Category: Featured
President instructs to tow ‘X-PRESS PEARL’ vessel into deep seas
Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed officials a short while ago to tow the X-PRESS PEARL container ship into deep seas off the Colombo Harbour. The decision comes following a meeting with high level officials and the President. Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena Tuesday informed the President of all details surrounding the […]
Govt and ADB sign USD200Mn loan agreement for rural road development
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka recently signed a $200 million loan agreement for the Second Integrated Road Investment Program Tranche 3 to continue ADB’s assistance to upgrade Sri Lanka’s rural road network connecting vast rural populations to jobs and services. “Economic growth is hindered by poor transport infrastructure, particularly […]
Second stock of Sinopharm added to vaccination drive from today
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed that the second stock of 500,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses received as a gift from the Chinese Government, be used in the vaccination drive from today (26). Accordingly, plans have been made to distribute the vaccines among several districts based on priorities recommended by the health sector. The SriLankan Airlines flight […]
JKH group revenue up by 17-pct excluding Leisure in Q4
• The Group witnessed a faster than anticipated recovery momentum with the performance of most businesses reaching pre COVID-19 levels with business activity and consumer trends being near normal by the end of the financial year. • Excluding Leisure, Group revenue increased by 17% to Rs.36.15 billion in Q4; up 1% to Rs.122.32 billion in […]
Travel restrictions extended until June 7; temporary relaxations on May 25, 31 & June 4
The government has decided to extend the travel restrictions until the 07th of June to contain the current Covid situation. The decision was taken at a meeting with the Special Committee on COVID-19 chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (24). Travel restrictions will be relaxed from 4.00 am to 11.00 […]
‘s economy collapse due to lockdown?
By Charith Isuru The answer is a BIG NO….. What are possible scenarios that can cause a possible economic collapse in Sri Lanka during this Covid pandemic? 1. Substantial downturn in exports. 2. Sizable loss in foreign worker remittances. 3. Unexpected surge in imports to an unbearable level. 4. Lack of foreign currency inflows to […]
Port City Colombo opens gates for investment
Port City Colombo, Sri Lanka’s brand-new reclaimed land, slated as the “Gateway to South Asia”, now officially becomes the country’s first service oriented Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Sri Lankan Parliament, today (20th), adopted a powerful Bill enabling a giant step in Port City Colombo becoming a pivotal global financial and services hub for South […]
PET collector’s journey amidst a raging pandemic
How Mahesh creates his livelihood around plastic, impacts of COVID-19 and waste segregation in Sri Lanka The importance of recycling is highlighted globally because waste has a negative effect on the natural environment. In some capacity, recycling also gives society an excellent reason to play a supporting role in keeping our planet clean. Recycling also […]
Interview: Union Assurance will continue to grow through distribution channel expansions
Union Assurance was awarded Life Insurance Company of the Year at Business Leader Awards ceremony held in India recently affirming its leadership in the country’s fast-growing insurance industry. Speaking to Lanka Business Online exclusively regarding the company’s recent win Senath Jayatilake, chief distribution officer says UA’s vision is to transform the life insurance industry in […]
Are we getting the Colombo Port City Financial Centre right?
By H. Dabarera and KD Vimanga. Background The Colombo Port City commission bill is to be debated in parliament this week. Over the last few weeks, Sri Lankans have contemplated if the proposed Colombo Port City is the messiah that will rescue the country’s economy or whether it is another Trojan Horse that will throw […]
Financial results of Sampath Bank for Q1 of 2021
The Bank recorded a Profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 6.1 Bn in 1Q 2021 compared to Rs 3 Bn in 1Q 2020, denoting a growth of 101%, while Profit after tax (PAT) increased by 83% to Rs 4.6 Bn from Rs 2.5 Bn recorded in the first quarter of 2020. Resilient performance of all […]
Widespread informality likely to slow recovery from COVID-19 in developing economies
A strikingly large percentage of workers and firms operate outside the line of sight of governments in emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs)—a challenge that is likely to hold back the recovery in these economies unless governments adopt a comprehensive set of policies to address the drawbacks of the informal sector, a new World Bank […]