Sri Lankan Airlines: Weliamuna’s Investigation Hits ‘Turbulence’- Airline’s IT Dept Suspected Of Foul Play

February 26, 2015 

The Aviation Minister’s ordered probe into the airline appears to have hit turbulence as the “Urgent Notice” requested to be sent to all staff by the airline almost a week ago seeking credible information from staff is yet to be received by employees of the airline.

JC Weliamuna

Disrupting this probe on all possible counts was expected from the onset as many employees were waiting to spill beans.

Employees of the airline passing on credible information to support this investigation were anticipated by airline’s Senior Management Team especially the current CEO Kapila Chandrasena the political appointee of the former regime who mysteriously still remains in control.

Many of the airline’s employees have now raised concerns in disgust as to why only some have received the ‘Urgent Notice’ and not all and have now started pointing fingers at their very own Information Technology (I.T) Department for not dispatching this all important email.

“This appears to be another tactical move by our CEO Kapila Chandrasena as he will attempt to hinder the ordered probe and attempt to disrupt any flow of information from his staff which would expose him and his former Senior Management Team. Some of the former Senior Management Team members incidentally are still in employment with the airline and still attempt to wield their powers quite blatantly.

“Those in charge of the I.T Department should be held accountable if proved that they have willfully sabotaged this ordered governmental probe on the airline” complained a very senior employee of the airline.

Other staff members of the airline feel that due to the severity of the probe the existing CEO of the airline Kapila Chandrasena, should step aside until the Aviation Minister’s ordered probe is complete.

The former Chairman and brother in law of the former President Nishantha Wickremasinghe the so called former ‘Ace of Spades’ of the national carrier has already departed and now only the ‘king of Spades’ and number two in the airline CEO Chandrasena still remains.

There is no doubt the new Chairman of the national carrier Ajit Dias will end up becoming the ‘joker’ of the deck of cards if he does not fully support the Aviation Ministry during this probe.

It is now approximately one week since the email to all staff was ordered to be dispatched and many as of today are still to receive it.

Transporting of the famous Lamborghini cars for the former first Sons of the country, to Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s VVIP travel of his puppy dog from Zurich to Colombo, to the former Chairman and Brother In Law Nishantha Wickremasinghe’s blatant and costly love affair with his Flight Stewardess paramour and his diversion of a commercial flight to Singapore for personal gain are all been investigated besides many other reasons as to why the airline had to undergo a serious operational loss of approximately Rs 120 Billion.

The aviation sector in Sri Lanka got a rude awakening early last week when probably for the first time in the country’s history a full probe into the ‘Abuse of Power’ by its Board of Directors and Senior Management, “Leasing and Purchasing of Aircraft”, “Major Contracts” and all “External Interference” of Sri Lankan Airlines was ordered by Arjuna Ranatunga the Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister earlier in the week.

The task of probing this national carrier has been entrusted to Lawyer J.C. Weliamuna and his team.

In has been reported that the response in the first week of the current probe has been promising with many employees beating a path to Mr.Weliamuna’s door and fearlessly coming forward to provide critical information.

Perhaps this is the golden opportunity that the Aviation Minister Arjuna Rantunga has been waiting for to prove that he can clean up this right royal mess that this once trend setting and award winning airline has found itself at present.

Minister Ranatunga won the country great accolades by leading his national team of cricketers to win the world cup in 1996. Now nineteen years later he finds himself leading his aviation team to a different playground, a playing field with much bigger boundaries and in a world where the aviation sector presents a completely different set of challenges.

The entire nation and the aviation world for that matter watches in hope as ‘Captain Cool’ attempts to trap those perpetrators ‘Leg Before Wicket’ (LBW) or bowl the them ‘through the gate’. He no doubt will begin this innings from scratch and make every endeavor to nudge the airline to prosperity with his trade mark flicks all around the park.

But the all-important question that lies on the lips of the each and every tax payer in this county is this.

Will this probe help clean up this mess and move the airline towards greater success or will this probe require the intervention of third umpire?

The ‘Urgent Notice’ sent out to all employees of Sri Lankan Airlines is as follows:

URGENT NOTICE
TO: ALL MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES
BOARD OF INQUIRY TO INVESTIGATE INTO MATTERS RELATING TO SRI LANKAN AIRLINES

Hon. Minister of Airport and Aviation has appointed a Board of Inquiry to inquire into certain critical aspects relating to Sri Lankan Airlines, and in particular, irregularities and abuse of power by the Management of Sri Lankan Airlines, prior to the appointment of the new Board of Directors in February 2015.

If any member of the Staff is aware of any instances of abuse of power and/or irregularities committed during the abovementioned period, such information is of vital importance in achieving the objectives of the Board of Inquiry. Therefore, all members of the Staff are requested to submit such vital information directly to the Board of Inquiry. Any person interfering with the transmission of such information through intimidation of whatever nature shall be severely dealt with.

Please note that, the identity of the members of the Staff who assist the Board of Inquiry will be kept strictly confidential. No staff member will be subjected to any form of victimization by disclosing such information to the Board of Inquiry
All information may be provided by email, by post or in person:

Address:
Board of Inquiry,
c/o Chairman
No. 147/5, Dutugamunu Street,
Kohuwela.
Email: srilankan.investigation@gmail.com
Phone: Mobile 0710211212 or Ext 1212

Any staff member who wishes to meet the Board of Inquiry may seek a personal appointment by phone or by a request made to the above email address.

© CT filed By Marlon Dale Ferreira