Sri Lanka *market update* ASPI close down 0.4-pct, New chair at Blue Diamonds

Dr. Dayanath Jayasuriya has been appointed as Chairman and Non-Executive Independent Director of the troubled Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide Plc. following the step down of Chinese controlling shareholder Xia Liqiang. He will step down as Chairman but will remain on the Blue Diamonds Board as Deputy Chairman and Managing Director. The company also announced the appointment of S. Prabaharan as an Executive Non-Independent Director. Jayasuriya PC is a Fellow of the International Compliance Association (UK). He was also former Chairman of Insurance Board of Sri Lanka and a Director of the Public Utilities Commission, the National Procurement Agency among others.