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Ernst and Young in Jaffna

Ernst and Young with M. Rajanayagam and Co. established an office in Jaffna to provide services to its clients and to facilitate the economic development of Jaffna and in the Northern region. A soft opening of the office was held last week. University of Jaffna Vice Chancellor N. Shanmugalingan in the presence of Ernst and Young Country Managing Partner Asite Talwatte, partner of Rajanayagam, and Co. M. Rajanayagam, and other guests.

Asite Talwatte said that Jaffna was the business hub in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka and contributed to the country’s economy through agriculture, fisheries, trade and industry which activities were restricted over the past several decades and which are now poised to return to its full potential with all the leading banks, corporates and non-governmental organizations establishing a presence in the region.

He said that Ernst and Young is committed to be a part of this process of economic revival and economic development by offering accounting, audit, tax, corporate finance and advisory services in Jaffna.

Rajanayagam said that the services of Ernst and Young will be invaluable to clients in Jaffna and will play a catalyst role in the Economic and Business growth in the northern region.

Ernst and Young is a global, multidisciplinary professional services organization with presence in over 700 locations in 140 countries.

The firm is a global leader in tax, transaction, advisory and assurance services with revenues exceeding USD 24.5 billion. Ernst and Young is built on the knowledge base of over 130,000 personnel, across the globe providing unmatched depth and variety of specialized services.

It comprises strong national partnerships working under common goals and governance with a single global strategy, code of practice and communications platform. The Sri Lanka office has been in existence for over a century and has 16 partners and over 500 people and has five regional offices within Sri Lanka in addition to an office in Maldives and has made a significant contribution to the professional development in the country and has played a catalyst role in the economic development.

As a leading professional services firm in the country Ernst and Young works with small industrialists to public companies, multinationals, large state sector organizations, as well as with International Funding Agencies such as ADB, IFC and the World Bank.

Janashakthi joins national battle against H1N1

Janashakthi Insurance PLC recently joined the countrywide battle against the dreaded H1N1 virus by sponsoring a range of community oriented activities to further enhance public awareness in this regard.

The main focus of this multi-faceted campaign was the residents of the Kandy, Pilimatalawa, Nawalapitiya, Gampola, Digana, Katugastota, Manikhinna, Thambuththegama, Anuradhapura, Thalawa, Galenbindunuwewa and Madawachchiya areas who were educated on the do’s and dont’s one needed to know, to control and handle the flu.

Specially designed leaflets were distributed by the staff of Janashakthi Insurance PLC at bus stands, hospitals, public car parks, post offices, outside schools and banks, thus reaching out to several thousand people from different walks of life. Complementing these were tri-lingual messages relayed through public address systems at vantage points.

Specially conceived street dramas were also enacted in these areas which proved to be highly successful in effectively taking the message across to the general public.

Said Janashakthi Insurance PLC Head of Marketing Paddy Weerasekera “We are indeed very happy to have been of service to the community through this campaign. The feedback we got has been tremendous and very encouraging. Using unconventional methods such as street dramas created great enthusiasm among the people and helped convey the message more effectively. The detailed leaflet could be used as a tool to further educate family members at home.

We do place on record our thanks to the Central Range - Kandy Deputy IGP Pujitha Jayasundera, Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital Director Dr. W.M.T.B. Wijayakoon and the Public Health Inspectors of these respective areas who contributed greatly to the success of this campaign. The feedback has been truly inspirational and has spurred us to take a similar message to other parts of the country”.

The H1N1 virus was first detected in Sri Lanka in June last year and has since claimed many lives. The first H1N1 related death was that of a 16-year-old boy who had a chronic chest problem and later got infected by H1N1.

Central Range - Kandy Deputy IGP Pujitha Jayasundera thanked Janashakthi Insurance PLC for the high degree of social responsibility it has displayed through this comprehensive campaign. “The people of the Central Range have benefitted in no small measure by this H1N1 Awareness Campaign and are grateful to JIC for coming forward at a time of need such as this”, he said.

