DEW And I, And Hakeem Too, Have Received None

By Rajiva Wijesinha -August 19, 2014 

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

A Presidency Under Threat – Political and Administrative Units

An opposition member noted that recently there had been much speculation in the corridors of Parliament about the manner in which funds were being allocated for development. I had realized something unusual was going on, because during Reconciliation meetings in the North I had been told about massive amounts being made available to individual Members of Parliament.

I had not received anything myself, and indeed had to ask for the Rs 5 million that has been given each year to all Members of Parliament. I was particularly keen to have this available, because it was only recently that I realized that no one else spent even a modicum of what I did in the less populated Divisions in the North. I had decided that this year then I would spend the bulk of my funds, not split between North and South as previously, but largely in the East, because I realized there were also Divisions there which received little. But I am not sure whether I might not be forgotten, given the rush to spend the much larger sums that have been given selectively.

What the rationale for selection is I am not clear about, though I know that DEW Gunasekara has not received any, and it seemed Rauff Hakeem had received nothing either. I was told though that, when he complained about this to the President, it transpired that the latter was not aware of this and urged him to write in and ask. I have followed suit, but as yet have received no reply.

At a recent Consultative Committee meeting however, since the Minutes referred to the allocations, we were able to ask, and received a very clear picture of the manner in which the development budget allocated to the Ministry of Economic Development is being spent. It seems that large amounts have been allocated to government Members of Parliament who chair particular Divisional Development Committees, and they are asked to decide on Projects. This is of course not meant to be spent arbitrarily, but is supposed to be after due consultation of the people.                                                  Read More

A man not worth Rs.50 demands Rs.500 million

TUESDAY, 19 AUGUST 2014 
Hudson Samarasinghe, who is not worth Rs.50, has sent a letter of demand demanding a sum of Rs.500 million from her as she had directly accused him of murdering her husband Premakeerthi de Alwis says Nirmala de Alwis, the widow of Mr. Premakeerthi de Alwis.

She says Hudson Samarasinghe has attempted to murder her character but she had never done such a thing though there is a lot of information regarding his character.

Mr. President, the murderer is in your lap

FRIDAY, 01 AUGUST 2014 08:31

It was on a day like yesterday (31st) that distinctive artist Premakeerthi de Alwis was murdered 25 years ago. A commemoration ceremony was organized at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) complex. A large number of artistes including Victor Ratnayaka participated. The President was the special invitee. Premakeerthi’s widow Ms. Nirmala Alwis had told the President, “Mr. President, the murderer is on your lap.” Ms. Nirmala Alwis charges that the Chairman of SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe murdered her husband.

Speaking regarding this Ms. Nirmala Alwis later said, “Many commemoration ceremonies are held on behalf of Premakeerthi. However, only a few speak about his murder. After studying regarding this murder for 25 years I had come to a conclusion.  I told the President and others through various messages not to sell Premakeerthi’s death for political reasons and that the murder was not committed by the JVP. There was a case regarding the murder. However, it ended in a hilarious manner without even having an identification parade regarding the suspects arrested.

Today, a good ceremony had been arranged. The street between the SLBC and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was named after Premakeerthi de Alwis. When I was getting ready to come for the ceremony I got a message that there was an exhibition at the beginning of the road organized by Hudson Samarasinghe and it attempts to depict that Premakeerthi’s murder was committed by the JVP. I went for the ceremony. The President, before sitting at the ceremony, went to see the exhibition. I knew it was a scheme. I knew the effort I made for 25 years bearing sorrow and sickness to show that the murder was committed as a personal revenge and not by the JVP would be in vain. Fortunately I had brought the book ‘Premakeerthini’ in which the incident has been described. As I could not bear the injustice I wrote two sentences in the book. I wrote that ‘Mr. President, Premakeerthi’s murderer has taken refuge under you.’

As the President was passing me I spoke to him. He stopped. As I gave him the book I told him, “Mr. President, I won’t ask anything else from you. But do justice on behalf of Premakeerthi. For the murderer is under your refuge. I make this request in front of the world and I hope there would be justice”.

Nimal Wakishta misled Interpol

 Tuesday, 19 August 2014 

A warrant illegally issued by Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), DIG Chandra Nimal Vakishta through the Interpol, has created a diplomatic crisis between Sri Lanka and UK, sources from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) say.

Though only a Magistrate is empowered to issue a warrant in this manner, Vakishta has not obtained such an order but has misused his power in doing so for his own wants.

