Sri Lanka Newspapers - 25/12/2011

December 23, 2011, 7:20 pm


Bartleet once again helped foster a sense of peace and wellbeing amongst the management and staff of the Bartleet Group with the holding of its Carol service. It was held on the 11th of December at Park Street Mews, Colombo 2 amidst a gathering of its management, staff, creating an atmosphere of bonhomie and spreading the goodwill of the season. The event was graced by the presence of Mr. Will Graham – CEO of Andrew Wommack Ministries, Europe and was accompanied by his wife Mrs. Barbara Graham. The special Christmas message delivered by him was well received by the audience.

This renowned international speaker was hosted by the Chairman of Bartleet Eraj Wijesinghe who initiated the proceedings. In his welcome speech he stated, " This event epitomizes the thrust of Bartleet’s vision of creating a platform in which all members of our group of companies can come together as one family in mutual respect and understanding. It is also our prayer that our country learn to live in peace and harmony as reflected in the lyrics of the beautiful carols which we are about to hear".

The ambience of the venue, created by the special seasonal lighting effects consisting of shimmering star like lights along the entrance to the venue was a beautiful vista. The interior of the hall included a fitting backdrop for the St. Benedict’s College Choir, who performed an excellent rendition of nostalgic Christmas Carols and Songs with superb harmonizing and singing.

http://forum.srilankaequity.com/t14385-monetary-and-fiscal-policies-are-like-twin-brothers

Prof. Amal S. Kumarage


The New Paradigm

Prof. Amal S. Kumarage
Engineers of a large state authority were asked by their superiors why their estimates are so low as that would hamper negotiations with contractors, similarly an engineer of a state institution was asked in regard to a contract being executed, not to test its quality as it would delay the next stage of the project!
This was said by Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Sri Lanka Chairman Professor Amal S. Kumarage when delivering the B.D. Rampala memorial lecture at the Institution of Engineers on Tuesday.
“Transparency and accountability, be they for tenders and contracts or recruitment, inherited by our colonial masters are now neglected,” he said.
Taking a left handed swipe at the Indians who are doing rail projects here, Kumarage, firing all cylinders said that Indian Rail would not like to be taken over by another country despite how friendly that neighbour is.
He said that the rot sent in after the 1970 elections when Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike’s UF Government swept into power. Rampala who was then General Manager Railways (GMR) resigned due to the rise in trade unionism and a person from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service was made GMR, which made a promising Assistant General Manager Technical at the Railway to retire prematurely. The then Transport Minister appointed was LSSPer Leslie Gunewardena.
Seven years later when the deleted Government of J.R.Jayewardene was swept into power, Rampala was made a consultant to the transport Ministry.
A newspaper then carried a headline which said, “Trains are running on time, stations are clean, Rampala is back.” But this was shortlived as Rampala was not a person to bend to politicians and resigned shortly afterwards. He was not a puppet in anyone’s string, said Kumarage, adding that in the short space of seven years the rot had set in. The then Transport Minister was M.H.Mohamed.
He said that Rampala, in his time was recognized by the Institution of Locomotives Engineers, London as the best diesel engineer East of Suez.
But nowadays engineers are forced to comply to suppliers’ standards and to take orders from politicians, said Kumarage. “We need engineers of integrity, the collapse of engineering leadership began after Rampala retired,” he said.
“Our engineers are capable,” Kumarage added. When the floods of 1957 devastated 85% of the rail track, Rampala who was GMR then, had it re-established in six weeks. Similarly, when the 2004 tsunami destroyed the coastal track, the Railway, under the then GMR Priyal de Silva had those tracks up and running in 57 days, said Kumarage.
He said that rail accounted for a mere 5% of passenger transport and 2% of goods transport. But in a scenario where motorization is congesting roads and causing pollution, rail, because it’s environmentally friendly is the solution, he said.
In countries such as China, France and Japan, rail, because of its superior speeds in those countries is not competing with motorization, but with air transport, said Kumarage. Similarly, freight transport by rail in the USA has now become a profitable venture, he said

Last Sunday a weekly carried a picture of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s eldest son Namal (MP) who took his oaths as a lawyer recently, posing for a picture.
Among those captured in the photo were President Rajapaksa and Chief Justice (CJ) Mrs. Shirani Bandaranayake.
A picture of the new attorney posing with his parents probably would have had been in order, but the question is whether it’s right for the Executive together with his son to pose for a picture with the members of the judiciary when there may have had also been several other new lawyers other than Rajapaksa junior who may have had also taken oaths that day?
Is it that the adage “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion” not applicable in the 21st Century, or rather to Sri Lanka?

