Business

SLT continues environmental themes with a dragonfly calendar for 2025

Published

2 years ago

2024/12/29

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT-MOBITEL), as the National Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Solutions Provider has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment through its initiatives.

In this interview, SLT Chief Executive Officer Janaka Abeysinghe sheds light on the visionary strategies behind the company’s impactful projects, such as the annual calendar program. These calendars not only highlight the nation’s rich cultural and natural heritage but also actively contribute to community upliftment and environmental conservation.

Excepts of the interview

Q: How does SLT-MOBITEL’s annual calendar initiative promote Sri Lanka’s heritage and culture?

A: As the National ICT Solutions Provider, SLT-MOBITEL recognizes the responsibility to create meaningful initiatives that benefit society and the environment. The annual calendar serves as a distinctive platform to showcase Sri Lanka’s rich natural and cultural heritage through carefully curated themes. The initiative was inspired by the country’s abundant environmental, cultural, and artistic treasures, as well as the desire to establish a unique corporate identity by celebrating the county’s national heritage.

Q: How does Sri Lanka Telecom ensure authentic representation of cultural elements in the annual calendar while maintaining contemporary relevance?

A: Cultural heritage is a source of national pride, valued and celebrated even in today’s modern context. Globally, we have seen that these efforts are highly appreciated. Locally, they serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving and celebrating our cultural identity. SLT-MOBITEL ensures authenticity in the calendar through thorough research, collaboration with subject-matter experts, and customer feedback, guided by the theme ‘Preserving Heritage for Tomorrow.’ This approach has been extremely successful for our calendars.

Q: How does SLT-MOBITEL annually select specific calendar themes related to heritage, culture, and nature? What is the process or collaboration involved?

Themes are decided internally by the Marketing group based on the prevailing environmental, social, and economic climate. Over the past 19 years, after finalizing a theme, SLT-MOBITEL collaborates with resource persons who are experts in the chosen field and artists capable of executing the creative vision. The process also includes academic consultation to ensure the calendars are visually appealing and educationally accurate.

Q: How do these calendar initiatives support local communities and preserve cultural heritage?

These calendars serve as educational tools and collectors’ pieces while their impact extends far beyond print. Notable examples undertaken by SLT-MOBITEL include,

· 2024: ‘Mangrove Ecosystem in Sri Lanka’ – Restored 4.2 hectares of abandoned shrimp farms in Pubudugam and awarded scholarships focused on blue carbon ecosystems.

· 2017: ‘Traditional Rice of Sri Lanka’ – Launched a large-scale initiative promoting traditional rice cultivation by empowering farmers with seeds and organic fertilizer. SLT-MOBITEL also published a comprehensive book titled “Ape Uruma Vee Rata Saru Karavee” to explore the nutritional and cultural significance of traditional rice.

· 2016: ‘Wild Fruits of Sri Lanka’ – Distributed fruit plants across the island to encourage conservation.

· 2013: ‘Rush and Reed Craft of Sri Lanka’ – Empowered rural craftsmen by sourcing corporate gift items from their creations.

These initiatives demonstrate SLT-MOBITEL’s commitment to actively engaging and uplifting communities, educating the public while nurturing an appreciation for Sri Lanka’s cultural and natural heritage.

Q: How does SLT-MOBITEL incorporate eco-friendly practices in the production of these calendars? Are there any efforts to reduce the carbon footprint?

SLT-MOBITEL is committed to sustainability and adopts eco-friendly practices in calendar production. Since 2015, all calendars are printed on FSC-certified paper, ensuring responsible sourcing. In addition, annual digital e-calendars complement our print editions, reducing material usage and the carbon footprint.

Q: How does the annual calendar highlight nature conservation, and what role SLT-MOBITEL plays in promoting environmental awareness through its publications?

SLT-MOBITEL’s annual calendar consistently promotes nature conservation by showcasing Sri Lanka’s biodiversity. The 2025 calendar features ‘Dragonflies of Sri Lanka,’ highlights these ‘Guardians of the Watersheds’ and their role in promoting the ecosystem’s health. Beyond the calendar, we raise environmental awareness through our monthly in-house journal ‘Amathuma,’ along with various corporate communications, all aimed at educating stakeholders about conservation and sustainability.

Q: How does SLT-MOBITEL collaborate with governmental or non-governmental organizations dedicated to preserving heritage or promoting cultural initiatives in Sri Lanka?

SLT-MOBITEL’s calendars consistently feature themes that highlight the importance of environmental conservation. We have ensured scientific accuracy and impact through partnerships with key organizations including the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), the National Museum, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Department of Forest Conservation

Q: How has the public responded to these initiatives? Do you receive feedback from individuals or organizations who have benefited or felt inspired by the calendar’s themes?

The public’s response to these initiatives has been very positive, especially from schools, universities, and media institutions. Our calendars have become valued educational tools, inspiring both individuals and organizations. It also particular appealing to the younger audiences who value their informative content and as collectibles

Q: What role does the calendar play in educating the younger generation about Sri Lanka’s cultural and natural heritage?

The calendar serves as a vital educational tool among the younger generation. While it is recognized as a collectible item, it also provides indepth information helping students understand and connect with their heritage through engaging visual and informative content. It also inspires young people to appreciate and protect our cultural and natural treasures.

Q: What is SLT-MOBITEL’s role in further enhancing the visibility of Sri Lanka’s heritage and culture? Are there any upcoming projects that you can share?

Looking ahead, SLT-MOBITEL remains committed to integrating technology with heritage and environmental conservation. As a responsible corporate citizen, the company, envisions launching more projects that drive awareness and action for cultural and natural preservation. Our upcoming projects will continue to enhance the visibility of Sri Lanka’s heritage and culture while ensuring relevance in the modern world.

