Business

‘Ground realities should correspond to President’s words’

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/10

The National Peace Council called on the government to restore political stability.

“The immediate need is to restore political stability. The route to follow is not Emergency rule, by cracking down on the protesters and their leaders, but to find ways and means of engaging with them in a nonviolent manner and address the root causes that brought tens of thousands of citizens, young and old, to the streets, countrywide,” the NPC said in a statement.

It said: President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s inaugural address to Parliament set forth a vision of good governance and civility that would stand among the most outstanding in the world. His speech comes at a time when several leaders of the protest movement, and youth activists, have been arrested for having violated the law during the public protests that led to the resignations of the former President Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers of the country.

The National Peace Council congratulates the President on his assumption of office and pledges our support to make his vision a reality. We see the government, headed by the President, is taking forward several new initiatives to improve the current situation. The system change, the protest movement and youth of the country are seeking, is a transformation of the existing structures, both within and outside the current Parliament, which contributed to the collapse of the economic fabric of the country.

We have five specific requests to make of the President at this time.

1. The Cabinet has approved the proposed 22nd Amendment to strengthen the system of checks and balances. Three of the 10-member Constitutional Council will represent civil society. However, the discretion is given to the Speaker to pick them, which makes it likely that the choice will be in favour of the government. Therefore, we call for the civil society representatives to be appointed as in the 19th Amendment by both the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader together.

2. In his inaugural address, which was welcomed by many for its content and delivery, the President repeated his call for an all-party government. Earlier he had written to all parliamentarians regarding this. We urge the President to establish the all-party government in a manner that would give equal weight to each of the political parties in Parliament, irrespective of their size or numbers. The Cabinet needs to be established in such a manner that each party feels that they have a say in the governance, otherwise it will be a show only.

3. The significant role that the protest movement has made to the rise of the President to his present position has been recognided by the President who has offered them places in the national policy council, which is yet to be established. Additionally, we call for representation of members of the protest movement in the all-party government.

4. We urge the President to recognise the exceptional nature of the public protests that included youth, entire families and spanned the communities as the President noted in his inaugural address. We call on him to grant a blanket amnesty/pardon to those currently being held in custody or being subjected to legal action. Being magnanimous towards the youth and others who contributed to ushering in the change of political leadership needs to be done without resorting to Emergency rule.

5. The economic difficulties, the country is going through and its present inability to earn more than it spends, will require significant restructuring of the economy and livelihoods and living standards of the people. This will require a government that has the people’s backing and a fresh mandate. We call for elections to be held, within a time frame of a year, and that the long-postponed provincial elections, which are especially important to the minority communities, should also be held.

Unfortunately, the spate of arrests of leading members of the protest movement have cast a pall of gloom over the country which the President’s inaugural address can dispel if words are the precursor to change on the ground. It is essential that they do or else the hope of political stability and getting out of national economic distress will prove to be elusive.

The immediate need is to restore political stability. The route to follow is not Emergency rule by cracking down on the protesters and their leaders but to find ways and means of engaging with them in a nonviolent manner and address the root causes that brought tens of thousands of citizens young and old to the streets countrywide. The legitimate demands of people who have seen their living standards crash in a matter of months should be addressed through dialogue with them and not by assuming Emergency powers and engaging in witch hunts to silence the dissenting voices.

The National Peace Council is an independent and non partisan organization that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The policy of the National Peace Council is determined by its Governing Council of 20 members who are drawn from diverse walks of life and belong to all the main ethnic and religious communities in the country.

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Business

Resilience amidst geopolitical headwinds: Sampath Bank posts Rs 6.2 bn PAT in Q1 2026

Published

19 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

Sampath Bank reported Total Operating Income of Rs 28.5 Bn for the quarter ended 31st March 2026, supported by steady growth in Net Interest Income (up 5%) and Net Fee and Commission Income (up 28%) year-on-year.

Notwithstanding this performance, Profit After Tax (PAT) declined by 26% to Rs 6.2 Bn, due to significantly higher impairment provisions of Rs 4.5 Bn recognised in response to the continued expansion of the loan book and taking into account the evolving geopolitical conditions. Additionally, one-off gains from the disposal of Treasury Bills and Bonds moderated to Rs 0.7 Bn in 2026, a decrease of Rs 2.0 Bn compared to the elevated levels recorded in the previous year.

The Bank’s total asset base crossed the Rs 2 Tn milestone for the first time, representing a significant achievement supported by strong loan growth of Rs 127 Bn in the first quarter of 2026.

The Sampath Group delivered a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs 9.4 Bn and a Profit After Tax of Rs 6.8 Bn for the quarter ended 31st March 2026.

