US envoy urges Lankan MPs to send powerful message to intl. community via RTI 

• Says Right to information will prevent return to era of secrecy and lack of accountability 
• Keshap says passage of RTI bill a crucial step on road to Good Governance
• US supporting reforms on public finance management in Lanka 

Tuesday, 17 May 2016

It is an honor to address this gathering as you discuss the creation of a Right to Information bill designed to enhance citizens’ access to transparency and insight about their government.

 Any democracy requires that government officials be accountable to the citizens who elected them, and that accountability requires transparency.  Your discussions today reflect a growing consensus in the global community – as reflected in the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals – for countries to “ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms.”

 This year, ladies and gentlemen, the United States will celebrate the 50-year anniversary of our own Freedom of Information Act, set up to ensure our citizens have the right to monitor what their government does.  Its passage was not easy.  First championed by a lawmaker from California in 1955, he could not find enough support until years later, in 1966.  And even upon enactment, it was opposed by every U.S. federal agency and department.  

 But what we have learned over these years is that transparency leads to better governance, a government more truly by the people and for the people, as enshrined in our constitution.  And our version of the Right to Information has continued to evolve with amendments and improvements to better reflect our unique national circumstances and changes in communications technologies.

 The bottom line is that we understand information maintained by the federal government is a national asset that needs to be readily accessible by the public.  As President Obama stated on his first day on the job, “In the face of doubt, openness prevails.”

 Just as President Obama made government transparency one of his first priorities, I am also encouraged by similar pledges from President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, and other top government officials in Sri Lanka.  Certainly, the last elections have shown that Sri Lanka’s voters consider government transparency a priority.

 As Secretary Kerry promised during his visit a year ago, the United States will “stand by your side” as you make progress on these important good governance reforms and human rights commitments.

 As reflected in our increased cooperation over the past 16 months, our diplomatic relations are at an all-time high.  Our development cooperation in 2015 and 2016 totaled almost $40 million per annum, and the administration has requested a similar amount in fiscal year 2017.  As a result of your commitment to good governance and ruling justly, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is working with Sri Lanka to design a threshold program that can potentially unlock millions in additional assistance to boost economic growth.

 In February, our governments launched the U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue, which expands and reinforces our whole-of-government cooperation in development, governance, energy, trade, and security.  We also had our first ship visit to Colombo in eleven years in March.

"US Envoy to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Atul Keshap urged Lankan lawmakers yesterday to seize the opportunity to send a “powerful message” to the international community that Sri Lanka was truly back on the global stage and a model democracy with innovative solutions to post-conflict transitions, and dedicated to fulfilling its UN commitments.

Speaking at the launch of an Interactive Dialogue on Right to Information for Parliamentarians, Ambassador Keshap said the successful passage of the RTI bill now tabled in Parliament will be a key stepping stone to Good Governance. He said Right to Information laws will prevent a return to an era of secrecy and lack of accountability in Sri Lanka. Following is the full text of his speech:"

 Through our increasingly close partnership, we are exploring new avenues to strengthen Sri Lanka’s economy.  In April, we hosted the U.S.-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council Meeting in Washington, which will further intensify our trade and business relations.  We have launched programs to train Sri Lankan business leaders and government officials in best practices for the tourism industry, a sector with great promise for expansion.  Experience has shown that businesses and investors – both foreign and domestic – prefer governance systems that are transparent and where officials are held accountable for their decisions and actions.  We are finalizing efforts to lend expertise on public financial management reforms over the next two years.

 Our initiatives are also helping to establish a stable post-conflict society across Sri Lanka.  U.S. Agency for International Development-supported projects help strengthen the rule of law, build a robust civil society, and strengthen democracy and prosperity.  At the request of your government, we are now supporting reforms through assistance focused on public financial management, the Elections Commission, and the Parliament.

 All of these build upon the decades of steadfast U.S. support designed to help create jobs and prosperity, ensure food security and access to clean water, support women’s livelihoods and well-being, and help citizens recover from natural disasters.

 The task of strengthening good governance anywhere in the world is never easy, but enshrining citizens’ Right to Information in legislation will be an important step in the right direction.  Such legislation will give Sri Lankans the tools to make their country a better place, and prevent any return to an era of secrecy and a lack of accountability.

 These are the promises your government made to its voters before the elections last year.  You understood that a preponderant majority of well-meaning Sri Lankans want to transition to an era of reconciliation, unity, peace, democracy, and rule of law.  I applaud your resolve to help Sri Lanka restore its standing in the international community, including, notably, through historic co-sponsorship of the UN Resolution that pledges Sri Lanka to tread the difficult but essential path toward reconciliation, truth, justice, and non-recurrence of conflict for all.

