Equadhoo Investment Private Limited

Any one who wanyts to verify my identity may write to the chairman or managing director of the company I have posted on behalf of .......

 

I became aware of this furor yesterday and maybe for some members the court has already sat and a verdict passed so for what it’s worth here is my input.

I have known Gamage since 2004. We met once in Colombo and continually update each other on a regular basis.
Gamage has, like many, a desire to set up and own a boat yard. We have discussed on numerous occasions the details of such a venture. (If you are wondering what my motivation is. I am looking for somewhere to retire and to have an interest once retired. Sri Lanka is an attractive option.)

I am attaching the last mail I received from Gamage It was dated 27th June. A month after he went to the Maldives.

I would also like to add a few personal comments.
1. Frosty, let me assure you that, in this part of the world not paying wages is, although frowned upon, not an unusual practice. I can post the website of a local newspaper and you find reported a number of cases each month of labourers not being paid for months at a time.
2. Artemis; Compare the grammar of Gamage’s mail and the one initially posted. If you need more go back to the thread on the Tsunami you will find many mails from Gamage.

Lets have another look at some of the accusations.
Stealing an order for 10 boats. Do any of you know of a client who would place an order on a nonexistent yard for 10 boats?

Another observation I would like to make.
My staff are from the sub continent, Indian and Sri Lankans.
It is not easy leaving ones family behind and seeking employment in another country and when there are problems at home it becomes very stressful for the individual to the extent that it effects their work. Have any of you ‘breadwinners’ ever been in a similar situation? No money to send home, it cant be easy and sooner or later one has to ‘make a plan’.
Lastly; Banging heads with influential people in a small foreign country. What are the odds of having a fair hearing? I rate it at NIL.


Gamage’s mail follows.

Geoff


Dear Mr. Geoff,

Thanks for your letter. Sorry for not writing to you for long time. Last March I came to Sri Lanka and join with new boat yard in Maldives. I came to here may 17th.
This boat yard located in one of the large island at one end of the Maldives .it takes one hour to fly from male to this place and domestic airline has service twice a day. This island is very calm and nice place boat yard facing to sea. And without any difficulty large vessels can launch .at the movement 5 units of 100’ fishing dhows under construction, Owners are young ambitious Moldavians, due to lack of professional planning and administration all works stagnated. They have purchased main engines, generates, cooling unit Etc; in advance and invested large amount of money

We have two boat yards I am an in-charge of large place and the other island is 8 hrs journey by passenger ferry. I did not go to that place yet and we are planning to closedown it after completion of existing boats and operate only this place.

I have attached some interesting photos, for a professional hi-tech boat builder like you it will be very pre-matured, but boatbuilding is tradition of this ppl and they are skill carpenters.
600 room new hotels under construction in this island and Sri Lankan air planning operate direct flights to hear from Colombo end of this year. May be your next vacation you can visit us.
Situation in Sri Lanka still same, I don’t know when will be this on going dirty war will be ended. Hope my son will be living in peaceful country where we enjoyed our childhood.
I know My Kuwait employer try to get your order. But he told me Coast guard is going to re tender it. He has very close relationship with top brass. But his boat will be definitely a faulty design... He himself modified 40’ mono hull way he wants and now boat has speed without load but not planning properly. I left Kuwait because its very expensive country and we have not much financial benefit there .here I ask for 15 dyes annual leave every 6 months. So I am comfortable with this job. When situation improved I’ll try again to setup yard in Sri Lanka.(I never give-up anything without fight)

If you find someone to build large custom builds boat or yacht please let me know, hear we can do it very easily. You remember Sri Lankan businessman plan to invest project in Sri Lanka?? He also interested to be a partner of this place and we are waiting for comments from Maldivian party.

Please convey my regards To Mrs. Geoff.

Best regards
Gamage

 

Interesting catbaloo - Your first paragraph confirms what I thought! A young inexperienced bunch of guys set up as a company and start to enjoy the good life - they do have good intentions of building lots of boats and making lots of money but, hey we know lifes not like that (we too had lots of big ideas when we were young, but did not come to furition because of mainly inexperience!! Most of us were lucky as we had older relatives etc to keep an eye on us - or little money to set up our grand ideas!)

Along comes an experienced older man - a gift from the Gods maybe! He starts and all goes well for a time, then as he doesn't have all that much experience either it starts to go wrong!

names get called, people panic, it all starts to go drastically wrong - Gamage looks for a way out and naturally blames others for his failing (some no doubt true).......and the rest we know!

The trouble is he has gone over the top, for reasons of his own! And has now got the world involved - this is inexcusable and will take some sorting out - a lot of people will loose face over this (and that I know means a lot in that area of the world) and will thus not be very happy!

The solution is, as it always was between Gamage and Equadhoo -unfortunately Gamage has taken it to a stage where there is no going back, he has by the look of it gone out on a limb and totally made a mess of it!

