PRESIDENT, PM AGREE TO CLEAR ROADBLOCKS

JUN 18 2016

President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have agreed to resolve the existing “practical difficulties” that hinder the smooth and fast progress of ongoing investigations into large scale corruption, fraud and bribery allegations, when they met a group of civil society representatives at a closed door meeting yesterday.

A group of 17 civil society leaders called on the President and the Prime Minister at the Presidential Secretariat to raise their concerns on several key issues cropped up recently.

Speaking to the Daily News on the outcome of the meeting, ‘Puravesi Balaya’ Co-convener Gamini Viyangoda said the President and Prime Minister agreed to resolve the existing “practical difficulties” that hinder the smooth and fast progress of the investigations.

He added the civil society members also raised the issue of political interferences into the investigations and legal process.

“We stressed them to let the rule of law take its own course,” he remarked.

He further said civil society representatives pointed out to the President and Prime Minister that the name ‘Financial Crimes Investigation Division’ (FCID) should not be changed at this point as the people have identified the FCID with the anti-corruption drive.

“The name-change might give the impression that the process that has begun would be stopped. They agreed to consider our opinion,” he said.

Viyangoda further said civil society members pointed out that the comments of some ministers were very damaging to the unity government and those must be stopped immediately.

“We pointed out that ministers cannot make statements as of their whims and fancies. The President agreeing to this view said that he had already warned certain SLFP Ministers not to make such comments hereafter,” he said.

The re-appointment of Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran which has been a hot topic was raised by the civil society members during the meeting expressing their stiff opposition for his service extension after June 30.

“All the 17 of us said in very clear terms that we are against his re-appointment. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said both the President and himself would discuss and reach a final decision on it.

“Beyond that the Prime Minister made no comment and the President also did not elaborate on it,” he said.

However, speaking to the Daily News, CaFFE Executive Director Keerthi Thennakoon said the President hinted that his previously expressed stance on Mahendran remains unchanged.

“The Prime Minister left in between the meeting stating that he has another appointment. Even after he left the meeting, it continued for about another 45 minutes with the President. Given the way he spoke, we have confidence that the President would not re-appoint Mahendran,” he revealed.

Thennakoon said the public seminar on June 21 and the protest on June 23 against the re-appointment of Mahendran organised by civil society organisations have not been called off and that those would be continued as scheduled.

Thennakoon said the President and Prime Minister were on the same page with regard to the ongoing investigations.

“They admitted there had been delays particularly due to legal issues, certain issues at the Attorney General’s Department and lack of physical and human resources at investigative bodies.
“They agreed to rectify them as soon as possible, but, pointed out that everything cannot be resolved overnight,” he said.

Thennakoon further said civil society members also expressed their dismay over certain appointments in recent times and about Government expenses.

“Both the President and Prime Minister attentively listened to all our complaints and opinions and reacted to them positively,” he said.

Among the others who took part in the meeting included Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya, Dr Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, Saman Rathnapriya, Thilak Kariyawasam, Dharma Sri Bandaranayake, W Janaranjana, Gamunu Wijeratne and Joseph Stalin.

Unending fast staged in Port as ‘Ranatunge regime’ turns vindictive after detection of furniture production for his harem !

(Lanka-e-News -18.June.2015, 8.30PM)   The Joint trade unions of the Ports Authority commenced an unending fast yesterday against the arbitrary and lawless  administration of ‘Ranatunge regime.’

The secretary Lal Bangamuwa of the Nidhahas  sevaka sangamaya belonging to the Joint trade unions joined in this fast that is staged in the compound of a building in the vicinity of the Gate 3 of the Port . In addition two others , representatives of the other trade unions including Sri Lanka Nidahas seva  union of the SLFP and Jathika Sevaka sangamaya of the UNP have also expressed their solidarity by joining in the fast.

The circumstances that sparked the fast are as follows :

The leaders of the trade unions recently seized super luxury furniture when those were being produced secretly  in the Ports carpentry division deploying Ports resources for the harem of Arjuna. The latter who was infuriated over this had interdicted two security officers of the carpentry division for permitting the trade union leaders to enter the division.

The trade union leaders had thereafter surrounded the security office of the Ports and demanded that the interdiction orders be withdrawn on the grounds that  there is no necessity for the trade union leaders of the Port to obtain special permission to enter other divisions.

Though the officials agreed to withdraw the  interdiction orders , afterwards on the orders of the minister a complaint was lodged with the police that the trade union leaders sought to attack them  . While the police began  persecuting   the trade union leaders ,the trade unions jointly decided at a meeting, as the officials have not allowed discussions with them , to launch an unending fast . Consequently , the three aforementioned members of the unions commenced the fast yesterday. 