According to MEA sources, Chandra Vakishta has misled the British Home Office with his actions.

When former doctor of the Jayawardenapura hospital - Mihirini Amarapathi was migrating to the UK with her 03 children, Vakishta has illegally notified the British Home Office citing that a woman is travelling to UK after abducting 03 children, and requesting UK authorities to arrest her and deport her to Sri Lanka.

The warrant has been sent to British authorities while the said persons were on a flight that was scheduled to land in UK last Saturday.

UK authorities were prepared to make the arrest but after questioning the said passengers, they had learnt that the SIS head had completely misled them.

The doctor who had been seriously inconvenienced by this series of incidents had proven with documents that the children were her own and all of them including herself held duel citizenship in Sri Lanka and UK.

Noting that she was divorced from her husband, the doctor has further proven that Sri Lankan courts have granted her custody of her three children.  She has further said that this was a conspiracy of the SIS chief committed on the wants of her ex-husband.

Subsequently, British authorities have apologised to the doctor and let them leave, informing that issue would be addressed on a diplomatic level.

The events had taken place despite the doctor's ex-husband Sanjeewa Rajapaksha even having granted the consent required by the father when taking the children abroad.

Sanjeewa Rajapaksha's father was a for former DIG. Vakishta is an acquaintance of this family.

It is said that these actions of the ex husband were done with the intentions of obtaining the doctor's house (Amounting to around Rs. 40 million) in Turner Road, Borella.

Upon learning that the doctor has left the country with the children, the ex-husband had conspired to deport her after framing her on false charges.

According to sources, a businessman named Nimal Cook is also involved.

Meanwhile, Dr. A.M.A. Amarapathy - father of the inconvenienced Dr. Mihirini Amarapathy and a former hospital administrator has clarified the relevant incident by issuing an e-mail which is shown as follows :

Subject: High handed Tamil and Police powers against Sinhalese British Citzens

Dear My Friends,This is all about my eldest daughter

Each and every word in this article is correct.

She left the country as she could not tolerate the continuous non stop harassment made by her ex husband along with few other people whom I am aware  . Her Ex husband , although he him self identify as a  medical doctor at Nawaloka Hospital even after 12 years he could not get through his ACT 16 qualifying exam conducted by the Medical council.So he is just a male nurse there according to the in formations I have received.

There is another person who is suppose to be a Director / CEO of the biggest Tamil company in Sri Lanka is also initiated this.
But non of the Govt or Non govt politicians are not behind this.

Specially I would like thank  d few present senior ministers and few Senior Govt Officers  who were with me to hold my life on 16th August evening, when my daughter and 3 kids (12, 8, and 5 yrs old) were taken to the custody by the Interpol, London. I take this opportunity thank all my friends specially few  senior minister and govt high officials who were with me, like my own brothers.

Any way thanks to the British govt. they now very well safe and protected under the UK police protection /  supervision.

I wish to express my very sincere thanks to British Police / Scotland yard and Immigration officers at the Terminal 3 at London Heathrow air port for protecting my daughter and my 3 Grandkids.

Dr.A.M.A.Amarapathy

Kachatheevu: SC to hear Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha’s petitions together

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear together the petitions filed by the DMK President M.

 J. VENKATESAN-August 19, 2014

Karunanidhi and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seeking a direction to the Centre to retrieve Kachatheevu Island from Sri Lanka.

A Bench of Justices H.L. Dattu and S.S. Bobde, posted for final hearing the two petitions, after hearing senior counsel R. Venkataramani for Mr. Karunanidhi and State Additional Advocate General Subramonium Prasad for Ms. Jayalalithaa.

The Centre had already rejected the demand saying that Kachatheevu Island could not be retrieved from Sri Lanka as demanded by the petitioners. It had said the question of retrieval did not arise as no territory belonging to India was ceded nor sovereignty relinquished to Sri Lanka.

The Centre said “Kachatheevu Island was a matter of dispute between British India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and there was no agreed boundary. The dispute relating to the status of this island was settled in 1974 by an agreement and both the countries examined the entire question from all angles and took into account historical evidence and legal aspects. This position was reiterated in the 1976 agreement. No territory belonging to India was ceded nor sovereignty relinquished since the area in question was in dispute and had never been demarcated.” Therefore the contention of the petitioners that Kachatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka was not correct and contrary to official records.

