SriLankan directors still on board
View(s):While today’s BT-Second Curve opinion poll reflects a lot of concern on whether the Government would sell SriLankan Airlines, the airline’s board of directors continue to function since the Government is yet to accept their resignations.
Six of the seven directors on the board including its chairman, Ajith Dias have offered to resign to enable the Government to restructure the airline. Harendra Balapatabendi was the only director who refused to step down voluntarily.
“We sent in our resignations but the Government is yet to accept it,” said one of the directors, who declined to be named.
Earlier this week, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Minister for State Enterprise Development, was quoted as saying that the cabinet has approved a Credit Suisse loan US$200 million to tide over the airline’s repayment schedule.
The Business Times reliably learns that the matter was only discussed at the cabinet and no finality reached. About eight to nine months back, the same bank (Credit Suisse) gave a $125 million loan to the national carrier, partly to pay for the cancellation of some aircraft orders, airline sources said.