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In brief
HSBC/JCB credit cards
HSBC is introducing the automated acceptance of JCB (Japanese Credit Bureau) credit card transactions in addition to VISA, MasterCard and American Express.
The bank said many Japanese expatriates in Sri Lanka and Japanese tourists are holders of JCB cards as this is one of the most popular credit card brands in Japan.

JCB and HSBC have now teamed up and automated JCB card processing in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Any establishment that accepts JCB cards can now swipe the card transaction on a HSBC Electronic Data Capture Terminal instead of completing the transaction manually.

ICASL schols for top A/L performers
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka has launched a scholarship scheme for G.C.E. Advanced Level students who have been rated within the top ten in the island in any one of the four streams.

This is one of the institute's strategies to attract outstanding and brilliant students into the profession, it said in a statement.

They will receive education and training in academic, professional, communication and social skills necessary to function effectively in the global economy, it said.

NTB acquires Deutsche Bank, Colombo
The Nations Trust Bank last week announced that it had acquired the personal/private banking of Deutsche Bank AG, Colombo Branch under an agreement reached between both parties.

OPA annual sessions this week
The Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) will hold its annual sessions at the BMICH from September 17 to 21.

This would include a four-day forum on "An Integrated Sustainable Development Policy Framework for Sri Lanka."

Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya will be the keynote speaker.

Receptionist - the image builder
The Institute of Human Development and Training (IHDT) has organised a workshop on - The receptionist - the image builder - on September 27 at the Grand Oriental Hotel.

The workshop is open to receptionists, telephone operators, secretaries, personal assistants and customer relations personnel, etc.

The resource persons of the workshop are Khema Bandaranayeke, Manager (Training and Development ) Orient Lanka Ltd, Clodette de Silva, Senior Secretary/Receptionist, International Red Cross (ICRC) and Piyal Hewapathirana, Business Support Development Manager, Eagle Insurance Ltd.

Western Union/Ceylinco Savings Bank tie up
Western Union, one of the fastest ways to receive money worldwide, will now be available through Ceylinco Savings Bank following a collaboration agreement with Seylan Bank, which is the authorised agent for Western Union in Sri Lanka.

Ceylinco Savings Bank will become a sub-agent of Seylan Bank for the Western Union Money Transfer Service, a Ceylinco statement said. Western Union is a system that allows any member of the public to conduct a quick and safe money transfer to or from anywhere to anywhere else in the world.

New payments settlement system
The Central Bank is modernising its payment settlement systems to activate the government securities market that is worth about Rs. 250 billion - the largest commercial paper market in the island - and dwarfs the stock market.

"This gives an opportunity for people to trade more widely, and get better rates and better returns," Bank governor A.S. Jayawardena said. The modernisation was necessary to ensure faster settlement and reduce risk. "We're now going for a Real Time Gross Settlement System where payment can be made instantly when a cheque is issued," he said.

"Previously it took at least one day." The new system, expected to be in place by April 2003, would first apply to large-scale payments. India and Sri Lanka will be the first in South Asia to adopt the system.

Law and Order seminar postponed
The seminar on " Law and Order and Business" organised for September 19 by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has been indefinitely postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, the chamber said in a statement.

The new date will be informed in due course, it said.

ATM network opens to VISA cardholders
Commercial Bank, rated as Sri Lanka's biggest private bank, said last week it had opened its ATM network to all Visa, Visa PLUS and Visa Electron cardholders. Visa cardholders, both domestic and foreign can now access their accounts anywhere in the world, withdraw cash and verify their balance using Commercial Bank's CAT - ATMs - which is Sri Lanka's largest and most sophisticated network of ATMs.

Speaking on the occasion, Commercial Bank's Assistant General Manager (Operations), Sanath Bandaranayake said, "Commercial Bank is always in search of new avenues through which we could serve our customers better and this time we have gone a step further by opening our network of ATMs to cardholders of other domestic and foreign banks. The convenience and flexibility this offers is enormous. Cardholders can get this facility 24 hours a day 365 days a year, across the country at over 125 CAT ATMs."

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