ADVERTORIAL

Sampath Bank opens Bazaar Branch in Galle

Galle, the bustling capital of Southern Sri Lanka is the main transit point for travelers between, Colombo and Hambantota.

The city is a ‘not-to-be-missed’ travel destination for tourists visiting Sri Lanka and stands as evidence of the Dutch-Colonial era and boasts of a multi cultural, multi faceted lifestyle which interlocks the township and its people.

The current surge of development happening in the southern cities has made Galle an important location in the leisure travel plans as well as business strategies.

Considering the central location and the multicultural ethnicity, Galle stands apart from other townships.

Breathing life and providing with the much needed modern day banking services to the fascinating city of Galle is Sampath Bank.

Located at the ‘Krishna Building’ at #69 - Matara Road, Pettigalawatte, Galle, the new branch is equipped with the latest technologies and capable team members to serve any financial requirement effectively and efficiently within a short span of time.

SriLankan fetes long-standing employees

SriLankan Airlines celebrated the loyalty of hundreds of its longest-serving staff with a gala evening ‘Celebration of Excellence’ at the Waters Edge in Colombo, including an amazing 171 who have served the national carrier since its inception more than three decades ago.

The Airline’s Chairman, Nishantha Wickremasinghe said: “There aren’t many companies anywhere in the world which have such a high percentage of its founding employees with them after thirty years. This speaks volumes of the quality of both SriLankan Airlines and its staff. It is fitting that as SriLankan Airlines stands on the verge of success, we celebrate our everyday heroes - the thousands of men and women who have served this airline around the world for many years.”

Of the 2,148 employees recruited during SriLankan’s first year in existence, nearly 10 percent remain with the airline. This is despite its global standing as a nursery for the worldwide air transport industry, where pilots, cabin crew, aircraft engineers, and ground staff have their formative years in the industry and go on to other airlines, especially in Asia and the Middle East.

SLDF in November

The 2010 Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) will be held this year from November 11 to 17 in Colombo. This ground breaking event will showcase the best of Sri Lankan design and ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices on a global platform. Renowned global opinion leaders and leading edge authorities on sustainable fashion will participate in an international gathering for the Ethical Fashion Symposium on November 12 for a ground breaking event.

Experts from all over the world will come together to focus on practical solutions for manufacturing, buying and sourcing and ethics. The event will be chaired by legendary fashion writer, journalist, critic, and SLDF Brand Ambassador Colin McDowell.

The Ethical Fashion Symposium, one of the main highlights of SLDF 2010, will be held on the November 12 at the Mount Lavinia Hotel, and will bring together thought leaders from both within and outside the industry to share their insights on sustainability. This is an unprecedented event, as never before have so many global, creative minds from a number of different sectors come together.

Academy of Design (AoD) Managing Director and SLDF founder Linda Speldewinde said, “This event brings great value to the local apparel industry and aids in developing our national economy by placing the Sri Lankan apparel industry as the leader of ethical design and fashion manufacturing practices. This corresponds to the global fashion movement towards sustainability and ethical practices, where consumers are no longer ignorant about the origins of what they wear, and retailers, designers and manufacturers possess the insight and knowledge to answer this need”.

Nawaloka Hospital gets ISO 9001-2008

Nawaloka Hospital is the first and only internationally ISO 9001- 2000 certified Hospital in the Private Healthcare Services for entire hospital services.

Obtaining the ISO 9001 - 2000 certification in 2000, 2004 and 2007 for entire hospital services and this time the ISO 9001 - 2008.

In addition to the ISO certification Nawaloka Hospital was awarded the National Quality Award for Health Care industry in 1998.

Nawaloka Hospital PLC has established a quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001: 2008 international standard.

This established quality management system set forth with Nawaloka Hospitals policy of providing healthcare systems to exceed the customer expectation and requirement.

Whilst providing healthcare services at competitive level which would create an acceptable profit margins for the hospital. This is accomplished through quality management system, active and continued improvements effective at all levels within the hospital.

International trade:

HNB holds seminar

Hatton National Bank Plc (HNB) in continuity of their customer service initiatives organized a seminar on “International Trade - Today” for their trade customers to keep them updated on the developments and procedures in the ever-changing trade environment.

HNB Managing Director Rajendra Theagarajah said seminars of this nature are held to educate their partners in the business sector to prevent or minimize risks and update them on the developments in international trade.

He also emphasized that post war the opportunities for trade business are immense with the infrastructure developments especially in the North and the East and the enhanced confidence of foreign investors to do business with Sri Lanka.

The participants who were mainly managers involved in finance and trade functions said seminars of this nature were absolutely essential as they required to be updated of the constantly changing global trade trends and documentation procedures to maximize returns, minimize risks and ensure continuity of their businesses.

The seminar covered a wide cross section of subjects:- Customs Deputy Director Raj Mohan enlightened the participants on “New procedures at the Customs”Shipping Mclarens General Manager (Documentation) Anoma Ranasinghe, touched on the “Effective and efficient methods in shippping”.

Presentations were also made by two foreign speakers from J P Morgan Chase Bank N.A. who were especially brought down for this event. J P Morgan Asia Pacific, Trade Advisory Global Trade Services MD Jonathan Heusar spoke on ‘Trade flows globally and Markets’, while Vice President Financial Institution Sales Himanshu Gupta spoke on ‘Managing treasury risks’.

The panel discussion drew much interest and appreciation with many pressing questions being asked by the participants which were duly responded by the eminent panel consisting of the presenters.

DGM Corporate Banking Ruvini Thenabandu said the bank had segmented its lending as Consumer, Commercial and Corporate and that this seminar was aimed at their Commercial and Corporate clients.

