ADVERTORIAL
ESOFT appoints Empiricalminds as franchisee
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ESOFT Computer Studies (Pvt) Ltd Chairman and Managing Director
Dr. Dayan Rajapaksha exchanging the MOU with Empiricalminds (Pvt)
Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Prasanna Lokuge. Lasitha
Vitharana, Director Empiricalminds (Pvt) Ltd., and Anusha
Wickramarathna look on.
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ESOFT Computer Studies (Pvt) Ltd., one of Sri Lanka's leading ICT
education companies recently entered into a franchise agreement with
Empiricalminds (Pvt) Ltd. to deliver ESOFT study programmes in selected
areas in the country. Through this new initiative, ESOFT intends
fast-tracking its programme of broad basing ICT education in the country
via the establishment of a network of study centres in Sri Lanka,
thereby contributing towards bridging the widening gap of ICT skills
that exist among those in the Western Province and the rest of the
country.
Commenting on the new initiative, ESOFT Computer Studies (Pvt) Ltd
Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Dayan Rajapaksha said that the
primary goal of his company is to take ICT education to the doorstep of
the common man and make Sri Lanka an ICT literate nation. "We as ICT
professionals have a binding obligation to support the government's
noble efforts towards making ICT education accessible to the masses in
the country and the only way we could help this cause is through
broad-basing ICT education, so we can envelope a larger proportion of
students to follow IT and open the door for a world of opportunity," he
asserted.
Empiricalminds (Pvt) Ltd., is a company involved in training and
consultancy which is headed by ESOFT International Education Pvt Ltd CEO
Dr. Prasanna Lokuge one of Sri Lanka's most respected ICT professionals.
The first study centre managed by Empiricalminds will open shortly in
Nugegoda.
The ESOFT City Centre which is due to commence shortly has been
designed to provide its students with an enriching learning environment
and equipped with all necessary infrastructure and learning facilities
including fully air conditioned lecture halls, interactive labs,
multimedia and other conveniences.
Piaggio expands to Gampaha
 With the continuing spiral in demand for Piaggio three-wheelers,
Associated Motorways (Pvt) Limited (AMW) recently added a new showroom
at Gampaha to its island-wide network of fully-fledged, modern
showrooms.
The latest Piaggio showroom is situated on Ja-ela Road, Gampaha. It
was opened by AMW General Manager (Piaggio and Eicher) Suneth Sudasinghe.
Sales Manager (Piaggio) Amitha Gamage, Manager - Network Development and
Marketing Harsha Rodrigo, Area Manager Chathuranga Kapuge,
Administration Manager Achini Amarasekera and a large number of special
invitees, customers and well-wishers attended the opening.
 Speaking at the opening Sudasinghe said that there is a big demand
for Piaggio diesel three-wheelers from all parts of Sri Lanka.
He said that AMW is taking steps to open new showrooms in all key
towns in Sri Lanka for the convenience of customers who can inspect and
purchase Piaggio three-wheelers within the areas they reside in.
As part of this expansion drive, AMW has already opened Piaggio
showrooms in the key towns of Kurunegala, Ratnapura, Avissawella, Kandy,
Anuradhapura, Badulla, Ampara, Nuwara Eliya, Matara, Negombo, Batticaloa
and Dambulla.
At these showrooms, customers can inspect and purchase Piaggio
three-wheelers either on a cash basis or under a leasing facility. The
prime objective of AMW is to offer customers the opportunity to inspect
and purchase Piaggio three-wheelers within the areas they live in.
To meet this objective, AMW has made plans to open many more new
fully-fledged, modern showrooms in various other parts of the country in
2012.
Tech Zone shines at Infotel 2011
Sponsoring Sri Lanka's flagship ICT Expo this year, Tech Zone - the
premier IT solutions provider showcased its diverse product range, while
also debuting the most expensive PC in Sri Lanka.