Cathay rewards online promotion winner

The winner of Cathay Pacific Airway’s online memory game was recently rewarded with a return air ticket to Singapore.

The online game provided customers with a unique opportunity to play a simple memory game and be eligible for the grand draw, upon which 10 lucky winners would receive exciting prizes.

Winner of the grand prize, Nishan Ratnayake from John Keells IT Division, expressed his delight at winning a return air ticket to Singapore.

Citing the social network Facebook as the means through which he came upon the details of the online game, he was then prompted to log onto the Cathay Pacific website and experience Cathay Pacific’s online features and promotions.

The nine winners selected from the grand draw were gifted dinner vouchers at the Hilton Colombo as well as exclusive Cathay Pacific branded travel bags. More details regarding these winners can be found at Cathay Pacific’s website www.cathaypacific.com/lk.

Cathay Pacific aims to serve customers better through its website facilities, which allows travellers to book their flights and stay abreast of new and exciting promotions and packages in an easy and convenient manner.

“The website provides easy access to fares and packages, giving our customers the freedom to plan their travel itinerary” Sales and Marketing Manager for Cathay Pacific Airways, Sri Lankan Ruhan Abbas.

Customers also benefit with special privileges offered by the website, such as the subscription to the CX Specials Newsletter where they can receive the latest updates of Cathay Pacific offers and promotions.

Represented in Sri Lanka by Finlays Colombo PLC as General Sales Agent, Cathay Pacific Airways can be accessed via mobile and the web at www.cathaypacific.com/lk

SLT Publications covers entire customer base in WP

Harshini Perera

SLT Publications has covered the entire customer base of 750,000 in the Western Province last year. Apart from providing information to the nation, SLT Publications enables call centre services not only for Dialog and Mobitel customers but also Tigo, SLT Publications Chief Executive Officer, Malraj Balapitiya told Daily News Business.

Tigo as a communication service provider joined the call centre services from October last year and at present the WAP service and the access to directory information through mobile phones is also available for every user irrespective of the service provider, he said.

After the war in Sri Lanka, SLT Publications had a 100 percent growth on the classified directories that will be issued in April, this year. He said that many companies have links with Rainbow Pages considering this the only directory that is available to the entire nation. Apart from the printed materials information in varied fields are available in web, WAP,CD, Call Center services and even on IPTV.

“Irrespective of the size of business every entrepreneur is involved with SLT Publications because the database is convenient to access for information. We are in the process of negotiating with organizations such as the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) and the FCCISL to make it more vibrant,” he said.

He said that SLT Publications will popularize the information in future not only for SLT customers but also for other service providers and the general public. In that sense, SLT Publications expects a huge growth this year. Though many people utilize Internet at present printed media still stands high among the public usage in search of information. Thus the usage of printed media has increased, he said.

HNB Pathum Vimana 2010 launched

The banking industry overall, has always placed special emphasis on savings but over the years it was increasingly apparent that savings merely served as deferred expenditure.

HNB, keenly aware of this over the years, took a pragmatic view of thrift over a decade-and-a-half ago and decided that for savings to be given the importance it rates, the returns should be more than its own rewards.

That was how ‘Pathum Vimana’, a prize format that rewards consistent savers came to be.

Today, seventeen years on, HNB is most gratified to note that it has significantly changed the lives over a 100,000 winners who collected more than One Billion rupees in prizes! After the Draws, two hundred of these lucky people drove home in brand-new vehicles and more than fifty others won luxury houses.

These exceptionally valuable prizes were in addition to handsome cash prizes and a TV Game Show that awarded all participants a prize.

A practical assessment of Pathum Vimana would be that it is the ideal set-up if one is tired of winning small all the time and chances get better through what is not just another Draw.

