ATTN: MR.

CHANDIMA UDABAGE
RUNDOWN

THE STATE OF BUSINESS – 7TH JAN, 2008

HAMILTON VTR SASHIKA 01:15

SRI LANKAN FLASH ANOUK 01.05

TRADE MINISTER VTR SAMANTHA

ADD STATE OF BUSINESS BRIDGE

ASASL VTR SAMANTHA 02.10

ADD CORPORATE BRIDGE

AIRPORT VTR RAVI 01:23

BREAK 2 - STOCK WATCH

STOCK UPDATE CARDS 01.30

CURRENCY CARDS 00.20

LINE UP EDITOR - ANOUK

ANCHOR - RAVI
HEADLINES
1. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MEET TOMORROW FOR DISCUSSIONS
REGARDING SRI LANKAN AIRLINES, AND
2. LIGHT AT THE END OF THE CANAL- HAMILTON PUT TO USE ONCE
AGAIN FOR GOODS TRANSPORTATION

1.HAMILTON–VTR

SRI LANKA’S LONG NEGLECTED HAMILTON CANAL WHICH WAS ONCE A

POPULAR GOODS TRANSPORTATION WATER WAY DURING THE TIMES OF
DUTCH RULE IN SRI LANKA, WAS ONCE AGAIN PUT TO USE BY LOCAL
AUTHORITIES, THIS MORNING.

THE LATEST ITEM THAT WAS TRANSPORTED VIA THE CANAL WAS A
NEW GAS TURBINE TO BE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
KERAWALAPITIYA THERMAL POWER PLANT.

THE POWER PLANT IS SCHEDULED TO COMMENCE GENERATING POWER

BY MID THIS YEAR.

ROLL VTR

2.SRI LANKAN-VTR

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF INVESTMENT, DHAMMIKA PERERA

SAYS THAT A MEETING WITH REGARD TO THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS
INVOLVING SRI LANKAN AIRLINES WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE
BOI AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TOMORROW.

IN A STATEMENT RELEASED OVER THE WEEKEND, EMIRATES AIRLINE

STATED THAT IT WILL NOT BE RENEWING ITS SHAREHOLDER’S
AGREEMENT WITH SRI LANKAN AIRLINES WHICH EXPIRES ON THE 31ST
OF MARCH THIS YEAR.

PRESIDENT OF EMIRATES AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SRI LANKAN

AIRLINES, TIM CLARK SAID THAT EMIRATES HAD NOTIFIED THE
GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA IN THIS REGARD.

ROLL VTR
3.TRADE-VTR

THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO INTRODUCE A UNIT TAX COVERING

10 ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS FROM TOMORROW IN A BID TO SIMPLIFY
THE TAXATION SYSTEM.

THIS WAS REVEALED AT A MEDIA BRIEFING HELD THIS EVENING AT

THE TRADE MINISTRY.

TRADE MINISTER BANDULA GUNAWARDENA BELIEVES THIS MOVE WILL

ALSO HELP BRING DOWN THE PRICES OF THESE ESSENTIAL
COMMODITIES.

ROLL VTR

4.ASASL-VTR

THE FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STATISTICS ORGANIZED BY

THE APPLIED STATISTICS ASSOCIATION OF SRI LANKA BEGAN TODAY
AT THE COLOMBO UNIVERSITY.

DATA COLLECTION AND DATA MINING, MODELLING AND SIMULATION,

MEDICAL STATISTICS, DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS AND SAMPLING
TECHNIQUES ARE SOME OF THE AREAS WHICH PAPERS WILL BE
PRESENTED ON DURING THE CONFERENCE WHICH CONCLUDES TOMORROW.

TODAY’S EVENT ALSO SAW THE ASSOCIATION LAUNCHING THEIR

ANNUAL JOURNAL.

ROLL VTR

5.SIAM HOUSE-VTR

THE FIRST AUTHENTIC DINE-IN RESTAURANT, SIAM HOUSE WAS

OPENED TODAY AT THE BANDARANYAKE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BY
BENJORONG PVT. LTD.

SIAM HOUSE IS LOCATED AT THE DEPARTURE CONCORD OF THE AIR

PORT.

ROLL VTR

BREAK
6.STOX-VTR

THE MARKET FELL IN TO NEGATIVE TERRITORY IMMEDIATELY AFTER

OPENING. ACTIVITY LEVELS ALSO REMAINED LOW WHILE RETAILERS
DROVE TRADING.

THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SHARES FOR THE DAY OF 1.09 MILLION

WAS TRADED BY CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPMENT WHICH WAS
FOLLOWED BY DIALOG AND SLT WHICH TRADED 0.75 MILLION AND
0.44 MILLION SHARES RESPECTIVELY.

