In a blatant abuse of authority, brother of First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and Chairman of the country’s national carrier SriLankan Nishantha Wickremasinghe diverted a commercial UL flight to Singapore to have himself, his wife and a guest picked up from Singapore’s Changi Airport recently, several Sunday newspapers have reported. Telephoning the airline, Wickremasinghe ordered that the scheduled SriLankan direct flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Colombo be diverted to Singapore so that he and his entourage could be picked up on the way, the Sunday Times reported. Passengers had to face an unscheduled landing at Changi Airport and were baffled as to the reasons for the change of course. Making matters worse, the Sunday Times reports that Wickremasinghe had been so highhanded with the national airline run at tax payers cost – that is already making billions in losses due to gross mismanagement – despite the fact that a scheduled SriLankan flight from Singapore to Colombo was to take off from Changi in just two hours. However, the Chairman had to get home “in a hurry” the newspaper reports. This despite the fact that the Chairman of SriLankan was on a personal visit to Singapore.
Nishantha Wickremasinghe
“Diverting an aircraft on a scheduled flight from one country to yet another is an exclusive privilege enjoyed by Heads of State or Government. However, in Sri Lanka it is a different story. Even the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, can do it by merely making a telephone call,” the newspapre said.
“An irate local businessman asked a crew member why Chairman Wickremesinghe could not wait and board the scheduled flight out of Singapore. Replied the crew member; “For them, our aircraft are like three-wheeler taxis. They can stop them anywhere and whenever and wherever they need it.” The businessman remarked that no other self-respecting carrier would divert scheduled flights to pick up their Chairmen,” the report notes further.
Sri Lanka’s national carrier is in grave financial trouble, having to raise international bond issues in order to pay off its loans. The airline functions on a lifeline from the Treasury, going from being an award winning carrier during the management tenure of Emirates to the loss-making decrepit and unprofessional mess it has become today after the Rajapaksa Administration “nationalised” SriLankan and put a member of its massive extended family in charge.
SriLankan’s troubles have increased several fold after the Rajapaksa budget carrier Mihin Lanka, the brain child of Presidential confidant Sajin Vaas Gunewardane, was made a subsidiary of SriLankan. Mihin Lanka has been a loss making institution from inception, but the name the airline carries, a derivation of “Mahinda” – has made the Rajapaksa Administration wary of dissolving the ill-advised carrier. Mihin Lanka now offers trips to various destinations in the world that the two aircraft carrier cannot fly to, using SriLankan as its codeshare. Often Mihin Lanka also acts as the main carrier when in fact, the entire flight is managed by SriLankan staff and aircraft. Cabinet Ministers fear that SriLankan is headed for an economic crashlanding unless its management issues are resolved, Sunday Times says.
shankar / January 27, 2014
thats what happens when small people get big jobs.
Wonder what kind of job he would have got if he was not the presidents brother in law, if merit was the criterion as in singapore?
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Kutti Machan / January 27, 2014
Looks like Mahinda Rajapaksa, the hero of Mullivaikkal, is under the petticoat government. Unless he regains control over the petticoat, it may become his Imelda! This is a friendly advice from …………
Kutti Machan
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Native Vedda / January 27, 2014
Kutti Machan
“Looks like Mahinda Rajapaksa, the hero of Mullivaikkal, is under the petticoat government.”
Would you say the same thing about Gotha? Why its okay for Gotha and wrong for Chairman of the country’s national carrier SriLankan Nishantha Wickremasinghe.
Remember once you are elected you own entire country, including its assetts (not liabilities), its institutions, …………
Read below:
Gota Has Gone To The Dog: SriLankan Airlines And A Puppy Dog For Gota’s Wife
By Frederica Jansz and Dinouk Colombage –
Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa went berserk when contacted by The Sunday Leader to clarify and find outif he was aware that the management at SriLankan Airlines had taken a decision to change a wide bodied A340 scheduled to fly to Zurich on Friday July 13, to a smaller A330.