 There are other important decisions before you, the leaders of your people, including some that will require principled leadership and determination in order to set this country firmly on a path towards greater and lasting peace and prosperity.  The effort to make the Constitution more fair and inclusive, to reflect and celebrate the diversity of Sri Lanka, to ensure equal rights and opportunity for all Sri Lankans, to empower citizens to achieve their full potential, reflects a courageous, positive, and principled vision.

 As you, acting as your citizens’ elected representatives, seize this rare and historic moment to effect lasting and positive change, please know that the people and government of the United States stand with you and will walk by your side as friends.

 Some of these needed reforms are not easy, but the new atmosphere of peace and democracy in Sri Lanka affords you a precious opportunity to effect needed change.  Replacing the outdated Prevention of Terrorism Act with a new national security legal architecture can help not only prevent future abuses, but also ensure stronger defenses against modern threats to Sri Lanka, and to it democracy and citizens’ rights.   

 All of you understand the heart-breaking need to create a credible and effective institution to bring truth, resolution, and justice to those families who lost loved ones on both sides of the war, and to foster a lasting climate of reconciliation and brotherhood after so many years of conflict.

 Your government has launched a discussion with ordinary citizens and civil society to determine the best way forward, and we look forward to steady progress toward healing these wounds, including the establishment of an Office of Missing Persons, and other helpful steps.

 As you proceed with your discussions on the Right to Information, your work will send clear signals of Sri Lanka’s commitment to reform and good governance.  You are truly fortunate to serve your citizenry at a historic and golden moment when the vast majority of Sri Lankans want a better and more positive future, free of war and racism, and marked by mutual respect, harmony, democracy, transparency, and prosperity.

 It is also your good luck to enjoy an opportunity after many decades of strife to send a powerful message to the international community that Sri Lanka is truly back on the global stage, a model democracy with innovative solutions to post-conflict transitions, and dedicated to fulfilling its UN commitments.

 Thank you once again for inviting me to speak before you.  The United States looks forward to opportunities to provide more support, bring more resources, and share more expertise in your efforts to restore Sri Lanka’s rightful place as a leader in the international community, one that contributes to the global economy; promotes human rights, accountability, transitional justice, and democracy; and that helps to uphold international law. I wish you the best of luck for a meaningful dialogue today, and the successful passage of this important legislation, a key element on the path towards good governance.

 Thank you very much.

Germany hails SL’s progress achieved in short period 

May 16, 2016

Head of visiting German Business Delegation to Sri Lanka, and the Parliamentary State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Energy, Uwe Beckmeyer called on President Maithripala Sirisena at his residence today (16).

 The visit of the Business Delegation took place subsequent to the President’s recent visit of Germany, during which Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that she will send a Business Delegation to explore business and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. The President welcomed the positive response on the part of Germany to send this delegation to Sri Lanka, that will enhance business to business relationships (B2B) upon meeting with Sri Lankan business community.

 During the meeting, President Maithripala Sirisena explained to Beckmeyer how Sri Lanka is making steady progress in strengthening democracy and reconciliation through appointing new independent commissions, strengthening existing commissions, such as human rights commission, bribery and corruption commission, audit commission etc. 

Underling the priority given economic development for achieving sustainable development and peace, the President said, ‘Economic development is the basis upon which strong democracy and lasting peace can be built’. He welcomed the fact Germany is supporting vocational training in Sri Lanka and also the fact the German investments have created more than 10,000 direct jobs in the country. 

Beckmeyer, while appreciating the progress Sri Lanka has achieved internationally and locally during a relatively short period of time, emphasized the German’s government commitment to bring Sri Lankan and German businesses more and more close to each other, and that the present visit of the delegation was a part of this initiative. Parliamentary State Secretary Beckmeyer expressed his hopes for continued goodwill and healthy business relations.

 President assured that he will instruct the Ministers and Officers to review the progress of business development between Sri Lanka and Germany every three months and report to him, upon which further strengthening of bilateral economic ties will be possible. 

Currently, many German factories operate in the country and generate nearly 130 billion rupees worth bilateral trade. While German car brands dominate 95% of the premium car market in the country, Sri Lanka enjoys a roughly 22 billion positive trade balance. 

Three killed, 11,667 displaced by heavy rains

2016-05-16

Three people were killed and 11,667 people were displaced due to the adverse weather conditions prevailing in the country, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said today. 

Among the dead was a victim struck by lightning at Anuradhapura while the other two were killed by landslides at Dehiowita. 

DMC spokesman Pradeep Kodippili said the rains which wreaked havoc during the past few days had displaced 11,667 people from 7,880 families.