Ms. Jayalalithaa in her petition highlighted the sufferings of fishermen from Tamil Nadu who inadvertently strayed into the island. She said that because of the hostile attitude of the Sri Lankan navy, fishermen feared to go fishing as they were either killed or taken into custody if they entered Katchatheevu. Ms. Jayalalithaa said Katchatheevu was historically part of the Ramnad Raja’s zamindari and later it became part of the Madras Presidency. The island had always been of strategic importance and special significance for fishing operations in the area. In or around 1921, Sri Lanka started claiming territorial rights over the island without any justification and notwithstanding such claims it continued to be part of India.

Over 3,000 new kidney patients found in 

Matale

By Don Asoka Wijewardena-August 19, 2014

More than 3,000 new victims of chronic kidney disease have been detected in the Matale District for the first time. In Weligamuwa and Kongahawela areas of the Matale District farmers engaged in onion cultivation were the worst affected due to excessive use of agrochemicals including glyphosate, the National Project for the Prevention of Kidney Disease said.

National Project for the Prevention of Kidney Disease Director Dr. Channa Jayasumana yesterday told The Island that on his

visit to Matale District with Special Projects Secretary Dr. Sakalasuriya they had detected more then 3,000 kidney patients. Most patients were reluctant to seek medical attention as access to hospitals from where they lived was difficult.

Dr. Jayasumana said that his research team had found that most onion cultivators had become victims of CKD in the Matale district. The main reason he found was that most onion farmers had got used to using excess amounts of glyphosate for land preparation. Then they had used various kinds of agrochemicals to reap better harvest from onion cultivation. In Welugamuwa DS Division around 658 CKD patients were detected and Konghawela around 200 CKD patients were detected.

Dr. Jayasumana added that once the CKD was only confined to the North-Central province but now it had rapidly spread to the other provinces at an alarming rate. More families had lost their breadwinners who were affected by the CKD. The prevailing dry weather conditions had aggravated the problem. Relief measures and hospitalization for the affected were being done by the Special Projects Minister S.M. Chandrasena.

The time had come to take strong action to ban harmful agrochemicals from cultivations as the treat of CKD spreading to all districts was real unless tangible measures were taken without delay, he said.

When asked about the water in the Matale district, Dr. Jayasumana said that water there too had changed. The water was hard and was mixed with harmful substances of various agrochemicals used by onion farmers. The Research Team and the Special Projects Ministry had commenced an awareness programme for the inhabitants in the area and advised them to seek timely medical attention at the nearest hospital. The Special Projects Ministry was monitoring the situation with health officials assigned.

Ebola in Sri Lanka? Individual with several symptoms dies in Rikillagaskada

Ebola in Sri Lanka? Individual with several symptoms dies in Rikillagaskada

The Health Ministry has begun investigations into a possible case of the Ebola virus entering Sri Lanka.

Kavinthan Shanmugarajah-Aug 18, 2014

A casualty at the Rikillagaskada Base Hospital was reported to have several symptoms of the disease including a high fever, diarrhea and vomiting. However, a communique issued by the State Media Department said that the symptoms could also mean that the man had Rat Fever and that further blood samples had been sent for testing to verify the cause of death.

But due to the individuals recent travel history where he spent some time in India, the Director of the Ministry of Health has instructed Divisional Health Officers to take all precautions.

There have been no reported cases of Ebola in India so far but a Nigerian woman on route to India has died in the UAE after exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Symptoms of the virus take between two days to three weeks to become apparent. The virus spreads through contact with infected individuals body fluid.

Ebola, globalisation and Sri Lanka in 2039

•  The Ceylon Chamber’s 175th anniversary celebration- August 19, 2014 

At the recent 175th anniversary celebrations of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, its Chairman Suresh Shah provided a ‘fast forward’ , describing how the business community wished Sri Lanka would be in the year 2039, when the Chamber will celebrate its 100th year of existence.
Ebola, Globalisation and Sri Lanka in 2039 by Thavam

Liberman not scheduled to visit Australia

J-Wire

August 17, 2014 by J-Wire Staff

A Jewish newspaper published an “exclusive” report that Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman was “set for an Oz Tour” later this month.  J-Wire can confirm he is not.

Foreign Ministers Julie Bishop [Australia] and Avigdor Liberman [Israel]

The Australian Jewish News published in its current edition that Liberman  would “address a dinner in Melbourne next Sunday night hosted by the ZFA and the ZCV”.

But the Israel Embassy in Canberra has told J-Wire that the Foreign Minister has no scheduled visit this month. According to the report Lieberman was also expected to meet community leadership in Sydney.

