The SAARC Summit held last week in Colombo has
proved that Sri Lanka is a safe destination and it is an eye opener
for countries that have clamped adverse travel advisories.
In the interim financials recently released to
the Colombo Stock Exchange, Nations Trust Bank PLC reported that the
Group achieved an excellent overall growth in performance during the
first half of 2008.
Beach Fest: The
inaugural Hikkaduwa Beach Fest organised by the Sri
Lanka Tourist Board was held over the weekend with over
17, 000 local and foreign spectators attending it.
Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Renton De Alwis claimed that
this was the biggest beach carnival to be staged in the
region. The success has prompted the organisers to host
more events in Negombo and other areas. Internationally
famed musical personality Alston Koch too attended the
event. The members of the Glam Slam professional dance
group from England specially flown down for the event
was a major attraction. Here the group pose for Daily
News Business at Light House Hotel Galle. Picture by
Sulochana Gamage.
The tight monetary
policy stance pursued by the Central Bank was successful
in containing the growth in reserve money within the
targeted path during the year. As a result, reserve
money expansion, which was at 21.2 per cent in 2006, was
brought down to 10.2 per cent in 2007. The resulting
increase in reserve money, or new money injected, in
2007 was Rs. 24.6 billion compared with the increase of
Rs. 42 billion in 2006. (Central Bank Annual Report -
2007)