Category: Special Reports

Companies are paying more attention to the effect of their operations on stakeholders besides their owners. Although not regulated, businesses take the environment and other social concerns in to account because they think being accountable to the public is in their long-term interest.The Pelwatte sugar plantation is a popular spot for hungry elephants from the […]

Health institutions may soon be classified according to their service standards as private sector health care is coming to the forefront with the failure of state system to meet patient needs and regular trade union actions. Health institutions may soon be classified according to their service standards as private sector health care is coming to […]

The government has scrapped reform plans for utilities like electricity, petroleum and water.rnA donor funded government agency Public Interest Program Unit (PIPU) setup to speed up reforms will be wound-up at the end of the month.rn rnThe agency helped set up the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), a multi sector regulator that is ready to regulate […]

Sri Lankas commercial banks are in for a rough ride this year with the bond markets falling on top of increased taxes.The banking sectors 2004 first quarter interim results saw commercial banks significantly under-performing the broader market.rn rnSector profits fell over 30 percent year on year and share prices fell on average by 30.8 percent […]

Natural gas, a fossil fuel sold on its environmental friendliness, is available in large quantities and burns cleanly. Its problem is often its distance from the market, so that gas-processing technology is dominated by the need to prepare it for long distance transportation, either in pipelines or by ship as a liquid.rn rnOnce pumped out […]

Sri Lankans who get into pyramid schemes simply because they are lquote not illegal would find themselves in a legal vacuum with no help from the system, a top legal luminary points out.One of Sri Lankas top lawyers and a former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Arittha Wickremanayake says authorities should speed up […]

Prasanna has just gotten himself registered with a lquote get rich quick scheme. He had to pay Rs. 3,000 to a company claiming to operate the world famous lquote Pentagono scheme.rnrn In return he has got three vouchers, which hernintends to sell to three of his friends.rn ldblquote My nephew sold me a voucher for […]

Several persons who joined the referral marketing plan of the GoldQuest numismatics company, have been reportedly quizzed by the Central Bank for possible violations of Exchange Control regulations by the illegal use of credit cards.rnrn Central Banks Exchange Control Director, H ArnG Hettiarachchi confirmed that the Department was investigating creditrncardholders who made paymentsrnfor third parties […]

Treasury officials and monopoly flour distributor Prima were in talks to obtain a promised government subsidy while regulatory pressure was put on the company to keep flour prices down.The flour subsidy is one among the many subsidies the government is keen to maintain to shield consumers from rising international market prices.rn rnBut critics say the […]

The cash strapped Ceylon Electricity Boards large thermal plants need urgent repairs, but the utilitys tariffs are not being revised, as politicians dillydally over its financial viability.After years of behaving like a paranoid Ostrich and sticking its head in the sand whenever an awkward question is raised, the CEB finally came out with the real […]

Colombo is unusual for a capital city in having a large number of wetlands.rnAround Kotte for example a number of wetlands still remain.rnBut these natural assets are deteriorating by the day. rnWhile in developed countries billions are being spent on re-creating nature reserves to enhance the quality of life of city dwellers, Sri Lankans are […]

India and Pakistan were the main beneficiaries in moves by the United Sates to have South Asian allies after the events on September 11. International affairs experts say that smaller but more open Sri Lanka is also seeing some spin-off effects of US moves to push its agenda.The United States is the largest donor in […]