ECONOMIC IMPACT – COVID 19 Archives

February 25, 2022

Sri Lanka@100 hosted a webinar featuring Tiffani Bova, author of the Wall-Street Journal-bestselling book Growth IQ, to inspire mid-market companies with insight into sustained business growth. Hosted in partnership with USAID, NDB Bank, Entrepreneur’s Organization, and the Exporter’s Association of Sri Lanka, nearly 300 attendees participated in the February 24 webinar, including small business owners and corporate leaders.

Guest speaker Tiffani Bova shared key insights on how companies can stay relevant and create an engine to drive sustained growth. She also spoke about regaining ground after a period of muted sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The webinar was a great opportunity for local companies and SMEs to get insights from a global thought leader in the calibre of Tiffani Bova. Her track record and experience are testament to her thought leadership, and I’m certain that the participants gained immense insights from the session. At Sri Lanka@100, we are committed to fostering a growth mindset and enabling them to develop effective growth strategies,” commented Kumudu Gunasekara, the Co-Founder of Sri Lanka@100.

“USAID’s Sri Lanka@100 project is fostering the next generation of successful businesses in Sri Lanka,” said USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman. “Through this webinar series, SL@100 partners learn from top tier business leaders from around the world to help drive businesses forward.”

Tiffany Bova is an industry thought-leader with significant experience in advising start-ups and Fortune 500 companies on sales and channel strategies. Currently a Global Customer Growth and Innovation evangelist at Salesforce, Ms. Bova previously served as a Vice President at Gartner covering sales transformation and channel innovation.

Launched in 2020, Sri Lanka@100 is a private sector-led business development platform supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to unlock the growth of high-potential mid-market firms through advisory services for accelerating growth, optimizing internal operation, and attracting smart capital. The webinar is part of Sri Lanka@100’s vision to support the growth of the local small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem. Find out more about Sri Lanka@100 at https://srilanka100.lk/.

February 1, 2022

The Index – which is in its fifth year – looked at global markets consisting of 44 locations including Nairobi and Johannesburg in Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 1, 2022/APO Group/ — According to Global consultancy Turner & Townsend’s (www.TurnerandTownsend.com) latest Data Centre Cost Index (https://bit.ly/3GgYjX9), the construction sector is in the midst of an international supply chain crisis as it continues to recover from the impact of Covid-19. Despite this adversity, 70% of this year’s survey respondents were optimistic that stronger-than-ever demand proves that the data-centre industry is recession-proof.

The Index – which is in its fifth year – looked at global markets consisting of 44 locations including Nairobi and Johannesburg in Africa. Findings show that increasing costs in every market due to a year of supply disruption, did not deter data centre demand in most markets. The demand in fact remained relatively steady when compared to other comparable industries.

Wendy Cerutti, Turner & Townsend’s data centre lead for Africa said, “Market growth for data centres has been exponential over the past five years and the trend towards a totally digitally connected world was accelerated by 18 months of online working and socialising. As the data centre market matures, the future for the industry in Africa and globally looks resoundingly positive.”

“Fresh sources of demand and significant market opportunity was found in regions where people are at the steepest part of the digital adoption curve, such as parts of Africa and South America. This is where the digital market is coming of age and the use of internet enabled devices are soaring,” said Cerutti.

The Index showed that the cost per watt remained relatively flat in Johannesburg rising from $6.6/w in 2020 to just $6.7/w this year. Nairobi was similar rising from $6.9/w in 2020 to $7/w this year.

“With less competition – and build costs coming in around a third less than key primary markets – market interest is turning toward developing nations,” said Cerutti.

As the climate crisis continues, Turner & Townsend said many data centre leaders were coming forward with climate pledges. The regulatory landscape around net zero was also creating new risks, coupled with growing client and consumer expectations.

“Showing willingness is important but achieving these goals will be tough for an industry that accounts for one percent of global electricity use,” said Cerutti. “Supporting continued global growth to meet the rising digital demand, while also improving the sector’s environmental performance, will take nothing short of a revolution in how we produce and store energy.”

According to the Index: Careful planning, investment in green technologies and upskilling of the supply chain must all happen at pace and scale to deliver the necessary infrastructure for a new net zero digital world.

