Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka will soon summon Darshani Tissera, who headed a committee which investigated alleged sexual harassment of an Indian employee of SriLankan by a former Regional Manager – India.
The Indian national accused former Regional Manager – India, Laith de Silva and Manager – Kerala, Ahamed Masahim of sexually harassing her. SriLankan appointed a committee comprising Tissera, Chanaka Olagama, Dalreen Thirukumar, Bandara Weragama (all SriLankan employees) and R. Banerjee (an independent committee member representing an NGO).
The report they produced was submitted to the PCoI yesterday by Dalreen Thirukumar, Secretary of SriLankan.
Appearing before the PCoI last month Marlon Perera, Director of Sales and Development of Phoenix Duty Free Services, concessionaire for inflight duty free services for both SriLankan and Mihin Lanka told the PCoI that the Human Resources Department of SriLankan Airlines had continuously ignored allegations of sexual harassment against some members of its staff.
Perera alleged hat there had been around 15 cases of sexual harassment allegations against SriLankan staff in Delhi Courts. “The Regional Manager of SriLankan in Delhi had been accused of sexually harassing an Indian staff member of SriLankan. She filed a case against him and lodged a complaint with the airline. Although the HR Department promised to investigate, nothing was done. Now the victim has lost her job and the man concerned was stationed in Seychelles,” he said. According to Perera a pilot attached to the airline had been accused of sexual harassment on a number of occasions. Despite continuous complaints to the company, the HR Department had not taken action.
When the PCoI summoned Thirukumar last week, they had asked her to submit the internal report on the matter.
