All Blogs
Union Call
Feb 09 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s key banking sector union is appealing to President Mahinda Rajapakse to intervene in the Commercial Bank of Ceylon takeover attempt and re-introduce pensions to state banks. The powerful Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU) has asked the president to make an order in his capacity as finance minister, to force […]
Sri Lanka names negotiators amid Norway, Swiss moves
Feb 9 (AFP) – Peacebroker Norway and talks host Switzerland stepped up diplomatic moves Thursday to arrange face-to-face talks between Sri Lanka’s warring parties as Colombo named more peace negotiators. Norway’s top envoy here, Hans Brattskar, and Swiss ambassador Bernadino Regazzoni flew to the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi to arrange for Tiger negotiators to travel […]
Colombo’s Cleanup
Feb 08 (LBO) – The Social Service Ministry hopes to put-up Colombo’s estimated 1523 homeless in transitional housing by end 2006. Secretary to the Ministry V. Jegarasasingham said that poverty, the war and domestic abuse among other reasons has led over 1523 Sri Lankan men, women and children to take shelter on Colombo’s streets. Not […]
’s Cleanup
Feb 08 (LBO) – The Social Service Ministry hopes to put-up Colombo’s estimated 1523 homeless in transitional housing by end 2006. Secretary to the Ministry V. Jegarasasingham said that poverty, the war and domestic abuse among other reasons has led over 1523 Sri Lankan men, women and children to take shelter on Colombo’s streets. Not […]
Tightening Laws
Feb 08 (LBO) – Sri Lanka, noted as hot bed for human trafficking, is now tinkering with its penal code to strengthen laws against the illegal trade. The amendments to the penal code are expected to facilitate prosecution of traffickers and to protect their victims. Sri Lankan authorities however are still unaware of the extent […]
Now or Never
Feb 07 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) chief warned Tuesday that the island would suffer irreversible costs if the south port project does not take off before next year. SLPA Chairman Dileepa Wijesundara told LBO that construction work on Colombo’s South Harbour project would not be delayed, with funding options expected to be […]
Out of the house
Feb 07 (LBO) – The State Mortgage and Investment Bank (SMIB) plans to change their governing act to get more freedom to lend and change its name as part of a complete make-over, a top official said. SMIB Chairman Chandima Weerakkody said proposed amendments have been submitted to the subject minister Wijedasa Rajapakse, who is […]
Fine Tuning
Feb 07 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s telecom watchdog says it has started to crack down on errant state and private sector frequency users to collect overdue fees. The crackdown is part of a programme to clean up Sri Lanka’s commercial important spectrum, which is currently near full capacity. Already, the regulator is seeing a crunch […]
Sri Lanka’s top donors not convinced that the situation is conducive for reconstruction and investment
Feb 06 (LBO) – A drop in violence and impending peace talks between warring factions has failed to convince Sri Lanka’s top donors that the situation is conducive for reconstruction and investment, officials said Monday. Top officials of the tropical island’s key donors – the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) – said […]
Sailing Offshore
Feb. 06 (LBO)-Sri Lanka’s only commercial ship building and repair firm Colombo Dockyards Limited (CDL) plans to invest over Rs.660 million to upgrade infrastructure in order to lure new business and face up to competition from India. The investment spread over 2005 and 2006 is expected to improve CDL’s profitability, especially from its shipbuilding operation, […]