Commission on SriLankan Airlines: Fmr. CA minister still owes nearly Rs. 3 lakhs for food

There was an outstanding amount of Rs.292, 900 owed to SriLankan Catering for food ordered by former Civil Aviation Minister, Priyankara Jayaratne, for several private functions organised by him during his tenure, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka was told yesterday.

Finance Manager of SriLankan Catering, Nalaka Sanjeewa, informed the Commission that there have been several instances when the former Civil Aviation Minister had ordered food from SriLankan Catering without submitting written requests.

He informed the Commission that then CEO of SriLankan Catering, Sarath Fernando, had verbally instructed their financial division not to invoice these orders.

The witness added that a luncheon that was organised by the former minister that was catered by SriLankan Catering had cost Rs.600, 000 and the amount was settled by the then government.(Yoshitha Perera)

Video by Damith