President rejects resignation by Chris Nonis!

Monday, 29 September 2014 

The president has refused to accept the resignation tendered by Sri Lankan high commissioner in the UK Dr. Chris Nonis after he was assaulted in New York by external affairs ministry supervising MP, president’s confidential financial advisor, Sajin Vaas Gunawardena aka 'baggage boy,’ say presidential secretariat sources.

The president has especially sent his chief of staff Gamini Senarath to London to settle the matter through discussion with Nonis. Senarath has abandoned a private visit to France and gone to London at the president’s request.

Nonis is known to get into trouble because of his garrulous nature. Sajin Vaas had got angry after he overheard the HC referring to external affairs ministry secretary Kshenuka Seneviratne as ‘bloody bitch,’ and slapped him. Immediately, Nonis has left for London and sent his resignation to the president.

The president’s media unit had told all weekend newspapers not to carry anything about this incident. That is why no newspaper yesterday (28) had reported it. The president last month gave a service extension to Nonis until August next year. Referring to that, Sajin Vaas has told senior officials of the ministry, “Chris was given the extension because the election was coming near. After the election, I will expel him.” At the time he assaulted Nonis, he was under the influence of liquor. Unconfirmed reports say the president has slapped Sajin Vaas upon hearing the incident.

High Commissioner Nonis Quits After Assault By Sajin Vaas

September 29, 2014

Sri Lanka High Commissioner in United Kingdom, Chris Nonis has resigned after he was assaulted mercilessly by Sajin Vass Gunawardena, the Monitoring MP for the Ministry of External Affairs at a house in New York.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who returned to Colombo from New York, after attending the UN has ordered the state and private media to blackout the news and not report anything on this matter. He personally spoke to everyone concerned.

The incident took place at the house of Dilan Ariyawansa, who is now Director of Sri Lankan Airlines in New York. He has thrown a dinner for many members of Rajapaksa’s team taking part in UN General Assembly. Ariyawansa was originally sent to New York as an employee-manager of Sri Lanka Travel Inc. in 2000 by Lalith Kotelawala and was involved in many controversies.

One of the persons who took part in the dinner told the Colombo Telegraph that among those who took part in the dinner were Nonis, Foreign Secretary Kshenuka Seneviratne and Sajin Vass Gunawardena.

In a highly intoxicated state, Gunawardena MP has got involved in an argument with Nonis. He called him a “bloody pariah” and accused him of using the words “fucking bitch on Kshenuka Seneviratne.” He has raised his hands and given Nonis a thundering slap forcing him to fall on the ground. Thereafter, Gunawardena has continued to kick High Commissioner Nonis. His toe was hurt because of this and he was walking with a bandage.

Nonis did not sit for the string hopper, chicken curry and seeni sambol dinner. He drew to the five star New York Hotel Rajapaksa stayed and gave his resignation. The next morning he took a flight from New York to London.

Nonis complained to a member of the Sri Lanka delegation Rajapaksa will not take any action against Gunawardena. He had revealed Rajapaksa told him I will deal with the fellow but nothing will happen, he said.