News 

Textile quotas come unstuck

This situation had an adverse impact on the garment industry and even affected revenue earnings earned by the country in the past, industry officials said. 

The new system will enable factories that do not have export orders to transfer their quotas to those with orders enabling them to meet commitments to buyers.

Quota utilization was 80 percent in 1999, an improvement from 74 percent in 1998. The availability of quota in 1999 was 388.3 mn pieces in 1999 compared to 372.7 mn in 1998. 

However export of quota items had declined by 1 percent in 1999 while non- quota item exports grew by 9.4 percent. 

Overall availability of quota increased by 4.2 percent in 1999. A 3.8 percent increase in the US market, 7.3 percent increase in European Union countries and a 1 percent increase in Canada was witnessed. 

Sri Lanka exports fifty different apparel and textile items under quota to these markets.

However Sri Lanka is expected to encounter increased competition with the phasing out of the Multi Fibre Agreement. 

Industry experts believe it would be necessary for Sri Lanka to move away from the export of quota category garments to capture niche markets in order to compete. 

APIIT to offer scholarships

By Akhry Ameer

The selection will be based purely on merit of the candidates who reply through the coupons published in the newspaper. 

This is one of our ways of demonstrating social responsibility to make people recognize IT education CEO, APIIT, Dr Ifthikar Ismail said. He added that the successful candidates should have O/L and A/L qualifications and should have some form of community orientation by way of extra curricular activities.

APIIT Sri Lanka was set up in the early part of this year in collaboration with APIIT Malaysia to provide IT and business courses.

Since a launch it has a concentrated population of 125 students and is about to enroll its new intake of 70 more students. Two candidates selected on the scholarship scheme will be enrolled with this intake. Based at Access Towers the institution occupies an entire floor with a state of the art faculty comprising of administration rooms, labs, library, syndicate rooms, lecture rooms, corporate training rooms. The faculty has also a prayer room, the use of which is extended to all other offices in the building as a social commitment. Space has also been allocated towards setting up a Prometric Testing Centre for Microsoft, Cisco and other certifications.

APIIT delivers quality by ensuring IT and Business Training its core business is conducted by a full-time faculty of graduates. Further its standards are validated by Staffordshire University in the United Kingdom who visit the branches as many as six times a year. Validations conducted include 75% of time spent with students and lecturers picked by the visiting authority.

The institute is further bound to ensure quality by way of a quality manual which lists job descriptions, qualifications of the various officers in the institute, course delivery methods, durations and even duties, responsibilities and appointment of students on part-time jobs as librarians, lab assistants, etc. Students on the other hand are given dress codes and made aware of codes of conduct, student rights, exam procedures, etc. by a handbook available on its intranet.

The lecture panel is a full-time faculty who work a 45 hour week of which only 15 hours is taxed with lecturing. The rest of the time is spent on preparation and with students. The local branch is also negotiating collaboration with the Department of Engineering of the Peradeniya University aimed at future recruitment of lecturers and skills development of existing lecturers.

All courses and courseware offered locally are regulated by APIIT Malaysia with representations from its branches in the region and validated by Staffordshire University at Regular Boards of Study meetings. 

The exam papers are set in Malaysia and random samples of answer scripts are sent to Staffordshire and other independent consultants.

Courses offered by APIIT are varied and range from specialized IT courses for corporate offices to diploma and higher diploma for students at entry level and desktop courses for those wishing to acquire basic IT skills. The diploma and higher diploma are two fold in that a participant may choose a course that will go deep into IT and software engineering. 

Alternatively the Business diploma with IT teaches general subjects like accounting, HR, marketing, etc. together with intense IT skills that may be applied in these areas to enhance effectiveness.

All diploma programes lead to BA/BSc degreesawarded by Staffordshire University, UK that is identical to those offered at their own campus. The local body hopes to introduce this degree programme that will involve an additional year of study after the higher diploma. 

Those wishing to sit for degrees elsewhere have the option of choosing among 16 universities in UK and Australia, that offer full credit transfer into the first and second year for diploma awarded by APIIT. 

