SLFP purges pro-MR rebels

UPFA Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, in May, this year, appeared in a television show where he was asked about the SriLankan Airlines stewardess working for the Presidential Secretariat, under the Rajapaksa administration.

It was widely alleged that the stewardess, namely Nithya Senani Samaranayake, worked for the young Parliamentarian, while receiving a salary from SriLankan Airlines.

During the TV show, the Parliamentarian, who, at one point, was the head of the SLFP youth wing, came up with a very ‘loose’ explanation.

“Firstly, I must tell you that I never had an office at the Presidential Secretariat. But I know that sister (Akka). I have spoken to her a few times. She worked at Temple Trees. She was assigned to Temple Trees under the powers of the Presidential Secretary. I was introduced to her after she started working at Temple Trees,” Rajapaksa said, explaining his association with the stewardess.

The story of the SriLankan Airlines (SLA) stewardess being released to work at Temple Trees surfaced during the inquiry carried out by a panel led by senior lawyer J.C. Weliamuna. The report of this Board of Inquiry (BoI) was popularly known as the ‘Weliamuna Report on SriLankan Airlines’.

Explaining the questionable transfer of the stewardess, the Weliamuna Report made the following observations:

Nithya Samaranayaka being taken into custody

“The BoI observed the release of a cabin crew member to the Presidential Secretariat which was irregular, especially since, the said Cabin Crew was purportedly released to work in the office of MP Namal Rajapaksa. Moreover, since the said cabin crew member was paid her full salary and half of her productivity payment from SLA, amounting to approximately Rs. 70,500 per month, in addition to the monthly remuneration of Rs. 87,500 per month from the Presidential Secretariat, thereby providing a monthly remuneration of approximately Rs. 158,000.

Observations:

1. By letter dated June 2, 2010, Lalith Weeratunga, the then Secretary to the former President, wrote to Manoj Gunawardena, former CEO of SLA, stating that Ms. Nithya Samaranayaka, senior cabin crew member, has been identified for an assignment at the Presidential Secretariat.

There is a note written by Weeratunga dated June 1, 2010 written stating that, “this girl is to be appointed to the office of the President’s Secretary as a Special Projects Coordinator, salary Rs. 35,000. Other facilities as appropriate.”

2. On June 23, 2010, she was appointed by the secretary to the President to the post of Special Projects Coordinator to the office of the Private Secretary to the President, under article 41.1 of the constitution. She was released on the same day by SriLankan Airlines and the release letter states that she will be paid her basic salary, special premium and tea allowance by the airline.

3. Since several payments to Samaranayaka and correspondence originated with the approval of former Chairman Wickramasinghe, we questioned the former Chairman on the release of this employee. Wickramasinghe’s position was that this lady was released to work with Namal Rajapaksa MP and there was nothing he could do, despite him being connected. He admitted that the release of Ms. Samaranayaka and promotion were irregular.

4. It is to be noted that the management services circular dated April 5, 2007, sets out the criteria for recruitment, remuneration and management of project staff. The payment of Rs. 35,000 by the Presidential Secretariat is consistent with the position of Junior Manager (Level D) and the qualification for Level D is a bachelor’s degree of Corporate Membership of a recognized institution in the relevant field with minimum two years’ experience in the required area of specialization.”

Namal’s stewardess

On the material submitted by the Presidential Secretariat, the BoI found that Ms. Samaranayaka has been paid in addition to her salary, a fuel allowance up to Rs. 22,680 per month and a separate cash payment as a transport allowance of Rs. 30,000 per month.

The Weliamuna Report continues that “Upon enquiry, Ms. Samaranayaka stated that MP Namal Rajapaksa’s office provided transport for her colleagues and herself and that she did not have to expend any money for such transportation and the fuel and transport allowances amounting to Rs. 52,680 per month was for her private use.

“She further stated,

There was no identifiable special project that she was attached to.

She was released at the request of MP Namal Rajapaksa whom she knew.

