Business

Seylan Bank hosts webinar for SMEs on taxation and benefits

Published

2 years ago

2021/04/10

Ranil Dissanayake- Assistant General Manager – Branch Credit – Seylan Bank

Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, recently hosted its latest webinar for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) titled, “Taxation for SMEs and Reliefs Offered during COVID-19 Period”. Always focused on SMEs and with the wellbeing of the ‘backbone of the economy at heart, Seylan Bank continues to add value to the industry with this webinar, with an aim to support growth and provide holistic solutions for these businesses by enhancing their knowledge.

The seminar, conducted by Deepani Herath, Senior Consultant on Tax Services to Price Water House Coopers and former Deputy Commissioner General of the Inland Revenue Department, focused on educating SME customers on the importance of meeting tax obligations and assisting them in ascertaining their tax dues. It explained the provisions for relief within the system, enabling them to make use of tax reductions made possible by the authorities. Participating SMEs were also educated on the concessions provided to businesses in light of COVID-19, enhancing their understanding of tax liabilities and tax assessment, options to extend the period of payment for tax arrears and the extension of bank guarantees and non-refundable deposits. The session also covered maintaining the accuracy of financial statements, VAT compliance and other related areas.

Deepani Herath is a lecturer at the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the University of Colombo and has lectured at Sri Jayawardanapura University, Sri Lanka Institute of Taxation and the Association of Accounting Technicians Sri Lanka. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Colombo and a BA in Economics with a First Class from the University of Sri Jayawardanapura. Ms Herath contributed in preparing “Sri Lanka Tax Cases Volume IV”, and “Manual of Income Tax law 2000/2001.2001/2002,2002/2003”.

“As a Bank that expanded to the outskirts of the country from its inception to support the small and medium scale entrepreneurs building businesses from the ground up, Seylan Bank has always been aggressive in its support of SMEs. As the Bank with a Heart, we are driven by a desire to share knowledge and enable businesses to transform. With current market dynamics, we decided to conduct this webinar to help SMEs understand their tax obligations and legitimate ways of reducing their tax liability so that they can succeed and contribute to the success of the nation.” said Ranil Dissanayake, Assistant General Manager – Branch Credit at Seylan Bank, explaining the bank’s commitment to small and medium enterprises.

Small and Medium Enterprises form the largest component of the formal economy and were some of the most affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout from it. However, they have also remained the most resilient and entrepreneurial in the face of adversity. The bank with a gamut of financial services, regional SME Hubs to expedite facility approvals and dedicated ‘SME Relationship Officers’ to support businesses not just in acquiring funds, but in managing and utilising them optimally, is fully geared to support this vital sector of the economy.

Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, operates with a vision to offer the ultimate banking experience to its valued customers through cutting-edge technology, innovative products, and best-in-class service. The Bank has a growing clientele of SMEs, Retail and Corporate Customers and has expanded its footprint with 172 branches across the country, 216 ATM units, 70 Cash Deposit Machines (CDM) and 83 Cheque Deposit Kiosks (CDK). Seylan Bank has been endorsed as a financially stable organisation with performance excellence across the board by Fitch Ratings, with the bank’s national long-term rating revised upward, from ‘A-(lka)’ to ‘A (lka)’. The bank was ranked second among public listed companies for transparency in corporate reporting by Transparency Global. Seylan Bank has also been named the Most Popular Banking Service Provider in Sri Lanka in Customer Experience by LMD consecutively in 2019 and 2020. These achievements are a testament to Seylan Bank’s financial stability and unwavering dedication to ensuring excellence across all endeavours.

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Business

‘Govt. lacks mechanism to recover USD 40 billion spirited out of SL from 2008 to 2018’

Published

6 hours ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dr-Kalpa-Rajapaksha

By Hiran H.Senewiratne

The government doesn’t have any mechanism to recover the USD 40 billion that was siphoned out of the country illegally from 2008 to 2018 by Sri Lanka’s business elites, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Peradeniya Dr. Kalpa Rajapaksha said.

“Most people think that the IMF loan is a victory for Sri Lanka without knowing its risk factors. These are exceptionally high because one of the main impacts would be for the banking sector whose liquidity is due to weaken on account of high tax impositions and certain economic reforms, Dr. Rajapaksha told The Island Financial Review.

Dr. Rajapaksha added: ‘The tax relief given during President Gotabaya Rajapaksha’s tenure triggered this issue, which cost government coffers more than Rs 450 billion. However, Sri Lanka has to carefully follow IMF recommendations taking its history into consideration. It is said that Greece and Ethiopia and several other countries absolutely failed by following IMF recommendations in the past.

‘We are in the dark as to the method of economic recovery because the government is attending to deeper, burning issues in the country, such as reduction of poverty and ending economic inequities.

‘The imposition of heavy taxes on people, especially professionals, via a wealth tax and a heritage tax by 2025 and the increasing of direct taxes, such as VAT, on low income classes, without taking into account the need for a wage hike, will iraise the poverty level and widen wealth inequalities.

