Government in last ditch attempt to bring back casino bill

 Sunday, 20 April 2014 

The government is making yet another attempt to gain parliamentary approval to grant tax concessions to two major projects that would allegedly provide casino and gaming facilities.

The amended regulations in which the words “entertainment and gaming facilities” have been replaced with the words “associated facilities”, according to media reports will be presented under the Strategic Development Projects Act.

The regulations will be taken up for debate in Parliament on Thursday and Friday.

One of the projects is to be run by the Australia-based Crown Group headed by casino tycoon James Packer and the other by John Keells Holdings.
Both will “set up and operate Integrated Super Luxury Tourist Resorts”, one along D. R. Wijewardena Mawatha in Colombo 10 and the other in two phases along Glennie Street and Justice Akbar Mawatha in Colombo 2.

The opposition parties have however said they will oppose these regulations.

Bodu Bala Sena theoretician to be arrested!

Sunday, 20 April 2014

According to reports reaching Lanka News Web, chief executive officer of Bodu Bala Sena headquarters Dilanthe Withanage is to be arrested after framing several charges against him.

Meanwhile, minister Basil Rajapaksa had threatened the BBS CEO to his face some days ago.

Recently, BBS general secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera strongly criticized five government ministers, with Basil Rajapaksa being the main target.

Following that criticism, both Gnanasara Thera and Dilanthe Withanage are under threat now from government quarters.

However, defence secretary Gotabhaya Rrajapaksa, who is said to be a patron of BBS, is keeping his silence in the face of this situation.