Dinesh Gunawardena becomes Thiru Nadesan’s puppet on strings

Wednesday, 05 September 2012

MEP Leader, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena who portrays himself as a great Sinhala Buddhist leader has become a puppet of well known racketeer businessman Thirukumar Nadesan.

Although Gunawardena is the Minister for Water Resources and Drainage, all tenders related to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) is decided by Thiru Nadesan.

Unlike the normal budgetary allocations received by ministries, this respective institution receives millions of dollars of foreign aid for various projects. It is Nadesan who unofficially makes the final decision about the water projects.

Nadesan is a close relative of the Rajapaksa family and is married to the President’s cousin, Deputy Water Resources and Drainage Minister, Nirupama Rajapaksa.

Also, the Deputy Chairman of NWSDB is Nadesan’s lackey, former Provincial Councilor Gamini Gunaratne alias Batta. He is a key stakeholder in Nadesan’s rackets. Batta has been provided with a massive house in Flower Road owned by Nadesan’s mother in-law, Lalitha Rajapaksa to reside and carry out his work with convenience.

Renuka Shanmuganathan also serves as an intermediary in affairs related to the NWSDB. She is Nadesan’s sister. Shanmuganathan hosts parties for senior officials involved in tender transactions, clients and coordinating officials from ministries to push for tenders. Her Rosemead Place residence is used to host these parties and exchange monies related to transactions.

Nadesan is also a close confidante of Minister Basil Rajapaksa. It is Nadesan who carried out Basil’s diplomatic links with the Indian government.