BIZ

SLT divestiture allowed

Published

1 year ago

April 10, 2024

editor

The Court of Appeal yesterday vacated the Interim Order issued on the divestiture of the Sri Lankan Government-owned shares in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.

The Interim Order was earlier issued by Court on April 4 when two Writ applications challenged the proposed divestiture of the Sri Lankan Government-owned 50.23 percent shares in Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and 51.34 percent shares in Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC.

The petitions were filed by Lyca Mobile SARL, Lyca Leasing Holding Ltd, Pettigo Comercio International LDA and HAIMS International Ltd.

When the petitions were considered before Court of Appeal Judge Mohammed Laffar, Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena appearing for the Deputy Director General and the members of the State Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit Established under the Finance Ministry, Secretary to the Treasury and the Attorney General raised preliminary objections highlighting several technical errors in the power of attorney and the affidavit submitted is not valid.

Accordingly, the court vacated the said Interim Order on the divestiture of Sri Lanka Telecom PLC and informed the petitioner of this particular petition to submit fresh power of attorney by April 29 and request for an interim order if necessary. However, the Interim Order issued on the divestiture of the shares of Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC was extended by the court until April 29.

(dailynews.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

BIZ

Qantas to close budget airline Jetstar Asia

Published

1 day ago

June 11, 2025

editor

Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia will close down at the end of July, its Australian owner Qantas has announced.

The low-cost carrier has struggled with rising supplier costs, high airport fees and increased competition from other airlines in the region.

Qantas says the closure will provide it with A$500m ($325.9m; £241.4m) to invest towards renewing its fleet of aircraft, adding that it will redeploy 13 planes for routes across Australia and New Zealand.

The closure of Jetstar Asia will not impact its Australia-based Jetstar Airways operations, nor those of Jetstar Japan, according to a statement from Qantas.

“We have seen some of Jetstar Asia’s supplier costs increase by up to 200 per cent, which has materially changed its cost base,” said Qantas Group Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson in the statement.

The discount airline, which has operated flights for over 20 years, is set to make a A$35m loss this financial year.

(BBC News)

BIZ

Cement wholesale prices surge

Published

3 days ago

June 9, 2025

editor

Cement companies have increased the wholesale price of a 50kg bag of cement by Rs.100, effective from yesterday (June 08).

The retail price remains unchanged.

The price hike is attributed to rising cement production costs, according to the companies.

BIZ

SriLankan sends special relief flight to Sumatra

Published

6 days ago

June 6, 2025

editor

SriLankan Airlines has dispatched a special relief flight – UL 302 from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to Medan International Airport on the Indonesian island of Sumatra to transport 101 passengers and crew members of SriLankan Airlines flight UL 306, which was grounded due to a technical fault.Singapore-bound SriLankan Airlines flight UL 306, which departed from BIA in Katunayake for Singapore last evening (June 05), had made an emergency landing at Medan Kuala Namu International Airport due to a technical issue.

Following an inspection by an Indonesian technical team, it was determined that the necessary repairs would require additional time. Therefore, SriLankan Airlines decided to accommodate the passengers in hotels.

Although a complication had initially arisen when Indonesian authorities initially declined to grant permission for hotel transfers, it was later resolved through the intervention of the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia.

Meanwhile, a technical team from Sri Lanka had departed for Indonesia on a flight bound for Jakarta this morning (June 06) to further inspect the grounded aircraft.