Category: Special Reports

State officials and peace brokers search for fresh avenues to drive through a lasting peace settlement with the separatist Tamil rebel faction holding on to most of the North and East of the island. rn rnAs another day ends without significant progress with the peace process, Sri Lanka prepares for another battle endash the fight […]

Jewelry Industry is banding together in an effort to add value to products while capitalizing on the image of the Ceylon Sapphire.rnWhile the country has a reputation for top quality sapphires very few of them get set into jewelry here. Even fewer go out with local branding.rn rnDiamonds are a girls best friend-add a bit […]

The rupees recent rally against the US dollar is the strongest evidence since April 2002 that Sri Lankas currency is really floating, though reassuring noises are coming from Central Bank that the rupee is not likely to appreciate further.rnrnrnrnrnrnrnFrom January 2002 the Euro rose nearly 35rn rnrnrnrnrn From January 2002 the Euro rose nearly rn35% […]

The rupees recent rally against the US dollar is the strongest evidence since April 2002 that Sri Lankas currency is really floating, though reassuring noises are coming from Central Bank that the rupee is not likely to appreciate further.rnrnrnrnrnrnrnFrom January 2002 the Euro rose nearly 35rn rnrnrnrnrn From January 2002 the Euro rose nearly rn35% […]

Want to avoid being hit by the next big virus thats going to hit a PC near you?rnSwitch to open source.rnSoftware like the Linux operating system is usually never the target of computer viruses. Hackers mostly hit at computers with Microsoft operating systems.rnOpen source software developed by groups of tech enthusiasts in their spare time […]

The governments privatisation arm is streamlining its internal processes and plans to list more state corporations on the Colombo bourse to spur capital market development.A quotation on the Colombo Stock Exchange infuses financial discipline, corporate governance and adds value to the transaction, says Manjula de Silva, Director General of the Public Enterprise Reform Commission.rn rn”It […]

Its fashionable to have an address at one of Colombos plush apartments these days. The government has fuelled the apartment craze by pushing lending institutions to offer cheap credit to meet the shortage of houses. As a result, price to rent ratios for apartments are currently topping 21 times. The sky-high rents are expected to […]

Colombos congested roads are not getting a break, with 3,000 new vehicles hitting the streets every month. Most of it is in the capital. Tax and excise on vehicle imports is a top revenue generator for the government. But critics say the countrys road infrastructure could soon start bursting at the seams if the current […]

Over US$ 300mn in Foreign Direct Investment is expected by the end of the year, one of the highest inflows during recent years. The national investment promotion agency BOI says that the country is now attracting investments from all over the world with strong inflows from the Asian region.rnStrategies to attract investments are also seeing […]

Half the countrys population has electricity supplied by the main power grid. Authorities say they plan to raise this level to about 80 percent of the population within the next few years. However, drawing power lines to rural areas far from main cities is going to be difficult.rn rnExperts say that alternative ways to light […]

Earnings for Taj Lanka Hotels Ltd., the owners of Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo and Taj Exotica Hotel in Bentota, are expected to top Rs.155 mn for the financial year 2003/4.rn rnLanka Orix Securities in a research report says Taj Lanka Ltd will also greatly benefit from the ongoing tourism boom and falling interest rates, […]

Following the legacy of the famous De Beers diamonds and Tahitian pearls, is a test bed range of branded lquote Sriya Ceylon sapphires, as Sri Lanka stakes its claim in world gem markets. Developed by a British designer and collectively sponsored by industry, this is Sri Lankas first attempt to brand its high quality and […]