ATTN: MR CHANDIMA UDABAGE

RUNDOWN

THE STATE OF BUSINESS – 21ST JAN, 2008

CEB VTR CHAMINDA 01:05

ELECTION VTR NILANTHA 03.00

ADD STATE OF BUSINESS BRIDGE

GALLE 2 VTR ANOUK 04.00

ADD CORPORATE BRIDGE

PALLU VTR RIYAD 01:10

BREAK 2 - STOCK WATCH

STOCK UPDATE CARDS 01.30

CURRENCY CARDS 00.20

LINE UP EDITOR: ANOUK/ NISHANI

ANCHOR: NISHANI
HEADLINES
1. PRESENT VOTING SYSTEM RIDDEN WITH CORRUPTION SAYS
MINISTER DINESH GUNAWARDENE, AND
2. GALLE LITERARY FESTIVAL DRAWS THOUSANDS BOOSTING
TOURISM

1. CEB – VTR

DAMAGE TO A TRANSFORMER AT THE KOTUGODA CEB SUBSTATION

DURING THE EARLY HOURS of THIS MORNING RESULTED IN AN
ISLAND WIDE POWER FAILURE.

THE SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH OCCURRED AT AROUND 6 THIS MORNING

WAS RESTORED AROUND 7 AM.

THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CEYLON ELECTRICITY BOARD R.

PULLEYPERUMA SAYS THE DAMAGED TRANSFORMER IS AN OUTDATED
ONE.

ACCORDING TO HIM, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE COUNTRY HAS

EXPERIENCED AN ISLAND WIDE POWER FAILURE DURING THE LAST 7
TO 8 MONTHS.

2. ELECTION – VTR

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE ON

ELECTORAL REFORMS MINISTER DINESH GUNAWARDENA SAYS IT IS
HIGH TIME THAT THE PRESENT VOTING SYSTEM BE DONE AWAY WITH.

HE SAYS THE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SYSTEM IS

CONTRIBUTING TO CORRUPTION AND HAS BECOME A SOCIAL ENIGMA.

MINISTER GUNAWARDENA MADE THESE COMMENTS ADDRESSING A

SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY THE CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES
UNDER THE THEME “THE ELECTORAL REFORM DEBATE IN SRI LANKA:
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS”.

ROLL VTR

BREAK
3. GALLE 2

ORGANIZERS OF THE GALLE LITERARY FESTIVAL SAY THAT AROUND

3000 TO 4000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FULL FOUR-DAY EVENT WHICH
BEGAN ON THE 16TH OF JANUARY AND DREW TO A CLOSE YESTERDAY.

THE EVENT WHICH WAS SURE TO HAVE LEFT ITS IMPRINT IN THE
HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED, ALSO NO DOUBT
MADE A MARK IN TERMS OF FURTHER PROMOTING SRI LANKA AS A
THRIVING TOURIST DESTINATION.

IN FACT, SRI LANKA TOURISM WHICH SUPPORTED THE INITIATIVE,

SAYS IT WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH THE TURNOUT OF THE
PROCEEDINGS WHICH SAW 50 FOREIGN AND 55 SRI LANKAN AUTHORS
IN ATTENDANCE.

ROLL VTR

4. CORPORATE- PALLU

ONE OF SRI LANKA’S BEST KNOWN AND LOVED CLOTHING RETAILERS

NO LIMIT MADE ANOTHER MARK IN THE FASHION WORLD BY
EXPANDING ITS EXCLUSIVE PALLU SHOWROOM AND DEDICATING AN
ENTIRE FLOOR TO THE LATEST COLLECTION OF FASHIONABLE
COLOURFUL SAREES, SHALWARS AND ACCESSORIES.

OUR CAMERA’S WERE PRESENT AT THE MEDIA BRIEFING HELD BY NO

LIMIT PALLU THIS MORNING.

ROLL VTR

BREAK

STOX

THE MARKET WAS MAINLY DRIVEN BY RETAILERS TODAY. NO

CROSSINGS TOOK PLACE FOR THE DAY WHILE BOTH INDICES ENDED
MARGINALLY HIGHER.

CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPERS EXPERIENCED THE DAY’S HIGHEST

TRANSACTION OF SHARES OF 0.76 MILLION AND WAS FOLLOWED BY
LANKA CEMENT AND LAXAPANA.

