NPP government ready to bring in foreign investor to manage Sri Lanka Telecom: Anura Kumara

25 August 2024 12:42 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 56 Bookmark

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Colombo, August 25 (Daily Mirror)- A National People's Power (NPP) government is ready to bring in a foreign investor to manage Sri Lanka Telecom, NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today.

Speaking at the NPP Bank and Finance Forum this morning, he said the NPP is against selling Sri Lanka Telecom and that however, they will have to bring in a foreign investor to manage it.

"We discussed with the engineers at Sri Lanka Telecom. They pointed out that the Telecom lacks sufficient capacity to manage it as Telecom is a high tech industry which is constantly changing. So, we will have to bring in a foreign investor to manage it," he said.

Dissanayake said the NPP has plans to develop the country and added that they will have to face challenges due to the lack of skilled human resources to execute the plans.

He said the NPP has planned to send at least 200 students who have passed their A/L examinations to foreign universities every year at government cost, aiming to bring in new knowledge and skills to the country.

Comments - 56

APPUHAMY Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:02 PM

foreign investor to manage? What are you talking? Find a one from JVP to manager. He will do well. Thanks in advance.

28 50

DK Sunday, 25 August 2024 11:23 PM

The poor fellow needs to be educated on the fundamentals of financial management. Letting such people anywhere closer to the reigns of power will surely derail the country's already fragile economy that is yet to come out of intensive care.

9 22

Lanka Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:02 PM

all what we need a corruption and fraud free country. We have two kinds of investors. One is Sri Lankan diaspora community. we have 4 million expatriates now abroad. out of this 4 million 1m are in Europe. If only the NPP can attract all these people to invest in SL. that would be more than enough to build up our 20% of economy and yet, how do we do it. How do you build the trust of all these migrant to bring their money and invest. Already it has started in the North and East. Some Sri Lankans from Europe are investing in some agricultural industries in a small scale. Now , NPP should have some plans to increase this investment from our people in Abroad. take of all these outdated dual citizenship regulation and come up with some systems as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh do to attract their own nationals back to their countries. A research is needed on this to make use of Sri Lankan human resources abroad in all areas of expertise. both in service and capital investments. We are so

7 62

European Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:19 PM

Do you really think Europeans want to do business with a country led by him? Dream on. He will only attract "communist" rogue states like Russia, Bangladesh Venezuela, Cuba, China, Kazakhstan, North Korea etc.

50 96

lanka Sunday, 25 August 2024 02:58 PM

yes, Definitely Sri Lankan diaspora in Europe will invest in Sri Lanka if the conducive conditions are created: a lot of people would like to retire in SL and lot of young people love to do some investment: professionals like Drs, It professionals and others would like to have a second home in Colombo instead of Dubai, yet, Sri Lanka is not yet, a peaceful country. that is why peace is important to bring back all investment. All our professionals have benefited from free education in SL and they morally obliged to pay back to SL and yet, our previous governments did not do that much to attract any investments and instead MR and co helped and supported their men and women only even to get dual citizenship as they like.

9 29

Charlie Hebdo Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:15 PM

Don't forget to mention Belarus, lol.

3 13

Gamlath Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:53 PM

This same diaspora promoted Gota. Finally, what happened? When the country was in trouble, they stopped sending money to Sri Lanka or sent it through unauthorized ways to get an extra penny. JVP openly asked not to send money to Sri Lanka. If this 4 million diaspora sent just 200 dollars per month to their relation in this country, today Sri Lanka would have not been in so a difficult situation. Please don't do any experiments again this time.

10 49

saman Sunday, 25 August 2024 08:33 PM

Please read and understand the difference between Gota and Anura Kumara. Sorry, if you are one of those 6.9 million.

11 14

Mohamed Burhan Sunday, 25 August 2024 10:53 PM

Good thinking our expatriates investing in Sri Lanka. This is happening for the last 50 years in small scale. .Investments need to be improved.

