Economy

Sri Lanka picks up Rs. 19.4 billion cheque from Japan

Mar. 02 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Thursday signed up for Rs. 19.4 billion loans from Japan to develop three key infrastructure projects, the finance ministry …

Illiteracy, no jobs, high risk activities among South Asia’s young could stifle progress

Illiteracy, no jobs and high risk behaviour among South Asia’s young people could affect the region’s progress and development, the World Bank …

Rising costs of electricity, firewood and milk tea fail to push Sri Lanka’s inflation

Feb. 18 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's annual inflation rate for February slipped to 10.3 percent from 11.1 percent in January, despite high costs of firewood, …

Sri Lanka stands by ceasefire with LTTE, though it is illegal.

Feb. 26 (LBO) - The government will abide by the agreements reached with the LTTE in Geneva, despite the original ceasefire agreement being illegal, members of …

Sri Lankan taxpayers too afraid of tax collectors to complain about mistreatment

Jan 15 (LBO) - Sri Lankan tax payers are too afraid of retaliation by tax collectors to complain about mistreatment. Sri Lanka appointed a tax ombudsman in …

Seventeen badly run state-institutions cost taxpayers Rs. 70 bn annually

Feb. 14 (LBO) – Despite just over two decades of public sector reforms, 17 government entities continue to hemorrhage, draining Rs. 70 billion each year …

Oil prices fuel Sri Lanka’s trade gap

Feb. 10 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's trade deficit widened by 12 percent to US$ 2.5 billion for the year ended 2005, though foreign remittances helped strengthen …

Sri Lanka names negotiators amid Norway, Swiss moves

Feb 9 (AFP) - Peacebroker Norway and talks host Switzerland stepped up diplomatic moves Thursday to arrange face-to-face talks between Sri Lanka's warring …

Sri Lanka’s top donors not convinced that the situation is conducive for reconstruction and investment

Feb 06 (LBO) – A drop in violence and impending peace talks between warring factions has failed to convince Sri Lanka’s top donors that the …

Sri Lanka shows military might as Tigers protest anniversary

Feb 4 (AFP) - Sri Lanka put on a bristling display of its military might to mark freedom day Saturday as Tamil rebels forced a work stoppage ahead of key talks …

Sri Lanka frees 2,000 prisoners to mark Freedom Day

Feb 4 (AFP) - Sri Lankan authorities Saturday freed nearly 2,000 convicts to mark the island's 58th anniversary of independence from Britain, a prison …

Donors back out of Tiger Talks

Feb 03 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's key international donors put off their Friday meeting with Tamil Tiger rebels, following protests by Marxists and Buddhist monks. …

Bomb scare puts off Sri Lanka MP’s

Colombo, Feb 2 (PTI) Panic-stricken Sri Lankan legislators today agreed to put off their sittings by nearly two weeks following a bomb scare inside the …

Import duties go up on rice, wheat flour

Jan. 31 (LBO) - Sri Lanka Tuesday raised import duties (taxes) on rice and wheat flour to discourage flour imports and to boost demand for local rice, the …

Top donors to shake hands with Tamil Tigers on Friday

Jan. 31 (LBO) - Top officials from international donor agencies will travel to the north on Friday to meet Tamil Tiger representatives to discuss …

High prices of firewood, cigarettes fail to ignite Sri Lanka’s inflation

Jan. 31 (LBO) ? Sri Lanka's annual inflation rate for January eased marginally to 11.1 percent from 11.6 percent, despite high prices in firewood and …

Peace Advice

Jan. 29 (LBR) - Big business can do more to cement the peace process by focusing on weak links like human rights and promoting pluralism according to experts. …

Sri Lanka welcomes peace moves as president wins support with defections

Jan. 25 (LBO) ? Sri Lanka Wednesday welcomed moves to restart peace talks with Tamil Tiger rebels next month as two opposition lawmakers defected to strengthen …

Escaping fiscal dominance key to lowering inflation in India: RBI economist

Mar 26, 2006 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's central bank has to gain independence from the treasury, if it is to bring down inflation and protect the poor, a top Indian …

Norway envoy in crucial talks with Tigers to save truce

KILINOCHCHI, Jan 25, 2006 (AFP) - Norway's top peace envoy Wednesday began talks with Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka aimed at saving a troubled ceasefire …