TURN OVER WAS ALSO DOMINATED BY CSD WITH AN INPUT OF 6.58

MILLION RUPEES. LANKA CEMENT WAS NEXT IN LINE WITH A
CONTRIBUTION OF 5.65 MILLION WHILE DIALOG PUMPED IN 4.12
MILLION.
FOREIGN BUYING AND SELLING FOR THE DAY WAS TAGGED AT 15.86
AND 2.88 MILLION RESPECTIVELY.

CARD 1
THE ALL SHARE CLIMBED 5.6 POINTS TO 2,387.93 WHILE THE
MILANKA ALSO EDGED UP BY 9.04 POINTS TO CLOSE THE DAY AT
3,070.26.

TURN OVER WAS RECORDED AT JUST 67.3 MILLION RUPEES.

CARD 2

LANKA CEMENT, LION BREWERY, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, TESS

AGRO AND CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPMENT WERE THE DAY’S TOP
GAINERS

CARD 3

WHILE THE MAIN LOSERS WERE REGNIS, MULLERS, REEFCOMBER,

HORANA AND HOTEL SERVICES.

CARD 4
LANKA WALLTILE LIMITED MADE A DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE
DAY.

FOREX RATES
CARD 5
CARD 6
SEGMENT: CORPORATE
DATE: 21ST JANUARY 2008
REPORTER: RIYAD R.
SLUG: PALLU

ONE OF SRI LANKA’S BEST KNOWN AND LOVED CLOTHING RETAILERS

NO LIMIT MADE ANOTHER MARK IN THE FASHION WORLD BY
EXPANDING ITS EXCLUSIVE PALLU SHOWROOM AND DEDICATING AN
ENTIRE FLOOR TO THE LATEST COLLECTION OF FASHIONABLE
COLOURFUL SAREES, SHALWARS AND ACCESSORIES.

OUR CAMERA’S WERE PRESENT AT THE MEDIA BRIEFING HELD BY NO

LIMIT PALLU THIS MORNING.

ROLL VTR

Super

Anwar Sadat
Manager – Marketing
NOLIMIT

TAG
“PALLU”

New heights to saree fashion

# 21 Kawdana Rd, Dehiwala

VOICE OVER / PALLU / RIYAD / 21ST JANUARY 2008 / VTR

THE NEW NOLIMIT PALLU STORE LOCATED AT DEHIWALA COMPRISES

AN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF SAREES AVAILABLE IN A MYRIAD OF
COLOURS AND DESIGNS ALONG WITH ACCESSORIES TO MATCH THEM.

THE PALLU SHOWROOM ALSO OFFERS ALTERATION FACILITIES BY

TALENTED STREAM TRESSES SAVING MUCH TIME FOR THE CUSTOMERS.

REGULAR UPDATING OF NEW FASHION TRENDS WILL ALSO BE A

UNIQUE FEATURE AT NOLIMIT PALLU IN ADDITION TO WHICH
PLACING ORDERS FOR DESIGNS IN THE INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE
IS ALSO FACILITATED.

ANWAR SADAT, MARKETING MANAGER OF NO LIMIT SAYS THAT THE

PALLU STORE’S GOT SOMETHING TO SUITE EVERYONE’S TASTE AND
PURSE.

11.58 ANWAR
MOST OF THE SAREES AND SHALWARS IS MOSTLY DONE IN INDIA, WE
ARE IMPORTING IT FROM INDIA 12.05
++++++
11.22 ANWAR
IT STARTS FROM 3,000 RUPEES FOR SAREES AND SHALWAR
MATERIALS AND THE EXPENSIVE ONE IS 110,000 RUPEES 11.31

ENDS/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 21ST JAN 08
REPORTER: ANOUK
SLUG: GALLE 2

ORGANIZERS OF THE GALLE LITERARY FESTIVAL SAY THAT AROUND

3000 TO 4000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FULL FOUR-DAY EVENT WHICH
BEGAN ON THE 16TH OF JANUARY AND DREW TO A CLOSE YESTERDAY.

THE EVENT WHICH WAS SURE TO HAVE LEFT ITS IMPRINT IN THE
HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED, ALSO NO DOUBT
MADE A MARK IN TERMS OF FURTHER PROMOTING SRI LANKA AS A
THRIVING TOURIST DESTINATION.

