BOI CHAIRMAN BECAME THE MAJOR SHAREHOLDER OF HAYLEYS LTD WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

Posted by: sinhale | June 24, 2008

BOI CHAIRMAN BECAME THE MAJOR SHAREHOLDER OF HAYLEYS LTD WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

BOI Chairman Dhammika Perera became the major single shareholder of Hayleys Limited today by increasing his stake in Hayleys Limited up to 11.90%.Mr.Perera acquired 6% stake in Hayleys Limited on 10th June 2008 and thereafter gradually increased his stake during the last two weeks.

According to the latest Annual Report of Hayleys Ltd, “Trustees of the D.S.Jayasundera Trust” which was established after the demise of Mr.D.S.Jayasundera- a former distinguished Chairman of Hayleys Limited in order to administer his shareholding in the company was the major shareholder until the above share transaction took place today at the Colombo Stock Exchange. It is also stated that the above trust is still having 11.60% stake in the company shareholding.

Meanwhile, Mr.Nimal Perera –an Investment Advisor said that Mr.Dhammika Perera has acquired abovementioned stake in Hayleys through one of his companies - Vallibel Holdings Ltd.

When contacted Secretarial Division of Hayleys Limited, an officer said since Mr.Dhammika Perera has acquired more than 10% stake in Hayleys, he is eligible to make a request to appoint either him or one of his representatives to the Hayleys Board. However, said officer further told if Mr.Perera is willing to makes such request it should reach them on or before 26th June 2008 and such request must be approved at their Annual General Meeting to be held on 27th June 2008.

Mr.Dhammika Perera has reportedly bought nearly 2.5million Hayleys shares today from Renuka Holdings in order to increase his stake ahead of Hayleys Limited AGM to be held on next Friday.

Hayleys was incorporated in Sri Lanka in 1952.Hayleys Limited is a quoted & truly broad-based company with no single individual, family or institution owning more than 12%.Hayleys is today one of the largest Sri Lankan multinationals which diversified into many business areas with around 130 companies in and out of Sri Lanka.

Hayleys today accounts for 2.6 % of Sri Lanka’s export income and carrying a AA-(lka) credit rating by Fitch Ratings.

Posted in Business

Responses

Dhammika Perera is the one who introduced “Jack pot” machines to Sri Lanka.

Now he is seeking a seat on Hayleys Board. What a joke ?

By: Wasantha on June 25, 2008
at 10:53 am

WE SHOULD NOT BE JEALOUS…AS SRI LANKANS WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.. HWO CAN WE DEVELOP OTHERWISE..

DILUKA

By: jay on June 25, 2008
at 2:20 pm

We are not jealous…. But feel sorry for the other “Gentlemen” currently serving on Hayleys Board. How can they sit with a guy like him who has roots to gambling?

As far as I know, Hayleys or Directors of Hayleys didn’t have that type of a bad history.

By: Wasantha on June 25, 2008
at 3:49 pm

There is no good leader in Hayleys right now, MD Richard Ebell is not good for anything. Its soo good time a leader like Perera is having an intrest on Hayleys

By: Bandara on June 26, 2008
at 9:11 am

Wasantha,
i feel u never heard abt hayley directors after mendis no perfect leader. all sleeping guys
hayleys HR department is worse than any dept in lanka………. no one knows who is staff and who is outsider….
This’s very good move for company

By: Lalith on June 26, 2008
at 9:26 am

Dear Bandara & Lalith,

Kindly note I had little over 25 years working experience in Hayleys and personally known it’s Chairmen from Neil Brown to NGW. Also I worked with RAE/SK for nearly 10 years and I am still a shareholder of Hayleys Limited. Therefore it is not necessary to give me an introduction on Hayleys or its culture.

As you said, if Hayleys Directors are so sleepy guys, how they develop the company up to the existing level? If you need any clarification in this regard why don’t you refer Hayleys Annual Reports published at least during the last 15-20 years? Before criticizing, you must go through their Annual Reports – Then only you will realize what they did in the past and what they are doing now.

Bandara, I am sure that you haven’t realized who Richard Annasley Ebell is?. Also RAE is not the Hayleys MD and he is only the Finance & HR Director. (That means you do not know much about Hayleys)

Lalith, you are talking about SM, then how about RY? I feel that you have a personal grudge with Hayleys HR Dept. and that you have to sort out with Sunil Dissanayake (GHRM).

Also you said that nobody knows who is staffer and who is outsider. Do you know that every employee in Hayleys (including Directors) provided with a Company ID? Not only that even the visitors are provided with a Visitors ID at the reception. Therefore it is not difficult to find out who is staffer and who is outsider.

I too have some criticism on several activities of Hayleys. But I must say appointing a gambler like DP to the Hayleys board is not the solution.

One more thing. If Hayleys is lacking of Leaders, will find “suitable, capable and good leaders” for the company. But substituting the existing gentlemen by a gambler will not serve your purpose.

By: Wasantha on June 26, 2008
at 11:25 am

Nothing to worry, We will wait & see how he will perform

By: Kesara on June 26, 2008
at 12:59 pm

dear wasantha,,

pl cool down.. u are agitataed for nothing,.. we never know what you were and what your roots are? before condemming somone we like to know about u and your own roots? it will definitly open a can of worms I presume.. could be worst than anyone else..

jay

By: jay on June 26, 2008
at 2:05 pm

wasantha,
Bothered abt your 25 years of knowledge like you i also know each and every corner of Hayleys. Do not bluff because of giving company id, hey which block you talk giving id? Not both entrance check keep the cards dont mean its working. pleople can any where with out card, Like you i visited all those places.
If you talk about SM, i can say yes.. after that nothing. Hayleys run by good employee not buy these unfit directors. Only couple of good people left now.
Wasantha if you tell you are writing on behalf of director then i understand yor thoughts

By: Lalith on June 26, 2008
at 5:52 pm

Wasantha u wrote some personal grudge with HR dept, who bothered abt hayleys HR dept.. they dont work with any group company and sunil dissanayake is like security guard,,, his service @ hayleys 1&1/2 years.. he came to replace great HR marikar. Just list what work HR dept dose??? print id cards, send circular to security guards, they hardly talk with employees
wasantha you can talk abt hayleys 20 -25 years back but not now; Tehy are going on for years because of hard work by those past people like RY,,,,not today sleeping guys.
now time for show…
Im sure dhammika perera may already made all these director wake up from sleep.

By: Lalith on June 26, 2008
at 8:14 pm

Lalith, By looking at your comments, I agree that you too have some close connections with Hayleys.

Yes, I too agree with you on what you said about SD who came from HSBC. You talk about JHM, why not making any reference to CVG,OMRS, NCT & PB.

If employees are not wearing ID Cards, that is up to Security people to check with and you can’t find fault with Directors. Very recently I visited Hayleys HO and I was provided with a Visitors ID, though most of the security guys are known to me. I wore that ID until I left the office.

Once you said, after SM no perfect leaders at Hayleys. Again you talk about RY’s hard work. But, RY became the Chairman of Hayleys only after SM. Therefore by accepting RY as a hard worker, you have crushed your own argument which was under the titled of “ No perfect leaders at Hayleys after SM”

Also, I personally feel if MJCA was given a chance to become the Chairman after the death of DSJ, we have nothing to worry about Hayleys future anymore. Not given a chance to MJCA after DSJ was the biggest ever mistake we all did.

Lalith, I am not making these comments for and on behalf of Hayleys Directors. Only as an ex- employee/shareholder I am making these comments.

Nice to meet a person like you to talk about Hayleys, even after many many years.

By: Wasantha on June 26, 2008
at 10:48 pm

Good arguments! Keep it up!!!

By: MLP on June 26, 2008
at 10:51 pm

Dear Wasantha,
Atleast u may have understood that im not trying to tarnish Hayleys name but show people not having interest on Hayleys.
True as U say i not mention RY but i said about Sunil cos our former president acknowledge Sunil Mendis and put him governor central bank. All those people U talked got Hayleys in the blood cos of the hard work but for new directors its nothing; example HR head, no knowledge of Hayleys values or history, he thinks he heading a western company. All who started Hayleys no more in the company.
With sadness only i made my first comment on this news, because of this sleeping directors third people taking advantage and got into Hayleys. Do U think BOI person not noticed these directors lack of intrest?? Definitely he knows this is perfect time to get into Hayleys.
Only the future chairman will be worried abt his entry, but not definitely Pandithage ,,,, he is so staff friendly all Hayleys staff will be behind him.
Hope there may good changes in coming days!

