As the oldest format of the game, Tests are known for having run rates slower than all the other formats of the game. While the advent of ODIs and T20Is has increased the run rates in the longest format of the game, sound technique and good bowling has meant that it still is not very high.

My dear university friends,

Storm clouds are building over Government’s main partners on the impact of the Value Added Tax (VAT) which has dealt a blow to a large segment of Sri Lankans.

Reducing the prices of essential commodities was among the key promises of the Yahapalana government during the election. Accordingly the government imposed a controlled price on 20 essential commodities under the Gazette notification published on May 20, 2015.

Sri Lanka’s compliance with a recent UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution on Sri Lanka was discussed in detail on June 29, during the HRC’s 32nd session. Significantly, the resolution – designed to heal the wounds of decades of war – was co-sponsored by Colombo last October.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues are a major consideration for companies engaged in international trade of agricultural produce. Agricultural exports (tea, spices, coconut, etc.) account for almost one-fourth of Sri Lanka’s total exports (Figure 1), providing an important source of foreign exchange and livelihoods for people in the country. However, earnings from agricultural exports experienced a notable decline in 2015, falling by 11.2% to USD 2,481 million. With the spotlight on exports to drive growth, more needs to be done to support the industry.