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Aliraja to buy state-owned shares in Telecom & Lanka Hospitals!

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It was reported that Lycamobile owner Subaskaran Aliraja, who has become the ultimate owner of three radio and television channels in Sri Lanka, has offered to buy state-owned shares in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and Lanka Hospital PLC.

The Cabinet approved to sell the shares owned by the state in these two companies.

In a notification to the Colombo Stock Exchange, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and Lanka Hospital PLC said that the sale of these shares will take place as recommended by the State Enterprise Reform Unit established under the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policy.

The Treasury holds 49.50% of the issued share capital of Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.

Meanwhile, 51.34% of the share capital of Lanka Hospital PLC is held by the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation on behalf of the State.

How Aliraja owned TV & Radio channels!

Aliraja is currently the owner of EAP Broadcasting Networks which operates two television channels including Swarnavahini and 3 radio channels. 

He also owns Sky Media Networks that operates two TV channels including Sitha TV and 3 Radio channels as well as Max Broadcasting Networks which operates one TV channel and radio channel each.

Although arrangements have been made to show this as a local investment, it is said that this is completely a foreign investment.

However, economists are of the opinion that Aliraja, who has made huge investments in the Indian film industry, taking over these media networks and telecom and communication networks will have a powerful impact on Sri Lanka’s national security and economy.

Swarnavahini deal

The media earlier reported how he invested money in Swarnavahini still remains a secret, and how he had credited the funds from an account which is not under his name to make the investment.

The State Intelligence Service informed the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) and the Ministry of Mass Media that several directors of the foreign company, which bought shares of the EAP Group of Companies including the ‘Swarnavahini’ media network which was facing a financial crisis, had maintained close connections with the LTTE.

The Ministry of Defence has informed the TRC and the Ministry of Mass Media on November 15, 2019 through letter number MOD / TEC / 01 / MGMR Network / 2019 (04).

A portion of the assets of EAP Group of Companies had been purchased for Ben Holdings Pvt Ltd.

How Subaskaran violated Companies Act

Today, this company has been able to indirectly obtain 60% ownership of Swarnavahini by violating the laws and regulations of Sri Lanka.

This is because Ben Holdings Private Company has bought 40% of shares while an individual by the name Alex Lowell has bought the remaining 20% of shares.

Meanwhile, 40% of the shares owned by Swarnamahal, EAP Films and other companies belonging to the EAP Business Group are owned by a Singaporean company, Blue Summit Capital.

It was revealed that three members of Ben Holdings Pvt. Ltd had direct links with the LTTE when the company was attempting to buy MGMR Networks owned by MGM Networks Pvt. Ltd.

Before buying a TV channel, the directors of the company that was making the purchase must obtain a clearance certificate from the Defence Ministry. Accordingly, this information was revealed when they were trying to get the relevant clearance certificate.

The directors were not required to obtain clearance certificates from the Defence Ministry when buying Swarnavahini since the license of the TV station was old.

It was revealed that  Subaskaran Aliraja, who was born in Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka and later moved to France and became a millionaire, has funded all parties including Ben Holdings Pvt. Ltd, Blue Summit Capital and Alex Lowell. 

He is said to be a strong financial supporter of the British Conservative Party and former Prime Minister John Major.

BIZ

Laugfs gas prices also to remain unchanged

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Laugfs Gas PLC announced that the company will not revise domestic LP gas prices for the month of November 2024.

Accordingly, the current prices of Laugfs domestic LP gas cylinders are as follows :
12.5 kg cylinder – Rs. 3,680
05 kg cylinder – Rs. 1,477

Earlier today (Nov. 04)  Litro Gas also said that domestic LP gas prices will remain unchanged for this month.

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Litro gas prices for November remain unchanged

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The Litro Gas Company has stated that prices of their domestic LP Gas cylinders will remain unchanged for the month of November 2024.

The Chairman of the Litro Gas Company, Channa Gunawardena stated that the company decided to keep the prices of LP gas cylinders unchanged despite the price hike in the global market, in order to provide relief to the consumers.

Accordingly, the prices of Litro LP gas domestic gas cylinders will remain unchanged as follows:

12.5kg – Rs. 3,690
05kg – Rs. 1,482
2.3kg – Rs. 694

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Dr. Mothilal de Silva appointed new chairman of SLT

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Dr. Mothilal de Silva has been appointed as an Independent, non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Sri Lanka Telecom PLC with effect from today (Nov. 04).

With a career spanning over many decades, Dr Mothilal de Silva is a result oriented multidisciplinary C-level executive in the telecommunication industry having experience in Sri Lanka and multiple countries in Asia and Pacific regions. He is a turnaround specialist and a strategist.

Under his leadership as Group Chief Executive Officer, he turned around the Fiji’s state-owned telecommunication company Telecom Fiji Ltd sustainably after 5+ consecutive loss-making years. During his tenure at Telecom Fiji, the company registered consistent growth in profit, dividend and investment for network modernisation. He was also the Group Chief Strategy Officer and Group Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata, General Manager (Sales, Marketing and Customer Service) of MTN Networks Pvt Ltd and Vice President Process Excellence and Group Operations of Axiata Group Malaysia. He sat on the Board of Directors of Lanka Communication Services Pvt Ltd, a telecommunication service provider for enterprises in Sri Lanka.

As a C-level executive at Dialog, Mothilal set up Corporate Planning, Strategy, MIS, Business Intelligence, Performance Management, Quality, Process Reengineering, Enterprise Program Management and Corporate Development divisions from scratch while apprenticing young set of managers who had progressed to become leaders in Dialog and Axiata Group subsidiary companies. He was also instrumental in winning GSMA awards, International Asia Pacific Quality Award, Asia CSR award for Dialog Axiata and many national awards.

Mothilal obtained Doctor of Business Administration from PPA Business School, Paris, with a distinction for his dissertation “Corporate Venture Capital as an engagement model for co-creating 5G ready services”. He has a MSc in IT from Keele University UK, MBA from PIM, SL, BSc (Engineering) SL, Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management from Maastricht School of Management, Netherland and a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management from PIM SL.

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