News
‘SLT board fired me from chairman’s post in mighty hurry’: Rohan Fernando
One of two dissenting govt. board members appointed new Chairman
by Sanath Nanayakkare
Rohan Fernando was removed from the post of Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom yesterday. A few hours after his removal, Fernando called a press conference and said: “I called a meeting of the SLT Director Board at 9 am to discuss usual business. And then I was surprised at the proposal of a motion at the very outset, which was not on the agenda. A situation had arisen where the Malaysian investors of SLT or rather the investors of Global Telecommunications Holdings (GTH) wanted to replace me.
“What surprised me was that a few months ago when there were newspaper reports that SLT chairman would be replaced, those directors wrote a letter denying such a situation and went on to say that it was a decision to be taken by the government being the major shareholder of SLT, and the board of directors had said that they wouldn’t get involved in such a move. That is why I said I was surprised.”
“Clause 105 of the SLT statute says that Directors may appoint and remove the chairman of the board at their respective meetings and may determine the period for which he or she is to hold office. There are ambiguities in the clause though. When the vote came up, two directors who represent the government voted to support my expulsion, which was approved by the Board on a majority consensus.
Reyaz Mihular, a newly appointed director by the government was one of them who voted to expel me and he was appointed as new SLT chairman at the same meeting. SLT has ten directors. Six of them represent the government shares of SLT (about 51%) and other four represent the shares of GTH (about 49%) which has a Malaysian origin. So, when two directors from the government representation voted with the other party, the move was clearly passed. The appointments and the composition of the Board are made through the secretary of the Finance Ministry.
But the Ministry of Finance hadn’t initiated such a replacement move. That’s another reason that makes me surprised at this development. I see it as a boardroom manipulation because this could have been amicably settled through discussion. I thought I should clarify this matter in the interest of SLT and the people of the country. Still I am not sure whether the procedure to expel me was correct or not. I will seek legal advice regarding the matter. I have a letter from the appointing agent which is the Treasury Secretary, therefore, I will get it clarified from the Treasury also.”
“As chairman of SLT, I brought in four main principles to root out corruption, improve efficiency, minimise waste and encourage participatory administration. With these principles. We made a successful and progressive journey. Of course, the Board and the shareholders have a right to fire a chairperson if an organization is performing poorly. But SLT is performing well financially, so it arouses my curiosity how such a thing could have happened without manipulation.”
Fernando said that he had refused to take a salary from SLT and didn’t use a fleet of vehicles or take any house rents. I only accepted a director fee for attending the Board meetings. That is the only perk I had taken. This expulsion is not a loss for me but it came as a shock to me,” he said.
When The Island asked him whether the current Board would have wanted to take SLT in a new direction under a new leader, he replied “If that was the intention, it should have been spelled out at the meeting.”
SLT officially informed the Colombo Stock Exchange yesterday that in terms of the articles of association of the Company, Reyaz Mihular, Independent non-executive director had been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of the SLT Board with effect from 20 July, 2023, and Rohan Fernando would continue to be an independent non-executive director of the Board.
Rohan Fernnado was appointed by former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in January 2020.
The Navy taking prompt action were able to douse a fire that broke out on a fishing trawler at the Galle Fisheries Harbour on 14 Apr 25.
The blaze was first spotted by personnel on board SLNS Prathapa, stationed nearby. Acting swiftly, a diving team from the Southern Naval Command, along with harbour security personnel, rushed to the scene.
Their initial efforts focused on separating the trawler that had caught fire to prevent the flames from spreading. With the situation under partial control, the fire extinguishing system of SLNS Prathapa was activated, successfully dousing the remaining flames, through coordinated efforts of the diving and harbour security personnel.
Latest News
Heat index at ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Southern and Eastern provinces and in Rathnapura and Monaragala districts
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 16 April 2025, valid for 17 April 2025
The general public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Southern and Eastern provinces and in Rathnapura and Monaragala districts
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the table below and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
The government, in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Bar Association (BASL), has put in place a system to check lawyers entering selected courts. This follows the killing of Ganemulle Sanjeewa by an underworld hitman, masquerading as a lawyer, in one of the Magistrate Courts at Hulftsdorp, on the morning of 19 February.
Responding to The Island queries in this regard, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara yesterday (16) confirmed the new security arrangement. Minister Nanayakkara, who is also an Attorney-at-Law, declined to elaborate.
Although the police apprehended the suspected assassin, a couple of hours later, the woman, who smuggled in the firearm used in the killing, also masquerading as a lawyer, is still at large.
Newly elected BASL President, Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, said that scanners had been installed at selected places in line with the security arrangements introduced, following the 19 February shooting in a court. Amarasuriya said so responding to The Island query regarding the post-Hulftsdorp Court complex shooting developments.
The BASL Chief emphasised the pivotal importance of ensuring, what he called, a hassle-free environment for law officers, regardless of security checks necessitated by the latest shooting. Amarasuriya said that security measures should be in place in accordance with threat assessments pertaining to cases taken up at various courts.
The first courtroom killing took place in Nov. 1991 when Sub Inspector Dhammika Amarasena, who had been interdicted over the Wavulkelle massacre, was shot dead while inside the Attanagalle Magistrate court. Amarasena’s father-in-law, who had been seated next to the interdicted policeman, was also killed.
The second courtroom shooting happened in January 2004 when an Army deserter shot dead Dhamamika Amarasinghe inside the Hulftsdorp court complex. Although Dhammika Amarasinghe’s killer gained entry to the court, posing off as a law student, authorities never implemented a comprehensive security plan. However, in the wake of Ganemulle Sanjeewa’s killing, acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya, who is also a lawyer, underscored the need to check law officers.
The BASL President said that they were still in the developing stage of the security set up, taking into consideration views expressed by various stakeholders. Referring to Ganemulle Sanjeewa’s assassin carrying a forged BASL identity card, Amarasuriya stressed the need to use technology in counter measures to thwart such practices.
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