……..
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/gota-has-gone-to-the-dog-srilankan-airlines-and-a-puppy-dog-for-his-wife/
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Ben Hurling / January 27, 2014
Rajapassa, his immediate family, clan, henchmen & cronies have gone mad.
It’s all kind of out of control. They don’t give a damn about what citizens think. Not anymore.
It is about abusing power and lifting public wealth as much as they can. While they can.
They themselves have realized the end is near. That it is not going to last for ever. That is the “good news”.
PS: Officials in super corrupt Arab Spring nations also displayed this kind of utterly bizzare behaviour. Before they were chased away like stinking rats.
No offence to poor rats.
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John / January 27, 2014
This guy, brother in law, digs Rajapakse grave faster, cheers
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GambaraAththo / January 27, 2014
It is high time media men to make the rural folks aware of all these.
So long those folks – the greater voter base of Rajapakshes are away from the facts and figures, Rajapakshes can make all hopes to be stuck to destroy the nation’s treasury further.
It is the people across country should be made accountable for all the messy situation that the country facing today.
Whenever they vote the buggers into power, they should have thought the nature of the candidates. Today regardless of areas, almost across the country, they the Rajapakses are on spread mode of planting far abusive their men to administer their mechanisms.
As Friday forum have been pointing out clearly – their tactics to stay in power is being shaped up by any means while spreading the lies of many issues – undermining the democratic values that states as one of CW countries is bound to safeguard. IC to stay mum not reacting, even offering the chairmanship of the CW to this MAN is absolutely beyond understanding to any 10 year old child of today.
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Native Vedda / January 27, 2014
Ben Hurling
You should blame TNA, LTTE, Diaspora LTTE rump, GG, SJ Chelva, Sudda, past colonialism, Christians, Muslims, Hindu Modi, Veddah, Tamilnadu, Vaiko, ………… Profs Pathamanathan, R AL H Gunawardana, Gananath Obeysekere, K Indrapala, H L Seniviratna ………International Community for the pathetic state of this island.
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GambaraAththo / January 27, 2014
Call an opinion poll (representing almost every section of the company) to collect their feedbacks, I ll bet
over 90% of SRILANKEN workers will agree with – so long president’s brother in-law handles the NATIONAL carrier, no profit can be the target.
Media Men, nagitiyaw, nagitiyaw – it is high time, nevertheless you enjoy the perks such bank loans, lap tops and the like, you to stand before the appalling levels of corruption that you have to fight against – then only the nation will be proud of you.
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Spring Koha / January 28, 2014
This is the perk you get in exchange for giving your lovely sister to the President.
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john / January 28, 2014
….from an unknown tea planter to a high-flier with no idea of commercial airline management – can only spell further disaster to the already ailing national airline. Of course this can only happen in SL!
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Chaminda / January 29, 2014
I wish the government renewed the contract with Emirates! At least the pointless and immoral things like this would never happen and not only that we would have had some brand new planes plus no need to worry about making continuous billion dollar losses,
The government design to run everything under the family corp is just creating a situation where every major money making government entity is losing billions and billions. Either take strict action against corruption or outsource the work to a foreign element who can do the job better or just privatize these, these sort of acts and the continuous immatureness of the Chairmen’s who operative these sectors and organisations are just bringing the country down on its knees.
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Piraña / February 1, 2014
He would have got a job as a cabin boy.
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Justice Lanka / January 27, 2014
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely..
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Mohamed / January 27, 2014
He thinks its his personal vehicle? How will he fly if he is not in this position, specially in the years to come?
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Asanka / January 27, 2014
Its not only absolute power corrupt but its an insult to any Srilankan with little brain. Jarapssa water buffalos have taken the people for a ride. This is not going to stop. More to follow. Sri lanka cannot survive with this mad family around. The sooner we get rid this virus mad family the better for the country.
Real beggars!
Whoever support jarapassas must be shot with shit.
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Levi / January 27, 2014
Asanka
Wait and see who wins the Elections.
