{"id":36761,"date":"2014-12-28T23:27:55","date_gmt":"2014-12-29T04:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=36761"},"modified":"2014-12-29T09:21:48","modified_gmt":"2014-12-29T14:21:48","slug":"maithripalas-brother-dudley-sirisena-interviewed-about-carscasinosrice-millssand-mining-and-granite-quarrying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=36761","title":{"rendered":"Maithripala’s Brother Dudley Sirisena Interviewed about Cars, Casinos, Rice Mills, Sand Mining and Granite Quarrying"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Shalika Wimalasena<\/strong><\/p>\n

As various allegations<\/strong> are levelled at brothers<\/strong> of the two main contenders<\/strong> at the upcoming Presidential Election, Ceylon Today<\/strong> interviewed Dudley Sirisena <\/strong>(Maithripala’s brother) to obtain responses over allegations levelled at the two families.<\/em><\/p>\n

Excerpts:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Q:
\nWhat happened to the car you won at the casino?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I won the car about three years ago.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nIs that story true?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It is true.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nSo let us speak about it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Alright. But the car has been sold now.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nHow did it happen, actually?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: These casinos are legally accepted businesses. Irrespective of whether it is right or wrong, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government tries to promote them by bringing in laws. I had the luck to win this car.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWas it a big car?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It was a very small car. As this car was not to my liking, I sold it.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nDid you spend a lot of money at the casino?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I cannot tell you the exact amount. Anyway it was not a mass scale casino. If I was a leading businessman I would have not played in a casino like that.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nDo you still play in casinos?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No. I like to know why the government, led by Mahinda Rajapaksa and Wimal Weerawansa gave prominence to casinos if it is so bad. They tried to establish more casinos. Anyway is it ethical for Wimal to question me like this?<\/p>\n

Q:
\nIs it wrong playing in casinos?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: So they say.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWhat is your view?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I was tempted to do so, but now I have corrected myself. Why does Wimal try to teach me what is right. What about him associating with KP and Karuna Amman of the LTTE who hacked the bhikkus at Aranthalawa to death?<\/p>\n

Q:
\nThey say that the car was given to the best casino player of the year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: This casino is government registered and belongs to Dhammika Perera. It is better to ask him whether the car was given for the best casino player or it was given as a lottery prize.
\n
\nQ:
\nYou too have stopped going to casinos. Will Maithripala Sirisena ban casinos?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: We have not decided such things. Therefore, I cannot comment.
\n
\nQ:
\nDid you make an urgent call to Gotabhaya to discuss these issues?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No. We wanted to come to a common stand as friends. What happened was good. I address him as Sir. We bade farewell without any anger or hatred.
\n
\nQ:
\nWhy don’t you answer my question directly?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He has not revealed about that telephone call and I also will not reveal. I only made an explanation to you.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nSo the telephone call was true.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Yes. It is undoubtedly true.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou run the rice mafia of this country.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: They say so only now.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWhen did you start the rice business?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: In 1994.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nRice King Siripala Gamlath was in the business before you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He was in the business since 1984 but I have no idea if he is Rice King.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWas he your business teacher?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Yes.
\n
\nQ:
\nDo you have any business deals with him now.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: There is no conflict between the teacher and pupil. I went forward in a number of fields due to my recognition in society and in politics. Therefore I presume Siripala Gamlath is jealous of my success.
\n
\nQ:
\nIt is not clear.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Why cannot he support a son of a retired soldier, born in Polonnaruwa, to become the President of Sri Lanka? Roshan Ranasinghe is also a similar grandson of a soldier. They were taught politics by the future President.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou cannot accuse them like that. They have the right to decide on their policies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Their policy must be the common policy of the country. But, this decision is based on personal agenda. A politician must take decisions wisely based on knowledge and experience. He was selling rice and came here. He may not protect Mahinda Rajapaksa if he has a proper policy.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou are wrong. Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath has said clearly to our newspaper that he was supporting the President to pay gratitude for ending war although he has shortcomings.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I have asked Siripala Gamlath about the war. We have spoken about President’s leadership, responsibility and administration of war. But why can’t Siripala Gamlath see the fact that General Sarath Fonseka who really fought the war and lost his civil rights as well? What nonsense is this?<\/p>\n

Q:
\nLet us go back to rice. Is there a rice mafia in Polonnaruwa?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government sees the mafia only now. No politician, official or businessman faces problems till they crossover. They are immediately called mafia as soon as they crossover.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nAlthough you took the responsibility promptly, Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath is also a big rice mill owner.
\n<\/strong>
\nA: That is why he is still there. He will suffer for betraying his political teacher Maithripala Sirisena.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nCan you curse people like that in a Maithri government?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I don’t curse. Lord Buddha has preached and shown the affects of the wrong doings. The blind men do not see the correct path. We have sacrificed everything for the country and the people.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWhy did you add Deputy Minister Siripala Gamlath’s name to the list of the government politicians that would crossover?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I have not added his name to any such list. Roshan Ranasinghe is a UNPer who has joined Namal Rajapaksa for business purposes. You are speaking of a group of people who are ineffectively trying to safeguard their businesses in this country which has no rule of law. Roshan Ranasinghe was Siripala Gamlath’s foe but they have become close friends now. Both of them will be swept from Polonnaruwa very soon.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWhat is the bigger rice mill, Nipuna or Araliya?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: That is his problem. He ran a monopoly in rice business.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nPlease answer my question.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I don’t want to compare businesses as big and small. I am in one centre and I expand my businesses in a legal framework. Others’ businesses are not relevant to me.
\n
\nQ:
\nYou could expand your business due to political powers of Maithripala Sirisena.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Is he the clerk of my mill? I can swear that he has never stepped into a mill owned by me. One day he came to my smaller mill in a double cab but did not get down.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nHaven’t you taken any support for your business from his Ministerial powers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: If I have taken support from Ministers, will I say that Siripala Gamlath and Some Aiya supported me?<\/p>\n