The internet has hit card sales, so a bookshop owner claims.
Dharmapala Wijeratna who runs Samanala Bookshop in Mt. Lavinia told this reporter on Saturday that sales this season are down not due to the economy, but due to the computer!
People nowadays prefer to sit in front of a computer and send out their seasonal greetings rather than buy a card, he said.This has impacted card sales. “Previously, during this time of the year my shop was overflowing with cards due to demand,” said Wijetilaka. “But now the computer has stolen my business away.” He said that deterioration in sales began around 2-3 years ago.
“During this time of the year, previously, I used to sell around 100 cards daily, but now it’s down to 10-12 cards,” Wijetilaka who has his shop by Galle road and who has been operating it for the past 26 years said.Price cannot be the constraining factor, then the average price of a card was Rs. 30; now it’s between Rs.40-45, he said.

Vendors who have moved in to the new Wellawatte market are bereft of electricity in their stalls.
One of the butchers operating from these premises who moved in last Thursday told this reporter that the electricity board has been saying that they cannot provide their stalls with power as the building plan had not been submitted to them.
They had allegedly been given quit orders to move out from the old Wellawatte market to the new one by December 15 with the promise that they would however be provided with electricity connections to their stalls by the Colombo Municipality which owns the two buildings.
“With no electricity I cannot use my fridge,” the butcher who didn’t want to be named said. The new building is complete with a four storeyed unutilised carpark. Allegedly the contractor had not been paid his dues by the Municipality, the cause for this hiatus. “This reporter noticed that though the market per se had lights, not so the stalls, with some of the more enterprising stallholders illumining their stalls with generators.
Another grouse by the butcher was that there was no nameboard signifying that the new building housed the Wellawatte market. He also said that their tendered price for the stall at Rs. 500,000 for the year was much more compared to the Rs. 350,000 he had had to pay the Municipality when operating from the old market.
The butcher said that he sells between 50-100 kilos of beef daily with prices varying from between Rs. 450 to Rs. 480 a kg.

Six Sampath Bank directors will have to go in the event the Appeal Court dismisses the petition of K.C. Vignarajah, who earlier got an interim injunction against Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), of applying its new rules governing tenures of bank directors till January 27 when Court will revisit this case.
The six are Arthur Senanayake (Chairman), Sunil Wijesinha (Deputy Chairman), Denzil Gunaratne, Mohan Abeynaike, Lakshman J.K. Hettiarchchi and Dr.Saman Kelegama.
The Bank which has been proactive if in the event they have to go, have already got Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) approval for five fresh faces to replace them, it’s learnt.
They are Deshal de Mel (economist), C. Palansuriya (businessman), Ms. Annika Senanayake (the aforesaid Arthur’s daughter and a professional in her own right), Sanjeewa Senanayake (banker) and Ranil Pathirana-Finance Director Hirdaramani Group. Additionally, Rosewood, a Hirdaramani subsidiary has a 9% stake in Sampath.It is learnt that the Bank is in no hurry to find a replacement for Kelegama as the Bank is within the CBSL requirement of having a minimum of seven and maximum of 13 directors. However the Bank’s nomination committee is looking at four namess to take his place.Among them are David Pieris Group Chairman Sumith Kumaranathunga, James Finlay Chairman Kumar Jayasuriya and former DFCC Bank Head of Legal Susantha Wijemanne.However Senanayake (senior) will continue to remain chairman of two Sampath Bank subsidiaries namely Sampath Leasing and Sampath Centre-the Bank’s real estate arm.
The Bank also has got a stockbroking arm and an operation in Bangladesh.
The bank also has plans to open two other subsidiaries dealing in life insurance and merchant banking respectively. CBSL ruling which is now before court is that a bank director cannot serve continuously for more than nine years and/or upon reaching 70 he will have to retire from such a Board.For the sake of Corporate Governance, Wijesinha and Gunaratne are willing to step down whatever the outcome governing tenures of bank directors are decided to by court, it’s learnt.Further, with the Bank’s Managing Director (MD) Harris Premaratne’s tenure coming to an end by the year end, his position will be taken over by Deputy MD Aravinda Perera.
The Bank’s other directors are Ranjith Samaranayake, Deepal Sooriyaaratchchi, Ms. Dhara Wijayatilaka and Professor Malik Ranasinghe