“It is imperative that we didn’t limit data centre growth across the world by ignoring the growing need to tackle carbon emissions released by the sector. It won’t be easy but cutting these emissions will take a global, programmatic approach with transparent and published plans,” said Cerutti.

Dig deeper into the Data Centre Cost Index 2021 (https://bit.ly/3GgYjX9) and see how this reliable industry benchmark for data centre construction can provide a holistic and comprehensive view of this burgeoning global industry.

February 1, 2022

With the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic employee health and safety is paramount for companies. Ensuring employees return to ‘normal’ work life with minimum risks of virus transmission is becoming a serious HR challenge. Cemex HR, a leading HR technology provider, has developed a Covid-19 vaccination tracker that monitors and alerts companies of employee vaccination status.

The employee vaccination tracker will enable HR departments to gain data-driven insights related to the vaccination rate of their workforce. This allows organisations to make informed decisions around workforce planning and staffing needs. The Covid-19 vaccination tracker would ensure that employees are vaccinated on time, and they don’t become a threat to other members of the staff. It provides timely alerts to remind HR departments of delayed or due vaccination/ booster shots so that HR managers can plan their human resources accordingly.

“As a business you would want to simplify and track employee vaccination protocol. We identified the need to digitise this function to support new work conditions. The function enables our Cemex HRM customers to check employee vaccination status, track vaccination doses, location, type of vaccination and display this information on a dashboard. In addition, HR departments can also run detailed and real time reports on all employee vaccination,” said Sandun Fernando, Chief Operating Officer of Cemex HRM, on the employee Covid-19 vaccination tracking module available on its cloud based HRM software.

The uncertainty of the pandemic cannot be ruled out, however at a time when all organisations are returning to normalcy, employee vaccine tracker can be a powerful tool as it eliminates employee absenteeism, sudden staff quarantines, unexpected Covid-19 positive spreads, delays, errors, stress, and inefficiencies for the companies. It will support organisations to implement truly effective procedures for the well-being of employees and decrease staff downtime, thereby ensuring a Covid-19 safe working environment.

“This would be a human resource planning tool for HR departments. With the information available, they can be prepared for vaccine related leave, prevent staff falling ill due to not being vaccinated, and possibly reduce the risks of spreading the virus and avoid a possible quarantine for the business,” Sandun Fernando said.

Cemex HRM is a Microsoft cloud backed digitised workforce collaboration tool that is helping businesses to streamline their routine HR functions and focus on their core business.
Cemex Software (Pvt) Ltd, is a fast growing HR Tech company changing the future of traditional workplace. The company is backed by their parent company Cenmetrix (Pvt) Ltd, with over 15+ years market experience.

January 28, 2022

Rainbow Clothing MD Bandula Fernando re-elected President of SLCGE
Calls for greater adaption to align with increasingly popular e-commerce models
Requests authorities to help facilitate land acquisition for expansion of factory capacity

27^th January 2022: Small and medium scale apparel producers have called on the authorities to assist the sector in expanding Sri Lanka’s apparel production capacity, to capitalise on the opportunities stemming from the on-going post-COVID rebalancing of global trade.

These views were expressed at the recently held 26^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters (SLCGE), which represents the country’s small and medium scale apparel producers.

Rainbow Clothing Managing Director, Bandula Fernando, was re-elected the President of the chamber for 2022/23 during the event, held at Hilton Colombo Residencies. Minister of Trade – Dr. Bandula Gunawardena was the chief guest while Minister of Industries – Wimal Weerawansa, State Minister of Batik, Handloom and Local Apparel Products – Dayasiri Jayasekara, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Chairman – A. Sukumaran and Commercial Bank Chief Operating Officer – Sanath Manatunge were also present.

“The global market for apparel has changed significantly as a result of the ongoing pandemic,” SLCGE President, Bandula Fernando said, speaking at the event. “We have to adapt our strategies accordingly, particularly in response to the e-commerce boom. We have initiated programmes to address these changes, in partnership with other stakeholders including state authorities and donors.”

It was also pointed out at the AGM that while the US-China trade war is creating more opportunities for Sri Lankan apparel producers, manufacturers require state assistance to capitalise on these.

“We are working in partnership with the authorities with regard to the allocation of land for the expansion of the factories of our members, which is vital to increase their production,” SLCGE General Secretary, Hemantha Perera said. “However, the ad-hoc introduction and amendment of various labour regulations, without discussions with employers, are a cause for concern and deter business confidence.”