She could not recollect the names of officers whom she had known at the Temple Trees or Presidential Secretariat, except Ms. Deepa Liyanage.

Ms. Samaranayaka admitted that she has not signed any attendance register during the entire period of release

She was unable to describe the exact location where she worked except the fact that it was some location at the Temple Trees and not at the Presidential Secretariat.

As and when Ms. Samaranayaka wanted, she also flew as a cabin Crew member once to London and mostly to regional destinations and she did have ‘recognition’ to be on the roster. The promotion letter contains a provision that she is required to complete a minimum of 55 hours of flying per month.

“While being full-time to the Presidential Secretariat she received productivity allowance from SLA at the request of the Secretary of the President. She was promoted as the Cabin Service Supervisor on March 27, 2014 and the letter issued on July 02, 2014 while serving at the Presidential Secretariat to Grade C4.

“On January 13, 2015 she was released back to SLA on her request. Ms.Samaranayaka admitted before us that as she was a political appointee she felt that she was part of the previous government.

“ At the Presidential Secretariat, Ms. Samaranayaka as Special Projects Coordinator, her legitimate entitlement, if at all, was limited to the salary of her substantive post plus allowance of 50% of the salary of her current post in the project not exceeding Rs. 35,000.

“It is revealed from the report dated March 17, 2015 given to the BoI by the Secretary to the President that she has been paid a total of Rs. 87,680 per month consisting of Rs. 35,000 salary plus Rs. 22,680 fuel allowance and Rs. 30,000 transport allowance per month.

“(viii) The BoI is of the view that Ms. Samaranayaka was not in fact released to the Presidential Secretariat but released for political work for Namal Rajapaske MP, with the full knowledge of Lalith Weeratunga and NishanthaWickramasinghe and therefore the State should not have utilized public funds to make any payments to Ms. Samaranayaka.

“(ix) According to paragraph 3 of her appointment letter at the Presidential Secretariat, her post is subject to the Financial Regulations. It appears that she was not serving the Government and therefore the actual loss to the government on this questionable remuneration, under Financial Regulation 102, is amounting to Rs. 4,284,460.

“(x) Apart from the above, the SLA has also paid her salary and allowances for the above-mentioned period while considering her as being a full time employee of the Company. BoI has found that SLA has paid her a total sum of Rs. 4,133,622 for the same period as her salary, Special premium. Tea allowance, Productivity allowance, Grooming allowance, Attendance incentive and Duty Fee Commission, which is a violation of the provisions of the Management Services Circular No. 33, which is applicable to Government owned Companies.

“(xi) On being questioned, Pradeepa Kakulawala, the Head of Human Resources said that Ms. Samaranayaka’s release and promotion was not in order and he knew that she was released for Namal Rajapakse MP for Tharunyata Hetak. Former Chairman went a step further said said she was released for MP Namal Rajapaksa.”

Illegal

The Report makes the following conclusions:

“(i) The release of Ms. Samaranayaka to Presidential Secretariat in the circumstances set out above and keeping her in that position with special perks and privileges are illegal, causing a loss to the state.

(ii) Release of Ms. Samaranayaka was a widely known fact but SLA human resources and other divisions kept a blind eye, creating a questionable corporate culture. No steps were taken by any officer, except to intentionally cover up and promote her.

(iii) There is prima facie material to investigate into for criminal liabilities of the transaction including possible misappropriation and aiding and abetting a crime based on possible criminal misappropriation/fraud.”

Arrested

Nearly a year after the Weliamuna Report, Samaranayaka’s name re-appeared in the news when she was remanded till August 22 by a Colombo Court for her alleged involvement in money laundering, amounting to Rs.45 million.

The Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) informed the CID that she had functioned as a director of two companies owned by MP Namal Rajapaksa.

The FCID, on August 15th Monday, arrested Namal Rajapaksa and Sudarsha Bandara Ganewatta for their alleged involvement in money laundering, using two companies. Colombo Additional Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne ordered them to be remanded till August 22.

