Category: Economy

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A delegation from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will be in town next week, to weigh Sri Lankas eligibility for assistance from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). A delegation from MCC will visit Sri Lanka from June 1- 5, the US Embassy said Friday.rn rnThe MCC is a U.S. Government corporation created in January, to […]

The ADB says it is watching the economic management of Sri Lanka with much interest and called for lquote efficiency in economic management and lquote courage in policy making. rnrnVisiting ADB Vice President Mr Liqun Jin said the ADB would like to see ldblquote efficiency in economic management and courage in policymaking in Sri Lanka, […]

An international donors meeting on Sri Lanka next week is expected to push for a resumption of peace talks between Colombo and Tamil Tiger rebels, the US State Department said.rnThe meeting in Brussels will be among Norway, Japan, the European Union and the United States, which are leading efforts to drum up financial aid for […]

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard L Armitage will travel to Brussels May 31 to June 2, 2004 for consultations with fellow donor co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka on the current status of the peace process in Sri Lanka.Other participants will represent the governments of Norway, Japan and […]

Sri Lankas trade deficit for March expanded marginally, as the countrys import bill galloped ahead of export earnings, the Central Bank said Wednesday.Trade deficit for March grew US$ 70 mn to US$ 223 mn in 2004, as foreign inflows from tourism, ports, private transfers and net inflows of portfolio investments eased the pressure on the […]

Norways top peace-broker met with a Tamil Tiger rebelrnleader Wednesday in the latest effort to revive stalled peace talks betweenrnthe guerrillas and the Sri Lankan government, the Associated Press reports.rn The government has sent the Tigers a proposed agenda for talks and thernrebels were expected to give a response to the document during their meeting […]