ATTN: MR: CHANDIMA UDABAGE

RUNDOWN

THE STATE OF BUSINESS – 6TH NOV, 2007

SRI LANKAN VTR RAVI

FITCH CARD CHAMINDA

VALUE FIRST VTR LASHINI 1.15

BREAK 1- ADD STATE OF BUSINESS BRIDGE

ADD BUDGET BRIDGE

BUDGET VTR RIYAD

TREASURY VTR RIYAD

ADD CORPORATE BRIDGE

HEYLEYS FLASH NISHANI 1.05

BREAK 2 – ADD STATE OF BUSINESS BRIDGE

STOCK CARDS

CURRENCY CARDS

LINE UP EDITOR NISHANI

ANCHOR NISHANI
HEADLINES

1.INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WORTH OVER 1 BILLION

DOLLARS TO GET UNDERWAY NEXT YEAR SAYS TREASURY
SECRETARY, AND
2.STUDY FINDINGS ON CONTRACT RENEWAL BETWEEN SRI
LANKAN AIRLINES AND EMIRATES TO BE DISCLOSED
NEXT MONTH

1.SEGMENT:SRI LANKAN-VTR

SRI LANKAN AIRLINES TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT THE TEAM APPOINTED

BY THE PRESIDENT TO STUDY THE RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT
BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND EMIRATES AIRLINES WILL PRESENT
THEIR RECOMMENDATION BY END OF THIS MONTH.

THIS WAS REVEALED BY SRI LANKANS AIRLINES IN COLOMBO TODAY

WHILE LAUNCHING A BOOK ON ITS ACHIEVEMENTS DURING PAST 10
YEARS.

ROLL VTR

2.SLUG:FITCH-CARD

FITCH RATINGS TODAY AFFIRMED, CENTRAL FINANCE COMPANY PLC’S

NATIONAL RATING AT, A PLUS LANKA WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.

ACCORDING TO FITCH, CENTRAL FINANCE IS THE SECOND LARGEST

REGISTERED FINANCE COMPANY WITH A HOLDING OF 23% OF THE
SECTOR, AT END MARCH 2007.

CARD IN

THE COMPANY’S RETURN ON ASSETS HAS DECLINED TO 4.2% DURING

THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2007 FROM 4.9% IN 2006, DUE TO AN
INCREASE IN FUNDING COSTS, A RISE IN OPERATIONAL EXPENSES,
DECLINE IN THE CONTRIBUTION OF OPERATING LEASE INCOME AND
HIGHER EFFECTIVE TAXATION.

HOWEVER CF’S PROFITABILITY STANDS FAVORABLY AGAINST THE

SECTOR RETURN ON ASSETS OF 3.6% DURING FINANCIAL YEAR 2007.

THE RATING AGENCY CAUTIONS THAT THE ASSET QUALITY IS LIKELY

TO DETERIORATE SOMEWHAT IN FINANCIAL YEAR 2008 DUE TO
POTENTIAL WEAKENING OF THE ECONOMY.
FITCH ALSO ADDS THAT THE RATING IS CONSTRAINED BY CF’S LACK
OF PRODUCT AND FUNDING DIVERSITY WHICH IT SAYS IS AN
INHERENT FEATURE IN THE RFC BUSINESS MODEL.

LOAN GROWTH HAS SLOWED TO 29% DURING 2007 BUT WAS HIGHER
THAN SECTOR GROWTH OF 26% DURING THE SAME PERIOD.

THE COMPANY’S PORTFOLIO WAS DOMINATED BY VEHICLE FINANCE TO

THE HIGHER END OF THE SUB PRIME MARKET, DURING 2007, WHILE
LEASES AND HIRE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS HAS ACCOUNTED FOR 72%
AND 20% OF THE COMPANY'S LOAN PORTFOLIO, RESPECTIVELY.

CENTRAL FINANCE ALSO HOLDS THE MARKET LEADERSHIP IN THE

PROVISION OF OPERATING LEASES, WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR 10% OF
CF'S ASSETS AT FINANCIAL YEAR 2007.

