Category: Industry
Sri Lanka’s Jayasuriya heads for England
May 11, 2006 (AFP) – Veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya will join his Sri Lanka team-mates in England later this week after reversing his decision to quit, chief selector Asantha de Mel said on Thursday. The left-hander, 36, will arrive in England well ahead of the second Test in Edgbaston from May 25 and stay for […]
New Wing
May 11 (LBO) – The government has given state oil giant Ceylon Petroleum Corporation the go ahead for a feasibility study to double capacity at its Sapugaskanda refinery. “We have got Cabinet approval for a feasibility study as well as a million dollars to fund the study,” M H M Fowzie, Minister for Petroleum Resources […]
Breaking Ground
May 11 (LBO) – Sri Lanka began construction of it first coal power plant on Thursday in Norachcholai on the island’s West Coast, amidst protests by environmental lobbies. The 300 Megawatt plant is being built at a cost of 455 million dollars, largely funded by a 20-year concessionary loan from the China Export and Import […]
Road Runner
May 11 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is to begin work on the Colombo-Katunayake toll road this month tying up a construction deal with China Metallurgical Construction Group.Cabinet approval for the project came through on Wednesday, Jeyraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways told a Cabinet press briefing on Thursday. The tentative kick-off date for the building the […]
Jayawardene backs batsmen to come good against England
LONDON, May 10, 2006 (AFP) – Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene insisted on Wednesday that his batsmen would have no trouble picking themselves up for the first Test against England here at Lord’s. But later in the day reports from Sri Lanka suggested that veteran left-handed opener Sanath Jayasuriya had been recalled from his Test […]
Jayasuriya comes out of retirement for second England Test
May 11, 2006 (AFP) – Prolific batsman Sanath Jayasuriya is set to return to Sri Lanka’s squad for the second Test against England after reversing his decision to quit, a cricket website said Wednesday.“The (Sri Lankan) selectors met this afternoon after Jayasuriya indicated a willingness to make himself available for Tests again and decided to […]
Alien Raid
May 10 (LBO) – Sri Lanka authorities have initiated a major crackdown on illegal foreign labour in the country, starting with workers in foreign owned factories. Last weekend investigators from the Department of Immigration and Emigration raided a factory in the Kalutara district and arrested seven Indian nationals. The Controller of Immigration and Emigration P […]
Murali aiming for five-wicket Lord’s haul
LONDON, May 10, 2006 (AFP) – Muttiah Muralitharan wants to mark his first Test appearance at Lord’s by taking five wickets in an innings for Sri Lanka against England and getting his name on the dressing room honours board.“He will be the most important wicket for us as far as I’m concerned because when he […]
Modest Growth
May 10 (LBO) – Union Assurance Ltd. posted a strong first quarter with profit after tax of Rs34 million as at March this year, over Rs37 million for the same period the year before. Growth was driven by increases in general insurance premiums, up 38 percent to Rs754 million in March and life premiums up […]
Flying Low
TOKYO, May 10, 2006 (AFP) – Japan Airlines Corp, Asia’s largest carrier, said Wednesday high fuel costs and a series of safety lapses pushed it deep into loss in the year to March but forecast a return to profit this year. JAL made a net loss of 47.2 billion yen (424.5 million dollars) for the […]
Hard Times
May 10 (LBO) – Domestic airlines say soaring fuel costs may force a hike in ticket fares, but any increase may also scare away dwindling numbers of travellers to the North. “We are in discussions to raise fares, but we are worried about the situation in the market.We are concerned that by raising fares we […]
Face Lift
May 10 06 (LBO) – The government planning to re-surface the runway of the main international airport of the country, an official said. Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, H M C Nimalsiri said that a team of Sri Lankan engineers was working on the project to re-surface the runway. The Bandaranaike International Airport […]