The introduction of a mandatory retirement age and amendments to the Termination of the Employment of Workmen Act were pointed out as examples in this regard.

Small and medium scale apparel producers also drew attention to unfair criticism of the apparel sector by certain parties with regard to the spread of COVID-19 within manufacturing facilities, noting that employers had put in place all mandated preventative measures. The chamber also extended its gratitude to the armed forces, Government and other public-sector organisations, as well as the apex body of the country’s apparel industry, JAAF, for their invaluable assistance in various forms, following the outbreak of the pandemic.

The SLCGE’s new office bearers who were elected for the 2022/23 year were; President – Bandula Fernando, General Secretary – Hemantha Perera, Treasurer – Rantha Tissera, Vice President – Nishantha Bakmeege, Assistant General Secretary – Rumesh Perera and Assistant Treasurer – Menuka Gunawardena.

The Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters was formed in 1992 with the vision of developing a vibrant SME sector involved in the manufacture of apparel, which contributes significantly to the country’s economy. The chamber represents small and medium apparel factories as a member organization of JAAF.

January 18, 2022

In its continued efforts to help the healthcare sector better combat the COVID-19 pandemic, SLT-MOBITEL the National ICT Solution Provider, donated three vital Multi Para Monitors to the Balapitiya Base Hospital recently.

SLT-MOBITEL Officials handed over the equipment to Dr. K. Samarathna, Hospital Director, Balapitiya Base Hospital.

SLT-MOBITEL understands that patient monitoring systems are essential for the management and care of patients. The donated monitors valued at over Rs 1.5 million, are equipped with advanced features and can observe and evaluate a patient’s care, and physiological functions such as heart and respiratory rate and serves to improve patient care, resulting in saving lives.

As the National ICT Solutions Provider, SLT-MOBITEL remains fully committed to aiding the national efforts in combating the spread of the deadly pandemic. Previously the organisation has donated five PCR machines to leading government hospitals island wide to further enhance PCR testing capabilities.

January 10, 2022

Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris highlighted the warm and special relationship and the multi-faceted nature of the partnership between Sri Lanka and China in his opening remarks at the bilateral meeting with the State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi held at Temple Trees on 9 January, 2022.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on a brief official visit to Sri Lanka to launch the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the historic Rubber-Rice Pact and the 65th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and China.

Speaking further Foreign Minister Peiris stated that whenever Sri Lanka faced difficulties, support was always forthcoming from China in the fullest measure. In this context, the Minister expressed sincere thanks and profound appreciation to Foreign Minister Wang Yi for China’s spontaneous and generous support in the national vaccination drive to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including the donation of 3 million doses of vaccine. Moreover, the timely assistance from China during the current economic situation in the country by affording the facility of a US$ 1.5 billion currency swap with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, has helped to boost the country’s currency reserves. This has further reinforced the abiding friendship and mutual trust between the two countries.

During the bilateral talks, other matters of bilateral interest were also discussed, including further support for the ongoing vaccination programme, attracting investments from China to the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Industrial Zone, increasing tourism from China to Sri Lanka, enhancing Sri Lankan exports to China and promoting cultural cooperation, especially in fostering Buddhist ties between the two nations.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China warmly reciprocated the sentiments of his Sri Lankan counterpart and stated that China regards Sri Lanka as a time-tested friend and thanked Sri Lanka for the exceptional gesture in issuing a special commemorative coin last year to mark the centenary of the Communist Party of China. He hailed the Rubber-Rice Pact signed in 1952 as a historic landmark in bilateral relations. He also highlighted the strong and consistent support by both countries for each other at various international fora over the years.

After the discussions, the two delegations signed the following Agreements, in the presence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the two Foreign Ministers:
Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation
Letter of Exchange on the Project of Subsidized Housing for Low Income Category in Colombo Handover Certificate of the Technical Cooperation Project for BMICH
Handover Certificate of the Technical Cooperation Project for the Kidney Disease Mobile Screening Ambulance Vehicles

State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya, Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage and senior Foreign Ministry officials, as well as Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming, Assistant Foreign Minister Ambassador Wu Jianghao, and Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong were present in the delegations of Sri Lanka and China respectively.