The two companies that have come under scrutiny in connection with money laundering are NR Consultation Private Ltd and Gowers Corporation Pvt Ltd, both formed by MP Namal Rajapaksa.

The stewardess was arrested for aiding and abetting to commit the offence.

The FCID made the arrests after investigating into a complaint that MP Namal Rajapaksa had purchased Hello Corp. Pvt. Ltd for Rs.100 million using “ill-gotten” funds of Gowers Corporation and NR Consultation Pvt Ltd, owned by him.

The FCID informed Court that the investigations had revealed that MP Rajpaksa had been allegedly involved in money laundering amounting to Rs. 15 million in NR Consultation Pvt Ltd and another Rs.30 million in Gowers Corporation Pvt Ltd in 2012.

The Police said that the alleged money laundering had been done through a company named Boston Capital allegedly owned by Rohan Iriyagolla and he had divulged crucial information in this regard.

The investigators also told Court that the suspects could be charged under section 3(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, which is considered as a non bailable offence. The FCID has named Namal Rajapaksa, Indika Prabhath Karunajeewa, Pavithra Sujani Bogollagama, Senani Samaranayake, Sudarshana Bandara Ganegoda and Iresha Silva as suspects in the case, under the Attorney General’s instructions.

Sujani Bogollagama, the daughter of the well-known real estate businessman, Janaka Bogollagama, was not produced before court last week as she admitted herself to a private hospital in Colombo. She is also the niece of former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

The Police said Sujani Bogollagama, along with Samaranayaka and a few others, had also functioned as a director of both companies owned by the Parliamentarian.

Interestingly, the Weliamuna committee, which investigated into the release of Samaranayaka to work for the Presidential Secretariat, did not make any reference to her involvement in the two companies owned by the Parliamentarian.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer on Wednesday, Weliamuna said the Board of Inquiry, at that point, had not been aware of her involvement in the companies.

Therefore, it could be speculated that she had withheld information on what she did during her stint at the Presidential Secretariat.

Speaking to media soon after Parliamentarian’s arrest, UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila said the government had started the second round of ‘hunting’ by taking Rajapaksa into custody.

“I will pack my bags today because I have a feeling that they will come for me very soon. Is this your good governance? That’s the only question we have to ask from the government. Today, the CID, the FCID and the Bribery Commission have become factories producing charges against politicians of the opposition. In some cases, we don’t even get to know the charges against us, until we go to court.,” Gammanpila said, speaking on behalf of the remanded MP.

SLFP shake-up

While the UPFA rebel MP group was busy with issues such as Namal Rajapaksa’s arrest, President Maithripala Sirisena, the Chairman of the SLFP, made an unexpected decision to appoint 40 new electorate and district organisers for the SLFP.

The move was made while the party was preparing for the Local Government election, fixed for next year.

While appointing new faces, the President also expelled 13 UPFA rebel group MPs from their electorate organiser positions. Former Ministers Gamini Lokuage, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, C.B. Ratnayake, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Kheliya Rambukwella, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Sarath Kumara Gunaratne were among the Joint Opposition stalwarts who lost their electorate organiser posts. In addition, former MP Upeksha Swarnamali too lost her position as the SLFP co-organiser for the Divulapitiya electorate.

Former Deputy Minister Chandana Kathriarachchi replaced Lokuge as the party’s main organiser for the Kesbewa electorate while W.T. Lalith Tensil was appointed as the new SLFP organiser for Negombo, replacing Sarath Kumara Gunaratne.

Former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena was axed with Sumith Lal Mendis being appointed as the new SLFP organiser for Kalutara.

Former Deputy Minister Hemal Gunasekera replaced Former Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as the party’s main organiser for Weligama. Interestingly, Gunasekera is related to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who leads the ‘Joint Opposition’ as the rebel group calls itself. The new appointment made it clear that Gunasekera had switched allegiance after the Rajapaksas fell out of power.

