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In the recent past, successive governments have looked for potential investors to run the country’s loss-making national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, but there have been no takers so far.

No one came forward with an offer, given the financial status of the company. Some were willing to consider such a proposal but only if the past losses are settled and they can make a fresh start.

However, a new potential investor, who has ambitions to be a big player in the region and even the world, is tapping on the door, according to airline sources. That is India’s conglomerate giant, Tata Sons.

The talk of the town these days is that Tata Sons which took over India’s Air India last year and rebranded the airline is showing some interest. In addition to Air India, the conglomerate group also owns Vistara, Air India Express, and AirAsia India.

In February, shortly after the takeover, Air India under the management of Tata Sons, made the largest plane order in commercial aviation history by upgrading its fleet with 250 planes from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. Industry experts estimate the cost at about USD 85 billion.

SriLankan Airlines currently flies to the Indian airports of Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Madurai, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchirapally from Colombo. During the Buddhist pilgrimage season, it flies direct to Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, and soon to Kusinara. Based on seat availability data, SriLankan Airlines currently commands a 63.21% market share on the country pair. Air India has the second biggest presence in Sri Lanka — India sectors, with a 13.68% market share.

“If Tata acquired a full or part stake in SriLankan Airlines, adding in Vistara’s 4.69% market share, its airlines would provide 81.58% of all seats on the country pair, which may or may not raise competitive concerns,” according to a report from ch-aviation, a platform that provides airline intelligence and analysis reports.

Earlier, a senior Ports and Aviation Ministry official told a Parliament Oversight Committee that the government was planning to sell two entities of SriLankan Airlines — SriLankan Airlines Ground Handling and SriLankan Catering to one buyer. “The government hopes to raise approximately USD600 million by selling 49% stakes in both profitable entities. However, that amount would only cover around half of SriLankan Airlines’ existing debt”.

In Seoul, Sirisena playing global peacemaker role

A Sri Lankan delegation consisting of a former President, a former first lady and senior officials is attending an international conference organised by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in the South Korean capital of Seoul amidst ongoing tensions in the region.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena, former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ajith Rajapakse, Development Lotteries Board Chairman Ajith Naragala and local officials representing the UPF are attending the conference which kicked off on Tuesday.

The Sri Lankan delegation at the Seoul Peace Summit

According to a brief note on the conference, the Peace Summit 2023 regional sessions will focus on peacebuilding in North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

For former President Sirisena, this is the second time he is addressing the conference. He took part in a new initiative called the International Elders Roundtable. This global project, according to the organisers, is designed to capture the wisdom and experience of elders to establish peace and stability in society and the nation.

“Youth and adults have vision and enthusiasm, but elders provide a path by their experience and knowledge. Hence, for there to be eternal peace and prosperity, there must be cooperation between elders, adults, and youth in our society,” former President Sirisena was quoted as saying at planning meetings for the Elders’ initiative.

India-Pakistan showcase Buddhist heritage at Gangaramaya

As Sri Lankans marked the Vesak festival this week with much relief compared to previous chaotic years, if one were to visit “Buddha Rashmi” organised as part of National celebrations at the popular Hunupitiya Gangarama Temple in Colombo, the ongoing geopolitical tussle centred on the island is visible.

It’s a known secret that both India and Pakistan have focused in recent times on utilising in their diplomatic manoeuvres the thousands of years of Buddhist historical links the two countries share with Sri Lanka.

For this Vesak, both countries came up with their own ‘Vesak Pavilions’ to showcase their Buddhist heritage and historical links to the Sri Lankan people. The Indian High Commission organised a special exhibition on India’s rich Buddhist Heritage displaying digital recreations of the fresco paintings from the world-famous UNESCO Heritage Site, the Ajanta caves depicting significant episodes from the Buddha’s life and Jataka tales.

On Pakistan’s part, its own pavilion focused on the Gandhara civilisation Buddhist heritage links along with statues of fasting Buddha, preaching Buddha, meditating Buddha and replicas of many other artifacts indigenous to Pakistan along with photographs of the 2,500 years old Buddhist reserves found during excavations over decades.

