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The Hanthana mountain range softly breathes, alive with the sound of silence. A pristine white bungalow sits facing these emerald-clad hills, its colonial crevices invoking the charm and nostalgia of a bygone era. A face from another time, kissed by the warm rays of the sun or caressed by the cool fingers of the mist. This is the resplendent Hanthana Estate by the W15 Collection, a place of beauty, a place of peace, where transcendent excellence is an apt description.
I took the early morning Ella Odessey train to Kandy, a comfortable journey that was accentuated by breathtaking vistas closer to Kandy. I was picked up at the station by the W15 driver and my personal butler for my stay. The first inkling of how my stay would pan out came when I was pleasantly surprised with the regular hotel welcome inside the Land Rover. The offer of a cool towel, the choice of a warm or cold beverage to ease fatigue, even before one steps into the foyer of a hotel, was an astute gesture towards ensuring customer delight.
W15 Hanthana Estate is a deliberately crafted blend of colonial charm (the bungalow being over 125 years old, lovingly and attentively restored to its present glory by renowned architect Chamika de Alwis) and modern opulence. The main bungalow unfolds like a tapestry of sepia and cream, weaving together six exclusive suites with four more situated a little beyond in the two storied stables, which boast an awe-inspiring view of the Uragala and Katusukonda mountains. I’m told that these mountain ranges have a certain significance to movie buffs who might recall that the famed “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) had certain shots filmed in the vicinity.
They offer numerous activities such as trekking in some of the most scenic hiking routes of the island, mountain biking, bird and butterfly watching, wildlife excursions (for the uninformed like myself, there are leopards, elusive yes but still roaming these jungles along with the more common sambar deer), nature sessions with the in-house naturalist or scenic walks and visits to nearby temples to interest you. Hanthana Estate also offers cookery lessons where you could pick your own vegetables from their herb and vegetable garden and have the pleasure of making your own lunch with the help of their chefs. One could also set off on an invigorating and informative drive through the tea plantations in their vintage Land Rover along with their naturalist who has a wealth of knowledge about the mountains, the flora and fauna, history and folklore. With kudos to the management for keeping history alive, Hanthana Estate also offers its guest a traditional, colonial inspired delectable high tea with finely cut finger sandwiches, flaky pastries, dainty fairy cakes and freshly baked scones with a pot of Ceylon tea. This high tea in a picnic form or cocktails as per guest preference, can also be enjoyed at a rock outcrop just a ten-minute jeep drive away from the bungalow which they call the ‘Rock Bar’, while the setting sun paints the skies in vivid hues.
This land initially belonged to Oodewella tea plantation, founded in 1880 which is one of the oldest tea estates in the country, considering that the tea cultivation in the country, established by James Taylor, dates back to 1867. Hanthana Group was created between 1985-1988 where Oodwella group was amalgamated with the Hanthana Estate. It would have seemed like a flashback when the great grandson of Gordon Pyper visited Hanthana Estate recently. The first Gordon Pyper had come to Sri Lanka in 1872 when Hanthana was a coffee plantation and following the coffee blight, planted tea in this beautiful estate. His son and grandson were superintendents at Hanthana and the current Gordon Pyper lived the first 11 years of his life in these environs. He affirms that its “wonderful to be back to the Hanthana of his childhood and W15 Hanthana Estate has given him wonderful memories to cherish always.”
It is an understatement to say that W15 Hanthana Estate caters to every whim and fancy of their discerning guest as they operate on an all-inclusive basis. Your personal butler is just a call away, your food is an exquisitely crafted story, your bed an epitome of comfort which entices you to linger, a shower is more of a response of sensual indulgence with irresistible Spa Ceylon products. Once you tear yourself away from your suite, the bungalow with its art, cosy chesterfield sofas and warm lighting and verdant hills that call you name – all this and more is what W15 promises. In my eyes, what makes Hanthana Estate special is not just beautiful surroundings and peace- I feel what makes this wonderous place feel like home, is the attention they pay to details such as the offer of a warm shawl when a guest involuntarily shivers, the evening turn down service where a hot water bottle is left beneath the duvet, the cushy slippers placed just right, and a myriad of little things that makes you smile or sigh contentedly.
