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Business
News Malaysia Airlines vows to stay even if war breaks out Malaysia Airlines, the first new international airline to fly to war-torn Sri Lanka after a devastating airport attack in July 2001 by Tamil rebels, on Monday vowed it would not pull out even if the current peace process fails and the country goes back to war. "We have
a good track record of not withdrawing even in crisis situations.
When there was high tension in Karachi in Pakistan, we remained.
Similarly we will remain whatever the situation in Sri Lanka,"
Ahmad Dahlan, senior General Manager, Sales and Distribution at
Malaysia Airlines promised at a news conference in Colombo. "We are
also optimistic that the Sri Lankan government's peace efforts would
succeed." He was responding
to a question from the Sri Lankan media as to whether Malaysia Airlines,
which launched its twice-weekly flights to Colombo with the first
flight on Sunday, would pull out if proposed peace talks failed
and government troops and Tamil rebels, currently observing a five-month
old official ceasefire, resumed hostilities. An official
ceasefire has been in force since late February after an unofficial
truce from last December. Previous ceasefires and peace talks, at
least on three occasions, have failed with both sides getting back
to the battlefield. But there is increasing hope this time - with
the help of international truce monitors and the backing of the
West - that planned talks in Thailand in August or September would
generate much more results than on earlier occasions. The Colombo
news briefing was combined with a travel promotion between the two
countries at the Oberoi hotel in which members of the travel trade
in Sri Lanka and Malaysia took part - both sides impressing on the
other the incentives and benefits of visiting either country. A
group of Malaysian journalists and representatives of the travel
trade also flew to Colombo on the inaugural flight. Paddy Withana,
chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board - the main state agency
promoting tourism - highlighted the pluses of Sri Lanka as a tourist
destination and noted that tourist arrivals were expected to rise
this year after a dismal 2001. The focus was
also changing from traditional tourism-generating markets like the
UK, Germany and France to India and China. Sri Lanka was also shifting
its image from a country with the best beaches to a country with
culture, nature and adventure, he said. Withana said
tourism planners were also looking at creating niche markets and
bringing in high-spenders in addition to mass-market clients. In
a bid to overcome the transportation hassle, plans were underway
to develop seaplane services on the abundance of lagoons and lakes
and transport tourists from the airport to their hotels in luxury
trains. Syed Abdullah,
regional manager, South Asia at Malaysia Airlines, said the number
of Sri Lankans travelling to Malaysia rose by 100 percent last year
to 16,000 which is a sharp increase from 3,554 Sri Lankan arrivals
in 1997. He expected these numbers to rise in 2002 and 2003. According to
latest official figures here, 5,022 Malaysians visited Sri Lanka
in the January to June 2002 period, up sharply by 108 percent from
2,410 in the same period last year. Mirza Taiyab,
Director, International Marketing, Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board,
said there were plans to ease visa formalities for Sri Lankans.
Two of the problems are that visitors to Malaysia have to pay 30
rupees for the visa application form - even before it is processed
- while the visa officer in Colombo is a foreign office staffer
unfamiliar with the rules. "Whenever
there is a doubt, visa applications are referred to the Malaysian
immigration authorities which results in delays. We are trying to
do away with the fee for an application form and also hoping to
post a immigration official here who can take spot decisions on
visa approvals," he said. The Malaysian group of journalists and travel trade executives would be visiting some of the country's most beautiful spots during a five-day tour of the country. Business
leaders say confidence returning "It is
heartening to note that a significant improvement in business environment
is the assessed opinion of business leaders, in respect of most
of the key assessment criteria," according to the chamber's
business environment survey 2002 undertaken in June. But the survey
results would, however, be out of tune with current political development
where the prospect of another election is increasingly becoming
possible. The corporate sector across the board has rejected fresh
polls saying it would affect business sentiment and the peace process
The chamber
in a circular to members congratulated the government for the improved
business conditions as seen from the significant shift in business
sentiment but noted that it was important for the private sector,
media and civil society to continue to play a key role in ensuring
stockholders accountability for "deliverance of the vision
for Sri Lanka". The survey was aimed at ascertaining the views on the prevailing business environment in Sri Lanka. The chamber also conducted a similar survey in June 2002 and this survey included business leaders and also trade union leaders, professionals and academics, government officials, civil society leaders and journalists. 4As
to address key issues in advertising industry Picture shows the new Board Directors of the Accredited Advertising Agencies Association. Left to right - Michelle Nugawela of Carl and Michelle Nugawela, Crishantha Jayasinghe of Q&E Advertising, Rohan Rajaratnam of Grant McCann and Erickson, Roshni de Saram of Ross K&D, Hony. Treasurer, Varuni Ahangama Fernando of Triad, (Hony. Secretary), Kenneth Honter of Minds FCB, (President), Lilamani Dias Benson of Lowe LDB, (Immediate Past President), Nimal Gunewardena of Bates Strategic Alliance, Keith Martenstyn of Lowe LDB, (2nd Vice President), Keith Wijesuriya of TAL and Ameer Ahmed of Art Box (1st Vice President). ST
Club nominations this week Nominations should be sent to Club Secretary, Ms. Devi at 304179 or 075-345163 on or before Wednesday, August 14. Letter If this is
so why can't the new regime continue all this "good" work,
as claimed? Why do we need
new investors to bring in expertise and skills when these are already
there? The next stage
in the plan is for PERC to invite potential investors for expression
of interest and give them an opportunity to acquire ownership and
control of a profitable life and general insurance which has the
leading market position in Sri Lanka with potential for future growth. One could understand
getting rid of a white elephant, but why an established organisation
run profitably for 40 long years in spite of being heavily overstaffed
with mediocre personnel from both the previous and present governments? Is this another
case of selling off the family silver? |
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