International flights to Jaffna
An aircraft from Alliance Air (a subsidiary of Air India) receives a traditional welcome after landing at the renovated Jaffna International Airport which was opened on Thursday by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Pic by Jaffna correspondent N. Parameswaran.
SEC warns of scammers
Sri Lanka is very susceptible to a lot of problems without a proper legal system to outlaw questionable corporate behaviour. The latest is the high risk of financial scammers. Take the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notices recently. In a cautionary statement, the market regulator warned the public recently on the growing number of unsolicited [...]
Apparel gears to become a better place to work
Sri Lanka’s apparel industry is fighting hard to find more workers and has not shed the possibility of hiring from other countries. “We have done a lot of work but due to budgetary constraints we had to limit it (the campaign) to social media,” Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Ex-Co Member and head of the [...]
Start-up Registry launched
A start-up registry, under the purview of the Ministry of Digital Infrastructure and Information Technology was launched last Monday in a bid to bring structure into local start-ups and freelancers who do tech-based work. Kanishka Weeramunda, Founder/ Director, PayMedia (Pvt) Ltd and an IT professional who partnered the Digital Infrastructure and Information Technology in launching [...]
Funding political campaigns
Want to finance a candidate at the forthcoming presidential poll? Then now is the time! Political parties, according to political activists, are not finding it easy – for the first time in the history of elections – to fund their campaigns. This is because funds from business groups and individuals have been affected by poor [...]
“Sweep app” brings lottery results at the touch of a button
Gone are the days of running around to find a lottery ticket seller in a wayside stall to find out the winning numbers and getting the results. All this hassle will be done away with for good as the Development Lotteries Board (DLB)’s new mobile sweep app provides an opportunity of checking the daily winning [...]
Promises… promises
“Aiyo …egollo apahu eka karanava (They are doing it again),” exclaimed Mabel Rasthiyadu. “Monawa (What)?” asked Kussi Amma Sera, seated with the other two under the margosa tree. “Aei porondu denawa (Why… making promises),” replied Mabel Rasthiyadu. “Nomile pohora, govinta sahana saha badu adu kirima (Free fertiliser, relief for farmers and reduced taxes),” interjected Serapina [...]
Take a “shortcut”
For a few weeks now, we have been discussing an important issue: How long it would take for Sri Lanka to become a “rich” country? To be more specific, the question implies that how long would it take for Sri Lanka to become a “high-income” country with over US$12,000 per capita GDP from its present [...]
Camera, storage capacity and battery life that define mobile phones
Gone are the days where a mobile phone used to be a device to dial and receive calls or for text messages (SMS). Times have changed to the quality a phone camera could capture a memorable moment, how much storage space it has and how long the battery life will last. While technology keeps evolving, [...]
H One recognised again for excellence in IT solutions at NBQSA Awards 2019
H One, the IT arm of global apparel manufacturer, Hirdaramani, proved its mettle yet again when it was recognised with two awards at the 21st edition of the annual National Best Quality Software Awards (NBQSA). Awards for the competition organised by the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT in Sri Lanka, are distributed across 16 [...]
Hilton appoints Manesh Fernando as Area General Manager , Sri Lanka
Manesh Fernando, General Manager of Colombo’s leading five-star hotel, the Hilton Colombo, has been appointed Area General Manager, Sri Lanka overseeing the Hilton Colombo, Hilton Colombo Residence and soon to open Double Tree By Hilton Weerawila Rajawarna Resort, Hilton Yala Resort and the five other properties in the pipeline. Mr. Fernando’s 23-year career in hospitality [...]
Amana Bank wins Gold at LankaPay Technovation Awards
Amana Bank received the Gold award for ‘Best Common ATM Acquirer of the Year – Category C’ at the recently concluded LankaPay Technnovation Awards. The bank further went on to win a special recognition award for ‘Bank of the Year for Financial Inclusivity’, it said in a media release. Speaking on these achievements, Amana Bank’s [...]