Invitations had been sent out to the Melbourne event.

President of The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies Yair Miller told J-Wire after confirming the visit was not going to take place: “We are obviously disappointed that the Foreign Minister’s muted visit is not taking place. We fully appreciate the volatile and uncertain period in which the State of Israel finds herself and the Minister’s need to be there. We look forward to welcoming him at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Israel launches fresh air strikes in Gaza in response to rocket fire

Ceasefire and negotiations in Cairo in jeopardy after rockets are fired from Gaza, sparking swift response from Israel

Palestinians flee their destroyed neighbourhood in Beit Hanoun, Gaza, on Monday. Photograph: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

Harriet Sherwood in Gaza City and Patrick Kingsley in Cairo-

Tuesday 19 August 2014 14

The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was in jeopardy on Tuesday after rockets were fired from Gaza, triggering a swift military and political response from Israel.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it was targeting "terror sites across the Gaza Strip" in retaliation, and the prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, ordered his negotiating team to pull out of talks on finding a durable ceasefire agreement in Cairo.

Gaza has been relatively quiet for the past eight days as two successive ceasefires have been in place to allow negotiations to be conducted. A further 24-hour ceasefire – due to expire at midnight on Tuesday – was agreed in Cairo late on Monday night.

Israel accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire after three rockets fell near the city of Beersheba in southern Israel. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

Lt Col Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesperson, said: "Yet again, terrorists breach the ceasefire and renew fire at Israeli civilians from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. This continued aggression will be addressed accordingly by the IDF; we will continue striking terror infrastructure, pursuing terrorists, and eliminating terror capabilities in the Gaza Strip, in order to restore security for the state of Israel."

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, hinted at more rocket fire. "If Netanyahu doesn't understand … the language of politics in Cairo, we know how to make him understand," he said according to the Israeli news website Ynet.

However, it was not clear whether a significant return to hostilities was imminent, or if the renewed military exchanges would prove to be short-lived.

The negotiations in Cairo have struggled to secure a long-term deal to end the six-week conflict. On Monday, the Palestinian delegation claimed the two sides were still some way from an agreement, and hinted that the ceasefire would not be extended again if a lasting truce still could not be finalised on Tuesday.

"Until now there is no progress," said Azzam al-Ahmad, the chief Palestinian negotiator. "There are hidden voices who are trying to put obstacles in our way. We have agreed on an extension for another day – just one day. Whether we agree or not, just one day."

Negotiators spent Sunday and Monday conducting indirect talks mediated by Egyptian intelligence officers, but failed to reach agreement about a draft treaty proposed by Egyptian officials on Sunday.

According to leaks, the outline agreement included the opening of crossings between Israel and Gaza, the importation of construction materials under international supervision, and the expansion of the permitted fishing zone to 12 miles over a period of six months.

The demand for a seaport was reportedly agreed in principle, but detailed discussions have been deferred for at least a month. There was no mention of a parallel Palestinian demand to rebuild and reopen an international airport in Gaza.

A Palestinian demand for the release of dozens of Hamas members arrested by Israel over the past few months was also deferred.

Israel wants the disarmament of Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza as well as the return of the remains of two soldiers killed in fighting, which Hamas is believed to be holding. All Palestinian factions say the demilitarisation of Gaza is not up for negotiation. But Hamas publicly claims it is ready to share power in Gaza with the Palestinian Authority, which currently runs the West Bank.

The war in Gaza, which began on 8 July, is the most intense of three conflicts in the past five and a half years, with massive destruction of homes, mosques, schools and hospitals, and the shelling of six UN premises being used to shelter people who had fled the fighting.

The Palestinian death toll on Monday stood at 2,016, including 541 children. More than 10,000 people have been injured and about 17,000 homes destroyed or severely damaged.

Israel has lost 64 soldiers in fighting, including five killed by friendly fire. Three civilians – two Israelis and a Thai agricultural worker – were killed by rockets launched from Gaza.

Robert Serry, the United Nation's most senior official for the Middle East, told the UN security council on Monday that "the volume of reconstruction will be about three times" what it was after the 2008‑09 Gaza conflict. The scale of destruction and corresponding humanitarian needs were unprecedented, he said.

"Reconstruction of the magnitude which is now needed can only be addressed with the involvement at scale of the Palestinian Authority and the private sector in Gaza, meaning larger quantities of materials are required to enter Gaza."

