By Cassandra Mascarenhas Newly appointed Chairman Tilak Karunaratne yesterday emphasised that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will not turn a blind eye to robbers invading the Bourse and promised stringent action against those engaged in insider dealing and manipulation. Speaking for the first time at a public forum since assuming duties, Karunaratne told the ...

EDB says 1,350 visitors from 55 countries already registered; flow halted due to lack of rooms The first-ever international style exhibition to promote exports in 18 years, Sri Lanka Expo 2012, which kicks off on Wednesday, has drawn 1,350 visitors from 55 countries with further demand facing a snag due to unavailability of hotel accommodation. ...

By Uditha Jayasinghe Showcasing the need for vigilance, over 1,500 foreigners who remained illegally in the country after their visas expired were detected within the first two months of 2012, a top immigration official said yesterday. Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Commissioner for Registration of Persons of Indian Origin W. Perera told the Daily ...

Dr. Milinda Salpitikorala is set to launch his new t-shirt line and host an exhibition of his latest drawings, set to literally rock Cololmbo. The Skzin (pronounced skin) designer label, keeps alive the grungy glamour of rock, its designs drawing influence from rock and metal, genres of music the ‘Doc’ has held close to his ...

For a change, there is good news from Sri Lanka Cricket with the new administration led by Upali Dharmadasa succeeding in achieving record ticket sales worth over Rs. 80 million so far for the two Test matches with the visiting England team. “The amount raised so far is a record,” Tour Organising Committee Chairman Asanga ...

Suren Rajanathan is Vice President of 3M Sri Lanka, an innovation-based company which boasts a catalog of over 1,000 products sold in Sri Lanka that span 25 different business categories. 3M has an income internationally of $30 billion in sales, employs about 84,000 people worldwide, and has operations in more than 65 countries with products ...

and Exchange Commission (SEC) in partnership with the Daily FT. Dissanaike will ...

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) spokesman and parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayaka in an interview with the Daily FT critiques the on-going sessions of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the state of bad governance, deteriorating law and order and the economic crisis in the country.  

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 ...

Former Chairman Lalith Kotelawala hasn’t increased his shareholding in Ceylinco Insurance Plc, which last week admitted an error in stating his holding due to an oversight. Sequel to the Daily FT exposure on 8 March that accounts of Ceylinco Insurance showed an increase in Kotelwala’

The Institute of Chartered Corporate Secretaries and the Securities Exchange Commission in partnership with the Daily FT will hold a seminar on insider trading on 26 March.  The seminar is to be held from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Hilton Colombo Residencies and panellists include Professor Gishan

With just 12 days to go, Sri Lanka’s largest mega trade, investment and tourism promotion initiative ‘Expo 2012’ has attracted close to 1,200 people, exceeding the expected 1,000 mark, EDB Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said yesterday. Speaking to the Daily FT, he asserted

By Cheranka Mendis Despite the Central Bank’s forecast reading 7.2% growth for 2012, RAM Ratings Lanka CEO Adrian Perera is confident that the country can touch the 7.5%-7.6% mark by the end of the year. Perera told the Daily FT that the new projection is a realistic number from the 8% noted

The inaugural Future Marketers Conference of The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Sri Lanka Region, will be held on 17 March 2012 at the Grand Ballroom, Galadari Hotel Colombo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Student Committee of CIM Sri Lanka Region, comprising of 17 members who are students and practicing marketershave taken great ...

By Uditha Jayasinghe Members of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) want legal powers to implement their recommendations after a dispute resulted in unions threatening to pull out of the body. Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Director General Ravi Peiris told Daily FT

The 133rd Battle of the Blues cricket encounter between Royal College and S. Thomas College ended in a draw at SSC grounds on Saturday. The buzz and excitement of the match was captured by photojournalist Shantha Rathnayake for Daily FT

Ceylinco leads, Union Assurance best performer Combined premium tops Rs. 35 b mark, up by Rs. 4 b or 13% over 2010 Allianz rises to number eight, beating Indian giant LIC   The Life insurance market has seen a near 13% growth last year with impressive growth for top players, whilst Ceylinco and Union Assurance ...

A top line up of specialists will be the key attraction of the annual management conference organised by the Colombo University MBA Alumni Association on Friday 16 March from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be the Chief Guest at the conference titled ‘Beyond Traditional Boundaries,’ ...

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ruled that Melstacorp Ltd. must make a mandatory offer on Lanka Milk Foods (LMF) to all at Rs. 105 per share. This directive came following Melstacorp seeking same from the SEC. Last week LMF share price closed at Rs. 97.10, up by 80 cents from the previous week. ...

With its seventh birthday coming up this May, The Commons continues to keep diners and coming back for more with new menus and a maintained standard that’s hard to meet. Chic yet laid back, The Commons has continuously introduced new products and services along with its excellent restaurant menu. Spearheaded by Chef Manoj, the Commons ...

Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider CIMB Group is bullish on post-war Sri Lanka and prospects for financial services. Early this week CIMB entered into a strategic collaboration with John Keells Stock Brokers as part of a phased entry in to Sri Lanka. CIMB Group is also one of ASEAN’s leading universal banking groups and ...

Thousands of women in the apparel industry deserve respect for being partners in Sri Lanka’s highest foreign exchange earning sector By Uditha Jayasinghe Sri Lanka’s apparel industry clothes the world and earns the largest amount of foreign exchange but is struggling to retain its workforce as an estimated 30,000 vacancies remain open in hundreds of ...

By Cheranka Mendis With a membership of 107 top entrepreneurs of the country – among which close to 200 leading organisations is managed providing employment close to 250,000 people – the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) is a unique and highly valuable organisation to the country. Taking the mantle of the Chamber from K.H. ...

The converting business ideas into an action program is based upon seven principles: Team members’ ideas for improving how work is done are valuable as they are derived from first-hand experience of their organisation’s waste of time, effort and materials. Team members’ voluntary contributions of ideas result in greater productivity and enhanced service quality. Coaxing ...

Hot on the heels of the Daily FT story yesterday regarding a high powered Transport Ministry team is in Beijing to finalise the China’s Exim bank funding for Matara-Kataragama rail track extension, the Finance Ministry said yesterday that the Government of the People’s Republic of China

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be the Chief Guest at the Colombo University MBA Alumni Association annual management conference titled ‘Beyond Traditional Boundaries’ on 16 March at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo. This year’s focus on the conference is ‘Mastering Your Game’ and Rajapaksa, whose Ministry also includes the Urban Development, as Chief Guest is...

Majority stakeholders of Watawala Plantations Plc (WATA) yesterday voted in favour of the contentious sale of cash-cow marketing subsidiary to parent Estate Management Services Ltd. (EMS) despite concerns and objections raised by the golden shareholder the Treasury, the Securities and Exchange Commission and minority shareholders. The special resolution for the 100% stake sale of subsidiary ...

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. ...

Given its sheer size, the deal involving SLIC and Melstacorp on Spence had its share of broker battle as well, the Daily FT learns. There had been several brokers who either showed the quantity in full or parts or were firming up already. Some had been asked for a higher price by the seller as ...

Minority shareholders are strongly objecting to Watawala Plantation Plc’s (WATA) proposed sale of its marketing subsidiary, the company’s cash cow, to majority shareholder Estate Management Services Ltd. Their opposition is likely to be vehemently expressed today at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) convened for shareholder approval. Last month, WATA in a brief filing to the ...