CAA Director General seeking no pay leave

By Duruthu Edirimuni

H. M. C. Nimalsiri, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is getting ready to leave his position amidst widespread speculation that he is doing so because Mihin Air officials ganged up against him. When The Sunday Times FT contacted him, Nimalsiri confirmed that he was quitting the CAA to take up an international position. “I have been given a position by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a Regional Project Coordinator and I think this is a good opportunity to expand my knowledge,” he told The Sunday Times FT. He has requested no pay leave from the government. He said this request was subject to approval and since it was a regional position it would be based at the CAA headquarters in Kollupitiya temporarily.

When asked whether he will resign if he does not get the long-leave approved, he said, “This is a good opportunity and I want to take it up.” There is heightened speculation over this ‘sudden’ decision as to whether he is leaving in ‘disgust’ over Mihin Air ‘interference,’ but Nimalsiri rejected any such talk.

When asked whether this sudden decision was because he was unhappy over the Mihin Air approvals, he denied the claims saying, “I want to take this position because I think this position will expand my knowledge and give me more exposure in the industry.” However industry stakeholders and informed sources say that Nimalsiri was pushed against the wall over Mihin Air approvals and that his decision came after an incident involving Sajin De Vass Gunawardena, Mihin Air CEO and Presidential Coordinating Secretary, who was instrumental in launching the airline. “Gunawardena called the DGCA (Director General Civil Aviation) all kinds of names and accused him of harassing the Mihin Air officials before taking off on a flight on an overseas trip. He berated the DGCA in the presence of about 50 industry officials,” an informed industry source, who was present when the incident took place, told The Sunday Times FT.

“The DGCA did not retaliate and his good sense prevailed, but it was an ugly scene where a senior official was subject to verbal abuse,” he added. Gunawardena when contacted strongly denied all the charges saying that it was only a ‘conversation’ between him and the DGCA. “I only had a conversation with Mr. Nimalsiri before the flight to Bodhgaya,” he said. He said this conversation was not unpleasant and said that he would not misbehave with a regulatory official. “I would not do that to the regulatory authority, now would I,” he ventured.

He said Mangala Samaraweera, former Minister of Aviation, also called Gunawardena ‘an all powerful Co-ordinating Secretary to the President’, who was obsessed with forming the Mihin Air budget airline. “Samaraweera said he had explained to both the President and Gunawardena that the international safety requirements need to be met and there were several shortcomings,” the source said, adding that Samaraweera had in no uncertain terms told both that launching an airline is not like operating a bus on a highway.

Industry sources said Nimalsiri was head hunted for his new position by the ICAO. H. M. C. Nimalsiri, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is getting ready to leave his position amidst widespread speculation that he is doing so because Mihin Air officials ganged up against him. When The Sunday Times FT contacted him, Nimalsiri confirmed that he was quitting the CAA to take up an international position. “I have been given a position by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a Regional Project Coordinator and I think this is a good opportunity to expand my knowledge,” he told The Sunday Times FT.

He has requested no pay leave from the government. He said this request was subject to approval and since it was a regional position it would be based at the CAA headquarters in Kollupitiya temporarily. When asked whether he will resign if he does not get the long-leave approved, he said, “This is a good opportunity and I want to take it up.” There is heightened speculation over this ‘sudden’ decision as to whether he is leaving in ‘disgust’ over Mihin Air ‘interference,’ but Nimalsiri rejected any such talk.

When asked whether this sudden decision was because he was unhappy over the Mihin Air approvals, he denied the claims saying, “I want to take this position because I think this position will expand my knowledge and give me more exposure in the industry.” However industry stakeholders and informed sources say that Nimalsiri was pushed against the wall over Mihin Air approvals and that his decision came after an incident involving Sajin De Vass Gunawardena, Mihin Air CEO and Presidential Coordinating Secretary, who was instrumental in launching the airline. “Gunawardena called the DGCA (Director General Civil Aviation) all kinds of names and accused him of harassing the Mihin Air officials before taking off on a flight on an overseas trip. He berated the DGCA in the presence of about 50 industry officials,” an informed industry source, who was present when the incident took place, told The Sunday Times FT.
“The DGCA did not retaliate and his good sense prevailed, but it was an ugly scene where a senior official was subject to verbal abuse,” he added.

Gunawardena when contacted strongly denied all the charges saying that it was only a ‘conversation’ between him and the DGCA. “I only had a conversation with Mr. Nimalsiri before the flight to Bodhgaya,” he said. He said this conversation was not unpleasant and said that he would not misbehave with a regulatory official. “I would not do that to the regulatory authority, now would I,” he ventured.

He said Mangala Samaraweera, former Minister of Aviation, also called Gunawardena ‘an all powerful Co-ordinating Secretary to the President’, who was obsessed with forming the Mihin Air budget airline. “Samaraweera said he had explained to both the President and Gunawardena that the international safety requirements need to be met and there were several shortcomings,” the source said, adding that Samaraweera had in no uncertain terms told both that launching an airline is not like operating a bus on a highway. Industry sources said Nimalsiri was head hunted for his new position by the ICAO.