Category:
Sri Lankans among failed Australia asylum seekers moved for security
SYDNEY, March 28, 2010 (AFP) – Australia said Sunday it had transferred 89 asylum seekers from a remote processing island to the mainland for security reasons after they failed to secure refugee status. The men from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran had been held on the Indian Ocean outpost of Christmas Island but were […]
Alternative Media
Mar 27, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Dialog Television (DTV) is opening sports content for advertising targeting affluent consumers and forecasts a sharp rise in subscribers by year-end, a senior official said. “It’s truly an alternative to mainstream media and helps you to reach groups with deeper pockets more cost-effectively. “From April 1 new channels […]
Sri Lanka and Vietnam can build stronger economic links: envoy
HANOI, Mar 27, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan businesses have opportunities to get into the service sector in fast growing Vietnam while benefiting from Vietnamese agricultural technology and trade, the island’s envoy to Hanoi said. The Sri Lanka mission here and Vietnamese authorities and business chambers are putting together a trade delegation to visit the […]
Sri Lanka economy grew 3.5-pct in 2009: statistics office
Mar 27, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s economy grew 3.5 percent in 2009 pushed by growth in all three major sectors of economic activity, agriculture, industry and services, the Department of Census & Statistics (DCS) said in a statement. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was much slower than the six percent achieved in 2008, […]
Sri Lanka stocks close 1.16-pct up, foreigners keep selling
Mar 26, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed up Friday on big price gains on blue chip stocks, while high interest on John Keells Holdings (JKH) helped turnover levels to pass a billion rupees, brokers said. Hayleys closed at 225.50 rupees, up 50 cents, and Hemas Holdings closed at 121.00 rupees, up 3.25. Commercial […]
Transition
Mar 26, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s NDB Bank has got a new chief executive, with the former being nominated as an opposition lawmaker and three directors expected to be replaced by nominees from government which now owns a big stake. It said this is “to enable certain shareholder interest to be represented on the […]
Banking Bent
Mar 26, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan banks will shift focus towards small and medium enterprises as well as the former north-east war zone while consolidation is needed to control costs and expand assets, a report said. “Banks to watch out for are those where management is forward thinking and empowered to mix traditional banking […]
Sri Lanka in bid to lure cruise ship calls
Mar 26, 2010 (LBO) – Once a lucrative foreign exchange provider to Sri Lanka, cruise tourism is seen as bringing back more well-heeled tourists to the island, just as it did before the ethnic war. Sri Lanka is expecting an estimated 21,000 cruise passengers this year with 30 liners having confirm calls, travel trade officials […]
Sri Lanka Watawala Plantations creates new consumer products unit
Mar 26, 2010 9LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Watawala Plantations, which manufactures and sells branded teas, has decided to set up a fully owned subsidiary to sell its locally branded products, a stock exchange filing said. The new unit, named Watawala Marketing, will handle the firm’s fast moving consumer goods from April 1. The firm, a […]
Sri Lanka gets foreign loans for tourism, roads
Mar 26, 2010 (LBO) – The World Bank has approved a loan of 18 million US dollars to Sri Lanka to develop sustainable tourism, international trade minister Gamini Peiris said. “These funds are to be used for infrastructure development,” Peiris said. “This is a matter of high priority for Sri Lanka now,” he told a […]
Sri Lanka retirement fund gives 10-pct return for 2009
Mar 25, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Employees’ Provident Fund gave members a real rate of interest of 10.01 percent in 2009 with annual average inflation falling to 3.4 per cent, the Central Bank said. It said in a statement the fund, which it manages, has declared the highest-ever rate of interest of 13.75 per […]
Sri Lankan stocks close up 0.21-pct
Mar 25, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lankan stocks closed higher Thursday pulled up by gains in index heavy John Keells Holdings (JKH), while a large deal on Hatton National Bank (HNB) pushed turnover to over five billion rupees, brokers said. The All Share Price Index closed at 3,730.43, up 7.71 points, while the Milanka index […]