Category: Banking and Finance

The IMF plans to work on a macroeconomic impact, budgetary and balance of payments needs assessment to the tsunami-hit Sri Lanka, besides stepping in with up to US$ 160 mn in emergency financial assistance, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Wednesday.The IMF plans to work on a macroeconomic impact, budgetary and balance of […]

The JVP wants all tsunami-affected businesses released from their current and previous tax obligations. The JVP wants all tsunami-affected businesses released from their current and previous tax obligations. The government’s main coalition partner, the JVP is calling for blanket tax concessions for tsunami-affected businesses – when the government says no tax breaks. In a statement […]

The World Bank’s private sector financing arm is offering cash grants through its business investments in Sri Lanka who have undertaken post-tsunami reconstruction work.The World Bank’s private sector financing arm is offering cash grants through its business investments in Sri Lanka who have undertaken post-tsunami reconstruction work. Sanjiva Senanayake, the International Financial Corp’s Resident Representative […]

Sri Lanka’s tsunami tragedy will affect an estimate Rs. 20 billion in loans given out by commercial banks to individuals and business in the ravaged coastal belt.Sri Lanka’s tsunami tragedy will affect an estimate Rs. 20 billion in loans given out by commercial banks to individuals and business in the ravaged coastal belt. A fraction […]

The Asian Development Bank says it is not keen on offsetting debt, but is pushing for more grant aid and a re-scheduling of loans. Sri Lanka owes the Manila based bank a total of US$ 1.6 bn in total to date, with debt repayment this year standing at US$ 75 mn. Given the ‘extraordinary financing’ […]

Sri Lanka’s request for a US$ 113.5 mn debt moratorium on interest payments due to the International Monetary Fund came through on Thu., freeing up some cash for emergency post-tsunami reconstruction bills.Sri Lanka’s request for a US$ 113.5 mn debt moratorium on interest payments due to the International Monetary Fund came through on Thu., freeing […]

The Paris Club of creditor nations offered an unconditional freeze on debt repayments for Indonesia, the Seychelles and Sri Lanka to help them recover from last month’s catastrophic tidal waves.The Paris Club of creditor nations offered an unconditional freeze on debt repayments for Indonesia, the Seychelles and Sri Lanka to help them recover from last […]

International rating agency Fitch Ratings, says a debt moratorium extended by the Paris Club, deferring external debt service for an as yet unspecified period could lead to an unintended bunching of repayments and more generalised debt service difficulties at a later date.Making its observation before the Paris Club meeting Fitch says that the G7 external […]

Civil rights groups are calling on the government and other non-governmental organisations (NGO) for transparency in tsunami relief operations.Civil rights groups are calling on the government and other non-governmental organisations (NGO) for transparency in tsunami relief operations. “An immediate attempt should be made to account for all donations that have been received for reconstruction and […]

The United Kingdom has come forward to pick up 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s debt repayments to multilateral lenders from next year, as part of the UK government’s efforts to ease the island nation’s US$ 1.5 bn tsunami reconstruction cost.The United Kingdom has come forward to pick up 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s debt repayments […]

Top multilateral donors who are drawing up new financing plans for Sri Lanka’s post-tsunami period are due to stump up over US$ 500 mn in additional loans in the coming weeks, a joint statement said Tue.Top multilateral donors who are drawing up new financing plans for Sri Lanka’s post-tsunami period are due to stump up […]

The International Monetary Fund is expected to give its verdict by Thu.on Sri Lanka’s request to delay interest payments, while the island’s Central Bank prepares to rollout the red carpet to welcome the Fund’s First Deputy Managing Director. The International Monetary Fund is expected to give its verdict by Thu. on Sri Lanka’s request to […]