On Monday, Egypt promised to host a donors' conference in Cairo to help raise money for Gaza's reconstruction, once a lasting ceasefire is eventually brokered.

Islamic State fighters halt Iraqi offensive to recapture Saddam's home town

Iraqi security forces and volunteers take part in a mission to secure an area from militants of the Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), in Udhaim district, north of Baghdad, August 6, 2014.

BY AHMED RASHEED AND MICHAEL GEORGY-Aug 19, 2014

(Reuters) - Iraqi forces halted a short-lived offensive on Tuesday to recapture Tikrit, home town of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, due to fierce resistance from Islamic state fighters who have also threatened to attack Americans "in any place".

Islamic State Fighters Halt Iraqi Offensive to Recapture Saddam's Home Town by Thavam

Afghanistan bars New York Times reporter from leaving country

New York Times reporter Matthew Rosenberg. (The New York Times)

By William Branigin August 19 at 12:30 PM 

Afghanistan’s attorney general banned a New York Times reporter from leaving the country Tuesday because of a controversial story about the country’s recent presidential election, the newspaper said.

Matthew Rosenberg, 40, who joined the Times in 2011 and splits his time between Kabul and Washington, was not being allowed to leave Afghanistan by the office of Attorney General Muhammad Ishaq Aloko. The ban was first reported by Afghanistan’s TOLO news television channel.

In response to an inquiry from the Committee to Protect Journalists, Rosenberg tweeted confirmation of the report. “Yes, the attorney general’s spokesman told us a short while ago about the travel ban,” he wrote. “They apparently told Tolo first.”

Times international editor Joe Kahn later said in a statement: “The Afghan attorney general’s office has advised Matthew Rosenberg that he must remain in Afghanistan while an investigation into his article is ongoing. We are eager to work with the Afghan authorities to resolve any concerns about the article, which we feel is fair and accurate.”

The Times reported that Rosenberg was called in for questioning about the article by a senior prosecutor, Gen. Sayed Noorullah Sadat, whose title is general director for crimes against external and internal security. It said Sadat asked Rosenberg to identify anonymous government sources quoted in the story and that Rosenberg refused.

The newspaper identified the article in question as one in Tuesday’s editions in which Rosenberg reported that a coterie of powerful Afghan officials with ties to the security forces was threatening to seize power if the country’s current election impasse remained unresolved. The article said the officials hoped that the mere threat of forming an interim government in what could amount to a coup would prompt two rival presidential candidates to compromise and end the crisis.

The newspaper said the case marked “the fourth time this year that the Afghan government has threatened or initiated legal action against The Times because of complaints by senior Afghan officials over articles it has published.”

Former finance minister Ashraf Ghani and former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah have been locked in a dispute over a presidential runoff vote in June. Afghanistan’s official Independent Election Commission reported last month that Ghani was ahead in preliminary results. Abdullah, who finished on top in a first round of voting in April but fell short of a majority, charged that he was the victim of massive electoral fraud.

A U.N.-backed recount was initiated, and Secretary of State John F. Kerry undertook a mediation effort to bring the two sides together, but they have continued to squabble. The dispute threatens to destabilize Afghanistan at a time when its security forces are struggling to assume greater responsibility in the fight against the radical Islamist Taliban movement and as the United States moves to withdraw combat troops by the end of the year.

Washington also has been awaiting the inauguration of a new president willing to sign a bilateral security agreement that would allow the United States to maintain a residual force in Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai, who was not allowed to run for reelection because of term limits, has refused to sign the agreement, insisting that it be left to his successor.

TOLOnews reported the action against Rosenberg on its Twitter feed but did not immediately provide details.

Before joining the Times, Rosenberg was a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, covering stories in Afghanistan and South Asia. He previously worked for the Associated Press and reported from South Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and the Caribbean.

Paul Farhi contributed to this report.

Would Sweden Ever Extradite Assange to the United States?

• AUGUST 18, 2014 - 04:33 PM

Two years into his stay at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he is hiding from Swedish authorities looking to question him in connection with rape allegations, Julian Assange will leave his diplomatic redoubt "soon," he revealed on Monday. Cryptic as ever, the Australian freedom-of-information activist did not explain why, nor exactly when he would depart the embassy.
Would Sweden Ever Extradite Assange to the United States by Thavam

Lord Birt says Scotland would lose many BBC services after yes vote

Former director general rubbishes claims independent nation would receive same TV, radio and online output

BBC Scotland's complex at Pacific Quay, Glasgow. Birt says an independent Scotland would face deep cuts by the corporation. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod for the Guardian

Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent

 Tuesday 19 August 2014 

Lord Birt, a former director general of the BBC, has warned that the corporation would be forced to make deep cuts if Scotland votes for independence, losing up to a quarter of its current spending.

