Rs. 201mn spent on improper Mattala Airport flight kitchen

COLOMBO (News 1st) - It was revealed at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry today that former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickremesinghe circumvented an official tender procedure when awarding the contract for the construction of the flight kitchen at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. It was revealed that the tender was awarded to Gunathilake Constructions Pvt Limited, but that no paperwork exists regarding the agreement. Testifying at the at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka today (January 31) Nalaka Sanjeewa, Finance Manager at SriLankan catering stated that though the total cost for the flight kitchen was estimated at Rs.201 Mn, to date there is no evidence of a contract agreement. Meanwhile, Suneth Gunathilake, Maintenance Manager at SriLankan Catering stated that the construction company proposed by the then chairman, Nishantha Wickremesinghe, had failed to build the flight kitchen in accordance with the plans, resulting in unaligned and cracked walls and crooked foundations. It was also revealed that the former Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne owes SriLankan Catering Rs.292,000, for services obtained for personal functions during his tenure.