By: Lalith on June 26, 2008
at 11:48 pm

Dear Lalith,

Sorry for the delay in posting a reply. Yesterday I went for Hayleys AGM and thought to reply after that. Nothing happened at the AGM, except few arguments between Dr.Wickramanayaka and Mr.Mohideen. During his speech Dr.Wickramanayake made some comments over recent Hayleys share transactions took place. He made few references on famous “Casino King” – Joe Sim and expressed his suspicious as Joe Sim’s money behind the above share transactions.

Though, Mr.Nimal Perera attended to this AGM representing his own stake in Hayleys, none represented DP at the AGM. Although NP was so upset over Dr. W’s comments, didn’t make any reply to him at the AGM.

Coming back to your comments, I too fully agree with you of what you said about SD – HR head.

It is true that SM was appointed as the Central Bank Governor by President CBK and that is due to close connection he has with her and not because of anything else.

Agreed, MP is a very “energetic” person on the board - MRZ & RAE on the board with proven capabilities and abilities. But I do not know why AH is on the board? May be due to friendship he has with RY. According to my knowledge, AH did nothing for Haycarb other than continuing RY’s work – That is also questionable. JAGA is on the board because of NGW, I supposed.

Lalith, I think that DP is getting all the required internal information of Hayleys through a guy who is now working at Hayleys. He was once working in a company where DP is the Chief.

I know that you are highly worried/ frustrated about the situation at Hayleys. As I told you before I also have some criticism on them.

Hope this is a good lesson for all of them( according to you, for sleeping guys). Will see whether they will get up soon for everyone’s benefit.

By: Wasantha on June 28, 2008
at 9:26 pm

Good going!!! Good criticism for the benefit of hayleys !!!

By: MLP on June 28, 2008
at 9:45 pm

Dear Wasantha

You ………..you sad ….., u don’t know what is really happening inside hayles. Do you know that your so called gentlemen board has robbed your loving company? They are also involved in foreign exchange fraud, amounting to Rs. 600 million involving Haycab. Do you know that kinetic project machinery is being sold to your sorry …. chairman’s’ brother for a song.
Dimo stake was given away when there were higher bidders.

That ……. head tanki’s class mate is flown on a quarterly basis from Canada on business class travel using share holder money for board meetings. Corporate governance MY ….!

That ……… have no moral rights to talk about other people acquiring shares of this so called failed blue chip. Glory dates of Hayles are over, it has been ruined by this so called gentlemen board for their personal gains and glorification.

Now when a sizeable stake of the company is acquired by one of the most prominent industrialist in the country these ………….are ……….and slinging mud.

Wasantha get a life.. without …………tanki’s smelly …..

Sunil

By: Sunil on June 30, 2008
at 6:33 pm

True, company directors ………… the Hayleys in the name of benefits. all got creditcard for persoanl use.

directors donkey spend all company money and run away to other company board.

By: Silva on June 30, 2008
at 7:50 pm

Mr.Sunil & Mr.Silva,

Your comments had to be edited due to use of some filthy words. Please do not use such words when posting comments hereafter.

Administrator.

By: sinhale on June 30, 2008
at 9:09 pm

True, company directors robbing the Hayleys in the name of benefits. all got credit card for persoanl use. all can fly 1st class air travel, take a break in hunas falls etc

directors donkey spend all company money and run away to other company board when company in trouble

By: Silva on July 1, 2008
at 7:49 am

Wasantha’s comments about the “gentlemen” of Hayleys Board is such a good example of Sri Lanka’s doggedness to colonial, imperialistic suck up attitude. After sixty odd years we still insist on bowing to the elitist culture that was indoctrinated to us by the Colonial rulers of then Ceylon. Of course this is not surprising given that people like Wasantha who claim to have 25 years of association with Hayleys are people who have been brainwashed by the colonials and colonial lackeys who run the mini-imperialist Hayleys.

Why is Hayleys such a sanctamonius corporate entity? Why is everyone so darn anxious to protect it’s so called virtuous state? In my eyes it’s like a teenage prostitute, someone you automatically associate as being pure and virgin but is in fact tarnished, blemished and infected. Skeletons in the cupboard remain in the cupboard, nobody wants to talk about the ill-goings on at the Company because nobody wants to shake the general aura and symbolism of Hayleys as a corporate goody-two-shoes.

The question has been asked “how come Hayleys has done so well?”. The answer is simple, if any other conglomerate had the quantum of assets that Hayleys holds, they would be performing at not two fold or three fold the capacity but possibly at ten fold or twenty fold. when you are a giant - even though you are sleeping - you still tend to make an impact. This doesn’t mean that Hayleys is being managed well, it simply means that it is rolling down the hill accelerating at speed cos it’s sheer size is moving it forward. No brain-power, no innovation, no corporate will to change….just the will to hang in there and go with the flow.

Governance is a much touted word in Sri Lanka, these days. Fact of the matter is, governance has become a prostitute to the corporate world. when you want to do everything and anything that needs to be swept under the carpet, you do it anyway but write reels and reels of pages in the Annual Report expounding the Company’s embracement of enterprise governance! Look under the carpet and you find all the dodgy transactions, the personal fulfillments, the agendas, the scandals and the mismanagement.

Hayleys is stuck in the 1900’s, they still do business like they did when the Company was formed. The Board makes no attempt to change because change is too much of an effort. Stuck in a time warp and protected by a set of loyalists who are living in an unrealistic era of nostalgia and elitism, Hayleys continues to be the icon of imperialist idealism in Sri Lanka.

After all if the Dhammika Perera’s of Sri Lanka took over this temple of colonial rule and elite powerhouse, where would all the old fogies go? They are no more moth eaten, cracked corporate walls for them to crawl into, no more warm, comfortable, pocket-lining corporations which will feed their little, crinkled up egos or places to hibernate in contentment with the same calling of power and prestige, because thank fully people with gusto, nerve and genius like Perera have got the ball rolling and broken the trend.

If we protect hayleys, we only protect an era of “gentlemen” who are self-opinionated and down right selfish. Sri Lanka’s corporate world needs to look to the future and i hope that’s where strategic investments of this nature will take us.

By: Dayan on July 1, 2008
at 11:50 am

well said Dayan.. where is wasantha and his so called gentlemen

By: jay on July 1, 2008
at 5:49 pm

no matter how long staff work there; 25 years or 50 years when work over they will come empty hand at the end of service.

at hayleys no increments as the rising cost; that was reason for hayleys making profit; cheap labour.
poor wasantha after 25 years now he will have nothing; living with hayleys shares and it benifits

By: Silva on July 1, 2008
at 6:58 pm

Hay Jay, I am here and still maintain that Hayleys Diretors are “Gentlemen”, because no black money behind them.

Silva, Don’t worry about me, because at the time of my retirment I got one month salary for each year of service as my Gratiuty in addition to all other terminal benefits.

I know that this time Hayleys group gave a poor salary increments to staff ranging from 5% to 8%. Hope you too got the same increament rate. That is why you are shouting so high. I feel sorry for you - That is your fate….

When we were at Hayleys our minimum increament starting from 10%.

If you think by reducing increaments, a company can make profits - on the other hand is company making losses by giving good increaments to its staff?

What a joke Silva?

By: Wasantha on July 1, 2008
at 10:29 pm

Wasantha, what a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are making good joke, Which century hayleys gave one month salary for each year gratiuty that too if one completed 5 years; as far i know only half month salary for each year.
you do not dream that 10% increment is give,, for many years now increment not crossed 3% for many,
wasantha you must be having some brain problem, ask hayleys for some medical benifits

I feel you are so worried about hayleys share value because of all bad news coming out now, soon worse will come out

you did not make any comment about sunil message above; haycarb fraud. you attend all agm meetings, all good gentlemen made you fool.

By: Silva on July 2, 2008
at 8:39 am

Mr.Silva,

Yes. you are talking about the minimum legal requirement of Gratuity payment. If an employee completes 5 years at least he/she entitled for a gratuity payment. According to the Gratuity act, ½ month salary to be paid for each year of service for an employee who completes uninterrupted 5 years service and that is the minimum rate adopted by the law.( Also kindly note that this is the “minimum rate” according to the law and whoever who wish, can pay anything more than “the required minimum rate”)

When you go through Hayleys Annual Reports, you will realize how Hayleys do the calculation when making Gratuity payments to their ex- employees. I couldn’t remember the exact page number where it is available, but publish herein for your information.

Service up to 20 years – ½ month
Service from 20 to 25 years- ¾ month
Service from 25 – 30 years – 1 month
Service from 30 – 35 years –1 ¼ months
Over 35 years -1 ½ months

If you need any further clarification on this matter, contact any guy at P&W dept at FLO and then you will realize whom should be treated for so-called “brain problem”.

Coming back to increments, may be now Hayleys not giving “good” increments and it doesn’t mean at all that Hayleys didn’t give “good” increments in the past.