IN FACT, SRI LANKA TOURISM WHICH SUPPORTED THE INITIATIVE,

SAYS IT WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH THE TURNOUT OF THE
PROCEEDINGS WHICH SAW 50 FOREIGN AND 55 SRI LANKAN AUTHORS
IN ATTENDANCE.

ROLL VTR

SUPERS

Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne

Wildlife Photographer/ Writer
CEO- Jetwing Eco Holidays

Renton de Alwis – Chairman

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority

Libby Southwell
Director- Galle Literary Festival

Visitor

TAG

‘POSITIVE NUMBERS’
VOICE OVER/ 21ST JAN 08/ GALLE 2/ ANOUK

THIS TIME’S GALLE LITERARY FESTIVAL WHICH WAS ONLY IN ITS

SECOND YEAR RUNNING WAS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
PROMOTED NOT ONLY LITERATURE AND READING, BUT ALSO A
CONCERN FOR MOTHER EARTH THROUGH ITS CLIMATE CHANGE
INITIATIVE.

THE DAYS PRECEDING THE EVENT SAW A BEACH CLEAN-UP LAUNCHED

BY THE ORGANIZERS, WHILE THE FESTIVAL ITSELF DREW ON THE
EXPERTISE OF SEVERAL PERSONALITIES WHO HAVE MADE IT THEIR
LIFE’S WORK TO CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

VOICE CUT-GEHAN
(9:48)
For the first time humanity is threatened with its very
existence. And our capacity for creativity in literature is
the same creativity which we will need to harness to
resolve the challenge which faces all of us today (10:20)
++
(11:45)
there’s been a very good response to the climate change
topics that are being debated at the literary festival. And
I think that a lot of people are welcoming the fact that
such an important issue is being aired at the literary
festival (12:05)

THE GALLE LITERARY FESTIVAL ALSO PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN

DRAWING MANY INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO SRI LANKA THIS
JANUARY.

IN ADDITION, IT WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN DRAWING LOCAL

VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE ISLAND TO GALLE, BOOSTING ROOM
OCCUPANCY RATES IN HOTELS IN THE AREA.

VOICE CIT-LIBBY
(16:32)
MOST OF THE HOTELS ARE FULLY BOOKED. IF THEY’RE NOT AT FULL
CAPACITY THEY’RE RUNNING AT 90% (16:41)

WE ASKED SOME OF THE VISITORS TO THE GALLE LITERARY

FESTIVAL WHAT THEY FELT ABOUT SRI LANKA IN THE FACE OF THE
RECENT ESCALATION IN VIOLENCE.
VOICE CUT- VISITOR
(04:34)
UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE ONLY HEAR ABOUT THAT SIDE OF THINGS
AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TOURISM, BUT THEY DON’T
REALIZE THAT THERE’S A THRIVING WRITING AND ART SCENE AND A
GREAT CULTURE HERE. I THINK THIS FESTIVAL WILL DO A LOT TO
HELP PROMOTE THAT KIND OF THING (4:52)
++
(3:20)
I HAVEN’T MET A SINGLE FOREIGNER WHO HASN’T FALLEN IN LOVE
WITH SRI LANKA. AND IT’S NOT JUST THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND BUT
IT’S THE ATTITUDE AND THE TEMPERAMENT OF THE SRI LANKAN
PERSON (33:37)

AND EVEN SRI LANKA TOURISM FEELS THIS OPTIMISM! THE

CHAIRMAN OF THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY NOTES THAT
THE PAST TWO TO THREE MONTHS HAVE SEEN AN ENCOURAGING
INCREASE IN TOURIST ARRIVALS TO SRI LANKA, ESPECIALLY OWING
TO THE SRI LANKA-ENGLAND CRICKET SERIES, THE PEARL FISHER’S
OPERA, THE VISIT BY A SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE BOHRA
COMMUNITY AND OF COURSE, THE JUST CONCLUDED GALLE LITERARY
FESTIVAL.

VOICE CUT-RENTON
(4:14)
ALL OF THESE HAVE CONTRIBUTED AND NOW IN FACT IN NOVEMBER
THIS YEAR WE INCREASED OUR ARRIVALS BY 20% IN COMPARISON
WITH LAST YEAR’S NOVEMBER. AND IN DECEMBER WE HAVE A 55.8%
INCREASE IN THE ARRIVALS AND JANUARY WE BELIEVE, IS GOING
TO BE AS GOOD (4:35)

WE ASKED HIM WHAT HE EXPECTS FOR SRI LANKA’S TOURISM

INDUSTRY THIS YEAR.