 

I believe that Amayds’s accusations over against me. Let me explain my side of the story. I met this party through this web site, we did lot of correspondence through e mail and I never begged for job from this party. I have all e mail communications with me. They repeatedly requested me to join them.
After signing contract with them I came to Male on 17th and went to the boat yard in Meedhoo on 20th May. There were few laminators and carpenters worked and 3 drums of resin available at that time. Workers were not paid for two months. My 1st assignment was to complete deck of 100’ boat and release stage payments to pay salary. Only bulkhead were fitted at that time and I had to make them sandwich and in insulated as well as to molding deck , tanks, fish hold lamination and insulation, installation of deck beams , installation of deck (manually with few workers) and bonded with hull and deck beams.
Every morning all employees come to me and ask for their salary, I had no answer to give them .because I just joined with the company. After 10 days 3 drums of resin over and not enough materials to complete deck molding. June 12th they paid half month salary after 2 months delay. During this period they transferred some workers to yard in devoodhoo. Three went back to home and never come back.
During this period very interesting thing happened my friend forgot to tell it to you all. One customer has paid full amount for 90’ boat and only mould was there. The boat was supposed to delivered February 2007 and I went there on 20th May 2007, He came with his son and stay in a room asking for his boat and only mould was ready. So had to start lamination of his boat and without resin and sufficient workers waited for another two weeks.
After two weeks they send 9 drums resin and five Sri Lankan laminators to Meedhoo. With them I had to complete deck, continue 90’ hull lamination, and to make large cabin and wheel house mould.
I managed to complete moulds for cabin and wheel house, interior furniture (22 beds) and continue hull lamination. At the end of august five Sri Lankan went home without one and half months salary and 6 Indians went to male to collect their due salary and go home. They were stay in Male’ two or three weeks without getting salary for that period. After august there were only 3 Naples and 3 Bangladeshi labours and myself. (No resin also)
Under this circumstances I knew that I have no future with this company and myself had no money , August 5th and 16th phone and internet line disconnected respectively. Neither staff not company had money so I gave my letter of resignation to them.
As per Para 6.1.1 of my contract the employee reserves the right to resign from the employment after notification if the Employer fails to satisfy the contract, after 30 days of written notice,
Therefore I gave one month and 7 days notice to them. Because there is no post office in Meedhoo island and I had no money to go to near by Island to post letter. And Equadoo company had no fax machine in Male’ office.
Islanded office representing central government so under these circumstances, it was the only place I had to complain. Through Island office I informed situation to labour ministry officials and fax my letter of resignation to Labour office, Sri Lanka High commission and employment bureau Sri Lanka. When Sri Lanka HC officials contacted me I request them to inform my employer. This process took less than a week and I gave my notice one month and one week before the date of resignation (7th October 2007)
On 10th I sent reminder to them through the Island office because there were no phone connection at Equdhoo office. They transferred me to Male’ on 12th September.
I had no confidence of this people to keep my bag in their house because they can hide something in my bag and complain to police. therefore I kept my bag in High commission premises. Even after I came to my home, they are telling that I had something in bag so if I kept it their place this could have happened. Hope you may understand this.
Sky pay storey is fabricated lie and if I have such strong party no reason to stay without salary for three months. And if some one uses my sky pay ID and password to blackmail me it is crime. When I came to Male’ they asked for my assistance to find a partner so I asked one of my friend to contact them he send his contact details and his Sky pay ID to them to discuss this matter but they were fail to proved financial statements at least for three months. It is very cheap quality of people to use such ID to cover up their faults.
I left my laptop in Meedhoo and came to male’ on 12th September2007 and I came from Male 10th October2007. Why they did not tell me and relative authorities this joke at that time.
As per my letter of resignation I resigned from the company on 7th October and not paid for three months so Why should I spend another 10 days without salary??
When I have to collect payment over 6000 USD why should I go to Labour ministry and spend another 3-4 day to buy my ticket costing only 80 $ ????

This company is making 10 boats for two years, boat you have seen not built in Meedhoo it is the only one they launch so far at Dhevoodo. Office you have seen in Male’ and other pic at Meedhoo. That is why I am telling they are good story tellers.

Do you think any customer will reward millions of worth orders to a company who is straggling for two years to delver at least one Boat????
Do you think I will come to open debate with Maldivian company if I have intention to go and work there again????
Can you justify amount of works I have done with available rescuers during my time. Mr. Amajyds, Pls post Pic of 22 beds, deck, that poor man’s 90’ boat and wheel house mould I made. Forum members are good boat builders they will justify my capacity. Don’t send pic of empty building.
Payments delay to your company not my fault and beyond my control. Because you are expecting payments from the government research vessel you are building at Dehvoodoo yard. Government Delaying your payments, because the dimensions of the boat not inline with drawing. Again they noted that two keels are not incorporate with mould so you spend time to rectify it.
Let me tell you Mr. Amajyads that they don’t know you have applied only one coat of gel coat in this boat, you have use resin after 6 months of date of expiry given by reputed resin manufacture. They don’t know that you use wall putty to fill gap between planks of mould, if they know it they will never give you money. Are you expecting me to stay your home to get my salary under this situation??? I can inform international organization who are funding this boat how you are doing this what is your capability if you want me to do so??????
Now you are trying to say directors are young inexperienced there for they were trap by Gamage????
Shamshher Rilwan , Your chairman was a General Manager of famous tourist resort in Maldives If he admit that he has no sufficient experience to run business, tell him to apologies his former boss and return salary he was paid by his former boss.
Don’t try to mislead this forum with your lies. Pay my salary on 17th of this month and post credit slip to the forum.. So that they are aware, and that the members of this forum will forgive you for misleading them.
Do something you can do without destroying boat building industry. Now you have fast workers so pay their salary in time and try to delver 10 boats lying in your yard for two years.
I can’t send you many replies tell this forum if you have anything more I will reply at once
Thank you

