21st Jan 08

ATTN: MR CHANDIMA UDABAGE RUNDOWN THE STATE OF BUSINESS – 21ST JAN, 2008 CEB

VTR

ELECTION

VTR

CHAMINDA NILANTHA

01:05 03.00

ADD STATE OF BUSINESS BRIDGE GALLE 2

VTR

ANOUK

VTR

RIYAD

04.00

ADD CORPORATE BRIDGE PALLU

01:10

BREAK 2 - STOCK WATCH STOCK UPDATE

CARDS

01.30

CURRENCY

CARDS

00.20

LINE UP EDITOR: ANCHOR:

ANOUK/ NISHANI 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 THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CEYLON ELECTRICITY BOARD R. PULLEYPERUMA SAYS THE DAMAGED TRANSFORMER IS AN OUTDATED ONE.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 HORANA AND HOTEL SERVICES.

REGNIS,

MULLERS,

REEFCOMBER,

CARD 4 LANKA WALLTILE LIMITED MADE A DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE DAY. FOREX RATES CARD 5 CARD 6

SEGMENT: DATE: REPORTER: SLUG:

CORPORATE 21ST JANUARY 2008 RIYAD R. 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 INDUSTRY THIS YEAR.

HE

EXPECTS

FOR

SRI

LANKA’S

TOURISM

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: DATE: REPORTER: SLUG:

MAIN 21/01/08 NK 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: DATE: REPORTER: SLUG:

MAIN 21 / 01 / 2008 CHAMINDA 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 HORANA AND HOTEL SERVICES.

REGNIS,

MULLERS,

REEFCOMBER,

CARD 4 LANKA WALLTILE LIMITED MADE A DIVIDEND ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE DAY. FOREX RATES CARD 5 CARD 6