Moda Sinhalayas and Muttal Tamils will Join Hand and Elect MR and his family
Cheers!
God Save Sri Lanka!
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Palmsquirrell / January 27, 2014
Diverting the plane would have cost tens of thousands of dollars , all because he couldn’t wait 2 hours.
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Levi / January 27, 2014
Palm Squirrel
Please have Mercy on Him. Probably he had to answer a call of Nature.
He is so used to what is at home. He Cannot Stand the Clean Paid Toilets in Singapore.
May be has run out of funds and his Credit card was not accepted at the Gates.
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shankar / January 28, 2014
“Probably he had to answer a call of Nature.
Or maybe he had so much of work piled up on his desk that he had to rush back to the office to complete it.From the face you can see that he is a workaholic,not a alcoholic.
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bo / January 27, 2014
This is the fellow with the burgled 2 million rupee wristwatch, whic he claimed was gifted to him by his student son in australia.
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asif / January 27, 2014
Hora [Edited out]
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Dr.Goebells / January 27, 2014
No matter what you believe in , you always reap what you sow. Fools are unaware of this simple fact , and carry on regardless …..
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AJ / January 27, 2014
all I can say is F [Edited out]
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shankar / January 27, 2014
Totally agree with all that you couldn’t say.
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Thiru / January 27, 2014
I don’t see anything wrong with that:
There are so many more grave things happening in Sri Lanka that needs be stopped compared to this ‘minor’ divertion taken.
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Palmsquirrell / January 27, 2014
The diversion may appear minor but it points to a larger problem, namely the abuse of authority .
Then there is the not insignificant cost of the diversion , which wouldn’t be a big deal if SL wasn’t a poor country.
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shankar / January 27, 2014
squirrell and thiru,don’t fight over this man.See how bald and ugly he is.Don’t you have better taste than that.Anyway he is married.
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Levi / January 27, 2014
Palmsquirrell & Thiru
Who cares if Sri Lankans Run or Fail
Most of us ie Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka will never ever get a Chance to Board a Flight leave alone fly.
Those who could afford to fly and those elected by the fools will feel the p[inch.
Bye for Now!
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Anton / January 27, 2014
SriLankan Airlines should take “DISCIPLINARY ACTION” against its own Chairman. Otherwise this foolish and highhanded action will become a precedent. Next time, London bound UL flight with over 250 passengers from BIA could be re-routed via Melbourne just for a personal trip of the Chairman to see his son who presented him with a very expensive wristwatch
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Levi / January 27, 2014
Anton
There are already enough precedents as to why action should not be taken.
Take the Case of the aero examiner who failed the President’s Off spring ending up getting interdicted and go into hiding.
The Fail Candidate Miraculously passed all subjects at the subsequent Special Exam held on line via Computer linked to Internet.
He Got Straight !00% in all eight subjects tested.
Onl;y a Fool will initiate a Disciplinary Inquiry.
Cheers
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Saracen / January 27, 2014
It is incidents like this that are turning the miracle of Asia into the laughing stock of Asia.
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GambaraAththo / January 27, 2014
This is how austerity measures taken by visionary leader MR and his ministries in the country said to be every new born should be entitled to pay 0.3 Mio/rupees for all the high interest loans taken by current regime so far.
Most of all, specially flights that MR’s foreign trips are believed to cost the country billions making nation’s carrier plunging to bankruptcy further. These are the pragmatic policies of current outfit. At the time, CBK governed the country – amidst its war costs were the highest, she also managed to keep some reduction of daily needs of the folks, while SRIANKEN was making clearly profits. Today, not only srilanken all other companies make instead billions of losses.
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mervyn silva / January 27, 2014
thats the way to go!!
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bganendra / January 27, 2014
Nishantha Wick was a planter. He never got any promotions as a planter. When Rajapox was elected as head of state, Nishantha was promoted as a director of a plantation company.
