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SL’s construction sector ‘bleeding billions’ due to weak cost-control mechanisms

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Author Mafahir Shuhood sharing his insights with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Sri Lanka’s construction sector one of the country’s largest economic drivers, continues to bleed billions due to weak cost-control mechanisms, ad-hoc estimating practices and the absence of internationally recognised methodologies, warns veteran Chartered Quantity Surveyor Mafahir Shuhood, a global authority in building economics whose work has shaped industry standards across continents.

A member of IQS (Sri Lanka), AIQS (Australia), ASAC (USA) and CIRB (UK), Shuhood is widely considered a pioneer of modern cost management. His first book, How to Estimate for Building Works, written in 1978, became one of the region’s earliest structured guides on controlling construction expenditure.

His subsequent publications—Cost Control Methodology and Costing Guide, authored in Qatar—today form part of the reference material used by universities, engineers and international contractors from Doha to London and Sydney.

“My methodologies are being used worldwide. Sri Lanka must now bring the same discipline and scientific approach if it wants financial stability in its construction sector, Shuhood told The Island Financial Review.

At the recent BMICS Exhibition in Colombo, all available copies of his books were sold within hours, signalling the growing demand among local professionals for structured, globally aligned cost-control knowledge.

According to Shuhood, Sri Lanka’s project inefficiencies stem from the lack of a unified national system to estimate, monitor and analyse costs. He argues that building economics is not merely a technical discipline,

it is a national economic safeguard.

“Before constructing anything—a house, a building or a public infrastructure project—you must assess materials, labour, wastage, inflation, time and value. Without a scientific system, cost overruns are inevitable, he said.

He believes that the country’s persistent budget blowouts in major infrastructure projects could be avoided with proper cost-control frameworks and independent monitoring.

“Sri Lanka cannot afford imprecision. Every unnecessary cost ultimately affects the national economy.”

Shuhood revealed that he recently met the Prime Minister and shared his recommendations, including copies of his internationally used publications.

“I told the Prime Minister that my advice is not for money. I am prepared to support Sri Lanka purely as a service. This is my profession since childhood, and I want to contribute meaningfully, he said.

He maintains that the introduction of a national cost-control discipline—developed using proven international best practices—could save the country billions in project overruns and miscalculations.

By Ifham Nizam



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Export of scrap metal required for domestic industry to be banned

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development to impose the necessary legal provisions to prevent the export of scrap metal in a manner detrimental to domestic industries.

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SriLankan Airlines records revenue increase with AI and ML-powered Revenue Management System

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SriLankan Airlines recorded a revenue increase following the implementation of its AI- and ML-powered Revenue Management System, a project that earned the Growth Catalyst Award at the Outperformer Customer Awards 2025 by PROS and the Silver Award in the AI and Data Science category at the National Project Management Excellence Awards 2025 by the Project Management Institute Sri Lanka Chapter.

SriLankan Airlines has recorded a revenue increase following the implementation of a next-generation, AI and Machine-Learning (ML) powered Origin and Destination (O&D) revenue management platform. The system enables dynamic pricing and smarter inventory optimisation, while delivering a superior passenger experience across all sales channels through real-time seat availability and predictive analytics.

Kshanaka Saparamadu, Head of Revenue Management at SriLankan Airlines, remarked, “Embracing the latest revenue management technology is a testament to our commitment to continuous innovation and digital transformation. With the introduction of PROS Revenue Management Advantage and Amadeus Revenue Availability and Active Valuation, we are not only refining our current processes but also positioning ourselves for long-term success in modern airline retailing, ensuring we stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry.”

Chamara Perera, Group Head of IT at SriLankan Airlines, added, “This transition to a dynamic, integrated revenue management system reflects our strategic focus on remaining agile in an increasingly competitive and fast-evolving airline industry. As the aviation sector undergoes rapid digital transformation, SriLankan Airlines is enhancing its ability to respond swiftly to market fluctuations and meet the evolving demands of today’s travelers.”

Powered by PROS’ AI-driven Revenue Management Advantage (RMA) and Amadeus Revenue Availability and Active Valuation (RAAV), the platform leverages AI algorithms and ML models to improve alignment of capacity and demand, optimise premium seat allocation and respond swiftly to market shifts. These capabilities deliver unmatched agility and scalability, boost yield and position SriLankan Airlines at the forefront of digital transformation in aviation.

Industry benchmarks show that O&D-based revenue optimisation models typically deliver a 3%-5% increase in passenger revenue, underscoring the new revenue management system as a key driver, among other strategic factors, to the 13% growth recorded by SriLankan Airlines during the first three quarters of the 2025-2026 financial year.

This initiative has not only enhanced SriLankan Airlines’ agility, scalability, and competitiveness in a dynamic global aviation market, but also strengthened collaboration between pricing, demand and flight analyst teams, earning two awards in the process. It was recognised with the Growth Catalyst Award at the Outperformer Customer Awards 2025 in Las Vegas by PROS, as well as the Silver Award in the AI and Data Science category at the National Project Management Excellence Awards 2025 in Colombo by the Project Management Institute Sri Lanka Chapter.

As SriLankan Airlines continues its modernisation journey, the new integrated revenue management platform will significantly improve SriLankan Airlines’ global market position, its ability to attract and retain high value connecting passengers, and competitiveness in the global aviation landscape.(SriLankan Airlines)

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CCC delegation completes prestigious International Trade Facilitation Programme

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A delegation of 30 professionals from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently completed a specialised residential training programme on International Trade Facilitation at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi.

Hosted by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, a premier institution established under India’s Ministry of Commerce and widely regarded as a leading centre of excellence in international trade education and research, the programme also included engagements with several of India’s most prominent trade and diplomacy institutions. These included the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the government authority responsible for shaping and implementing India’s foreign trade policy; the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, the country’s premier training institution for diplomats; the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the apex body representing India’s exporting community; and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), one of India’s most influential industry associations. Together, these engagements offered participants valuable insights into how policy, diplomacy, and industry interact in a robust manner to facilitate trade and economic progress.

Over nine days, participants explored key aspects of global commerce, including the international trading system, trade negotiations, economic intelligence, trade finance, and emerging issues such as AI, cyber risk, and digital transformation.

The programme offered valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of international trade and the systems that support it, while highlighting ways in which chambers of commerce can further leverage their existing role in supporting businesses navigate global markets, contributing to policy discussions, and strengthen the broader trade ecosystem.

The programme was designed and overseen by Dr. Rohit Mehtani, Dean at IIFT and a widely respected expert in international trade diplomacy and negotiations, whose academic work and advisory experience have contributed to international trade discourse.

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