I leave Hanthana Estate feeling a little lighter. All I can feel is that my soul is quieter and softer and more sublime.
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Delivering his administration’s third national budget – Sri Lanka’s 81st – in Parliament yesterday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, unveiled a Rs. 4,992.77 billion spending blueprint designed to pivot the economy from post-crisis stabilisation to structural transformation.
Addressing mounting public expectations for cost-of-living relief, the 2027 Budget introduces substantial Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) personal income tax concessions, widens tax brackets for middle- and high-income earners, and rolls out targeted subsidies to ease household energy expenses. Simultaneously, the government has earmarked a record Rs. 2,000 billion (Rs. 2 trillion) for public capital expenditure while holding the borrowing ceiling steady at Rs. 3.8 trillion despite a 12.6 percent rise in overall outlay.
“The sacrifices made by the people will not last forever. It is the government’s responsibility to translate economic stability into tangible benefits by creating new jobs, increasing national revenue, improving the quality of public services, and delivering better opportunities for all,” President Dissanayake told the House, noting that Cabinet had granted approval for the proposals earlier this morning.
Personal Tax Relief and Household Savings
In a direct move to ease the tax burden on salaried professionals and middle-income households, the President announced an upward revision of the PAYE tax-free threshold:
Higher Tax-Free Allowance: The monthly personal income tax-free threshold increases from Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 162,500, raising the annual tax-free ceiling from Rs. 1.8 million to Rs. 1.95 million.
Widened Tax Brackets: Progressive tax slabs have been restructured to include a new 12 percent tier replacing the previous 18 percent rate at that level, establishing rates across 6%, 12%, 18%, 24%, 30%, and 36%. The monthly threshold for the top 36 percent bracket has been raised from Rs. 358,000 to Rs. 433,000, delivering monthly tax savings ranging from Rs. 750 to Rs. 15,750.
Rooftop Solar & Battery Incentives: To lower household electricity costs, the government will abolish the 10 percent Port and Airport Development Levy (PAL) on imported solar batteries – reducing the cost of a 1kW battery by roughly Rs. 4,000. Additionally, a Rs. 3.5 billion relief package will provide new domestic rooftop solar users with a Rs. 25,000 subsidy per 1kW of battery storage installed (up to 10kW, or a maximum benefit of Rs. 250,000).
Fiscal Discipline, Post-IMF Roadmap, and State-Owned Enterprises
With the four-year International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) scheduled to conclude in March 2027, President Dissanayake reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing the programme while disclosing that a dedicated committee has been appointed to evaluate whether Sri Lanka should pursue a successor IMF arrangement.
Highlighting stronger-than-projected fiscal consolidation, the President noted that findings from the IMF’s Sixth Review indicate Sri Lanka’s public debt could decline to 87 percent of GDP by 2032, outperforming the initial programme target of 95 percent.
On state enterprise reform, the President flagged the staggering Rs. 528 billion cumulative loss incurred by SriLankan Airlines between 2008 and 2026, revealing that Cabinet has appointed a special committee to explore debt-reduction pathways for the national carrier and urging bipartisan parliamentary backing. He also cautioned against complacency in the public sector, stating that “remaining for long periods at the lower levels of the public service should not be viewed as a pathway to securing top positions,” as traditional state structures cannot drive modern economic transformation.
Meanwhile, addressing foreign exchange outflows, the President noted that USD 1.6 billion was spent on vehicle imports in 2025, with Letters of Credit (LCs) already opened exceeding USD 1.5 billion – bringing total two-year vehicle import commitments to nearly USD 3 billion.
Record Rs. 2 Trillion Capital Push and Energy Security
Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando framed the shift toward production-led growth as the central objective of the 2027 proposals, backed by heavy infrastructure and energy allocations.
Further energy and aviation initiatives include constructing a dedicated domestic flight terminal at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and awarding four investor contracts for oil and gas exploration in the Northwestern Mannar Basin shortly after the February 2, 2027 bid deadline. Rural telecommunications tower expansion will also receive state grants alongside a five-year tax holiday.
