Daily FT: SriLankan board tenders six resignation letters

• Six members including chairman handover resignation letters to PM
• Move comes after British company outlines changes needed for restructuring
• Unclear whether resignations will be accepted 
• President to appoint commission on SriLankan and Mihin in January  

Following a decision by President Maithripala Sirisena that a Presidential Commission will be appointed to investigate fraud allegations involving SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka in the first week of January, six SriLankan Airlines board members, including Chairman Ajith Dias have handed over their resignation letters.

The resignation letters were tendered to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who heads the ministerial committee on restructuring the national carrier. However, it is unclear whether the resignation letters have been accepted.

The resignations were handed over to pave way for a new director board, if needed, after a British consultant company last week presented a report on SriLankan Airlines.

The Nyras Consulting Company specialising in the global aviation sector, which was hired by the Government to advise it on initiating a restructuring program and securing an investor for the troubled national carrier, presented its preliminary report last Wednesday, outlining the broad framework for restructuring.

The report had outlined the need for a stronger board with more powers to effectively restructure the ailing airline and increase its chances of finding an international investor, prompting the resignations of the current Chairman and board.

Over the weekend President Sirisena told a rally that he would appoint another Presidential Commission on SriLankan and Mihin Lanka after the Bond Commission presented its report.

Speaking in Kaduwela the President further said he, as the leader of this country has taken many decisions against fraud, corruption and misuse of state funds, that any other previous government had not taken and in the future too, he will fulfil his responsibilities towards building a clean national political movement with a disciplined political generation while taking stern actions against fraud, corruption and abuse.

The President pointing out the need to elect disciplined representatives for the local government institutions in the process of building a better country, said that by making the local government institutions free of fraud and corruption, the people can reap maximum benefits out of these institutions.

President Sirisena said that through the local government elections the SLFP expects to build a completely honest, intelligent, well-disciplined political generation and to create politicians who love the country. As a party SLFP, which was developed with the blood of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike who was committed to build clean political movement, should dedicate in this regard, he stressed.

Source: Daily FT

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