Category: Industry
Sri Lanka cracks down on illegal electricity connections
July 03, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run power utility the Ceylon Electricity Board has begun raids on homes and businesses illegally tapping power from its grid, the power and energy ministry said in a statement. The ministry statement said the CEB earned Rs14mn through fines and arrears from power pirates after the raids in […]
Sri Lanka state-run budget carrier gets more competition
July 03, 2010 (LBO) – Middle East budget carrier Flydubai has started four weekly flights to Colombo, providing fresh competition for state-run Mihin Lanka, which lost 900 million rupees last year. Mihin’s single aircraft doesn’t always fly direct. Mihin’s Dubai-Colombo run is via Kuwait. After losing billions of rupees since its start and after briefly […]
Sri Lanka expects record tourist arrivals this year: official
July 03, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka expects to get 600,000 tourists this year with the end of a 30-year war making the island an attractive destination once again, a senior tourism official said. Kalaiselvam said the country has accommodation to cater to only 750,000 tourists a year and that 3,000 more rooms would be […]
Sri Lanka mulls energy audit to save electricity
July 02, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government is to have energy audits for all state organisations in an efforts to save electricity and minimise wastage, a senior official said. Kithsiri Dissanaike, chairman of the Sustainable Energy Authority, said an awareness campaign for school children as well as industries is also being done to […]
‘s Howard fights on despite ICC snub
SYDNEY, July 1, 2010 (AFP) – Australia’s John Howard vowed to fight on to become world cricket president despite his embarrassing rejection by Africa and Asia, which was slammed as a “disgrace” by ex-ICC chief Malcolm Speed Thursday. Howard, the former conservative Australian prime minister, was due to fly home from Singapore after African and […]
Sri Lanka trade concessions to be reviewed: US
July 01, 2010 (LBO) – The United States will review trade concessions granted to Sri Lanka under its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) affecting 116 million US dollars of goods exported by the island, the US embassy in Colombo said. Other criteria included measures against child labour, and occupational safety and health, work hours, minimum […]
Sri Lanka electricity utility goes for wind power
July 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run electricity utility will form a separate company to set up wind power plants, Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka said. New coal-based power plants are being built or planned along with a few more hydro-power plants as most hydro-power potential has been exhausted. There is […]
Banking Move
July 01, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank is to open an office in northern Jaffna where it could help with loans and be a catalyst for the economic revival of the region after a war, a statement said. It will be the banking regulator’s fourth provincial office complementing others in the southern, north-central […]
Sri Lanka lures Indian houseboat tourism firm
June 30, 2010 (LBO) – An Indian company has been given approval by Sri Lanka’s investment promotion agency to launch houseboat tourism services in a lake in the central hills, a statement said. The Board of Investment said SAJ House Boat Builders & Operators signed a deal to provide houseboat services in Nuwara Eliya with […]
Sri Lanka travel trade warns tourism boom has risks
June 29, 2010 (LBO) – A sudden influx of tourists in to Sri Lanka after the end of its ethnic war could bring risks such as threats to the island’s environment and cultural values, a senior travel trade official has warned. The trade should also ensure that income from tourism benefits more people, Nilmin Nanayakkara, […]
Cargo Room
June 29, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority is providing more space at its main container terminal for freight to ease congestion, SLPA managing director Nihal Keppetipola said. New port projects under way at Colombo as well as in southern Hambantota and eastern Trincomalee will also provide large extents of land for logistics, […]
Guarantee Rate
June 28, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s RAM Ratings has given a ‘BBB+’ long term financial enhancement rating to Construction Guarantee Fund (CGF) saying it has state backing though vulnerable to the volatility of the industry and has no re-insurance as yet. Guarantees are given without any collateral, by evaluating the contractors’ capabilities against the […]