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Sri Lanka moves to allow president to run again
June 11, 2010 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government has approved lifting the two-term limit for presidents in a move that would allow incumbent Mahinda Rajapakse to run for office again, an official said Friday. Rajapakse, 64, came to power in 2005 and has increased his firm grip on power since defeating the separatist Tamil […]
Sri Lanka to sign trade deals with China: official
June 11, 2010 (AFP) – Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang will hold talks with Sri Lanka’s president at the weekend and sign several trade and economic deals, the island’s foreign ministry said Friday. China is also building a port in the south of the island and is involved in constructing highways, power stations and petroleum […]
Sri Lanka gets Indian aid to rebuild transport infrastructure
June 11, 2010 (LBO) – India will lend about a billion dollars to help develop Sri Lanka’s transport infrastructure, rebuilding railways, a port and an airport in the war-torn north, a joint statement by the two neighbours said. India will give soft loans of about 800 million dollars for railway projects in Sri Lanka and […]
Sri Lanka growth accelerates: CB Governor
June 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s first quarter growth is likely to be “more than 6.0 percent” allowing year-end growth to reach 7. 0 percent, higher than originally forecast, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. The Central Bank originally projected a growth of 6. 5 percent for 2010. “Our estimates are the first quarter […]
‘s Mahathir
June 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should target investment led growth and minimize borrowings which could lead to a future debt crisis, former Malaysian prime minister, Mahathir Mohamed said. As a result Sri Lanka has run up national debt to almost 86 percent gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 from just 16 percent at […]
Sri Lanka CB appoints top committee to boost sovereign rating
June 10, 2010 (LBO) – A committee made up of top central bank, finance ministry and private sector representatives had been appointed to develop strategy to push Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating to investment grade, the island’s monetary authority said. The committee is charged with devising a strategy of taking Sri Lanka current speculative B+ (Fitch) […]
Sri Lankan stocks close 0.71-pct up
June 10, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed up Thursday from institutional and high net worth interest on selected high value and midcap shares, while retail investors continued to chase after midcap and ‘penny stocks’, brokers said. The All Share Price Index (ASPI) closed at 4,496. 24, up 31.83 points, while the Milanka index […]
Steady Steps
June 10, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Citizens Development Business Finance says it has maintained profitability and managed non performing loans last year in a tough operating environment and is now looking to expand. The firm has changed its financial year from December to March and posted revenues of 1.9 billion rupees for the 15 […]
Education Promises
June 10, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s newly appointed higher education ministry has promised better syllabuses, elimination of ‘ragging’ of freshmen and stronger English language skills to boost the employability of graduates from state universities. Dissanayake who is also a state university graduate and former activist, said the current academic syllabus taught at universities will […]
Health Hopes
June 10, 2010 (LBO) – A new hospital in Sri Lanka’s Asiri healthcare group is set to break-even and generate positive cashflows despite overshooting its construction budget by 20 percent, an official said. The Central hospital, which started operations two months ago and cost 5.5 billion to build, is generating enough cash flows to be […]
Sri Lanka plans new tariffs to smoothen power peaks
June 10, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka state-run Ceylon Electricity Board is devising new tariffs with low off peak rates and penal peak rates to smoothen the daily peak load and push some industrial activities to low demand hours, officials said. At the moment industries get subsidized tariffs, while commercial and large households pay higher […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries yields flat
June 09, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Treasury bill yields were steady at Wednesday’s auction, with the government selling more than the maturing volume to raise new money, the government’s debt office said. The debt office sold 1.7 billion rupees in 3-month bills, 4. 7 billion in 6-month bills and 3.9 billion rupees in 12-month […]