President to appoint special committee to restructure SriLankan Airlines

President Maithripala Sirisena will appoint a five-member committee to provide recommendations for the restructuring of SriLankan Airlines, next Monday.

This was announced at a special meeting chaired by the President at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon.

Mr. Sirisena had said that the committee would be mandated to provide recommendations for the enhancement of the airline's services and also resolve its problems.

A two-week timeframe has been provided to the committee for the submission of its report following which the President would take necessary measures concerning the airline.

During the meeting, a Director of the airline had said that measures are currently being taken to reduce the number of losses and generate more income to the national air carrier.

Talks at the meeting revolved around the unfavourable agreements signed on behalf of the airline, the rising fuel prices, depreciation of the rupee and the development of the airline's infrastructure and facilities. Matters involving the losses incurred by the airline and the issues faced at present was comprehensively discussed at the meeting.

Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickremaratne, Finance Secretary R.H.S. Samaratunga, Central Bank governor Indrajith Coomaraswamy, Chairman's of State Bank's, CEO of SriLankan Airlines Vipula Gunatilaka, Directors of SriLankan Airlines and representative of trade unions attended the meeting.