Bye Silva!

By: Wasantha on July 2, 2008
at 11:59 am

what comments you write clearly show you work for the welfare of direcotrs, pleasing them to get returns.

well done.

By: Silva on July 2, 2008
at 6:30 pm

wasantha
the annual report you talk. they may come in three wheel and give the nice smelling report in hands, it may smell good and good pictures to look, you can give it to grand child to play and look, but will not get anything in return.
those fancy words in reports means all true. try to get the money spend for those reports as benefit for each share holders

By: Silva on July 2, 2008
at 6:34 pm

wasantha..

what is your definition or understanding of thw word GENTLEMEN… THEN WE CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR THINKING AND OBJECTIVES..

jay

By: jay on July 3, 2008
at 10:30 am

Well..personally i believe its good that some one like Dhammika Perera could come in to the group. Becasue as a Business Minded person he might be able to drive the group to a different dimenssion but he has to get rid of the people like wasantha who serves Hayleys for 25 years who may never like a change.

Well personally I don’t know about the HR issues but Mr. Dissanayake is a person who wants to change the old tradditional way of Handling HR in Hayleys. And he wants a change there and that may be the reason he want to automate the HR processes through HRIS which is good thing to happen at Hayleys. [ i dont know whether he has any personal benefits via this ]

BTW..Hayleys BOD should change…they are vey old fashioned..thinkers..who dont have a proper vision..specially when it comes to IT issues… They cannot retain superb IT guys…heard that Group IT Manager who has implemented all the ICT related infrastructure and IT policy development ….at Hayleys… have left as well..mainly due to the conflicts which he had with the BODs…..

Hayleys is a nice place to hang out and spend the entire life time …[thats what most of the people who worked for 15-25 years is doin] but if you are a person who want to do some work…out of the box …you better find another company… becasue the people who were there for such long time at Hayleys will never ever let you work..becasue of their old fashioned thinking pattern…and culture..

If Dhammila Perera can come in to the board and change the culture…i m sure that Hayleys will do fine in the years to come..may be we can come back and serve the group again…specially we should get rid of the directors who drive around the city wasting shareholders money to put their children in to sleep….

By: MW on July 3, 2008
at 2:05 pm

Wasantha needs to get a life. It’s obvious that he is stuck in the 19th century and looking at the world from rose tinted glasses cos he has been brain washed sufficiently by the Hayleys Board. Obviously his gratuity is all he cares about.

this is the problem with most of the people at Hayleys, it’s full of bums that warm the chairs in order to earn a salary. they waft in and out, happy in the knowledge that they dont really need to contribute in any way or justify their existence. counting their so called “years of service” is what matters to them most.

a conglomerate of this stature should be state of the art, not lackadaisical, sleepy and lazy. it’s time the old fogies of Hayleys released their deadly grip on hayleys and allowed some new blood to flow into the blood starved veins of the company.

i mean just because you’ve been with hayleys for donkey’s years doesnt mean you have the potential to become a leader, it only means that at the end of the day some old donkeys are trying to lead the company, not up the right way but down the garden path.

By: Dayan on July 3, 2008
at 2:55 pm

Dayan perfect.
I could not understand how wasanth can find hayleys directors do not have black money. No one knows what directors do.
Even their assistants cant find what directors do.

Wasantha thinks directors living in a glass house and others can see their live.
All hayleys directors are far worse then Robert Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe

By: Silva on July 4, 2008
at 12:51 am

all you gentlemen seem to have a lot of info about hayleys..but non have spoken about the pathetic situation in the Fibre segment of the group! Past draining of the Gem Rileys by pass directors, frauds in the hayleys exports…the Onril debacle are but a few issues which have been swept aside! PS Perera continues to groom him croonies and build his image at the expense of everyone and company!

By: Sudu on July 7, 2008
at 3:32 pm

Sudu, no one really know what is going on inside hayleys. so much corruption. Now it left staff to expose all dark matter.

All staffs are just working to live, while all directors are being at hayleys to enjoy the benefit of using all the facilities.
The company just moves with time. No improvement to the company

By: Silva on July 9, 2008
at 12:15 am

There is reference to me in this exchange as RY.
Since I no longer have superior influence over any past or present employee/customer/clent etc, I appeal to you to disclose to me ,where ,in my 41 year career at Hayleys, I did not perform !! I need to know this for my own conscience. (most of this at haycarb,sans car /perqs,but bus and 16 hr work days,(reminding you it is Haycarb that made Hayleys a Blue chip in 80s/2000, during which subsequent Bu’s sprang up, to ride the biz cycles.
I didnt confine myself to Haycarb but worked weekends and nights, on design,Personal probems of staff, E Shipping,. re org HO Bdgs,Hotels- no I never stayed and drank free -chk with Managers.
If they gave discount for work done , I tipped them more. i have some pride.
I may not have performed 2 1/2 yrs as well as Chairman, a role I never wanted- but I tried hard to unify the Group via top management education, esp via ISB ,to create cross border unity(common sub) and improve financial perfomance understanding and necessity, amongst the top 60 -hoping it wil lpercolate.I worked off hours on CSR & Tsunami.

I have no comment on advent of Mr Dhamikka Perera to the Board. Change is always good. Conflict is also good-to wake up people who slumber smoke cigars and criticize. Who themselves have not innovatedanything-innovation above competition, at rapid rate, being the cornerstone to survival if not growth.

I wish Hayleys/Haycarb ,both of which I love so much,and were /are my life(No major shareholding) a renewed spurt of growth.

By: Yatawara on July 22, 2008
at 3:41 pm

PS.
I would aso like to know details of the’fraud’at carbokarn ex Haycarb 1994 .I started it. Hc’s total outl ay with 6 month delay at Exch Control,
was Rs 36 mil for 50% Equity ,and from virtually year 1, returns have been several times this -annualy audited /periodically by Haycarb aud also,and annual data sent to Exchange Control- as it has done with all its foreign projects. A sum of Rs.600 m was not even earned to be robbed on top of what wasearned. Read Annual Reports.Were it not for this and later Indonesian Project,HC would have crashed by now-

Please surface facts- not sling mud -or spit upwards.
I have not earned One Cent which has not been approved by Superiors at Board as payable to me during my 41 years. I retired only with my EPF ETF & Gratuity- same for all+1/2 the shares I was entitled to at Haycarb under ESOP(same formula as other employees) because as a Director I was not given a loan, and had to sell half to buy the other half. It ‘irks’when I read these memos of ingratitude from people in service DEpts who got HC shares for no service at all.

MY WIFE SAID DONT CHEAPEN YOURSELF BY RESPONDING TO THESE STUPID COMMENTS.FOR ONCE I SHALL NOW LISTEN TO HER !!!

By: Yatawara on July 22, 2008
at 8:26 pm

Dear Mr.Yatawara,

First of all, glad to see your comments on this issue.

Few readers have made some valuable comments on this issue while many posted comments to show their total dissatisfaction over the present Hayleys management team. They (Bandara, Lalith, Jay, Sunil, Silva, Dayan, Mw & Sudu) specially fired at NGW, PSPSP, RAE,AH and SD. Only Wasantha made his comments in favour of Hayleys and because of that he was fired by the others. However, I feel he is still surviving at this forum while fighting with his rivals alone.

Sunil only made some allegations over 600 million foreign exchange fraud at Haycarb ( no details were submitted) and selling Kinetic machinery to NGW’s brother. Anyhow your name was not mentioned there.

By looking at this forum it is understood that something going wrong somewhere at Hayleys. Many employees are crying for good increments, many expressed their dissatisfaction over HR division and HR head Sunil Dissanayake. At import section at FLO, companies/sections are closing down one after the other mainly due to maladministration. But employees have to suffer ultimately.

You may remember, in 2002 for the first time in Hayleys history introduced a VRS for import companies in order to scale down the staff. Did any of those companied make profits after that? No. They asked several people to go and recruited many by now for higher salaries.

Can you remember CI program which was conducted by Ranjan Silva and Uma Khan? Did you notice any Continuous Improvement other than paying out millions and millions to above two robbers? They robbed Hayleys money and let employees to leave the company at last.

I as an employee made my strong protest to RAE over CI in 2002. I asked the same question from RAE and he said that he too accepted that CI was a failed project. Then whom to be blamed for introducing such “failed project” to the company? Did anyone who involved in CI come forward to take the responsibility? Finally innocent employees had to leave the company.

Even today the employees at import companies are not sure about their future. They blame the management for their inability to identify the “reality” behind the “downfall” of the company. According to them management has no perfect plan to develop the company other than “importing” so-called experts into the company. Said so-called experts “creates” positions in the company for their “friends” while chase away the long standing people out. They are sending employees from one location to another, saying in order to “cost reduction” and revert back their decisions within a very short period once they realized their own “madness”.