The cutting-edge PC valued at over rupees one million was part of an
array of the latest in ICT products and services on offer by Tech Zone
at the recently concluded ICT expo. Touted as being a platform for the
latest developments in IT, Infotel has now been elevated to an
international expo and CIO meet further strengthening Sri Lanka's status
as a regional South Asian IT hub.
Organized by the Federation of Information Technology Industry of Sri
Lanka (FITIS) in partnership with the Telecommunication and IT Ministry
and ICTA, Infotel 2011 is the 11th exhibition in the series. The
benchmark IT conference is held annually with the participation of all
major players in the field of ICT in Sri Lanka including large
enterprise software exhibitors and trainers and also features cloud
based services, virtualisation, ERP, business systems and office
automation systems and services.
Speaking at the exhibition Tech Zone CEO Mohamed Naushad expressed
his enthusiasm in the realization of Sri Lanka's national ICT goals
underscoring his company's continued contribution to the sector and in
furthering ICT growth.
"Infotel 2011's theme 'Accelerate IT' exemplifies the growth rates
that the industry has experienced both in the retail and corporate
sectors", he said.
Adding to the honours bestowed on Tech Zone this year is the award
for "the best display stall" . Accepting the award, Naushad expressed
his gratitude and hope that the annual event would further enhance Sri
Lanka's visibility on the ICT map.
"Sri Lanka has an immense pool of talented individuals as well as the
know-how to take the country to the next level in terms of service as
well as products.
I foresee a vibrant future for the industry while national ICT goals
are within easy reach," Naushad said.
At the forefront of offering the latest in IT products and services,
Tech Zone also recently unveiled the latest in gaming technology with
the launch of the critically acclaimed Razer Mamba across its branch
network.
Gampaha a proto type district in Sri Lanka
Rohantha Athukorale
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Rohantha Athukorale
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Participating at a MBA alumni group of a popular University in Sri
Lanka to share some thoughts on the changing aspects of Sri Lanka. We
see the most visible aspects, the development agenda be it the Southern
highway, the first new hotel in the country-Avani or the Hambantota sea
port, makes me share some new insight that has not got exposed.
Gampaha
The Household Income and Expenditure Survey published by the
Department of Census and Statistics recently, thought of focusing on the
Gampaha district where most of us in FMCG Marketing test new market
products.
The reason why we used to do our test marketing of new products in
the Gampaha district was because it is the district which has the best
representative cross section of consumers in relation to the total
country, so the feedback from consumers becomes very valid. The other
reason is the district is secluded geographically it avoids the
spillover impact due to floating clientele. Let me share the key
findings.
Population
 Looking at Gampaha from a population perspective below 14 years there
is a 23% of the population which is very close to the national number of
26%. Between the age group of 15-59 years the number is very close at
63.6% as against the 61.8% national value whilst the over 60 age group
it is at 13.3% as against the national number of 12.3%. I guess if one
can do a deeper analysis on the Socio Economic Classification(SEC) it
will further validate the representativeness of the Gampaha district to
the national picture so that it can be useful information for Test
Marketing operations.
Maybe the next step would be that the district can charge the private
sector a nominal value to test market a new product that includes key
hoardings, access to a particular place in the Sunday Pola for display
and trial purposes so that the uniqueness of this District can be
marketed in a suitable manner.
Poverty
Poverty in the Gampaha area is ranked number three at 3.90% which is
below the national average. This indicates a positive sign as one can
also interpret a few families being unemployed.
Education
Education from Gampaha scores the best, those who have not had a
schooling is a mere 1.8% whilst those who have been educated upto
A’level is above the National average. But against other Urban cities it
is below in schooling upto grade 5 and also in the A/L segment.
An evaluation should be done as to why those who passed A’ level’s is
below the urban percentage of 18.7%. May be that many are educated in
Colombo schools due to proximity and is a practical error of collecting
data.
Vehicle ownership
The ownership of Motorcycles, Three-wheelers and Busses in the
Gampaha district has a higher percentage, against the rest of the
country and also against other urban areas which may be reflective of
the lifestyle of the households and their occupation. Families that have
no vehicles is significantly lower at 33.5% which is indicative of the
district registering the 2nd position in the Average Mean income at
Rs.48,870.