READ ON…

3.SLUG:VALUEFIRST–VTR

VALUE-FIRST MESSAGING, AN INDIAN BASED INTERNATIONAL MOBILE

VIRTUAL NETWORK OPERATOR ANNOUNCED ? THE COMMENCED
OPERATIONS IN SRI LANKA THIS MORNING IN COLOMBO.

THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY, VALUE-FIRST PROVIDES

ITS CUSTOMERS WITH MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VARIOUS
I.T. SYSTEMS AND MOBILE PHONES VIA SHORT MESSAGING SERVICES.

CURRENTLY VALUE-FIRST PROVIDES MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK

OPERATOR SERVICES TO OVER 800 ENTERPRISES ACROSS THE GLOBE.

ROLL VTR
BREAK

4. SLUG: BUDGET – APONSU

DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS THE RESPECTIVE BUSINESS CHAMBERS

AND INDUSTRIALISTS VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND EXPECTATIONS OF
THE UPCOMING BUDGET.

WITH THE 2ND READING JUST HOURS A WAY, WE SPOKE TO AN

ECONOMIST ON THE KEY AREAS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE
2008 BUDGET.

ROLL VTR

5.SLUG:TREASURY-VTR

SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY DR. P. B. JAYASUNDARA STATED THAT

THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO BRING DOWN THE BUDGET DEFICIT TO
7.5 FROM THE FORECASTED FIGURE OF 9.1%.

THE FINANCE SECRETARY ALSO SAYS THAT PLANS ARE LAYED TO

INCREASE GOVERNMENT TAX REVENUE BY 1% TO 17% OF GDP.

HE MADE THESE COMMENTS AT THE PRE-BUDGET MEDIA CONFERENCE

HELD THIS EVENING.

ROLL VTR

CORPORATE

6. SLUG:HEYLEYS

HEYLEYS GROUP COMPANY HAS REPORTED A PROFIT BEFORE TAX OF

352.8 MILLION RUPEES FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER
30TH 2007 ON PAR WITH THE CORRESPONDING SIX MONTHS.

ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY THE STRONG PERFORMANCE SHOWN BY

DIPPED PRODUCTS IN THE 1ST HALF OF 2007/2008 HAS HELPED
SUSTAIN THE GROUP’S PERFORMANCE.

GROUP TURN OVER FOR THE PERIOD HAS GROWN BY 16% TO 5.4
BILLION.
THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY A 19% GROWTH IN REVENUE, AND 14%
GROWTH IN EXPORT VOLUME FROM LOCAL HAND PROTECTION
MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS..
MEANWHILE KELANI VALLEY PLANTATIONS PLC HAS INCREASED ITS
TURN OVER FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH 2007 TO
1,888 MILLION AN INCREASE OF 5% OVER THE SAME TIME PERIOD
LAST YEAR THROUGH BETTER PRICES FOR RUBBER AND TEA.

TURN OVER FROM TEA GREW BY 2% TO 1,176 MILLION OVER THE

CORRESPONDING NINE MONTHS OWING TO THE PARTIAL RECOVERY OF
THE CROP LOST TO TRADE UNION ACTION AND A 25% IMPROVEMENT
IN TEA PRICES.

WHILE TURN OVER FROM RUBBER INCREASED BY 11% TO 725 MILLION

AS A RESULT OF A 3.6% INCREASE IN PRODUCTION AND 10.6
IMPROVEMENT IN THE NET SALES AVERAGES.

READ ON…

BREAK
7.STOX

THE MARKET ENDED MARGINALLY NEGATIVE TODAY.

ACCORDING TO ANALYSTS ACTIVITY WAS A MIX OF RETAIL AND
INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPATION.

A TOTAL OF 10 CROSSINGS TOOK PLACE TODAY.

4 CROSSINGS TOTALING 1.22 MILLION SHARES TOOK PLACE ON HNB

WHILE JKH SAW 3 CROSSINGS AMOUNTING TO 230,000 MILLION
SHARES.
2 CROSSINGS TOTALING 1 MILLION SHARES TOOK PLACE ON DIALOG
WHILE 450,000 SHARES OF SLT ALSO CHANGED HANDS.

