Category: Industry
Seamless Access
June 23, 2006 (LBO) – Over a dozens firms have responded to the telecom watchdog’s call to take up a WiMAX license and offer services islandwide, the regulator said Friday. WiMAX or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access uses the 3.5 gigahertz frequency band to provide cost effective broadband technologies. The telecom regulator will initially set […]
Humble Abode
June 23, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s housing authority is to set up a low income housing fund to help re-locate people in Colombo’s under-served areas, run-down state flats and shanties.Run by the Urban Development Authority, the Fund is to be set up with seed capital from the Treasury and partly through internal funds. “We […]
Direct Orders
June 22, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Thursday said it will begin registering and regulating all broadcast satellite services, amidst the recent controversial shut down of three operators. œUnder a directive from the President, we will take measures to register satellite service providers and promulgate rules to regulate the services provided by satellite service providers, […]
‘s Minor International
June 22, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hemas Holdings Ltd may partner with Thailand’s largest quoted resort and fast food operator Minor International Public Company Ltd., to develop hotels here. Minor International also manages properties in the Middle East and runs hotels in Thailand under international brands names like Anantara and J W Marriot. Both […]
Plum Job
June 22, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Thursday appointed Ajith Nivard Cabraal as the governor of the Central Bank, president Mahinda Rajapakse’s office said in a statement. A chartered accountant by profession, Cabraal was earlier the secretary to the Plan and Implementation Ministry and a top economic advisor to Rajapakse. Cabraal succeeds businessman Sunil Mendis […]
Big Bank
June 22, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will merge several state-owned banks catering to small medium sector enterprises into one larger bank, a top government official said. Economists say Sri Lanka’s post-independent economic history is littered with ill- considered government policy decisions that ultimately backfire on the very persons they are intended to help. updated […]
Hemas Holdings may jointly develop hotels with Thailand’s Minor International
June 22, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hemas Holdings Ltd may partner with Thailand’s largest quoted resort and fast food operator Minor International Public Company Ltd., to develop hotels here. Minor International also manages properties in the Middle East and runs hotels in Thailand under international brands names like Anantara and J W Marriot. Both […]
Web Net
SAN FRANCISCO, June 20, 2006 (AFP) – Fresh from a fight with US officials over the sanctity of online search information, Google on Tuesday joined an alliance of technology firms calling for federal legislation protecting consumer privacy.“Today we live in a digital economy where both beneficial and potentially harmful uses of personal information are multiplying,” […]
Quiet Walk
June 21, 2006 (LBO) – State Bank of India plans to expand its reach in Sri Lanka, making use of an upsurge in business climate since the February 2002 ceasefire, a top official said Wednesday. The Indian giant has been present in Sri Lanka since 1864, but has been sort of a late comer to […]
Ships Ahoy
June 21 (LBO) – The Shipping Corporation has clinched a deal with Iran to buy an oil tanker and two container ships to begin feeder operations to the Colombo Port a top official said. There are several private feeder services carrying cargo to Colombo. The Shipping Corporation charters out its only two vessels. We are […]
Calling Home
SINGAPORE, June 20, 2006 (AFP) – Future expansion in the mobile telephone business will come from developing economies whose less than affluent consumers cannot be overlooked while overall growth slows, experts said Tuesday.Income levels of consumers in the world’s poorer nations may not come anywhere near their wealthy counterparts but they offer far better growth […]
Zipping Through
June 20, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Telecom, the island’s biggest fixed line operator, plans to rollout a 200 million rupee project next month to support high end data, voice, video and internet services, officials said Tuesday. Profits for the quarter were mainly driven by its CDMA (code division multiple access) operations, with SLT expecting […]