Marketers who are targeting the Gampaha district will have to take
these insights into account when developing brand marketing campaigns.
For instance a hoarding that is been designed to the Gampaha district
should show Motorcycles and not Cars as this number is way above the
national average.
On the other hand it indicates the opportunity that exists for motor
car marketers.
The penetration of washing machines is the highest at 22.3% is
interesting and I guess marketers must see what key strategies helped
the company get there. Maybe it is reflective of the lifestyle they lead
which makes them need such products and is not a luxury. However, it’s
strange that the ownership of Refidgerators, Cookers and Electric Fans
is below the national average in Urban markets.
The data clearly indicate the market opportunity for manufacturers of
electric fans, cookers and refrigerators. Stronger links with the
Housewife associations in the Gampaha district might give better
insights to the reasons behind this.
Dabur in Gampaha
The Indian fruit drink company’s setting up a 15 million dollar plan
to export fruit drinks to South India is a very interesting feature of
making Gampaha a prototype for being a model district of Sri Lanka.
Given the unemployment levels at a low ebb with poverty at just 3.9%
may be novel productivity enhancement methods will have to be employed
to drive overall production. This can become a model for rest of the
country.
Handlooms
The penetration of Sewing Machines are at 51%, products like
handlooms can be targeted for value added export marketing so that
within the next 3-5 years Gampaha district can be ranked number one on
income as well as on overall poverty.In the quest for developing a
district to be a ‘Prototype model District’ an area to be cognizant of
special numbers.
Gampaha district households that suffer from chronic illness and
disabilities the percentage is at a 17.5% as against the National
average of 14.4% and the urban markets at 15.4%, which means a special
programme needs to be developed.
Eco-friendly electric bicycle from Abans
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The bicycle
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The latest innovative product introduced by Abans, in keeping with
their “Green Revolution” is the Electric Motorized Bicycle using a
cheaper and environmentally friendly power source. Now you can enjoy the
pleasure of cycling without the effort of pedaling. What is more it
presents a very economical and convenient mode of transport and the
perfect solution for escalating oil prices and increase in bus fares.
The Electric Motorized Bicycle is powered by a rechargeable battery
and gets you to your destination quicker than a normal bicycle.
The best is that once you have paid the initial cost of the Electric
Motorized Bicycle, you can go wherever you want, at no running cost. As
you can charge the battery absolutely free of charge at any Abans,
JVC-Haier showrooms. The charging time is just 5 to 8 hours, even if you
charge the battery at your home it costs less than 2 cents per kilometre.
Incredible but true, as it is cheaper than any other mode of transport.
It has a maximum speed of 25 KMPH, it is also safe for students to
travel to school or university. It is an ideal mode of transport for
commuters in rural areas as they have to walk a long distance for public
transport.
They could conveniently abandon their old push bicycle for a new
motorized one and save their valuable time and energy.
It is eco-friendly, no smoke, no pollution and requires the minimum
in maintenance.
The Electric Motorized Bicycle does 40 to 60 kilometres on a full
charge (depending on road conditions), if you run out of power
unexpectedly, all you have to do is just pedal like a normal bicycle to
complete the journey.
It weighs only 40 kg, easy to store and easy to park in the minimum
space. It has a load capacity of 100 kg and is powered by a
Hi-efficiency DC Permanent Magnet Brushless Motor with maximum driving
noise less than 62dB and is rated efficiency 78%. It comes with a six
months warranty.
LB relocates at Piliyandala
The ever-growing branch network of financial trailblazers LB Finance
experienced another innovation recently as the LB Finance branch in
Piliyandala moved to a new location. The state-of-the-art branch
continues to serve the people of the area with the trusted array of
financial solutions the 40 - year strong company is synonymous with.
