Business
‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ – sneak preview launched
Stop Child Cruelty Trust (SCC) with Child Protection Alliance (CPA) launched another historical event to protect and promote the rights of children across Sri Lanka. From 2020 to 2022, seventeen children were physically/sexually abused and murdered, and no person of authority has done anything meaningful to resolve the child protection crisis on the island. ‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ (නොරිදවිය යුත රිදෙන කතන්දර) is a collection of true-life stories of victims/survivors of various forms of child abuse to be published in Sinhala, Tamil and English to create awareness of the escalating crisis. The first heartbreaking story, ‘Stilled Tears – Faded White Garb’ (‘නිසල වී ඉකිබිඳුම – මිලින විය සුදු පියුම), was released as an introduction to this masterpiece.
‘Stilled Tears – Faded White Garb’ is the tragic story of a sixteen-year-old Varuni who was subjected to unimaginable mental and verbal abuse by the Principal which, made her end her own life. Speaking about the story, Dr Tush Wickramanayaka, Chairperson of SSC, Co-convener of Child Protection Alliance and Global End Violence Champion, said, “The most unique thing about this book is that it’s authored by young Dinithi Gunathilaka, the winner of the Best Speaker award at the National Inter-school Debate Competition ‘A Generation’s Appeal 2021’. Dinithi was the Captain of the debate team of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo 7.”
Dr Wickramanaya added, “Children are the most vulnerable members of a community who require protection from adults. It’s incredibly gut-wrenching to see the trauma children go through because they are easy targets of abuse. We hope the launch of Varuni’s story will start a movement encouraging many voiceless victims to share their stories. Our final objective is to empower children, raise public awareness and educate.”
“The final publication of ‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ will have experts giving valuable and practical advice on child psychology, parenting, legal, etc. We hope that by sharing these stories victims and survivors can use the book as a tool for healing and education. The book will be initially published in Sinhala, Tamil and English. We aim to have it published in other languages as well and are currently negotiating to get the book published in two UN-recognized regional languages. This would be the first time such a book will be published,” Dr Wickramanayaka further added.
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, The Former President of Sri Lanka, speaking at the event, said, “It’s appalling to hear the number of deaths and cases of abused children in Sri Lanka in the past year. Authorities should resolve the child protection crisis without politicizing matters by working cohesively with NGOs and other such organizations. I would say that creating awareness via books such as ‘Chronicles of Melancholy’ is essential. There is a need to educate people about the dangers and horrors of child abuse. Not just sexual abuse, but other acts of violence against children, I applaud the efforts of Stop Child Cruelty Trust and the Child Protection Alliance in trying to find solutions to the current child protection crisis in Sri Lanka”.
Prof. Sarath Wijesooriya, Author, Senior Lecturer at the University of Colombo, speaking on the impact of child abuse, stated, ” Children are the future of our country there is a need to educate and create awareness on what child abuse is, that it can be prevented and addressed before children fall prey to social predators. Child abuse can be defined as the physical, sexual or emotional ill-treatment or neglect of children. Sometimes a lack of understanding could be the contributor to this rapidly growing social phenomenon. We must educate the general public on this as knowledge can be a powerful tool to overcome child abuse. The more aware people become of its occurrence, the more society can do to prevent such abuse. I believe a book such as Chronicles of Melancholy in all languages with details on how to mitigate abuse is vital for our society.”
The event had excerpts from Varuni’s story read by Child Protection Ambassadors Saranga Disasekara, Abisheka Fernando, Dinakshie Priyasad, Niranjani Shanmugarajah and Harith Wijeratne with a visual dance performance by Stagecraft, School of Performance Art. At the event, they launched the art competition, ‘Me Unhurt – Stop Child Abuse’, which will be open to children between the ages of 16 and 18 years. The winning artwork from the entries will adorn the book cover to be launched in October to signify International Children’s Day.
To enter the competition, please send your entry on an A4 size Kent paper or Watercolor paper, before July 7th, 2023 to Stop Child Cruelty Trust, 115 Kynsey Road, Colombo 8. Please include the following information at the back of the entry: your name, date of birth, address, telephone number, and grade in school. Please get your artwork certified by either a parent/guardian or school teacher with the following text: I certify this is a creation of (name of the child, date and the full name and signature of the adult). For further information, please contact Stop Child Cruelty Trust at 0771656867 or www.stopchildcruelty.com
Stop Child Cruelty Trust was established in 2018 to end violence against children and end corporal punishment. In 2021 SCC spearheaded the formation of the Child Protection Alliance, a coalition of credible civil society organizations working to protect and promote the rights of children. In 2022 SCC pioneered the establishment of UNICEF-style celebrity Child Protection Ambassadors. Their most commended achievement was in 2022 when SCC was the sole representative defending 5.2 million children of Sri Lanka at the 42nd session of the Universal Periodic Review of UNHRC in Geneva. On 1st February 2023, at the Sri Lanka sessions, SCC convinced a record number of countries to make recommendations on child rights, including prohibiting corporal punishment unequivocally.
The Sri Lankan government has intensified its efforts to mitigate human-elephant conflicts and reduce elephant fatalities, allocating substantial funds in the 2025 budget for elephant conservation. The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) has introduced a range of targeted measures, emphasizing public participation and localized interventions.