0 4

Man Monday, 26 August 2024 09:32 AM

@ Saman; The significant aspect that you like is; (i) Collecting 500 US $ each from Sri Lankan's who have migrated or abroad. (ii) Printing money (SL) resulting inflation (iii) Sell whatever available (iv) Take over all the Fixed deposits of Sri Lankans. (v) Money that swindled illegaly, to be made legal for using for government expenses. (vi) Devolution of Judicial power to carders with dispute resolution councils, like in 1988-90. (vii) Allowing loans for public without any guarantor so that the depositors will have no money in their accounts. What a way indeed in their system change!

0 2

Lakmal Kahawela Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:05 PM

Will the students come back.

4 27

Mithun Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:49 PM

They have to come back or need to pay the total cost.

9 22

Gunadasa Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:25 PM

For sure they will pay back the bond and stay overseas.

3 15

Practical Citizen Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:34 PM

Please don't copy our president Ranil Wickramasinghe your party JVP's policy and JVPers will not allow that.

8 27

C. Jayraj Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:13 PM

RW is for crony capitalism. He has gullied many in the business sector stating that he is their savior. 6 times prime minister. Where is our country now. Where is the foreign investment he brought in. He only knows how to sell the assets of the nation to his friends. Sri Lanka remembers to well his policy of selling national assets rather than managing them well. Look at the chairmen he appointed for all the state corporations. Look at his cabinet. Cronies and their savior king will have a hiding this election. Sri Lanka Remember.

24 22

Yohan Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:37 PM

What? Foreign investor to manage a business ? He does not have any idea about what he speaks. Just a joker nothing else. If you need management skills then you can look for a consultant not an investor. Either this joker does not know what he speaks or he also plans to privatize but without using that term. Lol

10 62

Tintin mama Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:18 PM

Cmon man. If he can’t, you must pass it over to the other country. That’s the best thing to do.

14 6

Dilakshan Seneviratne Sunday, 25 August 2024 04:02 PM

A consultant doesn’t invest capital an investor does. Another stupid comment as usual. Who is the joker here? LOL

9 13

Farook Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:52 PM

You think the students will come back? They will make use of all the resources that the government provides and say bye bye to your plans. It is well meant, but not practical, considering the mentality of Sri Lankans. They would always believe that the grass is greener on the other side.

3 34

Mk Sunday, 25 August 2024 01:57 PM

Investors dont manage... someone teach these guys some economics. Good luck to sri lanka if they come into power.

2 59

Investor Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:20 PM

You are 100% right! Investors don't manage in the invested businesses, but the foundation of this guys line is also correct. Corruption cant go on like now in Sri Lanka - though many may not like the JVP party for historical reasons. Its very difficult to find a clean management cadre - the past CEO of Telecom was good, but he too was controlled by a toxically corrupt regime in Sri Lanka`. Its far better to get the inventors to appoint an uncorrupt management team without state interference as it will be partly the investors funds after all, and they will never rob their own investment. I am also an investor, so I will buy this logic of Anura Kumaran and invest, provided the rules and path are clear and clean both with policy and smart political leadership backing. That is how I have managed risks in any county and will only continue that way.

16 10

Dee Sunday, 25 August 2024 02:36 PM

Investors won’t manage, they will invest for a fair share of it (AKA - selling of national assets)

3 28

Ram P Sunday, 25 August 2024 02:47 PM

I believe AKD can engage our expat scientists who have agreed to support for help and guidance and resurrect the non profit making government owned establishments

10 12

Bernard Jayatilake Sunday, 25 August 2024 02:56 PM

Bring human resources from China and send 200 AL qualified students to China to inculcate leftist ideas and make this country a second Cuba or China.

