SINISTER PLAN TO PARALYSE BIA, SAYS UNP

A sinister plan was under way to paralyse the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), by shifting the high-tech machinery and skilled staff to the Mattala International Airport which would be declared open today, the United National Party (UNP) charged.

UNP Gampaha District MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene told

a news conference yesterday that this action by the government to shift the staff and the machinery to Mattala would paralyse the BIA which has been Sri Lanka’s premier international airport.

The UNP MP said jobs in the Katunayake Free trade zone would also be in jeopardy

This action by the government to shift the staff and the machinery to Mattala would paralyse the BIA

through this move. He made this allegation by recalling that the Free Trade Zone was set up in its present location because it was a strategic point with the airport in the vicinity, therefore, there would be a negative effect on the country’s economy, he said.

Referring to a statement made by Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne that Sri Lankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka would mainly operate from Mattala in the future, Dr. Jayawardene said this too would have a negative impact on the Katunayake International Airport.

He said the UNP was not against having another international airport but the government should be sensible and recruit new staff for the Mattala International Airport.

Responding to a question by the media as to why the UNP only spoke of the shortcomings of the present regime and never went beyond that point, the UNP Assistant Leader Joseph Michael Perera said his party did not want to topple this government though a people’s struggle but only through an election.