President Maithri ominously reveals his despotic

teeth : Bypasses cabinet and sans gazette

notification gives over business to Forces

(Lanka-e-News
-14.Nov.2015, 11.55PM) The measures
taken by president Miathripala Sirisena
against Avant Garde Co.has baffled the
entire business community. The Navy
that went on board the ship
yesterday (13) of that company with a
letter from the defense sceretary is
now in the process of collecting the
weapons and equipments that were on
board the ship. The acquisition of a
private business Co. by the forces is a
most rigorous exercise. In any case, no
written document in this connection
has been issued to this Company , nor
has there been a gazette notification.
Neither the media nor those
responsible are talking about the
obnoxious measures taken by the
president against Avant Garde Co.
because among society now exists a notion, whenever any individual
speaks regarding this , that individual has collected bribes from Avant
Garde Co.
May we state here , Lanka e news was the first media Institution to expose
the transactions of Avant Garde Co. Hence we have no need or necessity to
white wash that Co. Neither have we to fear such notions. On the contrary
all what we are trying to explain and elucidate is , if the investigation has
not been conducted duly and legally against that Co. , there can be nothing
more illegal than the measures taken by the president purportedly to
make amends , not to mention the irretrievable damage that can result to
the country , owing to the presidents actions.
How it all began .
Following the resignation of the minister in charge of the police , the

president said , he would take the Avant Garde Co. investigation under
him- he did not say he will take the company under him. He only said he
would take the investigation under him.
The following day , on the 11 th , the president summoned a group citing
the excuse that he wished to learn the facts.That group comprised
ministers Wijedasa Rajapakse , Champika Ranatunge and Arjuna
Ranatunge , as well as Naval Commander , IGP , Attorney General and the
defense secretary . Incredible but true , Arjuna Ranatunge made his
appearance without any invitation in other words he was an intruder.
The president when commencing his speech said , this discussion should be
held keeping the media out. This is an internal discussion , the president
repeated twice. Then Rajitha Senaratne and Champika Ranawake began
tearing Avant Garde Co. into shreds by pointing out all its faults.But when
accusations were levelled that officers after accepting cash and women
from Avant Garde Co. are not implementing the laws , the IGP and the AG
flew into a rage.
The AG remarked he is also a government officer , but he or anybody else
had never accepted cash or women from anyone. The AG then said , since
this matter has come to the surface , he would like to disclose this
investigation is not yet over , and from the beginning , Upul Jayasuriya
came every fortnight and insisted that Gotabaya be arrested in relation to
this case. The AG revealed, he however told Upul Jayasuriya that such a
sudden arrest cannot be made , and a thorough evaluation must be done,
whereupon Jaysuriya had said , he has been sent by the Prime Minister
(P.M.)
The AG had then explained to him , if the P.M. wished to inform anything ,
that he intimates via P.M.s secretary, and that P.M. does not use Upul
Jayasuriya for that.
A few days later , when the AG was at a wedding house , in response to a
request made to him to come to Temple Trees and meet the P.M., the AG
had gone to meet the P.M. The latter was not alone , and he was with a
group of about 50 ministers . The AG related the ministers at once shouted
at him and did not allow him to explain anything. On that same day
Champika and Rajitha too similarly treated him. .The AG added , he acts
according to the laws , and not according to the wishes or needs of
anybody.
The IGP too after the AGs speech started speaking with fury . Answering
Champika Ranawake he said , we do not work for cash and women . I do
not know whether the Avant Garde owner is dark or fair. I have never met
him any day, and never has he any day spoken with him even by phone.
Besides , the police has acted in accordance with the laws .