Game on with ‘Mojo’ of inclusion
So here’s the good news: You can be a capitalist and still feel good about it. A strong call to make capitalism more inclusive by giving everyone a stake in its success and more responsible and inclusive was made at the 40th National Conference of Chartered Accountants, organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of [...]
When elephants fight: Implications of US-China trade dispute on bystanders
After months of tension, a thaw in the US-China trade dispute is on the horizon, with the US agreeing to halt further tariff increases and China agreeing to buy US farm products. However, fundamental disagreements that led to the dispute—such as subsidies and intellectual property—are complex and remain unresolved. If the current detente does not [...]
Doing good, cashing in, making a change and creating impact
Yes all this can be done. Doing good and doing well are polarised themes, taken in a political context. Why? Because doing good is a core principle in socialism while doing well (and maximising returns to shareholders) is a capitalist notion. But they aren’t mutually exclusive as Prof. Rohan Samarajiva, Chairman Information and Communication Technology [...]
Dankotuwa Porcelain receives Gold at NCE Export Awards
Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier manufacturer of porcelain tableware, has been adjudged winner of the Gold award in the large-scale industrial sector for Ceramics and Porcelain products category at the recently concluded NCE Export Awards 2019. Awarded by the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE), this accolade is the second the company [...]
Trailblazers in payment technology recognised at LankaPay Technnovation Awards
LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2019 organised for the third consecutive year by LankaClear, the Operator of LankaPay National Payment Network, was held recently at the Shangri-la Hotel, Colombo. This event is Sri Lanka’s first and the only payment technology innovation awards initiated with the objective of recognising the pioneers of the country’s payment technology innovations who [...]
George Steuart Insurance Brokers introduces “Steuart Wings” travel policy
George Steuart Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd, the insurance arm of the George Steuart Group of Companies, recently launched Steuart Wings Travel Insurance,offering attractive travel insurance covers to the clients of George Steuart Travels. Steuart Wings is underwritten by Fairfirst Insurance Ltd, a leading insurance company in Colombo. George Steuart Insurance Brokers aims to revolutionise insurance [...]
Uber Eats created more jobs for marginalised groups
Uber Eats, one of the leading food delivery companies, has created more jobs especially for females and first time recruits and meeting over millions of orders in just two cities within the first year itself. Uber Eats Sri Lanka Lead Head Bhavna Dadlani in an interview with the Sunday Times on Tuesday said that they [...]
Genie wins 2 Golds at the LankaPay Technnovation Awards
Genie, Sri Lanka’s first and only PCI-DSS certified mobile payment app by Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, clinched gold awards for ‘Most Popular Electronic Payment Product (Fintech)’ and ‘Best Mobile Application for Retailer Payments’ at the LankaPay Technnovation Awards 2019 held last week in Colombo. The awards, organised by LankaClear Ltd, the [...]
Airtel partners with EFC to train persons with disabilities
Airtel Lanka recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC), to open up on-the-job training opportunities for people with disabilities. The initiative began as a pilot project when Airtel recruited a partially, visually impaired individual on a six months training period through EFC’s Employers’ Network on Disability. “The advancement [...]
Digital transformation – prerequisite for companies to stay afloat in changing times
Forty per cent of the Sri Lanka businesses are not going to survive in the next 10 years owing to digital disruption taking place globally unless new technologies are incorporated into businesses to avert such a catastrophe, said the Chairman of the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), Abbas Kamrudeen at the Digital [...]
Treasury issues strict guidelines to state-owned enterprises
Sri Lanka’s State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) numbering 422 will be reinvigorated under the Statement of Corporate Intent (SCI) mechanism now in full operation. The SCI mechanism is aimed at enhancing the operational, financial and service delivery performances of the SOEs within the agreed period in line with the macroeconomic policy framework of the government. SCI is [...]