4 23

jayt Monday, 26 August 2024 09:39 PM

if they become smart like chinese or Japanese is good , or as steel as them. some percentage may be. And if you want to be 100 percent like Chinese or like general oriental race, you have to be reborn as Chinese or oriental. no race on earth can compete with Chinese, Japanese or oriental workers It is in their genes

0 0

Lkf Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:08 PM

Before bringing these foreign investors, check and inform parliament and people about their company background and financial standing and whether they have been cleared of fraud, embezzlement or even funding terrorist organisations etc..

0 10

Smiling Citizen Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:08 PM

After protesting against every big foreign investment to the country in the past, now they are like more liberal than RW. I don’t know will they advocate the small government republicans right wing policies soon. Try to copy some Trump propaganda. What a day to live on. Good luck to the people who buy these talks.

3 37

Jayampathi Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:27 PM

After destroying private education ( medical) now JVP is trying to send children abroad. Already they have sent their children to foreign countries. I think they want to do it with taxpayers' money. God bless Sri Lanka. Absorb foreign students to Sri Lankan universities and give international exposure to our children. Encourage foreign universities to function in Sri Lanka. Economies like the UK Australia US heavily earn from education. Also then professionals do not need to go to foreign countries to earn, they can do it from Sri Lanka.

5 28

Man Monday, 26 August 2024 09:40 AM

Education destroyed by the rulers since 2019 by allocating less funds like for the health. So, there are so many shortcomings of both.

0 5

Sampath K Bandaranayaka Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:39 PM

With JVP trade union policies no foreign investor will come to Sri Lanka. Even retaining the existing investors also would be a big challenge. There are a lot of countries in the world with labor-friendly policies for investment. It could impact our foreign reserves and also unemployment could increase.

4 32

Kap Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:43 PM

Feasible to look at a model with foreign investment in shares and a fee based management. Sri Lanka has a successful telco with foreign ownership yet local management in that light foreign managers are not a must.

0 4

Thushara Weerakkody Sunday, 25 August 2024 03:53 PM

SLT already has a foreign shareholder owns in excess of 45%. Government can't give management to whom they wish until they sell their share of fhe company.

1 16

Apoy Sunday, 25 August 2024 04:15 PM

Country will begin to be in shambles after 21st September if the inexperienced lunatics come to power

6 25

Same old Same old Sunday, 25 August 2024 04:16 PM

Incapable of managing our own infrastructure. Why bother running for president?

4 24

Man Monday, 26 August 2024 09:43 AM

So they admit that they are not capable as Gota.

1 3

Hasara the immature brat, but acts like a pandith Sunday, 25 August 2024 04:30 PM

Whenever he gets a chance, he keeps fooling people who are incapable of understanding the reality. This guy does not know even the earth is flat or round. He's one hell of a liar and a big actor. One false promise after another.

7 28

A nizam Sunday, 25 August 2024 05:10 PM

Ha haaa…why?? I thought ok guys can manage everything your selves??? you think those foreigners are going to work for “welfare prices” like you want to pay them. It’s already showing.. these idiots have never had a real job in their lives. Never even run a. Tea kiosks. And they want to run a country??? Gotabaya part 2 coming very soo .

3 11

Ganesh Sunday, 25 August 2024 05:29 PM

You buggers don’t want foreign universities to come and open up campuses here. But will happily send our students with hard earned taxpayers money to foreign universities to study? Common NPP stop changing the narrative. No foreign investor is gonna give you buggers a dime for free. You want to keep state unions so your jeppo brethren can protest at a drop of a hat. Get ready for Polin episode 3.0

3 13

Sam Silva Sunday, 25 August 2024 05:32 PM

He doesn't have any clue of a investor and someone to manage. Good luck with his supporters.

3 12

Roshane Fernando Sunday, 25 August 2024 06:31 PM

Who will invest with these trade unions being still active. Given the history its going to be a long shot. Especially with NPP controling the trade unions.

3 10

Tissa Fernando Sunday, 25 August 2024 06:47 PM

Is this foreign investor from India where you had butter chicken and chapathi dinner? Most probably. As the election days coming near, AKD and his party seniors are becoming mad and making more and more stupid statements. He said he talked to Engineers about Financing the Telecom? He talked to the wrong people. He should have talked to the Finance people about it.