John Keells Foundation (JKF) inaugurated its “English for Teens” scholarship programme for 2011/12 in 19 Districts of the country last month.
The “English for Teens” programme is part of the John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme is aimed at enhancing schoolchildren and youth from socially economically disadvantaged backgrounds’ English language skills-towards improving their opportunities for higher learning and sustainable employment. Since its launch in 2004, the John Keells English Language Scholarship Programme, which has been implemented through an international school’s language centres, has to date empowered the lives of over 4,400 persons islandwide.
“What we learn in this programme will help us in school and in our daily lives. It is an honour to be given the opportunity to learn at a well reputed language centre. We hope that John Keells will continue to provide scholarships for the benefit of children like us”, said Gothami Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo’s W.M. Lakshani Navodya Wijetunga (14) at the inauguration ceremony held in Colombo recently.
Conceptualised by JKF and implemented through this international school’s language centres, the “English for Teens” programme is aimed at providing foundation-level English language training for early teens. Introduced last year (2010), the programme focuses primarily on teaching English for daily use and basic interactions, helping students understand and feel comfortable in interacting with others in English in a simple way.
This year too the programme offers 1,000 scholarships to schoolchildren between 12 to 14 years of age from Ambalangoda, Ampara, Bandarawela, Batticaloa, Chilaw, Colombo, Jaffna, Kegalle, Kilinochchi, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Mullaitivu, Negombo, Panadura, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura, Tagalle and Trincomalee. Invitations for applications from eligible schools in those areas drew an overwhelming response with a total of 1,463 applications being received. Additionally 144 scholarships for the pre-intermediate level programme have been offered to John Keells scholars who obtained an Honours Pass in the 2010/11 “English for Teens” programme.
Addressing Colombo Centre’s young scholars, JKF Manager Ms. Carmeline Jayasuriya, said, “The ‘English for Teens’ programme was initiated primarily to develop English language skills among early teens because of its potential both as a communication tool and gateway to knowledge in today’s context. John Keells is committed to providing these opportunities to the country’s children and youth because we believe that empowering you with a tool as powerful as the English Language will not only develop your personal potential, but also build greater capacity for Sri Lanka as a nation.”
Gateway Language Centre Director Dr. Harsha Alles said, “It is an honour to have been associated with JKF’s social responsibility initiative in providing English Language training to socially and economically disadvantaged children. To many who come from English speaking backgrounds and who have had their education in the English medium, this may sound yet another training programme. To the scholarship recipients however, the English Language training programme provided through JKF could be their gateway to reach their ultimate goals in life.”

Sri Lanka being like a police state soon after the 1971 insurgency is no different to what it’s now, an academic implied.
Professor S. Ranasinghe of the Open University who launched a book on management on Wednesday joined Marga, a research institute during the time of the 1971 insurgency or thereabouts.
Speaking at a function to mark the launch of his book, he said that two of his colleagues whom were on the field gathering certain socio-economic data at that time were arrested on suspicion by the police and were released only after his intervention.
“Times have not changed since then,” Ranasinghe said. He said that the then Government imposed a ban on giving information to Marga. This was after they embarked on a research of far flung villages in the island which had no proper bridges to cross waterways. Ranasinghe further said that the private sector employed Marga to do research on dilapidated tanks in Moneragala and Wellawaya in 1972 with a view to rehabilitating them. He was involved in field work in connection with the same.His point was that management should inculcate local culture and values including Buddhism and Hinduism, instead of merely following Westernised concepts of management.Professor Jayasiri Weerawardena from Queensland University Business School who also spoke at this occasion said that it was the late Lalith Athulathmudali, speaking at a function, who suggested that instead of trying to ape Japanese style of management, to introduce Sri Lanka style of management into the system.

Left to Right: Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society (SLEDC) Former General Secretary. Piyadasa, Leo Burnett Solutions Inc. (LBSI) Senior Creative Director Subhash Pinnapola,. Managing Director Ranil de Silva, SLEDC Hon. General Secretary Ms. Kalyaniwathi Wickremasinghe and LBSI Brand Planning Director Murtaza Tajbhoy.
The short film titled, “Pass it on when you’re done with it” created by Leo Burnett Solutions Inc. (LBSI) for the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society (SLEDS) made its mark in the annals of the Sri Lankan advertising industry by winning metal at the Spikes Asia Festival, making it the country’s first Spikes win. Continuing its winning streak, the filmlet also struck metal at the Effie Awards 2011 held recently.
The Bronze award won at Spikes Asia is the region’s one of the most prestigious awards and are awarded for the best in creative advertising while the Silver Effie is awarded to the most effective. The awards also reaffirm that Leo Burnett’s understanding of the Sri Lankan ethos, the people and their behaviour is the formula to creating effective communication pieces.
LBSI Managing Director Ranil De Silva. commenting on the awards won said, “The two awards won for this filmlet recognizes it not only for its creativity, but also for its effectiveness. This is a unique combination and once again demonstrates not just the success of connecting the power of human emotion and communication, but also the unmistakable sense of attracting a call for action. The overwhelming response proves that a compelling story can always cut through barriers and nudge people into action!”
“Written, filmed and produced for SLEDS, the film captures the emotional sense of yearning that is prevalent in the minds of those of us who cannot see and the feeling of helplessness faced by those of us who believe we are powerless to help them.” Produced to revive the act of donating ones’ eyes, this filmlet was conceptualized by Subhash Pinnapola and also directed by him. He said that his first deed after getting the brief was to sign-up to donate his eyes. His deed was followed by his team and many members from the agency team and the production crew as well. “For me, the awards are an extra benefit. What matters most is that as a consequence of this commercial, I pray that both the boy and millions like him will soon be able to have the gift of sight bestowed upon them. It’s not impossible. All it takes is the will. The rest will follow,. says Pinnapola.
This film made its debut recently and has had an impact on millions of Sri Lankans. On YouTube alone the commercial has had over 200,000 views. This call for action has also moved a global audience who is volunteering to donate their eyes. It has also received many compliments from institutions such as the Michigan Eye Bank and the American Foundation for the Blind.
In the online media environment, this communication has surpassed all norms even though Sri Lanka is still very much at an early stage of engaging with communications online.
Hence, viewership of any communication material published virally that exceeds the 5,000 views mark is considered to be fairly successful. However, ‘Pass it on once you are done with it” has obtained over 200,000 hits on YouTube and was the 32nd most viewed video in India in any category. The filmlet was also the 44th most viewed video in “Film & Animation” globally and the 2nd most tweeted video in “‘Film & Animation’.” The hotline has received over 5,000 calls requesting donor applications
Leo Burnett’s Chief Creative Officer Michael Conrad said, “Engaging, intelligent, human, well focused, surprising, inspiring, brilliant strategy, great casting, writing, directing and editing, no area with any flaw. I love it.”