APIIT Sri Lanka recently also concluded a successful Java Training Programme for corporate staff drawn from various software companies. The trainer was flown from APIIT Malaysia specifically for this programme. Dr. Ismail said that the heads of these organizations requested Java training as it looks set to be the industry platform for the future. Equipped with a state of the art corporate training facility APIIT Sri Lanka hopes to conduct more of these programmes in the near future. 

APIIT Malaysia, is the product of the collaboration between the Government of Malaysia and its IT, industry to provide the necessary skilled human resource to the IT industry in the Asia-Pacific region. Set up in the early '90s APIIT is funded by the Sapura Group in Malaysia.

Since its commencement APIIT through the years has earned itself the MS ISO 9002 quality certificate, a Top 10 ranking in the Enterprise 50 Awards presented by the Minister of International Trade and Industry in Malaysia. 

It was the first education and training institution to be accorded the Multimedia Super Corridor company status by the Multimedia Development Corporation of Malaysia.

John Keells Institute trains over 1000 in first year

John Keells Institute, a member of John Keells Holdings Ltd. was launched with the aim of bridging the gap in securing qualified IT professionals for the industry. 

Courses conducted by the institute include introductory courses, career courses for school leavers, development courses for IT professionals and customized corporate training courses. It is shortly to introduce an e-learning course, which would be a first of its kind in the country. 

An extension to the career courses would also be made available through which GTech Diploma holders will be able to sit for a degree offered by a recognized university in the United Kingdom.

The courses are developed by TATA Infotec in India based on the official curriculum of the various vendors like Microsoft, Oracle, and Sun. 

Facilities are also available for participants to sit for certification exams such as Microsoft certified professional (MCP), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Microsoft Certified Systems Developers (MCSD), online through Virtual University Enterprise Testing. All courses are offered in both full-time and part-time learning capacities throughout the week. 

During the year the institute has conducted many corporate training courses for large organizations like Sampath Bank, Sri Lankan Airlines, including government organizations and defence forces such as the Colombo District Courts, University of Kelaniya and the Sri Lanka Airforce. 

All corporate courses are fully customized in timing and content to client specifications and needs.

The institute has also carried out graduate re-training programmes where graduates of non-IT disciplines are trained to become IT professionals. Most of these programmes together with the career courses are guaranteed jobs by various organizations. Interviews are conducted by these organizations prior to the course and those obtaining distinctions are enrolled into these organizations. Courses are conducted by a faculty of local industry lecturers and Indian IT professionals who hold degrees in IT, engineering and are certified professionals like MCSD, and OCP.

Ceylon Biscuits launches "Munchee Tifin original"

This type of product is poplar in Europe and Japan and is introduced for the first time in Sri Lanka. The biscuit is the outcome of extensive research and comes as a part of an expansion programme in which the company has invested over 500 million rupees.

"Munchee Tifin" comes in a pack of 120 grams and is retailed at Rs. 22/= per pack. Combined technologies from Europe and America along with the in-house experience of Ceylon Biscuits contributed to the creation of Munchee Tifin. The product wrapper is of a special material supplied by the Mobile Corporation of America. The material has superior "barrier" properties to ensure freshness and sustain the shelf life of the product.

The company is confident of a large export market for this product the press release stated.

YESL second awards ceremony

By Udeshika Dissanayake

Weliwita said YESL hopes to expand its programs to graduates of the present program which will enable them to run their own businesses under the supervision of YESL. The current programs by YESL include elementary, middle and senior programs for students from grade 1 to 13 with the latest additions being the Globe program and the participation of a Sri Lankan student in Junior Achievement International's cyber team.

YESL which is a member of the Junior Achievement International (JAI) and operates in Sri Lanka by adopting the curriculum and material prepared by the JAI.JAI is a non-profit organization financed by over 100,000 businesses, foundations and individuals. The purpose of JAI is to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise, understand business and economics and be a work force ready.

Patrick Amerasinghe, President YESL pointed out that the Sri Lankan program was the fastest growing one among other programs in the word. 

The program that included only nine schools at last years award ceremony included more than sixty schools this year. He invited the private sector to take this valuable opportunity to be a part of the programme to make a contribution to the country.

