Sri Lanka throws open lube market for 6 new firms

Sri Lanka threw open its lubricant market last July, calling for bids from interested investors to blend lubricants locally or import and sell packed products.

Five firms, Bharat Petroleum (India), Gulf Oil International, Motul (France), Total S.A. (France) and Sinopec (China) has been allowed to trade and distribute lubricants, Information Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Anura Yapa said.

Lanka Indian Oil Corporation has also been allowed to start a lube blending plant in Sri Lanka, ending a monopoly by Caltex Lubricants, the Sri Lankan arm of Chevron Texaco.

Laugfs – a local petroleum retailer, who is already in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas business in Sri Lanka, has been given provisional approval subject to completion of additional requirements.

Toyota Tsushu Corporation and Waxpol International Industries were also given provisional approval subject to completion of remaining requirements.

"The government of Sri Lanka will enter into relevant lubricant agreements with the following three parties, which are complete in many aspects but not fully compliant. If and when they fulfill all requirements and can be considered successful," Yapa said.

Sri Lanka's Public Enterprise Reform Commission and the utilities regulator, who have been handling the lubricant liberalization process, came under a fire earlier for including a clause that required previous experience to start blending operations.

Because blending has not been allowed in the country earlier, no local firm would be able to satisfy the criteria, making blending the exclusive preserve of foreign companies.

Applications of Anura Trading House, Axel Gulf FZE, Galcol Ltd, McLarens Lubricants Ltd and PSP Specialists have been rejected.

The licenses would be on a revolving basis, with applications called for every four months.

Sri Lanka's lubricants market is valued at 6 billion rupees or 45,000 kilolitres and growing at 10 percent a year. The automotive market holds about 80 percent of sales.

There are six brands that currently operate in the market. Caltex dominates with an estimated 72 percent share, LIOC holds about 20 percent and the balance eight percent is split between Mobil, Valvoline, Shell and BP/Castrol.

Malaysia The Biggest Investor In Sri Lanka For Second Year Running

COLOMBO, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, for the second year running, has emerged as the biggest foreign investor in Sri Lanka in 2005, according to official government statistics.

In 2005, investments from Malaysia totalled US$99.56 million, far ahead of second-placed Singapore with US$30.63 million.

Others in the top five were United Kingdom (US$26.34 million), India (US$17.86 million) and Luxembourg (US$17.31 million), state-owned Board of Investment (BOI) said in its figures released to Bernama, here Monday.

For the period of January-September 2006, Malaysia has so far topped the list with US$86.12 million worth of investments followed by Luxembourg (US$32.91 million) and United Kingdom (US$ 29.29 million).

Officials here said that Malaysia is certain to end year 2006 in top position.

They said investors from East Asia are expected to boost investments in Sri Lanka as they vie for some mega infrastructure projects in new highways and power expected to come on stream in the next few years.

"Yes, Malaysia is a big investor and interested in infrastructure development," said BOI chairman and managing director Prof. Lakshman Watawala, when asked for comments on Malaysia's input in the Sri Lankan economy.

The spurt in Malaysian investment was largely due to the massive influence of Telekom Malaysia's local subsidiary, Dialog Telekom, Sri Lanka's biggest mobile phone operator.

The company alone has invested US$450 million since its inception in the mid 1990s.

* Sri Lanka govt to go ahead with 'Mihin Air'
Thursday, January 18, 2007, 12:48 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Jan 18, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government today said that it will go ahead to establish 'Mihin Air' as a government-owned company providing air transport.

“The government has taken a policy decision and the Cabinet approval for establishing Mihin Air has been granted,” Cabinet spokesperson Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said.

The memorandum on Mihin Air was submitted to the Cabinet by Ports and Aviation Minister Mangala Samaraweera. “It is a budget airway which will minimize the cost spent on air travels up to 50 percent in the future,” the Minister said.

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Tales of a Landlady: Paranormal behaviour

Must you tell tenants about a property’s grisly past, asks Rosie Millard
Twas a dark and stormy night, and the tenants of a fabulously high-end loft apartment in Clerkenwell, central London, rather wanted to move out. And to do so before the date of the break clause, which they knew would cost them dear. At which point — maybe before, maybe after — the couple claim to have heard something chilling from downstairs: the sound of children wailing, to be precise, at an hour when children ought to be tucked up in bed.

Now you may or may not believe in ghosts, but the fact is that their beautiful, giant, 2,400sq ft triplex, complete with spiral staircase and reception room large enough to entertain “100 guests for canapés”, is part of a development carved out of a former Victorian school, which was itself constructed on top of the Clerkenwell House of Detention.

Another bus bombed in Sri Lanka: Fifteen killed, dozens injured

Saturday, January 6, 2007, 12:17 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Jan 06, Colombo: At least fifteen civilians were killed and dozens others injured when a powerful bomb exploded inside a Colombo-Matara passenger bus around 2.35 PM today.

The blast occurred in the Meetiyagoda police division in Godamaga, police said.

Police said it was too early to tell whether the bomb had been fixed to the bus or carried by a suicide bomber.

The deadly explosion comes only a day after another bomb was triggered on a bus in Nittambuwa, killing six people and injuring 54 others.

Sri Lanka not to divulge information on the Scotland Yard detectives investigating Tamil MP's killing


Jan 06, Colombo: The British Metropolitan Police and Sri Lanka government have agreed not to divulge information on the personnel and actions by the Scotland Yard team now in Colombo to investigate the assassination of Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Nadaraja Raviraj.

The rational for the policy is said to be the sensitivity of the investigation. The Tamil MP who was popular among all ethnic communities in Sri Lanka was gunned down with his body guard by unknown gunmen in broad daylight in the Colombo city last November.

The four-member Scotland Yard team comprising a forensic expert as well has commenced their investigation now. They have imported several high tech instruments to be utilized in the investigation. The team has scheduled to stay around two weeks in the Island. City Bank Card, Chase low rate loan, American Express

Sri Lanka Army Commander vows to eradicate Tigers from North and East

Jan 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka has vowed to liberate the Eastern Province from the LTTE's hold and then to proceed to liberating the Northern Province.

The Army Commander said the Tigers would be eradicated from the East within the next two to three months. The Army Chief vowed to do so when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Nikaya, Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Thero, after worshipping at the Temple of Tooth in Kandy.

The Army Commander worshipped at the venerated Buddhist temple, where one of the Lord Buddha's teeth is conserved, amidst tight security.

The Chief Prelate blessed the Army Commander and expressed his wish that peace would dawn at least this year as he said the people have suffered enough. City Bank Card, Chase low rate loan, American Express

Sri Lanka air force bombs Tamil Tiger base

DILIP GANGULY
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's air force said it bombed a Tamil Tiger naval base in the country's northwest on Tuesday, but a rebel spokesmen said the air raid killed 15 civilians in a fishing village.

There was no way to independently verify the contradicting claims.

Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan said the bombs fell on Padahuthurai in northwest Sri Lanka's Mannar district, killing at least 15 civilians and wounding 35 others.

He said he feared the death toll would climb as many of those injured were in serious condition, and also said that 25 of the 30 houses in the village were burned down.

Air Force spokesman, Grp. Cap. Ajantha Silva, told a news conference that the bombers targeted a base in Mannar of the Sea Tigers, the naval wing of the separatist Tamil Tiger insurgents.