Special cabinet meeting Monday to discuss Avant Garde issue

Nov 06, 2015 (LBO – Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has called a special cabinet meeting on Monday to discuss the Avant Garde issue, Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Rajitha Senaratne told reporters on Friday.

“We have already informed our stance in this regard and will take a further decision only after Mondays meeting,” Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. “There is a conflict of interest with regard to Avent Garde, and the appointment of Thilak Marapana as Minister Law and Order.

" Arguments erupted at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting with ministers Champika Ranawaka and Rajitha Senaratne calling for the resignation of ministers Thilak Marapana and Wijedasa Rajapakse following a parliamentary debate during which they made declarations that were opposed to the government's own stand on the issue. Tilak Marapana, Minister of Law and Order made a statement in Parliament, Wednesday saying that there was nothing illegal about Avant Garde’s operation that involved using government weapons and hiring them out to foreigners.

Marapana went on to say that Avant Garde did not require a license as they were using weapons of the state. He also accused the Police, which is under his ministry, of trying to make political gain.



Senaratne said that all the investigations are now over pertaining to the issue and now they need to make the relevant arrests.