Category: Other
WB, IMF call on bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from IDA countries
Mar 25, 2020 (LBO) – World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund call on all official bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from IDA countries that request forbearance. 76 countries are currently eligible to receive IDA resources.Bolivia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam graduated from IDA at the end of FY17, but will receive transitional support […]
Colombo, Gampaha, Kaluthara identified as high-risk zones
Mar 24, 2020 (LBO) – Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, and Kaluthara have been identified as high-risk zones in view of the spread of COVID-19. Large crowds in shops had been observed after curfew was lifted this morning in three districts. Health officials fear that this, in turn, could lead to a wider and faster spread […]
Free internet facilities for E-learning in Universities
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) to provide free Internet facilities for all undergraduates in State universities, who had registered for e-learning, so they may without interruption continue with their education. All relevant details of these registered students have already been provided to the TRCSL by the University […]
Curfew in North extended till Tuesday morning
Mar 22, 2020 (LBO) – The ongoing curfew in the districts of Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Jaffna in the Northern Province has been extended till 6.00 am on Tuesday (24). President’s Media Division said the curfew in these districts will be re-imposed at 2.00 pm on the same day. People living in the 5 […]
Government indefinitely extends closure of Airport arrival terminal
Mar 22, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Government has decided to indefinitely extend the closure of the arrival terminal at the Airport in order to prevent new cases of the Corona virus into the country. Issuing a statement, the President’s Media Division, however, said that the departure terminal will continue to be operational and flights […]
Ongoing curfew in Colombo & Gampaha districts extended till 6 am on Tuesday
Mar 21, 2020 (LBO) – The ongoing curfew in districts of Colombo, Gampaha, and Puttalam has been extended till 6.00 am on Tuesday (24). In these districts, curfew will be re-imposed at 2.00 pm on the same day (24), President’s Media Division said in a statement. Curfew in other districts will be lifted at 6.00 […]
Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation Donate Medical Supplies to 10 More Asian Nations
The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation today announced plans to donate much-needed medical supplies to 10 more countries in Asia to help the global fight against COVID-19. The governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will receive from the two foundations a donation totaling 1.8 million masks, […]
Notice to SriLankan Airlines passengers flying out
Due to an Island-wide curfew that has been imposed across the island from 18:00 hrs (Sri Lanka time) on 20th March 2020 until 06:00hrs (Sri Lanka time) on 23rd of March 2020, SriLankan Airlines passengers flying out during this period can reach the Airport during curfew, by producing their air tickets and passports to security […]
BBK Partnership, Jaffna’s accountants to the World
I first heard of the BBK Partnership Sri Lanka in 2015. I first spoke with its co-founder Anandan Arnold in 2018, and finally met him in March 2020 at a hospital in Manipay Jaffna. He was dressed rather informally for a Partner of London’s BBK Partnership of Chartered Accountants. Anandan (pictured below on the right) […]
Sri Lanka urges foreign states to extend visas of visiting Sri Lankans
Mar 18, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka requests foreign governments to facilitate the appropriate extension of visas for Sri Lankans currently visiting their countries and facing difficulty to return to Sri Lanka on account of the travel bans that have and will become applicable as part of the control measures on COVID- 19. Full statement […]
Imported masks & disinfectants exempted from taxes
Mar 18, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government has decided to exempt imported face masks and disinfectants from taxes with effect from midnight today. Accordingly, these items have now been subjected to the Special Commodity Levy Act. The Finance Minister has taken this decision in view of the high demand for the products due to […]
‘s revised 2020 forecast highlight no growth in Japan and Singapore, slow-down in China
Mar 17, 2020 (LBO) – Moody’s Investors Service has revised its forecasts for most APAC economies on coronavirus implications, incorporating ongoing travel restrictions and heightened containment measures, as well as the recent oil price shocks. “Our baseline scenario assumes declining consumption levels and continuing disruptions to production and supply chains in the first half of […]