The government emphasizes that SriLankan Airlines will not be completely sold off under the restructuring plan but will streamline its service to create a profit making venture, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. Accordingly, 51 percent of the Airline’s shares will be retained by Sri Lanka and 49 percent will be transferred to an investor, he added.Minister Silva also stated that the relevant investors will be selected after a call for tenders with transparency and steps will be taken to select a suitable investor in the next six months.
He mentioned this while attending a special press conference held yesterday morning (14) at the Civil Aviation Authority office (CIA) situated at Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) premises.
Further commenting there, he pointed out that in the restructuring of the SriLankan Airlines, it is expected to invite tenders and provide shares of the airline service with the utmost transparency. It is expected that Sri Lanka will keep 51 percent of the shares of SriLankan Airlines and give 49 percent to an investor.
“This is not a complete sale. But its administration is expected to be given to that investor. We are working hard in this regard. A suitable investor will be found within the next six months,” he added.”Representatives of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) are visiting Sri Lanka to check the safety and security of the SriLankan Airlines as well as the airports. It is very important to strengthen the aviation service in Sri Lanka. Airports provide the necessary facilities to foreign tourists when they come to Sri Lanka and when locals leave for foreign employments,” he added.
He added that the airport is located in a geographically important location as far as international airways are concerned. Accordingly, our airport should be equipped with modern facilities according to international standards. Moves are underway to bring the airport to that state. Today, the construction of the second terminal has been focused on restarting. With the declaration of economic bankruptcy of the country, foreign aid has been stopped in the past. But after the debt restructuring programmes with the support of the International Monetary Fund, the international organizations have come forward to provide aid again.
Accordingly, it will be possible to start the construction work of the second terminal of Bandaranaike Airport. The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) has already announced that it will provide support for that. To build the country economically, we have to adapt to the structure of institutions like the International Monetary Fund. By checking the safety of airports, Katunayake Airport has become a safe airport as well as the best airport in the region.
The Japanese government and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) have assured that the development of the second terminal of the stalled Bandaranaike International Airport will begin in September. It has been announced that this will be done after Sri Lanka completed the domestic debt restructuring process in September.
Speaking on implementing novel technology to the aviation sector, the minister said that most of the activities of the airport are planned to convert to e-technology. SriLankan will be fully operational on e-platform by 2024. During the pandemic, most of the airlines in the world were going at a severe loss laying off employees, but Sri Lankan staff were not laid off. Sri Lankan pilots and crew were also given half salary.
Shirajiv Sirimane and Dharma Sri Abeyratne