BLUE DIAMONDS TRADED 2.58 MILLION SHARES-THE HIGHEST FOR

THE DAY AND WAS FOLLOWED BY CEYLON GLASS AND HNB.

THE MAJOR SHARE TO TURN OVER WAS PUMPED IN BY HNB WHICH

AMOUNTED TO 132 MILLION RUPEES WHILE JKH AND SLT FOLLOWED.

CARD 1
THE ASPI SLIPPED 11.75 POINTS TO 2,620.13 WHILE THE MILANKA
DIPPED 11.67 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 3,526.1

TURN OVER FOR THE DAY WAS TAGGED AT 407.1 MILLION RUPEES

CARD 2
LEADING THE DAY’S GAINERS WERE MORRISONS NON VOTING, TESS
AGRO, SINGALANKA, ASIAN ALLIANCE AND PARQUET

CARD 3
WHILE FERN TEA LIMITED, HAPUGASTENNE, AEC, ALUFAB AND
LAXAPANA HEADED THE LOSERS

CARD 4
HOTEL SERVICES CEYLON LIMITED MADE A FINAL DIVIDEND
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE DAY

FOREX RATES
CARD 5
CARD 6
SEGMENT: MAIN

DATE: 07 / 11 / 2007

REPORTER: CHAMINDA

SLUG: FITCH - CARD

FITCH RATINGS TODAY AFFIRMED, CENTRAL FINANCE COMPANY PLC’S

NATIONAL RATING AT, A PLUS LANKA WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.

ACCORDING TO FITCH, CENTRAL FINANCE IS THE SECOND LARGEST

REGISTERED FINANCE COMPANY WITH A HOLDING OF 23% OF THE
SECTOR, AT END MARCH 2007.

THE COMPANY’S RETURN ON ASSETS HAS DECLINED TO 4.2% DURING

THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2007 FROM 4.9% IN 2006, DUE TO AN
INCREASE IN FUNDING COSTS, A RISE IN OPERATIONAL EXPENSES,
DECLINE IN THE CONTRIBUTION OF OPERATING LEASE INCOME AND
HIGHER EFFECTIVE TAXATION.

HOWEVER CF’S PROFITABILITY STANDS FAVORABLY AGAINST THE

SECTOR RETURN ON ASSETS OF 3.6% DURING FINANCIAL YEAR 2007.

THE RATING AGENCY CAUTIONS THAT THE ASSET QUALITY IS LIKELY

TO DETERIORATE SOMEWHAT IN FINANCIAL YEAR 2008 DUE TO
POTENTIAL WEAKENING OF THE ECONOMY.

FITCH ALSO ADDS THAT THE RATING IS CONSTRAINED BY CF’S LACK

OF PRODUCT AND FUNDING DIVERSITY WHICH IT SAYS IS AN
INHERENT FEATURE IN THE RFC BUSINESS MODEL.

LOAN GROWTH HAS SLOWED TO 29% DURING 2007 BUT WAS HIGHER
THAN SECTOR GROWTH OF 26% DURING THE SAME PERIOD.

THE COMPANY’S PORTFOLIO WAS DOMINATED BY VEHICLE FINANCE TO

THE HIGHER END OF THE SUB PRIME MARKET, DURING 2007, WHILE
LEASES AND HIRE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS HAS ACCOUNTED FOR 72%
AND 20% OF THE COMPANY'S LOAN PORTFOLIO, RESPECTIVELY.

CENTRAL FINANCE ALSO HOLDS THE MARKET LEADERSHIP IN THE

PROVISION OF OPERATING LEASES, WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR 10% OF
CF'S ASSETS AT FINANCIAL YEAR 2007.

