A question raised in Parliament by Opposition MP S.M. Marikkar has sparked fresh concerns over a possible conflict of interest surrounding the sudden resignation of the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines.
Addressing Parliament, MP Marikkar highlighted that SriLankan Airlines generates its highest profits from the Colombo-London route, amounting to approximately USD 30 million, followed by the Colombo-Melbourne route, which brings in around USD 14 million. He pointed out that the Chairman stepped down last week, coinciding with the commencement of operations by a company in which he holds a senior position on the same Colombo-London and Colombo-Melbourne sectors.
According to MP Marikkar, the company where the Chairman holds a top position is also functioning as a General Sales Agent (GSA), raising concerns about whether he had leveraged his position to benefit associated business interests prior to his resignation. He questioned whether this situation constituted a clear conflict of interest.
Responding to the concerns, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilake acknowledged that action would be taken in cases where conflicts of interest are identified. He stated that if any such concerns arise regarding individuals or companies, they would be addressed appropriately, noting that in this instance, the Chairman has already resigned.
The Minister also added that Sri Lanka remains open to accommodating airline operations, stating that any airline making a proper request would be considered and granted opportunities to operate in the country following due evaluation.