 He said residents of Kalutara, Colombo, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Galle, Matara and Chilaw were badly affected by the heavy rains, floods and landslides.  

 Mr. Kodippili said 5,196 people from 1,856 families were re-located in 32 camps and had been provided with adequate food, clean water, medicine and sanitary facilities. 

He said the DMC was estimating the damage caused to houses and other buildings. (Piyumi Fonseka) 

The Challenge Of May 19 Is To Commemorate & To Mourn

By Jehan Perera –May 16, 2016 

Jehan Perera

The war ended on the battlefields of the north seven years ago on May 19. The commemoration of this day is a divisive one. During the period of the previous government, which claimed ownership of the war victory, the commemoration took the form of a victory celebration, with military parades and narrow ethnic nationalistic speechmaking that catered to ethnic majority sentiment but injured the sentiments of the ethnic minorities. At the same time the government also took action to ensure that there would be no commemoration of the LTTE or even of civilian loss of life. This led to the prohibition of any form of public coming together in the north of the country where the last battles were fought, even within places of religious worship, for the purpose of remembering the dead.

However, a shift could be discerned last year, after the new government had come to power. Although once again the commemoration took the form of a military parade with associated speechmaking, it was conducted on a smaller scale and with less nationalism. The decision of the new government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena to redefine May 19 as a Day of Remembrance marked a significant break with the past. However, it was still not a complete break. It was accompanied by a military parade, as in the past, attended by the President. The sacrifice of the Sri Lankan security forces who ensured the territorial unity of the country, and the final military triumph over the LTTE and its separatist campaign, were the main themes of this event.

At last year’s May 19 event there was also reference to the general loss of life in the war by the President in his speech. This satisfied neither the Sinhalese nationalists in the south who wanted the war victory celebrated nor the Tamil people in the north who wanted their dead commemorated. However, there was an improvement in the flexibility of the government and the people in the north were permitted to hold religious services for those who lost her lives. These events even took place on the battleground where the last of the fighting took place. At one such event a multi religious commemoration took place with a Buddhist monk from the Jaffna district inter religious committee being present.

Uncertain Commemoration                                Read More

The Prodigal Daughter?

by Nirmala Kannangara-

Monday, May 16, 2016

Director General, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) continues to be in the public eye, aligning himself as he does, with  successive governments in order to safeguard his position. This is despite the numerous malpractices he has allegedly been involved in over the years.

It is surprising indeed that the good governance administration which came into power 17 months ago promising to take action against all state officials who misappropriate public funds and give relief to the general public, has so far failed to take action against CAASL which continuous to be a den of corruption. Despite the assurances given, the present government too has allowed the same old shady state officials to continue in corruption and in some instances given them more facilities to misappropriate public funds in the guise of providing ‘better services’ to the industry.

Following our continuous exposes on alleged malpractices taking place at the CAASL, it has now been revealed how its Director General had allegedly hoodwinked the Department of Management Services of the General Treasury during the latter part of the previous regime to get a new post created at the Authority specially for the then subject minister’s offspring. This he saw as a means by which he could gain immunity from being investigated for the malpractices he was engaged in, at the expense of public money.

In order to safeguard his position at CAASL and to be in the good books of the then Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, Director General H.M.C. Nimalsiri allegedly deceived the Department of Management Services in order to get the minister’s daughter, Sachini Nayanathara Jayaratne, employed at CAASL as the International Relationship Officer.  The latter did not possess any prerequisite qualifications nor the basic qualification CAASL looked for, to hold such a responsible position. Nimalsiri had got the Jayaratne sibling recruited without following the scheme of recruitment (SOR).

Although there wasn’t any need for such a post to be created at CAASL, Nimalsiri and the then Ministry Secretary had showed undue urgency to recruit an International Relationship Officer at Civil Aviation to facilitate bilateral agreements with foreign airlines.

“Nimalsiri showed the importance of having an International Relationship Officer at Civil Aviation and got the post approved by the Management Services Department although such a post was not necessary for CAASL. Such a post could only be necessary to Sri Lankan Airlines, our national career, which always holds bilateral negotiations with foreign airlines and finalises bilateral agreements which is not the subject of the Civil Aviation Authority. The sole responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority is to monitor the air safety standards but not to facilitate bilateral agreements or any other work related to the national carrier. It is the national carrier that drafts bilateral agreements and sends these for approval by the Attorney General before the agreement is signed. In such a backdrop, what made Nimalsiri and the then Ministry Secretary mislead the Department of Management Services seeking its approval for a post that is not relevant to this Authority?” reliable CAASL sources who wished to remain anonymous told The Sunday Leader.

