Author: lbostgadmin
Up on a Hill
Hunas Falls is dressing up its hill country hotel, to get a booking in the Small Luxury Hotels of the world catalogue. The Jetwing managed hotel is spending some Rs.25 mn of the Hunas Falls internal funds to upgrade and expand 20 of its 31 rooms to mini-suites.rn rnAlong with the standard features added with […]
Dollar Challenge
Sri Lanka has been asked to submit its proposal promoting economic growth to draw down funds from the Millennium Challenge Corp.s (MCC) billion-dollar kitty.The MCC is a U.S. Government corporation created in January, to work with developing countries by providing grants through the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).rn rnSri Lanka is one of the 16 countries […]
Friendly Chat
The meeting came a day after the Tamil insurgents warned of “calamityrnand destruction” unless the killings stop. They accused the military ofrnbeing behind some of the violence.rn rn More than 15 people – including a military intelligence operative andrnrebels – have been killed in recent weeks in eastern Sri Lanka. Both thernsecurity forces and the […]
Bonding Together
The EU-Sri Lanka Partenariat 2004 kicked off, paving the way for joint ventures, partnerships, marketing cooperation and the transfer of technologies between local and EU companies. rn rnSpeaking at the opening ceremony of the Partenariat, the Ambassador, Embassy of Ireland, New Delhi, Philip McDonagh, said the EU was solidly behind the governments peace efforts.rn rnMeanwhile […]
Lost Kitty
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) says it has just plugged in a Rs. 60 mn revenue seepage, which was discovered after its new US$ 20 mn billing system kicked in.The telecom giant says around four million minutes of international inpayment calls were not billed, while nearly 3,000 customers were not sent invoices.rn rnLucky subscribers who got […]
Fairy Godmother
The Treasury is considering the possibility of taking on the cost of thermal electricity generation to ease the CEBs cash crunch.CEB sources say the Treasury is now considering, among other measures, the feasibility of taking on the cost of thermal electricity generation to ease the CEBs financial difficulties.rn rnldblquote This cost will be treated like […]
Tea Shop
In search of new growth for its stunted tea export industry, India is cultivating plans to set up an auction centre in Dubai.Indian Tea Association Chairman C.K. Dhanuka was quoted saying that a separate auction centre in Dubai would be a shot in the arm for the ailing tea industry, whose exports fell from 201,010 […]
Flash Floods
Sri Lankas government has received 52,000 jobrnapplications after a decision to hire unemployed university graduates intornthe public service, a Finance Ministry official said Thursday.rnAfter winning general elections in April, President ChandrikarnKumaratungas government said it would increase recruitment into the publicrnsector to reduce unemployment.rn rn “We are still going through the applications. They are being handled […]
Clear Voice
Sri Lanka stressed on the need for greater government ownership of aid utilization and for capacity building, at an international aid harmonization conference between Colombo and Tokyo, on Tuesday.Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Dr.P.B. Jayasundera, presented Sri Lankas country perspective on the ongoing harmonization work, said press release from the Japan-World Bank Distance Learning Partnership Project.rn […]
Finding Hope
Mineral sands, ceramics and rubber are in the study list, with the BOI keen to find a handful of key sectors for investment promotion. rn rnA select list of foreign industrial giants will be targeted to invest in the identified areas, BOI Chief Lalith de Mel told LBO.rn rnDe Mel says unless there is a […]
Money Makers
The government plans to streamline its revenue collecting units and give legislative powers to new taxes that were proposed in the previous budget, the Treasury Secretary said Tuesday.The previous government initiated a Sri Lanka Revenue Collection Authority, which combined the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise Departments, in an attempt to reform and strengthen public finances.rn […]
Mute Voice
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans fronti’e8res) on Tuesday condemned at the murder of Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan in Batticaloa (220 km east of Colombo) and voiced concern that dissension within the Tamil separatist movement could lead to an escalation of violation against the news media. “We call on the authorities to keep us informed of […]