Recently a ship of that Co. was taken into custody on the international
territorial waters , and legally no action can be taken therefore , the CID
informed , the IGP further stated.
At this juncture , president Maithri inquired from the Navy whether this
business can be carried on by it . The Navy Commander and Arjuna
Ranatunge the intruder at once replied , the Navy can. When the Navy
commander however revealed there are agreements in this regard , the
defense secretary let the cat out of the bag and blabbered , four companies
have submitted applications to run this business. The president then said ,
if it is possible for the Navy to run this business, to evaluate the existing
agrements and intimate to him. The discussions ended on that note.
Nevertheless , even before the participants to this discussion could reach
their vehicles, there was an SMS news alert that the president has decided
that the Navy takes over the business , and that revelation was made by
Rajitha Senaratne .
Intriguingly , the presidents media division did not contradict or correct this
anouncement of Rajitha Senaratne , and the very following day , the
defense secretary issued a letter that the Navy is taking over Avant Garde
Co.
Based on that letter ,from 13 th , the Navy has come on board the ship of
the Co. and is in the process of taking over the arms and equipments in it.
Legal foundation and its sovereignty under threat ..
It is to be noted that the president did not convene a cabinet meeting on
the 11 th and there were only four cabinet ministers present at the meeting
. The Prime minister too was in the dark over this meeting . It was not even
a security council meeting. Other commanders of the forces were also not
present .Chiefs of the State intelligence division were also absent.In other
words at the meeting on 11 th , some officers, and three ministers who are
very close to the president (Rajitha , Champika and Arjuna) were only
present.. Of them , two ministers were like vultures in search of preys ,
making every clandestine move to take the lucrative business into their
hands.
At the conclusion of the meeting , Rajitha told the media something that
was not decided at the meeting. At any rate the president, the following
day acted in accordance with only what Rajitha revealed to the media . By
this it is very clear the meeting was pre arranged and a camouflage to
carry out the decision taken ,in a different way .
If the forces of the country is to take over a business about which the
cabinet and the prime minister are unaware , and if this can be done this
stealthily and treacherously , surely in that country the legal system is not

sovereign .
The emergency regulations is now not in force ,and neither has the
business been taken over under that regulation. At least a Gazette
notification should have been made . That too has not been done. If the
president has said , he is taking the investigation under his purview , then
it is based on that report , the business should be taken over. Nothing of
that sort too had taken place.
Even Mahinda Rajapakse a byword for lawlessness, and who carried on a
most lawless administration , when he took over the Sevanagala sugar Co.
business of Daya Gamage then , which had a turnover of Rs. 350 million per
day , only after giving it over to the state entrepreneurship private
division , and thereafter exploiting the laws that permit to acquire a
business if it is not duly conducted , that business was acquired. At least
Mahinda Rajapakse took refuge under some law which he took unfair
advantage of . Whereas in this instance , in relation to Maithripala
Sirisena , he has given over a business to the Navy without any law
whatsoever to back or support his action . Certainly this is a most
dangerous state of affairs , and augurs ill for the country and the people.
There is also a most lethal and deadly side for this crooked machination :
when Avant Garde tried to convene a media briefing and sought to explain
their side of the story yesterday , the president had spoken and threatened
them -warning them not to hold the media briefing. Accordingly they have
cancelled the briefing. Can this dangerous trend and the treacherous
actions be called by any other term than dictatorship ? or is this what
good governance means in the Thesaurus of the president ?
What is the guarantee the business community has in this lawless climate
that , in the same way , Maliban Biscuit Co. or any other will not be acquired
and handed over to the forces? By publicising through the media there is
toxin or poison in the biscuits of Maliban , and with the three ministers ,
Rajitha , Champika and Arjuna to nod and say yes ; the next step is , after
mounting charges against those who speak for Maliban Co. as taking
bribes from Maliban owners , and after inquiring from the forces whether
they can run it, take over the business.
So,when the army commander says he can , isnt it possible to similarly
acquire Maliban Co. too after the defense secretary issues a letter to that
effect. Can anybody have faith that such a taking over is impossible? When
it is not even known that a media briefing is being convened in this regard ,
to which God can these victims complain?
Of course currently, by announcing there is Democracy and sovereignty of
law , foreign investors are being waved at and welcomed. Yet , if Lankan

businesses are being given over to the forces disregarding laws, in a

dictatorial manner , not even following the Kangaroo courts, who is the
investor who will arrive in SL? Under these circumstances , if an investor is
still to come for investment in SL , he must be unhinged.
Therefore what prevails now in SL is a most perilous situation threatening
the entire legal foundation. If Avant Garde is a wrongdoer , an investigation
shall be conducted and the Co. proved guilty. Those who viewed the
acquisition of Daya Gamages Sugar Co .then as wrongful , would view the
present acquisition as still worse. If anybody is unable to see this mistake ,
it is only the one who is adding fuel to the fire with those who are taking the
president up the garden path, and deluding all via lip service to good
governance , to the detriment of the country and the nation.
If the president is going to follow the advice of self seeking selfish ministers
who caused billions of rupees loss to the country owing to their actions
which led to an embargo being imposed on exports to European countries
, doom and gloom looming over this country is inevitable.
By a special reporter of LeN
Translated by Jeff
--------------------------by
(2015-11-14 22:15:54)
Posted by Thavam