Sampath Bank, considered to be one of the most IT savvy banks in the island, recently re-introduced its payment gateway with a brand new features and facilities array geared towards easing and securing online payments.
The improved payment gateway includes added features such as supporting any type of currency, enabling integration with any type of web development language, online refunding abilities for merchants and more advanced security features.
The only bank to be recognized for their IT services and solutions at the recently held National Best Quality Software Awards Ceremony, Sampath Bank’s IT team abides by their motto of providing more time for their customers through Information and Communications Technology. Both Sampath Bank’s unique internet banking facility, “Sampath Vishwa” and “Sampath IT Change Management System” were rewarded at the NBQSA awards. Their payment gateway is yet another of the many innovative IT products introduced by the Bank.
The Sampath Payment Gateway (SPG) supports several types of e-payments including online transactions, Mobile Operated and Telephone Operated transactions, smart-mobile transactions and Interactive Voice Response transactions, providing users with a multitude of ways to use payment gateways to suit their business needs.
The newly relaunched payment gateway has been innovated and equipped with more features than their previous version, according to a Bank spokesperson. “We take pride in being one of the most innovative banks in Sri Lanka, and ensuring that our IT services and products are the best available in the market is one of our primary goals,” the spokesperson added. “Our new security system is one such feature because we understand that security is vital for both merchants who purchase the payment gateway for their businesses and for their consumers who need to feel comfortable submitting their information online.”
One of the key features on the new SPG is its flexibility with all forms of web development languages, providing ease of use to merchants, with most web developers in Sri Lanka equipped to adapt the payment gateway according to merchant needs.
An additional advantage is the gateway’s ability to work with international currencies, enabling merchants who use the payment gateway to cater to clients worldwide. With more businesses entering in to e-commerce daily, online shopping has become a norm in the Sri Lankan market and the need for secure, convenient payment gateways has become essential. SPG currently holds the largest market share in payment gateways, providing their services to some of Sri Lanka’s biggest corporate and organizations including SriLankan Airlines, Dialog Axiata, Singer, E-Channelling and over 150 other businesses (ranging from small to large scale) islandwide.
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Thanks a lot for your wonderful service by posting all the news.
Is it any chances to copy and post the news from the other language news paper from Sri Lanka?
Then we can find in near future,in this forum all the advertisements, obituaries etc etc no?
Keep it up. If I get a chance I'll propose you for the Nobel Prize for the literature.
Good luck.

Anoma Weerasinghe, 38, bought gifts from a street vendor in Pettah ahead of Christmas but the festivities are marred by the increased costs in essential items even though Sri Lanka's post-war economy has been stable.

The island nation is readying for its third post-war Christmas after the government defeated the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) ending a bloody three decade war in 2009.

Even though the majority of people in Sri Lanka are Buddhist many celebrate Christmas and New Year with extra purchases normally driving prices higher.

December is also the month for bonus payments from employers motivating most people to splurge on relatively expensive items that they would not do during the rest of the year.

"Prices of basics such as vegetables are rising daily and it is hard for people with average incomes to afford much beyond their day to day expenses. Saving is very difficult," Anoma told Xinhua even though both she and her husband work.

"Once we have paid rent, the children's school fees and transport as well as for extra tuition classes, paid the finance on our car, there is nothing left to save. So rising food prices are a big problem for us."

International market research company Nielsen says that Anoma is not alone with a rising middle income class in Sri Lanka that has seen their lifestyle expectations change with the economic growth experienced in the country after the war.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2011-12/24/c_131324953.htm