All attempts to get a comment from the Department of Management Services to find out as to why approval was granted for a post that was not required for CAASL and what action they could take against Nimalsiri for deceiving them, failed as none of the officials wished to make any comment.

However, although Nimalsiri showed urgency to get the International Relationship Officer’s services for CAASL, it is surprising indeed  how flexible the CAASL Director General was as he allowed the selected candidate to discharge the duties of the post from home without reporting for duty even for few minutes. There are no records at CAASL to show that the International Relationship Officer has attended any of the bilateral negotiations that had taken place during her tenure from December 1, 2013 until the fall of the previous regime,” the sources claimed.

According to the sources, although CAASL’s request was to create two posts for the said position, the Department of Management Services through circular no: 30(1) had given approval only to have one post under MA3-2016A salary scale.

“According to the circular, although the recruitment and promotions should be carried out according to the scheme of recruitment, the Civil Aviation Authority had disregarded the recruitment instructions given by the Department of Management Services but recruited the candidate of their wish without following the scheme of recruitment,” sources alleged.

There is speculation as to why Nimalsiri wanted to create two International Relationship Officer posts although there wasn’t need even for one post at CAASL

“What Nimalsiri would have wanted was to employ a qualified candidate together with the minister’s daughter and get the work from the qualified candidate, so no one would know that she was not competent to discharge her duties. Failing to get two posts created, Nimalsiri had no other option but to offer the job to the minister’s offspring,” sources added.

Meanwhile, the government audit report states how CAASL failed to follow the scheme of recruitment and obtained only one application which was from Sachini Nayanathara Jayaratne, daughter of the subject minister, on November 18, 2013 and interviewed her on the same day and was recruited on casual basis from December 1, 2013, two weeks before the Department of Management Services granted their approval.

“Although Nimalsiri made the request to the Department of Management Services to create the post of International Relationship Officer, this post has to be created for the national carrier as it is the national carrier and not the Civil Aviation Department that signs bilateral agreements with other airlines. Nimalsiri got the approval to create such a post on December 13, 2013; however CAASL Board meeting records shows that the Board of Directors had given their approval for Nimalsiri’s request for this post at their 98th Board Meeting held on October 10, 2013,” sources alleged.

According to the sources, although the selected candidate should be conversant in aviation law, Jayaratne junior did not have any qualification in aviation law but merely a foreign degree in Human Resources Management and had not followed any course in international affairs.

“All those who are recruited to CAASL cardre should possess a credit pass in mathematics but in Jayaratne’s case she had only an ordinary pass for mathematics,” sources claimed.

Although Nimalsiri urgently wanted to get the post in question created with the Management Services Department’s approval and got the post filled with the minister’s daughter, on the request of Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, the CAASL’s International Relationship Officer was positioned to the Civil Aviation Ministry on December 23, 2013.

“After this employees was positioned at the ministry well before one month from the time she was hurriedly recruited, Nimalsiri did not take any action to fill the much needed vacant post. Since then thirty months had passed but Nimalsiri’s failure to appoint another International Relationship Officer to handle bilateral negotiations or agreements of the CAASL clearly shows that there was no necessity to get such a post created. Nimasiri purposely duped the higher officials at the Department of Management Services to get personal benefits from the then Aviation Minister,” sources alleged.

According to the audit report Ref. No: AVA/ A/ CAASL/ 2016/ 02 dated March 23, 2016, this International Relationship Officer had not carried out a single day’s work since she was recruited on December 1, 2013 and there was no proof that she had ever reported for duty according to the attendance registry. However, from December 1, 2013 up to December 31, 2014, she had been paid Rs. 609,560 as her remuneration for thirteen months by CAASL. Although she had been recruited as a casual worker for a basic salary of Rs. 15,600 plus allowances she had also fraudulently been paid a travelling allowance of Rs. 20,000 by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The report has also revealed how the Civil Aviation Ministry Additional Secretary R.M.P.S. Ratnayake had given this employee a separate attendance book to mark her daily attendance although she has had to sign her attendance in the company registry.

“Since she was not attached to the minister’s personal staff, she too had to mark her attendance like the other employees, but since there wasn’t a need for her to report for duty neither Nimalsiri nor the Ministry Additional Secretary wanted her to mark her attendance in the common registry but in a special ‘book’ which was in her possession,” sources alleged.

All attempts to contact Director General Civil Aviation Authority, H.M.C. Nimalsiri failed as he did not answer our calls.

Although a text message was sent on Thursday requesting Nimalsiri’s comment as to why he duped the Department of Management Services to employee the minister’s offspring, Nimalsiri had not responded to the message at the time of going to press.

HOW SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED IN INVESTIGATING INTO CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS?