TURN OVER WAS DOMINATED BY CEYLON THEATRES WITH A

CONTRIBUTION OF 89 MILLION RUPEES. HNB WAS NEXT IN LINE
FOLLOWED BY DIALOG.

FOREIGN BUYING FOR THE DAY WAS AT 50.47 MILLION WHILE

FOREIGN SALES AMOUNTED TO 10.09 MILLION.

THERE WERE NO CROSSINGS TODAY.

CARD 1
BOTH INDICES ENDED THE DAY IN THE RED.
THE ASPI CLOSED 21.85 POINTS LOWER AT 2,488.55 WHILE THE
MILANKA DROPPED BY 25.19 POINTS TO CLOSE TRADING AT 3,195.

TURN OVER WAS RECORDED AT 216.9 MILLION RUPEES.

CARD 2
LEADING THE DAY’S GAINERS WERE, HUEJAY, SEYLAN MERCHANT,
CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPMENT, RADIANT GEMS AND EQUITY TWO
PLC.

CARD 3
ASIRI, BOGAWANTALAWA, CEYLON THEATRES, COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENT AND LANKA HOSPITALS WERE THE DAY’S MAIN LOSERS

FOREX RATES
CARD 4
CARD 5
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 7TH JAN 08
REPORTER: ANOUK
SLUG: SRI LANKAN

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF INVESTMENT, DHAMMIKA PERERA

SAYS THAT A MEETING WITH REGARD TO THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS
INVOLVING SRI LANKAN AIRLINES WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE
BOI AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TOMORROW.

IN A STATEMENT RELEASED OVER THE WEEKEND, EMIRATES AIRLINE

STATED THAT IT WILL NOT BE RENEWING ITS SHAREHOLDER’S
AGREEMENT WITH SRI LANKAN AIRLINES WHICH EXPIRES ON THE 31ST
OF MARCH THIS YEAR.

PRESIDENT OF EMIRATES AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SRI LANKAN

AIRLINES, TIM CLARK SAID THAT EMIRATES HAD NOTIFIED THE
GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA IN THIS REGARD.

ROLL VTR
VOICE OVER

ACCORDINGLY, WITH EFFECT FROM THE 1ST OF APRIL THIS YEAR THE
MANAGEMENT CONTROL OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES WILL PASS TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA.

EMIRATES STATES THAT UNTIL THE 31ST OF MARCH IT WILL

CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE COMPANY, ADDING THAT IT WILL ALSO
RETAIN ITS 43.6% EQUITY IN THE COMPANY FOR THE TIME BEING
AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A BOARD PRESENCE.

LATE LAST YEAR THE GOVERNMENT CANCELLED THE RESIDENT VISA

OF THE CEO OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES PETER HILL, WITH THE
BOARD OF INVESTMENT OF SRI LANKA STATING THAT THE DECISION
WAS TAKEN IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC AFTER A REQUEST BY
THE MAIN SHAREHOLDER OF THE AIRLINE WAS TURNED DOWN BY THE
MANAGEMENT.

ENDS/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 07/01/08
REPORTER: SAMANTHA
SLUG: ASASL-VTR

THE FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STATISTICS ORGANIZED BY

THE APPLIED STATISTICS ASSOCIATION OF SRI LANKA BEGAN TODAY
AT THE COLOMBO UNIVERSITY.

DATA COLLECTION AND DATA MINING, MODELLING AND SIMULATION,

MEDICAL STATISTICS, DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS AND SAMPLING
TECHNIQUES ARE SOME OF THE AREAS WHICH PAPERS WILL BE
PRESENTED ON DURING THE CONFERENCE WHICH CONCLUDES TOMORROW.

TODAY’S EVENT ALSO SAW THE ASSOCIATION LAUNCHING THEIR

ANNUAL JOURNAL.

ROLL VTR

SUPERS
Dr. T. S. G Peiris
Secretary
Applied Statistics Association of Sri Lanka

Prof. Tissa Vitarana

Minister of Science and Technology

Tags

“NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STATISTICS”

VOICE OVER/ASASL/SAMANTHA/07-01-08

THE APPLIED STATISTICS ASSOCIATION SAYS THE MAIN GOAL OF

THIS CONFERENCE IS TO BRING ALL APPLIED AND THEORETICAL
STATISTICIANS TOGETHER.

VOICE CUT
04:30
THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS CONFERENCE IS WE ARE USING THE MOST
OF NATIONAL DATA AND ANALYZING AND WE EXPLAINING WHAT IS
OUT PUT OF THIS DATA BECAUSE MOST OF PEOPLE THEY ARE TRYING
TO MISUSE STATISTICS AS A RESULT MISINTERPRETATION. THEY
DON’T GET THE PROPER RESULT. SO OUR AIM IS TO TRAIN THE
LOCAL STATISTICS IAN HOW TO USE OPTIMISM OF DATA
05:00

ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION THEY HAVE TWO HUNDRED MEMBERS

INCLUDING POLICY MAKERS, UNIVERSITY ACADEMICS AND
INTERNATIONAL STATISTICIANS.