Fund Based Income

The Bank reported total interest income of Rs 46.5 Bn, reflecting year-on-year growth of 6%. This increase was primarily driven by the expansion of the loan portfolio during the reporting period and in the latter part of the previous year, compared to the negative loan growth recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year, as well as an upward movement in the Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate (AWPLR).

Interest expense for the quarter also increased by 6% to Rs 26.4 Bn, reflecting growth in both deposit and borrowing portfolios. As a result, Net Interest Income (NII) stood at Rs 20.1 Bn, an increase of 5% compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

The Net Interest Margin (NIM) contracted marginally by 2 basis points to 4.09%, from 4.11% reported for 2025. This decline was primarily attributable to lower yields across the Bank’s investment portfolio, reflecting reduced rates in the Government Securities portfolio compared to the previous period.

Non-Fund Based Income

During the three-month period ended 31st March 2026, the Bank’s total non-fund based income declined marginally by 4% to Rs 8.3 Bn, mainly due to a decrease in capital gains from the sale of Treasury bills and bonds. Capital gains declined from Rs 2.7 Bn in 1Q 2025 to Rs 0.7 Bn in 1Q 2026, representing a year-on-year decline of 75%.

Net fee and commission income, driven by credit expansion, higher trade volumes and increased card usage, recorded a robust growth of 28% across all income channels, reaching Rs 6.1 Bn by the end of the quarter.

Business

CAHM – 7 Star Junior Chef Competition Season 01’s Grand Finale

Published

20 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

The Grand Finale of the CAHM – 7 Star Junior Chef Competition – Season 01 was successfully held on 9th of May at the CAHM premises, SLIIT Main Campus, Malabe, celebrating the talent, creativity and passion of young aspiring chefs from across Sri Lanka.

Organised by the Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM) at SLIIT, with 7 Star by Serendib Flour Mills as Title Sponsor, the national-level competition provided students aged 13 to 16 with a platform to explore culinary arts, gain practical exposure and discover future opportunities in hospitality.

The Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM), Sri Lanka’s largest private hospitality, foods, tourism, and events education provider, in partnership with the William Angliss Institute, (RTO – 3045) Australia and operating within the SLIIT premises Malabe. Through this partnership, CAHM delivers internationally competitive training in culinary arts, offering students an exceptional learning experience that prepares them for opportunities in Sri Lanka and on the global stage.

The competition’s journey began with an encouraging islandwide response, attracting over 5,000 inquiries from aspiring participants, parents and schoolteachers, with over 1,400 applications submitted. Following a careful evaluation process, 204 applicants were shortlisted for the competition, progressing through structured rounds that offered hands-on culinary exposure, industry insights and preparatory guidance, before the final 10 contestants were selected to compete at the Grand Finale.

Following several competitive rounds, 10 finalists secured their places at the Grand Finale. The finalists were Bareerah Bariq of Muslim Ladies College Colombo 04, Nikhel Venuk Elisha of St Joseph’s College Colombo 10, Anooshka Vigneswaran of Girls High School Kandy, Prabhasha Muthubhashini Gunawardhana of Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya, Shamha Nazim of Ilma International Girls’ School Colombo 05, Sithuki Siyansa Methsandi of Buddhist Ladies College Colombo 07, Sandaruwani Nisansala of Moratu Maha Vidyalaya Senuth Insanda of Nalanda College Colombo 10, Pinidu Senuranga Fernando of Boys’ Model School Malabe, and Poorna Bandara Tennakoon of Royal International School Kurunegala.

Business

Mahogany Masterpieces launches new digital flagship

Published

20 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

Website Launched

Mahogany Masterpieces (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka’s pre-eminent luxury solid wood furniture house and turnkey interior solutions provider, today announces the launch of its new digital flagship at www.mahogany.lk, alongside the introduction of what the company believes to be the most sophisticated AI Concierge deployed by any luxury brand in Sri Lanka.

The launch marks a defining chapter in the brand’s fifty-two-year history: a company founded on uncompromising craft, now presenting itself to the world with a digital presence that matches the standard of its showroom. The new website consolidates for the first time the full breadth of what Mahogany Masterpieces offers; bespoke solid wood furniture across beds, dining, lounge, and occasional collections; end-to-end interior solutions from concept to completion; the pioneering Furniture Spa restoration and care service; and a 46-year export programme now serving 16 countries.

Sri Lanka’s Most Sophisticated Luxury AI Concierge

The centrepiece of the new digital experience is the MM AI Concierge. A custom-built, brand-trained conversational assistant deployed natively across the website. Available at any hour and on any page, the Concierge carries deep knowledge of Mahogany Masterpieces’ full product range, materials, finishes, interior services, export capabilities, and brand heritage. It responds with the warmth and precision of the MM showroom team, handling enquiries about the Piano Finish, custom fabrication timelines, Furniture Spa services, and interior projects around the clock.