Following the detection of the super luxury furniture meant for the harem of Arjuna , the henchmen of the latter held a media discussion and claimed those furniture were being turned out for the official residences  in   the Port. At any rate they could not produce any document in support to prove that the administrators of these  official houses have  made any such  official requests . The media too which do not question and only note down what is said , also had nodded in agreement.

The water supply to the official houses in the Port are in a disarray . The houses have not been refurbished for many years and are without lights .In those circumstances , what are needed  for these residences are basic facilities , and not super luxury furniture .Moreover if furniture is to be supplied to official residences , that must be shown  in the annual budget .Or else supplementary expense should have been approved. Simply because the minister said, furniture cannot be provided.

Besides,  the  furniture required for the minister’s office or his official residence cannot be taken from the Ports carpentry division , those must be obtained via the government supplies department   or following tender procedures.

Therefore when  it is abundantly clear Arjuna Ranatunge is illicitly turning out super luxury furniture deploying the resources of the Port  for his harem unlawfully , not only the workers of the Port but even the entire  pro good governance masses must rise  against the vindictive actions  taken against the workers and the trade union leaders who made the detection and exposed this racket 

---------------------------
by     (2016-06-18 15:05:10)

Mahendran reappointment on post-performance review

Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran

By Dharisha Bastians-Saturday, 18 June 2016

The President’s decision on whether to reappoint the Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran for a further six year term will be based on a ‘performance review’ of sorts, Deputy Minister Eran Wickramaratne said yesterday, as the Government comes under increasing pressure to remove the controversial official.

Speaking to reporters at a press briefing at Sirikotha yesterday, Wickramaratne, who is deputy minister of State Enterprise Development, said that constitutionally President Maithripala Sirisena must make the decision on the appointment, on the Finance Minister’s advice.

“In reaching his decision, the President will have to take several considerations into account. Firstly, whether the present Governor was willing to serve for a further six years,” he said.

Wickramaratne told the news conference that President Sirisena would measure the Governor’s success through the country’s economic progress on one level, since the Central Bank controls monetary policy and the Governor is chairman of the Monetary Board. “The second consideration is institutional performance, since the Governor is responsible for the institution that is the Central Bank,” Wickramaratne explained.

He said ‘performance reviews’ was a practice widely used in the private sector and was applicable with regard to this state appointment.

“The decision is in the President’s hand,” the Deputy Minister said.

Wickramaratne also slammed the SLFP’s decision to go public with its push for the removal of the Central Bank Governor, after Minister Sarath Amunugama told a press briefing on Thursday that the party was officially opposing Mahendran’s reappointment.

“In a coalition Government, we make common decisions. It’s not about getting political mileage. Cabinet ministers in particular share this responsibility, they are part of the executive branch that must make this decision – and it will be a collective ultimately,” he charged.

The issue was not a SLFP problem or a UNP problem, Wickramaratne insisted. “It’s a question about the future of our country.”

Pressed by reporters to divulge his personal position on the reappointment of the current Governor, Wickramaratne refused to take the bait, saying he would not reveal his positions publicly to the media.

“I am a part of the executive branch of the Government. Under those circumstances I shouldn’t be informing the media about my views. I will share my views with the appointing authority, which is the President,” the Deputy Minister asserted.

Wickramaratne said that an investigation into the allegations regarding the Central Bank Governor had been resumed by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), a parliamentary oversight committee chaired by JVP MP Sunil Handunetti. “COPE has full independence and no interference from the Government as it conducts this probe,” he told reporters. “COPE has powers to summon Government officials and take action against them if they refuse to cooperate with their inquiries. Let COPE complete its investigation and present its report,” the Deputy Minister said.

“The Government will act on the COPE report,” he vowed.

Govt. lifts VAT increase on 121 sectors

The Government has decided to lift the 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) in 121 sectors including health and education services, Deputy Minister Eran Wickramaratne said yesterday.

He added that an official communiqué in this regard would be issued by the Ministry of Finance over the next few days.

Under the revision, Out Patient Channelling and diagnostic tests in private hospitals and critical medical care including dialysis treatment would no longer be subject to the 15% VAT, the Deputy Minister explained. However, admission in private hospitals will be subject to VAT, Wickramaratne said, explaining that this was only fair since not every Sri Lankan can afford medical care at private hospitals.

