All Blogs
Thousands flee Tiger territory amid fears of fighting
Dec 18, 2006 (AFP) – More than 2,200 more civilians have fled rebel-held territory in eastern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Monday amid fears of renewed fighting in the area.The LTTE is fighting for independence for the island’s minority 2.5 million Tamil community. The conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.The civilians […]
Oil Buddies
December 18, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is scouting for international experts to help the island hedge part of its hefty oil bill next year, Petroleum Minister A H M Fowzie said Monday. A net oil importer, Sri Lanka’s retail fuel market is dominated by state oil giant Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), while Indian fuel […]
Corruption swallows aid as Sri Lanka marks tsunami anniversary
Dec 18, 2006 (AFP) – Corruption and ethnic violence is blocking a flood of foreign aid for Sri Lanka’s tsunami survivors two years after the massive disaster, according to official records and whistle-blowers. This year, there are no ceremonies to remember the tsunami dead and the destitute, but instead the government has named December 26 […]
Equal Chances
Dec 15, 2006 (LBO) – The Employers Federation of Sri Lanka are calling on more firms to employ disabled people, not just for equal opportunity, but because it also makes business sense. The Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) together with the Motivation Charitable Trust of UK run an annual job fair for disabled people and […]
Who said what at the 2006 Asian Games
DOHA, Dec 16, 2006 (AFP) – Who said what at the 2006 Asian Games which came to a close on Friday: “Nobody thought I would be here. My mother had made an oath to the bodhi tree that I would take part in the Games.” – Sri Lanka sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe after winning 200m bronze […]
Bush frees refugee funds for Somalia, Sri Lanka
WASHINGTON, Dec 15, 2006 (AFP) – US President George W.Bush has freed 5.215 million dollars in aid to help cope with refugee flows resulting from conflicts in Somalia and Sri Lanka, the White House announced Friday. Bush directed US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a memorandum dated Thursday to make the money available “for […]
A window for Sri Lanka to catch-up and move forward using historical advantages
November 16 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should grasp the opportunities to grow its services sector using historical advantages, as India has already started to do, before that opportunity is also missed, a senior economist and central banker said.“If a country stubbornly and arrogantly refuses to accept this fact, it stands to lose, while others continue […]
Sri Lanka hikes rates; asks banks to raise deposit rates
December 15, (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank raised its policy reverse repo rate at which cash is pumped into the system by 37.5 basis points to 11.5 percent Friday and asked banks to raise deposit rates. “The Central Bank has noted that despite several policy rate increases in the past, banks have not sufficiently […]
Faulty Cable
December 15 (LBO) – Sri Lankan pay television service Comet Cable is facing a withdrawal of its broadcast rights, unless royalties owed to a joint shareholder since 1997, are paid up. Comet Cable has an 18,000 strong customer base and is one of the oldest pay television companies in Sri Lanka with 18 paid channels […]
‘s real estate sector booms, but first-time buyers beware
NEW DELHI, Dec 15, 2006 (AFP) – India’s real estate market is in overdrive as developers snap up land to build malls and housing enclaves, but high prices and opaque rules make it hard for first-time buyers to land a dream home. The sector, worth 12 billion dollars, is growing at 30 percent a year, […]