Category: Industry
Cleaning Up
State-run Bank of Ceylon has opted to wind up two of its less profitable overseas branches as part of a strategy to concentrate on core business.rn rnOperations in Kathmandu were closed down recently, while the Karachchi office will cease early next year, top officials said.rn rnHowever, Bank of Ceylon will continue its presence in the […]
Close Scrutiny
The Technical Evaluation Committee under the cabinet appointed tender board quote s supervision has begun evaluating final bids for the Sri Lanka Insurance Corp.sale, PERC said Monday.rn rnThe government plans to dispose 90 percent of its stake in the insurance giant later this month.rn rnThe competitive sales process for SLIC began in July, but the […]
Rajas Play
The managers to the Sri Lanka Telecom IPO confirmed that the issue was oversubscribed and that the offer would close at 4.30 on Friday, one day after it opened.Sources close to the issue say Raj Rajaratnam and his associates took up a kings share of the SLT issue, pushing it over the offer limit.rn rnThis […]
Destination Sri Lanka
Government is putting together US$ 4 mn to promote Sri Lanka as a tourism destination.A fund of US$ 1 mn to develop professionalism in the tourism industry is also on the cards.rn rnThis was revealed at the launch of the Sri Lanka Association of Tourism and Travel an umbrella organization for the leisure sector.rn rnldblquote […]
Hard Bite
Central Bank has recommended the strengthening of foreclosure laws to fix the bad debt problems in local banks.rn rnParate laws, which allow banks to auction off properties pledged against loans are to be strengthened.rn rnThe scope of the Parate laws will also be extended to cover finance companies and specialised banks.rn rnThe amendments to the […]
Taxing Banks
The banking sector is planning to pass down a 10 percent Value Added Tax imposed on it from next year.rn rnLending rates are expected to go up proportionately when the tax is charged on the net profit and employee related expenditure. rn rnBut, the question troubling most borrowers is how much additional interest will they […]
Three Way Race
The race to grab the lion quote s share of Sri Lanka Insurance Corp. has narrowed down further with just three firms sending their financial and technical bids.rn rnSources close to the deal said that Janashakthi Insurance Ltd., Commercial Bank/DFCC Bank consortium and Aitken Spence/Stassens/Distilleries Corp. consortium had sent in their proposals when bids closed […]
Counting Votes
Applications counted by 4.30 on the opening day on Thursday, accounted for well over 50 % of the Sri Lanka Telecom Initial Public Offering (IPO), with a number of applications for large stakes yet to be processed.rn rnOfficials close to the issue estimated that over 15,000 applications had been received by the end of Thursday, […]
Just Short
Sri Lanka Telecom was Rs. 500 million short by mid morning on Friday, while managers to the issue continued to process applications.rnThe issue is expected to close today, with an official announcement expected in the evening. rn rnThe Colombo Stock Exchange said they had not received any indication that the issue would close today. rn […]
Cordial Connections
Consultants contracted to draw up a national interconnection framework will present a draft copy of the policy in the first week in December. In October 2002 the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) picked an Australian based law firm operating out of Hong Kong, to map out a fresh route to interconnect between operators.rn rnSenior industry officials […]
Eco Drive
The six-month study will draw up an eco-tourism policy document for the country and the outlines for five pilot eco-tourism projects in the Southern region, Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Dr. P. Ramanujam said.rn rnSri Lanka sustains some of Asias richest biodiversity and has been identified as a hotspot for nature and eco-travel.rn rnIt […]
Eye Catching
A grey-haired man walked away with Rs. 100,000, prize money for capturing on camera a Sri Lankan leopard endash a near studio image where the predator is taking a quiet moment.Judges unanimously agreed that from the thousands of leopard pictures taken over the years, this stood out for capturing in addition to the expression of […]