READ ON…
Fitch Affirms Central Finance Company's 'A+ (lka)' Rating
• CF’S PROFITABILITY COMPARED FAVORABLY AGAINST THE
SECTOR ROA
• ASSET QUALITY IS LIKELY TO DETERIORATE SOMEWHAT IN
FINANCIAL YEAR 2008
• THE COMPANY’S ROA HAS DECLINED TO 4.2% DURING FY07
FROM 4.9% IN FY06.
• SOUND PROFITABILITY COUPLED WITH HIGH EARNINGS
RETENTION ENABLED CF TO MAINTAIN A STRONG CAPITAL
POSITION
SEGMENT : CORPORATE
DATE : 06/11/07
REPORTER : LASHINI
SLUG : VALUEFIRST – VTR

VALUE-FIRST MESSAGING, AN INDIAN BASED INTERNATIONAL MOBILE

VIRTUAL NETWORK OPERATOR ANNOUNCED THE COMMENCED OPERATIONS
IN SRI LANKA THIS MORNING IN COLOMBO.

THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY, VALUE-FIRST PROVIDES

ITS CUSTOMERS WITH MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VARIOUS
I.T. SYSTEMS AND MOBILE PHONES VIA SHORT MESSAGING SERVICES.

CURRENTLY VALUE-FIRST PROVIDES MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK

OPERATOR SERVICES TO OVER 800 ENTERPRISES ACROSS THE GLOBE.

VTR

SUPER:

Vijay Shukla
Co-founder/Director
ValueFirst Messaging Pvt).Ltd.

TAG LINES:

‘VALUEFIRST-LANKA’

Sri Lanka’s 1st ever

Mobile Virtual Network Operator

SMS- most effective

method of communication:ValueFirst
VOICE OVER - LASHINI – 06/11/07 – VALUEFIRST – VTR

VALUE-FIRST INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF MOBILE VIRTUAL

NETWORK OPERATOR FOR DATA SERVICES TO SRI LANKAN
ENTERPRISES.

EMPLOYING A PARTNERSHIP WITH MOBILE OPERATORS THE COMPANY

FOCUSES ON SMS MOBILE MESSAGING.

DESCRIBING SMS MESSAGING, AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF

COMMUNICATION, VALUE FIRST SAYS LOCAL ENTERPRISES CAN
BENEFIT BY USING SMS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR AND CLIENTS.

27:22
DESPITE THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN AND CERTAIN OTHER HIGH LEVEL
CONCERNS WITH THE COUNTRY WE FEEL THAT MOBILE DATA SERVICES
IS MORE RELEVANT IN SRI LANKA THAN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT WE
HAVE GONE TO 27:37
PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF MOBILE NETWORK IS ESTABLISHED AND THE
MOBILE SUBSCRIBER NUMBERS ARE GROWING AND ALSO INTERNET IS
NOT ALL THAT HIGH. INTERNET PENETRATION IS NOT HIGH. WHICH
BASICALLY PUTS SRI LANKA IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION.
27:57

WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT OF 1 MILLION US DOLLARS ,VALUE-

FIRST-LANKA PLANS TO PROVIDE MOBILE DATA SERVICES TO STATE
DEPARTMENTS, BANKS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, STOCK BROKERS
AMONG MANY OTHERS IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATIONS IN THE
COUNTRY.

ENDS.
SEGMENT:CORPORATE
AIRED:6TH NOV
SHOT:7TH NOV
REPORTER:NISHANI
SLUG: HEYLEYS

HEYLEYS GROUP COMPANY HAS REPORTED A PROFIT BEFORE TAX OF

352.8 MILLION RUPEES FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER
30TH 2007 ON PAR WITH THE CORRESPONDING SIX MONTHS.

ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY THE STRONG PERFORMANCE SHOWN BY

DIPPED PRODUCTS IN THE 1ST HALF OF 2007/2008 HAS HELPED
SUSTAIN THE GROUP’S PERFORMANCE.

GROUP TURN OVER FOR THE PERIOD HAS GROWN BY 16% TO 5.4
BILLION.
THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY A 19% GROWTH IN REVENUE, AND 14%
GROWTH IN EXPORT VOLUME FROM LOCAL HAND PROTECTION
MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS..

