SriLankan to be taken up at next Economic Council

Critical of the performance of SriLankan Airlines’ upper management, Cabinet Co-spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne said the fate of the troubled airline was to be discussed at the next National Economic Council meeting headed by President Maithripala Sirisena. 

“There is time till March next year to decide on the matter. The President will take the matter up at the next National Economic Council meeting,” he said. 

The Minister also said that the members of upper management who were recruited to help turn around the national airline had failed to deliver the expected results, suggesting a cleanup within the top ranks was in order. 

“They were appointed with salaries as high Rs. 3 million to turn the company around and make profits. They shouldn’t have been recruited if not but they have failed. They have stated that workers should get ready to leave their jobs; it’s not the workers who should go but they should be removed first,” he asserted. 

“The reason for us to retain these professionals paying such high salaries was to turn things around and make profits. At the rate they are going they shouldn’t have been paid even Rs. 300,000.”  

The Minister said that the Government would have to take immediate action using a top-down approach. (CD)