Sunil Kithsiri Amaratunga was appointed as the SLFP’s Chief Organiser for Kundasale, replacing former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

The SLFP’s former Eheliyagoda Organiser PavithraWanniarachchi was replaced by Sarath Senadanayaka while Jagath Kumara Samarahewa replaced C.B. Ratnayake as the Chief Organiser for Walapane.

‘Toy Pistol Mayor’

Another interesting appointment was that of Eraj Ravindra Fernando as the party’s new organiser for Beliatta. Armed with a pistol, Fernando led a gang to attack several UNP Parliamentarians including Eran Wickramaratne, Ajith Manapperuma, Ajith P. Perera, Nalin Priyantha Bandara and R. Yogarajan when they arrived at the Mattala International Airport on a fact-finding mission.

When asked about the incident, Fernando later said it was a ‘toy pistol’ and he never intended to harm the UNP MPs.

This remark earned him reputation as the “Toy Pistol Mayor”. In December 2014, the Hambantota Mayor was again involved in an attack on a group of artistes campaigning for the then Opposition ‘common candidate’ for the presidency, Maithripala Sirisena.

The SLFP’s move to appoint Eraj Ravindra Fernando as the party’s organiser for Beliatta came under severe criticism on social media platforms, mainly from the groups who campaigned for the ruling coalition at the last election.

The President, however, made his intentions clear when he appointed the new electorate organisers. He issued several direct and indirect warnings to rebel group MPs, in a desperate attempt to instil discipline in the party.

He said the party would take stern action if they continued to support the former President’s camp, defying the Central Committee’s decisions.

It was quite clear that the rebel MPs did not take the President’s warnings seriously. The majority of them took part in the Paada Yathra campaign earlier this month and even hooted at the SLFP headquarters in Colombo during that protest march.

It can be assumed that hooting at the party headquarters tested the patience of the SLFP seniors, including the President.

The President, while handing over letters of appointment to the new electorate organisers of the party, clearly said those who tried to divide the party and violate its discipline could lose, not only their electoral organiser posts, but also their parliamentary seats. Justifying his statement, the President said no political party came to power by splitting another party. He cited the decline of the UNP after the breakaway of Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake, as an example to prove this fact.

From a strategic perspective, it is obvious that the SLFP is focused on building a second tier, probably targeting the forthcoming Local Government election. The President has utilized the current power struggle within the party to bring in more ‘young blood’ to the SLFP fold.

Invitation

However, former President Rajapaksa, in a statement issued on Thursday evening, expressed his displeasure over the shake-up. The statement, to a great degree, was an act of showing solidarity with his supporters who landed in trouble as a result of the Joint Opposition’s political campaign.

“These are all very popular politicians and stalwarts of the SLFP. Nationally known figures have been replaced with individuals who are either defeated candidates.

Such changes are designed to weaken the SLFP and to give the UNP the upper hand when it comes to an election. The responsibility for splitting the SLFP by removing its most popular electoral organisers will finally have to be borne by the President who is the leader of the party,” Rajapaksa said, adding President Maithripala Sirisena should be held responsible for a possible split in the party.

He said the removal of organisers was a ploy to destroy the SLFP, similar to the dissolution of Local Government bodies.

“These local government institutions would have been immensely helpful to the party in the event of any election. Yet all these were dissolved, giving a clear advantage to the UNP. The coalition between the UNP and the SLFP was extended from two years to five years without seeking the views of the SLFP central committee.

I call upon all members of the SLFP to carefully observe these moves that are being made to weaken the party and give the UNP the upper hand,” the former President said, in his statement. It is against this backdrop that the SLFP is preparing for its party anniversary. Although former President has been invited for the party anniversary, he is yet to confirm his participation.

When Minister John Seneviratne handed over the invitation to Rajapaksa, a few days ago, the former President said he would “happily accept” the invitation.

However, it is still not clear whether Rajapaksa will attend the event where former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will also be a prominent figure. Informed party sources said if Rajapaksa decided to attend the event, he would have to sit next to President Sirisena, the current Chairman of the party.