The awards for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Most Outstanding Young Entrepreneur-girl was taken by Swendri Weeraratne (Visakha Vidyalaya), while the Most Outstanding Young Entrepreneur in the boys category was awarded to Agasthi Liyanage (Richmond Collage Galle). Upekka Caldera (Visakha Vidyalaya) and Shakila Kumari (Swarna-mali Balika Vidyalaya Kandy) were judged the best presidents.

The program enabled us to expose ourselves to run an enterprise at such a tender age and to understand activities of a company from incorporation until the time it is dissolved, The Young Entrepreneur of the year said in her speech at the awards ceremony.

A student from the Southlands Girls College Galle speaking to the Sunday Times Business said the program gave the students the experience of running a business. It also enabled us to earn a profit, which is contributed towards a worthy cause or towards the improvement of the school, she said.

Globe-Triton Company of Southlands Girls School is a global project. The company exports their products by building a partnership with a school in another country. Due to the company's capital being insufficient to start exporting we will initially produce and sell fancy bags to the local market. After sufficient capital has been collected we hope to export jewellery made by the students, she added.

Eighth National Management Conference in September

New Paradigms in Management-Portals to the Third Millennium' is this year's theme highlighting the need for managers to look into the different portals that will define the path to the new millennium, a spokesman for the organising committee said.

Faiz-ur Rahman, Co-Chairperson of the Steering Committee said mangers of today must face the speed of change resulting from the electronic revolution rather than look at the constituent disciplines that have defined management in the past.

The conference to be held from September 28th to 30th will be addressed by R. Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director, Tata Group, Mumbai, India. This will be followed by four business sessions.

'E-business- Signpost to the future' will be discussed taking into consideration the speed of the changing business processors on the second day of the conference. A session on 'Empowerment -the devolution Process in Management' will also be presented due to the high number of knowledge workers, with more empowerment in today's businesses. 

A session highlighting the need for a conducive environment, for women employees in the country titled 'Gender Issues -the Shifting balance of Power' will also be held. The resource person is Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Director, International Centre for Ethnic Studies. 

'Knowledge Management -Managing today's Key Resources' will enlighten managers as to how the knowledge of all employees could be used in the business. This last session in the conference will he presented by Dr. Jacob Mankidy, Professor of Human Resource Development, National Institute of Bank Management in India.

The conference is aimed at all practising managers and will enable them to become aware of recent trends as well as share their knowledge. This will enable them to go to their companies with a wider perspective and handle greater challengers Col. Rahman said.

A fee of Rs. 4500 per Institutional member, Rs. 4000 per IMSL member and Rs. 6000 for others will be charged. 

Chamber vision for the future

The Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce made the following observations on this latest Chamber initiative. The Chamber re-visited its roots and redefined its role in a changing business environment, a Ceylon Chamber of Commerce press release said. 

The Plan sets out in terms of a Vision, Mission, Core Commitments, Core Values and Objectives, the role that the Chamber envisions for itself in the coming years. 

The Chamber's mission will be to reinforce its presence as the most influential and effective voice of the private sector in achieving economic growth within a backdrop of social equity the press release stated. 

The Corporate Plan highlights the Chamber's core commitments to national economic value enhancement, the promotion of the private sector as the key 'engine' of growth the interests of economic sectors as opposed to individual entities and the pursuit of members' interests. The core values, which the Chamber seeks to uphold, include equality of treatment for all members, the promotion of impeccable standards of ethical conduct and good governance and environmental conservation, among others. 

The Chamber does not restrict its aspirations to being the leading Chamber in Sri Lanka, but has set its sights on establishing itself as the unequivocal benchmark institution of its kind in the Asia Pacific Region and the prime mover in driving national economic and social development in Sri Lanka. 

"Some may call this corporate plan ambitious but it is our belief that we have talent and the motivation to carry it through to fruition," Chamber Officials said. 

Memory Technologies appointed distributor 

Founded in 1987, Kingston Technology Company had sales in excess of US$ 1.4 billion at the end of 1999. Worldwide the company presently employs more than 2,000 people and has four key operation centres, four production facilities and has distributors in more than 60 countries.