MEANWHILE KELANI VALLEY PLANTATIONS PLC HAS INCREASED ITS

TURN OVER FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH 2007 TO
1,888 MILLION AN INCREASE OF 5% OVER THE SAME TIME PERIOD
LAST YEAR THROUGH BETTER PRICES FOR RUBBER AND TEA.

TURN OVER FROM TEA GREW BY 2% TO 1,176 MILLION OVER THE

CORRESPONDING NINE MONTHS OWING TO THE PARTIAL RECOVERY OF
THE CROP LOST TO TRADE UNION ACTION AND A 25% IMPROVEMENT
IN TEA PRICES.

WHILE TURN OVER FROM RUBBER INCREASED BY 11% TO 725 MILLION

AS A RESULT OF A 3.6% INCREASE IN PRODUCTION AND 10.6
IMPROVEMENT IN THE NET SALES AVERAGES.

READ ON…
CARD 1

• Heyleys group company reports a profit before tax of

Rs. 352.8 Mn for the 6 months ending September 30th
2007
• Group turn over for the period grew by 16% to Rs.5.4
Bn supported by a 19% growth in revenue, and 14%
growth in export volume from local hand protection
manufacturing operations.

CARD 2
• Kelani valley plantations plc has increased its turn
over to Rs. 1,888 Mn for the 9 months ending September
30th 2007 - an increase of 5% over the same time period
last year.

• Turn over from tea grew by 2% to Rs.1,176 Mn.

• Turn over from rubber increased by 11% to Rs.725 Mn.

STOX

THE MARKET ENDED MARGINALLY NEGATIVE TODAY.

ACCORDING TO ANALYSTS ACTIVITY WAS A MIX OF RETAIL AND
INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPATION.

A TOTAL OF 10 CROSSINGS TOOK PLACE TODAY.

4 CROSSINGS TOTALING 1.22 MILLION SHARES TOOK PLACE ON HNB

WHILE JKH SAW 3 CROSSINGS AMOUNTING TO 230,000 MILLION
SHARES.
2 CROSSINGS TOTALING 1 MILLION SHARES TOOK PLACE ON DIALOG
WHILE 450,000 SHARES OF SLT ALSO CHANGED HANDS.

BLUE DIAMONDS TRADED 2.58 MILLION SHARES-THE HIGHEST FOR

THE DAY AND WAS FOLLOWED BY CEYLON GLASS AND HNB.

THE MAJOR SHARE TO TURN OVER WAS PUMPED IN BY HNB WHICH

AMOUNTED TO 132 MILLION RUPEES WHILE JKH AND SLT FOLLOWED.

CARD 1
THE ASPI SLIPPED 11.75 POINTS TO 2,620.13 WHILE THE MILANKA
DIPPED 11.67 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 3,526.1

TURN OVER FOR THE DAY WAS TAGGED AT 407.1 MILLION RUPEES

CARD 2
LEADING THE DAY’S GAINERS WERE MORRISONS NON VOTING, TESS
AGRO, SINGALANKA, ASIAN ALLIANCE AND PARQUET

CARD 3
WHILE FERN TEA LIMITED, HAPUGASTENNE, AEC, ALUFAB AND
LAXAPANA HEADED THE LOSERS

CARD 4
HOTEL SERVICES CEYLON LIMITED MADE A FINAL DIVIDEND
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE DAY

FOREX RATES
CARD 5
CARD 6
SLUG: MAIN
REPORTER: RAVI
DATE: 05/11/2007
SEGMENT: SRI LANKAN - VTR

SRI LANKAN AIRLINES TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT THE TEAM APPOINTED

BY THE PRESIDENT TO STUDY THE RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT
BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND EMIRATES AIRLINES WILL PRESENT
THEIR RECOMMENDATION BY END OF THIS MONTH.

THIS WAS REVEALED BY SRI LANKANS AIRLINES IN COLOMBO TODAY

WHILE LAUNCHING A BOOK ON ITS ACHIEVEMENTS DURING PAST 10
YEARS.

ROLL VTR

Chandana De Silva
Head of Corporate Communications
Sri Lankan Airlines

FLYING HIGH

Air Lanka began operations in 1979.

