Category: General Services

July 6, 2006 (LBO) – India’s Commerce Minister has raised the red flag on Sri Lankan shipments of vanaspati, pepper and marble, as they are threatening to destabilise the giant neighbour’s domestic industry, the Indian embassy said in a statement Thursday. The statement comes as both nations last week concluded trade talks on forming a […]

The government has finalised tax rates for imported movies, dramas, sitcoms and commercials, with a formal announcement expected on Thursday. Rates are likely to be 75, 000 rupees (750 dollars) for a 30 minute block that is not dubbed, going up to 90,000 rupees (900 dollars) for a dubbed half hour block. The Teledrama, Film […]

June 30, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government Friday said it will offer duty free cars and motorcycles to accredited journalists in a bid to ensure the “freedom” of the media.Plan Implementation Ministry Secretary Nivard Cabraal said a scheme to offer tax free cars, motorcycles and computers to journalists would be implemented before the end […]

June 28, 2006 (LBO) – India has asked Sri Lankan vanaspati manufacturers to begin exports of the vegetable oil under new controls, amidst trade talks between the countries in Colombo. The move is one that violates the spirit of the free trade agreement between the countries, Sri Lanka™s Department of Commerce says and will take […]

June 28, 2006 (LBO) – HDFC Bank, the island’s largest housing bank, plans to expand its core business with moves to get into property development, an equity research firm said Wednesday. Executed through a fully-owned subsidiary HDFC Real Estate Development Ltd the state-run housing bank hopes to pay for the mammoth projects by leveraging its […]

June 28 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s Board of Investment has re-done its tax incentive scheme with an emphasis on off-shore investments and large scale infrastructure projects. The traditional five year tax holiday will be replaced with a more rationalised scheme to raise the quality of investments, BOI chief Lakshman Watawala told businessmen on Wednesday. The […]

June 27, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Asha Central Hospital has bought land in Colombo to build a new 200-bed hospital, its Managing Director said Tuesday. The attractive fiscal incentives offered by the government to attract foreign and local investment to the health care industry have also helped spur growth. The 180-perches block of land, […]

June 26, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Monday asked satellite television broadcasters to get themselves registered and fixed an annual fee of 500,000 rupees. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission said cable distribution networks and satellite communications networks have to apply by July 21, 2006 to secure a license. It applies to all satellite or cable television […]

June 15, 2006 (LBO) – India has called for a meeting with Sri Lankan vanaspati producers on Friday to iron out issues, in the latest saga that has brought trade relations between both nations to a boiling point. Sri Lanka™s shipments of vanasapati an edible oil mainly used for cooking purposes came to a standstill […]

June 14 (LBO) – The Treasury has drawn up a list of tax rates and concessions on imported Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters, likely to be finalised this week. The controversial tax, announced in the government™s budget this year, could possibly be set at 75,000 rupees (750 dollars) for every half hour program, sitcom or serial. […]

June 13 (LBO) – Sri Lankan employers are to work with trade unions to build dialogue in key areas like health, education and power, under a European Union funded project. The 12 month project will work with three government sector departments and four private sector agencies on tools for negotiation, social dialogue and governance, a […]

June 11, 2006 (LBO) – Two kinds of oil. One fires up vehicles, the other adds flavour to cooking. The two have managed to create a nasty oil spill between Sri Lanka and India, with trade relations between both countries simmering to boiling point. The spat between Colombo and Indian Oil Corp’s local unit over […]