SriLankan director quits in disgust after 'humiliating' meeting

Colonel (Rtd.) Sunil D. Peiris, board director and Director of Human Resources at SriLankan Airlines, resigned from his position on Friday after he says a ‘humiliating meeting with the President and some ministers.”

The first casualty in the under-fire board of the national carrier, Col. Pieiris told the Sunday Times that he sent in his resignation to airline chairman Ajit Dias on Friday. “We were humiliated. It was a load of diabolical lies dished out by some ministers,” he said, referring to a recent meeting summoned by President Maithripala Sirisena. The airline's directors faced a barrage of accusations from ministers, mainly Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and General Sarath Fonseka, who incidentally was a relatively junior officer in the army during the tenure of Col. Peiris who headed the first Commando Regiment.

Col. Peries, who was appointed to the board by the current administration and who says he did not receive any monthly salary but only a car and driver, said the board had been called for the meeting by the President to explain the issues pertaining to the order for A350s placed by the former regime.

“We went to the meeting armed with these facts. But before any member of the board could explain matters, we faced a tirade of accusations from Ministers Senaratne and Fonseka, with the former accusing us of many things including why no action was taken on the Weliamuna report. There were accusations made, many of which, I must assert, were diabolical lies,” he told the Sunday Times.

H said none of the directors including chairman Ajith Dias was given an opportunity to explain their position.

“It was a one-sided meeting,” he said.