56% of local tourists

fly Sri Lankan Airlines.
VOICE OVER / SRI LANKAN / RAVI / 06/11

THE BOOK TITLED “MILESTONES ON OUR JOURNEY, IS WRITTEN

BASED ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NATIONAL CARRIER AND THE
CHALLENGES IT FACED OVER THE PAST DECADE.

THE BOOK HIGHLIGHTS THE PERFORMANCE OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES

DURING THE DECADE AFTER PRIVATIZATION.

SRI LANKAN AIRLINES AND THE EMIRATES AIRLINES CAME INTO A

10 YEAR MANAGEMENT CONTRACT IN 1998.

PRIVATIZATION OF THE AIRLINE SAW EMIRATES BUYING A 40% OF

ITS STAKE, WHILE THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT HOLDS THE
MAJORITY OF ITS SHARES.

SINCE THEN SRI LANKAN AIRLINES HAS POSTED PROFITS EXCEPT

FOR IN 2000 AND 2001.

VC - CHANDANA
27:51
THIS YEAR ENDING 2007/2008 MARCH ALSO LOOKS POSITIVE. AS A
GROUP WE HAVE ALWAYS MADE PROFITS. I’M VERY HAPPY TO SAY
THAT SRI LANKAN AIRLINES HAS BEEN A STAND ALONE COMPANY
WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE FROM OUR SHARE HOLDERS.
28:20

THE NATIONAL CARRIER ALSO HAS PLANS TO EXPAND ITS FLEET TO

MEET THE CURRENT DEMAND EMANATING FROM ITS 51 DESTINATIONS.

TAPPING THE CHINESE MARKET WOULD BE A FOCAL POINT IN THE

FLEET EXPANSION PLAN.

32:54
WE ARE LOOKING AT CHINESE TOURISTS BIG TIME. IN ORDER TO DO
THAT WE NEED SOME AIR CRAFTS. THERE ARE SOME CRITICAL
ISSUES THAT WE NEED SOME AIR CRAFTS. THERE ARE SOME
CRITICAL ISSUES THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS HAVE TO DECIDE AND
TELL US.
33:08

END
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 05TH NOVEMBER 2007
REPORTER: RIYAD R.
EDITOR: NISHANI
SLUG: PRE-BUDGET 2008

SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY DR. P. B. JAYASUNDARA STATED THAT

THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO DECREASE THE BUDGET DEFICIT BY
1.6%, BY INCREASING IT’S TAX REVENUE BY 1% TO 17% OF GDP.

THESE COMMENTS WERE MADE AT THE PRE-BUDGET MEDIA CONFERENCE

HELD THIS EVENING.

ROLL VTR

Super

Dr. P. B. Jayasundara
Secretary to the Treasury

VOICE OVER / PRE-BUDGET 2008 / RIYAD / 05TH NOVEMBER 2008 /

- VTR

05.41 DR. PB
EXPENDITURE IS MORE OR LESS LEVELING OFF AT THE PEAK THAT
WE REACHED ON THE LAST 2 YEARS AND ON THAT BASIS WE THINK
THAT THE DEFICIT REDUCTIONS THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED FROM 2005
TO ’06 AND ’07 IS ALSO WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT 7.5% BUDGET
DEFICIT. 6.06 ON THAT BASIS WE ARE ALSO WORKING FOR A LOWER
DEFICIT NEXT YEAR. 6.12

THE GOVERNMENT HAS YEAR MARKED OVER 1 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH

OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FINANCED THROUGH FUNDING
AGENCIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

CUT DR. PB
SEGMENT: MAIN
DATE: 05TH NOVEMBER 2007
REPORTER: RIYAD R.
EDITOR: NISHANI
SLUG: BUDGET – APONSU

THE RESPECTIVE BUSINESS CHAMBERS AND CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET
IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS.

WITH THE 2ND READING JUST OVER HALF A DAY AWAY, WE SPOKE TO
AN ECONOMIST ON THE KEY AREAS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN
THE 2008 BUDGET.

SUPER
Indrajith Aponsu
Senior Lecturer – Economics
University of Colombo