Author: lbostgadmin
Lets Roll
Sri Lanka and Thailand have agreed to liberalise their air services by giving each other lquote fifth freedom rights for their respective designated carriers.Fifth freedom rights allows the designated carrier to land in a second country, pick up passengers, cargo and mail destined for a third country.rn rnldblquote Both sides agreed to give unlimited number […]
Looking Pretty
The governments bond issue to raise US$ 91.5 mn opens next week, with initial reports indicating that the issue would be oversubscribed.Dealers expect the Central Bank to take up the oversubscription provided the interest rates hover around two basis points over the six months LIBOR.rn rnThe Central Bank is rolling over US$ 91.5 mn worth […]
Long Beep
Fixed line operator Suntel plans to infuse US$ 20 mn this year, to roll out its network islandwide.The wireless local loop operator has sought the telecom watchdogs approval to get a slot in the 800 Mhz bandwidth.rn rnSuntel officials say they applied for approval mid last year, but are yet to receive the regulators consent. […]
Red Alert
Sri Lankas police and customs have been ordered to seize Buddha Bar music and bikinis with Buddha images, officials said Thursday.rnState Attorney Nihal Jayawardene asked for strict enforcement of laws that prohibit the commercial use of religious symbols and said Buddha Bar music and the bikinis would fall under the measures.rn rn His order was […]
Street Hawkers
Sri Lankas corporates are jostling each other to come out into the sunshine thanks to the digital revolution jumping the local advertising industry. Its not a small budget, small business thing anymore; outdoor advertising is climbing the social ladder in Sri Lanka.rn rnWhether its the corporate blue bloods or the village petti kade (box shop), […]
Top Brass
The government has appointed top private sector businessmen to drive its economic agenda, the Presidential Secretariat said.Treasury Secretary Dr. P B Jayasundara, will be the Secretary General of the newly formed National Council for Economic Development or NCED, which will translate the United Peoples Freedom Alliances election manifesto into a six-year economic plan.rn rnOther top […]
Inside Lanka
Chipmaker Intel setup shop here this week, apart from the obvious reason of taping into the sales potential in the island, to standardize wireless technologies WiFi and WiMax. The local office will help identify corporate businesses and rural infrastructure rollout projects that will use wireless technologies.rnrnThe wireless standardization process is in line with Intels current […]
Holy Brawl
Two Buddhist monk legislators were admitted to hospital Tuesday following an unprecedented brawl in Sri Lankas parliament initiated by ruling party lawmakers, a parliamentary official said.rnNew legislator Akmeemana Dayaratne and fellow monk MP Kolonnawe Sri Sumangala, both from the opposition Jathika Hela Urumaya Party, were admitted to the nearby Jayewardenepura hospital after being punched by […]
Sinking Ship
Cabinet spokesperson Jeyraj Fernadopulle said Tuesday, that there might be lquote no other alternative but another election, if Parliament continues to be volatile.ldblquote We are prepared to go back before the people once again if necessary. We are ready to go for an election if this is the situation dblquote , Fernandopulle told journalists.rn rnldblquote […]
Image Wise
South Asia is home to a quarter of the worlds population and a quarter of the worlds reserves of major minerals but the rest of the world knows little about the regions collective face of SAARC.rn rnldblquote When you say EU people immediately recognise the grouping. Not so with SAARC. SAARC needs to have an […]
Parliament Jokes
Sri Lankas Buddhist monk Parliamentarians staged a demonstration in Colombo on Wednesday for a better-behaved legislature for the island.rnThe JHU (Jathika Hela Urumaya) staged a sathyagraha (meditation demonstration) at Colombos Viharamaha Devi Park for peace and sanity among parliamentarians.rn rnldblquote This is our way of condemning the behaviour in Parliament yesterday and we are meditating […]
IT Global
Sri Lankas IT industry is surging ahead and on Tuesday another key player launched operations in Colombo, adding one more link to the backward integration chain.Sri Lankas computer market is estimated at 150,000 PCs a year and is growing at around 19 percent every year.rn rnHigher priced branded computers make up nearly 30 percent of […]