NISHANTHA WAS A REAL,REAL DUD, when he was in the plantation sector.
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Lalith / January 27, 2014
SL Airlines has always been a ‘three wheeler’ for its chairmans, presidents, politicians and their families. It survived, to some extent, during Emirates times, but again, there were stories that even Emirates could not prevent it becoming a ‘three wheeler’ during that time.
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Ruwan Abeywardena / January 27, 2014
Why worry when the family owns the
kingdom?
You say one thing and do another. There
is no discipline and Mahinda Rajapaksa
the President will never act on wrong
doing. He will only make public promises.
Here are a few examples:
1. Brother in Law Wickremesinghe is allowed
to raise foreign loans for Sri Lankan Airlines.
He has a lady friend in Dubai and other capitals
to help him out. He flies there regularly. Recently
he was warned by Rajapaksa. Who else has the power
to divert scheduled flights?
2. Mervyn Silva, the doctor, had several disciplinary
inquiries against him. Party Secretary Maithripala
Sirisena said he will not be given party organisership.
One call from Rajapaksa and he is once again the chief
organiser of the Kelaniya electorate.
3. Rajapaksa promised to Chief Minister Wignesearan on
January 2 he will change the Provincial Secretary in the
North. Now he says it cannot be done.
4. Rajapaksa said there will be no casinos but now three
hotel projects with casinos have been approved.
5. Rajapaksa said bribe takers will be punished. NOT ONE
has been sent to jail.
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Darlin Silva / January 27, 2014
This what happens when an uneducated man who is not fit enough to control a fleet of three-wheelers heads a National Airline. He is fit to go back to a Tea Estate and start picking tea leaves as was done by them several years back.
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mike / January 27, 2014
The First Lady and the Second Lady (Paba) must be furios over this incident!
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shankar / January 28, 2014
what about the third and fourth ladies in the ghaddafi type room?
What about the swaziland topless beauties who can remember the over and over again visiting dignitary.Won’t they be upset too?
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Neem Farzan / January 27, 2014
Surprisingly, CEO kapila Chandrasenas, hidden activities go unnoticed, for example the out sourcing of the contact centre to a close friend where he makes a cool commission , plus he is also CEO of Mobitel whilst being the CEO of Sri Lankan, you figure it out????he now wants to outsource the mobitel contact centre to the same guy at an enormous monthly cost with a commission in mind.
When you have parasites , who cannot secure a job in the normal organization running multi billion rupee organizations, where this country is heading is anyone’s guess.
Add to this the commissions on the aircraft deals…..
It’s all to do with your values, you don’t shit in the plate you eat from….
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Maveeran / January 27, 2014
Which planet did this Shirantha Jarawapaksa ugly ass monkey and her brother come from. Srilanka’s so called first lady looks similar to the crap I lay inside toilet.s.
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shankar / January 28, 2014
Why you are attacking first lady ,you idiot for something that her brother has done.You hate women don’t you.can’t get it up?
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Capitaan KuCool / January 28, 2014
Be sensible dumbass. How on earth can he get it up when he sees a face like that of the first lady?
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shankar / January 28, 2014
or your wife.
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Maveeran / January 29, 2014
Shankar seems like a desperate guy, I bet he’d even penetrate a monkey’s arse.
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shankar / January 29, 2014
maveeran,from your language it seems you have just evolved recently from the monkey.Must be looking like one too.I have often wondered why some people are closer to the apes and others seem far away.Reading about evolution i got the answer,which is the time difference.Don’t worry in about 100 more generations your offspring will also look and act a very refined human being.
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Douglas / January 27, 2014
CT & Readers: For your information, the Chairman of Srilankan & MIHIN has asked his CEO and the Public Relations Manager to “DRAFT”(because he knows his capacity to do such a job)statements in relation to this incident.
