Medicare 2017

Mediacare 2017, the 8th edition of Sri Lanka’s only healthcare services exhibition was inaugurated at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Hall in Colombo yesterday.

Tourist arrivals swell in post-war

A tourist travels in a double-decker bus in Colombo on March 2. The number of foreign tourists visiting Sri Lanka has swelled since the island ended a 37-year separatist conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 (AFP Photo)

Govt. mulls doubling Trinco oil tank farm project size with India

The Sri Lankan government is currently inquiring whether the joint venture proposed to be formed with the Indian government with regards to the Trincomalee oil tank farm could be doubled in size, Sri Lanka’s petroleum minister said.

Govt. role imperative for capital market development: stakeholders

In a bid to turn around its fortunes, Sri Lanka’s capital market stakeholders want the government to play a bigger role in the market by way of listing state assets on the bourse and reactivating the state-run private sector pension fund, Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).

SriLankan welcomes first A320neo aircraft

National carrier SriLankan Airlines yesterday received its first A320neo Airbus aircraft, which the airline expects to utilize to gain more traction in the Asian and Middle Eastern markets under the airline’s new strategic focus in becoming a major regional player.  

Colombo Int’l Financial City work in progress

Backhoes, excavators and other heavy machinery are seen at the site where land is being reclaimed from the sea to develop the Chinese-funded Colombo International Financial City,

BIA runway renovation in full swing

The main runway of Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake is currently closed for renovations. Flights will use the runway only at night time during January to April,

New entrant to Colombo bourse banks on expansions, Trump for future growth

Leading brush manufacturer B P P L Holdings Limited, (Beira Group), which will be entering the Colombo Stock Exchange next month, is hoping that its planned expansion projects, coupled with friendly policies from Donald Trump, would help expand its top line in the future. 

New entrant to Colombo bourse banks on expansions, Trump for future growth

Leading brush manufacturer B P P L Holdings Limited, (Beira Group), which will be entering the Colombo Stock Exchange next month, is hoping that its planned expansion projects, coupled with friendly policies from Donald Trump, would help expand its top line in the future. 

Govt. to direct market SriLankan to global airlines

Sri Lanka will not be going for a second round of bidding to seek a partner for the state-run SriLankan Airlines, as priority will be given to market the airline directly to global airlines, State Enterprise Development Deputy Minister Eran Wickramaratne said.

World’s largest car carrier to call at H’tota port

MV Hoegh Tracer, the world’s largest pure car and truck Carrier (PCTC)  belonging to Hoegh Autoliners AS, Oslo, is scheduled to call at Hambantota port during the first week of March 2017 under its local agency Diamond Shipping Services (Pvt.) Ltd.

Architect 2017

The 35th edition of the architect exhibition hosted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architect’s (SLIA) is currently underway in Colombo. The exhibition comprises of 305 stalls and 135 panels displaying architects’ work.

Google Loon likely to float away from Sri Lanka

The much-touted Google Loon project is likely to slip away from Sri Lanka due to legal snags stemming from spectrum allocation, a concerned Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister said.

President appoints Chamath Palihapitiya as SL’s ICT ambassador

Chamath Palihapitiya, a Sri Lankan-born businessman and investor in Silicon Valley, has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s ICT ambassador by President Maithripala Sirisena

Tourists visiting Sigiriya on the rise

Sri  Lankans and tourists climb the 80-metre (600-foot) fortress of Sigiriya rock (the Lion Rock) in Sigiriya, north-central  

US visa restrictions could shift more work to SL, India:Virtusa

In the event of the inward-looking Trump administration enacting regulations to restrict foreign IT professionals entering the United States, VirtusaPolaris, a US-based technology company, says more work will move out of the US to countries like India and Sri Lanka.  

Kalpitiya tourist attraction

A dolphin jumps in front of a tourist boat in the sea in Kalpitiya,  Sri  Lanka on  February 12.  

Celebrating SL-China relations

A Chinese Cultural Fair is currently being held at the Arcade Independence to coincide with the Chinese New Year and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka.

PM inaugurates Suwa Shakthi national loan scheme

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday inaugurated the Suwa Shakthi national loan scheme at Temple Trees to extend support to small and medium enterprises.

Credit to private sector reaches all time high in 2016

Credit extended to Sri Lanka’s private sector by the country’s financial system throughout 2016 reached an all-time high of Rs.755.5 billion, surpassing the previous highest of Rs.692 billion in 2015, Central Bank data showed. 

ADB celebrates 50 years in Sri Lanka

Asian Development Bank (ADB) South Asia Regional Department Director General Hun Kim shows Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake an exhibit at the ADB@50 photo exhibition held yesterday

LOLC to introduce microfinance model to Pakistan

Sri Lanka’s leading non-banking financial institution, Lanka Orix Leasing Company (LOLC), saw its unique microfinance model being accepted to be applied in yet another regional market.

Celebrating Independence

A paratrooper from the armed forces descends on Galle Face Green during rehearsals for the Independence Day parade held yesterday, while activity goes on in the background on the land reclaimed for the US$ 1.4 billion Colombo Port City project. 

Etihad-Lufthansa agree US $ 100mn catering deal

Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa German Airlines, part of Europe’s largest aviation group, recently unveiled the details of a new commercial partnership.

Govt. could help boost life insurance penetration: AIA

The government could provide support to the insurance industry to help increase the level of life insurance penetration in Sri Lanka, AIA Group officials said yesterday during a media briefing held to announce their latest product. “It should be made, in my opinion, compulsory, some level of insurance,” AIA Group Regional CEO Bill Lislie said.

Protest against H’tota port sale

Sri Lankan police stand guard during a protest against the proposed sale of a stake in a loss-making port to a Chinese company in Colombo yesterday. 

Tuk-tuk safaris!

Sri Lanka has come up with various interesting ways to make its tourism product exciting to the increasing number of tourists visiting the island nation.

Global investor interest in Sri Lanka “going through the roof”: StanChart

Standard Chartered yesterday gave thumbs up for Sri Lanka’s economic outlook as the global investor interest in the country is “going through the roof” due to a combination of push and pull factors stemming from the island nation’s reform-oriented government to more adventurous investors, who seek higher yields.

Global consultancy expects continued private equity interest in Sri Lanka through 2017

Stax, a global strategy consulting firm that advises leading private equity (PE) funds worldwide, noted that investment and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in Sri Lanka has increased over the past two years. 

Changing landscapes…

An artist’s reminiscence of Colombo seafront, on display at the recently held Kala Pola 2017, before the ongoing Port City project and the Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) altered the Sri Lankan capital’s landscape