Equal Footing

June 17, 2011 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka has assigned People’s Leasing Company’s (PLC) proposed senior debentures of up to 750 million rupees a National Long-Term rating of ‘A(lka)’. “The issue is rated at the same level as PLC’s National Long-Term rating of ‘A(lka)’ which has a stable outlook,” the rating agency said in a […]

Travel Cost

June 17, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government is to allow private bus operators to raise fares, private transport services minister C B Ratnayake said. Government authorities were making preparations for the fare hike, he told a forum on transport, without saying by how much fares would rise. “We are preparing a revision of bus […]

Express Bus

June 17, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government has invited private bus operators to start services on the island’s first expressway set to open by end-July with a terminal to connect other routes planned close to the capital. Private transport services minister C B Ratnayake said the government expects to have 10 air-conditioned luxury buses […]

Ship Safety

June 17, 2011 (LBO) – Japan’s ClassNK, the world’s largest ship classification society in gross tonnage terms, has opened an office in Sri Lanka as shipping traffic grows at Colombo port. The 111-year-old ClassNK has some 7,347 ships over 180 million gross tonnes or about 20 percent of the world’s commercial fleet on its registry […]

Aging Fleet

June 17, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government plans to arrange low-cost leases for private operators to help them replace aging fleets of buses with new ones, private transport services minister C B Ratnayake said. A large number of buses plying on the island’s roads were 15-20 years old and should be removed, he told […]

Sri Lanka stocks rebound

June 17, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks rebounded slightly Friday after five straight days of falls with heavy trading in Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide and its new shareholder eChannelling, brokers said. The main All Share Price Index closed at 7,050.03, up 0.49 percent (34.32 points) while the more liquid Milanka index rose 0. 48 […]

Sri Lanka state enterprises need urgent action: report

June 16, 2011 (LBO) – Some state owned enterprises (SOEs) in Sri Lanka that made losses, violated policies and were a drain on taxes and growth, needed immediate action to fix them, the finance ministry has said. “Lack of good corporate practices and management lapses have resulted in compromising the SOEs ability to manage risks […]

Sangakkara ready for final captaincy tilt

SOUTHAMPTON, June 15, 2011 (AFP) – Former skipper Kumar Sangakkara admitted he was a reluctant captain of Sri Lanka heading into the third and final Test against England at the Rose Bowl. Sangakkara, who stepped down as skipper after Sri Lanka’s World Cup final defeat by India in Mumbai in April, found himself back at […]

Sri Lanka wind power firm buys Gamesa turbines

June 16, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Pawan Danavi (Pvt) Ltd, a unit LTL Holdings a power generating group will buy turbines from Gamesa Wind Turbines, the Indian arm of Spain’s Gamesa Corp Tecnologica, reports said. Pawan Danavi plant will run a wind farm with a capacity of 10. 2 MegaWatts with will have 12 […]

India hikes interest rates by 25 basis points

MUMBAI, June 16, 2011 (AFP) – India’s central bank on Thursday raised its key short-term interest rates by 25 basis points — its 10th hike in 16 months — in a bid to tame high inflation stuck at “uncomfortable levels.” The Reserve Bank of India raised its repo rate — at which it lends to […]

Sri Lanka poultry firm to build Rs360mn broiler farm

June 16, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Bairaha Farms, a poultry firm said it is building a 360 million rupee modern broiler farm in the northwestern Puttalam district to increase its production by 15 percent over the next three years. In 2010 prices surged. “Being of a cyclical nature, the poultry business is characterised by […]

Islamic Banking

June 16, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Commercial Bank of Ceylon said it is starting an alternative banking services compliant with Islamic Sharia law, with a three member committee of scholars to ensure compliance. “As one of Sri Lanka’s largest private banks it is our obligation to ensure that the services the unit provides are […]

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