Category: Industry
Kandy man Manju boxes for sweet success
NEW DELHI, October 12, 2010 (AFP) – Manju Wanniarachchi could win Sri Lanka’s first Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal in 72 years on Wednesday in the highlight of a final day of bouts in which British fighters dominate. But the 24-year-old — dubbed “the David Beckham of India” — was one of four home boxers […]
Sri Lanka tourism industry should focus on niche: officials
Oct 12, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tourism future lies in focusing on niche products and not in the mass market, given its small size and excess capacity in competing destinations, industry officials said. The country’s target of attracting 2. 5 million visitors and adding 25,000 rooms by 2016 might not be achievable nor desirable, […]
Tighter Margins
Oct 12, 2010 (LBO) – The efficiency in Sri Lanka’s banking system can be improved with interest margin tightening at least 150 basis points over the next nine months to 5. 0 percent with banks remaining profitable, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said. Profits are needed to build capital to buffer deposits. “About a year […]
‘s IPL
BANGALORE, October 10, 2010 (AFP) – Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab have been thrown out of the Indian Premier League over ownership issues, tournament organisers said on Sunday. The governing council of the cash-rich Twenty20 event, owned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), also issued notices to the new Kochi […]
Tertiary Plans
Oct 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is offering free land and tax breaks for top ranked foreign universities to start branches in the island with the end of a state monopoly in awarding degrees, the island’s higher education minister said. “We are planning to bring higher education institutions ranked among the top 1,000 in […]
Sri Lanka Jetwing plans hotel in former Jaffna war zone
Oct 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Jetwing group plans to build a hotel in the northern Jaffna peninsula, part of the former war zone which is recovering after the end of the island’s ethnic war, an official said. Hiran Cooray, chairman of Jetwing, said the hotel was part of the group’s expansion plan to […]
Default Warning
Oct 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Credit Information Bureau (CRIB) is to launch an ‘e-alert’ service using mobile phones and email to warn banks of defaulters who have borrowed from more than one bank, an official said. Furthermore, there are also no detailed reports being exchanged now on monthly loan installment payments by borrowers. […]
Better Outlook
Oct 11, 2010 (LBO) – The outlook on Sri Lanka’s stat-run Bank of Ceylon, the island’s largest commercial bank by assets, has been lifted to ‘positive’ from ‘stable’ after a lifting of the sovereign rating increased the capacity of the state to support it, Fitch Ratings said. But Fitch said it considered the absolute capitalisation […]
Transport Options
Oct 11, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s logistics and transport bottlenecks will come under scrutiny at an international conference this week where partnerships between the public and private sectors will also be considered, officials said. The island now has an opportunity to rebuild its transport infrastructure which was neglected or destroyed during the 30-year ethnic […]
Commonwealth Games medals tabl
NEW DELHI, October 9, 2010 (AFP) – Commonwealth Games medals table after Saturday’s action: Gold Silver Bronze Total Australia 55 30 31 116 England 24 43 29 96 India 24 16 17 57 Canada 17 10 23 50 South Africa 9 9 9 27 Nigeria 7 5 9 21 Malaysia 6 5 6 17 Kenya […]
‘s 60-year wait
NEW DELHI, October 10, 2010 (AFP) – Manju Wanniarachchi on Sunday guaranteed Sri Lanka their first Commonwealth Games boxing medal in 60 years after easing through to the semi-finals on points. The 30-year-old saw of Kenya’s Nicholas Okoth in the bantamweight quarter-finals, putting him through to the last-four and a guaranteed bronze. “This is Sri […]
‘s SpiceJet
Oct 10, 2010 (LBO) – Indian budget carrier SpiceJet, which has launched daily flights to Sri Lanka to exploit the island’s post-war tourism prospects, intends to increase frequencies and add more destinations soon, officials said. “We like consumers to book early,” Sridharan said. “Closer to the flight fares go up. The last few seats are […]