News
SriLankan crisis: Pilots lambaste top management for mess
‘How can we sustain operations due to over 70 resignations in one year’
Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka (ALPGSL) yesterday (25) said that the top Sri Lankan Airlines management should take responsibility for the pathetic situation that prevails in the national airline. Alleging that the crux of the matter is that over 70 pilots have quit the airline during the 2022-2023 period, the Guild says many others are expected to resign.
The following is the full text of the statement issued by Capt. Manil Abeyaratne, Secretary – ALPGSL: “We write with reference to the recent statements in Parliament by the Hon. Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation services Nimal Siripala De Silva and other members of Parliament regarding the purported conduct of Pilots of the Airline.
Whilst iterating our commitment and dedication to our beloved Airline, the passengers of the Airline and the country as a whole we wish to state that there has been serious and oftentimes critical issues which have not been addressed by the Management of the Airline resulting in the current catastrophic state of affairs.
The Pilots of the Airline have been left in the lurch as a result of a spate of decisions by the Management of the Airline compelling us to be overworked.The Airline requires at least 330 Pilots to function in full capacity for the designated flights. However, over 70 Pilots have resigned from the Airline during the last year (2022- 2023) with many more resignations pending due to the issues faced by the Pilots.This has resulted in a complete depletion of Pilots.
The severity of the issue was witnessed in the recent incident where there were no Pilots on standby to be assigned to a flight which eventually departed more than 12 hours later than scheduled time of departure.SriLankan Airlines pays one of the lowest wages, well below industry standards to Pilots. Prior to June 2023 the Pilots were paid their salaries at an arbitrary USD [ the contracted currency by which Pilots are remunerated capped at the rate of initially LKR 188 then LKR225 subsequently LKR295 (since December) which was nearly 40% below the rate of the Central Bank. This issue took years of union intervention and discussions to resolve.
During the Covid-19 pandemic the Pilots salaries were approximately lowered by 50 percent.Despite the said “salary cut” the Pilots continued to work helping the Airline generate revenue and most importantly providing our services for critical medical supplies and other essential and urgent requirements for the Country during the crisis.
Today however, despite all other departments in the Airline being given increments and ex-gratia payments(bonuses) the Pilots are yet to receive a substantial part of their contractually due salary package which was in place before the Covid outbreak. These are despite predictions by the Chief Executive Officer of the Airline promising a profit of 50 Million USD this year.
All Pilots of the Airline have educated themselves with private funding and over the years borne the cost of their training at SriLankan Airlines. The cadre of Pilots which should ideally be at 330 now only has approximately 250 as a result of the shortsighted, arbitrary and callous decisions of the management.
It is obvious that we as individuals and professionals focussed on flight safety,cannot be expected to sustain the extra burden on each individual which the Airline now demands as a result of its own folly.The recent issues regarding flights stem from these actions and/or inactions of the Management itself to which the Management have continuously refused to pay heed to.We have as a body at all times raised these concerns repeatedly including by way of litigation due to the attitude of the Management of the Airline.We urge that these matters be brought to the notice and the attention of the general public and all stakeholders of the Airline in order to facilitate the issues raised being addressed and resolved.”
News
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (07) are Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon.
By Norman Palihawadane
The CID recently found that former SLPP Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara, better known as ‘Choka Malli’, had left for Thailand when the Supreme Court imposed an overseas travel ban on him last Friday.
The CID discovered that Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka on August 31, while authorities were taking steps to enforce the travel restriction imposed by the Supreme Court. The Department has subsequently informed the Attorney General’s Department of the development.
The Supreme Court last Friday ordered Jayasekara, and two other men, to appear before court on October 21, and imposed a ban on their overseas travel.
The orders were made as the Supreme Court considered an appeal challenging the acquittal of the three men in connection with the 2015 murder of Shantha Dodangoda, also known as D.G. Sunil Perera.
The appeal was filed by Dodangoda’s wife against a decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and release Jayasekara and the two other accused, who had previously been convicted and sentenced to death by the Ratnapura High Court.
Dodangoda was killed in a shooting in Kahawatta town, in the early hours of January 5, 2015, while a group of people were putting up decorations for an election rally in support of then common Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Two others, Karunadasa Weerasinghe and Mohamed Ilfan, were seriously injured in the shooting.
Following the incident, the Ratnapura High Court convicted Jayasekara, former Chairman of the Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Wajira Darshana de Silva, and former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilanta Jayakody, sentencing all three to death.
The Court of Appeal subsequently acquitted the three men and ordered their release.
The victim’s wife later challenged the acquittal before the Supreme Court.
The appeal was taken up before a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga.
During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara requested that the court impose overseas travel restrictions on Jayasekara and the other respondents.
The Supreme Court subsequently ordered all three to appear before the court on October 21 and imposed travel bans on them.
President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, President’s Counsel U.R. de Silva and President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the respondents. President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris represented the aggrieved party.
Police sources said that the discovery that Jayasekara had already left for Thailand, on August 31, has raised concerns over the timing and enforcement of the travel ban.
Sources said that the CID had notified the Attorney General’s Department and was taking further action in relation to the development.
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The number of deaths from dengue fever in Sri Lanka has risen to 73 this year, with 96,228 cases reported across the country so far, according to the Dengue Control Unit.
The latest figures indicate that dengue continues to pose a significant public health concern, with 737 new cases recorded during the first four days of September alone.
Dengue infections peaked in July, when 29,964 cases were reported, according to the latest data. June recorded the second-highest monthly total, with 21,533 cases, while 10,155 cases were reported in August.
Earlier in the year, 8,590 cases were recorded in May and 7,866 cases in January.The Western Province remains the worst-affected area, accounting for more than half of all dengue cases reported nationwide. A total of 50,851 cases have been recorded in the province, representing 52.84% of the country’s total.
The Southern Province has recorded 13,950 cases, followed by the Central Province with 8,818 cases and Sabaragamuwa Province with 7,925 cases.
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
Showers above 50 mm are likely at some places in the Uva and Eastern provinces.
Harshitha’s composed knock seals Sri Lanka’s semi-final berth
‘Choka Malli’ slips out of country before travel ban
Dengue death toll rises to 73
Ranil accuses govt. of undermining democracy
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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