“It’s understandable that the VAT increase upset people because in some sectors that had never been subject to VAT before, the increase was from 0-15% and not just a 4% increase,” he said. “But it’s globally accepted that VAT is the most progressive form of taxation and the most just system,” Wickramaratne added.

He explained that the Government’s intention was to continue with VAT and gradually reduce the other taxes being imposed on the people at present.

“The Government needs revenue to provide essential services like healthcare and education – both sectors that have been severely neglected over the past decade,” Wickramaratne said.

He said out of eight South Asian nations, Sri Lanka had one of the lowest revenues generated from taxation, numbering seven on the list.

Wickramaratne also explained that the Government was mulling the introduction of a Capital Gains tax to adjust some of the income disparity that had intensified over the past decade. “The idea is also to bring about social justice,” he said.

19 civil society leaders meet MS, RW on CB Chief

Nineteen civil society representatives met President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday to discuss the future of Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

The duo listened to various representations made by the civil society leaders apart from sharing their own perspectives. Civil society was assured that the decision would be made on the re-appointment of Mahendran following a final consultation between the President and the Prime Minister.

Lankaputhra controversy: Will comply with Central Bank directives 

Deputy Minister of State Enterprise Development Eran Wickramaratne yesterday promised to ensure compliance with Central Bank Directives with regard to the controversy surrounding the state-run Lankaputhra Development Bank chairman.

Wickramaratne, whose Ministry oversees the Lankaputhra Development Bank (LDBL), admitted that there was a controversy about the appointment of the Chairman and a delay addressing the issue.

LDBL Chairman Lasantha Goonewardena was ruled unfit to serve in the position by the Bank Supervision Department of the Central Bank which said his appointment could not be ratified since his conduct was found to be in violation of several sections of the Banking Act. Anti Corruption activists claim the Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran was protecting Goonewardena after letters surfaced claiming the Governor had ‘recalled’ the letter from the Department of Bank Supervision, interfering with the regulator’s independent procedures. Mahendran has denied recalling the directive, despite documentation to the contrary.

“All banks supervised by the Central Bank have to comply with directives from the Bank Supervision Department, and all directors on the boards of banks must be approved as fit and proper by the Central Bank to serve in those positions,” Wickramaratne, a former banker explained.

He said the Central Bank brings any breach to the notice of the State Enterprise Development Ministry.

Wickramaratne addressed the allegation about a second letter from the Central Bank recalling the first letter from the Bank Supervision Department deeming Goonewardena ‘unfit’.

“We have so far been unable to confirm that there has been a second letter,” the Deputy Minister said.

Wickramaratne noted that they had held discussions with Goonewardena and heard the Bank’s case. “When you receive a letter saying you have failed your fit and proper assessment you have the right to make your case,” he explained. “But we will ensure compliance with Central Bank Directives,” the Deputy Minister assured.

Police STF chief in hot water over threats to journalists

 

June 18, 2016, 8:19 pm 

Sri Lanka Police Saturday offered a rare unconditional apology and promised strict disciplinary action against the head of the Special Task Force, deputy inspector general Ranjith Perera, over his threats against journalists.

The police called a special press conference at the information department to announce that Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara had appointed a panel to investigate DIG Perera’s outburst captured on audio tapes of reporters.

According to a replay of the tapes, Perera is heard threatening journalists accusing them of not giving enough media coverage to his efforts to crack down on narcotic smuggling into the island.

He was particularly miffed that his STF had been overshadowed in last week’s cocaine seizure at the Orugodawatte container yard which was visited by President Maithripala Sirisena and Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

Perera went onto the warn journalists that he knew how to control the media and punish journalists the same way his outfit had "controlled and suppressed the underworld."

He accused several journalists by name to say that they were not giving him enough publicity and suggested that they could face dire consequences.

"If you do this to the tri forces (army, navy and the air force) they would break the legs of the journalists and keep the limbs at a separate place," Perera has said according to an account published in Saturday’s Lankadeepa.

SSP Ajith Rohana said he had spoken to the Lankadeepa journalist and found her report to be accurate and requested her to make a statement so that it could form part of the disciplinary inqairy against Perera.

‘The IGP, Mr. Pujith Jayasundara, the  police service and the STF condemn this statement (of DIG Perera) and this is not a statement of the STF or the police… It is his personal opinion. We condemn this and therefore we would like to tender our sincere apologies to all media institutions and journalists in the electronic and print media," Rohana said.

Asked whether Perera knew of any members of the security forces who had carried out attacks against journalists in the past, Rohana said he would be questioned on the contents of his remarks.

