Category: Economy

Secretary to the Economic Reforms Ministry, Mr.G. Hewagama will take over duties as Chairman of PERC with immediate effect.rn rnMr. Hewagama takes over from Dr. P. B. Jayasundera who stepped down as Chairman with effect from January 1 this year, PERC said in a statement on Friday.rn rnldblquote The appointment at PERC will be in […]

Two projects, initiated by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) will add 15,500 new low and middle income homes in the western province.rn rnThe homes will be built on UDA land with monies from Korea and China.rn rnNegotiations are underway with a Korean firm to construct and invest and estimated Rs. 200 million in 500 homes […]

The government plans to meet with officials from key foreign countries like USA and UK for a possible economic package in the event of another Gulf War.rn rnLabour Minister, Mahinda Samarasinghe kicked off the crisis level talks on Thursday by meeting top UNDP officials.rn rnHe is also due to meet Saudi Arabian and Kuwait Ambassadors […]

Financial and public sector reforms are high on the list of the upcoming IMF backed structural adjustment program in March.rn rnIMF resident representative Jeremy Carter says Sri Lanka has to trim its bloated public sector, which is the largest in the world in per capita terms.rn rnSri Lanka is likely to get about sixty five […]

The country quote s export development agency is putting together an action plan to push annual export growth in to double digits.rn rnThe Export Development Board says the five-year plan will look at eight strategic areas to drive growth. The board is hoping to drive the exports sector to grow at 13 percent annually.rn rnldblquote […]

Sixty per cent of the private sector is betting on a three to five per cent growth in the economy for 2003, below government forecasts.rn rnA wistful 58 per cent expect prices to swell within a range of seven and eleven per cent in 2003.rn rnThe findings are responses to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) […]

Sri Lanka is to receive up to US$ 400 mn, which amounts to 100 percent of its SDR quotas, under the International Monetary Fund quote s Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.rn rnThe long-term loan package is linked to the government quote s three-year economic reform programme spelt out in the Regaining Sri Lanka paper and […]

The LTTE and government meetings are drawing up strategies to milk the world donor community to the maximum at the June donor conference.rn rnThe Cabinet spokesperson Prof. G L Peiris refused to put a quantum, but the government is looking at raising around US$ 600 million in medium term funds for national development projects.rn rnProf. […]

Change is in the offing to revamp a highly criticised public sector with a top-level Administrative Committee appointed by the Premier, pushing for a series of reforms.rn rnAmong the key changes being suggested is a re-look at salary structures for government workers endash the removal of upper salary limits and doing away with a uniform […]

The Board of Investment (BOI) is looking to trim up to 50 percent of its workforce with a voluntary retirement scheme doing its rounds among staff.rn rnFollowing the BOI Act that was passed in Parliament in December last year, the country quote s main investing arm is being restructured – split up into five Regional […]

A white paper on wide ranging reforms to support and strengthen the small and medium sector has moved from the drawing board to the government for approval. rnBacked by the Asian Development Bank, the reforms form the basis of a proposed national policy on SME quote s, with a draft action plan spread out over […]

Government projects are not always evaluated, and when they are the evaluations are not taken seriously.As a result failures are unaccounted for and future approaches unaltered. A national policy for evaluation of programs and organizations is expected to help. rn rnldblquote First of all a national Policy on Evaluation has to be done. A clear […]