The Sri Lankan ministerial delegation attending the 19th sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council beginning later this month has left for Geneva, Switzerland yesterday. The ministerial delegation led by the External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris includes Plantation Minister and President’s Special Human Rights Envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe, Ministers Nimal Siripala De Silva and ...

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), the foremost business chamber in Sri Lanka, caters to the business needs of over 3,000 establishments through its direct and indirect membership.  The service needs of these organisations are met by the CCC in numerous ways. They include, introduction of local and overseas business links, facilitation of export/import procedures, ...

Nearly half (48%) of the 1,258 CEOs polled worldwide believe the global economy will decline even further in the next 12 months, according to PwC’s 15th Annual Global CEO Survey. Just 15% said the global economy will improve during 2012. However, nearly three times as many CEOs are confident in their own companies’ growth prospects ...

  By Cheranka Mendis The much anticipated HSBC Colombo Fashion Week is now all set to open three days of glamour and fashion related business to the local community starting 24 February. With fashion weeks around the world being identified as the most glamorous business meetings, HSBC CFW will aim at promoting and encouraging local ...

The Daily FT spoke to the Immediate Past President of Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and Chairman and Managing Director of Conniassance de Ceylan Ltd., on the state of post-war Sri Lanka tourism industry, the progress and key challenges as well as future prospects and how best they could be harnessed. Here ...

Born at Moscow in 1961, Valeriy Belenikin is a graduate of the Moscow Academy of Fine Arts named after V.I Surikov. The artist’s conception of his work is based upon truth and the mystery of this life. He is in awe of all that takes place in this world. Not only human banality, but all ...

Colombo Music Festival gathers momentum; to be held on 23, 24, 25, and 26 August 2012As Senses and Soul, Colombo Music Festival 2012 to be held from 23 to 26 August gathers momentum behind the scenes, this festival, the first ever of its kind to be held in the region, promises to deliver a superlative ...

Following are some responses from three economists to the guest column by Chandra Jayaratne titled ‘Important issues’ for Sri Lankan legislators, the Executive, policymakers, Central Bankers, economists and thought leaders to ponder over published on 2 February 1) I disagree with the Stiglitz-Krugman line. My diagnosis is that Europe is in this mess for two ...

oneworld member elect Malaysia Airlines’ full global schedule involving around 60 destinations worldwide will be included in the Global Explorer from tomorrow, adding one of the most attractive networks in South East Asia to the round-the-world fare offered by all members of the alliance and selected other airlines. Through this coverage, almost 20 more cities ...

Colombo International Tea Convention discusses trade and marketing of the beverage By Cheranka Mendis Nestled in the dynamic Asian region with a hot beverage to its name, Sri Lanka could benefit well from becoming a ‘tea hub’ in the future, Commonwealth Secretariat Economic Affairs Division Former Director Indrajit Coomaraswamy said. Addressing the Colombo International Tea ...

The Visible Hand of the government ‘The Visible Hand’ was the title which the famed London-based economics weekly, The Economist, used when it published a special report in its issue on 21 January 2012 on the rise of state capitalism in the modern era. The title has a pun: The governments do not care to ...

Some important issues for Sri Lankan legislators, the Executive, policymakers, Central Bankers, economists and thought leaders to ponder over: Stiglitz believes that the austerity plans in the EU nations, especially by the debt ridden poorer nations of the group is akin to a collective suicide pact and is an act madness promoted and enforced by ...

Etihad Airways is offering complimentary 96-hour tourist visas to guests transiting through the UAE, effective immediately. The visas, ideal for travellers making stopover visits en route to their final destination, are being offered in cooperation with Radisson Blu hotel on Yas Island. The offer is valid for travellers previously eligible for Etihad Airways’ paid-for visa ...

Following is the keynote address delivered by Senior Minister of Human Resources D.E.W. Gunasekera at the South Asian Regional Consultative Seminar on Human Development and Measurement of Human Development Progress, held at the IPS Auditorium from 30-31 January 2012 Public understanding of human development was galvanised by the appearance of the first Human Development Report ...

