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Friday September 11th, 2026

Sri Lanka’s Maithri, Mahinda talks signal bad news for Ranil

COLOMBO – (EconomyNext) The much awaited talks between President Maithripala Sirisena and his arch rival predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa ended without a deal Wednesday, but the meeting triggered deep anxiety within the ruling ranks.

The talking partners did not issue formal statements after the hour-long meeting at the parliamentary complex, but official sources said the first encounter since the January 8 election did not go too well.

Spokesman for Rajapaksa, former Youth Affairs minister Dullas Alahapperuma, said the main objective of the meeting was to strengthen the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and ensure that they could form the next government.

"We discussed five points, including the next prime minister to ensure that we form a UPFA (United people’s Freedom Alliance) government after the next elections," Alahapperuma told reporters.

He said the Rajapaksa faction also demanded the abolition of the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) which was set up by the new government recently to probe mega-scale frauds and misappropriation of public funds.

"The President agreed to rescind the gazette notification setting up the FCID," Alahapperuma said. However, the government officials denied any such undertaking had been given.

With several high profile individuals already in remand custody and many more due to be prosecuted shortly, the FCID has been a major thorn on the side of Rajapaksa’s immediate family and his inner circle.

Government minister Duminda Dissanayake said Wednesday’s talks were "successful," but gave no details.

Both sides had agreed to meet again but have not decided on a date for the next meet.

In the meantime, the latest development has sent shock waves through the ruling United National Party which is increasingly losing its grip on power.

Despite several attempts to issue statements through juniors of the government calling for an immediate parliamentary election to end the instability, Sirisena has been refusing to dissolve parliament.

Sirisena had in his 100-day program promised to end the term of the current parliament on April 23, but has not explained why he has not kept the deadline which is now being pushed by a few more months.

Highly placed sources said that visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry had asked Sirisena twice when he will call fresh elections and the answer had been: "there will be a new government by September."

Earlier, Sirisena had told senior aides that a dissolution of parliament can come after Kerry leaves and any event it would happen soon after Vesak.

In fact, Sirisena had  recently questioned some of his aides why they did not call a parliamentary election soon after the January 8 presidential victory. That meant, the president was keen to go along with the UNP government and call an election that would be advantageous to the Prime Minister’s party, but he appears to have had a change of heart.

The sources said Sirisena during talks with Kerry last weekend refused to commit to a date to call elections although the top US diplomat went public suggesting that there will be elections in Sri Lanka "this summer."

It is fast turning out to be a mid-summer nightmare for Prime Minister Wickremesinghe who is likely to be edged out in the event of Sirisena committing to ensure a UPFA government after the next election.

Despite the bonhomie shown in photographs released by President Sirisena’s office of him and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe attending Vesak events together, the two are ideologically miles apart, according to sources close to both.

"They are no longer on the same page," a top source said. "The honeymoon period is over."

Sri Lanka sells extra Rs8bn Treasury bills after auction

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has sold 8,000 million rupees of treasury bills offered on tap at an average rate of 9.24 percent, the public debt management office said, bringing the total of bills sold this week to 88 billion rupees.

Total market subscription was 8,000 million rupees.

The debt office sold a 6-month bill at 9.24 percent.

On Wednesday (9) the debt office raised 80 billion rupees of 3, 6 and 12 month bills.

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Sri Lanka Treasury bill yields dip across longer terms, Rs80bn sold

The 3-month and 6-month bills were later offered on tap. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

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17,000 applications flood Sri Lanka ministry for 500 state sector jobs

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs had called for applications to fill 500 vacancies in 25 state institutions under it and received 17,000 applications, Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi told Parliament.

The public sector recruitment drive was to resolve labour shortages across the state institutions, he said, including the Central Cultural Fund and the Department of Archaeology.

“All 25 institutions under my ministry, including the Fund and the Department of Archaeology, are places facing severe vacancies,” Senevi said.

Recruitment is proceeding rapidly, with a large round of appointments ranging from executive grades downward recently conducted for both institutions.

The lack of recruitment over an extended period had created critical operational gaps across the cultural sector, he claimed such as a shortage of 850 watchmen in the Department of Archaeology.

Addressing staffing concerns raised regarding locations such as Gal Vihara, Senevi said the Archaeology Department mainly needs watchmen and work assistants to maintain operations.

“The closing date to recruit 500 work assistants was just the other day. Believe it or not, over 17,000 applications have been received,” Senavi said. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

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Sri Lanka officials undergo IMF-backed debt sustainability training

ECONOMYNEXT – A 5-day training course on the Sovereign Risk and Debt Sustainability Framework (SRDSF), held in Colombo, focused on developing the technical skills of Sri Lankan officials and international participants.

The IMF South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC) organized the training on the SRDSF at the Taj Samudra from September 7 to 11, as part of the IMF’s capacity development program.

The event brings together international participants alongside officials from several Sri Lankan institutions, including the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

“The training focuses on enhancing participants’ technical skills to assess sovereign risks, evaluate debt sustainability, and measure the impact of macroeconomic and financing shocks on public debt, while fostering knowledge sharing and the exchange of international best practices,” the Ministry of Finance said.

