Breaking News

Video: 6,000 Avant Garde employees risk losing jobs

17 Nov 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Days after the operations of Avant Garde Maritime Security Limited (AGMSL) was taken over by the Sri Lanka Navy, thousands of its employees today claimed that they risked of losing their jobs.

AGMSL's Former Senior Manager of Commercial Vessels Protection Operations, Lt. Colonel (Rtd) Nilantha Jayaweera said despite legal assurances that the Avant Garde security firm had defence ministry clearance to operate, the taking over of the weapons on board “MV Mahanuwara” and “MV Avant Garde” would result in some 6,000 employees losing their jobs and it is totally unfair.

“The Avant Garde is being talked about by politicians who do not have any proof against our company. This company was established with the intention of providing a respectable and prosperous profession for those who retired from the tri-forces. By providing security to foreign vessels we were involved in earning a large amount of foreign exchange for our country,” he said.

“While our employees earned millions a month, we spent a large portion of our income for charitable works. Nearly 227 families having no links to either the tri-forces or to Avant Garde are dependent on the income we earn. The baseless allegations levelled against our company is a ruse to mislead the people and grab the ownership of our company,” Mr. Jayaweera claimed.

However, he said if the allegations were proved then Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd (RALL) should be prosecuted because Avant Garde is connected to agreements with RALL which had issued permission for all operations carried out by Avant Garde until last week.

Meanwhile, retired Navy Commander Nilupul De Silva who handled the operations of MV Avant Garde said the vessel was forcibly taken into Navy custody on Friday even though the AGMSL did not violate any maritime law.

He said the truth had been glossed over by a few powerful persons by painting a wrong picture in the people’s minds on the Avant Garde controversy.

They requested President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Health Minister, Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne and Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake to give them an opportunity to have a direct discussion on this matter before losing their jobs. (Piyumi Fonseka)

WATCH

Breaking News

Video: 6,000 Avant Garde employees risk losing jobs

Most Popular Articles

More arrests of lawyers, politicians and senior police officers

Former National Lotteries Board Chairperson Shyamila Perera arrested

Girl visited her lover, gang raped by lover and his friends

Updated World Test Championship standings after West Indies’ record win over Sri Lanka

Historic locomotive move between Kandy and Peradeniya without tracks

12-hour water cut in Colombo and suburbs on Saturday

Latest News

Germany bans workers from calling in sick

Deputy Speaker Salih, Rauf Hakeem attend Khamenei’s funeral

Reconstruction of damaged Kandy–Colombo railway line accelerated

LAUGFS gas slashes domestic LP gas prices

French heat wave death toll rises to 2025