Category: Featured
Former Sri Lankan brigadier responsible for Northern ‘Ava’ gang: Rajitha
Nov 02, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Co-cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne on Wednesday accused a former brigadier for literally forming the ‘Ava’ violent gang during the war. Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake told Parliament recently that the Police had implemented programmes to stop a crime wave in Jaffna created by this group that commits […]
USD1 bln expected from Hambantota port sale: CB Governor
Nov 02, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka could expect a one billion dollar inflow to the economy in about five months time through the sale of a stake in the Hambantota Port, the Central Bank Governor said on Tuesday. The equity proceeds of a sale of an 80 percent stake to a Chinese investor could […]
GSP+ final decision by May 2017, tangible progress needed: EU
Nov 02, 2016 (LBO) – National reconciliation, the empowerment of women and Sri Lanka’s application for the General System of Preferences (GSP+) were the main focus of discussions of the four member delegation of the European Parliament. On GSP+, they stressed that the decision on Sri Lanka’s application will also need the approval of the […]
Illegal arrest, torture and harassment continuing in Sri Lanka: AHRC
Nov 01, 2016 (LBO) – The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said on Tuesday an individual illegally arrested and tortured in Ja-Ela, and the harassment of a priest in Wattegama, are examples of failure to uphold the rule of law in Sri Lanka. The individual in Ja-Ela was produced before the Negombo Magistrate on a […]
Sri Lanka Central Bank keeps rates steady ahead of budget
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank on Monday decided to keep its key interest rates steady, a few days ahead of the national budget. Accordingly, the Standing Deposit Facility Rate and the Standing Lending Facility Rate of the Central Bank will be maintained at 7.00 percent and 8.50 percent, respectively. Monetary Policy […]
Sri Lanka’s CCPI inflation up 0.3 pct points in Oct 2016
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo accelerated 4.2 percent in October 2016 from a year earlier, up from 3.9 percent in September, the state statistics office data showed. Inflation of the food group increased from 5.5 percent in September to 6.0 percent in October while that of non-food group […]
Korea Eximbank checks feasibility to create ICT hub in Sri Lanka
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – South Korea’s export and import bank is planning to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to establish an ICT Hub for secondary education in Sri Lanka through a joint consulting firm. Sri Lanka has identified that the availability of highly skilled labor force is vital to the economic growth as well […]
Sri Lanka to have 500 public Wi-Fi spots before end 2016
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Digital Infrastructure Ministry is expected to complete opening of 500 free public Wi-fi spots in the island before the end of this year. The Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure recently reactivated 405 hotspots that underwent an upgrade. The ministry is to open 95 new public Wi-fi facilities […]
Sri Lanka seeks to boost capital markets, draw FDI : OBG
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Government commitments to step up privatisation, repair its balance sheet and encourage more listings should help broaden the base of Sri Lanka’s capital markets and draw stronger flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the economy, the Oxford Business Group said. In April the Sri Lankan government brokered a $1.5bn […]
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Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Value Added Tax (VAT) hike 15 percent from 11 percent will make the island credit positive as it will facilitate fiscal consolidation by strengthening low revenue-to GDP ratio, Moody’s Investors Service said. “The government originally implemented the VAT hike in May, but retracted it in July after a […]
Excerpts of Sri Lanka COPE recommendations on bond issue
Oct 31, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Committee on Public Enterprises has made several recommendations to Parliament on last year’s controversial bond issue. Excerpts of the recommendations, as published by the Sunday Times, are the following: Evidence has been placed before the COPE, which gives rise to reasonable suspicion that former CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran […]
EU team to visit Sri Lanka next week on GSP+ application
Oct 28, 2016 (LBO) – A four member delegation from the European Parliament will visit Sri Lanka next week to look at the groundwork laid for a successful GSP+ application, a statement said. “The team will also discuss the progress on national reconciliation and ways to empower women politically and economically,” said the delegation of […]