 

I don’t know why you can’t open this document. I can forward email attached with my contract and other documents. Let me know your e-mail address.

 

WALRUS ,IT'S GETTING BETTER : GAMAGE maybe slow but he's just a victim and most of his claims are valid ,the guy had no help,i wonder how they say they're workers have come back if they don't appear to have money and unfinished projects are fully paid where did the money went hahaha......GAMAGE just did a favor to the guys with the 10 boat orders if the other guy paid for a boat and got a mold the other guys just made a wise decision , the new government boat sure looks it's really hot......how will they explain that one if they get a hold of this forum .......more lousy pics .... wow!

 

Is there a judgement?

From Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado Act II

MIKADO: I'm really very sorry for you all, but it's an unjust
world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances.

GLEE.

PITTI-SING, KATISHA, KO-KO, POOH-BAH, and MIKADO,

MIK.: See how the Fates their gifts allot,
For A is happy--B is not.
Yet B is worthy, I dare say,
Of more prosperity than A!

KO., POOH., and PITTI.: Is B more worthy?

KAT.: I should say
He's worth a great deal more than A.

ENSEMBLE: Yet A is happy!
Oh, so happy!
Laughing, Ha! ha!
Chaffing, Ha! ha!
Nectar quaffing, Ha! ha! ha!
Ever joyous, ever gay,
Happy, undeserving A!

KO., POOH., and PITTI.: If I were Fortune--which I'm not--
B should enjoy A's happy lot,
And A should die in miserie--
That is, assuming I am B.

MIK. and KAT.: But should A perish?

KO., POOH., and PITTI.: That should be
(Of course, assuming I am B).
B should be happy!
Oh, so happy!
Laughing, Ha! ha!
Chaffing, Ha! ha!
Nectar quaffing, Ha! ha! ha!
But condemned to die is he,
Wretched meritorious B!

Time to go back to the drivel thread. And the picture thread - it's gotten so little attention that non-water pictures are being posted. Ignoring the rules of a topic! Now there's a crime.

 

WATER pictures ? u mean boat ? i suppose that BERG guy is right.... WHAT? ...........just kidding, but this soap opera is more interesting and real, are you suporting closing it?............

 

Labor mediation by the esteemed international law firm of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Nice reference, Artemis. You're right, though. the issues appear complex, and this forum is far from the appropriate medium for settlement. Perhaps the value of the discussion lies in a warning to both employers and employees crossing national boundaries to get employment agreements in writing and both do extensive research on each other ... beforehand.

Non-marine posts in the random pix and drivel threads? Yipes, now there is a real problem!

 

I believe I've been saying this for some time - the whole thing is down to Gamage and Equadhoo to sort out their differences! so go do it and stop slinging mud on here! to a certain extent I agree Korvello a damn good soap! worthy of the great "Dallas" at least, wethr it's true remains to be seen? some is definately, but how much is in the minds of the relevant parties is of course open to conjecture! But it's nice to watch some one else chucking the muck at each other!!

I'm still inclined to believe that Equadhoo has slightly more rights here than Gamage - they are more believable!

Now Gamage wants my email address! Hell no! I want some peace from him, he'll probably blame me next because he lost his job or something, perhaps I'm keeping up the price of resin or something!

 

WALRUS yeahh it's all your fault..........how do you do it?..... just wait untill that FROST guy finds it!..... why don't we set up a mock trial ,you represent EQUADHOO and FROST represents GAMAGE ,if he declines the honor i'll take it ... GAMAGE will win in a court of law even if he may have not acomplished what he said he would , ,no proof of stolen plans or lost contracts that one can see,just unfinished work but without crew or supllies that's tough............unpaid wages ,bad work conditions it doesn't look good for EQUADHOO as you said time to pay and shut up,it's getting uggly.

 

Appears to be something corrupt or not supported about the jpeg file format uploaded; they will load with the opera browser, but Internet Explorer and Firefox both complain that the large jpegs as uploaded are corrupt file format.

 

Looks like there's something corrupt all right Jeff, and I guess it's not all computer orientated!

 

Let me scan and send it again.

 

Yes, in mine (IE7) the thumbnails appear OK, but when clicked to enlarge the new window shows only the notorious "red X".