FineTech hosts CXO Round-Table with G-Suite
Google’s premier and largest local partner in Sri Lanka since 2010, FineTech Consultancy recently hosted a special round-table discussion with Chief Experience Officers (CXO) of leading organisations to educate the local market on Google’s transformational online work tools. The forum was conducted by Heather Emslie, APAC Head of Collaboration and Productivity (G Suite and Meeting [...]
Be passionate about being resilient
If we asked people about how they picture their ideal Smart City, probably one of the most recurring answers would be “without traffic jams”. And that would be no surprise. It is estimated that 10 per cent of the local road network is jammed on a daily basis. The focus of Smart City development on [...]
Licensed banks to operate under stringent legal framework
Sri Lanka’s licensed banks are to be operated under a more stringent legal and regulatory framework with implementation of the proposed new Banking Act, Central Bank Governor Dr.Indrajit Coomaraswamy told a media conference recently. The legal and regulatory framework of licensed banks will be further strengthened through the new Banking Act. The Central Bank is [...]
EFL bags top accolade at Presidential Export Awards 2018/19
Expolanka Freight (Pvt) Ltd (EFL), a pioneer provider of global logistics, took home the award for Best Exporter of Logistics Services, at the Presidential Export Awards (PEA) 2018/19 held recently at the BMICH, Colombo. Now on its 23rd consecutive year, the PEA is held to recognise exporters who have excelled in the Sri Lankan export [...]
Iran, Turkey sanctions hurt Ceylon Tea
As the United States sanctions against Iran has left Sri Lanka still working out an arrangement for its tea exports, similar actions reported to be initiated against Turkey would aggravate the industry’s problems. Sri Lanka is still working out the arrangement for the payment of its tea exports to Iran via the debts to its [...]
SLI’s environment enhancement of 100 needy schools
Sri Lanka Insurance successfully concluded its CSR initiative ’Pasal Piriyatha Surakimu’ school enhancement drive on October 12 at 100 underprivileged schools located across the country. The company extended assistance to develop infrastructure, refurbish schools, including painting their buildings, desks, chairs and providing necessary assistance to the selected schools with the aim of nurturing future leaders [...]
LankaPay-JCB International’s commercial roll-out of National Card Scheme
LankaClear (Pvt) Ltd (LankaClear) – the operator of LankaPay, Sri Lanka’s National Payment Network, together with JCB International Co. Ltd (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co. Ltd, has announced the commercial roll-out of the National Card Scheme (NCS) programme of Sri Lanka, after successfully completing the pilot stage since the announcement of the [...]
Confederation of SMI steps in for MSME growth
In the present era dominated by dynamic technology trends, Sri Lanka’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are grappling to sustain in a global value chain as such industries cannot compete with cheap imports, an eminent group of veteran industry experts said. Innovation level and value addition in locally made products of MSMEs are at [...]
Brantel appointed local distributor for world’s top solar panel maker JA Solar
Brantel Lanka Ltd has been appointed as the authorised distributor in Sri Lanka for JA Solar of China, the leading solar cell producer in the world, further consolidating the company’s contribution to the country’s sustainable energy sector. Brantel will be responsible for the sales of JA Solar’s 330W Polycrystalline Modules in Sri Lanka, the maintenance [...]
Pearson tech summit set to ignite, inspire and transform local IT industry
Pearson Lanka has officially announced the launch of ‘Pearson Tech Summit’, a high-powered conference featuring many local and international speakers from the Information Technology space. Themed ‘’Ignite. Inspire. Transform”, the tech summit will attract more than 1,000 IT professionals, academics and undergraduates under one roof in a bid to refresh and enhance the knowledge of [...]
Policies to revive growth a priority
The Sri Lankan economy is making a painfully slow recovery after a series of setbacks, posting GDP growth of around 3 per cent in the first half of 2019, down from just under 4 per cent recorded over the same period in 2018. Successive blows from the October 2018 constitutional crisis and April 2019 terror [...]