Sajin Vass Gunawardena

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The Honourable
Sajin de Vass Gunawardena
MP
Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament
for Galle District
Personal details
Born (1973-05-02) 2 May 1973
Nationality Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
Political party United People's Freedom Alliance
Spouse(s) Tiyana Dayanthie Anthonisz
Children Two
Residence Colombo, Sri Lanka
Alma mater Royal College, Colombo[1]

Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, MP (born 2 May 1973) is a Sri Lankan businessmen and politician. A current member of Parliament of Sri Lanka,[2] he was the former CEO of Mihin Lanka government sponsored budget airline. He has also served as coordinating secretary on trade and foreign affairs to the President of Sri Lanka. Prior to entering parliament in 2010 he was a member of the southern provincial council.

Career

In 1995, Sajin started working as a project development manager with the Grayline Group. However, during an interview given to local magazine Business Today, Sajin said that he started working with Hayleys.[3] Sajin then migrated to Dubai to work with Trico. It was during his stay in Dubai, that then Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapakse traveled to Dubai and Sajin happened to meet him and escorted him around in Dubai. Sajin subsequently returned to Colombo to join politics after having been asked to by Mahinda Rajapakse.[4]

Political career

In 2010, Sajin contested and won elections from Galle constituency in Sri Lanka as a United People's Freedom Alliance candidate.[2] He has also served as coordinating secretary on trade and foreign affairs to the President of Sri Lanka. Prior to entering parliament in 2010 he was a member of the southern provincial council.

Controversies

Sajin has been accused of and has been involved in several controversies ranging from fraud, criminal record, remand time, fraud bureau investigations, unpaid loans, unfulfilled promises.[4]

Tapes International irregularities

Interest default

In 1994, Sajin launched a company Tapes International Pvt Ltd in Free Trade Zone in Biyagama. He borrowed money from a couple (Wimalasiri and Shirani Fernando) to start the company but soon started default on the interest payments. Fernandos filed a case against Sajin in the district court of Colombo and demanded LKR 3.5 million as damages. Shirani Fernando later advised a newspaper that the case was concluded and the chapter was closed.[4]

10-day remand in Mahara remand prison

In 1997, a Korean company had invested in Tapes International. Koreans's became suspicious about the financial malpractices of Sajin and reportedly prepared to bring in lawyers from USA to sue Sajin. Sajin then brought investments from an Indian individual called Sharma. However, in year 2000, Sharma filed a complaint against Sajin in the Fraud Bureau. Subsequently, Sajin was remanded for a period of 10 days in the Mahara remand prison. He was later bailed by his father who later had to sell his house in Wijerama Mawatha to settle Sharma's dues.[4]

Mihin Lanka

Sajin was the CEO of Mihin Lanka and was accused for mismanagement of the airline that lead to its bankruptcy. It has been widely reported that Sajin's mismanagement forced huge losses to Mihin Lanka, Sri Lankan government, Banks, creditors, fuel and oil marketing companies and loss of employment by several.[5] Reportedly Sajin misused his position in Mihin Lanka for personal gains and to that effect he appointed a company (in which his third wife was a director) in Singapore, as Passenger Sales Agent.[5]

In Jun 2008, owing to the financial problems, losses, mismanagement, controversies and irregularities in Mihin Lanka, Sajin was sacked from the post of CEO.[6]

Personal life

Sajin's father, Abeydeera De Vass Gunawarden, was the Director General of Board of Investment of Sri Lanka. Born in Sri Lanka, he attended the prestigious Royal College, Colombo. Sajin has reportedly been married thrice. His first wife was Charini Vilakshana de Silva. He is currently married to Tiyana Dayanthie Anthonisz.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Who is Sajin de Vass Gunawardena". Tamil Latest News. 2010. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "MP Profile". The Parliament of Sri Lanka. 2013. 
  3. ↑ "The Rebel With A Cause". Business Today. 2011. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Meet Mahinda's Man Friday". The Sunday leader. 2006. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Mihin Lanka crashes". The Sunday leader. 2008. 
  6. ↑ "CEO sacked". The Sunday Times Online. 2008. 
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