Category: Other
UK Call
LONDON, June 14, 2011 (AFP) – Britain on Wednesday said “horrific” footage contained within a film documenting the final weeks of Sri Lanka’s civil war constituted “convincing evidence” of war crimes. The Channel 4 documentary, which aired on British television on Tuesday, contained footage of what it said were prisoner executions. It also showed the […]
Film Reaction
COLOMBO, June 15, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Wednesday denied it targeted civilians while crushing Tamil Tiger rebels but said action would be taken if war crimes allegations contained in a new British documentary were true. The Sri Lankan High Commission in London said images shown on Channel 4 on Tuesday night had not […]
‘ Concern
June 11, 2011 (LBO) – Friday Forum, a Sri Lankans citizen’s group has expressed concern about a recent controversial training scheme for undergraduates, conducted the by the military, where relief was sought also from the country’s highest court. “The decision in the Supreme Court dismissing, without stating reasons, all the petitions against the programme, has […]
Sri Lanka earns Rs22.1bn from food taxes: report
June 12, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has earned 22. 1 billion rupees from taxes imposed on several basic foods imported in to country in 2009, with sugar and milk powder bringing in the most amount of money, a media report said. The Island newspaper said the information was tabled in parliament in response to […]
Pension Fracas
June 11, 2011 (LBO) – The International Monetary Fund had “nothing to do” with a controversial ‘pension’ plan for Sri Lanka’s private sector workers involving a third forced savings scheme, an official said. Rulers, a handful of their close associates can get a pension after only five years in office under a law passed by […]
Sri Lanka Haycarb calls for coconut plantations strategy
June 10, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Haycarb has called for a long-term strategy to expand coconut plantations to ensure raw material availability to make activated carbon and said it is diversifying into wood- and coal-based carbons. Shortages of coconut shell charcoal, which account for almost 65 percent of the firm’s cost of production, and […]
Retirement Debate
June 08, 2011 (LBO) – Much has been written about the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed Employment Pension Benefits Fund. The bill was to affect the lives of the majority of Sri Lankans. First a white paper should have made available for public discussion and debate prior to its presentation in Parliament. When the […]
Pakistan ISI leaders had no role in Mumbai plot: court
CHICAGO, June 8, 2011 (AFP) – A Pakistan-born Chicago businessman was part of the “inner circle” of terrorists who plotted the 2008 Mumbai attacks, US prosecutors said in closing arguments Tuesday. Tahawwur Rana’s trial was closely watched as it touched on Pakistani military intelligence collusion with terrorism — a hugely sensitive subject since the killing […]
Dubai looks to bag top spot as tea goes green
DUBAI, June 8, 2011 (AFP) – Exotic and organic teas are wooing tea drinkers and challenging traditional black tea’s dominance as never before, tea industry experts say, as a tea factory in Dubai bids to become the world’s largest. The shift in global tea-drinking trends is felt at the Jebel Ali Free Zone, despite it […]
Sri Lanka Expolanka upgrades lentils plant
June 07, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Expolanka Holdings group said a lentils splitting plant owned by a subsidiary has been fully automated in a 350,000 US dollar upgrade designed to meet increasing local and international demand. The upgrade of the plant, located in Wellampitiya in Colombo, included the addition of a colour sorting machine […]
Sri Lanka plantations industry in deal with unions on wages
June 06, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s regional plantations companies and estate labour unions have agreed to renew a two-year wage deal with a worker’s basic wage being raised to 380 rupees from 285 previously. Muthu Sivalingam, president of the Ceylon Workers Congress, the biggest union, told Vimasuma.com, our sister news website, that under the […]
Sri Lanka state fisheries firm lose Rs59mn
June 05, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Fisheries Corporation, a state enterprise that retails fish has lost 59 million rupees in 2010 and has to better manage assets such as cold stores and freezer trucks, a finance ministry report said. The firm had the challenge of playing a ‘market stabilizer’ role with a market […]