A new tree in the Rajapaksa “family forest”
Saturday, 06 April 2013 
A senior opposition parliamentarian told us that a new tree is to be added to the Rajapaksa family forest that has been spreading itself in the past 10 years.
The new tree is the husband of President Rajapaksa’s late sister, Gandhini Rajapaksa’s daughter, He is Sudharshana Ganegoda. The President has ordered the Environment Minister to appoint him as the chairman of the Gem and Jewelry Authority.
The senior opposition politician said that while the UNP criticized the “Bandaranaike family tree” during the 1970-1977 period, the Rajapaksa family has now outgrown the family tree concept by spreading into a family forest.
Currently, over 168 relatives and family members of the Rajapaksas have been assigned to official posts in locally and internationally.
The MP added that the Rajapksa family forest needs to be addressed fast.
Why does Duminda Silva get special treatment in court? – CID officials ask
Saturday, 06 April 2013 CID officials have expressed shock at the special treatment received by governing party MP Duminda Silva, who is comfortable being treated at the private Nawaloka Hospital in a luxury room. Usually, a suspect is treated at a state hospital and is only permitted treatment by court in a private hospital if the respective medical doctor recommends such treatment to a suspect patient or when the state hospitals do not have the necessary facilities for treatment. However, in this instance, the CID officials have expressed surprise at the manner in which the court has allowed Silva to be treated in a private hospital in the lap of luxury and the failure on the part of the complainant to oppose it.
VIPs who were previously placed under arrest like the late Anuruddha Ratwatte and Minister S.B. Dissanayake were never granted permission to receive medical treatment at a private hospital. They received permission to be treated in a paying ward at the National Hospital.
Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was granted permission by court to receive treatment from the Nawaloka Hospital and to be admitted to the hospital since Dr. Vajira Tennakoon did not treat patients in state hospitals.
Dumina Silva’s medical advisor, Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne is also attached to the Colombo National Hospital. The CID officers say that the court has ignored the fact that Silva could be treated at the Colombo National Hospital by his doctor.