Therefore, I personally feel many employees currently at Hayleys Group are under tremendous pressure and they are with out “job satisfaction”. In a situation like this it is obvious that they are compelled to think of a “somewhat change”. As you said, I too believe, “change” is good, but not “always”. In the same way, for the sake of “change” I feel we should not jump out of “frying pan” to “fire”.

Finally, if you don’t get a “positive” response for the questions raised by you at this forum, I TOO FEEL IT IS BETTER TO LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE.

By: Lucas. J on July 23, 2008
at 11:28 am

Thanks Lucas.
For benefit of those unaware,Except Chairman,Exec Directors are heads of the major profit Centres/Service Centre.
AH (from Factory Manager 1983) a qualified foreign experienced competent Engineer,contributed immensely to HC growth,and was my 2- 1c for long years ,and was the obvious person to succeed me.Ofcourse we were friends-all at Haycarb were my friends.Would it have helped if we were enemies?
The same goes for JAGA,for NGW, PSPS for SM etc. They were the next most senior & competent.

Why doesnt somebody split Hayleys Group & share,Profit over past 30 years,amongst those who are and were such Profit centre heads, without speculating as to who would have been a better Chairman etc . Agree top leader must have ‘leadership”skills also- but must be 100%committed to the Group that pays his salary and perqs. Those only with good PR with all staff is not enough-must be able appreciate financial numbers speak /write in Pubic.
Agree with you re CI programme- but like all ,unless staff ‘buy into’and follow through any training /upliftment scheme it will be a costly death.
Retrn on Capital employed, combined with Value added per employee divided by tot av co st of an employee-incl perqs, are good benchmarks for diagnosing the problems in a Company-initialy.
The former must be >30-50%of Bank interest rates, and latter 2.0 pref 2.5-3.0.
Manufacturing companies are hit by infation and high interest without a counter balancing exchange rate. SO RoCE is low.No excuse-reality.
On the other front ( I excluded Main Board & Estates) the ratio was 1.7 . This means we have too many people(or too highly perqd/paid) for the value they create. Detailed digging tereafter. Yes Managers and Directors may have built these empires,and when the going gets bad employees suffer.
I have turned down some private sector /govt offers,because I want to be independent /apolitic & relax abit. So i have no fears to face criticism for both my actions/inactions- if it helps to releive the congestion in someones chest.Send it on!!!

I am not sure this forum was started by 1-2 disgruntled employees-perhaps an attempt to depress share price? attempt to oust Chairman?
Please dont use office time!!!

By: Yatawara on July 23, 2008
at 1:07 pm

Thanks, Mr.Yatawara for your quick response. Since I too retired from Hayleys & relaxing at home, I do not have a “period” called “office time” in my time table now. Therefore using “office time” will not be a problem for me other than paying more for electricity.

When you read comments from top to bottom in this forum, one can understand employees as well as people with links with the company are posting comments to this forum. At the beginning they commented for & against of DP and then turned into criticize the management. When you read the comments posted by Dayan, Silva & MW, you will realize it. They all need to have a so-called “change” by hook or crook.

Mr.Yatawara, I tried to explain the situation in the company, based on the information provided by the voiceless employees in the company. They are really frustrated and mentally depressed. They reluctant to express their ideas to the management because they know what exactly happened to few of them who did so.

However, I tried to show the problems from their point of view and you replied to it in a “statistical” way, which I do not know how far it is reasonable.

Also kindly note that these arguments made no affect whatsoever on Hayleys shares because Hayleys share prices have gone up from 125.00 to 138.00 despite these arguments.

I do not have any “specific” answer to your last question. But when you read all comments post to this forum, you can just imagine what it would be.

By: Lucas. J on July 23, 2008
at 2:43 pm

Oh ye who know so little and talk so much….
1) Except for Mr.DSJ who inherited shares from his father, and bought more with his own money, legally, left it in trust ,income mainly family,then all to 5 charities,none of the other Directors were gifted shares for a nominal sum, by their preceeding Directors.
2)Most of the other Blue chips(some turning red with SC case verdicts) had 30-50% owned by Directors,benefitting from Dividends,but per tradition, passing on shares for a nominal sum, to their successors.
3)…. until quoted or stock market ballooned to 10 ? xvalue, and they kept them ,and became millionaires overnight, +financial & political might thereby. No bonuses.Adequate dividends.Next gen of Directors were passified with palliatives.
4) Hayleys Exec Directors never received Bonuses for 8-10 yrs, because ,Salary Perq studies in Merc sector included the above people-
but they got dividends,&profited (and how )on their share sales!
5) Their ESOPS schemes for business units they pioneered ,were too late in coming, too low in net benefit to all employees(not Directorsonly)
6) They pioneered busineeses from villages to global.Net Forex earned and retained in SL .Creativity sweat and toil.Against mixed economic policies in S all the while. Acquisitions and image superseeded Organic growth
7) Whats ‘gentlemanly’ about our, past?/present Directors referred to in previous messages? Despite being socially on par with peers in the Merc Sector, they were and are far poorer, but kept their own dignity of integrity .perseveered in creativity. waiting for economic reality to return.
current and future Sup Court cases will reveal
the confines within which Hayleys Board have had to operate , on non export opportunities available?What type of Owners do you want to work for?
9) Judjing by the a)High quality of English but poor appreciation of what ethics/integrity mean in SL today, by some erudite contributors
b) poorer English(Ihave no bias- I hired many to HC) but good opinions by some other contributors
c) stupid factually unsuppurted barbs at Directors made by some(pumped from outside or within?)
i have finally decided to write no more to this forum.

By: Yatawara on July 23, 2008
at 9:35 pm

correction-5) read Our for Thier.

By: Yatawara on July 23, 2008
at 10:10 pm

Hello,
First all read all my comments, I never blame the past directors. I will salute SM, RY for their commitment and hard working. But no one can convince me that present board directors are gentlemen or good. I know all the games they play. I never seen such a lousy people like RAE, NGW, SD

Regarding HR head, it’s the worst person to head a HR unit. Can any one tell me that he understand what is Hayleys. Can he smell the hard working people of Hayleys? He just jumped into Hayleys group, tell me how many years he worked for Hayleys.

By: Silva on July 24, 2008
at 12:29 am

To Yatawara,
I still remember the last working day of yours, when all people standing side by side to say good bye, MR. RAE already given instructions to cancel all company given credit cards and other benefits as soon as you get into the car.

There is way to do this procedure, silently and behind the scene not in public way where all staff comes to know about this and makes jokes. All these acts make the employees feel there is no respect once out of the company.

By: Silva on July 24, 2008
at 1:03 am

Sorry all,
I am tempted to respond-where it is to correct misconceptions about ’systems’/authorisations.
1)RAE must have cracked a joke-re Credit Cards.
i had returned the 1-2 Corp Cr Cards I had or turned them into my name ,weeks before I retired. Only the key to my Office,Visitors( earlier Cman only)toilet,Bldg Swipe/ID, were handed over to my successor on last day.
2) Coy backed Credit cards has nothing to do with who finally paid the Bills and charged to Company. I will give authorisation to anyone, to list my expenditure,entertainment or otherwise, during my tenure as Chairman or MD Haycarb incl who was entertained re Cr Card useage. Pls elucidate who this’ donkey’ is who left a debit to Coy and decamped. Legal issue.Need follow up.
3)Directors expenditure even without Cr Card use
reimbursed by Coy, requires a higher (in Cmans case senior non exec Dir)Directors approval , pre or post, event, depending amount & category.
So dont run away with the idea a Cr Card enables one to charge personal expenses to Coy.

I am still awaiting details of carbokarn Exch Fraud
whether I am named or not. It cannot have happened even after my time- the numbers dont fit even in Kindergarten. Could there have been other Hayley Companies overseas without Exch Control Ok? I think not. But how much of covertly SL owned funds overseas laundry money,(no Exch Control knowledge) are being used to invest in SL biz control? Time may or may not tell!!!

By: Yatawara on July 24, 2008
at 12:55 pm

Lets be honest.
The present Board is trying to resolve issues inherited from 30 years ago or more.
I am culpable, for not doing more in my 2 1/2 years as Chairman.
It all stems from 3 different ‘cultures’and management styles -
a) 25 Foster Lane ( Inland & HR)
b) 50 Foster Lane (Shipping)
c) 400 Deans RD (Manufring for Export)
Note ,b) was non Hayleys due to legal reasons for many years,until recently, and was run by a separate Board, and owned etc by the Directors. They ran according to the style needed by the Sector. Their ‘elan’ may not match others.
Note c) comprised Fibre,HC, DPL– and Finance & though they had subtle differences, & some failures,they had a performance driven culture of innovation and hard work. Incl their peripheral Units coping with raws weather, Factories Unions ,distances to manage, frequent shifts in Govt policy on Fiscal issues(Exch Rates/Inflation)
Note a) inherited inland Agri and Consumer/HR.
These kept expanding in OH size without ,value addition per employee costs, or justification on bottom line expectations, or more ruthless discipline- management styles.On white consumer goods they were up against local competition who resorted to duty free product diversion.

