(Lanka-e-News- 16.Aug.2014, 9.15.PM) This is not a story taken from Ripley’s “believe it or not” . Rather, it is a true story taken from a chapter, ‘Rajapakse’s miracle (debacle) in the making of Sri Lanka (SL)’ of Rajapakse’s book of crooks alias “believe it or not.” This is the story of an ordinary engineer , Priyath Bandu Wickrema of the ports authority who sometime ago sold his free lunch packet given by the Ports authority in order to collect money to meet the traveling expense to go home, and walked down Malwatte road to the railway station . This same Bandu who was a bindu (zero) hard put to collect the train fare to go home, has now after becoming the chairman of the Ports authority under the Rajapakse regime bought the ‘American standard’ company for Rs.800 million in the name of his wife, according to Udeni Kalutantri , President of Jathika sevaka sangamaya (JSS).
Kalutantri made this rudely shocking and unbelievable exposure, during the demonstrations staged jointly by the trade unions of the Port. He added, he is making this exposure taking full responsibility. The present chairman of the Port, Priyath Bandu and working Director Nihal Kepetipola have together collected Port funds amounting to Rs.2500 million in the year 2013 for profligate spending on ‘Tamashas’ (Port functions).
Kalutantri bemoaned that this colossal amount of money was wasted on tamashas , after making cut backs in a sum of Rs. 3500 on the bonus payment to the workers . Besides they indulged in this wasteful extravagance while the workers were demanding an increased bonus payment, Kalutantri pointed out.
Kalutantri went on to reveal that Bandu who was an erstwhile Bindu (zero) collected Rs.16.9 million to refurbish his official residence . But when it became very evident so much of money was not spent on the refurbishment , Priyath Bandu was dumbfounded when he was questioned about it confirming suspicions that Bandu had indulged in another swindle . Both Bandu and Keppetipola together receive bribes amounting to Rs.1 million daily from the ‘transer to transer’ transport service that is operating within the Port, Kalutantri further disclosed.
If their demands are not granted , the trade unions jointly will stage a massive strike to completely cripple the smooth technical operations of the port and create a breakdown , Kalutantri warned .
