openDatabase() returns null

I have setup a SQlite manager as outlined here.

When calling openDatabase(), it does not create the database, i.e. getting an NPE. This happens on both an emulator and a device.

What am I doing wrong?

MainActivity

MySQLiteHelper permitsSQLiteHelper = new MySQLiteHelper(mainActivity);
MySQLLiteManager.initializeInstance(permitsSQLiteHelper);
MySQLLiteManager.getInstance().openDatabase();

Classes

public class MySQLLiteManager {

    private int mOpenCount;

    private static MySQLLiteManager instance;
    private static SQLiteOpenHelper mDatabaseHelper;
    private SQLiteDatabase mDatabase;

    // hide constructor here
    public static synchronized void initializeInstance(SQLiteOpenHelper helper) {
        if (instance == null) {
            instance = new MySQLLiteManager();
            mDatabaseHelper = helper;
        }
    }

    public static synchronized MySQLLiteManager getInstance() {
        if (instance == null) {
            Log.e("MySQLLiteManager", "getInstance :  null");
            throw new IllegalStateException(MySQLLiteManager.class.getSimpleName() +
                    " is not initialized, call initializeInstance(..) method first.");
        }

        return instance;
    }

    public synchronized SQLiteDatabase openDatabase() {
        mOpenCount++;
        if(mOpenCount == 1) {
            // Create and/or open a database that will be used for reading and writing.
            try {
                mDatabase = mDatabaseHelper.getWritableDatabase(); // mDatabaseHelper.database is null
            }
            catch (Exception e) {
                Log.e("MySQLLiteManager", "openDatabase:exception :  " + e.getMessage()); // NPE
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        }
        return mDatabase;
    }

    public synchronized void closeDatabase() {
        mOpenCount--;
        if(mOpenCount == 0) {
            mDatabase.close();
        }
    }

    public synchronized void deleteTable(String tableName) {
        if(mOpenCount == 1) {
            mDatabase.delete(tableName, null, null);
        }
    }

}

public class MySQLiteHelper extends SQLiteOpenHelper {

    private static final String DB_CONTROLLER = "MySQLiteHelper";

    public static String DB_NAME = "MyAndroid.db";
    private static int DB_VERSION = 1;

    private SQLiteDatabase database;

    // constructor
    public MySQLiteHelper(Context applicationcontext) {
        super(applicationcontext, DB_NAME, null, DB_VERSION);

        Log.d(DB_CONTROLLER,"Database Created");
    }

    @Override
    // This method is called only if the database does not exist
    // Creating the table here can cause problems if the table is deleted and the database remains
    public void onCreate(SQLiteDatabase database) {

        MySQLLiteManager.getInstance().createTable(MinesAndMyDataEntry.TABLE_NAME);

        Log.d(DB_CONTROLLER, MinesAndMyDataEntry.TABLE_NAME + " Created");
    }

    @Override
    public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase database, int version_old, int current_version) {
        String query;
        query = "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS " + MinesAndMyDataEntry.TABLE_NAME;
        database.execSQL(query);
        onCreate(database);
    }
}