DSJ tolerated this diversity amongst his ‘golayas’
to get the ‘best ‘out of each. GB was my mentor also.
i was under pressure, by non exec Dir, to recreate Hayleys identity, get discipline financial discipline, and uniformity of culture in the Group, and bring some standards of HR- Development(not P &W) to be par /better than other SL Corps.

So dont blame the current Directors only- I am equally guilty, I could not acheive this- move more towards this goal in my time.

The sources /type of complaints appear to be from 25 Foster Lane - mainly naturally. please also state contestabe facts not sling mud, at anyone- you are protected by your pseudonym any where- or are retired like I am , and no one can sue you.
I’d like to think long term/short term warm Hayley blooded employees, current or past , were honest ’straight’ guys, who didnt contribute to “kala Pathra” on the web. Expose facts- dont gossip like women( sorry ladies).

By: Yatawara on July 25, 2008
at 9:59 pm

Why the silence?
Methinks- only me-It has nothing to do with DP/NP entry to Board and Shareholding.
It has more to do with people within /outside supporting oust of Chairman and disparaging Board, perhaps bootlicking DP/NP, to climb the ladder. Snakes & Ladders.
Certainly the Tech side of Manufacturing and overseas marketing ,handled by whoever succeeds present incumbents, will ‘crash’ if this happens. they are people headed by those who have a passion for success in their endeavours not glory in the local scene nor lucre.
Name any SL industrialists who for a Public Company have attained international supremacy for their home evolved technical products?

By: Yatawara on July 27, 2008
at 9:57 pm

I agree with Mr RY that this web should nit be used as a “kala pathra” about hayleys, but could be used objectively.

There has been a total calapse in the value system over the last 10-15 years. Every year we hear of a company suddenly crashing .This means that hayleys is unable to detect failing companies until it is too late.

By: Jayjay on July 27, 2008
at 10:07 pm

Dont think I a m trying to have the last word on this forum.
Jay Jays points are valid. Explanations are needed
re delays in Boards resort to Surgery!!!
I can explain Board thinking and actions over the past many years, and in my term as Chairman,I tried to educate/share this with staff at all levels, monthly or more frequently- via Reach, via ‘cluster committees’ which absorbed all levels of management from across the Group. If this knowledge was passed down, employees at even next levels would have been sensitive to the dilemmas faced by the Board and contribute ideas towards resolving these. If this forum is widely read enough I am prepared to expand.
BUT AS A HAYLEY FAMILY I DONT WANT TO DO THIS IN PUBLIC !!!

Last doubt to clear-I/wife never travelled 1st Class
air, only Business, even when Chairmen of other Companies did. EXCEPT when Airline concerned gave auto upgrades to all during a promotion month, or I paid the difference from my money!
Not even on FF points- not enough!
I never used Air Global credits for ‘ D’ whatever.
I and all Directors flew to Hyderabad ISB on Economy, together with all our 60 staff,as a team!
The ‘misconceptions’ amongst some employees is due to lack of awareness- how much to tell?
They must investigate .find facts and expose.

Finally- I think I am a humorist- maybe wrong.
To that contributor who says his grandchildren enjoy the smell, pictures,words and figures of Our Annual Reports, more than he does- wow, how lucky you are ! Its every parent’s dream to produce successive generations who are more sensitive,literate,educated,less crude than they are/ were!

By: Yatawara on July 29, 2008
at 1:54 pm

Hi Mr.Yatawara,
Sorry for the delay in replying.

Please don’t equalize this forum with a “Kele Paththare”. As Lucas .J said this is a forum where voiceless people in Hayleys can express their views/ ideas freely. Also there may be some people writing comments to this forum having hidden agendas in their minds.

I as a senior employee of Hayleys joining with this forum in order to disclose some discrepancies taking place in the company. As you said contestable facts! Not gossips!!

1) HR Head has adopted a new system of giving increments to staff by installment basis. 7% at the beginning and 3% after 3months, that is also depending on the performances. While considering the increasing of present cost of living and it is not enough at all. Don’t you think this is why many employees at Hayleys frustrated?
2) Infocraft – This IT company commenced with the collaboration of another outsider was about to close down. The employees whom were transferred from Hayleys and other companies/divisions at the beginning of this company are now on the fence. Another VRS likely?
3) A leading figure in your company- Haycarb still gives priority to look after the welfare of a small made/nice looking lady than developing new business. Discrimination among the staff ?
4) HCPL – All the show rooms were gifted to another competitor while keeping only the debtors. Service dept at “Kanatte Junction” was finally buried at Borella, Kanatte after it was unsuccessfully re-located at Malabe. A lady officer who was there having no knowledge of HR was transferred to FLO under the newly recruited HR Manager, in order to prevent a VRS which she asked for. Another senior technician also transferred to Lighting div. at FLO for the same purpose. If our competitors can run the business with profits why can’t we? Where is the fault?
5) Manufacturing Div.- almost closed down after its longstanding head retired. Stocks/parts were sold at very much below the landing cost and several mates of a tall & fair guy were benefited. Is he working for the Company or for his own benefit?
6) A new lubricant man has been recruited as the head for HCPL and he made way for his mates to the company. Former Finance Head at HCPL has resigned over a dispute he had with this so-called expert and one of his mates replaced him in the company. Though we had a HR dept. at Hayleys, another person was brought into the company from next door as a HR Manager, may be to hire & fire. VRS was offered in 2002 to reduce staff/over heads and then why recruiting people again by creating positions?
7) According to this head’s advices, HCPL invoicing div. and 50% of Finance division located at Malabe in order to reduce cost and again re-located at FLO within several months, but do not know for reduce what?.
Titan agency came and went while P&G still surviving at a low profile. X-ray film dept and Conquer paper div. stolen away by the respective heads and no legal action instituted against them. Why is that?
9) At many show rooms, corruptions took place, mainly at Matara and Piliyandala. But company had to maintain silence over those issues as they do not have a proper accounting and networking system to monitor them. This was brought to the notice of the management by the former show room in-charge who left the company several months ago but the management did not listen to him. Is that the way of investigation into such incidents?
10) The new Finance head at HCPL muttering of another VRS now saying at least two (one officer & a clerk) should leave from each and every the sections of the company as an attempt to build up the company again. Employees wondering why he is not leaving the company with his boss making a good example to others to follow. Also, employees asking why CRS not offering to both of them. In 2002, a VRS was offered and ultimately the purpose was not served. Then why another?
11) Former lighting head after whose senior assistant was robbed by an orange colour van, is now loitering here and there as a minister without a portfolio. Don’t you think that he is a burden to the company?
12) A senior marketing guy who stagnated at HCPL for many years finally decided to open his mouth before a tall/well built Hayleys Director, ended up with another competitor closed by. So, how we express our ideas/ views/suggestions while being in the service?

While reading your previous comments I feel like reading Chairman’s statements on a Hayleys annual report. I have disclosed some discrepancies/ irregularities happened/still happening at Hayleys. We do not need a statistical answer but urgently need an action plan to get rid of all these culprits who are responsible for these, for the benefit of the company/employees.

By: Mano on July 29, 2008
at 9:10 pm

Ha good. SUBSTANCE.
I am sure Hayleys Board members are reading this.I dont have to be an intermediary- I am not God, to be able to rectify past and present issues.
If the Board can create private committees and forums of staff at various levels to discuss these issues in a cordial open manner ,we can stop this Public web site. Perhaps CAU can create a website for Chairman and Board eyes only ,with no traceability to sender ID?

By: Yatawara on July 30, 2008
at 1:20 am

Hayleys needs to have a robust system to monitor the activities of all of its companies.

After all a company’s health could be assessed ONLY IF proper financial info is available.
When one goes back to think about the failed companies, there is much evidence to suggest that proper financial info was not available on many occassions. It is not very difficult to paint a rosy picture in order to survive in the short term.

Hayleys has many educated/qualified
/experienced people, but i feel that those in senior positions have not done enough to address this issue.