Director General of Public Debt Management Office, Sri Lanka highlighted the importance of robust analytical capabilities in guiding sound, evidence-based public debt decisions.

“The training offers a vital opportunity for local officials, particularly within the PDMO to adopt international approaches to debt sustainability analysis and Sovereign risk assessment.”

The expertise gained through the training will strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to identify and manage emerging sovereign risks within a sustainable financial framework, the ministry said. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

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Sri Lanka stocks trade down on Friday, Melstacorp and Sampath Bank drag

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Colombo Stock Exchange indices were trading down on Friday morning, CSE data showed, with the benchmark All Share Price Index moving down 0.23 percent.

The ASPI was down 48.25 points at 21,309.49, while the more liquid S&P SL20 was down 0.03 percent, or 1.56 points, at 6,002.36.

Positive contributors to the ASPI were ACL Cables (up 0.74 percent at 95.60 rupees), Industrial Asphalts (Ceylon) (up 16.67 percent at 0.70 rupees), and RIL Property (up 0.83 percent at 24.30 rupees).

Melstacorp (down 1.08 percent at 184.00 rupees), Sampath Bank (down 0.36 percent at 139.00 rupees), Royal Ceramics Lanka (down 1.44 percent at 47.80 rupees), and Ceylon Tobacco Company (down 0.54 percent at 1,780.00 rupees) were top negative contributors.

Market turnover was 221.65 million rupees. Capital goods led turnover with 89.85 million rupees.

Ramboda Falls announced an interim dividend of 0.50 rupees per share for the financial year 2026/2027, with the XD date set for September 21, 2026, and payment dispatch scheduled for October 8, 2026.

Shares of Ramboda Falls were trading up 1.27 percent at 24.00 rupees. (Colombo/September11/2026)

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Sri Lanka economic summit to focus on building shock-resilient economy

ECONOMYNEXT – The Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026, SLEIS 2026, next month will focus on how the country can maintain its growth momentum while preparing for the challenges ahead, organizers said.

Policymakers, business leaders and international experts will meet at the event, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on October 12-13, to examine how Sri Lanka can build greater resilience.

Titled “Beyond Crisis Management: Building a Shock-Resilient Sri Lankan Economy,” the session will examine the vulnerabilities exposed by recent economic and external shocks and consider what needs to be put in place to ensure that future disruptions do not repeatedly set back economic progress.

Lilia Aleksanyan, Senior Country Economist for Sri Lanka – Asian Development Bank, will deliver the keynote address.

A panel discussion will follow featuring Chandranath Amarasekara, Senior Deputy Governor – Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Sabrina Esufally, Executive Director – Hemas Holdings, and Roshan Perera, Consultant – Centre for Poverty Analysis and Former Director – CBSL.

The discussion will be moderated by Dhananath Fernando, Chief Executive Officer -Advocata Institute.

The session will consider how Sri Lanka can strengthen macroeconomic stability, safeguard livelihoods and improve the resilience of businesses and key economic institutions.

It will also examine the role of international partnerships, investment, innovation and business leadership in building an economy that can adapt to changing conditions without losing sight of longer-term development goals.

The discussion will consider what needs to be put in place beforehand, including stronger institutions, sound economic policies, greater diversification, resilient businesses and the capacity to respond quickly when external or domestic pressures emerge. (Colombo/Sep11/2026)

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Sri Lanka’s Sampath Bank appoints Dilip de S Wijeyeratne deputy chairman

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka lender Sampath Bank said it had appointed Dilip de S Wijeyeratne as deputy chairman, effective September 10.

Wijeyeratne has experience across banking, finance, risk management and compliance, investment banking and treasury, complemented by a strong understanding of corporate governance, strategic planning and financial markets, the bank said.

This will support the bank’s focus on advancing data-driven decision-making and the intelligent application of artificial intelligence across the organisation.

“Mr. Wijeyeratne’s experience and strategic perspective will complement the Bank’s efforts to harness data and emerging technologies, including AI, to sharpen decision-making, enhance operational effectiveness and create enduring value for customers, shareholders, employees and other stakeholders.”

Wijeyeratne’s association with Sampath Bank spans nearly eight years.

He joined the bank as a non-independent, non-executive director in November 2018 and was appointed an independent director in August 2019.

He served as senior independent director from May 2022 and continued as an independent, non-executive director from June 2026.

A senior finance and banking professional and principal consultant, Wijeyeratne provides advisory services to organisations across West Asia, Sri Lanka and Australia.

His career includes senior roles with HSBC Group in Bahrain, where he held responsibility for finance and operations, global markets and treasury, corporate treasury sales and asset and liability management.

He subsequently moved into entrepreneurship and advisory services, providing financial and strategic consultancy to private and public sector organisations.

Wijeyeratne serves as a director of Singer (Sri Lanka) and Hayleys Fibre, and as a director of Janashakthi Insurance.

He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
(Colombo/Sep11/2026)

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