Source: Foreign Ministry – Colombo, Sri Lanka

December 24, 2021

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka wishes to inform the general public that the measures being taken at present will ensure that by end of 2021 official reserves will remain above US dollars 3 billion.

Despite the headwinds of the economic impact of COVID-19 and challenges posed by adverse developments in the external sector, the Sri Lankan economy showed resilience throughout 2021. Also, Sri Lanka successfully met its debt obligations by repaying foreign loans, including the payments of the International Sovereign Bonds. Since the beginning of the year both the Central Bank and the Government have been actively pursuing possible avenues to replenish official reserves, with an emphasis on encouraging non-debt flows, so that the existing foreign debt could be managed in a sustainable manner. These efforts were accelerated since October 2021 with the announcement of the Six-Month Road Map for Ensuring Macroeconomic and Financial System Stability, which set out envisaged targets for build up of official reserves in the near term.

As articulated in the Six-Month Road Map, number of foreign exchange inflows are envisaged in the very near term. Major foreign exchange inflows to the Central Bank include SWAP facilities with Middle Eastern and other regional central banks amounting to about US dollars 2.0 billion. The Government is also in the process of securing Government to Government financing, syndicated loans as well as loans from multilateral organisations. In addition, the expected foreign exchange facilities that were negotiated during the high-level visits abroad made by authorities are also progressing well. Further, the interventions made by the Central Bank on several facets of the foreign exchange market, such as incentive scheme introduced for workers’ remittances, and the repatriation and conversion requirements on account of exports proceeds will improve the liquidity in the domestic market, thereby enabling the Central Bank to build up official reserves further. With the recent rise in departures for foreign employment and exponential growth observed in tourist arrivals, the external sector is expected to recover well in the period ahead and the pressures observed at present are expected to moderate with increased inflows to the economy. The Government and the Central Bank remain confident that these expected inflows will materialise and the reserve position will remain at comfortable level throughout the year 2022.

Source: Government News Portal

December 22, 2021

Mastercard Foundation launched the COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Programme (CRRP) to help micro- small- medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to respond to and withstand the impact of pandemic

NAIROBI, Kenya, December 20, 2021 — When the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Kenya in March 2020, it marked the beginning of a long journey of business uncertainty, disruption and great anxiety for entrepreneurs of all categories. It was especially hard for micro-enterprises and other small businesses, which traditionally do not have cash reserves or multiple income streams, to cushion them during economic downturn. While some businesses managed to stay afloat, hundreds others faced serious difficulties that led to their closure or severely reduced operations.

A study by the World Bank published in January 2021 found that small and micro-sized businesses were more severely affected by the pandemic than larger firms and those small businesses were often forced to permanently close or temporarily cease operations as compared to larger firms. In addition, a larger drop in sales was observed for micro-sized and small businesses. Without some form of external assistance, most businesses were not resilient enough to survive the downturn.

Recognising the devastating effects of COVID-19 on businesses and families in Kenya, Mastercard Foundation launched the COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Programme (CRRP) to help micro- small- medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to respond to and withstand the impact of pandemic while strengthening their resilience in the long run.

The CRRP provided collateral- and interest-free loans in several categories to businesses in different sectors. It also offered training and other support to enable them utilise funds prudently and manage risks during the pandemic It primarily targeted women- and youth-led businesses across all sectors, including wholesale and retail trade, clothing and fashion, and agriculture. Borrowers accessed the facility by application through their member association and had to pass screening and due diligence procedures before a loan was granted.

The programme was implemented by a consortium led by Grassroots Business Fund (GBF) and included Cardno Emerging Markets and microfinancier, 4G Capital together with Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI); Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA); and WomenWork Network (WWN) and Cardno coordinated applications and the necessary due diligence screening. 4G managed the disbursement of loans to successful applicants and collected repayments.

The programme was fully digital, and all applications, assessments, disbursement, repayments as well as training were conducted virtually.. A unique aspect of the programme was the fast turnaround, from conception to deployment, owing to the urgency of the situation, and the fact that it was entirely virtual in response to the constraints imposed by the COVID outbreak. The programme created new digital channels to reach MSMEs and leveraged existing ones such as MPESA.

By June 2021, over KSh 686 million in loan capital had been disbursed to roughly 21,000 borrowers by the programme. About KES 270 million had been repaid by that time, with a balance of KES 416 million outstanding. In addition, CRRP sustained nearly 43,000 jobs , of which 44% or 8,700 were held by young people and 84% or 16,500 by women.

