Sri Lanka Insurance: Bangsa Jayah out, Keith Bernard new MD

  State-owned Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd (SLIC) on Wednesday announced the appointment of a new Managing Director (MD), Keith Bernard replacing T. M. R. Bangsa Jayah, official sources said. Mr. Bernard was to take over at SLIC on Wednesday but Mr. Jayah is still at SLIC MD office refusing to leave, they added. "Mr. Jayah (brother-in-law of Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake) doesn't want to go and as a result Mr. Bernard is awaiting Minister Kabir Hashim's intervention," an official said. Mr. Hashim handles the Public Enterprise Development portfolio which now handles the SLIC against the Finance Ministry earlier. In a related development, Maga Neguma Chairman Mr. Bernard was also appointed to the director board of Lanka Hospitals Corporation (formerly Apollo Hospitals) on Wednesday along with three new members - Asendra Siriwardena, Ms. Uma Rajamantri and Dr. Anil Abeywickrema, the hospital said in a stock announcement. Both SLIC's Life and General funds have a controlling stake of 54.4 per cent in Lanka Hospitals Corporation. (Duruthu)