Category:
Taxpayer Pressure
Sept 10, 2010 (LBO) – The United States aid agency has suspended a programme to train youth in Sri Lanka’s former northern war zone for jobs in the outsourcing industry, an American lawmaker who opposed the project said. Congressman Tim Bishop said he hailed the suspension of the 10 million US dollar training project by […]
‘ worth of gold to Bangladesh
WASHINGTON, September 9, 2010 (AFP) – The International Monetary Fund on Thursday announced it would sell 10 metric tons of gold to Bangladesh, worth around 403 million dollars. “This transaction is part of the total sales of 403.3 metric tons approved by the executive board,” the IMF said in a statement. That decision was taken […]
Sri Lanka stocks top 6,000-pts
Sept 09, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s benchmark index topped 6,000 points Thursday, with high value stocks like John Keells Holdings (JKH) and Distilleries Company shares also helping push turnover up brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 6,026.99, up 1.08 percent (64.37 points) while the Milanka Index of more liquid stocks rose […]
Rural Credit
Sept 09, 2010 (LBO) – Branches of state banks in Sri Lanka’s war-torn northern and eastern areas topped the lists for giving loans under central bank supported credit schemes for rural agriculture development. Central Banks in high inflation countries including Zimbabwe have engaged in such quasi-fiscal activities starting many agriculture credit schemes. Central Bank ‘re-finance’ […]
Sri Lanka to get weekly tourist flights from Brussels
Sept 09, 2010 (LBO) – Weekly charter flights are to be launched between Brussels and Sri Lanka bringing Belgian and other European tourists from October 31, Jean Deboutte, Ambassador of Belgium to Sri Lanka said. Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium Ravinatha Aryasinha told the meeting the weekly charter flights will be by Jetair, a leading […]
Knowledge Forum
Sept 09, 2010 (LBO) – Academics and officials in Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna peninsular has debated ways to transform the agrarian and fisheries area to a knowledge-based economy with better education, a think has said. He had said that that though Jaffna (North in general) is endowed with limited natural resources (‘moola valam)’ it is […]
Rural India remains beyond reach of Internet: study
NEW DELHI, September 8, 2010 (AFP) – Barely one percent of rural Indians use the Internet, a new study has calculated, despite a rapid recent boom in web access across the country. About 5.4 million of an estimated 570 million rural Indians are active Internet users, said the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). […]
Sri Lanka ministers hails new powers for president
September 9, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lankan ministers on Thursday denied that the president now enjoyed dictatorial powers under a post-war constitutional revamp, but observers worried about the chilling effect on democracy. The national parliament voted in favour of the 18th amendment to the 1978 constitution on Wednesday, scrapping a two-term limit on the presidency […]
Sri Lankan stocks close up 1.32-pct
Sept 08, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks rallied and passed the 5,900 points mark Wednesday, from price gains on index heavy John Keells Holdings (JKH), Hatton National Bank (HNB), Commercial Bank and Distilleries Company, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 5,962.62, up 1.32 percent (77.63 points) while the more liquid Milanka […]
Rate Trends
Sept 08, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank does not see a need to cut rates next week, following two rates cuts over two months, a media report has suggested. In 2009 private credit shrank as the government ran a deficit of around 10 percent of gross domestic product. The government has promised to […]
Bangladesh exports soar as orders shift from China: industry
DHAKA, September 8, 2010 (AFP) – Bangladesh said Wednesday exports leapt more than 25 percent year on year in July, with manufacturers linking the jump to a shift in orders from China to the low-cost South Asian country. In July, the first month of its financial year, Bangladesh shipped 1.82 billion dollars of goods — […]
” says watchdog head
NEW DELHI, September 8, 2010 (AFP) – Almost one-third of Indians are “utterly corrupt” and half are “borderline”, the outgoing head of the country’s corruption watchdog has said, blaming increased wealth for much of the problem. Pratyush Sinha, who retired as India’s Central Vigilance Commissioner this week, said the worst part of his “thankless job” […]