Tag: Sri Lanka

US interest in Sri Lanka went inland to the conflict riddled Eastern districts of Ampara and Batticaloa this week to emphasise the benefits of peace.This week, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo James F. Entwistle, visited six USAID funded projects in Ampara and Batticaloa.rn rnOn Monday, Entwistle met with residents […]

President Chandrika Kumaratunga promised to overhaul the countrys messy tax system, introduce laws to help sick companies and inject policies to achieve a six to eight percent growth in the medium term.rnOver the last two-years, she said that the national debt steadily rose to 106 percent of GDP from 103 percent, though the previous government […]

Concerns are rising among apartment developers that the proposed transfer tax on land may hit the industry.The Ministry of Lands announced a Cabinet decision to re-introduce the 100 percent tax on land purchased by foreigners on Thursday.rn rnIn the late nineties the tax was relaxed to allow the upper floors of an apartment block to […]

The government has appointed top private sector businessmen to drive its economic agenda, the Presidential Secretariat said.Treasury Secretary Dr. P B Jayasundara, will be the Secretary General of the newly formed National Council for Economic Development or NCED, which will translate the United Peoples Freedom Alliances election manifesto into a six-year economic plan.rn rnOther top […]

Two Buddhist monk legislators were admitted to hospital Tuesday following an unprecedented brawl in Sri Lankas parliament initiated by ruling party lawmakers, a parliamentary official said.rnNew legislator Akmeemana Dayaratne and fellow monk MP Kolonnawe Sri Sumangala, both from the opposition Jathika Hela Urumaya Party, were admitted to the nearby Jayewardenepura hospital after being punched by […]

Cabinet spokesperson Jeyraj Fernadopulle said Tuesday, that there might be lquote no other alternative but another election, if Parliament continues to be volatile.ldblquote We are prepared to go back before the people once again if necessary. We are ready to go for an election if this is the situation dblquote , Fernandopulle told journalists.rn rnldblquote […]

South Asia is home to a quarter of the worlds population and a quarter of the worlds reserves of major minerals but the rest of the world knows little about the regions collective face of SAARC.rn rnldblquote When you say EU people immediately recognise the grouping. Not so with SAARC. SAARC needs to have an […]

Sri Lankas Buddhist monk Parliamentarians staged a demonstration in Colombo on Wednesday for a better-behaved legislature for the island.rnThe JHU (Jathika Hela Urumaya) staged a sathyagraha (meditation demonstration) at Colombos Viharamaha Devi Park for peace and sanity among parliamentarians.rn rnldblquote This is our way of condemning the behaviour in Parliament yesterday and we are meditating […]

The key to unlocking the US$ 4.5 bn Tokyo aid is to restart peace talks endash but the governments main ally the JVP wants the LTTE to first lift its pre-conditions on the interim administration.The co-chairs of the Tokyo conference met in Brussels this week and called on both parties to resume peace talks as […]

Sri Lankas government has received 52,000 jobrnapplications after a decision to hire unemployed university graduates intornthe public service, a Finance Ministry official said Thursday.rnAfter winning general elections in April, President ChandrikarnKumaratungas government said it would increase recruitment into the publicrnsector to reduce unemployment.rn rn “We are still going through the applications. They are being handled […]

The meeting came a day after the Tamil insurgents warned of “calamityrnand destruction” unless the killings stop. They accused the military ofrnbeing behind some of the violence.rn rn More than 15 people – including a military intelligence operative andrnrebels – have been killed in recent weeks in eastern Sri Lanka. Both thernsecurity forces and the […]

The EU-Sri Lanka Partenariat 2004 kicked off, paving the way for joint ventures, partnerships, marketing cooperation and the transfer of technologies between local and EU companies. rn rnSpeaking at the opening ceremony of the Partenariat, the Ambassador, Embassy of Ireland, New Delhi, Philip McDonagh, said the EU was solidly behind the governments peace efforts.rn rnMeanwhile […]