Basil takes Rs. 1.5 billion after leasing an island in Kalpitiya

Monday, 27 May 201

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has taken a bribe of Rs. 1.5 billion after leasing a 450 acre island in Kalpitiya on a 99 year lease, it is learnt. The island was leased out to the Sapphire Bay Resrort (Pvt) Limited for Rs. 1 billion. The remaining Rs. 1.5 billion has been surreptitiously taken by the Economic Development Minister.

Although a perches of land around the island is estimated at Rs. 10,000-Rs.15,000, Basil Rajapaksa has estimated a perches at Rs. 3,470 in this transaction. The government however has received only Rs. 1,380 for a perches in this transaction.

After finding out this development, other investors who have come forward to take on lease other islands in Kalpitiya have requested that the land values be estimated according to Basil Rajapaksa’s valuation. The government is facing a risk of losing out on billions of rupees from the lease of islands as a result. After hiding the true details about the transaction, Basil has now appointed a tender board to call for tenders to lease out the other islands.

What Presidential Spokesperson Mohan Samaranayake said then

Monday, 27 May 2013

Presidential Spokesperson Mihan Samaranayake made a statement about the use of media when a bomb exploded at the French Corner in Nugegoda several years back.

Mohan Samaranayake was quoted in the Lakbima newspaper on 2008.3.6:

“…When a person was on fire and burning to death, another person without helping him started to video the scene. This kind of mentality is created in a person by the war.”

The manner in which the media reported the self immolation of a Buddhist monk outside the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy is yet another fine example of how the modern media builds itself on reporting clashes, even intensifying them sometimes and being part of such clashes.

We believe that establishing a peaceful media culture could help bring about ethnic harmony.