He said the BBC would have to make "fundamental" changes to its programming and operations after a yes vote, while Scottish viewers would lose automatic access to all the corporation's TV and radio output.

Birt, writing for the Guardian, said the 15% spending cuts already forced on the BBC by the Westminster government would be greatly worsened after a yes vote, since it would then lose another 10% of its funding – the £320m currently paid each year by Scottish licence fee payers.

The former director general, now a crossbench peer, predicted the BBC would reject proposals by Alex Salmond's government for a close working relationship with a new publicly owned Scottish Broadcasting Service (SBS). It would sell its shows to the highest bidder in Scotland, such as STV, partly because it was becoming so strapped for cash.

"The bold assertion in the Scottish government's white paper that a new Scottish public service broadcaster will work with the BBC in a programme-swapping joint venture is make believe," Birt states. "One way or another, after independence, Scottish viewers would have to pay to receive BBC services."

The future of the BBC – which stages a major live debate next Monday on independence between Salmond and the pro-UK campaign leader, Alistair Darling, remains a significant concern for Scottish voters, a substantial majority of whom want the corporation to remain serving Scotland if there was a yes vote.

The Scottish social attitudes survey in June said 61% of voters wanted to keep all BBC's services intact and did not want a separate Scottish broadcaster, with 25% wanting both the BBC and a new Scottish service; and 11% wanting the BBC to be replaced in Scotland.

Salmond's government has proposed that a future SBS would take over all the BBC's assets and staff in Scotland, where BBC Scotland currently has a £205m budget – about £115m less than collected from the licence fee. Partly funded too by a £13m share of BBC Worldwide's profits and the £12m Scottish ministers give Gaelic digital channel BBC Alba, the SBS would have a £345m budget to run its own TV, digital and radio channels – a tenth of overall BBC spending.

The SBS would form a joint venture agreement with the BBC where it would continue supplying the corporation with the same amount of programmes from Scotland, in return for BBC services continuing as before, Scottish ministers argue.

The Scottish government's white paper in November stated: "Current programming like EastEnders, Doctor Who, and Strictly Come Dancing and channels like CBeebies, will still be available in Scotland. The SBS will continue to co-commission, co-produce and co-operate with the BBC network."

Birt retorted that this was highly unlikely to happen: "The BBC is, thankfully, independent of government – so whatever is asserted wishfully in the white paper, the BBC will have no alternative whatsoever but to act in the interests of its licence payers, and to seek the best possible commercial terms for the sale of its programmes in Scotland, not least because of the aforementioned financial impoverishment it will just have suffered.

"And, of course, there may be commercial broadcasters in a new Scotland willing and able to pay more for the BBC's most successful programmes than an impecunious SBS."

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has refused to respond to these proposals in any detail or publish its own assessment of the broadcasting industry in Scotland and the future of the BBC. But in June, Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, told the Guardianthat ministers in London would negotiate with Scottish ministers about the BBC if there was a yes vote; opinion polls currently show a large but shrinking gap between yes and no support.

Alexander said: "I'm very sceptical about such proposals but clearly if Scotland votes yes and there are negotiations, these are things that they can put forward. I'm sure that [the Scottish government] would put them forward."

Senior industry figures in Scotland believe that after independence, the UK government and BBC would want to agree a close working relationship with a Scottish public broadcaster because the corporation was protective of its British status, and its wider interests.

One production executive said Birt was unsurprisingly defending the status quo. Even if the BBC sold its shows to STV, few Scottish viewers would mind as long as they got to see EastEnders or Strictly Come Dancing, in a broadcasting world with new entrants like Netflix and Amazon. "From a consumers point of view, if you're getting Sherlock, does it bother you if it's on the BBC?" they said.

Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish culture secretary, declined to comment on Birt's criticisms and his claims BBC programmes would be sold to the highest bidder in Scotland. Her spokeswoman repeated the position taken in the white paper, saying a joint venture between the BBC and SBS would "give continuity of supply to the BBC and continuity of programming to the SBS, such an arrangement is in the best interest of all concerned and will ensure that decisions about broadcasting in Scotland are made in Scotland".