The implementation of CRRP offers several lessons that can be applied in running similar programmes successfully:

Working through business networks made it possible to reach many entrepreneurs in the target groups (mainly youth and women) throughout Kenya quickly and efficiently: Working with the three business associations (KNCCI, KEPSA, WWN) ensured that these target groups were reached. Applicants had to be registered members of any of the three organisations and their business had to be at least six months old.
Being flexible and responding quickly to emerging challenges: For instance, when it emerged that some loan beneficiaries were having challenges in making repayments due to unforeseen and extended lockdowns throughout 2021, the consortium and the member associations responded by providing more focused borrower education and communication to improve repayment. Where applicable, the programme also lengthened loan repayment periods.
Continuous client education and communication were essential to increase awareness and compliance: The consortium used several approaches to engage applicants, choosing methods accessible to their members such as SMS and WhatsApp messages. This helped build awareness and increased the number of applicants. Continuously engaging with loan recipients also helped to improve repayment rates.
Training potential borrowers before loan applications and after disbursement is a crucial element in MSME lending: As the programme rolled out loans disbursement, it became clear that the MSMEs required training and capacity-strengthening before getting the loans to ensure the money was put to the intended use.
Funding for MSMEs needs to extend beyond the COVID period: MSMEs are chronically underfunded. A 2016 study by the Kenya Bankers Association showed that insufficiency of capital and cost of credit were key factors hampering SMEs’ growth and that only 17.4% of traditional bank lending in Kenya was directed to MSMEs. The sector is still viewed as risky by traditional financial markets. According to the IFC, it is estimated that MSMEs in Kenya face a US$19bn finance gap. We need more innovative and commercially sustainable models to address this gap and fully exploit the potential of MSMEs.
It is essential to create forums that enable micro-and small entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and learn from each other’s experiences: The CRRP arranged sessions where business owners could share their sector-specific experience within the pandemic context. This provided peer to peer learning on what was working and what could be adjusted for continued business sustainability.

Looking into the future: As Kenya moves into a post-COVID recovery phase, micro-and small businesses remain vulnerable and require support from other partners. Other MSME lenders can step into the gap and help to accelerate business recovery by offering flexible and affordable products to this critical sector. The experiences of the COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Programme and the lessons learnt can inform the design of similar programmes to enrich their impact. This is a call to arms. The CRRP proved that by working in partnership, we can protect this vital sector of our economy, encourage it to thrive, be adaptive, sustainable and profitable.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Mastercard Foundation.

December 16, 2021

15/12/2021, Bangkok – The state of food security and nutrition in Asia and the Pacific has worsened, as more than 375 million people in the region faced hunger in 2020, an increase of 54 million over the previous year, according to a joint report just published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

While hunger has increased, so too has inadequate access to nutritious foods.

According to the 2021 Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, in this region alone, more than one billion people did not have access to adequate food in 2020 – an increase of almost 150 million people in just one year.

The high cost of a healthy diet, and persistently high levels of poverty and income inequality, continue to hold healthy diets out of reach for 1.8 billion people in the Asia and Pacific region.

A negative trend worsened by the arrival of COVID-19

In recent years, progress has stalled in reducing the number of undernourished, and the prevalence of certain nutritional indicators, such as stunting in children under five years of age, was already much too high, as reported last year.

Since then, the situation has worsened. While it is not yet possible to fully quantify the damage done to food security and nutrition by COVID-19, the pandemic has had a serious impact on the region. Even countries that initially reported a limited number of COVID-19 cases experienced the negative effects of the containment measures, combined with people’s health concerns, that led to a major contraction of economic activity in this region and worldwide. Disruption in food supply chains only added to the problems.

A way forward

The situation could have been worse without the response of governments and the impressive social protection measures they put in place during the crisis. In building back better food environments, future agri-food systems will have to provide better production, better nutrition, a better environment and better lives.

To do that, FAO and UNICEF state the focus must revolve around meeting the needs of small-scale, family farmers and indigenous people in the region. Food systems must also prioritize the dietary needs of vulnerable groups, including young children and women.