( By Anti Corruption Front)

16/05/2016

Some investigations haven’t started – Finalized documents in AG’s drawer
Putting an end to bribery and corruption and punishing those engaged in serious financial crimes during the previous regime were the top election promises of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) government. The civil society that ensured the UNFGG victory was keen on implementing a proper mechanism to prevent corruption because an election victory and a change of a regime was not adequate to end the culture of corruption in Sri Lanka. Anti-Corruption Front (ACF) commenced its operations on 14 January 2015 in a bid to assist in ending corruption which has become a part of our culture.

When ACF requested the Sri Lankan citizens to provide information on financial crimes from 2008,  over 4000 responded within the first 30 days. Allegations of bribery, corruption and misuse of public property dominated these complaints. ACF investigated and authenticated these complaints with the assistance of experts who joined us voluntarily.

ACF has tendered 512 verified complaints to six institutions that deal with corruption in Sri Lanka, including FCID, CID, Bribery Commission and PRECIFAC. However the progress made on these complaints have been painfully slow and our inquiries have shown that most of the investigations have not gone beyond the AG’s Department. Thus investigations on most of these allegations of financial crime have not even reached the second stage of inquiry, i.e. taking legal action. Therefore it is evident that the values President Maithripala Sirisena spoke of during the international anti-corruption summit in London are not been practiced in Sri Lanka.

ACF has noted that in the first six months of the new government, significant progress was made regarding investigations on corruption. However that anti-corruption drive has slowed down drastically. The inefficiency of the AG’s department and the influence of several cabinet ministers, who have links to the AG’s department are the main reasons for this. ACF attempted to expedite the legal process by exerting significant pressure on the former AG, however that attempt ended in failure. Our next attempt was to ensure that credible and independent persons are appointed to the AG’s department, however it seems that that attempt might also fail.

1. It can be assumed that AG’s department has direct links to a number of individuals who have been accused of financial crimes.
2. Those accused of corruption have been able to influence groups working to prevent corruption and political parties
3. Investigations against high profile persons have stalled. For example the six investigations on former chief presidential aid Gamini Senarath have stalled.
4. Those accused of financial crimes have been able to stall investigations through bribery.

For the cases finalized y the FICD: ACF Files with the AGs department මැයි 16 English final

ACF Files With the AGs Department මැයි 16 English Final by Thavam Ratna

Numerous exposures of frauds trail Mahinda’s Uganda tour !

-Pretending as president ;misuse of public funds; bogus passports; military security withdrawal myth- evidence hereunder

(Lanka-e-News- 15.May.2016, 11.45PM) Following  the tour of Uganda by   Kurunegala district UPFA M.P. Mahinda Rajapakse , it has become crystal clear  to the people that though he was ousted from the post of president over a year ago , he is still pretending   he is the president of the country ; still craving for  misuse   public funds ;and  having around him those with phony passports. The much talked about withdrawal of his military security personnel is a myth too..

The letterhead of Mahinda used by Uditha Lokubandara the private secretary to Mahinda which was sent to  the foreign secretary coupled  with the copious  evidence revealed herein by Lanka e news , clearly  confirm what are stated in the foregoing paragraph . 

Enumerated hereunder are details…

1.Mahinda’s wrongful pretence that he is still the president 

In the private letterhead (herein) of Mahinda Rajapakse it was shown that Mahinda is still the president , that is his wrongful pretence  that he is the president. Though other former presidents could identify themselves as such, Mahinda cannot.

That is because he did not retire after his completion of his term nor  collected his pension . Besides ,he was defeated  and ousted from the post of president. Besides , he is now appointed as only an M.P. by the people which is an inferior status. Hence in his private letterhead it should be stated he is Kurunegala district M.P. Mahinda Rajapakse and as no other.

Nowhere in the world does an individual use his previous status  to identify his present position. If that is possible , then even former speaker Chamal Rajapakse should also identify himself as speaker even now. Prasanna Ranatunge too must identify himself still as Western province chief minister .Neither calls themselves as such .

Both of them now describe themselves as parliamentary members. This applies to Mahinda Rajapakse too. But the letterheads (herein)  of Mahinda Rajapakse are absolutely false therefore.

2.Mahinda Rajapakse is described as His Excellency which is absolutely erroneous. 

In the third and fourth letters (herein ), Mahinda Rajapakse has been called as His Excellency .In Democratic countries , only a State leader can be called as ‘His Excellency.’ A State leader of course is described by the word ‘Excellency.’ The State leader and the head of government of Sri Lanka is the incumbent president Maithripala Sirisena. Calling anybody else by the title ‘His Excellency’ is absolutely wrong. Yet , unbelievably Mahinda Rajapakse has used that title. In other words he has arrogated that title and pretended that he is still the president of the country which is an egregious  wrong , and an unpardonable lapse.