Trade Expansion and Institutional Modernisation
To boost exports and attract foreign direct investment (FDI), the budget allocates Rs. 1,990 million to establish a National Single Trade Window and Rs. 100 million for a National Single Investment Window, complemented by streamlined state land allocation procedures and a special investor relief package.
On the trade diplomacy front, the government has appointed a committee to expand the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India, is exploring a new FTA with China, and plans to enter expanded economic partnership agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
Concluding his policy framework, President Dissanayake pledged sweeping legislative and institutional overhauls—noting that laws over a century old and obsolete institutions will be reformed. Forthcoming legislation includes a new State Assets Management Act, a National Statistics Act, updates to the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act, and a modernised national accounting and auditing framework, with every state investment, tax concession, and welfare programme subjected to strict socio-economic benefit evaluations.
Continue Reading Business Control Union Sri Lanka Lab meets the global standard for pesticide residue testing Published
Control Union Sri Lanka’s laboratory has received ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation from the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB) for pesticide residue analysis, giving producers, buyers and regulators independent proof that its results can be relied on. It is the first of four SLAB accreditations the laboratory is working toward.
A single failed pesticide test can hold up an entire shipment or pull a product off the shelf. Buyers in Europe and other regulated markets enforce strict maximum residue levels, and a consignment that fails can be rejected, delayed or returned at heavy financial cost. Results from an accredited laboratory carry more weight with buyers and regulators, which helps Sri Lankan producers settle questions quickly and avoid repeat testing in other countries.
That weight comes from who grants the accreditation. SLAB is Sri Lanka’s national accreditation authority and is internationally recognised through mutual recognition arrangements with the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC). Since January 2026, that global recognition has been consolidated under Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI), which ensures international acceptance of accredited test reports and certificates within their recognised scopes.
Diversified conglomerate CIC Holdings PLC (CSE: CIC) reported a consolidated revenue of Rs. 42.91 billion for the first half of the financial year 2026/27 (HIFY27). The Group maintained steady top-line growth of 3.06% and achieved a strong bottom-line expansion, with Profit After Tax (PAT) increasing by 16.72% to Rs. 3.79 billion. This is compared to Rs. 3.25 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year, notwithstanding Agri cluster movements shifting from the second quarter to the third quarter of the financial year. The Group’s performance was supported by strong operational execution, margin expansion, and enhanced earnings contributions from equity-accounted investees.
Operating profit (EBIT) strengthened to Rs. 5.86 billion, recording a 2.65% YoY growth, while profit before tax (PBT) rose to Rs. 5.35 billion (up 8.26% YoY). During the period under review, Agri Solutions remained the Group’s largest revenue contributor, accounting for approximately 40.18% of total gross segment revenue. Livestock Solutions and Health & Personal Care contributed around 24.29% and 23.08% respectively, while the Industrial Solutions segment accounted for 12.45% of total gross segment revenue.
Gross profit increased to Rs. 11.69 billion, representing a 4.36% year-on-year growth, supported by disciplined pricing and operational efficiencies. Gross profit margin improved to 27.25%, demonstrating strong profitability resilience. Importantly, this solid performance was recorded during the Group’s off-peak second quarter, despite the delayed rains pushing back the Agri season, underscoring CIC’s operational consistency and diversified earnings base.
During the period under review, key core operating sectors delivered strong results. Industrial Solutions delivered the strongest top-line expansion, with revenue surging 34.91% to Rs. 5.43 billion. Livestock Solutions recorded an 11.87% revenue growth to reach Rs. 10.59 billion, while Health and Personal Care revenue expanded by 6.40% to Rs. 10.05 billion. Agri Solutions contributed Rs. 17.51 billion to segment revenue.
In terms of profitability, Livestock Solutions recorded strong segmental profit growth of 30.86% to Rs. 1.52 billion, while Industrial Solutions expanded its segmental profit by 47.37% to Rs. 1.02 billion. The Health & Personal Care sector achieved a 10.02% increase in segmental profit to Rs. 1.43 billion, while Agri Solutions generated Rs. 1.63 billion in segment results. Overall, the Group’s core business sectors generated Rs. 5.60 billion in total segment results, representing a 3.85% year-on-year increase and reinforcing broad-based earnings resilience across key operating verticals.
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