Author: lbostgadmin
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
’s top lenders meet to discuss future funding, development plans
December 15, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main international lenders are due to meet late next month to asses their ongoing projects and discuss future funding programmes, a top official said. “This will not be a pledging conference for money,” explains Central Bank governor, Nivard Cabraal. “We will discuss our ten-year development plan with donors, […]
Corruption watchdog slams Sri Lanka tsunami relief agencies for financial secrecy
December 15 (LBO) – Corruption watchdog Transparency International slammed tsunami relief agencies in Sri Lanka on Friday for sloppy work and scant regard for an independent financial audit. The agency audited six tsunami projects in Sri Lanka – the only six of 70 agencies approached, who agreed to a Value for Money audit by Transparency […]
Tamil Tiger chief mourns loss of “irreplaceable” aide
COLOMBO, Dec 15, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger leader conferred Friday the rebels’ highest honour on his chief peace negotiator who died of cancer, saying it was an irreplaceable loss. Velupillai Prabhakaran, 52, said the death in London on Thursday came at a time when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) needed […]
Death of voice of Tamil struggle a new blow to peace in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Dec 15, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s moribund peace process suffered another setback with the death of the top Tamil Tiger negotiator who was regarded as a moderate among hardliners, analysts said Friday. Anton Balasingham, 68, who had spearheaded the peace efforts of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), died of bile duct […]
Tiger chief peace negotiator dies of cancer
COLOMBO, Dec 15, 2006 (AFP) – The senior negotiator for Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels, who vociferously pleaded their cause around the world but never took up arms, has died of cancer in London, a close associate told AFP. “It is an unfortunate personal tragedy,” he said, but conceded that “when compared to the vast […]
‘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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Energy Link
December 14, 2006 (LBO) – India and Sri Lanka are due to ink a million dollar agreement as early as next year to set up a mega transmission power line between both nations, an official said Thursday. Linked between India’s city of Madurai and Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura, the project aims to supply up to 1000 […]