One draft by CEO: “I am an experienced person from my school (St.Thomas) days in flying “KITES”. In this case, you all must know I got TWO “KITES” (SriLankan & Mihin) and the required “Strings” (like my Sister; CEO and the rest) to “FLY” the Kite anywhere I like. So long as the “SUN” (my B-in-Law) shines and the weather (the poor tax payers) are favorable, I will fly it anywhere I want. So folks “LEARN” how to fly a “KITE” with good strings in hand. After all you must understand that I have not diverted or down graded it to bring “PUPPIES”.
The second draft by the Public Relations Manger: He is a smart guy. He simply said: “GO AND FLY A KITE”.
Note: The PR guy also addressed a PS: “As per the discussion and the instructions, I am busy locating that member of the flight crew who compared your “KITE” to a “Three Wheeler Taxi”. Arrangements have been already made to give him a “final” ride, this time in one of the Benz cars imported for the CHOGAM and be assured no “White Van” will be used.
I still don’t know which of the above has been released. The Chairman, very likely “APPROVE” both combined because he is still flying kites in school.
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Kumar R. / January 27, 2014
Verbal battering aside, is there any legal action that can be taken.
For instance, the newspaper says ““Diverting an aircraft on a scheduled flight from one country to yet another is an exclusive privilege enjoyed by Heads of State or Government. However, in Sri Lanka it is a different story. Even the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, can do it by merely making a telephone call,”
So, could someone clarify if such diversion by anyone other than the Head of state is merely ethically/morally wrong, or is it illegal – and so is punishable by law.
You guys remember all the criticism about Tamil resistance saying that if Tamils had grievances then they should not have taken arms, but instead should have taken their grievances to the authorities, because this is a country of law. This point has been repeated ad nauseam, not just on this blog, but by the President, Defence Secretary, many FM’s including Kadir, the whole heap of Ambassadors and many, many more in and out of authority.
So, all you loud-mouthed bloggers here who feel rightly compelled to criticize the actions of the pseudo-Royals, could any one of you, or perhaps all jointly, take the necessary legal action? Or are you guys all merely of the proverbial “empty vessel” persuation?
Ben Hurling in particular – any comments?
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Oma Yang / January 27, 2014
It’s my country my, my plane, my fuel and your money that I so shamelessly take from your monthly pay cheque. This is nothing….after all what are yu gonna do about it. Only way this tyranny can be stopped and democracy restored is through a conscious effort by us ordinary beings to bring the govt. to its knees. Whats stopping the next govt that comes into power to be the same. People think before you vote. Ask for accountability.
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Maveeran / January 27, 2014
Take up arms and fight for your freedom. Unless you fight you will always be a prisoner without any human rights. Fight for a good cause.
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Oma Yang / January 28, 2014
Will you join me at Hyde park tomorrow? I will be wearing a yellow robe and a khurrakan shawl
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Maveeran / January 28, 2014
Come give your address I’l come n see you at your house.
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Nari Sabry / January 28, 2014
Also,dont forget to shave your dumb head and mutter Halal, Halal for want of something intelligent to say.
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kapu / January 27, 2014
Can srilankan airways give the cost of this exercise please…additional fuel, landing charges in an unscheduled airport…..and importantly who the guest he was trying to impress upon.. Thank God ,he didn’t try to open the doors before landing… to hurry on his appointment !!!!!!!!!!
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Maveeran / January 27, 2014
All you sinhalese are [Edited out] because the society you live in made you that way. Tamils fought for their rights but the Sinhala government labeled them as terrorists and begged the whole world to defeat them. Even the Muslims played a hidden roll to betray the LTTE like Judhas did to Jesus. Thank god now the world got to know the truth about the corrupted Sinhala regime and if the war starts again, Sinhalese will be catching the flights back to their homeland Orissa.
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kapu / January 28, 2014
Oyiiiiiiiiiii ! anney… keep to the suject man… otherwise go start another war and then cry,, rape, torture and genocide… you guys will never learn.. with only wanting to be killed… this land is not for sale or division.. whatever side of the coin looks like… live in peace or seek a greener pasture….
