Capt. Druvi Perera the questionable holder of the Chief Operations Officer (COO) title of Sri Lankan Airlines and who also oversees the flight operational functions of the country’s low cost budget carrier Mihin Lanka, has ordered the Director Flight Operations (DFO) Capt. Pujitha Jayakody to initiate a probe and ‘catch the culprit’ who leaked vital letters to ‘Colombo Telegraph’.
Captain Pujitha Jayakody (with beer in hand) loves hanging out with ‘Yahapalanaya’ big boys now. This is one of his proud Facebook postings where he was at seen at the Royal / Thomian ‘Big Match’ hob knobbing Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva.
The COO Capt. Perera appears to be following the idiom ‘set a thief to catch a thief’ almost literally to the word, as the former Sri Lankan Airline’s Manager Flight Operations Captain Pujitha Jayakody (DFO) of the budget carrier now, was made infamous for his apprehension by the Singaporean Police on the 2nd of May 1990, when he was embarrassingly caught ‘shop lifting’ in the ‘Lion City”.
In all his travels since then, a visit to that lovely city is been avoided due to a pending court case and his possible arrest on arrival.
“Is not this then the reason why Capt. Jayakody was always sent to other countries and cities such as Frankfurt, whilst his colleagues were sent to Singapore for their bi-annual ‘Simulator Checks’ incurring a considerable amount of money to the company over the last 26 years?” asked one of his colleagues.
This makes one now realize that these were the unnecessary and insurmountable costs accumulating over the years that eventually caused the airline to be milked dry over a period of time.
The copy of the telex sent by Air Lanka’s ground staff in Singapore informing of captain Pujitha Jayakody’s apprehension by local Police for shop lifting.
His arrest by the police on that day caused great embarrassment to his colleagues, the airline which then had an image to protect, the country and further it inconvenienced many passengers. There was no captain to pilot the aircraft back home from Singapore leaving all ‘Colombo Bound’ passengers and crew stranded at the Changi International Airport. The entire flight schedule of the airline was affected thereafter due to the knock on affect due to this delay. The entire saga costs the airline and more over the eventual ‘tax payer’ an enormous amount of money.
For Capt. Jayakody’s amazing fortune and absolute good luck, a flower exporter with the identical family name ‘Jayakody’, happened to be married to the country’s former President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s daughter Dulanjali. Rumour has it that it was this other ‘Jayakody’ who intervened on the ‘shop lifter’s behalf and helped to save his job.
Thereafter what left many aviation enthusiasts bemused was as to how Capt. Jayakody managed to ‘fly under the radar’ for many decades, hoodwinking many a President of the caliber of D.B.Wijetunga, Chandrika Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa. This was in spite of a colossal amount of other commonly known unethical practices he had continued to commit over this period.
Here is a copy of the telex sent by the Air Lanka Ground Staff in Singapore to its Head Office in Colombo on the 2nd of May 1990, nearly 25 years ago, seeking advice due to the unwarranted situation Capt. Jayakody had made everyone face due to his arrest that day.
The direct translation of that relevant telex is as follows:
Ops/Top Urgent
“Attention Duty Officer UL 303 having a slight difficulty due no captain available at the moment having been informed by hotel manager that captain was apprehended by local police for shop lifting. Captain is now under custody of local police. Please advise further action to be taken as soon as possible. Will advise you of outcome Captain Jayakody as soon as we receive news from local police station where captain is refereed to at the moment. Ops Regards MMM”.
Colombo Telegraph is in possession of many other documents pertaining to Capt. Jayakody’s sketchy character. Colombo Telegraph has been unable to reach Druvi Perera and Pujitha Jayakody for comment.
Claud / April 1, 2015
Hey guys, do I see the same people demanding ‘Good Governance’ or Yahapalana from your 80 days old politicians and that the rogues be slammed in jail, now protecting a rogue ?
Check your panties guys it could be in a right royal knot here.
What’s wrong with your thinking ? A known rogue is an ok one ???
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SK / April 1, 2015
First, I apologies for auto correct my posting to say something different to what I want to say.
Aha, now I get what you are trying to say.
When a steward pilfers a bottle or whatever from the airline, and he loses his job and its not fair.
When a Captain is accused of shoplifting and if he doesn’t lose his job it’s a lot more unfair.
Now, are we clear about who is barracking for whom?
Considering one who pilfers from the airline is caught steeling from the employer.
How many of you know the value of two different people to the airline?
My point is, in the current context, how relevant is what happened 25 years ago? How did the whole drama unfold?
25 years later can’t this shoplifter(yes, let’s call him that for now) perform duties assigned to him better than his competitors?
A certain chap was expelled from Thurstan College for wielding a knife. He ended up being the President. Try telling everyone who frantically support him, that he only belong in a correction facility, because he wielded a knife in the late sixties.
What happened with Pujitha is not right, yes, yes…. We’ve established that already.
Did he try to walkout with a gold Rolex? It’s not the value of the the theft, but the act. If most of you who are trying to chasitate him appear to be from the airline, and probably aware of his background, did he really need to shoplift?
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Tiptop / April 2, 2015
And where are your testicles dear Eshan or whoever ??
You can defend rogues as much as you like but the proof you need is available with many I know :)
Better grow up as Tommy says as I too hate rogues
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Eshan / April 2, 2015
Dear Tiptop
I needn’t reveal my identity, as I am not making any accusations here, I just asked Tommy to provide proof that Mr Perera received a backhander , even some details would do so that he can defend himself . You claim many others have the details, so here s a challenge….put up or grow testes….all you folks seem to do is hide under anonymity and malign people, who have a contrary opinion, in this case someone who defended Capt Jayakody after saying he has no quarrel whatsoever. What does Tommy do? Just sling mud at Mr Perera, unsubstantiated, inmy view not true, as such payments are illegal in UK and no commercial organizations pay them.
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Eshan / April 2, 2015
Many who comment here against people in the airline and the airline seem to be from the airline, past or present. It shows the calibre of such people, blacken the name of their colleagues or the organization that paid them or made them.you never see such behaviour from people of John Keells or MAS or even Airport Aviation or even CAA. Shame on you silent SriLankan /Airlankan people for letting these vicious individuals getting away with maligning the airline. If you know these people, just “out them” so that they can do the noble thing, defend their opinion in public. No more hiding
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RomanSoldire / April 4, 2015
Wonder is how can they accomodate Capr Pujitha Son as a Cadet in 2004 and made him a JFo and now Captain. The biggest culpruit are the HR. If they like the Captain then SONS survive. not a single Son/Nephew of Captains failed the sim had any tech issues. There was a time in 2007 couple of Cadets failed the tech exam, but after a week they passed after some Captains influenced. The person who agreed tha chap from tech training was a third class chractor, There was a Captain where his son was caught for figed Certification then he was asked to leave, so if the Captains are not in good books with the Management then Sons wont survive,
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citizen / April 17, 2016
poojitha ,manique,Gerald,ingrid m Rohana,pumika Hr,thriyama,sanjeewa,malezam sampath,shannon all should go out,they ruin ppls lifes and every Sundays see them in church,may God curse these bitches n dogs
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