Finlay Tea Estates Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., which manages Hapugastenne Plantations PLC, was awarded the prestigious National Plantation Award 2012 for Forestry Management, Environmental Friendliness and Self-Sufficiency in Energy’ of the Regional Plantation Company sector by President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently at a ceremony held at the Temple Trees. The Shawlands Estate Tea Factory in Lunugala was...

BOSTON, (Reuters): Security experts have discovered a new data-stealing virus dubbed Flame they say has lurked inside thousands of computers across the Middle East for as long as five years as part of a sophisticated cyber warfare campaign. It is the most complex piece of malicious software discovered to date, said Kaspersky Lab security senior ...

NDB‘s contribution to infrastructure development has been substantial during the last three decades. Having garnered the experience and expertise to cater towards the development process in Sri Lanka, NDB continues to focus on this vital component providing the necessary support that will help towards economic development in the country. NDB CEO Russell de Mel says, ...

Titan Fleet Management, France a specialist yacht management company places confidence in Colombo for their repair requirements on super luxury yacht Lauren L. This seven star category 90 meter long yacht called in for repairs on 1 February. The luxury yacht called in for her 10 year class survey repairs coupled with hull surface preparation ...

By Cheranka Mendis Dubai’s low cost airline, flydubai yesterday announced the increase of frequencies to Sri Lanka, going from five to seven weekly flights since 11 March following a surge in passenger numbers. flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith noted that with the changes in flight timing by moving on from four flights a week during ...

Safety and food hygiene of Colombo eating houses quite poor, says CMC’s Chief Medical Officer By Cheranka Mendis Even though Colombo has over 750 eating houses (from five-star hotels to roadside ‘bath kades’), only 290 obtained trade licenses last year, CMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said. Speaking at the Indexpo food and management ...

For over 120 years the name Mercedes-Benz has guaranteed trucks of highest quality. In the European and Latin American markets Mercedes-Benz Trucks today is still synonymous with reliability and economy, first-rate quality in product and service as well as global competency in customer-focused transport solutions. This applies to the Actros, Axor and Atego truck lines ...

Stock market plunges further; Rs. 69 b in value wiped off One year loss of value is a staggering Rs. 766 b EPF and foreign buying saves Bourse after near 5% crash Rupee dips to all-time low of Rs. 120; likely to settle down though triggering panic in import trade Crisis could be an understatement ...

THE decision by the Government to reduce allowances paid to governors, provincial chief ministers and provincial ministers in respect of their telecommunications facilities, fuel and vehicles will come as a welcome change to most people. In most instances the people are fed up of the excesses and corruption of elected politicians that use thug power ...

Are the Indian Army’s golf courses illegal?                 Sri Lanka’s fourth golf course opened by Air Force   India’s national auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), has reported to Parliament that the country’s Army has turned large tracts of State military property into illegal privately-run ...

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka recently unveiled its pioneering Sixth Strategic Plan – communicating in all transparency its plans for the forthcoming financial period – based on the theme ‘Raising the Bar’. The Sixth Strategic Plan, like its predecessors, takes root from the policy measures underscored in the ‘Mahinda Chinthana,’ and is formulated to ...

“Our sense is that if we do not act boldly and if we do not act together, the economy around the world runs the risk of a downward spiral of uncertainty, financial instability and potential collapse of global demand… we could run the risk of what some commentators are already calling the lost decade” – ...

The Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover’s sensational new SUV – a car that won 34 international awards in the three months after its first production model came off the line in September 2011 – has arrived in Sri Lanka. The smallest, lightest, most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever produced, the Evoque has been described as ‘one ...

A survey conducted last week on the health of the Sri Lankan economy revealed that almost 64% said that the Government had done its task but only 43% had said that there had been growth in the economy. Whilst some can say that this data is strange, a similar set of information was shared at ...

Order increases Boeing’s 787 customer base in Middle EastBoeing and Oman Air, the Sultanate of Oman’s flagship carrier recently announced an order for six Boeing 787-8s at the Dubai Airshow. The airline completed an arrangement with Boeing and Kuwait-based leasing company ALAFCO to transfer existing orders for the six Dreamliners from ALAFCO to Oman Air. ...

Attention to human resources In the management and organisational literature, as well as in practice, increasing attention has recently been paid to the importance of human resources in organisations. There seems to be a growing consensus that in many organisations these are the most critical of all resources. The purpose of this article is to ...

UNP Co-Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya The Budget lacks direction and is neither here or there. For the consumer, it is inflationary; nor does it instil investor confidence. It has a political aim but lacks an economic aim. Furthermore, it does not address the productivity of employment; nor does it address the salaries of professionals and ...

Wella, the world’s leader in hair care, was re-launched in Sri Lanka today with plans to take the country’s hair care industry by storm. Adding significance to this milestone event was the parallel launch of the exclusive Wella Studio (Training Centre) at 630, Kotte Road in Kotte.  Authorised dealer for Wella in Sri Lanka is ...

HSBC announced its new alliance with Lanka IOC PLC, an overseas venture of the oil giant, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., to offer the bank’s loyal credit card holders more benefits and convenience. The new agreement was signed on 19 October between HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives Chief Executive Officer Nick A. Nicolaou and LIOC Managing ...

The last week was an eventful week indeed. We barely recovered from the news of the death of the maverick inventor Steve Jobs. Although I am a loyal Microsoft right-brain person, I admired the ‘left-brain innovative spirit’ of Apple and the ingenuity of the man. He had not gone to university and had what some ...

By Engineer P.G. Joseph An official website about the life and vision of the late Dr. Ray Wijewardene, one of the most accomplished and innovative engineers and scientists produced by Sri Lanka, will be launched on 28 September and will be located at www.raywijewardene.net. In this article, one of several available on the website, a ...

Union Bank of Colombo PLC (UBC) held the ‘Mega Dinum’ promotion grand draw prize awarding ceremony on Tuesday at its Colpetty Branch. The winner of the super prize of a brand new Suzuki A Star motor car and two years free fuel was produced by the UBC Old Moor Street branch. The winner, M. Yoganathan, ...

St. Benedict’s College will showcase its talent through an exhibition covering diverse areas of science, information technology among others at an event titled CUBE from 15 to 17 September at the College from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. St. Benedict’s College Director Rev. Bro. Granville Perera said CUBE’s objective was to help students transform theoretical ...

After two decades, Hilton Colombo owning company Hotel Developers finally releases accounts Accumulated losses by end FY 2009/2010 top Rs. 10 billion Revaluation of hotel results in Rs. 4.7 b gain yet company beset with negative networth of Rs. 4.7 b as against Rs. 8.26 b in 2008/9 Total outstanding loans and borrowings near Rs ...