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Airline Pilots Guild goes to the RTI Commission
View(s):In the wake of the Alliance of Unions of SriLankan Airlines alleging that the Chairman, CEO and members of the Board of Directors of the national carrier were political appointees with no experience or capacity to perform their tasks competently while wasting public funds by claiming ‘exorbitant’ salaries and other perks, the Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka (APGSL) has appealed to the Right to Information Commission of Sri Lanka against the refusal of the top management to give information under the Right to Information Act relating to allegations of waste, mismanagement and other irregularities.
Sources at the APGSL told the Sunday Times that the appeal had been filed at the Commission against the refusal of the Designated Officer of SriLankan to give information under seven headings. Heading the list is information requested on the salaries and other allowances and/or benefits of the CEO of SriLankan Airlines Limited, its Head of Human Resources (HHR) and the Chief Commercial Officer.
In addition, the APGSL had asked for all information related and/or connected to Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) correspondence with SriLankan Airlines Limited, all information related and/or connected to PIA initial entry into an agreement with SriLankan Airlines Limited and all information relating to the Agreement with SriLankan Airlines Limited including the said agreement, all financial information (including but not limited to profits and/or losses and damages) connected to the Agreement and/or arrangement between PIA and SriLankan Airlines Limited and all information related to and/or connected to the termination of the Agreement and/or arrangement between PIA and SriLankan Airlines Limited.
The last two items of information relates to all information connected to the cancellation of the order of Airbus A350 Aircraft (including but not limited to all Agreements and/or correspondence related to ordering of Airbus A350 Aircraft and the cancellation thereof) and all information related to and/or connected to the cost of personal flying training for the A320 jet conversion borne by SriLankan Airlines Limited and/or any party for the CEO Mr. Suren Ratwatte.
Apart from disclosing the revenue accruing to SriLankan Airlines as a result of the Wet Lease agreement with the PIA, all other items of requested information have been refused by SriLankan Airlines citing several grounds in the RTI Act. Information on the salaries, allowances and other benefits given to the top management of the airlines has been denied on the basis that this will disclose personal information contained in confidential employment contracts and that a fiduciary relationship is involved.
In relation to the PIA agreement, it has been claimed that disclosure of the requested information would be, or is likely to be, seriously prejudicial to Sri Lanka’s relations with any State, or in relation to international agreements or obligations under international law, where such information was given by or obtained in confidence.
SriLankan Airlines has further refused to release the information on the cancellation of the order of Airbus A350 Aircraft stating that this relates to a cabinet memorandum in relation to which a decision has not been taken. It has claimed that it would infringe the safeguard relating to commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, protected under the Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003 and also the request relates to information given by a third party in confidence.
The APGSL has pleaded that SriLankan Airlines is funded with large borrowings from the Treasury and that therefore information regarding corrupt practices by the management of the airlines comes within the ambit of information that can be asked for under the RTI Act in the public interest. Meanwhile the Sunday Times learns that the services of the CEO of PIA had been terminated after the PIA agreement with SriLankan Airlines which had led to allegations of corruption and irregular practices. In relation to the cancellation of the order of Airbus A350 Aircraft, it has been pointed out by the APGSL that the annual reports of SriLankan Airlines had detailed major financial losses resulting from the transaction.
The appeal hearing has been fixed before the RTI Commission for January 8, 2018. The five-member Commission comprises Mahinda Gammampila (Chair) attorneys-at-law Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena and SG Punchihewa, Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran and former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Rohini Walgama who was recently appointed to the Commission by President Maithripala Sirisena.