• To look into fraud, corruption, irregularities 

A Special Presidential Investigation Committee is to be established to look into the frauds, corruption and irregularities that occurred in the past within the SriLankan Airlines Limited and the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL). 

Although a contribution to the economic improvement of the country is rendered by the SriLankan Airlines, a greater cost has to be borne by the Government to maintain it while the annual loss to the company has been unbearable to the country’s economy. The expectation of the public is to successfully maintain this company by converting it to an economically advantageous, efficient and productive State entity, utilising novel technology. 

In order to realise this objective, a thorough formal study and evaluation of the transactions and incidents should be carried out to unearth the causes that led the SriLankan Company towards the current situation. Furthermore, the attention of the Government has been drawn by various parties regarding the requirement to investigate the activities of the AASL, which is responsible for airport monitoring. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, on Tuesday (1 July), granted approval to the proposal furnished by the President to appoint a Special Presidential Investigation Committee headed by former Auditor General H.M. Gamini Wijesinghe, so that a detailed report with recommendations can be submitted, probing into alleged frauds, corruption and irregularities that occurred in the period from 2010 to this year.