Stories of Senadhipathi, Doctor, Double Doctor and others

Editorial: The Shadow Rulers!

(November 20, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mr. Rajitha Senaratne, a doctor cum politician played a remarkable role when President Maithripala Sirisena, then the Minister of Health, walked out of the ruling party to be the common candidate in last Presidential Election. Subsequently he has jumped into the role of the spokesman of the political movement for “good governance”, then he was “appointed” as the cabinet spokesman of the government. However, does that mean the government should crouch at him to do whatever he wishes and say whichever he believes?

As the cabinet “spokesman”, he lied to the public. Everybody knows that. His statements not only contain untruths but also express prejudices.

By the time, Rajitha accumulated power, his son, who dreamed to defeat the former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, later stood behind him put his tale on the right tracks so that he could at least to win a seat in the parliament, too turn a forefront “roller” of the government.

While Rajitha, was showing his Trojan heroism, his son was being a jockey on the Trojan horse. None of their role plays are important to this nation and none of them will have benefits to the ordinary citizen. However, there will be benefits for those who are conspiring for other ‘businesses’.

The actions and reactions by this parental and filial politics are creating different and possibly danger to the government. It is not only the nepotism, but exact opposite to the good governance principles. Rajitha and his son are enjoying the impunity to hoodwink the public.

We do not believe that Rajitha has the capacity to be an authentic spokesman to the government. There is enough material prevailing on his track record and his carelessness on serious issues. If the government needs to have a windbag as the spokesman then one could realise there nothing serious going on in this government too.

Let’s talk about the Avant Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd (AGMS) controversy. It is not only those who are guardians of the Avant Garde that lied to the people but those who are supposed to be exposing unlawful activities on behalf of the government also distorted the facts.

The Sri Lanka Navy did not take over the business but rather halted the transactions on weapons after directed by the President as they found unlawful activities of AGMS.

However, it is better to understand the role played by the Navy in the case of Avant Garde as there are many distorted facts are being circulated.

As the only organisation in Sri Lanka entrusted with Maritime Security, or part of our National Security; the Sri Lanka Navy is concerned with one main thing. That is the Sri Lanka Navy cannot allow any weapon (whether it’s a AK47 or long range sniper weapon) coming to our country by sea to be kept by a Private Security Company. So, as per Presidential Directive, Sri Lanka Navy will handle all weapon transactions in the country and in our territorial waters. Sri Lanka Navy is not interested on other affairs. All other affairs are handled by Shipping Companies; the government owned Ratna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd (RALL).

At the moment the Sri Lanka Navy has taken over the weapons only in MV Mahanuwara which are all foreign owned weapons under AGMS. They are all legal weapons. The Sri Lanka Navy cannot take over weapons in the MV Avant Grade as it is detained by the CID for carrying illegal weapons (which AGMS say belong to RALL) due to the fact that the registration numbers of these weapons were changed, altered or defaced intentionally. The Government Analyst report is awaited to frame charges on gunrunning and other criminal charges against AGMS. The Sri Lanka Navy have a separate armory of RALL in the Galle Dakshina Naval Base with legal RALL weapons. The Sri Lanka Navy is using them; but not the weapons on board MV Avent Grade as the ship is sealed by CID until investigations are over.

However, later it was exposed that the cabinet spokesman too was bribed by the head of the AGMS, Mr. Nissanaka Senadhipathi, a former security officer, turned billionaire. Nonetheless, being a fox in politics, the spokesman quickly countered the allegation by producing yet another audio tape. This saga will continue with producing nothing but making events in political vulgarism. This is not the good governance people were expected. We are not going to write about the double doctor as we have previously written.

We suggests it is time for the President and the Prime Minister to have kindergarten type class where the all the members of the government are ask to join. In the class the Prime Minister or President could ask that anyone who has not taken a bribe from Nissanaka Senadhipathi, should raise his hand. It seems like almost everyone was bribed, one way or another the AGMS.

Despite paying 580 Million to the Sri Lanka Navy, AGMS head gave millions of Rupees in bribes to maintain the monopoly. Crying over the loss of over 12,000 jobs, is yet another outrageously distorted static to seek sympathy over the public.

The bottom line is that, not only the formation of the AGMS but all the way to its downfall has shown the foetid culture of the business and politics in Sri Lanka. In other words, this is yet another company created to make certain people rich at the cost of the country.

How can the good governance be possible when the subjects within are being bribed and playing the significant roles to bamboozle the public?

Are the ordinary citizen in this country innocent bystanders in a land of thieves?

Isn’t it a tragic comedy, Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister?