Oily Cousins

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 […]

Trade Swap

June 08 (LBO) – The Asia Pacific Trade Agreement between six Asia Pacific countries including Sri Lanka will kick off on July 1 this year, offering deep tariff cuts on several goods. Sri Lanka will enjoy margins of preference of up to 50 percent on goods like coconut products, spices, tea and rubber to Bangladesh, […]

Battle Lines

June 05 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will fight new Indian restrictions on duty free vanaspati exports, ahead of another round of Indo-Lanka trade talks at the end of June. Duty free exports of Vanaspati a hydrogenated vegetable oil, has been a sore point in Indo-Sri Lanka trade relations, with Sri Lanka accused of flooding Indian […]

No Bribes

June 02 (LBO) – A government help line linked up to 20 key state departments is to be rolled out soon, to offer general public information from getting birth certificates to a driving license. The Government Information Centre (GIC), accessed by dialing 1919 from anywhere in the island, is still in beta testing stages and […]

Work Anyone?

May 31, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lankans make model workers, a local study shows, with most happy in their jobs, with their pay and are content to stay there. Their grouse, if at all, is sick leave. But though employees were happy with their pay, other benefits did not go down well, sick leave and […]

Goodie Bag

May 27, 2006 (LBO) – Investors off-shoring business to Sri Lanka will get special tax breaks from the Board of Investment, under a revamped incentive list out in a few weeks. Sri Lanka is trying to pry away some of the business for Business Process Outsourcing(BPO) and other Information Technology enabled services away from neighbouring […]

Bad Advice

May 26, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Nawaloka Hospitals Ltd.’s fortunes swung into the red after providing hefty 284.23 million rupees for its investments in Galadari Hotel Ltd. The largely family controlled private hospital made a loss of 267.07 million rupees after making a profit of 18.97 million rupees for the fourth-quarter ended March 31, […]

Bitter Lessons

May 26 (LBO) – Sri Lanka™s top business chamber called for tough disciplinary action following a two day strike by customs officers, which paralysed imports and exports. The long-term impact on competitiveness of exports that largely depend on meeting delivery deadlines, will undoubtedly be adverse, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said in a statement on […]

Weighing Odds

May 25, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s excessive holidays, arbitrary salary increases and the government’s reluctance to settle billions to India’s main oil retailer, is turning out to be a stumbling block for Indians to invest here, officials said Thursday. Sri Lanka also wants more shipments of clothes in key categories and a relaxing of […]

Alien Raid

May 10 (LBO) – Sri Lanka authorities have initiated a major crackdown on illegal foreign labour in the country, starting with workers in foreign owned factories. Last weekend investigators from the Department of Immigration and Emigration raided a factory in the Kalutara district and arrested seven Indian nationals. The Controller of Immigration and Emigration P […]

Cancer Aid

May 08 (LBO) – Ceylinco Healthcare Services is to set up Sri Lanka’s first private cancer treatment facility by May next year, to treat even advanced cases of the disease.The facility will support its existing cancer screening unit that offers genetic counselling and also tests for oral, breast, stomach, cervical and other cancers. The new […]

China Parley

More than 50 senior executives of Chinese firms are participating in a business forum in Colombo, as commercial ties between the two countries continue to strengthen. The two day China-Sri Lanka CEO Summit, to be held on May 08th and 09th has been organized with the Asian Capital Forum, a CEO club and conference organizer. […]

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