VOICE CUT
04:00
THE MAIN REASON IS MOST PEOPLE DON’T DO STATISTICS PROPERLY
IN SRI LANKA. AS WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF
STATISTICS, ROLE OF USE OF STATISTICS. WE FORM THIS
ASSOCIATION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SRI LANKA. WE DECIDED TO
HAVE CONFERENCE THAT IS WHY TODAY WE HELD OUR FIRST
NATIONAL STATISTICS CONFERENCE.
04:25

MEANWHILE, ADDRESSING THE GATHERING MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY PROFESSOR THISSA WITHARANA SAID THIS CONFERENCE
WILL HELP FACILITATE A SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA.

VOICE CUT
01:30
I THINK ALL YOUNG SCIENTISTS, ALL RESEARCHERS MUST BE
PROPERLY AWARE OF STATICALLY METHODS AND THEIR APPLICATION.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE CLOSE INTERACTION IN THAT WAY. AND
PERHAPS FOLLOWING THIS CONFERENCE WE CAN HAVE SOME DECISION
TO TRY TO DEVELOP THIS LINK.
02:00

END/
SEGMENT : CORPORATE
DATE : 07/01/2008
REPORTER : RAVI
SLUG : SIAM HOUSE - VTR

THE FIRST AUTHENTIC DINE-IN RESTAURANT, SIAM HOUSE WAS

OPENED TODAY AT THE BANDARANYAKE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BY
BENJORONG PVT. LTD.

SIAM HOUSE IS LOCATED AT THE DEPARTURE CONCORD OF THE AIR

PORT.

ROLL VTR

‘RESTAURANT AT BIA’

Benjorong (Pvt) Ltd. also

caters to Mihin Lanka

SUPER

Lionel P. Fernando
Managing Director
Siam House
VOICE OVER – SIAM HOUSE – 07 /01 – RAVI

SIAM HOUSE SERVES SRI LANKAN, THAI AND WESTERN CUISINE

PREPARED BY A TEAM WHICH INCLUDES 5 THAI CHEFS.

THE NEW RESTAURANT WHICH BOASTS A SEATING CAPACITY OF UP TO

100 PEOPLE WILL CATER TO PASSENGERS, VISITORS AND THE AIR
PORT STAFF AMOUNTING TO AROUND 5,000.

BENJORONG (PVT) LTD. ALSO INVESTED 50 MILLION RUPEES IN A

COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND BAKERY ADJOINING THE AIRPORT WHICH
IS CAPABLE OF PREPARING 5,000 MEALS PER DAY.

THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SIAM HOUSE SAID IT WILL BE THE

FIRST PLAYER AFTER SRI LANKAN CATERING SERVICES TO CARRY
OUT RESTAURANT OPERATIONS AT THE BIA.

VC – LIONEL
12:57
THE PASSENGERS, VISITORS THE SHOULD BE A SELECTION AS A NEW
COMER WE BELIEVE WE HAVE ENOUGH MARKET TO PLAY. THERE ARE
SOME MORE OPPORTUNITIES INSIDE. SO WE HAVE RESOURCES. WE
HAVE THAI CHEFS AND OTHERS WITH 30-40 YEARS EXPERIENCE. WE
CAN CATER TO THIS MARKET. 13:28

END/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 07/ 01 / 08
REPORTER: SHASHIKA
SLUG: HAMILTON – VTR

SRI LANKA’S LONG NEGLECTED HAMILTON CANAL WHICH WAS ONCE A

POPULAR GOODS TRANSPORTATION WATER WAY DURING THE TIMES OF
DUTCH RULE IN SRI LANKA, WAS ONCE AGAIN PUT TO USE BY LOCAL
AUTHORITIES, THIS MORNING.

THE LATEST ITEM THAT WAS TRANSPORTED VIA THE CANAL WAS A
NEW GAS TURBINE TO BE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
KERAWALAPITIYA THERMAL POWER PLANT.

THE POWER PLANT IS SCHEDULED TO COMMENCE GENERATING POWER

BY MID THIS YEAR.

ROLL VTR

INFO TAG

‘KERAWALAPITIYA POWER PLANT’

The power plant is set to

to begin generating power by mid 2008

The power generators and

gas turbines are worth around $120 Mn
VOICE OVER / HAMILTON / SHASHIKA / 07/01/08

LAK-DANAVI LIMITED THE DEVELOPERS OF THE KERAWALAPITIYA

POWER PLANT SAYS THEY WERE COMPELLED TO TRANSPORT THE GAS
TURBINE VIA THE HAMILTON CANAL BECAUSE IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE
TO TRANSPORT IT VIA THE ROAD AS SOME BRIDGES COULD NOT
HANDLE ITS WEIGHT WHICH IS AROUND 200 TONS.

