Category: Featured
IGP and Former Defence Secy arrested while in hospital
Jul 03, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s top police officer, Pujitha Jayasundara and the former Defence Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Hemasiri Fernando were both arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday terror blasts, yesterday while undergoing treatment in hospital. The Colombo Chief Magistrate, Lanka Jayaratne placed the two officials in remand custody after they […]
World Bank classifies Sri Lanka as upper-middle income country under new revision
Jul 02, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has moved up to the upper-middle income category from lower-middle income category under the World Bank’s new country classification by income level. As of July 1, 2019, under the new revision, Sri Lanka’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is 4,060 US dollars, up from 3,840 dollars reported […]
Sri Lanka public servant pay hike effective from today
Jul 01, 2019 (LBO) – The salary increment and other allowances for public servants proposed by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his budget 2019 is effective from today (July 01). Accordingly, all public servants will receive an additional monthly allowance of 2500.00 rupees, the Finance Ministry said issuing a statement. Also, allowance for security forces […]
Death penalty sends wrong signal to investors: EU
Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – The European Union has issued a statement opposing the revival of the death penalty, saying it will send wrong signals to investors and violate commitments to the United Nations. Sri Lanka is actively moving towards resuming executions, which would bring an end to its 43-year moratorium on the death penalty. […]
Land prices in greater Colombo increase up to 64-pct: Lanka Property Web report
Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – Demand for land in Thalahena, Gothatuwa and Kolonnawa are rising significantly, resulting in the highest percentage increases in land prices in Greater Colombo, according to a recently concluded study. LankaPropertyWeb.com analysed postings in its website to ascertain the change in asking prices for land in the Greater Colombo area. Thalahena […]
Sri Lankan banks face rising NPLs, capital pressure: Fitch Ratings
Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks face further increases in non-performing loans (NPLs) this year as the macro-economic environment remains difficult, Fitch Ratings said in a new report. Weaker asset quality and earnings will add to pressure on capital, and many small and medium-sized banks still need to raise equity capital to meet […]
Sri Lanka updates HRC on measures taken to advance human rights, peace and security
Jun 26, 2019 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka delegation to the Human Rights Council briefed the Council on progress made in addressing human rights concerns, national security imperatives, as well as reconciliation priorities. Sri Lanka’s intervention under agenda item 2 of the council, followed the oral update provided by the UN High Commissioner for Human […]
Sri Lanka GDP accelarates to 3.7-pct in Q1 2019
June 20, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economic growth rate is estimated as 3.7 percent for the first quarter of 2019, data from the state statistics office show. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant (20 I0) prices for the first quarter of 2019 recorded as 2,326,273 million rupees and GOP reported for the first […]
Sri Lanka CB launch roadmap for sustainable finance
Jun 20, 2019 (LBO) – The Central Bank launched the roadmap for sustainable finance in Sri Lanka and hosted a high-level seminar for senior officers of financial institutions and stakeholders, recently. This was the national launch of the roadmap for sustainable finance which was unveiled globally in April 2019 at the sustainable banking network global […]
Advocata commends Government’s decision to shut down SaluSala
Jun 19, 2019 (LBO) – Advocata Institute commends President Maithripala Sirisena’s directive to shut down the loss-making, state-owned handloom enterprise Salu Sala. While we commend this decision, we are also anticipating the official gazette enacting this statement. The SaluSala, now a white elephant to society, was once the only state textile trading enterprise in the […]
Govt provides sovereign guarantee to RDB Bank to obtain USD 50mn loan from ADB
Jun 15, 2019 (LBO) – Government has facilitated the Pradeshiya Sanwardana Bank, by providing a sovereign guarantee, to obtain a loan amounting to 50 million US dollars from the ADB which is operating islandwide providing financial and advisory services to Micro, small and medium enterprises. The Finance Ministry said the project will increase employment opportunities […]
Data on violence against women crucial to understanding magnitude of issue: Report
Jun 14, 2019 (LBO) – One in three female homicides in Sri Lanka are related to intimate partner violence and 69 percent of such incidences go unreported, according to a study done in five provinces commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In 2018, the High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka issued a […]