Category: Policy
POLL: CB to stand pat this wk, assessing impact of previous hikes
Sept 26, 2016 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s central bank is expected to keep its key interest rates steady on Wednesday, after cutting three times since December to fend off pressure on the fragile rupee currency and curb accelerating credit growth that has pushed up inflation. All 13 economists surveyed in a Reuters poll expect the central bank to keep its […]
‘s Financial Intel Unit signs MOU with Singapore authority
Sept 22, 2016 (LBO) – The Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (FIU) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office of Singapore (STRO) to facilitate exchange of information on money laundering and terrorist financing. The MOU has been entered into “within the framework of each […]
No liberalization of professionals under upcoming FTAs: Kelegama
Sept 20, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s bilateral free trade agreements that are currently being considered have no liberalization of professionals, a senior official confirmed. Sri Lanka is currently negotiating with India to deepen the existing Indo-Lanka FTA via Economic and Technology Cooperative Agreement (ETCA), and is talks with China and Singapore to sign bilateral […]
Sri Lanka to adopt chip card system before end 2017: Central Bank
Sept 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is looking at completely adopting the more secure and efficient chip card system before the end of next year, a Central Bank official said. This will be among several other initiatives lined up for implementing in the coming years under the 2020 road map for developing a national […]
Sri Lanka expected to hold rates steady in 2016: Stan Chart
(Corrected to reflect typo in report. USD/LKR seen at 152 by end 2017) Sept 02, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is expected to hold interest rates steady for the rest of 2016 as the impact of two previous rate hikes kick in, Standard Chartered said in a report analyzing the economies of Sri Lanka and […]
World Bank to improve transparency with new procurement system in Sri Lanka
Aug 22, 2016 (LBO) – The World Bank in keeping pace with global trends has introduced a new procurement framework in South Asia including Sri Lanka to improve development impact and transparency. The new system helps its partner countries that procure goods and services under Bank-financed projects make the best use of their public spending, […]
Sri Lanka expects USD671mn BOP surplus for 2016: Finance Minister
Aug 11, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake told Parliament Thursday that the government expects 671 million US dollars worth surplus in the overall balance of payment account for 2016. Karunanayake said the government forecasts around 11,374 million US dollars of foreign exchange earnings and 10,703 million US dollars foreign exchange payments […]
Sri Lanka adopts Swiss procedure to handle unsolicited proposals
Aug 11, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet on Tuesday decided to include the “Swiss challenge” procedure in the government procurement guidelines to be followed on unsolicited proposals. A Swiss challenge is a form of public procurement which requires an authority which has received an unsolicited bid to publish the bid and invite third parties […]
Sri Lanka Supreme Court blocks bill raising VAT
Aug 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has ordered parliament to stop considering a bill to raise value-added tax (VAT) because the drafting of the proposed legislation had not followed due process, the assembly speaker said on Tuesday. The failure to raise the tax could put in jeopardy the government’s ambitious fiscal consolidation […]
FCID collecting vital information necessary for governance: official
Aug 06, 2016 (LBO) – A stream of former government and corporate officials who have been questioned by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) of Sri Lanka in recent months is not political vindictiveness or a witch hunt, a government official said. It is the collection of key information necessary for good governance, the official […]
Malaysia’s rationalization of SOEs, lessons for Sri Lanka
Aug 05, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-owned public enterprises should be rationalized to focus on four main factors to future survival, a top official at PEMANDU Malaysia said. Speaking at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2016, CEO of PEMANDU, Dato Sri Idris Jala, said the most important factor is that the SOEs should be […]
Nihal Fonseka appointed to Monetary Board
Aug 04, 2016 (LBO) – Veteran banker Nihal Fonseka has been appointed to the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Fonseka has served as CEO of DFCC Bank and on several boards such as the National Payments Council and the Financial Systems Stability Consultative Committee of the Central Bank, the Strategic Enterprise […]