Author: TELO Admin

Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) marks its 12th anniversary today, but the underutilized facility is struggling with financial losses and minimal flight traffic, renewing calls for a strategic overhaul.

Opened on March 18, 2013, MRIA was intended to be the country’s second international gateway. However, despite its modern infrastructure, it has failed to attract sustainable air operations, with major airlines pulling out due to low passenger demand.

Former Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Upul Dharmadasa, who facilitated the landing of MRIA’s first commercial flight, said the airport still has potential if effectively positioned. Continued. Page 11

“Having a secondary airport is an advantage – it helps reduce insurance costs for airlines, including SriLankan Airlines,” said Dharmadasa, adding that MRIA could be repurposed as a maintenance and cargo hub to generate revenue.

Efforts to revive the loss-making airport include a potential management takeover.

Despite these efforts, the National Audit Office revealed in January that the US$247.7 million (Rs. 36.56 billion) spent on MRIA construction had not been used effectively. In 2023, the airport reported an operating loss of Rs. 2.12 billion (Rs. 6.8 million) and a revenue of Rs. 288 million.

Built to handle one million passengers annually, MRIA has handled only 190,750 passengers in the past six years, with only 2,182 flights recorded between 2018 and 2023. The cumulative net loss after tax for the period was Rs. 38.49 billion (Rs. 123 million).

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking on American scientist Lex Fridman’s podcast on Sunday (16), slammed the United Nations and other international organisations as irrelevant amid rising global conflicts – referring to the ongoing Middle East wars and China – US tensions.

According to PM Modi, the organisations have become “almost irrelevant” as there is “no reform” left in them.

“The international organisations that were created have become almost irrelevant, there is no reform in them. Institutions like the UN cannot play their role. People in the world who do not care about laws and rules are doing everything, no one is able to stop them,” the Prime Minister said.

The PM reflected on lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, which exposed the vulnerabilities of every nation, and underscored the need for unity amid raging global tensions.

“Covid-19 has exposed the limitations of all of us. No matter how much we consider ourselves a great nation, very progressive, very scientifically advanced, whatever it may be, everyone in their own way, but in the times of Covid-19, we all came down to earth, every country of the world. And then it seemed that the world would learn something from it, and we would move towards a new world order. But unfortunately, the situation was such that instead of moving towards peace, the world disintegrated, a period of uncertainty came, and the war put it in more trouble,” PM Modi told Fridman.

PM Modi called for a shift from conflict to cooperation, advocating a development-driven approach as the way forward. Expansionism will not work in an interconnected and interdependent world, he asserted, stressing on the need for nations to support one another.

“As I said earlier, the world is interdependent, interconnected…Everyone needs everyone, no one can do anything alone. And I see that in all the different forums I have to go to, everyone is worried about conflict. We hope to get relief from it very soon,” the PM added.

Last year, PM Modi, in his address to the UN’s ‘Summit of the Future’, made a clarion call for change from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) lectern, noting that reform is the key to relevance. He added that global action “must match” global ambition.

Source: NDTV

The French Navy Ship Provence, with a crew of 160, has docked at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit, the Sri Lanka Navy said.

The 142.20m long Destroyer is commanded by Captain Lionel Siegfried.

“A French Navy Ship Destroyer of the French Carrier Strike Group arrived at Colombo port today morning as part of Clemenceau 25 deployment for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation between Sri Lanka and France,” the French Embassy in Colombo said.

The ship is part of the French carrier strike group, Clemenceau 25, deployed to the Indo-Pacific region.

Crew members are expected to visit some tourist hotspots in the island, the island nation’s Navy said.

The ship is scheduled to depart the island on March 20.

Six teams from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are still conducting their investigations to arrest the suspended Inspector General of Police, Deshbandu Tennakoon, who is evading arrest following a court order.

On February 27, 2025, the Matara Magistrate’s Court issued an arrest order for six suspects, including Tennakoon and the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Colombo Crime Division, Anslem De Silva, in relation to a shooting incident that occurred on December 31, 2023, in front of a hotel at Weligama.

The police said that a copy of the arrest order was forwarded to the CID, and after notifying the Attorney General and Acting Inspector General of Police, an instruction for the suspects’ arrest was issued.

However, after Tennakoon filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal to challenge the Matara Magistrate’s Court order, the Court of Appeal agreed to review the petition and deliver its decision on Monday, March 17.

The six suspects, including the OIC of the CCD, have requested the Court of Appeal to prevent their arrest.

Following discussions between the Attorney General and the petitioners’ legal representatives, the Attorney General has instructed the CID to delay the arrests until preliminary investigations are concluded, with the suspects required to appear at the CID for questioning.

This writ petition is scheduled for a hearing on March 21, 2025, in the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile, CID officers have recorded statements from Tennakoon’s wife and son. Sources said that the CID recently visited Tennakoon’s residence in Hokandara to collect information from his family members.