Category: Industry
Choppy Ride
The Central Bank on Monday named financial institutions that are not registered with the bank, but continue to raise funds from the public.The 31 companies named, raise funds not by deposits, but by other means like debentures, commercial paper and promissory notes.rn rnThe notice comes after the Central Bank named 27 companies in January for […]
Home Zone
Localising its online service, Emirates on Monday announced the launch of its website for Sri Lanka – www.The local extension will provide online visitors with special promotions and information tied to Sri Lanka along with the regularly featured facilities like booking services and flight schedules. rn rn”This is an exciting development for Emirates in Sri […]
Joining Order
A fresh set of rules to govern telecom firm mergers is being floated within the industry for comment by August 6.The draft outlines how the telecom watchdog should respond to merger situation and how the merged operators should behave.rn rnInformation and infrastructure sharing, cross subsidisation and other practices that give the firs and unfair advantage […]
Mop Up
Central Bank sold Rs. 1 billion of its Treasury Bill in the secondary market on Wednesday to mop up excess liquidity in the banking system.The Central Bank says around Rs.11 billion is in excess of which players say about Rs. 5 billion is permanently in excess.rn rnOf late money market players have parked about the […]
Asian Edition
Sri Lanka will play host to the first annual IT knowledge dissemination conference endash Networking South Asia later in July.Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dr.Gihan Dias says the conference aims to build links with regional Internet and allied service providers and to push through the latest thinking in the industry. rn rnIndustry sources say the […]
Clearing the Air
A draft spectrum management report recommends auctioning as the basis for allocating slots in the 1800 and 1900 MHz frequency band.Justifying its recommendations, the report say auctioning frequency slots would obtain competitive market rats for the scarce resource opposed to fixed rates last revised in 1996.rn rnThe telecom watchdog already cleared four slots in the […]
Term Tests
The first in a line up of state sector accounting reviews kicked off Tuesday, with the National Review Committee studying the Ports Authoritys books. Accounts for 2002 from 12 more firms have been lined up for review by mid September including the books of state sector financial institutions.rn rnIn the running for scrutiny is the […]
Setting Sail
The Sri Lanka Ports Authority estimates a Rs. 3 bn profit for 2003 as a result of restructuring measures adopted last year.Revenue for the first six months is already 18 per cent up from a provisional Rs.983 million for the calendar year 2002 with turnover at around Rs.15 bn.rn rnProfits for 2001 was at Rs. […]
Letting Go
Hatton National Bank has (HNB) offered a voluntary retirement package to its top management as part of the banks restructuring, that has been going on over the last two years but says the move will not weaken the quality of management. The countries largest private bank says ldblquote the strategic redirection and the regionalisation dblquote […]
Rough Waters
Policy makers are reviewing a fresh proposal outlining legislation to include the disputed terminal handling charges into the freight rate.rnrnThe Cabinet committee on economic policy is expected to resolve the dispute, ending a number of previous failed attempts. rn rnExporters say the THC is eroding their profitability and price competitiveness, also claiming that it includes […]
See-Me-there
The telecom watchdog has given the go ahead to licensed international voice and data operators to access the SEA-MEendash WE 3 submarine cable.Only Sri Lanka Telecom had access and control of the cable, which provides high bandwidth connectivity, as they were the only operator at the time to invest in a landing station.rn rnTelecommunication Regulatory […]
Pretty City
Thirteen acres of prime land on which a spinning mill was earlier located will be developed in to a residential and recreational center under a joint venture between the Urban Development Authority (UDA) and the Bank of Ceylon. The site formerly occupied by the Wellawatte Spinning Mills in Colombo 6 will be developed soon as […]