Tag: Sri Lanka
‘s defect to government
Jan 28, 2007 (AFP) – A group of Sri Lankan opposition lawmakers defected Sunday, effectively scuttling a landmark peace deal aimed at ending decades of separatist violence in the island, officials said.Eighteen members of the right-wing United National Party (UNP) formally joined the leftist government of President Mahinda Rajapakse at his office in Colombo, a […]
Concern over government spending in Sri Lanka
GALLE, Sri Lanka, Jan 28, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s key international donors will meet in the southern city of Galle on Monday, amid rising concerns that the cash may not be well spent.Escalating violence, allegations of widespread corruption in the disbursement of international aid and its overall economic management could hurt the island’s prospects […]
Sri Lanka government appoints 51 member cabinet, claims absolute majority
January, 28 (LBO) – The defection of 18 opposition members has strengthened the administration of President Mahinda Rajapakse, a senior minister said, while the opposition symbolically tore up a co-operation agreement with the government in front of journalists. œThe most experienced and ablest member of the opposition has joined the government, Information Minister Anura Yapa […]
Sri Lanka rejects child soldier allegations
COLOMBO Jan, 26 (AFP) – Sri Lanka rejected Friday allegations by a human rights group that its security forces supported recruitment of child soldiers, but pledged an “independent” probe into the charges.The government said New York-based Human Rights Watch lacked evidence to backup its allegations of military support for enlisting child soldiers, relying instead on […]
Sri Lanka navy sinks rebel boats to foil port attack
Jan 27, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy attacked and destroyed three Tamil Tiger boats on Saturday as the rebels launched their first assault on the port of Colombo in 10 years, the defence ministry said.Naval craft blew up one boat after the three were spotted near a restricted zone before chasing and sinking the […]
Petrol Tug
January 26, (LBO) – Ceylon Petroleum Corporation will purchase a tug to support tanker operations at its offshore petroleum unloading facility, a top official said.CPC Chairman Asantha de Mel says the tug is estimated to cost five million US dollars. “We will save about two million dollars a year that we are now paying to […]
Roadside blast kills three in Sri Lanka
Jan 26, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a Claymore mine in northern Sri Lanka Friday, killing two security personnel and a civilian, police said. The powerful roadside bomb was exploded in the district of Vavuniya as troops and police were on a routine patrol, a police official in Vavuniya town, 260 […]
Railway Estate
January 25, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka plans to raise over 1.2 billion dollars in foreign investments to develop real estate along a railway on the island’s western coastal belt, an official said Thursday. The railways operate at a huge loss with a revenue of three billion rupees each year against a state subsidy of […]
Brief Respite
January 25, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka plans to import more refined petroleum products as its sole refinery shuts down for routine maintenance next week, a top Ceylon Petroleum Corporation said Thursday.The Sapugaskanda refinery which has a daily output of 50,000 barrels producing a mix of diesel, kerosene, gasoline, furnace oil and naphtha, is closed […]
Slipped In
January 25 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has allowed six more firms from India, France, China and the Middle East, to market lubricants locally, with three others given provisional approval, a government spokesman said Thursday. Sri Lanka threw open its lubricant market last July, calling for bids from interested investors to blend lubricants locally or import […]
IMF closing office a sign that Sri Lanka can manage on its own: treasury chief
January 24, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s treasury chief said Wednesday that the International Monetary Fund’s decision to close offices in the island was a good sign that the country is moving away from being overly reliant on foreign donors. The Washington based lender will wind up operations later this month, as they have no […]
Sri Lanka restores mobile phones after fall of Tiger town
COLOMBO, Jan 24, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has begun restoring mobile phone services to half a million subscribers in the war-hit island’s east after lines were shut down during a battle, telephone operators said Wednesday. The move comes after the capture of the main Tamil rebel bastion in the restive area by government forces. […]