Former Attorney General Mohan Peiris PC is tipped to be appointed as the new Chairman of the Seylan Bank. The appointment on a non-executive capacity follows the resignation of veteran banker Eastman Narangoda at Seylan’s Annual General Meeting for 2011 held last month after a three year stint. Peiris is currently the Senior Legal Advisor ...

Parliamentary accountability The Parliament, as the country’s foremost representative institution, has the sole authority over national resources and financial allocations and concurrently has a prominent role to play in fiscal responsibility, the budgetary process, economic development and effective transparent economic and financial management, with a view to assuring sustainable growth an...

The UNHRC resolution was very unfortunate. This is the first time our country has been subject to this kind of scrutiny. As a fan of the President, it is very unfair that he has been subject to such humiliation. The President has been let down by his advisors. In the recent weeks we have seen ...

Veteran banker Eastman Narangoda is tipped to step down as the Chairman of Seylan Bank at its Annual General Meeting scheduled for today. The move is despite Narangoda being listed in AGM’s agenda for re-election as Chairman and Director as he retires by rotation in terms of Article 82 of the Articles of Association of ...

The bourse breathed a sigh of relief at Friday’s trading on the knowledge that sanctions, at least in the immediate future will not be imposed on the island despite Thursday’s Human Rights (HR) resolution against Sri Lanka at Geneva which resulted in it returning a higher Rs. 926.9 million turnover on Friday compared to low ...

Avurudhu Rupee Commitments Bear on Exporters The exchange rate (ER) held at the Rs. 130 levels to the US dollar ($) at Wednesday’s, Thursday’s and Friday’s trading as exporters began encashing their $ proceeds to meet their local commitments, a market source told this reporter. “In the event they persisted in holding on to their ...

The country’s forex market encompassing highly dependent importers and key source exporters was yesterday rocked by what analysts described as the sharpest day gain in the US dollar exchange rate. Before mid-day the Rupee touched a new low of Rs. 127 and then on to Rs. 128 prompting many to assume the rate had bottomed ...

Instead of 'Employees', one could call it the ‘Empathetic’ Provident Fund (EPF) considering its unprecedented move of sharing the mega sale of 8.4% stake or 71 million shares in premier blue chip JKH for Rs. 13.77 billion (Rs. 194 per share) on Friday to Malaysia’

The entry in to Sri Lanka by Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad via John Keells Holdings (JKH) is being hailed as a all round boost for the country, the Colombo stock market as well as the premier blue chip. JKH which has many first to its credit is also the first stock on ...

The Employees Provident Fund gets a profit of 800 million rupees.   The Employees Provident Fund which possessed 71 million shares of conglomerate John Keells Holdings had been sold at 194 rupees per share, bringing a capital gain to the Fund. These shares have been purchased by Malaysia’s Khazana Nasional Berhard, a sovereign wealth Fund. ...

SLIC books hefty Rs. 4 b capital gain as an eager Harry secures large block; Ups control to 40.8%; Melstacorp to revise Spence mandatory offer price to Rs. 115 per share from Rs. 113 Business tycoon Harry Jayawardena-linked Melstacorp Ltd. yesterday acquired a strategic block of an 11% stake in Aitken Spence Plc for Rs. ...

Locals may be having fears of the Geneva outcome but the very investors from the West are continuing to be bullish with net inflow topping the Rs. 3 billion mark by yesterday. Foreigners were net buyers to the tune of Rs. 224 million increasing the net inflow under just two months of the year to ...

Benito Mussolini, the fascist ruler of Italy, during World War II, said that his brand of fascism ‘should be more appropriately called Corporatism, because it is a merger of state and corporate power’. Compare this with the dictionary definition of capitalism: ‘A system in which a country’s business and industry are controlled and run for ...

The Colombo Bourse last week saw a net foreign inflow of Rs. 1.2 billion, with Aitken Spence Plc drawing the most buying, whilst brokers expect the non-national interest to grow further. Spence saw net foreign shareholding increase by 4.8 million shares or 1% last week, whilst overall nearly five million of its shares traded for ...

Contrary to exaggerated claims the EPF investments in to the stock market last week had amounted to only less than 10% of market activity and unlike some past contentious buys, this time around it had focused on blue chips. The total turnover of the Colombo bourse last week was Rs. 8.6 billion

ASI gains by 5% as Bourse’s value swells by Rs. 96 b Brokers positive after fresh meeting with SEC EPF, private institutional and high networth investors active on attractive valuations The Colombo stock market yesterday produced a major rebound gaining by 5% thanks what some described

Hayleys MGT Knitting Mills (MGT) yesterday announced plans to raise Rs. 914 million via a 2 for 1 Rights Issue at Rs. 9 per share. Subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, funds raised from the Rights Issue will be utilised to strengthen the company’s balance sheet; invest in equipment to manufacture higher value fabric; invest ...

The Sri Lankan economy is dragged out – the country is over-borrowing, underperforming and leading into a debt crunch, claims United National Party Colombo District Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake. Karunanayake accuses the Rajapaksa administration of damaging the country’s social fabric, which he says is Sri Lanka’s biggest asset. Following are excerpts of an interview: Q: What...

Jan 26, Colombo: A legislator of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) has accused the government of using the monies from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), country's major retirement fund for the employees in the corporate and private sector, to carry out development

To focus on skills development, trade, investment, sustainable development and business excellence to sustain GDP growth rate of 8%Following is the address delivered by National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka President Asoka Hettigoda at the NCCSL’s 53rd Annual General Meeting Ayubowan, good evening. Let me extend a warm welcome to all of you to ...

Jan 18, Colombo: The Sri Lankan parliament today passed an amendment bill that would affect the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), country's major retirement fund for the employees in the corporate and private sector.

(EPF) that will be presented in Parliament today, ...

THE proposed amendments to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) have created a much-needed discussion forum on pension funds and their benefits, while also bringing several crucial points into the limelight. Experts have pointed out that if the Government is genuinely keen on maximising returns

Srilankamirror - The Sri Lanka Transport Services Union says the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has failed to make payments amounting to Rs. 14,000 million due as EPF payments of its employees. The payments have not been made for the period between June 2010 till May 2011, Secretary

‘A ruler with a depleted treasury eats into the very vitality of the citizens and the country. A ruler, who impoverishes his own people or angers them by unjust exactions will also lose their loyalty Impoverishment, greed and dissatisfaction are engendered among the subjects, when the ruler among other things (i) fails to give what ought ...

Jan 15, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) and Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have expressed concerns over the proposed amendments to the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) Act.

Srilankamirror - UNP MP Dr. Harsha de Silva says the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) would be summoned before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in parliament to explain its accounts. He told Sri Lanka Mirror that the EPF has failed to submit the audited reports for 2010

Last week there were more stories making the rounds on contemplated decisions made outside the cabinet meeting than decisions made inside. Of course, the usual briefing on cabinet decisions were spelled out, Thursday afternoon. For a regime that still wants to boast it has popular support, comparing itself to an opposition fractured and quarrelling red and green, it is ...

If the Governor of Central Bank has an urge to enter politics, he should come to Parliament without playing politics inside the CB, charges United National Party Parliamentarian and well-known Economist Dr. Harsha de Silva. Dr. de Silva notes that Governor Nivard Cabraal should respect the sanctity of the Central Bank and therefore if Cabraal ...

Jan 09, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party (UNP) has called on the government to submit the audit reports of the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) to parliament.