Senior Professor Hareendra Dissabandara has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC).

He had previously served as SEC Director General from 2012-2013 as well as its Director of Financial Services Academy and Capital Market Education and Training Division from 2008-2012.

Dissabandara is a Senior Professor of Finance and Corporate Governance in the Department of Finance of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Prof. Dissabandara takes over from Faizal Salieh, who was appointed to the post by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in 2023 February.

The Ministry of Finance has announced an increase in the special import tax on potatoes and big onions. 

The import tax on potatoes has risen by Rs. 10 per kilogram, from Rs. 50 to Rs. 60. Similarly, the import tax on big onions has been raised by Rs. 20 per kilogram, from Rs. 10 to Rs. 30. 

These measures have been implemented to regulate imports and support local agriculture.

Laugfs Gas PLC announced that the company will not revise domestic LP gas prices for the month of October.

This was communicated by the Cluster Director/CEO of Laugfs Gas PLC, Dr. Niroshan J Peiris.

Earlier, Litro Gas had also announced that gas prices will remain unchanged during the month of October.