Bourse edges up; volumes thin due to holidays

?REUTERS: Sri Lankan shares ended slightly higher yesterday on select buying, in stagnated market as many investors and brokers have stayed away ahead of holidays, dealers said.

Pakistani Commerce Minister due here

?A business delegation led by Pakistan’s Commerce Minister is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka within next three months to explore investment opportunities in the country, a media communiqué by President Maithripala Sirisena’s office said.

Government eyes self-sufficiency in energy with no clear definition of energy security

?While the higher ranks within the government are setting ambitious targets in becoming self-sufficient in energy, it appears that the very definition of energy security has not yet been stipulated.

Uma Oya Trans–Basin Multipurpose Project – A critical review

?The Uma Oya project, conceived as an important segment of the Accelerated Mahaweli Programme (AMP), was studied for the development of water resources for hydropower development by the...

A new outlook for provincial economies in Sri Lanka: From ‘lagging regions’ to ‘Secondary Growth Hub

?For too long now, regions outside the Western Province have been characterized as ‘lagging’ and in need of a boost. But has the terminology itself contributed to the problem?

Plantation wage talks in deadlock

Negotiations pertaining to the renewal of the collective agreement between the plantation trade unions and Employers’ Federation had commenced, recently. 

UNDP supports National Plan of Action for plantation community’s social development

?The Plantation Infrastructure Development Ministry is mandated with the responsibility to uplift the economic, social and living conditions of the plantation community which comprises of over 260,000 families in the plantation regions of Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa and Southern Provinces.

Air Taxi operations launched without govt.’s written consent, feasibility study

The Weliamuna Report has revealed that the Air Taxi operation of SriLankan Airlines—re-launched in 2010 but discontinued later—was carried out without written government consent and a feasibility study establishing its viability. 

UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Regional Director meets Harsha

?The visiting UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director Haoliang Xu had discussions with the Policy Planning and Economic Affairs Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva recently. 

Lamudi.lk takes closer look at change, investment prospects within Colombo

?From an ancient port city to a lively investment hotspot, the city of Colombo has come a long way to become the next big technology hub of South Asia.

CIMA Speech Crafters wow audience

?CIMA Sri Lanka concluded the famous Master Course in Speech Craft - ‘A-Z in Effective Speaking’ on a grand scale and successful note last week at the CIMA Auditorium. 

Laugfs appoints Murali Prakash to board

?Laugfs recently announced the appointment of Murali Prakash to the board of directors of Laugfs Gas PLC and Laugfs Holdings Limited with effect from April 1, 2015. Prakash will serve as a Non-Executive Director of the Laugfs Gas PLC board.

Commercial Credit’s popular film bears more fruit

?At the SLIM Nielsen People’s Choice Awards (SLIM Nielsen Peoples Awards 2015) held recently at Waters Edge, Commercial Credit was awarded SLIM Nielsen Peoples Advertisement of the Year for the brand’s ‘Amba Seeya’ television short film.

Laksala launches ‘Special Avurudu Festivities’

Laksala launched ‘Special Avurudu Festivities’, a special programme for the upcoming festive season, with the presence of Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, at the Laksala Thummulla showroom recently. 

CBL and NADeP continue to support Uva Province bee honey industry

?Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL) in collaboration with the National Agribusiness Development Programme (NADeP), renewed its support to bee honey producers in some selected villages in the Uva Province, launching a mega project recently at the Economic Center in Keppetipola, Bandarawela.

Dialog Television adds 15 new channels increasing offering to 112

?Sri Lanka’s leading direct-to-home satellite entertainment network, Dialog Television, got even better with the addition of 15 new exciting channels to its line-up – at no additional fee to the customer. 

Mallika Hemachandra to make Avurudu more meaningful

? “Avurudu” is synonymous with family and traditions, flowers and birds, sweetmeats, and games. It is a time for new beginnings, and a time to spend with family. It is also a time to exchange gifts in a spirit of goodwill and love.

ETA Melco poised to sustain market leadership in vertical transportation solution

?ETA Melco, the global giant in providing end-to-end solutions in vertical transportation requirements held its fourth global business strategy planning summit in Sri Lanka recently. 

HP holds SMB Forum

Hewlett Packard Lanka conducted an event targeting key Small and Medium scale Businesses (SMB) recently at Cinnamon Grand Colombo as another activity by HP to fortify  the Sri Lanka small and medium industries in the country. 

Embark completes 3rd phase of Jaffna Animal Protection Project

?Embark, the unique brand-linked community animal welfare programme, recently completed the third phase of the Jaffna Animal Protection Project (Yarl Animal Protection Project), with 391 more sterilisations and another 460 vaccinations

Classic Travel empowers school children to become environment pioneers

?Executing the Company’s wish to promote environmental conservation practices, Classic Travel stepped forward to fund a fully-fledged ‘green project’ in Sri Sudarshanarama Junior School, Batapotha. 

‘Kelani Shakthi’ empowers Jaffna youth

?In a bid to groom youth in the Jaffna peninsula as electrical technicians, Kelani Cables PLC has launched; Kelani Shakthi professional development program.  The program that will....

Bogawantalawa Tea Estates take care of employees’ children

?As part of its continuing commitment to enhance the quality of life of its employees attached to the estates, Bogawantalawa Tea Estates PLC intensified its water access project to reach 500 families in 2014. 

Alliance Finance continues to support Sachin Dias

?In Alliance Finance’s quest to continuously support the star Badminton player, Sachin Dias, who won a Bronze medal at the Mixed Doubles event at the 2014 World Youth Olympics held in Nan Jin, China and in his journey towards excelling as a...

Dr. Wayne Visser to talk on ‘Transformative CSR’

?The development of a country’s economy is very much dependent on successful collaborations between government and private sector entities. The government has direct access to people and resources, while companies have the capital and expertise. 

Navin strengthens incentives from France

?For the first time the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) took part in MEEDEX 2015-MICE Trade Fair in France recently. “MICE trade fairs are getting fragmented either geographic or type based, hence there is a need to look...

Eden Resort & Spa awarded TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice for 2015

?The Eden Resort & Spa was named as one of TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Hotels for 2015, amongst 25 listed in Sri Lanka alone.  This award now puts The Eden on the map amongst 8,151 hotels, B&Bs and inns around the world...

Emirates boosts connectivity throughout West Asia

?Emirates’ passengers in Europe, the Middle East and North America can now enjoy more convenient connections to West Asia as the airline increased frequencies to Dhaka and Kolkata last week.

Hikkaduwa hoteliers vehemently oppose revised liquor licence fee

The owners of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority-approved tourist hotels and guesthouses operating in Hikkaduwa recently convened a meeting to discuss the issue of sudden increase of the annual liquor licence fee almost by 100 percent to Rs.500,000. 

Sri Lanka likely to get Iranian crude again

Sri Lanka is hoping to restore its crude oil purchasing links with Iran, banking on the success of the nuclear accord currently being negotiated between the US and the Middle Eastern nation.