Floral tribute from a sky drone at the Vesak event at the historic Dipaduttamarama Viharaya

Flowers from drone launch Vesak Week at Kotahena temple

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena raised the Buddhist flag on Tuesday at the historic Dipaduttamarama Viharaya in Kotahena to officially launch this year’s Vesak Week. The temple was the site where the Buddhist flag was first raised 138 years ago.

The event went ahead on Tuesday despite heavy rain. The ceremony was also attended by the Thai Ambassador Poj Harnpol, Buddha Sasana Minister Vidura Wickramanayake, State Ministers Ashoka Priyantha and Janaka Wakkumbura and Colombo District Development Committee Chairman and Parliamentarian Yadamini Gunawardena.

A highlight of the event was the use of a drone for the first time to scatter flowers onto the site from the air. MP Yadamini Gunawardena had proposed the idea to use a drone and the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) deployed one of its drones to scatter flowers rather than the usual and far more expensive method of using a helicopter.

ITN sex-allegation probe makes headway

The preliminary investigation into the alleged sexual harassment/sexual bribery complaint made by a former news anchor at the state-run Independent Television Network (ITN) was held this week at the Ministry of Mass Media. The investigation is being headed by lawyer Sweena Chang.

The alleged victim was present at the inquiry and her statement was recorded. Based on what was revealed during the preliminary investigation, the Investigation Officer decided to obtain a statement from the channel’s DGM (News).

After that statement is recorded, the Investigation Officer is to submit a report with her recommendations. Based on these recommendations, ITN’s Board of Directors will have to decide on whether there needs to be a formal inquiry headed by a Panel of Inquiry.

President’s Office warns VC over frequent foreign visits

The President’s Office has issued a stern warning to the Vice-Chancellor of a state university over his frequent overseas visits.

The VC was given the warning by the Presidential Secretariat after denying him permission to make his ninth foreign visit since being appointed to the post.

Given that Sri Lanka’s state universities rank on the lower end of the scale of most world university rankings, the VC has been informed by the President’s Office to remain at his post and work towards raising the standards of his university.

The same VC and his university staff had earlier been pulled up by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) for going on foreign training programmes at taxpayers’ expense despite clear instructions not to do so, owing to the prevailing economic crisis.

CPC trade union leader said to have made 16 overseas visits

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is probing the conduct of 20 of its employees, including several trade union leaders who were sent on compulsory leave in March for disrupting fuel distribution during a strike organised by the unions.

Investigators have uncovered that one particular trade union leader had made 16 overseas visits since 2015. The countries he has visited include Thailand, Indonesia, China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and the United Arab Emirates. The union leader has visited some of these countries on multiple occasions.

Officials are still uncertain whether these visits were private visits using his personal funds or whether they were connected to any trade union activities. Or still, trips funded by some other party. Further inquiries are underway.

Crisis brews within SLPP over presidential candidate

One notable aspect at Monday’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) May Day rally was the welcome given to the party’s National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa.

In the days following the rally, some SLPP MPs have come out and told the media that Basil Rajapaksa would be the SLPP’s candidate at the next presidential election. Others have cautioned it was too early to make such predictions.

At the SLPP head office, Parliamentarian Prof. Ranjith Bandara told journalists that while former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the party’s “spiritual leader,” Basil Rajapaksa would be its candidate at the presidential election. SLPP General  Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, however, was more vague, saying that Basil Rajapaksa “could be” the presidential candidate but that it would be a party decision.

Anuradhapura District Parliamentarian S.M. Chandrasena also told reporters that given the fact that the election was more than one and a half years away, the SLPP would make a decision on its candidate at the correct time.

Some SLPP MPs had earlier come out with statements citing President Ranil Wickremesinghe as a common candidate supported by the SLPP at the next presidential election.

It is no secret that the SLPP now has two factions, one supporting President Wickremesinghe and the other Basil Rajapaksa.

Opposition MP and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila, meanwhile, claimed President Wickremesinghe was exploring ways of contesting the next presidential election by jettisoning the Rajapaksas and their loyalists. “The biggest obstacle standing in his way right now is the presence of the deeply unpopular Rajapaksas in his group. Basil Rajapaksa’s group has been requesting ministerial positions from him for a while now, but the President has so far resisted these calls,” he told the media.