SriLankan agrees to pay dues to CPC

After a successful discussion between SriLankan Airlines and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), SriLankan has agreed to pay the due amount in instalments, CPC said in a statement released to the media. 

CPC Managing Director Neil Jayasekara in a statement said that the National Carrier SriLankan has agreed to pay Rs. 800 million out of Rs. 13.45 billion, after discussions with Public Enterprise Development Ministry Secretary Ravindra Hewavitharana, CPC Chairman Dammika Ranatunga and SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ranjith Fernando at CPC earlier this week. 

Further, SriLankan has also stated that they will take steps to seek Cabinet approval to obtain loan facilities from a private Bank to pay the due amount. 

Following the discussion, the CPC stated that they will continue to supply fuel to SriLankan Airlines, as they agreed to pay the due amount. CPC last week issued a warning that the fuel supply to the national carrier would be suspended if the latter did not pay its dues. 

However, Cabinet spokesperson Dr. Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said that the CPC Chairman’s threat was an empty one, as both entities involved are State-owned. 

“There have been instances earlier where the CPC threatened to stop the supply. But that has never happened. They will only threaten to do so,” he said.