VOICE CUT
(4:46)
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS YEAR WILL BE A YEAR OF
CONSOLIDATION.(04:55)
++
(5:06)
WE’RE LOOKING AT NEW MARKETS LIKE INDIA. INDIA OF COURSE IS
AGAIN A CONSOLIDATION AND ENHANCEMENT WE’RE JUST LAUNCHED
AN INITIATIVE IN INDIA WHICH IS LINKED WITH THE RAMAYANA
EPIC AND PLACES OF INTEREST IN SRI LANKA LINKED WITH THE
EPIC. THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE MIDDLE EASTERN MARKET WHICH IS
PERFORMING WELL FOR US NOW AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT HAS GREAT
POTENTIAL FOR SRI LANKA AND OF COURSE CHINA AND THE RUSSIAN
MARKET AS A WESTERN MARKET (5:39)

SO IT SEEMS THAT A LOT IS BEING PLANNED FOR SRI LANKA’S

TOURISM INDUSTRY THIS YEAR- KEEPING ALIVE THE HOPE, THAT
NOTHING WILL IMPEDE ITS POTENTIAL IN REAPING THE BENEFITS
OF BEING ‘A LAND LIKE NO OTHER’.

ENDS/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 21/01/08
REPORTER: NK
SLUG: ELECTION – VTR

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE ON

ELECTORAL REFORMS MINISTER DINESH GUNAWARDENA SAYS IT IS
HIGH TIME THAT THE PRESENT VOTING SYSTEM BE DONE AWAY WITH.

HE SAYS THE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SYSTEM IS

CONTRIBUTING TO CORRUPTION AND HAS BECOME A SOCIAL ENIGMA.

MINISTER GUNAWARDENA MADE THESE COMMENTS ADDRESSING A

SEMINAR ORGANIZED BY THE CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES
UNDER THE THEME “THE ELECTORAL REFORM DEBATE IN SRI LANKA:
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS”.

ROLL VTR

TAG

‘ELECTORAL REFORMS’

PR system was introduced in 1978

Parliamentary Select Comm. on Electoral

reforms has 32 members

Interim report was released in June 2007

“Political parties are opposed to any

regulation of finances” - CPA

SUPER

Minister Dinesh Gunawardene

Chairman
Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms

CARD

SELECT COMMITTEE PROPOSAL

Parliament with 225 members

Constituency MP’s: 140

(FPP system)
District MP’s: 70
(District PR system)

National list MP’s: 15

IN:
OUT:
VOICE OVER – ELECTION

SRI LANKA MADE THE TRANSITION TO A PROPORTIONAL

REPRESENTATION SYSTEM FROM THE FIRST-PAST-THE POST SYSTEM
WITH RESPECT TO PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN 1978 WITH THE
INTRODUCTION OF THE SECOND REPUBLICAN CONSTITUTION.

HOWEVER, THE PR SYSTEM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN THE 1989 GENERAL

ELECTION AND UNDER IT 196 MEMBERS ARE ELECTED ACCORDING TO
THE PR SYSTEM AND 29 MEMBERS GET ELECTED VIA THE NATIONAL
LIST.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE ON

ELECTORAL REFORMS BELIEVES THAT THIS SYSTEM IS NOT THE
RIGHT CHOICE FOR A COUNTRY LIKE SRI LANKA.

THE ELECTORAL REFORMS COMMITTEE IN ITS INTERIM REPORT HAS

RECOMMENDED A SYSTEM WHICH IS MORE OF A MIXTURE OF THE PR
AND FPP SYSTEMS.

CARD IN:

UNDER THE PROPOSED FORMAT 140 MP’S WILL BE ELECTED THROUGH

THE FPP SYSTEM WHILE 70 MP’S WILL BE ELECTED ON THE BASIS
OF DISTRICT PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION BUT ON THE VOTES
RECEIVED BY THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

THE REMAINING 15 SEATS WILL BE RESERVED FOR THE NATIONAL

LIST.

