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Ceylon Chamber of Commerce entrusts over a century of business history to the National Archives

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2 weeks ago

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The Centenary Committee, 1938 - 1939

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has formally handed over its historical records to the National Archives Department of Sri Lanka, placing over a century of the nation’s commercial history into the care of the country’s official custodians of heritage.

The historical archive being handed over spans from the Chamber’s founding in 1839 to 1973, and includes correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, ledgers, and publications that chronicle the development of trade, enterprise, and industry in Sri Lanka. Together, these records provide a rare and detailed account of how the island’s economy evolved and how its business community helped shape national progress.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was established on 25 March 1839 on the principle that the interests of commerce and trade are best advanced when merchants unite and cooperate in matters affecting the common good. At the time, Ceylon was among the earliest regions in Asia to establish a chamber of commerce, alongside counterparts in Bengal, Bombay, Madras, Canton, Penang, and Singapore.

1883 First Public Tea Auction Held in Colombo

Chamber Office Bearers and Staff at the building in Lower Chatham Street, Fort shortly before the move to the new building at Navam Mawatha

Old CCC Building

From its earliest years, the Chamber played a central role in organising and guiding trade. It played a central role in establishing and growing the export economy built on commodities such as coffee, cinnamon, coconut oil, tea, and rubber, and hosted the island’s renowned tea and rubber auctions. It also developed rules and standards for trading practices, helping create an environment of trust and reliability that enabled Sri Lanka’s commerce to thrive.

Beyond facilitating trade, the Chamber was also instrumental in shaping the island’s infrastructure and connectivity. In 1858, it successfully urged the government to accept India’s proposal to link Ceylon to the Madras telegraph line, giving the island its first cable connection to the outside world. The Chamber also advocated for a government-owned Colombo–Kandy railway to connect the coast with the interior and continued to press for extensions stage by stage as the network expanded into the hill country and beyond.

Earliest dated record from 1839

Historical Records

One of the Chamber’s most consequential interventions was in its advocacy to develop Colombo as the island’s principal port. At a time when the government was considering developing the Galle harbour, the Chamber argued strongly for Colombo instead, citing its larger cargo hinterland and the navigational hazards posed by rocks in the Galle harbour. It further recommended the construction of docks and a protective breakwater, proposals that ultimately led to Colombo emerging as one of the leading ports in the region.

Over the years, the Chamber also played a key role in establishing and supporting institutions that shaped Sri Lanka’s business environment. These include the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, which helped structure industrial relations in the country, the Mercantile Service Provident Society, an early initiative promoting labour welfare, and the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, which has contributed to strengthening corporate governance and leadership within the private sector.

It also established mechanisms to strengthen the broader business environment, including the CCC-ICLP Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre, created together with the Institute for the Development of Commercial Law and Practice, to provide arbitration and mediation services for commercial disputes. Earlier in its history, the Chamber also developed one of the country’s first codes of ethics to guide fair and responsible trading – standards of integrity that the Chamber continues to uphold to this day.

The records now entrusted to the National Archives document the debates, decisions, successes, and challenges that shaped generations of Sri Lanka’s business community. Through letters, reports, minutes, and accounts, the archive offers insight into the people, ideas, and enterprises that helped build the country’s economy.

At the symbolic handover of the archives to the Director General of the National Archives Department, Dr Nadeera Rupesinghe, Chairperson of the Ceylon Chamber, Mr Krishan Balendra noted that ‘today we are doing something that, at first glance, might look like simply passing on old documents and books. But in truth, we are passing on nearly two centuries of a nation’s commercial heartbeat. These records are the living memory of a nation’s trade, enterprise, and industry. By entrusting them to the National Archives Department, we are ensuring that researchers, students, and citizens will have access to this heritage, learning from the ingenuity, foresight, and courage of the people who came before us, and the legacy they left in every business, every trade route, every handshake that built this country.’

Accepting the handover, Dr Rupesinghe said, ‘the Department of National Archives hosts the memory of a nation, and we are very happy that historic records of the Ceylon Chamber, which denote the history of Sri Lanka’s business community is being entrusted to our care’.

The handover marks a significant moment in recognising the role of commerce in the story of Sri Lanka and safeguarding the institutional memory of one of the country’s oldest and most influential organisations.


