children born annually with congenital heart defects, giving them a chance at life through Senaka’s lifelong passion.
By Senaka Kotagama
Business
War and panic take their toll on bourse which recovers somewhat at close

The CSE kicked off yesterday on a positive note but later selling pressure mounted due to the West Asian crisis which went on to trigger panic- selling of shares. However, at the tail end of the day the market indicated a slight recovery, market analysts said.
The All Share Price Index went down by 253 points, while the S and P SL20 declined by 55.19 points. Turnover stood at Rs 3.32 billion with five crossings.
Those crossings were reported in Central Finance, where 313,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 71.6 million; its shares traded at Rs 228, People’s Leasing 2.2 million shares crossed for Rs 40.7 million and its shares traded at Rs 18.50, Commercial Bank 200,000 shares crossed for Rs 30.4 million; its shares traded at Rs 152, Central Industries 150,000 shares crossed for Rs 23.3 million; its shares sold at Rs 150 and Hemas 745,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 20.6 million; its shares traded at Rs 27.60.
In the retail market top six companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were; HNB Rs 212 million (672,000 shares traded), Commercial Bank 197 million (1.31 million shares traded), Sampath Bank Rs 164 million (1.4 million shares traded), Lanka IOC Rs 120 million (871,000 shares traded), Browns Investments Rs 114 million (15.3 million shares traded) and Dipped Products Rs 96.5 million (1.9 million shares traded). During the day 139 million share volumes changed hands in 27968 transactions.
It is said that the banking and financial sector led the market, especially Central Finance and HNB, while the manufacturing sector was the second largest contributor to the market, especially Central Industries. Further, the services sector and the plantations sector did not perform well.
Lankem Ceylon plans a one for three rights issue of 17.15 million ordinary shares at Rs 70 each to raise Rs 1.2 billion, CSE sources said. The cash will be used for part settlement of bank loans. The firm’s current stated capital is Rs1.28 billion made up of 55.4 million ordinary shares.
The rights issue is subject to Colombo Stock Exchange and shareholder approval. A subdivision of shares will follow if the proposed rights issue is fully subscribed, the company said, with 68,627,676 ordinary shares split “on the basis of every One (1) Existing issued Ordinary Share being Sub-divided into Two (2) issued Ordinary Shares, thereby increasing the number of shares of the Company to 137,255,352 shares.”
Yesterday, the rupee opened at Rs 300.50/70 to the US dollar in the spot market, broadly flat against previous day’s close of Rs300.40/60, dealers said, while bond yields were up, particularly in the mid tenors and above.
A bond maturing on 15.12.2026 was quoted at 8.15/25 percent, up from 8.14/20 percent. A bond maturing on 15.09.2027 was quoted at 8.50/60 percent, up from 8.54/60 percent. A bond maturing on 15.10.2028 was quoted at 8.90/9.00 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2029 was quoted at 9.62/67 percent, up from 9.52/56 percent. A bond maturing on 15.03.2031 was quoted at 10.05/20 percent, up from 9.98/10.10 percent. A bond maturing on 15.12.2032 was quoted at 10.35/40 percent, up from 10.31/38 percent.
By Hiran H.Senewiratne ✍️
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