Kingston today markets over 2000 memory products supporting more than 6,000 systems. Kingston operates on a Just-in-Time model, manufacturing products to order, minimizing the risk of stagnant inventory. This strategy is key in a volatile market , the company said. Kingston also has strategic alliances with Intel, Microsoft, Toshiba, Samsung and Rambus. 

Singer to distribute National and Panasonic products 

Singer, while moving rapidly from its Home Brand into a Multi-branding position, will benefit from the entry of National and Panasonic providing its consumer base with a wider brand choice, a Singer Sri Lanka press release said. Uni-Walker will gain by broadening its distribution through the Singer network. 

Meanwhile, Singer will expand its Mega Channel with a new Store opening in Gampaha in early November increasing the number of Appliance Supermarkets to four. More store openings are planned during the next two years.

New products from Merc Bank 

Merc Mega is a concept in savings formulated to give high returns on investments in a short period. It is suitable for both individual investors requiring higher returns in a short term and fund managers who require short-term investment with a guaranteed high yield free of risk. Although similar to a Fixed Deposit account in nature, a unique feature of this scheme is the flexible approach, where customers have the added advantage of a provision for withdrawal. Yet another feature which makes this account distinct is the additional bonus of 15 per cent of the accrued interest if the full balance remains in the account throughout.

Merc Sovereign is an account, which is specially formulated to meet the personal banking needs of high networth individuals. It allows individuals with professional commitments and a busy life style to engage in personal banking activities with a Relationship Officer, familiar with his banking needs. Merc Sovereign is ideal for those who are inconvenienced by banking needs, because the banking requirements of a holder of a Merc Sovereign account will be attended to, by a Relationship Officer in the event of the client's inability to visit the bank, the press release stated. 

Merc Family allows the planning and monitoring of the accounts of an entire family through a group of accounts. The accounts of family members are interconnected, which allows parents to plan out children's expenses while saving for their future. Merc Family accommodates automatic transfer of pre-determined amounts from the parent's accounts to the minor's account on a monthly or quarterly basis or by means of a standing order.

Outward Bound Training for Triumph International 

The primary objective of Outward Bound Training is to build leadership and teamwork through fun and adventure activities. In a relaxed resort-like setting, participants take part in games and exercises designed to teach them about themselves and how they interact with co-workers. They undergo a rigorous programme of abseiling, rafting, obstacle course and many other activities, which are designed to build leadership and teamwork. 

OBT programmes instill in participants a high sense of team-spirit and discipline which enables them to foster better inter-departmental co-operation and work culture and improve efficiency apart from the friendship and trust which they build within the enterprise. Leadership qualities, decision making skills, team work and self-confidence are some of the skills the participants learn and develop as part of the course which also involves group activities, discussions and de-briefings which take place throughout the training. 

Singer to distribute National and Panasonic products 

Singer, while moving rapidly from its Home Brand into a Multi-branding position, will benefit from the entry of National and Panasonic providing its consumer base with a wider brand choice, a singer Sri Lanka press release said. Uni-Walker will gain by broadening its distribution through the Singer network. 

Meanwhile, Singer will expand its Mega Channel with a new Store opening in Gampaha in early November increasing the number of Appliance Supermarkets to four. More store openings are planned during the next two years. 

Ceremonial Construction of " Oriental Gardens" 

The project is the first of the proposed 25-District Housing Programmes being targeted at all income groups.

"Oriental Garden" is a project of OREDPL - a BOI approved construction company based in Shanghai, China. It has invested a sum of Rs. 190 mn in Sri Lanka. The project spans an area of 50,000 square feet and is allocated for the construction of 300 houses. Each house consists of 3 bedrooms, a living room, a toilet and kitchen. 

Solar water-heating, TV telephones and air-conditioning are of the additional luxuries offered in the homes. The Housing Scheme will also comprise of services such as a mini-super market, post office, bank and recreation area and its own gymnasium. Easy access to the main roads and other towns are added benefits of this project.

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