(December 18, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Paramilitary leader and the non-cabinet Minister Douglas Devananda (Doug) is said to be progressively increasing his paramilitary and financial stake-holding in the affairs of the Tamil people in the north. According to concerned residents, Minister Doug is progressing to substitute the LTTE with the backing of the hard line Sinhala extremists associated with the President.
Sources close to Minister Doug confirmed that he has ventured into running the lucrative luxury coach service between Colombo and Jaffna through the main A9 route. An independent Tamil source in Colombo who was planning to go to Jaffna by bus confirmed to the Sri Lanka Guardian that: ‘I heard the luxury bus service to Jaffna is being run by Douglas. I was toying with the idea of going to Jaffna in the luxury bus, but gave up the idea on hearing that it was Douglas owned’.
Minister Doug is known to have wider interests in nefariously controlling some sectors of the economy in association with his brother Dayananda known as Diya. Supply of food items, building materials, medicine etc, in the Jaffna peninsula has come under the exclusive control of the Minister and his brother Diya following the cold blooded assassination of the leading Tamil businessman Maheswaran two years ago in front of the sanctum sanctorum of a Hindu temple in Colombo. Late Maheswaran was the Hinduism Minister of the former UNP government of Ranil Wickramasinghe.
The death of Maheswaran has not been thoroughly investigated and culprits are not taken to court. The assailants are said to be at large enjoying the impunity provided by the government.
Minister Doug also has sacked Managers of Co-operative outlets for not following his directives to sell is products.
A concerned Tamil source questioned the conflict of interests of Doug to run his vast business enterprises whilst engaged in political campaign work in the north. An Inland Revenue source confirmed that Minister Doug, his brother Diya or any private limited companies in their ownership are not registered with the Revenue and are not paying the due taxes across to the state.
Questions are also being asked as to how Minister Doug was able to amaze so much wealth being a politician with meagre earning, whilst politicians holding similar ministerial status are not as wealthy as him.
It is unclear whether the Minister hired or bought the luxury coaches outright. One source confirmed that he has gone into partnership with President’s brother Basil Rajapakese and the deal with him involves payment of 10% commission on the purchase of coaches and turnover of coach operations. -Sri Lanka Guardian
Luxury bus service run by Douglas
