Sri Lanka lost GSP Plus due to illegal fishing by Senaratne’s vessels

One of the main reasons why Sri Lanka lost the GSP tax concession was the illegal fishing activities carried out by vessels that belonged to Blue Ocean Company, Chairman of the Avant Garde security company, Nissanka Senadhipathi yesterday told the PCoI on political victimization.

Senadipathy said that 60% of that company was owned by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne’s private secretary.

Senadhipathi added that Don Anuradha Seneviratne, private secretary of Senaratne, owned the majority shares of Blue Ocean and that Avant Garde had earlier provided security to the vessels without realising that their operations were illegal.

Eight ships belonging to the company had taken part in the illegal activity. Senadipathy said Senaratne had turned hostile towards him as Avante-garde had stopped providing protection to the vessels engaged in illegal fishing.

Head of the PCoI, retired Supreme Court judge, Upali Abeyrathne asked Senadhipathi to furnish documents to prove those allegations.

Senadhipathi told the commission that he had a copy of the incorporation document of Blue Ocean and that he would hand over the copy to the PCoI soon. Those incidents had taken place when Senaratne was the Minister of Fisheries, Senadipathy said, adding that politicians including former President Maithripala Sirisena, Rajitha Senaratne, Kabir Hashim, Lakshman Kiriella and John Amaratunga had asked him to employ their acquaintances.

(Source: The Island – By Shyam Nuwan Ganewatta)