Minister Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament today that the government hopes to transform Mattala International Airport into an aircraft maintenance center.

Speaking during the committee stage debate on the budget, Bimal Rathnayake said that the government hopes to make Mattala Airport a profitable business in partnership with a suitable foreign partner.

The Minister also stated that the government’s aim is to make this institution a profitable one, and that Mattala Airport was built at a cost of 36.5 billion rupees, with total losses of 38.5 billion rupees in the last five years.