3.Kurunegala M.P. Mahinda Rajapakse pretending  he is still the president had made a wrongful request with a view to misuse  public funds to defray his private tour expenditure !

Mahinda Rajapakse’s tour to Uganda is based on an  invitation to attend the inaugural ceremony of its dictator Musevini is entirely a private trip. He alone had been invited to Uganda on a private visit , and that invitation was not via the foreign ministry of SL. The fourth letter (herein) clearly confirmed this.

Machiavellian Mahinda despite this , has made a request for funds in full from the foreign ministry to meet his Uganda tour expenses. He had requested funds to meet the expenses including air ticket ,hotel  accommodation, food , drinks etc. during his stay  in Uganda , of himself and his group. The letters (herein) testify to this.

 It is a well and widely known fact that the foreign ministry funds are those of the public. Mahinda as the ex president ought to  be most aware  of this. Hence , his attempts directly or indirectly  to grab those funds to make his private tour is most despicable, detestable  and deplorable. One can imagine based on these maneuvers while  he is out of power ,what amount of pubic funds would have been drained away by him when he wielded power to do anything during his nefarious decade.

It is significant to note no other previous presidents ever asked for state funds to cover the expenses of their private tours . It is the discretion of the foreign ministry to accede to the request or not of  a  former president .. The foreign ministry had informed Mahinda in this instance that it can meet the expenditure of his air ticket only, among the many requests made .

When the ministry intimated this to him , what Machiavellian Mahinda did was , he reserved a most expensive class air ticket and asked for payment.

Surely if he did not wish to travel on the ordinary class he could have asked for a business class ticket , if he truly had any concern for the country’s economic plight. Mahinda on the other hand has reserved  a first class  air ticket that is more expensive than the business class . Mahinda who pretends to show great concern and care for  the welfare of his people (Sri Lankans) has asked for Rs. 425000.00 a relatively huge amount for an air ticket ! from the foreign ministry , which in fact are people’s funds .(The air ticket is herein). Mind you Mahinda  had reserved this ticket through the Company , ‘World Air  Pvt. Ltd.’ belonging to Lohan Ratwatte who was also  in the group touring with him. That is , his motive was to benefit a member of his group with the extra profits at the expense of the people.

4.The withdrawal of Mahinda Rajapakse’s military security  personnel is a myth

The pro Rajapakse groups are making a big din that the military security personnel of Mahinda had been withdrawn, but the third letter (herein) confirms that it is a lie. In it the vehicles accompanying him to the airport had been mentioned. Among the registration numbers of those  vehicles is also an army vehicle bearing No. ARMY 50551. This is an index that the military security of Mahinda had not been withdrawn, and the protests that his military security has been withdrawn are  bogus.

5. A mayor of his group in possession of a diplomatic passport comes to light 

According to what is stated in the third letter , the group accompanying  Mahinda Rajapakse was comprised of MPs Gamini Lokuge   and  Lohan Ratwatte, Uditha Lokubandara , Dhanasiri Amaratunge (Dehiwala –Galkissa mayor), Sampath W . Mahendra , Neville Wanniarachi , Saman Udaya Samarasinghe and Hasitha Wickremarachi. 

The passport No. of mayor Dhanasiri Amaratunge is D  3643366.The D alphabet indicates that it is a Diplomatic passport. That is a passport which entitles the holder to diplomatic privileges. In that case ,how can a mayor have a Diplomatic passport ? An immediate investigation into this shall therefore be conducted into this . Obtaining a   passport via false documents and misrepresentation is a grave criminal offence , and is liable to punishment.

6. Private  Security personnel of MPs in the group possess  official passports  , how come?

The  third letter herein mentions the names of Neville Wanniarachi and Sampath Mahendra . Both of them  are private security personnel of Mahinda Rajapakse. 

Their  passport Nos. are OL 5650274 and OL 5650273 . OL means ‘official’ in a passport .That is ,those are passports issued to those on official duties of the state only. Both of them are therefore not eligible to have these official passports.

There are also serious charges of financial frauds against Neville Wanniarachi , and even now  e is being tried  in a court against him. These  passports being  spurious, those have been obtained by making false representations and furnishing phony documents obviously. These are punishable offences under the law .Investigations shall be launched against them  

In the circumstances , Machiavellian Mahinda’s tour to Uganda has brought home to the people a number of frauds and rackets in which he is enmeshed . Mahinda who was a byword for lawlessness and corruption even while he was holding the post  of president unheeding  the fact that he is the highest in the hierarchy of the country , being tainted by these incriminations even after being ousted from power is no surprise. Perhaps he needs more time to reform. 