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Business

Cost-effective clearance of goods across borders to determine worth of Customs Paperless Declaration

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/25

Thilina Walpola

Containers held up at the Port of Colombo

By Ifham Nizam

The introduction of the Customs Paperless Declaration from October 1 could mark an important step in Sri Lanka’s efforts to modernise trade, but its real value will depend on whether it reduces the time and cost of moving goods through the country’s borders, Customs House Agents & Traders Association President Mohamed Niyas said.

Niyas warned that digitising Customs declarations alone would not necessarily translate into faster cargo clearance or lower costs for businesses.

‘Expecting a dramatic improvement in clearance speed under the present conditions is like expecting Ferrari performance from a Morris Minor configuration, he said.

For importers and exporters, the issue extends well beyond paperwork. Every additional hour or day that cargo remains in the clearance chain can have wider consequences for businesses, including increased port and storage-related costs, additional working-capital requirements, uncertainty over delivery schedules and disruptions to production and distribution.

Niyas said the competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s trading sector ultimately depended on how efficiently goods could move through the country’s border-clearance system.

‘The real bottleneck is not merely the absence of paper. It is the entire clearance ecosystem—the limitations of the existing ASYCUDA World system, excessive regulatory interventions by Other

Government Agencies, multiple approvals, physical examinations, manual interventions, fragmented processes and institutional constraints, he said.

He cautioned that unless these bottlenecks were addressed, there was a risk that the paperless initiative would merely digitise existing bureaucracy.

‘If these underlying constraints remain unchanged, there is a real risk that the new paperless system could become another “copy-and-paste road show”—where an old, complex clearance process is simply transferred onto a digital screen without fundamentally changing the process itself, Niyas said.

For businesses dependent on imported raw materials, machinery, components and other inputs, clearance efficiency can directly affect the wider supply chain.

Delays at the border can create uncertainty for manufacturers, distributors and retailers, while exporters can face difficulties meeting delivery schedules when imported inputs or export consignments are held up.

Niyas therefore argued that the success of the October 1 initiative should be judged by its impact on trade flows rather than by the number of declarations processed electronically.

‘Paperless does not automatically mean faster, he said. ‘Digitising a slow process does not make the process fast. It only makes the slow process digital.’

He said Sri Lanka needed to move towards what he described as “process-less Customs”—a system in which unnecessary procedures are eliminated rather than simply converted into electronic procedures.

Among the reforms he called for are simplification of Customs declarations and approval workflows, improvements to the functionality of ASYCUDA World, greater use of risk-based inspections and better integration of Other Government Agency approvals.

Niyas also called for the elimination of repetitive document submissions and physical endorsements, greater use of pre-arrival processing, sufficient capacity for digital document uploads and clearly defined service-level timelines for Customs and OGAs.

Business

China backs Sri Lanka’s Non-aligned stance to counter regional pressures

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/25

Thilina Walpola

Chinese Ambassador Wei Huaxiang delivering the keynote address in Colombo

By Sanath Nanayakkare

As global attention has fixed on the high-level diplomatic choreography at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, a subtler, yet profound geopolitical signal was sent from Colombo, yesterday.

In a major address marking the founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, newly appointed Chinese Ambassador Wei Huaxiang chose to anchor bilateral relations not just in modern trade or infrastructure, but in a shared respect for Sri Lanka’s legacy of non-aligned independence.

By explicitly invoking Sri Lanka’s foundational role in the 1976 Non-Aligned Summit, Beijing was doing something unexpected in an era defined by fierce great-power rivalry: it was officially validating a small island nation’s right to maintain an independent foreign policy stance.

The Strategic Value of Independence

For decades, nations caught in the crosshairs of major-power competition have faced intense pressure to pick sides. Yet, Ambassador Wei’s embrace of Colombo’s non-aligned tradition signaled a different diplomatic playbook. Instead of demanding alignment, Beijing was framing its partnership as a reliable counterbalance to regional pressures. By honouring Sri Lanka’s diplomatic autonomy, China was effectively reassuring smaller economies that sovereign independence and robust economic cooperation can coexist.

Beyond Ports and Industrial Zones

This diplomatic framing reframed the narrative surrounding major collaborative ventures like the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port. While foreign analysts often view these projects exclusively through the lens of strategic rivalry, Beijing’s diplomatic messaging tied them back to a historical ethos of solidarity—evoking memories of the 1952 Rubber-Rice Pact.

By marrying economic projects with a stated respect for non-alignment, China is positioning itself as a steadfast stakeholder that respects Sri Lanka’s internal agency during difficult economic and political seasons.

As both nations look toward major milestones in 2027—including the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties—this nuanced diplomatic move revealed how historic traditions are being leveraged to navigate modern multipolar realities.

For global observers, the takeaway was clear: in the shifting architecture of Asian geopolitics, respecting a nation’s historical neutrality may just be the most effective way to secure a lasting partnership, a diplomatic masterclass that Ambassador Wei Huaxiang executed in style.

Business

Sri Lanka Insurance Life appoints Dr. Sameera Dharmasena Chief Executive Officer

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/25

Thilina Walpola

Dr. Sameera Dharmasena

Sri Lanka Insurance Life (SLIC Life), the nation’s largest and strongest Life Insurer, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Sameera Dharmasena as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 22nd September 2026.

Dr. Dharmasena is a distinguished insurance professional with over 21 years of experience in the Sri Lankan insurance industry, having held senior leadership positions across several leading insurance companies affiliated with some of Sri Lanka’s largest business conglomerates. His extensive career spans both local and multinational insurance environments, bringing together broad industry expertise, strategic leadership and a strong commitment to the advancement of the insurance profession.