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SriLankan dismisses Weliamuna report
The controversial Weliamuna Report which accused SriLankan Airlines top officials and employees of financial misappropriation has been dismissed by the airline’s chief Ajith Dias.
Speaking to the Sunday Times on the sidelines of a media briefing, the SriLankan Airlines chairman said there was “no financial misappropriation” with regard to the 15 persons mentioned in the Weliamuna report.
Some of those against whom allegations were made are the former Chairman Nishantha Wickremesinghe, former CEO Kapila Chandrasena, cabin crew member Chathurika J. Muhandiram, the airline’s New York representative Dilan Ariyawansa, senior cabin crew member Senanaya Senanayaka, Human Resources Head Pradeepa Kekulawala, Security chief Piyadi Chandrawansa, Finance Head Yasantha Dissanayaka and Chief Operations Officer Druvi Perera.
The Weliamuna report had also referred to Udayanga Weeratunga, Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia. He was accuse of influencing the airline’s operations and picking General Sales Agents in Russia.
Mr. Dias said four current directors had been appointed to a committee to look into the findings of the report.
Following this investigation carried out internally by the airline it had been found that there was “no financial misappropriation” as stated in the report prepared following an investigations by lawyer and human rights activist J.C. Weliamuna.
Mr. Dias said the findings by the four directors were submitted to the committee established by the Prime Minister’s office and this committee was said to have been satisfied “with our findings”.
Mr. Dias while admitting that there were “certain things we couldn’t find” was apparently irritated by the persistent questioning and ended it by saying, “I don’t know why people are harping on this.”
During the media briefing, he noted that the Weliamuna report was based on what people said. Mr. Dias said they had studied the report and made a some organisational changes on the structure and also took in some senior management executives.
Mr. Weliamuna, a former chairman of Transparency International Sri Lanka, said those responsible for the decision to purchase four Airbus A350 super-luxury aircraft at an inflated price should pay for this dreadful crime.
“There is no question that the people who took this decision (should) be held accountable in terms of criminal law,” he said at a good governance meeting in Colombo on Wednesday.
Apart from Mr. Dias, the airline’s current board comprises Rakitha Jayawardena, Sunil Peiris, Joseph. M.S. Brito, Mahinda Haradasa, R. Chanaka De Silva, Niranjan De Silva Deva Aditya and Harendra K. Balapatabendi.