Commitments have been made to ensure recovery and there are opportunities to begin the hard work of advancing food security and nutrition through transforming agri-food systems such as the United Nations Food Systems Summit, the Nutrition for Growth Summit and the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Implementing these commitments will be needed to meet the second Sustainable Development Goal, SDG2, to eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition.

https://www.fao.org/asiapacific/news/detail-events/en/c/1459987/

December 14, 2021

Established in 2010, JLanka Technologies, the nation’s undisputed leader in next generation energy technologies and Solar PV Systems has been leading the solar energy revolution across Sri Lanka for the past 11 years with much success. Undaunted by the pandemic and widespread restriction, JLanka Technologies continued to persevere on their journey of growth during the past 2 years, and still remains committed to the ultimate goal of energy sufficiency across Sri Lanka. Today, JLanka Technologies has become a proud partner of the government’s effort in introducing sustainable energy share of 70% by 2030, minimizing carbon footprint of the country.

“Sri Lanka is blessed with ample solar energy which is yet to be harnessed to its full strength. Strengthened by the live wire in our effort to introduce solar energy which is our cutting edge technology, well supported by the professionally qualified team, we have been able to spread our wings across the country from North to South and as far as East and West to grow from success to success. Today (2021), we are proud to state that we have 4800 Portfolios Island wide. We have been able to transfer our philosophy of leveraging technology to harvest natural resources to generate energy into a reality. While the past two years proved to be challenging due to the pandemic, we continued our story of success with resilience and inventiveness,” commented Sajith Batagoda – Marketing Manager.

During the past two years, we, at JLanka Technologies faced numerous challenges in terms of serving our corporate and domestic customers with limited resources, especially in the face of import restrictions that limited the company’s access to necessary material and equipment and other ground level resources. Nevertheless, we were able to manage over 2000 sites and establish 1000 new solar power systems during the past two years albeit access to limited resources,” said G. Jayasoma – Operations Director.

The Company support each customer with a supplier warranty and Operations and Maintenance agreement following the installation of the solar system.

While the pandemic restrictions posed a threat to the continuation of ongoing projects and diverted the public’s focus on seeking alternative energy sources, JLanka Technologies leveraged on its technological expertise and dedicated team to maintain the integrity of ongoing projects, and convert the challenge into an opportunity to restructure and plan for viable growth.

The innovation of remotely located management units or smaller teams which could handle operations independently up to a certain level became a success and they are capable in catering to customer requirements across the Island. It is encouraging to observe the manner in which the young team leaders are performing and taking the necessary steps to fulfill customer obligations without delay or any interruptions despite numerous obstacles that keep popping-up in a difficult moment such as the pandemic. The Company also focused on buffer stock maintenance to offer better customer service.

The Company’s management team ably guided the team to diversify its experience and expertise and improvise a digital platform to address burning issues and lapses faced by the business. As a result, the Company is well-geared to minimize all manual activities through using a digitalized system to serve all customers from domestic, commercial or utility level across the country to bring their electricity bill down to zero payments through establishing solar systems.

During the past 2 years, in addition to establishing SMUs, (Operation and maintenance unit) the Company launched a timely digital transformation in customer management with a remote working digital telephone system along with a digital finance management system which includes Ezpay (Digitalized Finance System) and overall revenue and performance tracking using BOT (Automated Digitalize Administration).

“COVID-19 pandemic provided us with a challenge which we turned to an opportunity to enter a new phase of digitization. Mindful of the fact that we are yet to achieve the excellence which we strive for, we as an organization would continue on further improvements and expand our services” concluded Anoj Egodawaththa – Manager Operations.

Older Posts

US-supported Sri Lanka@100 Hosts “Return to Growth” Webinar Featuring Industry Thought Leader Tiffani Bova

Data Centre Cost Index positive despite a post-pandemic global supply chain crisis

HR Tech Lead Cemex HRM, Introduces Employee Covid-19 Vaccination Tracker

Sri Lankan apparel must target opportunities arising from post-COVID rebalancing of global trade

SLT-MOBITEL continues to assist Hospitals to fight against COVID 19

Sri Lanka and China re-affirm the special bonds of friendship between the two nations

Expected Foreign Exchange Inflows and the Official Reserve Position

Mastercard Foundation: One Business at a Time: Building Resilience in the Face of a Pandemic

Number of hungry in Asia-Pacific swells by more than 50 million since the arrival of COVID-19

Leading the energy transition through COVID–19 and beyond – JLanka Technologies