Tag: Sri Lanka
‘s port reaches 3-year wage deal with unions
April 10, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main port has struck a 3-year agreement with trade unions to raise the minimum monthly salary by 3,000 rupees, a senior official said Tuesday.The dispute dragged on for over ten days as the government said port workers are some of the better paid employees in the public sector, […]
Tamil Tigers call for sporting boycott of Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, April 10, 2007 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels Tuesday backed an Amnesty International campaign to shame Sri Lanka’s government during the cricket World Cup and said it should be extended to a full sporting boycott of the island.Sri Lanka are due to host a high-profile cricket series against England later this year.The London-based rights […]
ICRC concerned about worsening situation in Sri Lanka
GENEVA, April 9, 2007 (AFP) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) voiced concern Monday about the worsening situation in Sri Lanka, urging all sides to respect humanitarian law.“The number of casualties caused by deliberate attacks on civilians has sharply increased in northern and eastern Sri Lanka,” the ICRC said in a press […]
Power Drive
April 09, 2007 – Sri Lanka Monday officially kicked off work on building a Japanese funded hydro power project in the island’s central hills, which will add 150 mega wattes of power to the national grid, the Japanese embassy here said.The 33.27 million dollar yen or 30 billion rupee Upper Kotmale project got off the […]
Hedge Win
April 09, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s petroleum utility will get a 33 million rupee payment this week on the expiry of its first hedging contract for imported diesel, a top official said. Last month the utility raised petroleum prices by 7 rupees a litre (about 30 rupee a gallon). Updated The utility first bought […]
Port Builders
April 09, 2007 (LBO) – The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is having a pre-bid meeting Tuesday with private investors keen on building container terminals in Colombo’s new south port whose infrastructure work has attracted interest from 30 investor consortia, an official said. SLPA chairman Saliya Wickramasooriya said Monday the original date for opening bids […]
Sri Lanka steps up security as fresh fighting kills seven
COLOMBO, April 8, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan stepped up security Sunday over fears of bomb attacks ahead of the traditional New Year festivities this week while the military said six rebels and a soldier were killed in fresh fighting. A government soldier was killed in a confrontation with Tamil Tiger rebels in the north […]
‘s top taxman tells tax payers
April 07, 2007 (LBO) – Tax payers need not fear the Inland Revenue Department, according to Sri Lanka’s chief tax officer who faces the daunting task of raising more revenue for a country that is already projecting a budget deficit as big as 9.2 percent of the economy. The department wants to be tax payer-friendly […]
Eight killed in Sri Lanka bus blast
by Mel Gunasekera COLOMBO, April 7, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels detonated a roadside bomb on Saturday, killing eight passengers on a bus and wounding 25, the Sri Lankan government said, marking the latest violence on the island. Security has also been intensified across the island’s northern and eastern regions in a bid […]
Sri Lanka asked to get house in order ahead of opening up services
April 06 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is hoping to open its service sectors to neighboring India, but analysts say the country should first get local regulations in order. The two countries are in talks to allow exchange of services, including limited exchange of professionals, under an agreement to be signed by June this year. But […]
Fuel prices will not affect essential food prices during the season: Minister
April 06, 2007 (LBO) – The prices of essential food items that have been set a retail price during the New Year season will not be affected if fuel prices go up since all have already been imported, a government minister said. Food items such as chillies, onions, dhal, potatoes, sugar, types of grain, sprats […]
US busts Asian network seeking arms for Tamil Tigers; Singapore man pleads guilty
WASHINGTON, April 5, 2007 (AFP) – US authorities said Thursday they had busted an arms-trafficking gang, arresting six Asians who had been trying to smuggle weapons from the United States to Tamil Tiger rebels.Singapore man Haniffa Bin Osman, 55, was the latest person to plead guilty in the investigation which saw undercover agents track the […]