LAK-DANAVI LIMITED WHICH WILL BUILD, OPERATE AND LATER

TRANSFER THE 300 MEGA WATT POWER PLANT HAS INVESTED NEARLY
50 MILLION RUPEES TO REVIVE THE CANAL DURING A ONE YEAR
PERIOD.

SOME POINTS OF THE CANAL HAD BEEN DREDGED BY LAK-DANAVI TO

ENSURE THAT THE BARGE WHICH TRANSPORTED THE GAS TURBINE AND
OTHER EQUIPMENT MOVED WITHOUT ANY HINDRANCE.

THE CANAL WAS USED FROM THE PORT UP TO HEKITTHA TO

TRANSPORT THE GAS TURBINE.

MEANWHILE THE NEW GAS TURBINE IS TO BE OPERATED BY USING

HEAVY OIL WHICH IS CHEAPER THAN THE DIESEL POWERED TURBINES
CURRENTLY USED IN SRI LANKA.

ENDS.
STOX

THE MARKET FELL IN TO NEGATIVE TERRITORY IMMEDIATELY AFTER

OPENING. ACTIVITY LEVELS ALSO REMAINED LOW WHILE RETAILERS
DROVE TRADING.

THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SHARES FOR THE DAY OF 1.09 MILLION

WAS TRADED BY CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPMENT WHICH WAS
FOLLOWED BY DIALOG AND SLT WHICH TRADED 0.75 MILLION AND
0.44 MILLION SHARES RESPECTIVELY.

TURN OVER WAS DOMINATED BY CEYLON THEATRES WITH A

CONTRIBUTION OF 89 MILLION RUPEES. HNB WAS NEXT IN LINE
FOLLOWED BY DIALOG.

FOREIGN BUYING FOR THE DAY WAS AT 50.47 MILLION WHILE

FOREIGN SALES AMOUNTED TO 10.09 MILLION.

THERE WERE NO CROSSINGS TODAY.

CARD 1
BOTH INDICES ENDED THE DAY IN THE RED.
THE ASPI CLOSED 21.85 POINTS LOWER AT 2,488.55 WHILE THE
MILANKA DROPPED BY 25.19 POINTS TO CLOSE TRADING AT 3,195.

TURN OVER WAS RECORDED AT 216.9 MILLION RUPEES.

CARD 2
LEADING THE DAY’S GAINERS WERE HUEJAY, SEYLAN MERCHANT,
CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPMENT, RADIANT GEMS AND EQUITY TWO
PLC.

CARD 3
ASIRI, BOGAWANTALAWA, CEYLON THEATRES, COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENT AND LANKA HOSPITALS WERE THE DAY’S MAIN LOSERS

FOREX RATES
CARD 4
CARD 5
SEGMENT:MAIN
REPORTER:SAMANTHA
AIRED:7TH JAN
SHOT: 7TH JAN
SLUG:TRADE

THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO INTRODUCE A UNIT TAX COVERING

10 ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS FROM TOMORROW IN A BID TO SIMPLIFY
THE TAXATION SYSTEM.

THIS WAS REVEALED AT A MEDIA BRIEFING HELD THIS EVENING AT

THE TRADE MINISTRY.

TRADE MINISTER BANDULA GUNAWARDENA BELIEVES THIS MOVE WILL

ALSO HELP BRING DOWN THE PRICES OF THESE ESSENTIAL
COMMODITIES.

ROLL VTR

FIGHTING COL

10 food items under Unit Tax

VOICE OVER/TRADE/SAMANTHA/07-01-08

TAXES SUCH AS PAL, VAT, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LEVY, GENERAL

DUTY AND STANDARDIZATION TAXES WILL BE BROUGHT UNDER THE
NEW UNIT TAX.

THEREFORE COMMODITIES SUCH AS WHITE SUGAR, BIG ONIONS,

SPRATS, GREEN MOONG, CHICK PEAS, DHAL, POTATOES, DRIED
CHILIES AND CANNED FISH WILL BE SUBJECTED TO THE UNIT TAX.

VOICE CUT…

SUBTITLES

FIVE TYPES OF TAXES HAVE BEEN REMOVED. ACCORDING TO THE

SPECIAL TAXATION LEVY ACT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE WILL
DECIDE AND IMPOSE A UNIT TAX ON EACH COMMODITY. AFTERWARDS
THE FINAL WHOLESALE PRICE FOR THE GOODS SOLD DURING THAT
MONTH WILL BE AGREED UPON WITH THE TRADERS.