 The Piliyandala relocation is packed with new developments recording
excellent financials at the concluded first half of FY 2011/2012, the
company’s pre-Tax Profit increased by a massive 41% year-on-year to
stand at Rs. 1.02 billion as at end-September 2011. Total assets grew
steadily by 23% to Rs. 34.73 billion over the same period, supported by
a sturdy loan base.
“Our financial performance this year has been exceptional” stated LB
Finance Managing Director Sumith Adhihetty.
“We feel that it is really reflected in the upgrading of our RAM
rating from BBB+ to A-/P2, denoting a stable outlook for the future.
This lends greater confidence to our dedicated team and also
strengthens the solidarity of our investor base”. The upward revision
follows the continuous expansion of the company’s hold on market share
as well as its improving asset-quality indicators.
Ten branches were simultaneously opened in the Jaffna peninsula.
Additionally Puttalam, Dambulla and Thambuththegama joined the LB
tradition of dispensing the best in financial solutions to investors
eager for resources. The crowning glory, however, is yet to come, as the
company unveils a new headoffice on Galle Road in January 2012.
Regardless of the location, the powerhouse finance provider continues
its practice of solid solutions; spearheaded by easy and affordable
Leasing facilities of new and used vehicles, it includes Hire Purchase,
Fixed Deposits, Savings Accounts, Factoring, Margin Trading and Gold
Loans.
Visionary entrepreneur and Deputy Chairman of the company Dhammika
Perera, hinted at great things for the future, “For 40 years LB Finance
has proven itself to be a leader in the sector.
American university scholarship programme
Northwood University, USA - A leading specialist business university
and Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), USA
invites motivated and talented Sri Lankan students to apply for the 2012
American university scholarship programme.
This scholarship program is an effort to make the world’s best
American education, affordable to Sri Lankan students. Tuition fees for
the American degree programs that Northwood University and Missouri S&T
has been kept uniformly to give quality American degree options to the
Sri Lankan students. All students benefit from tuition fees that is
significantly lower than corresponding fees in the US, though the degree
qualification received is identical. In addition to the above savings, a
special based merit award system has been implemented in conjunction
with the American university partners.
A forty partial scholarships is to be decided by the two respective
American universities. Each scholarship is worth more than USD $ 4,700 (Rs.
525,000) and awarded based on the students merit and the financial needs
of the family. All scholarships are for students who complete their
entire bachelor’s degree programmes in Sri Lanka at Northwood University
and Missouri S&T - Sri Lanka Campus in Colombo 3. Interviews will be
conducted for students who prefer to study in USA.
In order to be eligible for the American university scholarship,
students should submit a fully completed application form to the
American university Directors Admission.
Students and Parents can collect printed application pack from
Northwood University - Missouri University of Science and Technology,
Sri Lankan Campus, Colombo 3. Both Local and London students can apply.
Partial scholarship awards are decided based on (1) Financial need, (2)
Academic ability, (3) The potential to succeed in the chosen career
field. The certificates and reference letters will increase your chances
of selection.
All applications should be submitted directly to the American
university Program Director.
Airtel ranked fastest broadband network
Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with
operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, has announced that
speed test results of the periodical survey conducted by
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC) for the month
of November 2011 has confirmed Airtel as the leader in the category of
3G Mobile Broadband.
This survey is regularly conducted by TRC and is a detailed analysis
that compares the performance of all operators in Sri Lanka in several
categories.
“At Airtel, it is our constant endeavour to deliver services that are
robust, reliable and world class for our customers in Sri Lanka to
leverage.
Airtel 3G mobile broadband’s strong performance in the speed tests
conducted by Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka is a
testament to the vision and commitment of a company that benchmarks
itself with the best in the world”, said Bharti Airtel Sri Lanka Sales
and Marketing Head Sharan Shetty. “Going forward, Airtel will continue
to deliver products and services that are innovative and relevant to our
customers across Sri Lanka,” he added.
More information on the November 2011 analysis by the
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka are available at
http://www.trc.gov.lk/broadband/237-broadband-speed-test-results-november-2011.html.
