Category:
SriLankan Airlines adds flights to Maldive islands
Oct 29, 2010 (LBO) – SriLankan Airlines is almost doubling daily flights to the Maldive islands from December 1 to cater to the peak tourism season and also connecting a fourth city in China, a statement said. The number of flights to Male is being increased to six a day from the earlier 3-4 a […]
‘s re-election
October 29, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court rejected Friday a challenge to the re-election of President Mahinda Rajapakse filed by his defeated — now jailed — opponent, former army chief Sarath Fonseka. The five-judge bench dismissed the petition after accepting a defence argument that there was insufficient grounds to proceed with the case, […]
Australian rights agency says asylum centre must close
SYDNEY, October 29, 2010 (AFP) – Australia’s human rights agency Friday urged the government to stop locking up asylum seekers on remote Christmas Island, its main detention centre, saying it was overcrowded and inadequate. Thousands of boatpeople have been brought to the small Indian Ocean island this year, forcing some to sleep in tents and […]
Sri Lanka economist says dissent is democratic
Oct 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan economist and opposition United National Party lawmaker Harsha De Silva has defended his criticism of government policy, saying efforts to tarnish critics were uncalled for. The newspaper said some of the recipients of the emailed note were “furious over the call for the elimination of so called ‘traitors’ […]
Sri Lanka inflation accelerates to 6.6-pct in October
Oct 29, 2010 (LBO) – Consumer prices in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo rose 6.6 percent in October from a year earlier, accelerating from 5.8 percent in September, the government’s statistics office said. It was the sixth straight monthly increase in inflation and was driven largely by price increases in food and beverages. During October prices […]
Sri Lanka govt seeks more revenue from liquor, cigarettes
Oct 29, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government is seeking to increase revenue for its cash-strapped Treasury by jacking up taxes on cigarettes and liquor, days ahead of the presentation of its annual budget, officials said. The tax on cigarettes has been raised by a rupee and that on a litre of 100 percent […]
Sri Lanka settles commercial bank overdrafts, Central Bank credit
Oct 29, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has settled high cost overdrafts from commercial banks and central bank credit taken to bridge the budget deficit with proceeds of a Euro bond which had contributed to excess reserves in the banking system, officials said. Record excess liquidity in the banking system which topped 80 billion rupees […]
Sri Lanka firm in record asset securitization
Oct 28, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s People’s Leasing Company (PLC) has raised 1.4 billion rupees by selling lease-backed securities, which the largest such deal in the country so far its structuring agent, NDB Investment Bank said. PLC has a 24-branch network at and the funds will be used to expand lending and its branch […]
Sri Lanka Treasuries edge up above repo rate
Oct 28, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s 6 and 12 month Treasuries yields edged up above the policy ‘repo’ rate at which excess reserves in banks are deposited at the Central Bank, at this week’s auction official data show. The 12-month bill yield rose 15 basis points to 7.37 percent moving higher than the 7.25 […]
Sri Lanka stocks close up 0.2-pct
Oct 28, (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s stocks closed up Thursday, with index heavy stocks recovering lost ground from buying by foreign and high net worth investor buying, brokers said. Dialog Axiata also closed flat today at 12.30 rupees, with 1.6 million shares traded. The Colombo All Share Index rose 0.29 percent (18.74 points) to 6,575.74 […]
Offshore Support
Oct 28, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard has secure contracts for two 78-metre Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessels (MPSVs) for Greatship Global Offshore Services of Singapore, a statement said. The vessels, to support offshore oil and gas fields around the clock, are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of the 2012 financial […]
Personal Liability
Oct 28, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government’s top legal officer has suggested making directors of banks personally liable if their firms get into trouble and giving more power to the regulator to act against them. Attorney general Mohan Peiris said laws similar to those in the companies act were needed to cover bank […]