Category: Featured
DeepSphere.AI and 10QBIT announce partnership to promote Sri Lanka as AI innovation and talent hub
DeepSphere.AI, led by the esteemed AI expert Jothi Periasamy, and 10QBIT under the leadership of UK-based technopreneur Sanj Chandran, have announced a monumental partnership. Facilitated by the innovation ecosystem AQCELLOR, this alliance aims to position Sri Lanka as a leading hub for AI, R&D, and innovation. Sanj Chandran, Founder and CEO of 10QBIT, shares his […]
Quick chat with celebrity Chef Gary Mehigan
The renowned Celebrity Chef and former judge of MasterChef Australia, Gary Mehigan, engaged in a brief online discussion ahead of his highly anticipated trip to Sri Lanka at the end of the month. The culinary maestro is set to captivate Sri Lanka during a three-day culinary extravaganza, in partnership with Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. From […]
Advocata Institute raises concerns over enforcing minimum room rates for hotels in Colombo
The Advocata Institute raised concerns about the policy by Sri Lankan authorities to enforce minimum room rates for hotels in Colombo starting from October 1st, 2023. The gazetted rates are USD 100 for 5-star hotels, USD 75 for 4-star hotels, USD 50 for 3-star hotels, USD 35 for 2- star hotels, and USD 20 for […]
Steering senior public sector officials towards innovative thinking
Recognizing the indispensable role of a robust public sector in achieving Sri Lanka’s development objectives, Citra -Sri Lanka’s pioneering Social Innovation Lab established as a joint initiative between Prime Minister’s Office and UNDP Sri Lanka – held the Citra Fellowship on Public Service Excellence, a unique experiential learning programme tailored to fortify and invigorate the nation’s […]
Sri Lanka launches Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) implementation plan
From record-breaking temperatures to increasing extreme weather events, in 2022 alone Asia recorded 81 weather, climate and water-related disasters which directly affected more than 50 million people, costing USD 36 billion in economic damages according to the World Meteorological Organisation’s State of the Climate in Asia report. The global landscape is changing dramatically with the […]
”’
Fitch Ratings has assigned National Development Bank PLC’s (NDB, A-(lka)/Stable) proposed Sri Lankan rupee-denominated Basel III-compliant subordinated debentures of up to LKR5 billion a final National Long- Term Rating of ‘BBB(lka)’. The final rating is the same as the expected rating assigned on 1 September 2023 and follows the receipt of documents conforming to information […]
Siddhalepa honors Asian Games gold medalist Tharushi
Siddhalepa, a respected name in natural healthcare, took the opportunity to honor and appreciate the outstanding achievements of Tharushi Karunarathna, the young Sri Lankan track and field athlete who made history with her remarkable performance at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last month. Tharushi, with her determination and prowess, secured a gold medal, competing […]
Comm Bank Group’s 9-month gross income up 30.88-pct to Rs 256 Bn
A heightened emphasis on lending has seen the Commercial Bank Group increase gross loans and advances by Rs 51.404 billion in the third quarter of 2023 at a monthly average of Rs 17.135 billion, growing its loan book by 4.33% over three months to Rs 1.239 trillion and reversing the trend of the first half […]
Opinion: Price controls are not the way to bring down price of chicken
By Pravena Yogendra, a contributor to the Advocata Institute Most HoReCa channels in Sri Lanka sell a packet of chicken rice and curry at a higher price than a comparative packet of fish rice and curry. The price of a portion of chicken rice and curry is ~30% more than that of a portion of […]
John Keells Holdings PLC interim financial results for 2Q 2023/24
Summarised below are the key operational and financial highlights of our performance during the quarter under review: • During the quarter under review, the Group’s businesses, except for Transportation and Property, recorded growth in profitability. • Group EBITDA at Rs.8.06 billion in the second quarter of 2023/24 is a decrease of 13% against Group EBITDA […]
9th Regional dialogue on biodiversity finance in Sri Lanka features new opportunities
A sustainable wonder to the world, Sigiriya is one of the most valuable historical monuments in Sri Lanka and deserving of its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982. Sigiriya is also where another landmark knowledge exchange on biodiversity finance takes place. Reversing the global decline in biodiversity by 2030 requires a budget […]
‘s human development
The Asia-Pacific region is lurching towards an era of unmet aspirations, worsening inequalities, and a steady erosion of democratic spaces. Rising global tensions, new technologies, growing polarization, and existential threats linked to climate change threaten to disrupt improvements in well-being the region has seen in past decades, says a new report from the United Nations […]