Rajapaksas betray Senarath

 Tuesday, 06 August 2013 06:33

Chief of Presidential Staff, People’s Bank Chairman and the President’s most trusted confidante, Gamini Senarath has travelled overseas without informing anyone due to his growing displeasure over the government’s actions, sources from the Presidential Secretariat said.

Neither the President nor any other member in the government has been able to locate Gamini Senarath who is in London. Senarath is disgruntled that he too has become a victim of the Rajapaksas’ “condom theory.” Senarath is displeased over the President’s move to release to the media, a story on the allocation of 29 acres of Sri Lanka Railway lands on a 99 year lease to one of his relatives, Lolitha Abeysinghe, in order to take away the focus from the controversial Krrish deal.

However, the main reason for Senarath’s displeasure is the Presidential directive to the Defence Secretary to initiate an investigation into Piyadasa Kudabalage, who is known as the “collector” for Gamini Senarath. Piyadasa Kudabalage holds high posts in all states institutions headed by Gamini Senarath. He is the executive director of Sri Lanka Insurance,People’s Bank , Hyde hotel and People's Merchant Finance company and  is also the managing director of Litro Gas Company.

The investigation into Kudabalage was initiated following a complaint lodged by the head of Laugfs Gas Company, Wegapitiya to the President and Defence Secretary. Wegapitiya had told the President and the Defence Secretary that his company and Litro Gas purchased their LP gas from the same foreign source, but that Litro Gas paid an extra US$ 15 per unit than Laugfs. The President who was aware that Litro Gas paid an extra amount of money to the foreign company was informed of the exact amount (US$ 15 per unit) only at that time. It was then that the President had realised that Senarath and Kudabalage were taking a much higher commission than him. 

An angry President had immediately summoned Senarath and inquired about the matter. Surprised at the sudden outburst, Senarath had said he was unaware about the matter since it was handled by Kudabalage. The President had then asked the Defence Secretary to immediately inquire into the matter. Displeased with the President’s move, Senarath had said he was going to London for a brief holiday. Kudabalage on the other hand is still under investigation for the commissions taken by him.