(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – President Ranil Wickramasinghe has asked chairpersons of loss-making state institutions Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and SriLankan Airlines to justify the payment of bonuses despite the Ministry of Finance having informed not to pay bonuses to loss-making corporations and boards.
The President has asked the chairpersons of the two institutions for explanations based on a report that they have paid bonuses contrary to government circulars.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has paid two months’ salaries to its employees and SriLankan Airlines has paid 100,000 rupees as bonus to each of its employees, according to the report handed over to the President, according to a report in Lankadeepa.
Although the Ministry of Finance had notified not to pay bonuses to loss-making institutions through a circular, it is said that bonuses have been paid showing that the CPC is making profit due to the increase in fuel prices.
It is also learnt that CPC has spent Rs. 1.2 billion for bonuses showing profits under a report that did not include the debts of the corporation.
According to the report, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has 4200 employees and they have been paid two months’ salary as bonus. The report also states that since there are officials receiving a monthly salary of Rs. 500,000 among its top officials, bonuses of Rs. 1 million each have been paid for certain officials.
There are 5800 employees of SriLankan Airlines and they have been paid Rs. 100,000 each as the 13th month salary. Accordingly, Rs. 580 million have been spent for this purpose.
The report given to the President also stated that the payment of bonuses as the 13th month salary has been approved based on a Supreme Court order.