‘Inflation at the global level is very high and strategies are required to increase exports and cut down the heavy import dependency of the economy. This is a prerequisite to address all economic woes.

‘The previous ruling party squandered and stole billions of dollars but the present government not having any plan to recover that money is a tragedy. Therefore, promoting neo- liberal principles is impossible under the current corruption scenario.

‘Further, the IMF has set the target of reducing the debt to GDP ratio to 0.7 per cent in 2023, along with their recommendations. Many people doubt the achievability of these aims.’

Business

Global banking sector instabilities affect local bourse

Published

7 hours ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

By Hiran H.Senewiratne

CSE trading got off to a positive start but later turned negative yesterday due to huge selling pressure. The reasons being investor worries over a domestic debt restructuring mechanism after having secured the IMF loan and the negative global scenario when it comes to the banking sector, market analysts said.

According to analysts, during the last week strategically important banks in the global economic system went through credit default swaps, especially Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Credit Suisse Group AG. But another leading European Corporate Bank possibly facing a credit default swap, created some ripple effects for economies like Sri Lanka, analysts said.

The All- Share Price Index went down by 134.1 points and S and P SL20 declined by 51.6 points. Turnover stood at Rs 871 million with two crossings. Those crossings were reported in NDB, which crossed 1.2 million shares to the tune of Rs 51.6 million; its shares traded at Rs 43 and Aitken Spence 772,000 shares crossed for Rs 47.1 million, its shares traded at Rs 61.

In the retail market top seven companies that mainly contributed to the turnover were, SLT Rs 82 million (717,000 shares traded), Browns Investments Rs 52.8 million (8.2 million shares traded), Lanka IOC Rs 50.1 million (298,000 shares traded), Tokyo Cement (Non- Voting) Rs 36.5 million (388,000 shares traded), Expolanka Holdings Rs 33.6 million (251,000 shares traded), ALC Cables Rs 33.3 million (406,000 shares traded) and Sunshine Holdings Rs 27.2 million (633,000 shares traded). During the day 45.4 million share volumes changed hands in 15000 transactions.

The market is generating revenue from SLT over news of it being divested; moreover, there has been interest for the hotel and tourism indexes, since tourist arrivals and earnings have been attractive, an analyst said.

It is said that Treasury bond yields opened steady on Monday, while the rupee opened weaker at spot market, dealers said.

A 01.07.2025 bond was quoted at 30.75/31.00 per cent on Monday, up from 30.90/31.20 per cent on Friday. A 15.09.2027 bond was quoted at 28.00/70 per cent, up from 28.00/50 per cent from Friday. The Sri Lanka rupee opened at 322/325 against the US dollar, weaker from 320/325 a day earlier.

Business

Holding ‘Raid Amazones’ for second consecutive year in SL, a rare honour for her – Head of Marketing Srilankan Airlines

Published

7 hours ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Flying start to ‘Raid Amazones'

By Hiran H.Senewiratne

More than 250 female French athletes arrived in Sri Lanka for the challenging ‘Raid Amazones’ adventure event that took place last week in Kandy. They arrived in Sri Lanka for the second consecutive year, which was a big achievement for the country when it comes to the tourism sector, Head of Marketing SriLankan Airlines Saminda Perera said.

“For the first time in ‘Raid Amazones’ history they selected one country for two consecutive years, which could be considered a great honour for Sri Lanka. This would enable more French tourists to arrive in Sri Lanka in the future, Perera told the media recently during the event in Kandy. ‘Raid Amazones’ will hit the streets of the fabled hill capital, Kandy, with the participation of over 250 female athletes.

‘Raid Amazones’ is a well-known annual destination adventure event originating in France, which features female athletes competing their way through a range of challenges, such as, orienteering, mountain biking, canoeing, riding, running and archery.

“Sri Lanka was chosen over rival destinations by the event’s founders due to the unparalleled warmth of its people and support on the ground to pull off a successful event. Their decision is also due to SriLankan Airlines’ tireless marketing efforts to secure the popular trail on successive occasions for Sri Lanka in its hour of need for international tourism support, Perera said.

Saminda Perera

Tourism sources added: “During the 21st edition of the trail, the participants will be able to connect with a potpourri of natural and historical highlights as they trek through the Kandyan plateau in Central Sri Lanka.

“Their journey, though, would begin from the moment that they step onboard SriLankan Airlines to fly from Paris to Colombo, on an aircraft dedicated to ‘Raid Amazones 2023’.

“Named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kandy, the iconic setting of ‘Raid Amazones 2023’, is renowned for two of the most recognizable cultural symbols that define Sri Lanka.

“SriLankan Airlines partnered Raid Amazones in 2022 soon after recommencing operations to Paris.

“SriLankan Airlines, together with Connaissance de Ceylan, the official ground- handling partner of the event, will go all out to ensure that the French group experiences the best in Sri Lankan hospitality.

“This event will especially help create more awareness of Sri Lanka as an adventure travel hotspot among French travellers and the rest of Europe, where ‘Raid Amazones’ is sought-after and attracts adventure-seekers.”