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Thursday, 2 November 2017 00:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Chathuri Dissanayake
Initial discussions with Qatar to form a private-public partnership to manage the cash-strapped national carrier SriLankan Airlines were successful, a senior minister said yesterday.
Qatar is to study the proposals on SriLankan Airlines and decide on its stand later this month, Cabinet spokesman, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told reporters yesterday during the weekly Cabinet press briefing.
A delegation from Qatar which visited the country over the weekend, carried out discussions with relevant officials on SriLankan Airlines, he said.
“They came the day after we returned from our visit to Qatar and are very satisfied with the discussions held,” he said.
The delegation returned to their country on Monday with a detailed report on the matter and is expected to revert to Sri Lankan authorities with a proposal in the near future, he said. President Maithripala Sirisena discussed a possible partnership to run SriLankan Airlines with the Emir of Qatar during his visit last week. The national airline, which has been running at a huge loss, has been on the lookout for joint ventures since 2015 but has failed to secure a deal to date.
The Cabinet also discussed the liquidation of Mihin Lanka Airlines, founded during the Rajapaksa regime, Senaratne said. However, the licence owned by the now defunct airline is still open, he said. The Government will have to pay the debts of the failed airline amounting to Rs. 8.688 billion, he said.
“These will have to be paid. We have decided to appoint a presidential commission to investigate the losses as well,” he said.
“The airline was formed without a feasibility study, without any plan; just on a whim and they appointed their political lackeys.
The founding director board included Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sajin Vass Gunewardena. They bought the aircraft and equipment for this airline without calling for competitive tenders,” he revealed.