Bharti Airtel the fastest operator to reach the 1 million customers
mark in Sri Lanka. Having rapidly expanded and established business
strengths in less than three years of market operations in Sri Lanka,
Airtel currently enjoys a strong position in the country’s
telecommunications landscape.
Recently, Airtel has also received accreditations such as British
Standards Institution’s ISO 27001:2005 and BS 25999-2:2007 for its
information security and business continuity practices in Sri Lanka.
Dulux Ambiance Portraits add colour to the season
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Dulux Ambiance Portraits
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AkzoNobel, the makers of Dulux Ambiance carried out an exciting
activation at the Crescat Lobby and the World Trade Centre to add colour
and a sense of cheer to the holiday shoppers and corporate executives.
Named ‘Ambiance Portraits’ this activation took place at the Crescat
Lobby on December 19, 20, 23 and 24 and at the World Trade Centre Level
3 Lobby on December 19, 20 and 21 of 2011.
Dulux Ambiance is a colour palette which enables one to express one’s
stylish side. Ambiance Portrait activation gave the consumers at these
two venues the opportunity to take photographs with their family and
friends and gave them an instant 8R photo print free.
The photographs were made even more vibrant with the five diverse
themes of Dulux Ambiance, namely ‘Beauty of everyday life’, Finding the
way’, ‘Molecular magic’, ‘Made with love’ and ‘Pop up pleasure’.
Colourful backgrounds depicting these five themes were on hand and
consumers were given the opportunity to experiment with their style by
trying out different props such as hats, shawls, coloured sunglasses and
even large lollipops which highlighted each of the respective themes.
Through this interaction those who took photographs were given a
clear understanding of the Dulux Ambiance colour range and how each
theme can reflect an individual’s personality. This information was
provided through an information docket on the Ambiance colour palette.
This activation provided a welcome break to customers during the hectic
seasonal shopping frenzy, in addition to providing insight into
beautifying their homes with their very own personal touch.
Participants of this activation were given the opportunity to use
their creativity while showcasing their own personal style, as the most
imaginative picture of the day will be awarded a prize, once the
photographs are uploaded onto the ‘Dulux-Let’s colour Sri Lanka’
Facebook page. The participants were also requested to tag themselves on
their respective pictures and share the colourful moment with their
friends. While brightening up the festive season the Dulux Ambiance
portraits activation brought a sense of fun to the holiday shoppers and
undoubtedly ‘fashion for walls’.
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Here Commercial Bank Deputy General Manager - Inspection Delip
Fernando opening the Passara branch. The bank’s regional manager
Uva Sabaragamuwa Region Chanura Wijetillake (left), and Passara
Branch Manager Asitha Senanayake look on. |
ComBank goes to Passara
Passara in the Uva Province is now served by the Commercial Bank of
Ceylon following the recent opening of a branch in the town.
The Passara branch situated on Main Street, Passara, has two ATM
machines and is computer-linked to all branches, service points and
supermarket banking counters operated by Commercial Bank in Sri Lanka,
enabling online real-time banking.
Here Commercial Bank Deputy General Manager - Inspection Delip
Fernando opening the Passara branch.
The bank’s regional manager Uva Sabaragamuwa Region Chanura
Wijetillake (left), and Passara Branch Manager Asitha Senanayake look
on.
FADNA Arunella fifth programme held successfully at Delkanda
The fifth FADNA Arunella Diabetes Awareness Clinic was conducted
recently at Nugegoda, Delkanda Bodhu Padanama. This event was held to
mark the eighth death anniversary of Venerable Gangodawila Soma Thera.
The campaign aims to preventing the onset of diabetes among Sri Lankans
by conducting awareness programmes throughout the country.
The FADNA Arunella Campaign is proposed to cover the entire island.
This endeavour is fully sponsored by Food and Nature (Pvt) Ltd, and is
facilitated by the Ema Pharma Institute.
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