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Maveeran / January 29, 2014
Lets see who gets raped if the war starts again Kapu. First your faggoty arse is on the line.
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Maghribi / January 27, 2014
Sri Lankans are a passive lot and they would rather be quiet than seek justice. Almost 70% of residents in the country prefer their Rulers walk all over them. It’s a lost cause.
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vishvajith / January 28, 2014
The Airline has always been at the calling of the powers.
During the Premadasa era, The Rohan Jayakody ( he was an Airlankan Director ) flower shop at the Holiday Inn, got all it’s flowers dropped at the checking counters at Changi, no revenue was collected and nothing was asked. Laxman Guyes, the then Airlankna Manager in SIN fed up with this operation, signaled this working arrangement to the then Chairman, Dunstan Jayawardena ( He was a Premadasa appointee with no airline experience )and asking him to intervene. Laxman, a professional in the Airline Industry paid the price with a recall to Colombo and a non substantial post.
So, the Airline is at the mercy of the other living Gods, in the Holy Land.
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kapu / January 28, 2014
you forget, my friend… this airline was created for… a taste of paradise..living in a fools’ paradise !
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Paisa Must Appah / January 28, 2014
Dont forget our famous Bandit Queens own contribution to this abuse. When in power and returning with her contingent from Europe, she got a SriLanka Airlines commercial flight diverted to one of the Middle East Airports just because she had the sudden urge to taste her favourite Pol Sambol.So great was her urge that she couldnt wait the extra 4 or 5 hour flying time to Colombo and had to inconvenience the hapless passengers at enormous cost to the taxpatyer.They are all the same. Rip the country once they get the power in their hands.Missing her time off from politics and the fabulous perks, she is now doing her best to get back to power again.And the Kavun kanna Modayas will surely fall for her trap and allow themselves to be raped again.
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vishvajith / January 28, 2014
Paisa, can you please shed more light on this ? When did it happen ? Who was involved ?
Thx in advance.
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Tamil from the north / January 28, 2014
You’ve got to love this country of fools. Even after all this, they will still vote these clowns back to power.
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shankar / January 28, 2014
“The Airline has always been at the calling of the powers.”
That must be the reason that our bastard politicians don’t want these type of airlines privatised.Having an airline that they can use as they please is a bonanza given by the stupid taxpayers to them on a platter.
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Das / January 28, 2014
I remember Singapore’s then prime minister lee Kwan yew fell ill in India.then SIA wanted to send a special plane to bring him back.he refused.He got a lift from the Australian prime minister who was on his way back to Australia.what a great man he was.that is how he made Singapore from ashes to one of the richest countries in the world.similarly Sri Lanka has gone the other way.there is a saying people get the leaders whom they deserve.so Sri lankans get leaders whom they deserve.
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Sisira Weragoda alias Korala Thune Gamarala / January 29, 2014
OK.
We have written all that about MR and his Extended Family attitude.
I will request Bradman Weerakoon, who served 5 or 6 Prime ministers of SL, to express his experience and honest view in rerouting Air Lanka flight (from Colombo to London) to Harare for the CHOGM (Premadasa PM, who is not the Head of State) and delay a flight from Paris to pick him (PM) please correct me if my recollection is wrong, as these happened in 1980s.
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Ruwan Abeywardena / January 29, 2014
Once the CEO of Sri Lankan Ailines Peter Hill
was sacked. The reason? He did not heed a request
by Sajin Gunawardena to throw out fare paying
passengers and accommodate President Rajapaksa
and party at the eleventh hour. That led to the
abrogation of the agreement with Emirates. Peter
was denied his visa and forced out of the country
though he married a Sri Lankan.
Nishantha can do whatever he wants only because he
his the President’s brother in law. As family members
take on positions for which they are unqualified, what
do you expect?
It is the family control of all positions and the ill
advised or arbitrary decisions they take that has led
to this sorry state. People will continue to resent this
though the opposition, an ageing eunuch, cannot do much.
What follows in such situations will be history.
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