“The Bank has taken leadership in driving the nation towards a conscious savings culture. For the last 17 years, through Pathum Vimana promotional schemes, apart from giving over a billion prizes to a large number of people across the country, the Bank has made saving a fun habit for everyone in the family.

This year our slogan “Family that saves together progress together” has emphasized the importance of savings for economic prosperity and progress.” Deputy General Manager - Marketing and Retail Banking, HNB Chandula Abewickrema said.

Through HNB Pathum Vimana 2010 HNB account holders have a chance to cash in weekly! The weekly TV game show goes on with the grand prize of Rs.100,000 and structured so that no participant goes away empty-handed.

Another weekly prize is two air tickets to an exotic destination - Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Thailand to 50 winners, along with Rs.20,000 spending money to each winner.

Savers have a chance to celebrate Aluth Avurudu with a 6-million-rupee Toyota Yaris -the top prize in the April Avurudu Draw.

Those who miss out, have a chance to net a Hyundai Santa Fe worth Rs. 9 mn two months later at the June Mid Year Grand Draw.

Come October, there will be four tractors up for grabs in the October Harvest Draw. HNB is taking on the role of Santa Claus in December! A stunning Bonus Draw will give away Yamaha Gladiator motor-cycles, refrigerators, TVs and DVD players - 135 of each listed item! This will be followed by a special car draw for 4 Suzuki Swifts.

The year-end grand draw will be for a luxury house - worth Rs. 10 million or cash. The year end premium draw will gift a Mercedes Benz worth Rs. 22 million.

To be eligible for the weekly draw, avurudu draw, mid year grand draw, special car draw, year end grand draw, all you have to do is to maintain a balance of Rs. 10,000/- in a savings, minor’s savings or current account for a minimum period of one calendar month immediately prior to the respective draws.

To participate in the weekly TV game show, a new deposit of Rs.10,000/- should be made with a duly filled coupon. TV Game Show coupons are available at all HNB customer centres.

To be eligible for the Year end premium draw, maintain a minimum balance of Rs.100,000/- in a Savings or Minor’s Savings Account or Rs.50,000/- in a Current Account for a minimum period of one calendar month immediately prior to the draw.

To be eligible for the Harvest Draw and Bonus Draw, a minimum balance of Rs.5,000/- should be maintained in a savings or minor’s savings account for a minimum period of one calendar month immediately prior to the respective draws.

All qualifying account holders are entitled to multiple chances at the draws. The number of chances depend on the amount in the account (one extra chance for every multiple of the minimum deposit) and the period (one extra chance for every month) during which the amount has been maintained in the account.

LB Finance now in Dehiwala

The Dehiwala branch is a part of an extensive scheme, intended to spread its reach throughout the island. “Dehiwala is bursting at the seams; with people and their entrepreneurship.

We have had a tremendous feedback, from many quarters looking for our formula of growth.” said Managing Director Sumith Adhihetty. More locations are planned as LB Finance brings its expansion drive to life.

“Following Dehiwala, we are all set for the North and the East. With Ampara and Batticaloa branches performing beyond expectations, a branch is about to be opened in Trincomalee during the first week of February and Jaffna before the end of this financial year,” said Adhihetty.

The Company’s successful run, despite the financial meltdown, has indeed increased its credibility amongst the customers. LB Finance offers a range of products and services including the acceptance of fixed deposits, finance leases, operating leases, term loans, letters of guarantee, pawn broking and the inland money transfer facility.

Pongal offer for Hutch customers

“Aayirathil Oruvan” and “Nanayam” were the latest treats offered by Hutch to its subscribers to add on to Thai Pongal celebrations.

Based on the theme “Hope you have a Picture Perfect Pongal”, this special offer was awarded to all Hutch subscribers and was showcased in Concord Cinema, Dehiwala and Samantha Cinema, Dematagoda on Thaipongal day.

The event took place amid much enthusiasm and excitement with an overwhelming response from a very happy and eager audience.