6 11

MR Monday, 26 August 2024 08:08 AM

No not interested.....look for African countries....guys like you don't even deserve that...

0 0

Puran Sunday, 25 August 2024 07:33 PM

In simple words, you are not different from what the previous. Mahinda, Ranil, Gota, all said the same. You are becoming a laughing stock with your recent policy comments. No foreign investor is attracted towards the policies that you have stated so far. Why don't you invite local investors first. Many Sri Lankan investors have left the country and you may find them very successful in Europe, North America, Asia and African continent.

2 8

Professor Sena Sunday, 25 August 2024 08:05 PM

What a joke. Already 49% of SLT is owned by a foreign investor. If you bring in another investor, SL government will loose the majority. It’s the same as “selling.” SLT already had foreign CEOs.

3 16

Dinseh Sunday, 25 August 2024 09:41 PM

Don't take it seriously. They don't know what they are talking. Speak to someone just before a meeting and without any investigation tell some silly things to the public.

1 9

Lakshman maddumahewa Sunday, 25 August 2024 08:09 PM

DEAR AKD ,SLT ALL READY HAVING FOREIGN INVESTMENT SHEARS. PLEASE LOOK IT BEFORE MAKE A SPEECH. COMPARE SLT WITH OTHER COMPETITORS ON WIFI SERVICE

0 9

Ravi Sunday, 25 August 2024 11:52 PM

Like the Rev Palitha said, sell the Dalads Maligawa, the Parliament, hospitals, schools etc etc All these institutions have been destroyed anyway.

1 2

Pusa Monday, 26 August 2024 06:31 AM

Mr AK-47: please keep talking like this because can’t wait to see you end up again like a “1 percenter” with just 300,000 votes. On top of that, you are just too ugly to be a president

4 2

Concerned citizen Monday, 26 August 2024 08:03 AM

OMG AKD!! How desparate you are to come into power and how pathetic you sound! Think before you talk because a fool is considered wise as long as he keeps his mouth shut! The younger generation doesn't have a clue of anything, leave alone politics, just like you, and they go with the flow and shout "malimawa malimawa" but that malimawa doesn't give any directions!!!! You can easily mislead the majority of the uneducated people by your talks and by some unfortunate "luck" if you get elected, we are heading for another disastrous bankruptcy!

1 2

Bandara Gamaga Monday, 26 August 2024 08:32 AM

IS AKD delusional? why would any foreign investor come to SL under his government? restrictive labour

1 2

L Jaya Monday, 26 August 2024 08:58 AM

This bloke has underestimated the capabilities of SL entrepreneurs, why he needs to bring foreign investors to manage SL Telecommunications. Was he insane . Another thing he was vehemently opposing foreign education, improve the standards and ranking of local universities before you preach allegiance to foreign universities.

1 1

L Jaya Monday, 26 August 2024 09:00 AM

He is off the track in the light of facing defeat.

1 3

Damith Monday, 26 August 2024 10:09 AM

But these JVP guys protested when the previous government partly privatized Telecom

1 2

Shaq Cader Monday, 26 August 2024 11:35 AM

If Anura wins the Presidential Election, how will he form the cabinet with 3 MPs.

1 0

Mőda voter Monday, 26 August 2024 07:26 PM

Can someone please enlighten him about the scopes of an investor and a manager. Investors manage 3 wheel taxis and nothing else.

0 0

Mahen Monday, 26 August 2024 07:59 PM

AKD is getting desperate and making all sorts of juvenile or childish statements. It simply proves he or his party JVP does not understand how international relationships are developed and maintained. "Selective" diplomacy is a major curse that made us poor and dependent, that policy also play into the hands of the major powers vying supremacy in the Indian Ocean. This fellow is certainly does not fit to be our next President.

0 0

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