Sri Lanka bought planes instead of building houses: PM
Mar 10, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister said on Thursday the nation is plagued with incompetencies of the former regime and the homeless could have been housed with the funds mishandled.
“If they (the former government) did not buy those eight planes then we could have built houses for the people,” Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe said at the launch of the National Action Plan for social development of the plantation community.
“We could have built all the houses needed for the estate workers with this money. This project will cost only 10 billion. That is only a fraction of the cost of the crafts.”
Former aviation minister Arjuna Ranatunga in 2015 appointed a four member committee consisting two accountants and two lawyers headed by attorney at law J.C Weliamuna to investigate alleged irregularities in the state-run SriLankan airlines.
“The former government of President Mahinda Rajapakse made management changes to carry out a re-fleeting of the airline with brand-new aircraft costing 2.3 billion US dollars despite the availability of more cost effective alternatives,” the report said.
The Weliamuna report recommended criminal investigations into the entire re-fleeting process and has noted instances where former chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe, a brother-in-law of Mahinda Rajapakse, should be prosecuted.
National Action Plan for social development of the plantation community will address issues in respect of poverty reduction, improvements in access to health, nutrition, education, housing, water supply and sanitation.
Around one million people are resident in the estates, with the sector employing 1.5 million people directly and indirectly. According to the latest World Bank report around 60 percent of the estate community live under the poverty line.
You mean Sri Lankan Airlines should stop flying and build homes instead? I bet he doesn’t know that most carriers in the national airlines are 15-20 years old and soon will have to be grounded. What do we do after that? Rent planes?
That’s not what he meant. He meant to increase efficiency of the airline and buy suitable aircraft instead.
A350 are being bought for the least feasible routes while the airline is making massive losses
Aren’t someone from Kollupitiya supposed to be a just a little bit forward thinking? This one sounds more and more like a classic higanna.
The government of excuses. Sounds more and more like that good for nothing CBK at each passing day.
More than investigation which short of results up to now, we are more interest to know how present government improve on accountability, maximised committed resources as no choice and where possible void such lucrative deals.
I am trying to figure on the Volkswagen Paint Booth, as asked from their mother company, they informed it was a paint booth. This is the actual scenario of these politicians which we thought are good guys one year back. They are still thinking in the colonial period, where Sudda gave them all mighty, and now doesn’t know how to maintain it. Really sorry for these people (Who called themselves, leaders). At least it would be better to get some advisers from China at least ?
We lived 10 years with leaders who didnt give excuses. They are supposed to have robbed us. This new outfit is one year old. Give them time before you judge them?
In the last year’s everything was blamed n western and Indian conspiracies as I remeber
The SriLankan Airline shouldn’t be run by the government and should be privatized.
Reflecting won’t do any good for a loss making airline with bad service.
Back under Ranil it was a joint venture that was actually making profit and not a burden