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Tourism increases foreign exchange earnings

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Monday, 04 April 2011 10:52

Foreign exchange earnings coming from tourism increased to an unprecedented level of Rs. 56.24 billion, thus registering an increase of 49.9 % as compared to Rs. 37.51 billion recorded in the previous year, stated the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

In US dollar terms, this amounted to an earnings figure of US $ 497.4 million in 2010 as compared to US $ 326.3 million in the previous year; an increase by 52.4 %. Thus, tourism in Sri Lanka was able to regain its position in 2010 as the fourth highest in terms of foreign exchange earnings that was coming into the country.

Accordingly, the average expenditure per-day per-tourist increased from US $ 81.8 in 2009 to US $ 85.4 in 2010.

With a view to further increase the daily average expenditure of tourists who come into the country, the SLTDA has gazetted the minimum hotel room occupancy and meal rates to be charged by the hotels that are located and coming within the Colombo & Mount Lavinia Municipal Council areas.

Sunday, 03 April 2011 00:00

President visits India to witness the ICC World Cup Finals

President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in India on 1 April 2011 to watch the ICC World Cup finals at Wankhede stadium at Mumbai

The President congratulated the Sri Lankan Cricket team on their successful conclusion of the ICC Cricket World Cup – 2011 as runners-up.“I congratulate the cricket team which took Sri Lanka to the threshold of victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament,” the President said in a special message to Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Kumar Sangakkara and his team.

"I also consider it as a unique achievement for the Sri Lankan Cricket team to reach World Cup finals on three occasions. We were able to win the World Cup on one occasion due to the exceptional talent of our players,” he said.

The message further reads; By emerging as runners-up during this year’s tournament our team ably captained by Kumar Sangakkara has made an indelible mark in Sri Lanka’s cricket history. On behalf of all Sri Lankans I convey my appreciation to the team on their achievement.

As all Sri Lankan’s stood united in wishing success for the team, they would continue wishing you further success in the days ahead.

I hope to meet the team soon to extend my warm wishes on behalf of all Sri Lankans to the members of the Sri Lanka Cricket team for their whole hearted contribution towards this success.

Remarks by High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam at the SAARC Festival of Literature

Saturday, 26 March 2011 03:16

Guest of Honour Madam Gursharan Kaur

Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar

Madam Ajeet Cour

Dignitaries

Writers and Poets from our Region

I am honoured to be here in the company of some of our region’s literati and those committed to SAARC and I thank Madam Ajeet Cour for inviting me to speak a few words.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate Madam Ajeet Cour and FOSWAL for organising this event. It is gatherings like this that help to expand the boundaries of SAARC. Discussion, exchange of views and sharing of each other’s experiences and ideas at events of this nature have the potential to broaden and widen the frontiers of our minds and they play an important role in creating awareness in the region of our collective heritage. As Amartya Sen observes, “While we cannot live without history, we need not live within it either”. Our faculties of reasoning empower us to choose which facets of history integrate rather than separate us and the need for an inclusionary view of our identities. Poets and writers are called “the eyes and the hearts” of the world for a reason. They have the power to influence people in a positive way. Madam Ajeet Cour, you continue to inspire the poets, academics, writers, intellectuals and policy makers of our region to open their minds and their hearts to our common heritage, and to our cultural and civilisational links, helping thereby, the progress of regional cooperation and the creation of a ‘South Asian identity’ and a ‘SAARC brand’. We thank you for your remarkable efforts.

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 04:59

256 houses in High Security Zone returned to owners

The government has taken action to release lands in the High Security Zones (HSZs) in the country in keeping with the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) being implemented by the Inter Agency Committee (IAC).

256 houses surrounding the Palaly HSZ have already been returned to civilians and another 2392 houses have been identified for civilian occupation in more than 2500 hectares of the land that was set apart for HSZs. These lands will be returned to their original owners.

The government is of the firm policy that any citizen of Sri Lanka is equally free to purchase land or own land anywhere in the country. There is no policy of expansion of High Security Zones (HSZs), as alleged by some. On the contrary, the policy is to shrink such Zones, as rapidly and as significantly as possible.

A Land Kachcheri system is being considered by the Government to resolve land issues, and it is awaiting the final recommendations of the LLRC. It is an established mechanism of state land allocation where the Government Agent of the District after due and fair inquiry plays a central role in assigning ownership and tenurial rights. The State wherever it occupies lands of those who have been identified as owners, pays rents for occupation of such lands.

The IAC chaired by the Attorney General has taken the initiative to implement practical measures to strengthen the reconciliation process. The LLRC had made recommendations with regard to the detention of suspects, land issues, law and order, administrative and language issues, and the socio-economic and livelihood issues pursuant to its Warrant dated May 15, 2010.