Author: lbostgadmin
What Women Want
Women are climbing the corporate ladder in record numbers but only a handful manages to get top executive positions in big companies. Experts say the numbers of top jobs held by women are not a reflection of the number of females completing higher education.rn rnSome of them are victims of the glass ceiling an artificial […]
Re-Igniting
The insurance watchdog is getting tough with the industry by re-introducing fire tariffs with a few modification starting June 1.Present fire tariffs have not been revised for nearly 30 years, and insurers have effectively honoured the regulations in breach.rn rnCurrent premiums are whittled down way below minimum tariffs. The new regulation is expected to push […]
Trade Routes
Trade to the North East has taken to the road, washing away business for the seaports in the region. The Trinco harbour saw the number of ships calling there drop to 121 ships, down 78 ships from 2002, the Central Bank said in its 2003 Annual Report, adding that this was mainly due to the […]
Steady Flow
Treasury bill yields remained flat at Mondays auction signaling a steady outlook for short-term interest rates.The Central Bank offered and accepted bids for Rs.7,797 mn, though the auction was received bids for Rs.16,242 mn.rn rnThe bank retired Rs. 2,500 mn worth of bill that retired this week.rn rnThree-month yields slipped 200 basis points to 7.77 […]
Good Job
Early last year, the government had forecasted a 5.5 percent economic growth. The 5.9 percent year on growth for 2003, is the highest since 2000, when the economy expanded by 6.0 percent.rn rnAfter contracting by 1.5 percent in 2001, the government is forecasting gross domestic product to touch 5.5 percent in 2004.rn rnBut private sector […]
African Roots
rnThe Sri Lankan business community will take lessons from its South African counterparts on how the sector can contribute towards national economic growth while improving social standards. rnA 15-member business delegation will visit South Africa on May 1st on a study tour to examine the South African Business Trust.rnrn rnThe South African Business Trust is […]
First Flush
Sri Lankas new government held its first talks with neighbouring India Thursday ahead of plans to revive stalled peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebelsLakshman Kadirgamar, the foreign minister in President Chandrika Kumaratungas government, met Indian leaders on a brief visit to New Delhi before Norwegian peace brokers begin a trip to Sri Lanka at the […]
Refugee Status
The United Nations refugees agency said Thursday Sri Lanka risked losing international financial support if it did not pay more attention to resettling nearly 400,000 internally displaced people.A top official of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Dennis McNamara, said the agency expected the new government to pay “renewed attention” to resolve the […]
Regional Curfew
Sri Lankan police clamped indefinite curfews and troops poured into a central tea-growing region Thursday after two people were killed in ethnic violence, officials and residents said.rn A curfew was imposed on the picturesque Kandapola region after clashes between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities that left more than 20 shops destroyed, officials said.rn rn They […]
Taxing Times
With total State revenue falling by around 18 percent last year, the Asian Development Bank asked the government to pay closer attention to closing tax loopholes and streamline its tariff policies.Unveiling its 2004 Asian Development Outlook, the Manila based bank said government revenue fell to around Rs.248 bn from the projected figure of Rs.303 bn […]
Missing Dentures
Sri Lanka lacks lquote sufficient organised public outrage to bring about any meaningful changes, say civil advocacy groups, about the abuse of public property during the April elections.ldblquote What we lack in Sri Lanka is sufficient organised public outrage, dblquote said Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, from the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), at the launch […]
Hanging Up
The telecom watchdog ended its standoff with Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd on Thursday, withdrawing its case with the Fort Magistrate after the two parties reached a settlement. Mobitel agreed to pay Rs. 2 mn to cover the Telecommunication Regulatory Commissions legal costs and re-affirm the regulators authority over the telco industry.rn rnThe settlement comes after months […]