Mahinda’s Mattala airport becomes an aircraft repairing center

Friday, 14 June 2013 

The Mahinda Rajapaksa government’s most recent mega development project, the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is to be developed as an aircraft repairing center.

Minister of Civil Aviation Priyankara Jayaratne has said that the government has now decided to make MRIA an aircraft repairing center.

Jayaratne has mad this comment when he addressed a ceremony held to lay foundation stone to construct the office of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) at the MRIA on Tuesday.

Since the opening, the MRIA failed to attract foreign airlines and serve as an international airport. Two budget airlines and SriLankan and Mihin Lanka operated flights to Mattala while Air Arabia suspended its flights due to the lack of business.

The MRIA was the center of controversy after it was constructed without an environment impact assessment resulting in the destruction of wild life.

Military personal threatened magistrate arrested

[ Friday, 14 June 2013, 01:09.47 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Police have arrested military personal on issuing death threats to magistrate of the Kurunegal district.

Military personal has issued threatening against Kurunegal distirct judge Nimal Ranaweera. Soldier serving at the Puttlam military camp has phoned the official residence of the magistrate and issued death threats against him. Suspect would be produce before the court today.