Sirisena appoints commission to restructure national airline

Colombo: President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed a 10-member commission to restructure the national SriLankan Airlines after it recorded a loss of nearly $105 million for the financial year of 2017-2018, the media reported on Tuesday.

The committee will be headed by State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne, Xinhua news agency reported.

A statement from the President's office said that the committee had been instructed to hand over its recommendations to Sirisena in two weeks and other parties too could submit their suggestions and ideas to develop the national airline.

"The President will take the future decisions regarding SriLankan Airlines, taking into consideration those recommendations," added the statement.

The government in August last year said it will renew its search for an investor for SriLankan Airlines.

In 2017, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the government was seeking an international partner who could manage and invest in the flag carrier after the airline recorded a massive debt of $3.25 billion.

Wickremesinghe said the Sri Lankan Airlines was a "landmine" for the country's economy with its high debts and the government would take over part of its debts in order to find an international partner or investor.