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SLT statement on media coverage of Board changes

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The Board of Directors (“Board”) of Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (“SLT”) refer to the recent media coverage of Boardroom changes at SLT.

This note is to provide factual information and clarity on the corporate identity of SLT, the role, responsibilities, authority and accountability of management and the Board (including the Chairman of the Board), and in particular the separation of powers between the Board and Management. All of the information in this note is already available in public sources.

SLT was incorporated under the then Companies Act No. 17 of 1982 (now superseded by the Companies Act No.7 of 2007). SLT is listed and quoted on the Colombo Stock Exchange (“CSE”) and is governed via the tenets of SLT’s Articles of Association (“Articles of Association”). The Government of Sri Lanka and Global Telecommunications Holdings (“GTH”) have a 49.5% and 44.98% equity interest in SLT. SLT has about 13700 other shareholders. As disclosed in the Annual Report, GTH is wholly owned by Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd, which is incorporated in Malaysia. SLT is therefore not a state-owned corporation nor a government organization as opposed to government corporations established under separate enactments.

As a listed company, SLT complies with the CSE Continuing Obligations and the Code of Best Practice on Corporate Governance (“CG Code”). A copy of the Articles of Association is available for review at its registered office and the websites of SLT and CSE.

The Board plays a stewardship role in accordance with the CG Code which provides details on the role, responsibilities and authority of the Board and Management.

The Board, including the Chairman, is non-executive. This means that no director, including the Chairman of the Board, has the authority to make individual decisions or give individual instructions to members of management or staff. Board decisions and instructions are made and conveyed by formal, minutes and collective Board decisions.

The position of the Chairman at SLT is not to be confused with that of Executive Chairman in other public companies or State-Owned Corporations. The Chairman of the SLT Board has the primary role to chair board meetings and facilitate and ensure the workings of the Board. The Chairman is appointed by the Board in accordance with the Articles of Association.

All Directors, including the Chairman are non-Executive and are not employees of SLT. Their role is not full time. They are therefore not entitled to a salary nor benefits that accrue to employees. All Directors in SLT, including the Chairman, do receive fees for the discharge of their fiduciary duties.

SLT is led by a Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) who is appointed by the Board. It is the CEO and the management team that operate the business and make the executive decisions within the powers provided to them by the Articles of Association. The CEO is an employee and is paid a salary.

The separation of powers, that the Board undertakes the oversight role and the management the executive role, ensures clear delineation of roles, responsibilities, authority and most importantly, accountability.

Compliance with related party transactions and its related disclosures in accordance with Sri Lanka Financial Reporting Standards 24 are monitored by the Related Party Transactions (“RPT”) Committee of the Board. The Board wishes to confirm that the present Chairman has not only disclosed his related party interests but that he has in fact made disclosures over and above regulatory requirements. The Board has robust controls in place to ensure that if a director does not disclose related party interests or interferes in areas where there is conflict, the Board will take the necessary action in accordance with the law and regulations.

The Board does hope that this statement provides clarity for the informed stakeholder. We humbly request that aggrieved and interested parties that have concerns regarding the governance of SLT address the appropriate forum of the regulatory authorities or the courts of law. The Board will not want to enter into the bowels of public debate and correct each and every uninformed, misguided, erroneous or unwarranted statement.



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Relief measures to assist affected Small and Medium Enterprises

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As agreed with the Sri Lanka Banks’ Association (Guarantee) Ltd. (SLBA), to provide relief measures to affected SMEs by licensed commercial banks and licensed specialised banks, Circular No. 04 of 2024 dated 19.12.2024, and its addendum, Circular No. 01 of 2025 dated 01.01.2025 were issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to ensure the effective implementation of the relief measures specified in the cited Circulars in a consistent manner across all licensed banks.

In case of any rejections or disputes, borrowers are requested to contact the respective banks and to appeal to the Director, Financial Consumer Relations Department of CBSL (FCRD), if required through the following channels:

Based on the repayment capacity and the submission of an acceptable business revival plan by the borrower, the relief measures extended to affected SMEs include rescheduling of credit facilities up to a period of 10 years, extending the time to commence repayments based on the capital outstanding, waiving off unpaid interest subject to conditions, and providing new working capital loans. Despite the availability of the above relief measures, limited number of borrowers had approached licensed banks to avail themselves of these benefits to date.

