Category: Other
Broader Probe
July 18, 2009 (AFP) – French charity Action Against Hunger (ACF) on Saturday demanded an international probe into the massacre of 17 of its Sri Lankan employees after a government investigation failed to identify suspects. The ACF in a statement accused the Sri Lankan authorities of lacking the will to find those responsible for the […]
Sri Lanka tea prices rise sharply
July 17, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan tea prices rose sharply at this week’s Colombo auction as volumes began declining, brokers said. The same type of teas from the Uva central highlands region, whose quality season is about to begin, also rose sharply. “…the initial invoices which reflected the signs of seasonal improvement, gained further […]
‘s cheapest car hits Indian streets
MUMBAI, July 17, 2009 (AFP) – The world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano, hits the streets on Friday, as the first customer gets the keys to a vehicle that its makers hope will transform travel for millions of Indians.The head of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata, was to deliver the first car in person at a […]
Cell broadcast ideal for Maldives public warning: think tank
July 17, 2009 (LBO) – Cell broadcasting, a messaging system that is found in the two celco networks in the Maldives can be used to send immediate public warning messages to users, a think tank has said. Loss of life was small, but around one-third of the population was affected and property damage was estimated […]
Cheap housing offers lifeline to Indian developers
NEW DELHI, July 15, 2009 (AFP) – “No frills, Simple homes” reads the banner hanging in the Delhi headquarters of Unitech, India’s leading property developer.It’s a mantra that has been taken up by realtors across the country with a new-found passion for affordable housing that owes little to their social conscience and everything to their […]
Sri Lanka cinnamon trade says malpractices giving bad name
July 14, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan cinnamon prices are on the rebound after last year’s crash, but exporters are calling for curbs on malpractices which they say could give the spice a bad name among buyers.Among the problems are cinnamon of inferior colour, inferior infilling in quills, and high moisture content. Trade experts said […]
Sri Lankan women farmers get US support
July 14, 2009 (LBO) – A US-funded loan scheme has helped Sri Lankan women farmers overcome capital shortages, droughts, and other calamities that threatened their financial security and survival of farms, a US embassy statement said. “These modernizations increase the availability of micro credit loans, allowing the Women™s Co-op to expand its membership and benefit […]
Forex Charge
July 11, 2009 (LBO) – A high profile opposition lawmaker has been charged under Sri Lanka’s exchange control laws for assisting a foreign investor to deposit three million US dollars in a private bank, a media report said.UNP lawmaker Ravi Karunayake has been indicted with violating exchange control laws by helping deposit the money in […]
Sri Lanka tea aid dispersal slow: official
July 10, 2009 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan government aid package for the tea industry to recover from a crash in prices is being disbursed only slowly, a senior industry official said. The industry faced cash flow problems as large volumes remained unsold at the auctions at the time and buyers reneged on contrcats. That […]
Change Agent
July 10, 2009 (LBO) – An international lawyer’s group has welcome recent comments by Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Chief Justice Ashoka de Silva, who said he would reform a key body which runs key sections of the country’s judicial system. Sri Lanka’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC) a three-member body which is chaired by the Chief […]
Come Back
July 09, 2009 (LBO) – A former Sri Lankan Treasury secretary, P B Jayasundara, who was removed by the Supreme Court, might return to his old job if he is allowed to by a new bench, a senior minister said. Court said conglomerate John Keells Holdings (JKH) which bought the ship fuel business had secured […]
Sri Lanka can balance growth with environment: expert
July 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lankan policy makers should not over emphasize on pollution control as the economy is still at a early development stage, as it may hinder economic growth and slowdown job creation, a leading expert on carbon finance said. “Right now I think developing the economy and creating jobs should be […]