Trade Services Senior Manager Christo Dhambarage in proposing the vote of thanks said the bank will ensure that this annual event is continued and coupled with an expert trade team of the bank whose trade operations are ISO 9001 : 2008 certified will definitely help their customers in maximizing their returns on their international trade business.

Aitken Spence Printing turns 55

As it celebrates 55 years, the printing company that had its beginnings as a small, in-house printing operation for the group’s stationery has grown and flourished, becoming one of the best printing and packaging companies in Sri Lanka and catering to both the local and the export market.

Although it started as the in-house printing division for Clark Spence & Co., printing the company’s stationery requirements, the 1960’s saw a growth in the company’s outside business that prompted a shift to Colombo from its original headquarters within the Galle Fort.

Aitken Spence Printing has an expansive product range that runs the scope, from coffee table books and corporate publications, to packaging for a varied customer base, encompassing a diversity that covers the breadth, from tea and FMCG to garments, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Aitken Spence Printing prides itself on being able to cater to customer requirements, a trait that has made them pioneers in many areas. Not satisfied with being one of the first printing companies to establish itself in Sri Lanka, the company later branched out into the global packaging segment that continues to be highly lucrative, bringing buyers, from UK and Europe.

Managing Director Prasanna Karunathilaka, says, “Even with the company’s commitment to investing in better technology and facilities, it has been our experienced valued employees, with their continual dedication that has helped us through the years. In fact there are members of the team who have persevered with the company for over 20 years.”

Backed by an asset-rich parent company, Aitken Spence Printing not only attracts the industry’s best talent, but also enables in-house training, that ensures that customers continuously liaise with a highly skilled technical team to provide the customer an unparallel service.

Karunathilaka said they are committed to offering customers the best.

“Without them we would not have made it this far. We are continuing in our efforts to offer a state-of-the art facility, from printing area to technology and training of our staff, in order to ensure that our customers are always assured of the quality they have come to rely on,” he said.

IIHS to improve healthcare education

Launches Australian Nursing Program:

The International Institute of Health Sciences (IIHS), one of the country’s leading healthcare education campuses has embarked on the ambitious goal of developing the quality of healthcare education in Sri Lanka. In the attempt to do so, IIHS has now become a TAFE South Australia Approved Centre for Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled Nursing), offering Sri Lankan students the prospect of becoming qualified nurses through an internationally recognized, cost effective program that enhances their overall skills and certifies employability across the world.

The Australian Technical and Further Education (TAFE) system is an internationally recognized post secondary (High School) education system that offers study programs that range from Certificate to Diploma and Advanced Diploma Levels. TAFE South Australia (TAFESA) is part of the “Vocational Education and Training” network of the South Australian Government, which ensures that the students are able to gain the skills required by employers.

Nursing is one of the most sought-after professions in the world, with many perks such as working in an excellent environment with the support of a highly professional team.

The career offers flexible working schedules and most importantly the earning capacity of between Rs 450,000 to 800,000 per month.

There are ample opportunities for nurses in Australia, USA, UK, New Zealand and Canada where it is estimated that nearly a million nurses are needed by 2020.

IIHS Dean Dr Nihal de Silva said. “In Sri Lanka, there is a stereotypical belief that nursing is merely caring for the sick. This is not true. Though nursing is based on caring for the sick, there are quite a lot of avenues one can explore in the field of nursing if one wishes to do so. Nursing will never become a saturated market and it’s important to remember that there is a great demand for professionally qualified nurses in any part of world.”

AVIVA Asia Pacific CEO makes donation

Aviva Asia Pacific Chief Executive Simon Machell was in Sri Lanka last week and called on the Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and presented a donation to the Government's initiative to encourage the reading habit among children. The cheque for half a million rupees was part of worldwide Aviva group's Street to School Corporate Responsibility programme that recognizes every child's right to fulfill his or her potential.

Sri Lanka has approximately 4.1 million school-going children and a significant number do not have easy access to reading.

"We are proud to become a partner in this far-reaching and momentous initiative of the Government, where one day we could be proud of having made a difference in the lives of millions of children in Sri Lanka. We are also delighted that through our Street to School initiatives we are able to add significant value to the children as well as the nation," said AVIVA NDB Insurance Managing Director Shah Rouf who accompanied Machell to the Presidential Secretariat.

Weeratunga said: "The vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the children of this country is to see them grow into responsible, creative, healthy and productive citizens one day."

Asian Paints expands

Asian Paints has announced plans to expand production capacity and its product offering in Sri Lanka and further revolutionise colour retailing to give Sri Lankan consumers and dealers a new experience in how they buy and sell paint.

The India-headquartered multinational coatings company completed ten years in Sri Lanka in 2009, during which it introduced many product and category firsts and established a 300-strong network of 'Colour World' computerized tinting and dispensing outlets, completely changing the dynamics of the retail paint business.

"We plan to grow the Colour World network to 500 over the next two years, and replicate some of the latest colour retailing innovations of our parent company for the benefit of this market," the company's Director/General Manager in Sri Lanka Joseph L Pulikottil said.

The essence of the company's strategy would be to use its retail strengths and its extensive portfolio of products and services to convert buying paint and colour decisions from the hassle that it can sometimes be, into a fun experience, he said.

Among the company's short and medium term plans for Sri Lanka are the introduction of the unique 'Colour Ideas' concept that has enthused retail consumers in India, new generation paint products such as Asian Paints 'Royale' paint with a tough Teflon coating, and the opening of a corporate sales office in Colombo, Pulikottil said.

Colour World outlets have already increased the degree of interaction between end-users of paint and retailers and created greater interest in mixing and matching of colours, Pulikottil said. The unique software developed by Asian Paints enables customers to experiment with colours on images of their own homes or offices before they buy the paint.