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Courtesy call by the Heads of Mission- Designate on Prime Minister

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12 hours ago

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2026/03/28

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The heads of mission designate to Sri Lanka paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on 26th of March at the Prime Minister’s office.

The delegation comprised Dharshana M. Perera, High Commissioner – designate of Sri Lanka to Malaysia, Ms. Dayani Mendis, Ambassador and PRUN – designate of Sri Lanka to Austria, Ms. N.I.D. Paranavitana, Ambassador – designate of Sri Lanka to Ethiopia & African Union, Prof. (Ms.) M.I. Fazeeha Azmi,Ambassador – designate of Sri Lanka to Iran,  Saman Kumara Chandrasiri, Ambassador – designate of Sri Lanka to Israel, and  M. Farook M. Fawzer, Representative – designate of Sri Lanka to Palestine.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, extended her best wishes to the Heads of Mission–designate and underscored the importance of their forthcoming assignments in advancing Sri Lanka’s national interests emphasizing their collective role in contributing towards the socio-economic upliftment of Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister further highlighted the importance of projecting a positive and credible image of Sri Lanka internationally, through consistent, professional, and strategic engagement in their respective host countries and multilateral platforms.

She encouraged the Heads of Mission to actively identify and facilitate high-quality investment opportunities, particularly in sectors aligned with Sri Lanka’s development priorities, with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and long-term value addition.

Particular emphasis was placed on the promotion and diversification of Sri Lanka’s exports, including the exploration of new markets and strengthening trade linkages.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta and heads of mission-designate.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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SC finds Keheliya, others, guilty of violating FRs of public through corrupt drug procurement deal

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13 hours ago

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2026/03/28

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The Supreme Court yesterday held former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and several senior health officials liable for violating the fundamental rights of the public over a controversial drug procurement carried out under the 2022 Indian Credit Line.

Delivering the judgment, a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, and comprising Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Justice Janak de Silva, found that the procurement of medical supplies from an unregistered company, in breach of established procedures, had resulted in a serious infringement of public rights.

The Court ruled that the granting of a Waiver of Registration by the authorities was “wrongful, arbitrary and capricious,” and held that the direct procurement carried out on an unsolicited basis was unlawful. The transaction was accordingly declared null and void.

In a significant order, the Court directed Rambukwella to pay Rs. 75 million in compensation to the State from his personal funds.

The then Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta and former Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Prof. S. D. Jayaratne, were each ordered to pay Rs. 50 million.

The Court further directed NMRA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wijith Gunasekara and former Director of the Medical Supplies Division Dr. Thusitha Sudarshana to pay Rs. 50 million each as compensation.

The ruling followed the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka and two other parties.

The Court also instructed the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to initiate appropriate action under the Anti-Corruption Act against those found responsible.

Senior Counsel Senany Dayaratne, with Nishadi Wickramasinghe, Lasanthika Hettiarachchi, Janani Abeywickrema and Maheshika Bandara, appeared for the petitioners.

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Sajith nudges govt. to follow India’s example in giving relief to consumers by slashing taxes on fuel

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13 hours ago

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2026/03/28

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Sajith

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to reduce taxes on fuel, just as the Indian government has done.

He said in a post on X that “Modi government has decided to reduce the Special Additional Excise Duty on petrol and completely remove it for diesel in order to cushion the hardship on the Indian consumer. High time for Anura Kumara Dissanayake to keep up to his election promise and follow suit.”

Meanwhile foreign media reported that India has slashed excise duties on petrol and diesel to protect consumers and rein in a potential spike in inflation, while imposing windfall taxes on aviation fuel and diesel exports, amid volatile global oil markets, as a result of the Iran war.

Global oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel after the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a conduit for 40% of India’s crude oil imports, since the US and Israel first struck Iran on February 28.

In a government order, released late on Thursday, India’s Finance Ministry reduced the special excise duty on petrol to three Indian rupees ($0.0318) per litre from 13 Indian rupees earlier. It also cut the duty on diesel to zero from INR 10 rupees per litre.

The government did not say how much the duty cuts would cost. The move comes ahead of elections next month in four Indian states and one federal territory, with Indian voters known to be extremely sensitive to higher prices.

“Government has taken a huge hit on its taxation revenues to ensure very high losses of oil companies, approximately 24 rupees a litre for petrol and 30 rupees a litre for diesel, at this time of sky high international prices, are reduced,” Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a post on X.

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