SriLankan Airlines probe expanded to cover alleged airports’ corruption
A wide-ranging presidential investigation into enormous fraud, bribery, and procurement malpractices at SriLankan Airlines and Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd (AASL) for a 15-year period from 2010 to 2025 has been launched.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the setting up of a Special Presidential Investigation Committee led by former Auditor General H.M. Gamini Wijesinghe as part of what is coming to be known as one of Sri Lanka’s largest anti-corruption probes of the aviation industry.
The top-level probe has been initiated in the wake of perpetual losses incurred by the state carrier and a series of unpopular tender processes involving AASL. But questions are being raised as to whether this would be another wasted effort after the J.C Weliamuna commission report in April 2015 which probed alleged corruption and abuse of power at the national airline. However government officials say the new investigation is a wider probe also involving the airport.
The government’s action follows mounting pressure from several ruling NPP stakeholders to ensure accountability and governance in the country’s aviation sector.
One of the most argumentative procurement procedures on the agenda for consideration is the Phase II expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). The most resent revelation was the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) disqualification of the Sojitz-Larsen & Toubro (L&T) consortium over a procedural violation involving an improperly attested Power of Attorney.
Despite high-level political interference, the CANC stood firm, being a rare and significant instance of procedural integrity in public procurement.
The disqualification led to further underlying irregularities. The deadlines were reportedly being delayed to favour the Sojitz-L&T consortium and the consortium failed to disclose past legal conflicts, including one against the Sri Lanka’s government in the form of arbitration and a past airport project disqualification in Egypt.
In the meantime SriLankan Airlines continues to reel from scandals, like the questionable 2013 Airbus deal. Former CEO Kapila Chandrasena and his wife have been charged with receiving a US$2 million bribe related to a $1.8 billion aircraft purchase, which attracted international legal action.
The current probe is set to recommend sweeping changes in the form of action against the culprits, organisational reforms, and future-proofing measures against political interference. With Parliamentary committees monitoring events closely, the outcome of this inquiry can rewrite Sri Lanka’s aviation sector’s future and bring back public confidence in the government.
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