BIZ BRIEFS

SriLankan promotes MICE tourism

SriLankan Airlines' 44-page, handy-sized MICE brochure was launched recently. It describes the diverse attributes that Sri Lanka offers as a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions destination in Asia, to combine business and leisure.

The brochure describes the scale of MICE facilities, the variety of interesting MICE locations including Colombo, professional conference organisers and destination management companies.

The guide gives an overview of what to expect in Sri Lanka, which is turning out to be one of Asia’s newest and exciting places to conduct MICE events and why Sri Lanka’s national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, is the best option to get to the destination.

Edge Hotels signs agreements

The newly formed Edge Hotels and Resorts signed two agreements with the BOI to develop two of their properties, Reefs Edge Hotel and Villas at Uswetakeiyawa and City Edge Colombo at the Marine Drive, Bambalapitiya.

These agreements were signed between the Board of Investment and Edge Hotels and Resorts.“Edge Hotels and Resorts, will showcase the beauty and diversity of our island paradise by providing memorable holidays at strategically located, architecturally appealing hotels,” a spokesman for Edge Hotels said.

NDB partners SEA in ADB projects

NDB Bank entered into a partnership with the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) and the Government as a participating financial institute for a special initiative introduced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to assist the development of micro hydro power projects within the estate sector.

ADB will provide a credit line of $1.29 m to refurbish and re-power micro-hydro power plants in identified tea and rubber estates to harness hydro power resources.

The project will deliver engineering assessment and environmental and social monitoring to develop 19 identified micro-hydro projects generating 1.3 MW of grid connected capacity on a net metering basis.

Razik Zarook new BoC chairman

Senior attorney-at-law and President’s Counsel Razik Zarook assumed duties as Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon last week.

He was enrolled to the Bar in 1969. A former diplomat and chairman of several public corporations, his management skills came to limelight when he was appointed chairman of the Co-operative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) by the then Trade and Shipping Minister, the late Lalith Athulathmudali.

He was given the responsibility of turning around the CWE to become an efficient and viable organisation responsible for the distribution of essential commodities thereby preventing the creation of artificial scarcities in the market.

TVEC receives ISO 9001:2008 certificate

Director General of Sri Lanka Standards Institution, Dr.Lalith N. Senaweera presents ISO certificate to the Chairman of TVEC, Prof. Dayantha Wijesekara.

The Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) which was successful at the third party recertification audit conducted by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute recently, was granted the ISO 9001:2008 certificate for another three-year period from 2012. Being a apex monitoring body for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVEC intends to enhance the quality assurance activities of TVET by maintaining the standards of ISO 9001:2008.

CIC Holdings sponsors TOYP

CIC was the principal sponsor at the 32nd JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Awards, which concluded last year.

The most coveted youth award in Sri Lanka, the Junior Chamber International's TOYP Awards recognise the achievements of 10 of the most outstanding youth in the country who have excelled in their chosen fields of work and contributed to society and inspired the people around them. Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of CIC Holdings, Samantha Ranatunga said, "CIC Holdings believes in the promise and potential of the youth of the country and takes pride in supporting endeavours which encourage and develop their skills."