by Nirmala Kannangara
- Disregarding the guidelines 21 employees had been recruited with backdated letters to the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation from Hambantota
- Out of the 21, seventeen had reported for duty on July 6, 2015, another two on July 8, 2015 and the other two on July 9, 2015 according to official documents
- On January 11, 2017, Minister Amaraweera had made an appeal to the Committee on High Post to re-consider the issue but it had been rejected
Complaint lodged with the Committee on High Posts on the appointment of Amarananda Abeygunasekera as the Chairman Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation , Election Commissioner’s letter recommending the removal of Abeygunasekera for violating election guidelines in run up to the 2015 general election and Chairman Abeygunasekera’s letter granting Ruhunu Suppliers permission to remove 100,000 cubes of sand from Kirinda fisheries harbour for Rs. 500 per cube
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry is accused of overruling a directive given by the Committee on High Posts, The Sunday Leader reliably understands.
Despite an order given by the Committee on High Posts to the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry last year, to remove the Chairman Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation over proven charges leveled against him, it is surprising as to how Fisheries Minister and the Ministry Secretary have allowed Chairman Amarananda Abeygunasekera to continue in his post to date.
Both Abeygunasekera and Director General Indika Kumara assumed duties at the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation after the formation of the Sirisena- Wickremesinghe government in 2015. However before the general election in August 2015, on the directives of the then Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya, the duo were removed for violating election guidelines that had to be adhered as given in writing by the Election Commissioner to all ministries, departments and state corporations by letter PE/2015/04 dated June 29, 2015. Disregarding the guidelines 21 employees had been recruited with backdated letters to the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation from Hambantota- the constituency of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.
However, both Abeygunasekera and Indika Kumara were re-appointed to the same posts soon after the general election by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera disregarding the Election Commissioner’s ruling.
“The Elections Department sent a letter to all ministries, departments and corporations in June advising all ministry secretaries and Chairmen not to transfer, recruit or give any promotions to any officer from the time elections were called for. Despite the Election Commissioner’s written instructions, twenty one were recruited to the Fishery Harbours Corporation after elections were called by backdating the appointment letters,” highly reliable inside sources said.
According to the sources, there was a plan to recruit 97 employees but recruited only 21 at the time Elections Commissioner took action against the Chairman for violation of election guidelines.
The sources further said how Director General Indika Kumara was also involved in the recruitment and added that there were no vacancies to be filled but these 21 were taken to strengthen Minister Amaraweera’s election campaign in Hambantota. Although the letters of appointment had been given on June 24, 2015, these 21 employees had reported to duty only after July 6, 2015.
Out of the 21, seventeen had reported for duty on July 6, 2015, another two on July 8, 2015 and the other two on July 9, 2015 according to official documents.
“Although the appointment letters had been dated as June 24 requesting them to report for duty with immediate effect, they reported for duty nearly two weeks later. This alone clearly shows that the letters although backdated, they had been given in early July,” sources added.
On November 11, 2016, the fifteen member Committee on High Post headed by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya had instructed the Secretary Fisheries Ministry to remove Chairman Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation with immediate effect as he was found guilty of violating election guidelines during the 2015 General Election. On January 11, 2017, Minister Amaraweera had made an appeal to the Committee on High Post to re-consider the issue but it had been rejected.
Employees attached to the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation meanwhile had once again written to the Committee on High Post inquiring what action the Committee is going to take against the Minister, Ministry Secretary and the Chairman for ignoring the order.