By: Jayjay on July 30, 2008
at 10:00 pm

Jay Jay,
I salute your wisdom, quality of writing,
Problem may be that the ‘demands’ of time and effort creativity,of employees on Hayleys major lines of bussiness, are beyond what is expected and paid for in the mercantile sector today, where there is more gain for less employee effort? No guarantees of employment, perqs .Probably low pay and high result based incentives.
With this comment, I bow out .
Thank you

By: Yatawara on July 30, 2008
at 11:18 pm

Dearest Hayleys Directors and Former Directors and present and senior Employees,

We are been former employees of this loved company know that that If this
person Dammika Perera wouldn’t been in this seen still this company would have been in the same earlier position. People were given an oportunity by Dammika Perera. But we know how Hayleys was well decipline and financially controlled during SK’s time and the hard work of our loving director RY and I feel this wasthe best period.

We bless this company who gave our life a real life and a proper carrier path will be safe and all genuine employees and all subsdiaries will be safe with the present Directors including Mr. Dammika Perera. For the safe side please take corrective measures immediately.

By: Lucky on July 31, 2008
at 10:48 am

Mr DSJ built Hayleys, Mr RY and Mr NGW built the two pillars, Haycarb and DPL.

Two businesses which have attained world leadership. Hayleys is where it is today owing to the untiring efforts of these gentlemen. They belong to a rare breed which is fast becoming extinct ALL OVER the corporate world.

No words could describe their qualities.

By: Jayjay on August 1, 2008
at 9:08 pm

Thanks Jayjay Im at least comfortable that few people have really talk about the reallity. Others have gained and at this position because of these giants.

Its right time kick off all culprits even big or small and make this company within our period. Bring the Mr. DSJ, Mr.RY’s, Mr.NG’s innovatiive culture back and send who has taken advantage out of this .

By: Lucky on August 1, 2008
at 10:27 pm

So Cool the floor . Mr. Dammika Perera any commence or any solutions for the present crisis of Hayleys? Any valuable proposals as a young and a energetic Director? Past Directors have made this company a Blue Chip what next ? Any suggestions or proposals from the present floor?

By: Lucky on August 3, 2008
at 11:18 pm

Dear Lucky, DP was not yet appointed to Hayleys board.Anyhow,He has been invited to the board as a non-working director.

Mano, you have given the exact description of HCPL and what is going on there now. Thanks for that. I heard that HCPL head, according to yours, lubricant man has already resigned w.e.f. 31/07/2008.

Also, HR chief at HCPL was asked to leave by the top management. I am wondering why the same order can not be executed on the Minister without portfolio too?

Would like to hear from Mr.Yatawara at least once again on this new developements.

By: Nuwan on August 4, 2008
at 1:07 pm

Both traditionally and legally neither Mr.DP once a Director ,nor the Board are allowed to make statements on their plans for the Company except via the Stock Exchange & Press.
Thats the prerogative of Politicians ,& Unquoted Companies.
Like SM- once retired ,I have absolutely no connection with the Company or its Board, giving advice only if asked- this is rare, because once out of touch, one cannot ‘feel’the pulse,nor be knowledgeable on day to day events, nor do I think I am cleverer than the wide spectrum of highly qualified and experienced people it now has.
I think an apology to SM from those who singled out NGW & I for praise,is warranted. He introduced a) expanded gratuity scheme for ALL employees b) Introduced Hayleys ESOP whereby all empoyees-except Directors- get a share of the annual Dividend (dont confuse this with the Jayasundera Trust).He also expanded Commodity Fibre into value added products plus Gherkins.
I came into this forum not for praise - what do I need it for- I am not looking for Directorships anywhere nor Govt positions.- but to keep Hayleys name from being besmirched by anyone.
Please as a favour ,leave me out of further involvement? Thanks.

By: Yatawara on August 4, 2008
at 8:50 pm

Yes Lucky, DP was appointed as a non-executive Director with effect from 1st August 2008, according to Sinhale hot news latest news article published today.

By: Nuwan on August 5, 2008
at 1:59 pm

what is the latest about Minister without Portfolio? Papers have advertised without any portfolio in some land in Malambe to be sold is it belongs to Hayleys ?

Any culprits ? Take action MR. DP

By: Lucky on August 7, 2008
at 11:15 pm

Yes, that land which was advertised on last Sunday papers belongs to HCPL. They are trying to sell the land and settle their debts to Hayleys. (HCPL to settle more than 400mn to Hayleys as debts, but their expectation from land is about 220mn. How to settle the difference? Also that is their only fixed asset they have after being in the business for so many years)

Minister without portfolio is reportedly assigned to collect debts on Consumer Durable sales in addition to overlooking ware house at Malabe.

It is said that DP has attended to his first Hayleys board meeting yesterday.

By: Nuwan on August 8, 2008
at 9:11 am

Interesting comment by Mano on Haycarb (point no 3) which has gone unnoticed. The progress of Haycarb was slowed down due to this. Secretaries & “secretaries”.

By: Samboo on August 8, 2008
at 7:41 pm

That (according to Mano,giving priority to look after the welfare of a small made/nice looking lady) must be much profitable for him than developing business!!!!!!!!

This is over to you,DP !

By: MLP on August 9, 2008
at 9:45 pm

We have heard Mr. DM as a bad person. Jack Pot, getting shares hook or crook etc., Now your in a situation to show your talent. Do some creative and excellent work and show the country what hidden talent you have to really improve this Company rather than only showing short comings and acting only on short comings. Good Luck.

By: Lucky on August 15, 2008
at 11:36 pm

For latest comments, kindly refer article title ” Dhammika Perera on Hayleys Board” which was published on 15th july 2008 on this web.

By: MLP on August 17, 2008
at 10:43 am

Dimo is doing well so let Hayleys Relax with all these problems as they need a break. Mr. DM take care

By: Lucky on August 20, 2008
at 12:12 am

The floor is very quite. Thanks that all Hayleys major problems were announced and settled by this floor. My regards to all under this floor. Thanks that all are benefited in some way. Hope all will get minimum 15% increments. Puff

By: Lucky on August 23, 2008
at 4:47 pm

i had/have a few shares of hayleys exports in the coir sector (shares bought from my hard earned money over many years - very HARD EARNED!)
Recent wage fraud at HE, no accountability for the Onril debacle and since a gentlman had mentioned Omar Khan - I would also like to point out the centralized services in the coir sector!!!! the purchasing was a failure and was scrapped after one year or soo…but still the companies them selfs incurre a heavy monthly cost paying out moneys to “centralized services” of HR and Finance!
Also since someone had mentioned about Sunil D - i would like to say that the comments i hear about the HR guy in the coir sector is not all that good either! said to be a businessman who mixed it during work hours and also have said to have had a history in his last work place!
Sectory companies have thier own finance, then pay to the sector finance and then also pay to various “financial” service providers in Headoffice, same with HR - no wonder the sector companies have hit rock bottom!
I hope some HEAD in Colombo (Dont mind even if its the jack pot king) takes a closer look at this sector and even closer look at what exactly is the sector head MR.PS is doing or not doing!

By: coir shares on August 26, 2008
at 8:55 am

Dear Coir Shares,
My sympathies to you! I was once in the same boat but i sold my shares seeing that Colombo has given total rights to P.S.Perera & Co., to run the show in the coir Sector!
His sector “head office” is said to be more posh than the Hayleys head office itself! but only a % of the place is used! the rest is used up by his ego!
This HR guy you have mentioned is said to be taking the sector for a ride with the blessings of PS!
Said to be even using the official facilities to promote his business!
Oh and the sector also has a Professor without portfolio!
And yes Onril - did you know of the hayleys Colombo board, only Ebell visited the place?? that too after Hayleys lost control and for merely a Board Meeting!
If this Onril failure had taken place in another Company - PSPS & krishan (of Rileys) would have been taken to task and held accountable - but hey this is PS’s kingdom and a part of Hayleys, where directors live and let live!
And if by any chance anyone from the Board is reading this - please take action or the next thing you know is that you will have to close down the coir sector…the origin of Hayleys itself!
And as for Mr.P.S.Perera - please say a prayer every given moment as you are damned and cursed!

Coir Shares - please get out while you can - do not expect any improvements - PS is here for the long run!

By: Lee on August 27, 2008
at 9:31 am

Its not fair to use this site to only for past and present Hayleys Members to criticize. But for me it was a Company who gave me my carrier a proud one. If you see other blue chips companies too will be have more serious things to see. So at the end we respect our hero Mr. D.S. Jayasundera. These new guys at HR other places are their a proper Union ? Oh its only for clerical and minor staff? Why dont you contact Mr. Bala Thampoo for executives rights?

By: Lucky on August 27, 2008
at 9:57 pm

I heard that this web site is now not accessible from Hayleys Group.What a silly effort taken by the management to prevent its employees knowing the real truth regarding the company? We are almost in 21st century and none can prevent others knowing news in a world where growth of IT & communication sector reaches its maximum level.