Recognizing the critical role of local communities, the government has launched awareness programs in high-risk Grama Niladhari divisions. By 2025, 23 villages have been identified for intervention, with 43 awareness programs planned. These initiatives aim to educate residents on coexistence strategies and reduce human casualties.
To physically deter elephants from entering villages, authorities are fast-tracking the construction of electric fences and the establishment of watch posts. The Civil Security Force will play a key role in these operations, enhancing protection through continuous monitoring and rapid response mechanisms.
In response to the alarming rise in illegal elephant killings, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance. The Department of Wildlife Conservation has warned that perpetrators who engage in poaching or use firearms and explosive traps will face severe legal consequences, including criminal prosecution and heavy penalties.
Commenting on these developments, Ranjan Marasinghe, Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, stressed the urgency of the situation:
“Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population is an invaluable national asset and balancing conservation with human safety is a top priority. Our latest initiatives integrate community-driven solutions with stronger legal enforcement to ensure the long-term survival of elephants while protecting human lives.”
Manjula Amararatne, Director of Protected Area Management, emphasized the department’s proactive stance:
“By enhancing physical deterrents such as electric fences and engaging local communities in conservation efforts, we are creating sustainable solutions to minimize conflicts.”
Meanwhile, U.L. Taufiq, Deputy Director (Elephant Conservation), stressed the role of law enforcement:
“Illegal elephant killings must stop. We are working closely with the judiciary to ensure those responsible face the full extent of the law.”
by Ifham Nizam
Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, assured on Wednesday that a systemic economic “trickle-down” effect would create new employment opportunities, generate greater economic dividends, and provide better government services to the people, among other benefits.
The Governor’s remarks came in response to a question posed by The Island Financial Review:
The Island: “Governor, Sri Lankan banks have reported robust profits and strong balance sheets, yet ordinary citizens remain trapped in a daily struggle for survival. At a recent business forum, a prominent banker argued that the ‘trickle-down effect’ would eventually alleviate public hardship. Do you agree with this theory, and if so, when will Sri Lankans actually feel relief in their lives?”
Governor: “The banking sector’s return on equity aligns with sustainable business practices. The banking industry, like tourism, manufacturing, or any other sector, must generate reasonable profits to survive and expand. This profitability is not unique to banks; it is a prerequisite for broader economic recovery. During the crisis, many sectors collapsed, but banks could not afford losses, as public trust hinges on their stability. Had banks failed, depositors would have panicked, triggering a bank run. We instructed banks to prioritise stability while accepting modest profits during the worst of the crisis. Their current profits remain disproportionate compared to other sectors. As the economy strengthens, recovery will generate jobs, dividends, and services, enabling the trickle-down effect to reach all citizens.”
The Governor made these remarks during the Q&A session following the second Monetary Policy Review for the period up to March 2025.
When asked whether the Central Bank was intervening to safeguard the rupee, the Governor replied, “We have been purchasing US dollars—we buy dollars from the market.”
On foreign exchange supply and demand, he stated, “It fluctuates daily for various reasons. In February and March 2024, we observed foreign inflows into government securities. Meanwhile, exporters and the remittance sector are performing well. Import demand remains stable at healthy levels. Thus, there is a ‘nice balance’ between foreign exchange inflows and outflow.”
According to the Review, rupee liquidity remains in surplus, and market interest rates continue to decline in line with the eased monetary policy. Credit flows to the private sector remain robust, supported by low interest rates. The Central Bank expects this trend to continue, bolstering domestic economic activity.
The Governor also noted that car import orders received thus far total approximately USD 200 million.
Authorities had initially projected USD 1 billion would be required to meet the car import demand after an import ban that lasted nearly 5 years and that would help accrue significant amount of taxes to the Treasury.
By Sanath Nanayakkare
CEAT Kelani Holdings has been adjudged the best-managed tyre manufacturing company in Sri Lanka and reaffirmed as one of the top 20 companies in the country for best management practices, by the Institute of Chartered Professional Managers (CPM) Sri Lanka.
The company received the Category Award in the ‘Tyre, Rubber, Metal & Wood Furniture’ sector at the 2025 edition of CPM’s ‘Best Management Practices Company Awards’ in addition to the Top 20 award presented at the awards gala. This is the second consecutive year that CEAT Kelani was recognised as one of the best managed companies in Sri Lanka.
The CPM awards honour the best practices in management in terms of leadership, policies and strategies, people management, partnerships & resources, processes and performance.
“Awards of this nature will encourage us to strive for even greater heights in management practices, adopting global best practices in aligning strategic direction with a people-centric approach,” CEAT Kelani Managing Director Ravi Dadlani said. “We have already shattered the stereotype for large-scale manufacturing operations and are considered a case study for a successful privatisation of a state-owned enterprise, with unprecedented achievements in productivity, product development, deployment of new technology, research and development, market leadership, sustainability and good corporate citizenship.”
He said CEAT Kelani has transformed from an “inside-out” company to an “outside-in” organisation, placing customer and market centricity at the core of everything it does. This shift is reinforced through regular market visits by employees at all levels, including management, shop floor staff, and all business functions.
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