Category: Featured
Sri Lanka to add new domestic air service in 2017: Budget
Nov 11, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will introduce a new domestic airline by March 2017 to increase local connectivity, the Finance minister said. “This airline will be on a public private partnership agreement, which will include the Sri Lanka Air Force, the hotel industry, travel agents and other private sector stakeholders,” Ravi Karunanayake, finance […]
Sri Lanka targets 4.6-pct budget deficit for 2017: Ravi
Nov 10, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government unveiled its budget for 2017 that aimed to cut the budget deficit while increasing spending on education, health and infrastructure. The government expects a 4.6 percent budget deficit in 2017, down from 5.4 percent for this year, the finance minister said presenting the 2017 budget. Total revenue […]
Sri Lanka to list Mobitel, Hyatt other state enterprises: Budget 2017
Nov 10, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said several state-owned enterprises such as Mobitel, Hyatt, Waters Edge, Grand Oriental Hotel will be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The firms are to be listed during 2017, he said presenting budget proposals for 2017. “We will also list non-strategic enterprises such as […]
Sri Lanka to set up sugar fund with ethanol tax and cess: Ravi
Nov 10, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will set up a special price stabilization fund for sugar cane, and give state land and a 100 percent capital allowance to set up factories as incentives to develop the industry, Finance Minister said. “I propose to establish a Sugar Stabilization Fund by imposing a 2 percent Cess […]
Sri Lanka economy expected to grow 6.3-pct in 2017: CB
Nov 10, 2016 (LBO) –Sri Lanka’s economic growth is likely to be around 5 to 5.5 percent this year and expected to increase to 6.3 percent in 2017 and to grow further thereafter at an annual rate of 7 percent or above, the Central Bank said. Releasing its half yearly publication, ‘Recent Economic Developments: Highlights […]
Sri Lanka govt to fund Rs635Mn development of BIA
Nov 10, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers have given the go ahead to construct a new immigration hall, electronic mall and an expansion of the departure concourse at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) with a total cost of 635 million rupees. Construction contract for the immigration hall and new mall construction had been awarded […]
Sri Lanka govt approves phase 2 of Central Expressway, only single bidders
Nov 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet has given the nod to build the second section of Central Expressway which runs from Mirigama to Kurunegala for 39.29 kilometers. The contract in this regard has been divided into four (04) packages and only one set of bidders submitted proposals for each of four civil work contract packages. […]
Sri Lanka bans cinnamon imports and re-exports
Nov 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s cabinet nod has been received to list Cinnamon as a banned commodity to import from other parts of the world. The move came after few incidents that Cinnamon produced in other countries re-exported to several countries under the Entrepot trade. Ministry of Primary Industries said as per the […]
Interview: Strength of potential partners key to LNG negotiations, says PRDS DG
Nov 08, 2016 (LBO) – The reputation and financial strength of potential partners is key to developing Sri Lanka’s LNG infrastructure, according to the head of the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS). “Introducing a new energy form of LNG and building up end-user dependency on it requires a low-risk approach to supply assurance,” Saliya Wickramasuriya, […]
‘s tourism minister highlights red-tape as major challenge
Nov 09, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s ambitious plans to develop its tourism sector are being held up by too much bureaucracy, according to the island’s Minister for Tourism, John Amaratunga. Speaking ahead of the inaugural Asia Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (AHTIC) in Colombo, he said: “One of the biggest challenges is the bureaucracy. […]
Sri Lanka welcomes first KLM flight after nearly 20 years
Nov 08, 2016 (LBO) – KLM Royal Dutch Airlines resumed flights to Sri Lanka on 01 November with a twice-weekly service between Colombo and Amsterdam operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, a statement said. On board were KLM VIPs and Joanne Doornewaard, ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and Maldives. Throughout […]
Nestlé Lanka invests Rs500Mn in Sri Lanka’s dairy industry
Nov 08, 2016 (LBO) – Nestlé Lanka, a unit of the Swiss-based food group, announced the opening of a new UHT milk plant in their factory in Kurunegala. The company has made an investment of 500 million rupees in the island’s dairy industry with the new production facility. Through this new investment on a UHT […]