The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) has warmly welcomed the Government’s 2027 Budget, highlighting the formal incorporation of two key SEC advocated proposals, the “A Share for Everyone” programme for Advanced Level students and the SME Listing Support Mechanism.
In a media release issued on November 13, SEC Chairman Senior Professor Hareendra Dissabandara stated that these initiatives mark a significant milestone in deepening the nation’s capital market, broadening investor participation, and strengthening the link between economic growth and capital formation. The “A Share for Everyone” initiative operating under the vision “Let’s Know, Let’s Learn, Let’s Invest” is designed to provide eligible Advanced Level students with hands on capital market exposure to foster financial literacy, long-term wealth creation, and an informed investment culture among young Sri Lankans.
Concurrently, the SME Listing Support Mechanism addresses the needs of Small and Medium Enterprises, which form the backbone of the economy. By helping SMEs access capital through stock market listings, the mechanism will provide new avenues for growth, improve corporate governance and transparency, and diversify investment opportunities for the public. The SEC noted that these supply and demand side measures directly tackle historically low market participation compared to the country’s full potential.
The commission also expressed sincere gratitude to President and Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe, and Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma for their guidance and willingness to consider the SEC’s proposals. Moving forward, the SEC intends to work closely with the Ministry of Finance, the Colombo Stock Exchange and educational and industry stakeholders to ensure the successful execution of these programmes. (Newswire)