High risk in paradise
Has the dearth of qualified cockpit crew forced the national carrier, AirLanka, to ignore internationally observed safety standards?
Recently, a member of the cockpit crew, who returned to Colombo after operating a flight from Zurich and Rome, had been directed by his bosses to operate a flight to Singapore on the same day.
The man was operating for 12 hours and 45 minutes on the Zurich and Rome flight.
He had only 6 hours and 45 minutes from the time he was off duty till he started the flight to Singapore.
International regulations require a lay over of 12 hours or the duration of the previous flight time (if that is more) before they could operate another flight.
It is certainly a billion dollar poser from AirLanka pilots to the Chairman, W.T. Jaya-singhe, who resigned his post but has agreed to continue at the request of the Minister of Aviation.
Pilots say procedures cannot be short circuited to endanger passenger safety.
Well, if something were to go wrong, it will be hell on paradise.
Another secret service
Has a former top cop gone back to his old vocation as a spy master?
Though he is now busy teaching people to be thrifty, insiders say that the man highly acclaimed for the marks he received during overseas training programmes is a member of a super outfit. It functions from a sprawling VVIP office.
Joining him in the team are a lot of others, including at least two serving top cops.
If you cannot change the existing spy systems of those heading it, the answer is to create more new ones.
At least, that is what is happening in what is thought to be intelligent circles.
Speaking for "'Machangs''
The man who spoke more about himself than about the institutions he was tasked to represent had an unceremonious exit early this year.
Now comes the news that he tried to use his official authority (and even his closeness to the powers that be) to influence those boys at level four, or should I say, fourth floor. The latter would hear none of it.
The big man there complained to the top that the spokesman was trying to interfere.
How could one blame him? Who could save a "'machang''?
Its only another "'machang''. So much for the smooth talking man who says he does not ask for favours.
Tall talk
Media boys at the MOD's Op Hq have been somewhat puzzled in the past weeks over anti-Tiger operations in the east.
The media was too full of dramatic success stories, many of them which had nothing to do with the press releases put out regularly.
It seemed a parallel media operation was under way from the east. Why worry when there are scribes who will lap up whatever is dished out.
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