BIZ

USAID signs agreements with 8 businesses to promote commercial mediation

Published

2 months ago

July 19, 2023

editor

Eight Sri Lankan business conglomerates have signed agreements to pursue commercial mediation to settle disputes as opposed to always using litigation, a move that will help make the Sri Lankan judicial system more efficient and effective by reducing case backlogs.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) assisted with development of a memorandum of understanding the eight companies individually signed on Tuesday, July 18, with USAID’s Effective and Efficient Justice (EEJ) activity. The agreements enable the companies to receive commercial mediation training, exposure to international-standard mediation and commercial mediation services and encourages the companies to incorporate a mediation clause into their corporate contracts.

Commercial mediation is a viable alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism that also will help promote investments and commercial development in Sri Lanka.

Nations Trust Bank PLC, Tudawe Brothers (Pvt) Ltd., AKK Engineering, Nawaloka Constructions, Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company, Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd., Ranasinha Constructions, and MAC Holdings signed their agreements at a ceremony held at Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo.

The partnerships are part of the commercial mediation pilot program launched by USAID under its EEJ activity. The activity provides training in commercial mediation and other ADR methods for these companies through workshops facilitated by international mediation experts. To improve ADR services in Sri Lanka, the project also trains ADR centers in mediation center management and administration.

“By helping adopt international best practices in case management and court management, and also by improving legal education and promoting and facilitating the use of ADR mechanisms, we hope to see reduced case delays and court backlogs, and promote the principles of people-centered justice,” said Ali Ezzatyar, USAID Acting Mission Director. “We believe that a strong justice system not only ensures the rule of law, but provides easy access.”

Since 2021, USAID’s Efficient and Effective Justice activity has been helping to equip the justice sector with international best practices, systems, and tools.

BIZ

SriLankan enters into partnership with Virgin Australia

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

editor

SriLankan Airlines has entered into a first-ever interline partnership with Virgin Australia that will strengthen the airline’s network in Australia and offer customers extensive connections across the land down under and beyond.

The new partnership reaffirms SriLankan’s commitment to Australia and will present customers the convenience of adding select Virgin Australia domestic or international connections to their SriLankan Airlines booking and managing a multi-airline itinerary under a single ticket.

Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Worldwide Sales & Distribution of SriLankan Airlines commented on the partnership by stating, “Australia has one of the largest Sri Lankan diasporic communities, which makes our Australian routes incredibly popular all year around and particularly with people travelling to visit friends and relatives or in pursuit of higher education. This partnership will help us make further inroads in the Australian market through improved connectivity and a range of other benefits for our valued customers.”

SriLankan Airlines currently operates daily from Colombo to Melbourne and from Colombo to Sydney on a thrice-weekly basis. The partnership will enable passengers flying SriLankan to Melbourne or Sydney to connect to the Australian cities of Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Cairns, Darwin, Hobart, Hamilton Island, Launceston, Gold Coast and Perth with Virgin Australia. Passengers will also have the option of flying beyond Australia to New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji. It is a win for Sri Lankan and Indian Australians living in these cities too as they can now fly out from their local city to Sri Lanka or India with a single SriLankan Airlines’ booking. What’s more, passengers can enjoy a seamless journey with a single check-in, including for baggage, at the departure airport and beat transit check-in queues.

The introduction of domestic and international interline flights options with Virgin Australia would improve the accessibility to Sri Lanka for Australian outbound tourists as well. An important customer group for SriLankan, the partnership will unquestionably help develop Australian leisure travel to Sri Lanka. It will also provide easy connections for SriLankan Airlines’ passengers flying to Australia via Colombo from the Maldives, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Since relaunching flights to Melbourne in October 2017 and Sydney in June 2020, close to a million passengers have travelled with SriLankan Airlines to Australia. The new partnership will enhance SriLankan Airlines’ service to Australia as the airline prepares to cruise to new altitudes above the land down under. For more information on SriLankan’s Australian operations visit www.srilankan.com

BIZ

Colombo International Book Fair 2023 kicks off

Published

1 week ago

September 22, 2023

editor

Sri Lanka’s largest book exhibition, ‘Colombo International Book Fair’, commenced today (22) at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).

The book fair organised by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association will be held until October 1 from 9.00 am – 9.00 pm.