Category: Featured
CHEC to kick off Port City project with billion dollar towers : Minister
Jan 26, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka government has signed two Memorandums of Understanding with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to facilitate investment on Colombo International Finance City (CIFC) to construct a building complex and an underground marine drive road tunnel, a Minister said. “CHEC want to kick start investment and the project company has indicated […]
‘s, Explores FTA option
Jan 25, 2018 (LBO) – President of Indonesia Joko Widodo in the island on a offical vist met with Sri Lanka’s President and exchanged views on the progress and challenges in the bilateral cooperation and agreed to enhance cooperation for the mutual benefit. President Widodo conveyed Indonesia’s commitment to contribute towards Sri Lanka’s development, particularly in infrastructure and connectivity. Both […]
Singapore FTA: What it means for Trade and Investment Flows
By Janaka Wijayasiri and Kithmina Hewage The freshly-signed Sri Lankan-Singapore FTA (SLSFTA) marks a new milestone in the relations between the two island economies. The agreement, signed on 23 January 2018, after almost 18 months of negotiations, is a modern, comprehensive, and high quality agreement. It covers a wide range of areas including goods and […]
Cost reflective pricing formula for fuel, electricity this year: CB Governor
Jan 24, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy says the government will introduce a cost reflective pricing formula for both fuel and electricity this year. The IMF said in its latest report that domestic prices of fuel and electricity are expected to be determined by a formula introduced in March and […]
Sri Lanka inflation dips to 7.3-pct in December 2017
Jan 23, 2018 (LBO) – The overall rate of inflation as measured by National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) on year on year basis was down to 7.3 percent in December 2017 when compared with 8.4 percent November 2017, according to the Department of Census and Statistics. Issuing a statement the department said Y on Y inflation of food […]
Restricting sale of liquor to women: public debate is misinformed
Jan 22, 2018 (LBO) – Interdisciplinary think tank, Verité Research says that contrary to popular understanding, Excise Notification No.04/2018 issued by the Finance Minister only prohibits the sale of liquor to women inside a tavern. The research firm highlights that this restriction has no implication on the purchase of liquor almost anywhere else, which is […]
Sri Lanka signs FTA with Singapore tomorrow
Jan 22, 2018 (LBO) – A Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and Singapore will be signed following bilateral talks between the two nations, Tuesday. Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong is to arrive in Sri Lanka on the invitation of Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena, Monday. Last week, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved a […]
Seat belts, air bags compulsory on vehicles from July: Finance Ministry
Jan 19, 2018 (LBO) – Finance Ministry has decided to postpone the implementation of the budget proposal on introduction of emission standards and safety measures up to July 01, 2018. The decision has been taken after considering the representations made by motor vehicle importers and manufacturers for a lead time to make required adjustments to comply […]
Sri Lanka’s USD500mn development bond oversubscribed
Jan 19, 2018 (LBO) – The issue of Sri Lanka development bonds amounting to 500 million US dollars has been oversubscribed with close to 527 million US dollars of bids received from investors. The Central Bank has received 129.27 million dollars of bids for the two year bond and the bank has accepted 93.15 million […]
Opinion: Cabinet decision to ban women from buying liquor is unconstitutional
By Verité Research Women are permitted to purchase liquor. On 10 January 2018, the Minister of Finance and Mass Media issued Excise Notification No. 02/2018 under the Excise Ordinance, No. 8 of 1912 (as amended). The new Notification amends Excise Notification No. 666 of 31 December 1979, and removes the ban on the sale of liquor […]
Finance Ministry re-imposes ban on women buying liquor
Jan 18, 2018 (LBO) – Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera on the request of the cabinet has withdrawn the two gazette notifications issued under the Excise Ordinance. Accordingly, the prohibition on selling liquor to women and employing women in places where liquor is manufactured or sold has been re-imposed under excise notification No 04 of 2018 […]
Sri Lanka’s cabinet approves signing FTA with Singapore
Jan 17, 2018 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has approved a proposal to sign the proposed Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and Singapore. The proposed Free Trade Agreement consists of provisions regarding trade in goods and services, service liberalization, investments and public procurement. Following the proposal put forward by International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama, […]