“Although it is the Committee on High Posts that examines the suitability of persons who have been either appointed to any post or nominated to hold office in any post determined by the Cabinet of Ministers and to make recommendations in regard to such persons, what action would they take against those who disregard their directives? If this committee cannot take action against Minister Amaraweera, Ministry Secretary and the Chairman in question what is the purpose of having such a committee? It is from the tax payers money they are being maintained. It’s better to dissolve this committee and save our hard earned money. This is a bad precedent. In the event if the Ministers decide to appoint their own cronies as their ministry secretaries and if Heads of Sri Lankan missions abroad are appointed without the consent of the Committee on High Posts in future what would be the country’s situation? The Secretary to the Committee publish advertisements in newspapers inviting the general public to send their representations regarding such appointments if any so they can review the decisions they have taken. But in this instance although a petition had been sent to the Committee on September 13, 2016 submitting all documents against Chairman Fishery Harbours Corporation, what had made Minister Amaraweera to appeal against the Committee decision to keep this Chairman? Isn’t this dubious?” sources claimed.
Meanwhile allegations have also been leveled against Minister Amaraweera and Chairman Abeygunasekera for selling a cube of sand for Rs.500 from the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour to a party from Hambantota known to the Minister.
This newspaper is in possession of a letter from the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation dated January 13, 2016 to Ruhunu Suppliers, No: 16, Suvi Foundation, Hambantota granting approval to remove 100, 000 cubes of sand from Kirinda at a rate of Rs.500 per cube within a period of 12 months.
“Earlier tenders were called to select the highest bidder for the sand but last year approvals were granted to a party who made a written request to the Corporation. When the market value of a cube of sand is very high, Chairman Abeygunasekera’s decision to grant the approval to Ruhunu Suppliers violating procurement guidelines is an offence.
If the politicians who come to power promising good governance are allowing the malpractices to continue the future of this country is very bleak,” sources added. However, refuting allegations Chairman Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation Amarananda Abeygunasekera said that he was never removed from his post for an allegation against violating election guidelines, but he tendered his resignation. “I was never removed but I tendered resignation following a detrimental report against me published in one of the newspapers in 2015. As I want the ministry to hold an impartial inquiry in to the allegations leveled against me I took that decision. Since no one could prove that I am guilty after Minister Mahinda Amaraweera was re-appointed as the Fisheries Minister after the general election, I was once again appointed as the Chairman,” Abeygunasekera said.
When asked as to why he violated election guidelines, Abeygunasekera said that he was not aware of the recruitment as it was done by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development. “It was the ministry that advertised the vacancies in the papers and interviewed the applicants. Later I was asked to sign the letters of appointment which I did on June 24. Either on June 25 or 26, there was a small function at the Ministry where these letters of appointments were given to the selected applicants. Neither the Ministry nor I violated the election guidelines as the Elections Commissioner’s letter reached us on June 29. According to the election guidelines, once nominations are submitted it is not allowed to make new appointments. But in run up to an election giving appointments to selected people is not wrong,” Abeygunasekera said.
Although Abeygunasekera said that vacancies were advertised on newspapers, later he said that all 21 recruitments were from Hambantota district. When asked whether all applications they received were from Hambantota, Abeygunasekera said that there is nothing wrong for a minister to give appointments to those who are from his constituency. “Is it only Minister Amaraweera who had given jobs from the constituency he is representing? Before an election, every minister and deputy minister follows this method to strengthen their respective vote base,” he added.
In regard to why he failed to call for tenders to sell sand from the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour, Abeygunasekera said that any interested party could come and make the relevant payments and remove any amount of sand from Kirinda.
“This particular party- Ruhunu Supplier sent me a letter with a quoted price to remove the sand. At that time we sold one cube of sand for Rs.500 which is now Rs.1,000. Anyone can come with the necessary approvals and pay the relevant charges and remove the sand from Kirinda. There is no necessity to call for tenders and sell the sand,” Abeygunasekera said.
Speaker’s Comments
Chairman Committee on High Post, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya when contacted to find out as to what action they can take against the institution that have not implemented their directives, said that with regard to the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation matter, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera had made an appeal to revert the order given supported by key Ministers.
“In regard to the decision to suspend Chairman Abeygunasekera, the subject Minister wanted us to reverse the decision given and some key ministers of the government informed us about Abeygunasekera’s capabilities in discharging his duties. Hence the Committee on High Posts has to look into the appeal and give our opinion,” Speaker Jayasuriya said.