May be employees can not access to this web while they are in the company. Once they off for the day, do you still believe that your employees will stick to your rules & regulations?

Mr.DP, please ensure the right of your employees to know the truth as well as inquiring into the alleged fraud which believed to be taken place in an associates company overseas.

Please ensure the rights of the employees and punish the culprits, Mr.DP!

By: Lanka.S on August 29, 2008
at 11:54 am

Expose this Foreign Exhange Fraud, of Haycarb presumably at CarbokarnThailand,, during my time or otherwise.Come on!
i said previously, annual audited returns are sent to Exch Control, and the numbers show clear profits and tax paid,and dividend remitted.

Would You like it if annonymous letters went to your wife, without facts or proof that half your salary was being used to support a secret mistress?
This is Company Money- far more serious.If there are real men not ‘poofs’ contributing to this forum- come out with data.
I feel strongly because ,Haycarb was my “Baby’ for whom I sacrificed my personal family life, for many years,and never benefitted financially as much as heaps of others have, over the years , including Hayleys as a Group.,Mr Jayasunders and his trust., and the thrust of Hayleys to Blue Chip, enabling Mr.J, and some other Directors to be invited to other Company Boards/Govt positions /pays and perqs/prestige/ whilst they drew all salaries and perqs from Hayleys Group, where their individual contributions to the bottom line was zero/negative.Exclude DSJ who was like a father fgure to many,and did good tax planning etc, but rememeber he was a beneficiary more as a shareholder than an employee.
All that is history.
I value my reputation for hard work, creativity and absolute integrity, in Haycarb,before and immediatelly after me.Thats all I leave behind for my children, both biological and the staff I perhaps motivaed to stay /or join the Company.
Be decent- dear contributors Whateve names you come under.
Give me the data and chance to purify Haycarb & my name?

By: Yatawara on August 31, 2008
at 2:01 am

Mr.YATAWARA,

Kindly note that fraud is not relevant to Carbokarn,Thailand. According to the available information that is related to some other asso. company located overseas.

Can not disclose the name of the ompany until the investigations are completed.

By: Lanka.S on August 31, 2008
at 5:52 am

Okay I will shut up…BUT why did someone in this forum bring up Haycarb or Carbokarn name, in a forex fraud? Just flinging mud due to an individuals personal grudge against this Company or some of its Directors? Paid for by Competition? Paid for by jealous employees of other companies,in the Hayleys Grp or outside?
I write under my own name boldly- I have nothing to hide.
My wife has called me ‘cheap’ for getting embroiled in this.
I am naturally emotional and passionate about my 41 yr career, so I get hurt. Just go back 35 years, what Hayleys was, and became, and why, and relate Hayleys earnings them days to todays rupee value,and how it got funds/asset base to borrow, for new ventures.
Even how rich a shareholder then has become.
BYe

By: Yatawara on August 31, 2008
at 2:14 pm

Be cool Sir, We have nothing against you.

It is now better to listen to your wife.

Thanks for your contribution for this forum.

By: Lanka.S on August 31, 2008
at 3:43 pm

The Director who is said “promoting” his pretty little Secretary instead promoting the business handed to him on a platter by Yatawara after years of hard work has now successfully placed his relative at DPL at the “expense” of a senior manage - who had since resigned!
….and then they lived happily ever after!

By: simon on September 3, 2008
at 3:35 pm

Coir Shares / Lee - finally someone sees and says about the mess in the fibre sector!
Hope NOW the Colombo Directors get out of thier offices and makes a few visits to the sector.

By: sudu on September 3, 2008
at 3:44 pm

I’m a person resigned from one of Hayleys companies due to a conflict some time back and now working overseas.

I see typical Sri Lankan’s charactreristics when reading this forum. Some people within the same company trying to create bad name for the company.

This is the exact quality of typical Sri Lankans: they are not proud being Sri Lankans; always blame another set of Sri Lankans for current status of the country without doing their job properly.

If you are unsatisfied of the company cultuer or performance get out of that company and join another/ better one. If you are a good worker enough opportunities out there. You don’t have to get involved in this kind of un-professional postings.

In Sinhala - we call it “Ange indagena kana kanawa”

I think the first task of the board of directors is to identify these people and get rid of them !

Those who write here are expected to be mostly English speaking/ computer literate people (so called Professionals ??) but still they are typical Sri Lankans !

Mr Yatawara, If you are real RY, pease remember “balloth ekka nida gaththoth negitinna wenne makkoth ekka”.

Sorry to be anonymous !

-citizenofsrilanka-

By: citizenofsrilanka on September 5, 2008
at 9:28 pm

Dear citizen of sri lanka (or should I call you kalu sudda??)
How can you without being in the soup, make comments about how hot it is - on your own admission you are not even in it.
I agree with you that it is not very nice to bite the hand that feeds you - but what happens when the feed is such a little and “hand” enjoys luxuries that the mouth can see - it is only natural that the mouth would, while feeding take a nip of the hand as well.
If all the above was just mud slinging, why has access to the website been denied to the employees?
Why cannot the responsible parties explain the various accusations to the staff???
Remember there is no smoke without fire.

Anycase obviously you too could see what was coming, which is why you have left the company. In the conflict, were you in the right or in the wrong that you left???
what about the unfortunates, who although English speaking and fairly well versed in computers cannot get alternate jobs? They have no option but to stick on - everyone is not as fortunate as you to be able to find foreign jobs.

Obviously this forum has been seen by the top people at Hayleys - so I suppose it is up to them to deny the allegations or inquire into what is inferred.

Best Regards - On with the battle
CEE

By: cee on September 6, 2008
at 4:34 pm

Dear citizen of Sri Lanka,

Kindly note I too was at Hayleys for nearly 16 years and left the company NOT as a result of a “conflict” but due to my own future prospects. Still I am in SL and working for a Sri Lankan Company.

Since Hayleys was my first work place and I was there for nearly 16 years, still I couldn’t erase the memories of Hayleys. I have many friends at Hayleys and therefore I am aware of the new developments at Hayleys during the recent past.

It is regret to see that you have asked Directors to take action against those who have expressed their criticism with regard to the current situation of the company. We all know that there is no way to criticize the management within the company. I know very few who did so either were sacked or harassed. Hence, I feel this is a good forum for the voiceless employees of the company to express their ideas/ views/ comments freely. On the other hand, if the Directors are going to take action against the employees who disclose the discrepancies/wrongdoings taking place in the company for the benefit of the company/employees, I must ask you “Kumata erata adhikaranaya, neethiya saha vinisuran?”.

If the employees made any false allegations against the company/ any individuals, no doubt they are subject to punish. Otherwise, relevant authorities should take appropriate steps to stop or at least to minimize the discrepancies/wrongdoings (as described in this forum by Bandara, Lalith, Sunil, Silva, Dayan, MW, Sudu, Lucas.J, Mano, Coir shares, Lee, Lanka.S & Simon) happening in the company.

People like you can define this forum as a “Kele Paththare”, not only I but also many in this forum don’t think so. That was proved even by RY by making a substantial contribution to this forum.

You have told RY, “if you sleep with dogs, you will have to get up with bugs”. By saying so, it seems to be that you need to keep him out of this forum, because according to your opinion, posting comments to this forum is something like “sleeping with dogs”.

However, that “Sinhala Kiyamana” can also apply to you as well because you also posted comments to this forum. Therefore, be careful of “bugs” hereafter.

Banning the access to this site within the company will not make any sense/impact for the ongoing crisis in the company. Whether we accept it or not, we all should respect to the people’s right to express their ideas. Therefore, I feel the best solution is to have a reliable & honest dialogue between the management and the employees of the company in order to settle this dispute.

As cee said, I too totally agreed, “there is no smoke without fire.”

By: Ranga on September 7, 2008
at 3:28 pm

It is only on Wednesday 27th August that I got to know of this website in which there were various unwarranted criticisms and comments expressed regarding Mr. Wickremeratne, Mr. Dhammika Perera and other directors of Hayleys.

I also noticed that except for Mr. Rajan Yatawara (whom I greatly respect) NO ONE ELSE seems to have had the courage to disclose their identity. This itself casts many doubts on the credibility of that posted on the webside.

My first response to these comments is to draw your attentions to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ as found in

• The Gospel according to St. Luke Chapter 6 v 37 “ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

• The Gospel according to St. Luke Chapter 6 v 41 “And why quibble about the speck in someone else’s eye (his little fault) when a board (a major fault) is there in yours”

• The Gospel according to St. John Chapter 8 v 7 “If any of you is without sin let him be the first to throw a stone at her” – this was when the Jewish leaders wanted to stone a woman who was caught committing adultery

I believe ALL the teachings of all the other great religions of the world also teach us all the above principles.