By a special correspondent
Translated by Jeff

(All the information and evidence furnished herein can be quoted by anyone without the prior permission of Lanka  e news)

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by     (2016-05-16 01:44:58)

MR in Uganda Birds of a feather flock together...

2016-05-15

ast week, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa travelled to Uganda to grace the inauguration ceremony of President Yoweri Museveni, who was sworn-in for his fifth term. It could have been a bitter sweet moment for MR, who like his host, dreamt of being the President for life and amended the constitution to that effect, but, alas, then  lost the election to his former health minister. MR was among an illustrious gathering of African leaders, including  Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir, the last named is implicated by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. 
 Some Western envoys at the event reportedly walked out in protest after the host made disparaging comments about the ICC.  If the Ugandan President- who unlike our local politicos has not forgotten his old friend in his bad times -- is just another tin-pot dictator, that would not make much news. After all, Africa has bulk produced such individuals over the decades. On the contrary, Museveni was earlier feted as a new African statesman and a pioneer of a new generation of smart African leaders, who had a vision and a drive to bring stability and relative prosperity to a region ravaged by kleptocratic despots, warlords and cross-dressing cannibals.

 Under Museveni, who first came to power in 1986 ending a long running civil war and later elected to presidency in 1996, Uganda has recorded steady economic growth, investment has flown in (So did some Ugandan Indians who were early kicked out by Idi Amin) and the country has introduced free primary education.  However, over the time, Museveni, like his Sri Lankan counterpart succumbed to the temptation of power, amended the Constitution to remove presidential term limits, and now rules the country for his fifth term.  Vigour and drive that defined his earlier decades have now withered away and a gradual political decay has set in.  However, this temptation for presidency for life is not exclusive to Messrs Rajapaksa and Museveni, a whole bunch of  African leaders have either removed presidential term limits or are considering to do so. They include another African leader, Paul Kagame of Rwanda who envisions to turn his genocide-ravaged country into a Singapore and some other less salubrious and less competent individuals  such as the presidents of the Democratic Republic of  Congo Josep Kabia. Another, the president of Burundi who ran and won a third term against public protests has brought the country to the brink of a civil war. 
Our own ex-President holds both similarities and differences to those African strongmen who succumbed to the perpetuation of power.  Like Museveni or Kagame, MR was a competent leader, who was called into serve the nation at some decisive juncture of the nation’s history. Also the different social political culture he came from, limited his room for manoeuvring even after he accumulated near absolute power and finally he lost the election. 

- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/109529/MR-in-Uganda-Birds-of-a-feather-flock-together-#sthash.a79Q5lNN.dpuf

Violence not permissible under the pretext of parl. privileges – blood letting etc. can be probed under ordinary laws -legal luminary

(Lanka-e-News- 15.May.2016, 11.45PM) It is by now well known , blood  letting and mayhem flared up  for the first time within the sublime parliament in Sri Lanka because of the crude ,barbaric behavior and hooliganism displayed by the blood lusty hoodlums of Medamulana pro Rajapakse group of ‘frogs inside the well’ to whom there is no better civilized world than the ‘Medamulana world’ of violence and mayhem, after having crept into the August assembly on the votes of the gullible Sri Lankans. 

Just a  few days later  , the same hoodlums used foul and filthy words such as para balla  (stray dog) and vesige putha (bastard) on the parliamentary secretary who is discharging grave responsibilities , while also threatening him and obstructing his duties , as a result of which the secretary had to flee from his seat .

Parliament is a legislative body enacting laws . Therefore the ordinary criminal laws do not apply to the parliamentarians , and are governed by standing orders and privileges only . Hence , uncouth parliamentarians within it cannot be held liable under  the ordinary criminal laws,  is the common and popular view.

A famous senior legal luminary however told Lanka e news that this opinion is based on a fallacy , and  on both these occasions the action taken by the  speaker  in parliament was  not strong enough . It is possible to take decisions reaching out  beyond that speaker’s ambit  ,  he pinpointed.

In such circumstances of hooliganism and violence , the parliament can be adjourned , and  while invalidating the privileges attaching to the parliamentarians during the period between the commencement and end of violence , the incident ought to  be probed into under the ordinary laws of the country , and towards  this  the speaker has the powers, the legal luminary asserted. In such instances  , the speaker can hand over the investigation to the CID to probe from the time the violence began and until it ended.

Speaking to Lanka e news , the legal luminary went on to comment as follows:

No country in the world has provided opportunities to parliamentarians to engage in violence under the pretext of parliamentary privileges and exploit those to create mayhem . The parliamentary privilege of an M.P. does not  deprive the civil rights of another citizen ,the legal expert pointed out.

