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November 28, 2012 (Sri Lanka) | Fiber2Fashion
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The Sri Lankan apparel sector may not
be able to achieve the US$ 5 billion target fixed by the Government for 2015,
mainly due to waning exports and increasing costs of production, according to
experts.
In the first three quarters of the
current year, clothing exports from Sri Lanka plummeted 7 percent over same
period last year. The main fall was witnessed in exports to the EU and the
US, which dipped by 10 percent year-on-year and 6 percent year-on-year,
respectively.
Sri Lankan garment sector is losing
its competitive edge in world market due to high production cost, and leading
buyers are now shifting to cheap sourcing destinations, experts said at the
annual meeting of the Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters Association.
Moreover, the financial crunch in
European countries is making buyers cost conscious, which, too, is affecting
Sri Lankan apparel exports, according to industry analysts.
Both the incumbent and the outgoing
chiefs of the association said the loss of EU’s Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP) Plus concessions by Sri Lanka two years ago have slowly
started impacting the Sri Lankan garment industry.
EU has not extended the GSP Plus
concessions mainly due to the Sri Lankan Government’s failure to implement UN
conventions on labour rights and right to association and formation of trade
unions in free trade zones.
In this context, the association urged
the Government to implement the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt
and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sri Lankan garment sector may miss US$5bn target
Eighth International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony to be held in Bodhgaya from December 2
PATNA: The International Tipitaka Chanting Council has
announced that the Eighth International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony will be held
in Bodhgaya, from December 2 -12 2012. Senior monks and their followers from
ten countries will come together to chant from the Pali Tipitaka at
the ancient Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple, with a colourful opening
ceremony and
procession on December 2 following the opening function on the Kalachakra ground.
Organized by the Sangha of Myanmar, over 1500 monks from the countries of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos,
Indonesia, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam will attend the ceremony. The
'Sangharajas' of India, Cambodia and Bangladesh will also grace the gathering,
along with five 'Tipitikadharas' from Myanmar. Senior monks from all other
countries will also be in attendance. Every evening 'dharma' talks in English
and Hindi will be offered under the Bodhi tree and
there will also be a free cultural show from Myanmar offered on the evenings of
December 2 and 3.
Commenting on the importance of the event, U Nyaninda,
president of the International Tipitaka Chanting Council said: "It is a
particular pleasure that this year the great Sangha of Myanmar will be
organizing this important international gathering. Many Burmese people will
also bring the unique atmosphere of Burmese culture to the Place of Enlightenment. With interest in
Buddhism growing rapidly in India, this great celebration of the teachings of the Lord Buddha is
of particular significance".
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Jethmalani questions Rajiv Gandhi's stand on LTTE chief Prabhakaran
Published: Monday, Nov 26, 2012, 22:29
IST
Agency: PTI
Agency: PTI
Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jetmalani today
questioned the stand of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi government's stand
on slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran in 1980s.
Jetmalani said he was yet to understand
the "behaviour" of Gandhi who had invited Prabhakaran as a government
guest in Delhi and the Indian Army was sent to the island nation thereafter to
shoot persons fighting for the Tamil cause.
"That is the deception that took
place, that after having invited him (Prabhakaran) and providing him monetary
assistance, we sent the Indian army to shoot down the very persons whom we had
invited as friends and promised all assistance," he said at a function
here attended by MDMK leader Vaiko.
Vaiko demanded constitution of a
commission of inquiry probing the role of Indian Army in providing military and
logistical support to Sri Lanka and the role of Congress party on Sri Lankan
issue.
Vaiko, who had held demonstrations
against the recent visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India,
said he would hold much bigger and "peaceful" protest in front of the
Prime Minister's residence if President Rajapaksa again visits the country.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_jethmalani-questions-rajiv-gandhi-s-stand-on-ltte-chief-prabhakaran_1769941
Sri Lanka to divert oil payments owed to Iran to finance water project
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On Line: 26 November 2012 16:45
In Print: Tuesday 27 November 2012
COLOMBO - Sri Lanka
will sidestep U.S.-led sanctions against Iran by diverting its oil payments
towards a water management project that Tehran is funding in the island, a
senior official was quoted as saying on Sunday.
Two billion rupees ($15.38 million) owed
to Iran for oil will be used to finance the Uma Oya irrigation scheme, Sri
Lankan water resources secretary Ivan de Silva told the local Sunday
Times.
Iran had pledged some $450 million for
the water project in 2008 but implementation had been delayed due to lack of
cash.
"Because of the U.S. sanctions
there is a delay in transferring funds from Iran to Sri Lanka," Silva
said, adding that both governments had agreed to the deal.
The U.S.-led sanctions aimed at spurring
Tehran to abandon its civilian nuclear program have hurt Sri Lanka, which is
geared to refine only Iranian light crude.
Sri Lanka imported 92 percent of its
crude oil from Iran before the sanctions began earlier this year.
Tehran insists its nuclear program is
only for civilian use and refuses to abandon its uranium enrichment
activities.
(Source: AFP)
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