Let us ALL attempt to live by the teachings of our individual religions and reflect on our selves rather than dwell on shortcomings of others

By: Niru Fernando - Dipped Products Ltd on September 10, 2008
at 5:40 pm

My association with Dipped Products Ltd, goes back to 1985, when I was recruited to design and build in house a glove manufacturing plant (the 3rd production plant) based on the 2nd production plant which was imported from Spain. In the context of the mid-1980’s where almost everyone was buying manufacturing plants designed and built by foreign parties this was truly a pioneering effort and was entirely the brain child of fearless leaders like Mr. Wickremeratne.

Hayleys had a culture of creating value addition to the agricultural products of Sri Lanka – the decision to design and manufacture production plants in Sri Lanka, was an extension of this culture by bringing out the full potential of scientists, engineers and other professionals in Sri Lanka. Most of the various manufacturing plants of Dipped Products Ltd., were designed, built, installed, brought into commercial operations and thereafter modified to meet emerging product requirements entirely by in-house technical personnel, without any foreign expertise. This clearly shows that Hayleys is technologically driven, and that technologists in the various difference fields, find it a satisfying place to use their knowledge for the betterment of the organization, the Sri Lankan people and the country.

At this time when there is a clarion call by the leadership of Sri Lanka, to revitalize the agricultural sector, strengthen local manufacturing and increase exports, Hayleys has a lot to offer. The way forward is not to cause divisions, but to unite and take constructive steps to ensure Hayleys once more takes foremost place in creating value addition to local resources.

I reiterate that the synergies in experience and knowledge of both Mr. N.G. Wickremeratne and Mr. Dhammike Perera as well as all the other gentlemen in the Hayleys Board, should be the catalyst for taking a giant leap forward in face of the global challenges.

Hence our focus should be to meet these challenges and not in non-productive slanderous comments from “gentlemen” who wish to remain anonymous.

Again, may I say that let us critically examine OUR OWN SINFUL SELVES before we CRITICISE OTHERS.

By: Niru Fernando - Dipped Products Ltd on September 10, 2008
at 5:48 pm

Niru obviously realises that there are things to be judged, things to be forgiven - and that there is a spec. - Most people at Hayleys, according to this forum seem to think so. Actually, if you read between the lines, what everyone seems to be asking is for Mr. W and DP to do something about the shortcomings -
Anycase, I think you are obviously well looked after - REMeMBER Niru it is the guy who has the sore that feels the pain.

By: cee on September 10, 2008
at 8:32 pm

Its good going now . Everything is out now. Action plan to restore. May be out of this forum at least 10% should be really corrected . Other things can be one sided. So why dont take some serious action rather than we put out further many things. We really devoted to built this company in the past as youngsters with many rules. Its not the time to jokers to enjoy. Serious people take action.Common all highly qualified people take this serious. Dont allow others to show their colours.

By: Lucky on September 10, 2008
at 9:53 pm

Mr.Fernando,

I really appreciate your effort for providing an introduction with regard to DPL. I am one of the senior executives, still working at Hayleys Group since 1978. Therefore I have little more experience with Hayleys regarding its traditions & culture than you.

Yes, It is true only RY and you have written to this forum by using there real names and others (including me) have written their comments without disclosing their own identity. You as a Director of DPL can freely “praise” the management by disclosing your identity. If I as an executive “criticize” the management for the benefit of the employees/company, you may not agree, but it is a well known fact that it will be the end of my career at Hayleys. I have seen many of my collogues who criticized the management with proven facts (“contestable facts” as RY said) were axed deliberately one after the other. I have few more years to serve in the company and therefore I do not want to get committed suicide now itself.

I also can submit many “words” of many “religion leaders” but those will not make any impact whatsoever on this issue. Whether we like it or not, there are few issues were raised in this forum by many people and regret to note, by willingly or not none of such issues were addressed by you through your text.

If the management has a “genuine intention” to resolve these issues, they can do it even without checking the “identities” of the people who disclosed those malpractices & discrepancies which took/taking place in the company. If the management still needs to check the “identities” of said people, before inquiring into such allegations disclosed in this forum, that means the management only needs to punish such people rather than chase away the culprits who are responsible for those malpractices/discrepancies.

Finally, what we need is to have an action plan with specific deadlines to run the company in a profitable way while eliminating the culprits who are having their individual agendas for their own benefits.

By: An employee on September 11, 2008
at 3:46 pm

Will anyone look into the recent JV Issues in the Coir Sector???

- Onril
- Toyo Cushion - China
- Hayleys Exports - Indoneshia

I really thought PS would have learnt from Onril - but if its other peoples money - why worry???
Colombo head? will you ever ask PS to STOP>>

Oh and i am also told that some workers have made some decorations along the Volanka Wall in praise of the management!!!

I may not be a employee…but i have MY BLOODY MONEY in those companies by investing in Hayleys Exports!

By: coir shares on September 11, 2008
at 9:02 pm

Hi the floor is boring. May be because of the death of former employee Mr. J.J. Ediriweera of Hayleys Engineering Ltd. Hayleys Directors should plan how to absorb some BOI shares into Hayleys Group and requesting a Directoroship there. This task can be given to the Human Resources Manager. This will benefit all parties.

By: Lucky on September 15, 2008
at 9:33 pm

The floor is boring, not because of JJ’s death. Because, the management is not responding to any of the issues raised in this forum positively. Though, on and off one or two replied, their answers are like ” Yanne Koheda? Malle Pol”

By: Ranga on September 16, 2008
at 9:43 pm

Wonder what happend at the 17th meeting where DP also was present.
Hope he was able to see through all the lies and deceit!

By: coir shares on September 19, 2008
at 8:46 am

Why dont you name this web as
“Halyley News” rather than having a separate bulletin and this will hep all sectors.

Marriages, Deaths , Business, Threats , Oportunities, Vacancies, Salary Increase all these tropics can have. i will appeal to the editor to all present and past employees to help this web including the present Human Resources Manager.

By: Lucky on September 21, 2008
at 11:00 pm

Lucky, don’t you know this web site is already banned at Hayleys Group?

Hence asking Hayleys people to help this web site or asking editor to name this web site as “Hayleys News” is a joke.

By: Ranga on September 22, 2008
at 11:54 am

Good News. When its banned more news and people will see write . Good for this web site. When a film is banned before screened its more interested than normal. Keep it up. All hidden this of this loved company should come out for the benefit of the future of this company. But the editor should make ensure that this web is used identify the correct loopholes. Because we old people have grown and our carrier was developed because of our honest hard work at Hayleys during DSJ and SM s Period . Other puppets are at this position of beacuse of the past. Will the new people will join a company that is going to close?

By: Lucky on September 22, 2008
at 10:15 pm

Due to banning this web site within the company, number of insiders who made comments to this forum has come down drastically during the recent past. But that doesn’t mean insiders are now not visiting this website, according to the internal informed sources.

If necessary, you can keep your mouth shut. But you can not expect others to keep their mouths shut forever.

Anyway it is a good news.

By: Ranga on September 23, 2008
at 10:30 am

The huge white Elephant of the Fibre segment the Volanka Services is the best place to be!
After sucking out whatever possible from the companies in the sector - it had made a profit and to cap it all even had declared a BONUS!
No prices who got the largest slice!!! PS Perera himself!
No wonder the posters claim to be saying the senior managers have swallowed the earnings of the workers!
Costs are asked to minimized, worker OT is cut…but that does not stop PS Perera from taking he entitled overseas tour!! of course he is entitled, but a sacrifice would have been very much welcome!
Oh and have any of the directors who are entitled for a 2nd car given it up to save any cost by the way? Surprisingly….NO!!!
Why should they, it is the working class that need to sacrifice!

By: coir shares on September 23, 2008
at 4:12 pm

Hi the floor is so cool. May be all would have got their Annual Bonus including the Human resorces Manager in installments and stages of perfomance thats why all are quite.

Heard Mr. NGW’s foreign speach about water resources. Keep it up the good work. This company should success. Our blessings. But keep rats out.

By: Lucky on September 28, 2008
at 12:43 am

To: Mr.Dhammika Perera (Director)

Dear Sir,

I am a clerk at Hayleys Ltd and totally depend on my monthly salary. I have a family to maintain in addition to many commitments towards my old parents. As far as I know, Hayleys is a company which comes under shop & office act. According to the act, our monthly salary to be paid at least on the working day which prior to the last working day of each month. Apart from that this was further clearly stated on the collective agreement which is still in force in between the company and the federat

Sinhale Hot News

BOI CHAIRMAN BECAME THE MAJOR SHAREHOLDER OF HAYLEYS LTD WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

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