42.18
the pr system is very corrupt and it is contributing to
corruption and every candidate who faces has to be now in
the next general election would have to have few millions
to contest. It’s a costly system with the preferential
voting 42.34 +42.45 the first past the post system
overcomes major problems like this as well as there will be
elected members who are more closer to the electorate and
more accountable to the electorate much more than today..
42.59
THE LACK OF FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE RELATED TO THE FUNDING OF
POLITICAL PARTIES AND INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSED OVER A LONG TIME IN SRI LANKA.

A RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES

HAS FOUND THAT NEARLY ALL POLITICAL PARTIES ARE OPPOSED TO
ANY REGULATION OF FINANCES RELATED TO ELECTIONS OR
POLITICAL PARTIES.

47.18
Funding by the state is a matter that has to be agreed upon
by you even today there’s a provision for state funding of
50 cents on the basis of the last election results that we
are recommending should be knocked off…….
The election commission and the election commissioner would
be enhanced with powers in relation to finding out and
investigating as well as declarations of funding of
candidates and political parties and that has been brought
in as an amendment. 48.13

ENDS/
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 21 / 01 / 2008
REPORTER: CHAMINDA
SLUG: CEB – VTR

DAMAGE TO A TRANSFORMER AT THE KOTUGODA CEB SUBSTATION

DURING THE EARLY HOURS of THIS MORNING RESULTED IN AN
ISLAND WIDE POWER FAILURE.

THE SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH OCCURRED AT AROUND 6 THIS MORNING

WAS RESTORED AROUND 7 AM.

THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CEYLON ELECTRICITY BOARD R.

PULLEYPERUMA SAYS THE DAMAGED TRANSFORMER IS AN OUTDATED
ONE.

ACCORDING TO HIM, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE COUNTRY HAS

EXPERIENCED AN ISLAND WIDE POWER FAILURE DURING THE LAST 7
TO 8 MONTHS.

ROLL VTR
D. R. Pulleperuma – General Manager
Ceylon Electricity Board

VOICE OVER – CEB – CHAMINDA – 21 / 01

3.12 – PULLEYA

THE PROBLEM EMANATED FROM KOTUGODA SUBSTATION, THERE IS A

LINE BETWEEN KOTUGODA AND VEYONGODA AND THIS PARTICULAR
CURRENT TRANSFORMERS HAS PUT INTO MONITOR THE CURRENT LAW
AND THIS HAS BLASTED AND THIS IS A VERY OLD TRANSFORMER AND
THIS IS THE CASE FOR THE TOTAL FAILURE AND WE SHOULD NOT
HAVE EXPECTED A TOTAL FAILURE OUT OF THIS. BUT THAT
PARTICULAR TIME THE LOAD WAS TOO SMALL AND BECAUSE OF THAT
THE SYSTEM HAS COLLAPSED. 3.48

ENDS.
STOX

THE MARKET WAS MAINLY DRIVEN BY RETAILERS TODAY. NO

CROSSINGS TOOK PLACE FOR THE DAY WHILE BOTH INDICES ENDED
MARGINALLY HIGHER.

CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPERS EXPERIENCED THE DAY’S HIGHEST

TRANSACTION OF SHARES OF 0.76 MILLION AND WAS FOLLOWED BY
LANKA CEMENT AND LAXAPANA.

TURN OVER WAS ALSO DOMINATED BY CSD WITH AN INPUT OF 6.58

MILLION RUPEES. LANKA CEMENT WAS NEXT IN LINE WITH A
CONTRIBUTION OF 5.65 MILLION WHILE DIALOG PUMPED IN 4.12
MILLION.

FOREIGN BUYING AND SELLING FOR THE DAY WAS TAGGED AT 15.86
AND 2.88 MILLION RESPECTIVELY.

CARD 1
THE ALL SHARE CLIMBED 5.6 POINTS TO 2,387.93 WHILE THE
MILANKA ALSO EDGED UP BY 9.04 POINTS TO CLOSE THE DAY AT
3,070.26.

TURN OVER WAS RECORDED AT JUST 67.3 MILLION RUPEES.

CARD 2
LANKA CEMENT, LION BREWERY, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, TESS
AGRO AND CEYLINCO SEYLAN DEVELOPMENT WERE THE DAY’S TOP
GAINERS

CARD 3
WHILE THE MAIN LOSERS WERE REGNIS, MULLERS, REEFCOMBER,
HORANA AND HOTEL SERVICES.

CARD 4
LANKA WALLTILE LIMITED MADE A DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE
DAY.

FOREX RATES
CARD 5
CARD 6