Hatton National Bank PLC opens commercial operations for Remittances in Canada
Hatton National Bank (HNB PLC), Sri Lanka’s premier private sector commercial bank has launched commercial operations to facilitate remittance services from Canada to Sri Lanka. This service will be provided through its subsidiary Money Service Business (MSB) in Canada, Commercial Interlink Services Inc., under the banner “DELMA EXCHANGE CANADA”.
Delma Exchange is a Money Service Business registered with and regulated by FINTRAC. It is owned and managed by Sri Lanka’s premier commercial bank, the HNB which was recognized as EUROMONEY-Best Bank in Sri Lanka 2009 and ASIAN BANKER- Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka 2008.
Commenting on the launch HNB’s CEO and Managing Director Rajendra Theagarajah said “Canada is a very important corridor for inward remittances to Sri Lanka. With an estimated half a million Lankans living and working here, Canada is a much valued source of remittances into Sri Lanka and to Hatton National Bank. We pioneered this initiative amongst Lankan commercial banks by setting up our own MSB catering to the needs of the Sri Lankan community. The essence of DELMA EXCHANGE’s offering to customers is UNPARALLED CONVENIENCE at AFFORDABLE COST”.
Customers of Delma will have to complete a one –off registration process. A customer can choose to transact from home or office or even while on the move by using the web browser on a cell phone handset. Instructions are accepted to either credit the customer’s Bank account in Sri Lanka or pay cash on production of ID by a named beneficiary. Delma is not confining this service only to account holders of HNB but will make this service available to customers of any Licensed Commercial or Licensed Specialized Bank regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
As a reputed Financial Institution with an asset base in excess of Rs 260 billion, HNB is highly focused on providing a cost effective, user friendly and efficient service relating to remittances. Having served Sri Lankan’s for 120 years since 1888 from our humble beginnings as Hatton Bank, we have continuously adopted innovation and changed our service offerings to meet the expectations of our loyal customers. In Canada, our focus is to work with Sri Lankans or Canadians who already have a Canadian bank account with a bank regulated by the Bank of Canada so that transactions are processed in accordance with accepted “Know your customer” and Anti Money Laundering procedures. Delma Exchange’s own internal procedures supported by the strong backing and infrastructure of HNB would ensure that Best-in Class practices would be maintained said Tharini Mahesan the President of Delma Exchange Canada.
Delma Exchange Canada would have its own board of directors. HNB would be represented by Messrs Rajendra Theagarajah (MD/CEO) and, Reshanka Abeysekere (Asst GM International Operations & Correspondent Banking HNB) while Ms Beatrice Kamaleeni Arnold a veteran real estate professional with over 20 years servicing the Lankan community in Canada and Abhaya Suwandaratnea senior Chartered Accountant and CPA with over 30 years of financial accounting, reporting and management experience will serve as Independent Non Executive Directors. The office will be located at suite 122, 1200 Markham Road, Scarborough ONT. M1H 3C3 and managed by Ms Tharini Mahesan, President.
Contact details are
The picture shows (Left to right) Mrs Beatrice Kamalini Arnold – Director Delma Exchange Canada, Mr. Abhaya Suwanderatne – Director Delma Exchange Canada, Mr.Rajendra Theagarajah – Director Delma Exchange Canada/ MD/CEO of HNB & Mrs Tharini Mahesan - President Delma Exchange Canada.
