Telecom giants Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH) has revealed major cost cutting measures and re-organization plans across the board to ensure profitability in a difficult business climate.

At the ATH Annual General meeting this morning, ATH Chairman Taito Waqa stressed that every facet of ATH operations was under scrutiny as the group moved to greater efficiency and productivity.

Waqa said through the restructure at Telecom Fiji Limited (TFL) which has seen 149 employees made redundant, TFL is expected to start making saving close to $4 million annually within 15 months.

The executive team at TFL will also be cut back from 13 to seven while recruitment is proceeding for general managers to head six business units.

ATH CEO Tomasi Vakatora also revealed that TFL and its subsidiary Connect, are now drawing on a common pool of engineering and technical expertise and Connect will also function in accordance with a new revenue sharing business model with TFL.

Parts of Xceed and Trans Tel Communications and telephony systems businesses has been folded into TFL and Vakatora confirmed that the management of the public telephone network is to be transferred TFL from Trans Tel.

In relation to the new card service Yehdo, Vakatora said there is a large potential to extend the scope of the pre-paid card service in urban and rural areas and it might be possible to offer electronic bus ticketing and on-line shopping.

Meanwhile, a new Director for ATH was elected by its shareholders at the company's 11th AGM this morning.

David Kolitagane the Acting Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Finance was nominated by the government, and replaces Mesake Nawari whose term had expired.

Nawari was eligible but has decided against seeking re-election for another 3 year term.

Kolitagane joins Taito Waqa, Mesake Nawari, Arun Narsey, John Prasad, Ajith Kodagoda and Tom Ricketts on the ATH board.