 Indonesia, Thailand, ‘high up on list’; Vietnam looks cheap  Bottom-up manager favours oil and coal stocks, consumer firms  Says can buy indirectly in Myanmar-related companies BANGKOK (Reuters): Emerging market stocks in Southeast Asia, notably in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, will be good bets this year, Franklin Templeton’s Mark Mobius said, adding that whil...

At a press briefing held adjunct to the inauguration, Sri Lanka Tea Board Promotions Director Hasitha De Alwis noted that Sri Lanka as a high quality producer does not prioritise on volume. “If you look at value, Sri Lanka despite exporting 300 million kilos and becoming a main exporter has earned much more foreign exchange ...

The inauguration of the 20th Session of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Inter-Governmental Group on Tea hosted by Sri Lanka was held last night in Colombo. The sessions proper will begin today and go on until 1 February with the participation of delegates from over 25 countries.   Hosted by Sri Lanka ...

MUMBAI (Reuters): Tea prices in India, the world’s second biggest producer, fell at an auction held last week on a seasonal decline in the quality of leaf on offer, though demand was good from local buyers, dealers and industry officials said on Tuesday. The average price of CTC (crush-tear-curl) tea stood at 116.16 rupees per ...

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 ...

The Sri Lanka Tea Board, the apex authority of the tea industry in Sri Lanka, will be hosting the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) 20th Session of the Inter-Governmental Group (IGG) on tea from 30 January to 1 February 2012 in Colombo. At the 19th session held in May 2010 in New Delhi, Sri ...

Sri Lanka businesses and their leaders are optimistic of prospects for 2012 whilst they are also confident the country will progress in the New Year according to key findings of a CEOs survey done by MTI Market Research. “Despite concerns about the global economic outlook, Sri Lankan businesses seem confident that the local economy and ...

By Aruni Amarasinghe The newly-appointed Sri Lankan Envoy to Sweden Oshadhi Alahapperuma presented his Credentials to the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf recently at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Representing the Sweden Government, the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps called at the Sri Lankan Embassy which is located in the heart of Stockholm and ...

Reuters: The International Monetary Fund is seeking to more than double its war chest by raising $600 billion in new resources to help countries deal with the fallout of the euro zone debt crisis, but the United States and other countries are throwing up roadblocks. The United States and Canada said on Wednesday Europe must ...

Reuters: The global economy will grow by only 0.5 per cent in 2012, effectively shrinking on a per capita basis, unless there is rapid action to create jobs, prevent sovereign debt distress and shore up fragile banks, a United Nations study said on Tuesday. The annual UN World Economic Situation and Prospects report forecast average ...

Reuters: Airbus outsold Boeing almost two-to-one in 2011 after gambling on a revamped fuel-efficient jetliner and delivered more jets than its rival for the ninth year running, while admitting it may struggle to keep its order crown this year. Figures released by the European planemaker on Tuesday confirmed the popularity of narrowbody jets offering significant ...

How the key industry progressed last yearBy Cheranka Mendis Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which saw a 30.8% growth over the previous year in 2011, has been driven by key markets India, UK and Germany and is likely to be the foremost contributor in 2012 as well. Named as ‘Visit Sri Lanka year,’ 2011 saw the ...

Reuters: Sri Lanka may be a minnow in the oil world, but a near total reliance on Iranian crude imports means it has more reason than most to find a way to avoid being caught in the clutches of US sanctions. The island’s only refinery – the 50,000 barrels-a-day Sapugaskanda refinery – is almost entirely ...

MOSCOW (AFP): Russia’s growth ticked up to 4.2 percent in 2011 from 4.0 percent in 2010, making it one of the three best-performing major economies in the world, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday. “Russia is in third place among the major economies of the world

Sri Lanka will be holding two fresh bilateral trade sessions today in Hyderabad – one with India and the other with the United Arab Emirates. The talks will be held at Andra Pradesh Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad. Minister of Industry and Commerce Bathiudeen is currently in Hyderabad as a member of the Sri ...

World famous and leading carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) yesterday emphasised its optimism over prospects in Sri Lanka and renewed its longstanding commitment to promote the destination in addition to continuing with superior service. The reiteration of positivism was when SIA announced its new General Manager for Sri Lanka Aldrin Arumugam succeeding Melvin Ng, who will ...