Navy Commander to be sent home after boat topples on Victory Day
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has called for an explanation from Navy Commander Admiral Jayanath Colombage over the death of a sailor after a Navy fast attack craft toppled during Victory Day celebrations.
It is learnt that the Defence Secretary had called for explanation from the Navy Commander due to instigation by Rear Admiral Jayantha Perera. The Defence Secretary has stated that the death of the sailor during the celebrations had prevented the Victory Day even from receiving the maximum publicity it deserved and was also a black mark for the Navy.
Rear Admiral Jayantha Perera would have to retire in June since he has been holding his current position for four years, which is the maximum an officer in the Navy, could hold the post. Perera has therefore set his eyes on the post of Navy Commander and is now engaged in various tactics to get the current commander ousted from the post.
Rear Admiral Jayantha Perera is now a close lackey of the Defence Secretary and has volunteered to look after the Secretary’s pet dogs.
Sources close to the Defence Secretary say that the Secretary has decided to change the commanders of the army and air force as well.
Prime Minister’s Office starts hunting workers
Thursday, 23 May 2013
he Prime Minister’s Office had sent a letter with the signature of Prime Minster’s Secretary, S. Amarasekera to all secretaries, chief secretaries and district secretaries to prepare and hand over a report on the state employees who report to work at 9 a.m. and after 10 a.m. on the 21st. The Prime Minister’s Secretary’s letter had been numbered 01/110/01/2013.
Trade union leaders say that the motive behind the letter is to hunt down the workers who participate in the nation wide token strike that was held on the 21st against the increasing cost of living and the increase of electricity tariffs.
Trade union leaders said that despite attempts by the state to introduce various regulations to prevent workers from participating in the strike demanding the withdrawal of the electricity tariff hike, the workers had participated in the strike action.
The Coordinating Committee for a Joint Trade Union Alliance said that over 900 trade unions and 15 political parties had participated in the strike.
Head of the National Trade Union Center K.D. Lalkantha said that the strike action was a success with many schools and private sector companies in the country coming to a standstill as a result of the strike.
He said that workers had struck work at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital from morning till 12 noon, the Peradeniya University (excluding the engineering faculty), Open University, Moratuwa University and the Sri Jayewardenepura University (excluding the medical faculty).