In addition to the above measures, with the gradual recovery of the economy, in order to facilitate the sustainable revival of businesses that were adversely affected during the recent past, several other measures were taken by CBSL together with the banking industry.

Accordingly, inter alia, strengthening the Post Covid 19 revival units of licensed banks, CBSL issued Circular No. 02 of 2024 dated 28.03.2024 on “Guidelines for the Establishment of Business Revival Units of Licensed Banks” mandating banks to establish Business Revival Units (BRUs) to assist viable businesses that are facing financial and operational difficulties.

Under BRUs, banks may provide support to viable businesses, such as restructuring and rescheduling of credit facilities including the adjustment of interest rates, maturity extensions, providing interim financing, advisory services etc., subject to the condition that such borrowers are required to submit acceptable business plans and feasible repayment plans. As reported by banks, by the end of 2024, around 6,000 facilities had been facilitated through these BRUs.

The above cited Circulars and Guidelines can be accessed via https://www.cbsl.gov.lk

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Visa commits to support women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka

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Visa (NYSE: V), the global leader in digital payments reiterated its support to women entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka as a part of its International Women’s Month celebrations across the world, by stating a firm commitment towards financial inclusion and digitization of women-led businesses, and hosted women from different walks of life in a specially curated event at Colombo.

Avanthi Colombage, Country Manager for Visa in Sri Lanka and Maldives stated, “At Visa, we believe in being the best way to pay and be paid by uplifting everyone, everywhere. This year, we celebrated International Women’s Month to support the very capable businesswomen in our country, with an event titled ‘Overcoming Barriers to Growth’ along with Square Hub, an incubator and business accelerator.”

The event by Visa brought together 35 upcoming women entrepreneurs across various sectors, including fashion, e-commerce, fintech, technology, manufacturing, and agriculture. While prominent industry experts shared views, learnings and experiences from their own journeys, the event also facilitated open discussions and networking among entrepreneurs, on how they can build and sustain thriving businesses.

Avanthi elaborates that Visa has built a firm foundation in supporting female entrepreneurship and the empowerment of women in Sri Lanka and understands the challenges women-owned businesses face when seeking capital, access, networks and guidance and continues to actively uplift women in Sri Lanka. Globally and in Sri Lanka, Visa believes that the participation of women is key to the growth of an economy. Avanthi adds, “Two years ago, when we celebrated 35 years of Visa in Sri Lanka, we announced a grant for The Asia Foundation to assist women-led small and medium businesses (SMBs) throughout the country. This initiative offered vital seed funding, skills training, and financial inclusion opportunities for women entrepreneurs, helping remove some major barriers to their success,” she recalled.

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Environmentalists renew concerns over Adani Group’s proposed Mannar wind power project

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Hemantha Withanage / Dr. Rohan Pathiyagoda

Environmental groups, including the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS), the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and the Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL), are raising renewed concerns about the potential ecological impact of large-scale wind energy development on Mannar Island. Conservationists argue that the island, home to a unique and sensitive ecosystem, faces serious risks from industrial projects that may disrupt biodiversity and endanger local wildlife.

At the heart of the controversy is whether the environmental issues raised by Adani Group’s proposed wind energy project in Mannar were being adequately considered. Critics argue that tariff negotiations and economic interests overshadowed ecological assessments, potentially leading to a project that might compromise the island’s rich natural heritage.

“Can wind energy coexist with Mannar Island’s fragile ecosystem? asked environmental scientist Hemantha Withanage of the CEJ.

He told The Island Financial Review: “We must ensure that our transition to renewable energy does not come at the cost of irreplaceable biodiversity.”

Other conservationists have pointed out that environmentalists are often misrepresented as obstructionists in debates over development. “Are we being painted as enemies of progress, or is the public being misled about the real consequences of such projects? questioned Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda, a leading environmental advocate.

With Adani’s possible withdrawal from the project, there is now an opportunity to reevaluate Sri Lanka’s approach to sustainable energy. Experts emphasize the need for a smarter, science-driven path that prioritizes both renewable energy and environmental conservation.

A joint media conference, scheduled for today at the Dutch Burgher Union, Colombo, aims to address these concerns. Organized by WNPS, CEJ, EFL and Pethiyagoda, the event will explore questions such as whether the project might resurface under a new guise and who the true beneficiaries of such large-scale energy initiatives are.

By Ifham Nizam

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