Sri Lanka arrests more Indian fishermen as tensions rise

COLOMBO, June 8, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy said Sunday it has arrested 73 Indian fishermen for illegal poaching amid heightened tensions between the neighbours over the long-standing issue.During their discussions, Rajapakse and Modi agreed to continue official-level talks for a permanent solution to poaching, a major irritant in bilateral ties.The two countries are […]

Sri Lanka eyes nuclear power plant after 2030

June 4, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Electricity Board has included nuclear power for the first time as a possible power generation option in 2031 in its latest study of long term generation capacity.CEB long term generation plan has studied nearly 20 different scenarios along with a base case scenario with the lowest […]

Sri Lanka hikes milk powder taxes as world prices fall

June 4, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has hiked import levies on milk powder by 56 percent keeping prices high while world prices continue to fall, giving more revenue to the state.Amid competition cement prices however came down as clinker prices fell, and is now being retailed 15 to 20 rupees below the government mandated […]

Sri Lanka frees Indian fishermen to ease tensions

COLOMBO, June 3, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has ordered the release of 29 Indian fishermen held on poaching charges, officials said Tuesday, in a move to ease tensions over illegal fishing. Rajapakse on Tuesday asked for the latest batch of arrested fishermen to be released without trial although the navy had […]

Sri Lanka sees weak demand for poultry in 2013, feed costs high

June 03, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has seen weak demand for chicken in 2013 a top poultry firm while costs were elevated, a poultry firm said, as the country emerged from a balance of payments crisis and steep currency depreciation. However the price of eggs had now risen from 11 rupees to 15 rupees […]

Japan boosts Sri Lanka public sector capacity

June 03, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s public sector officials had been given a grant of 215 million yen (245 million rupees) in scholarships to follow Masters’ programs in Japan, the finance ministry said.The Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme (JDS) was started in 2010 is aimed at building capacity in executive […]

Sri Lanka foreign remittances to peak in 2017: CB Governor

June 02, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign remittances is expected to peak in 2017 with those seeking employment abroad beginning to decrease, Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal has said. “We believe that in time to come there will be a reverse migration that will take place in our country,” Cabraal was quoted in transcript […]

Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka sees revenue pick up

May 31, 2014 (LBO) – Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka, the island’s largest alcohol maker which was hit by tax hikes and incomes decimated from currency depreciation, reported a small increase in gross revenues in the March 2014 quarter. DCSL said revenues with taxes rose 1.8 percent to 12.9 billion rupees in the March 2014 […]

Sri Lanka seeks JVs with foreign investors to cater to domestic market

May 30, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka wants foreign investors to set up joint ventures where the output will be allowed to be sold to the domestic market, investment promotion minister Lakshman Abeywardena said, amid fears of new protectionism.When import duty protected industries expand, the state also loses tax revenues as taxes that would have […]

Sri Lanka economic outlook positive; should watch external shocks, drought: IMF

May 30, 2014 (LBO) – The outlook for Sri Lanka’s economy was positive with low inflation and stronger growth driven by exports, but the country should watch out for a slowdown in developed nations and a domestic drought, an International Monetary Fund official said.Todd Schneider, who headed mission for annual ‘Article IV’ consultations, said recent […]

‘s inflation at 3.2-pct in May 2014

May 30, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s consumer prices rose 3.2 percent in the year to May 2014, slowing from 4.9 percent in April, though prices rose 0.6 percent during the month, data from the state statistics office showed. As credit is weak the exchange is facing appreciation pressure, but the Central Bank has kept […]

Sri Lanka private consumption explains gap between GDP and reality: economist

May 29, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lankan firms are experiencing a downturn, despite apparently high gross domestic product growth last year due to weak domestic consumption growth, an economist said.Amal Sanderatne, head of Frontier Research, an economics consultancy said their clients are asking why demand is weak when Sri Lanka registered the second highest economic […]

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