A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Monday, July 3, 2017
Dhammika now manipulates ‘Yahapaalanaya’ after using Mahinda!
Notorious
casino businessman Dhammika Perera had close dealings with Mahinda
Rajapaksa and his sons during the ex-president’s rule. Unconfirmed
sources say Dhammika has the possession of a sizeable amount of
ill-gotten wealth of Namal and Yoshitha. It is no secret that during
that regime, Dhammika used the two Rajapaksa sons to manipulate the law
according to his wishes.
The best example is Bellagio Colombo casino at no. 430, R.A. de Mel
Mawatha (Duplication Road). The Betting Act requires the location of
casinos at least 500 metres away from schools and religious places.
However, this casino is located in front of Mahanama College,
Kollupitiya, and within a 500 m distance of Valukarama Temple.
After the JHU and Buddhist monks pointed this out in 2010, Mahinda
summoned Dhammika and ordered him to immediately close it down. He
pleaded that he be given six months. During that period, what he did was
not closing it down, but getting the support of Namal and Yoshitha to
ensure the continuation of the casino. Due to the pressure of his sons,
Mahinda had to keep silent. Until 2015, Dhammika managed to run that
casino without any trouble.
Thereafter the Yahapaalana government came to power, and he immediately
went to see the late Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, who played a key role in
that government’s formation, and said he would voluntarily close down
Bellagio Colombo Casino. He appealed to the prelate that he be given
between six months to one year in consultation with the government
leaders to do that. During that period, what he did was not to relocate
it, but tried to find someone to use as the cat’s paw just like he did
during the Rajapaksa rule.
For that, he was assisted by a man who owns massage clinics at
Kollupitiya. Through him, Dhammika got friendly with Dudley Sirisena,
the businessman brother of president Maithripala Sirisena. He sent Rs.
five million, as pocket money, to JAIC Hilton Apartment, owned by
Dudley. Accepting it, Dudley inquired from Dhammika through the massage
clinic owner as to what he needed the government to do.
Dhammika did not ask for anything in return, and only requested him to
visit his casino at his convenience and play a game. He has ordered the
casino management to give Dudley any amount of chips free of charge if
he came to play there. An addict to casinos, Dudley kindly turned down
Dhammika’s request, saying “A real gambler cannot play with free chips.
If the bet is to be enjoyed, he should spend his own money. Now, I
cannot waste time at casinos like I did, when I was the health
minister’s brother. Now, I am the president’s brother. I cannot tarnish
my elder brother’s name by doing that. When I want, I go to Singapore to
play casino.”
However, Dudley has ensured that Bellagio Casino continues at its
present location. Dhammika has been able to manipulate Dudley as well as
top UNP figures. However, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe does not know
anything about this. Recently, this matter came up in his presence. A
surprised PM inquired, “That casino is still in front of Mahanama
College?” Without the president and the PM knowing it, the art of
striking deals continues unchanged. People who voted for Yahapaalanaya
are looking on open-mouthed and open-eyed at the SAITM, GMOA, IUSF and
the dengue menace, while striking deals happens under their eyes.