Q:
\nBut you spoke in that manner to Gamlath who helped you so much.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He is the one who showed me the path. But he cannot claim ownership for all my developments. I am ever so grateful to him. He was my strength.
\n
\nQ:
\nWhy do you try to destroy the small paddy mills?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: If we purchase paddy by force or we bought paddy from government stores using political powers of Maithripala Sirisena, then why does the customer buy our products? The reason is the quality we maintain.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou try to deviate. Aren’t the rice produced in small mills qualitative?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: People buy good quality rice. The small mills must understand the market behaviour, the needs of the market and the consumers’ interests. Even a small businessman can move forward if he understands these things. Wise consumers do not want to buy bad products.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nThe owners of small mills accuse that you do not allow them to buy rice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: We have never done so and no one has lodged such a complaint against us in any Police Station. We purchase rice all throughout the year and supply any amount of rice to the traders.
\n
\nQ:
\nIs it true that you hide paddy to prevent others purchasing them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Do you think we are crazy to do so in this country in which we reap only two harvests?<\/p>\n

Q:
\nCan you face challenges of small rice mill owners if they produce evidence of preventing them from purchasing paddy?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No problem at all. They can challenge me at any given time.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nIs it true that the persons who came to buy Araliya Hotel were chased away at gunpoint when they reached Habarana?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: They are lying. I can challenge and prove it.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nAt what price did you buy Araliya Hotel?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Rs 2.5 million.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nIsn’t it a very cheap price?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Many people think about the present Araliya Hotel. I bought a hotel which was closed for 13 years. The tourist industry had collapsed by that time due to war. The investors were not ready to put money in this sector. It was a heap of bat droppings and none of the equipment could have been used.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nHow much does the hotel value now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It is valued about one billion rupees.
\n
\nQ:
\nIs it true that the story of preventing buyers at the auction is famous.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It is not relevant to me to look for other bidders of the auction.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nThe price could have gone up if the bidders were present.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The bank handled the affairs legally and I bought it accordingly.
\n
\nQ:
\nYou cannot allow letting a hotel in your kingdom to go to others’ hands, can you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: There are no kingdoms like Medamulana. This is my village.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou may be looking forward to make it a kingdom?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No. We have gone a long way of our lives. We don’t want to be kings now. We want to work for the people before we die.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nIf you are so strong, why couldn’t Maithripala Sirisena take several Provincial Councillors and local government members to the opposition?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Media, public official, police, businessman and ordinary people are afraid of Rajapaksa regime. They are not happy. You may see what will happen after 8 January.
\n
\nQ:
\nThere are allegations against you that you do not allow the water level to rise in Parakrama Samudraya to prevent your hotel getting inundated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: This is the rainy season and ask Mahinda Rajapaksa and Nimal Siripala de Silva to keep all the spill gates of the tank closed. You will see my hotel will not be inundated.
\n
\nQ:
\nBut you are afraid of the hotel will be inundated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No. Water does not flow to that place.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nThere may be reasons for such allegations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: These are political allegations. Prove if I have demolished any bund or if I have threatened any public official. They can show them on TV.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nWhat about granite quarries?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: They are not mine.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nSand mining?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Not mine.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nThey are the businesses of Sirisena family.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: There are 12 members in the family. I don’t know about everything all of them do. Unlike Rajapaksa family, we give media the full rights to expose any of our faults. Note it now.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou must know about the sand business of your brother who is leading the business in Manampitiya, Polonnaruwa.
\n<\/strong>
\nA: I have a brother, but I do not visit his offices. The government also owns a sand company. What has happened to it? Is Mahinda Rajapaksa a ruler who cannot run a sand company properly, and one who opens spill gates of a tank to save a hotel? Are you going to elect such a person again? Are the people crazy?<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou may have profited from the business of inter locking bricks that are laid on roads.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The programme of developing the rural roads was entirely my strength and the government still owes me Rs 1.5 billion for this.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nYou can sue the government for that money?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No. I don’t want. Nature will resolve all these problems in time. President Mahinda Rajapaksa could have remained in the position for two more years but he holds the Presidential prematurely since nature directed him to do so to save the country from the damage he is committing. Wait and see for the few days that are coming ahead.<\/p>\n

Q:
\nDoes that mean the brother of Maithripala Sirisena is a billionaire?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: People may decide.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:Ceylon Today<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Shalika Wimalasena As various allegations are levelled at brothers of the two main contenders at the upcoming Presidential Election, Ceylon Today interviewed Dudley Sirisena (Maithripala’s brother) to obtain responses over allegations levelled at the two families. Excerpts: Q: What happened to the car you won at the casino? A: I won the car about …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Maithripala’s Brother Dudley Sirisena Interviewed about Cars, Casinos, Rice Mills, Sand Mining and Granite Quarrying’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36761"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36761"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36761\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36769,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36761\/revisions\/36769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}