News
Peter Hill back in Sri Lanka to run privately-owned airline profitably
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Peter Murray Hill, who was CEO at SriLankan Airlines when it was under Emirates management and ran the now loss-making airline profitably from March 1998 to December 2007, is now back in Sri Lanka to propel FITSAir – a truly Sri Lankan Airline owned by Sri Lanka’s Aberdeen Holdings Group.
Announcing FITSAir’s starting with Colombo- Dubai journey – three times a week from 5th of October- the Airline has already scheduled its flights to the Maldives and Trichy also, and has plans to expand its services in a sustainable way as the demand evolves, taking one step at a time.
Speaking at a press briefing to announce the Airline’s plans, what it offers and its goals, Hill said, “FITS is not a new airline. Sri Lanka’s Expo Aviation which was founded 25 years ago as a privately owned carrier is the beginning of this story. They operated international cargo charters to the Maldives, Pakistan, Thailand and a number of other places. They were pretty successful at that. It was a small operation which was profitable. During the northern conflict, it was difficult to get to places like Jaffna and FITSAir came along and they provided a unique link between the North of the country and Colombo. Expo Aviation gave way to a rebranded operation under the name of FITS Aviation Pvt. Ltd in March 2013 and that’s where FITS Air came to be as part of Aberdeen Holdings Group which operates unique businesses within the group.
“FITSAir continued to operate successful cargo operations during the Covid period which provided a vital link predominantly between Colombo and the region. They catered to their export markets and also brought in medical supplies from countries such as Hong Kong and Thailand. They are still doing that today.”
“In fact, we spent last 12 months developing a regional scheduled passenger airline. We are aiming to provide affordable travel between SAARC nations, the Gulf Council Countries (GCC) and South East Asia, all based here in Colombo. Our mission is to provide sustainable, affordable air travel on a no-frills basis to customers wanting to travel, within the region for work, for pleasure, leisure, business, education and the list goes on. Today everybody is looking for affordable air travel. The key driver here is affordable fares. We will make sure that we provide reliable schedules to destinations which have constant demand that enable us to sustain our services throughout the year. We won’t be going to one-off places on seasonal demand. That is not our focus. Our team today comprises a rare breed of seasoned professionals working alongside a new generation of fresh faces. They are fully qualified, ambitious newcomers. One key thing I want to stress here is; all on the team are Sri Lankans with two exceptions including myself and another one who has been in Sri Lanka even longer than me. And he will be running the engineering department. We are both pretty well-known in the industry. FITS Air is a truly Sri Lankan company and a true Lankan product because the key market for us is the local market; Sri Lankans travelling to regions and people coming to visit Sri Lanka within the region. We want to show that in these very challenging and difficult times, the private enterprises in Sri Lanka are still capable of achieving remarkable results by dint of honest, hard work, proper resources and exceptional team work. Anybody who has known me over the years would know that I am very good at developing passionate and hardworking teams. That will drive this airline too. I am very confident about that. When you travel with us you will see the efficiency of our team work. There is nobody special on our team. I am also an ordinary member of the team.”
“We are starting with Dubai three times a week which begins on 5th of October. We are travelling to the Maldives three times a week- starting on 10th of October. Later in October we will be starting our first flight to Southern India. We have decided on Trichy three times a week from 28th of October.
“Our main line flights will be operated by Airbus A 320, which will offer economy class seating. And for a few people who want to have a little bit better comfort, we offer a small cabin which is called Economy Plus. Anyway Economy is the word here. We are not going for business class. We will be offering a no-frills product at very competitive prices. We are restricting ourselves to basically SAARC, GCC and South East Asia. We are not looking to fly to exotic destinations outside of the region. The airline is 100% privately-owned, and no funding from the government whatsoever.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