In the circumstances ,Lanka e news ,its viewers and law abiding citizens are earnestly anticipating  that the  Hon. Speaker Deshamanya Karu Jayasuriya  , and deputy speaker Thilanga Sumathipala will pay  immediate attention to this dire issue before it degenerates further , because this involves violence , mayhem and shameless conduct of parliamentarians who have been elected by the people  to represent them at  the August assembly with the hope that they would not only honor their undertakings but also set an example to others in conduct not as rowdies and rascals but as individuals  of honor and dignity . 

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by     (2016-05-16 01:38:11)

Yasapalanists’ Parliament

No one, not even the fiercest advocate of good governance, would deprive such creatures nominations as they themselves feel they cannot win without the evil that has become synonymous with Sri Lankan democracy.

( May 16, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I am surprised that many citizens, all those who craved for a ‘Yahapalanaya’, have showed utter dismay over the attack carried out by some Members of Parliament on their colleagues.

Various civil societies and other organizations pleaded with the public, delivered graphic sermons to the voters and published advertisements, spending millions of rupees, which they had received from foreign funding agencies, to ensure that all corrupt elements would be voted out. But, what did the voters do? 

They just threw back the mud and allegations at the preachers and other pious puritans, and instead, carried on their shoulders Members of Parliament accused of corruption, bribery and other offences. At the last elections, only three failed to get elected. That is not because the voters did not vote for them, but, because the voters did not have a choice, as they failed to get nominations.

The recent brawl in Parliament. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya suspended two members for a week. ( Video Courtesy: Hiru Gossip)

So why cry; rejoice that the majority of law makers do not have the minimum educational qualification to become street cleaners. They voted, danced in the aisles after allegedly imbibing hooch distributed freely to the voters. The purists pocketed a large slice of filthy lucre and went in search of other causes to make dollars. Others, embraced their new heroes with new outfits and the Parliament was the same.

To elect Parliamentarians devoid of thuggery, hooliganism, underworld connections and ethanol dealers, is a stupendous task; what S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike said in the 1930s, soon after he returned from England, “we are not ready for universal franchise,” proves that, that was the only politically mature statement he ever made.

Even the so called messiahs of ‘Yahapalanaya’ are fighting for the most expensive limousines and a number of back up vehicles, though, not even a petty thief wants to harm them. Why should the off shoot of the LTTE harm them as they are very happy with the progress they are making to prove a statement made by an astute Tamil lawyer Shanthi Crosette Thambiah “with the mess we are in since independence, what right have the Sinhalese to rule over us?” The evil that was exorcised by the public is holding a tight grip on the Yahapalanist and committing the same cardinal sin the Rajapaksas committed.
                                               

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Ranil Used His Private Cars, New Bullet Proof Ones To Be Debated In Parliament

May 16, 2016

The decision by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to order for two luxury bullet proof vehicles, worth Rs. 600 million will be taken up in Parliament, after the opposition, led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) voiced their disapproval over the Premier’s decision to go in for such a high-luxury vehicle, whilst slapping the public with new taxes.

Meanwhile, Minister of Law and Order,Sagala Ratnayaka in a statement said that the vehicles were ordered based on the threat assessment to the prime minister, which was communicated by the intelligence. “Since assuming office in 2015, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has mostly being using his private vehicles as he did not receive any official vehicles,” he said.

According to Ratnayaka, the cost for Wickremesinghe’s two new vehicles were Rs. 128 million only, however the balance Rs. 468 is the applicable government taxes for both vehicles. He added that the decision to order for the bullet proof vehicles were taken after a security assessment was given by the intelligence, which adviced the Prime Minister to travel in a bullet proof vehicle, owing to possible threats to his life, and hence a request was made to the treasury for the release of the funds to order the vehicles.

The Minister also said that the Prime Minister was issued with three vehicles from the Presidential Secretariat, which included a jeep which was manufactured in 2006, while one of the cars that was given for his use were manufactured in the year 2012, and the other vehicle was manufactured in 2008. “There were no importation related details in any of these vehicles, so it was not possible to get them registered. As the vehicles were not in good condition, since January 2015 to date more than Rs. 9.8 million has been spent to carry out various repairs on these vehicles. Under such a situation, Mr. Wickremesinghe often used his private vehicle and he never claimed for the cost incurred from the Prime Minister’s office for using his own vehicle,” Ratnayaka said.

Chief Opposition Whip, and Leader of the JVP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament mid this month that while the government was criticizing the former regime of wastage, even the Wickremesinghe led government were wasting money while slapping the public with a revised Value Added Tax.

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