Seven years ago, unidentified men abducted general secretary of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, Poddala Jayantha, and broke his ankle after he exchanged words with the then defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Asked if the STF chief would be questioned about the attack on Poddala Jayantha, police spokesman Rohana did not rule it out. Since surviving the attack, Jayantha has sought asylum in the United States.

Officials said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office was stunned to read the threats issued by the STF boss Perera and asked the police for an immediate report.

SSP Rohana went out of his way to distance the police, the STF and the government from Perera’s remarks which came as Sri Lanka was being discussed at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Several rights organisations have said that Sri Lanka was slipping back to its old ways and progress on the human rights front was also slow, particularly with the police accused of new rights violations even under the new administration.

Rohana said DIG Perera had violated guidelines issued by new IGP Jayasundara in calling a press conference at his office on Friday when only the police media unit was authorised to call such events.

He also refuted DIG Perera’s allegations that there were delays in his men getting rewards for the successful drug busts carried out by them. "There is no delay and the allegation is false," Rohana said. "Sometimes payments are held up pending the conclusion of cases against suspects and that is something we don’t have control over."

Gammanpila who cheated on Australian businessman in a sum of Rs. 700 million ! by preparing forged power of Attorney remanded !!

(Lanka-e-News -18.June.2015, 8.00PM) UPFA  Parliamentary member Udaya Gammanpila who is running an organization by the name of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya was remanded until the 1 st of July based on charges of collecting a sum of Rs. 700 million ! as well as for robbing properties belonging to an Australian national Bryan John Fedrick after preparing a phony power of  attorney document. 

The cruel irony is  Gammanpila himself is a lawyer and speaks  bana (Buddhist preaching ) all the time . He was  known for his religious parades and piety charades posing as  a pristine pure Buddhist in spotless white attire . But now he is better known as a hypocritical rascal  chasing after ‘dhana’ (filthy lucre) at the expense of the country while selling Buddhism wholesale.

Though the victim had made a complaint to the CID of the crime committed by Gammanpila some time ago , during the ‘nefarious decade’ of the corrupt , lawless, ruthless and rudderless  Rajapakse regime no action was taken against Gammanpila .

Subsequently , after the special investigation unit of the police conducted investigations for several months the culprit was arrested at his home today , and produced before the magistrate.

Based on the indictments against Gammanpila, after preparing a fake power of attorney he has robbed the shares amounting to Rs. 700 million  ! in the Pan Asia Bank ; assets including Ceylon tea Gardens; and Metal recycle Columbia belonging to  Bryan John Fedrick. 

The statement of the victim , the Australian national revealing the modus operandi adopted and the methods used to make these great robberies by the one and only Gammanpila , the lawyer , preacher hypocrite and robber is hereunder 

---------------------------
by     (2016-06-18 14:32:31)

I will cut my throat if they find evidence I stole even $1 – MR

June 18, 2016

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa attributes his defeat at the 2015 election to resentment against him from Muslims, Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils, and to the Sinhalese harboring unrealistic expectations who took what he delivered for granted.

 The Kurunegala District MP also says that he will cut his own throat if evidence is found implicating him of stealing even one dollar.

 “They say I have stolen $18 billion, but if they find evidence of even $1, I will cut my throat,” he said in an interview with Jeff Kingston for the Japan Times.

 Rajapaksa is currently on a visit to Japan with several former Ministers, MPs and aids.

Excerpts of the article published on Japan Times have been reproduced below:

Civil war engulfed Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009, with a death toll estimated by the U.N. at up to 100,000. The war was fought between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, aka Tamil Tigers, and the Sri Lankan state.

Civilians paid the highest price, in the form of assassinations, terrorist suicide bombings and abductions by the Tamil Tigers, and extrajudicial beatings, abductions and torture by state security forces. Under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act, countless more were subjected to lengthy jail time in horrific conditions, often involving torture and sexual abuse by their jailers. Families of those caught up in the dragnet faced harassment and worse if they took their complaints public, and many were shaken down for money to buy the freedom of their loved ones.

The causes of the war are many, but they boil down to the Tamil desire for an autonomous homeland free from discrimination by the ethnic Sinhalese majority that controls state institutions. Politicians whipped up an angry and resentful Sinhalese nationalism targeting the Tamils, while the Tigers tapped into the grievances of the marginalized. Velupillai Prabhakaran, the Tigers’ leader, offered the dream of a Tamil state that turned into a nightmare for his people as their monumental sacrifices were for naught.

The festering scars of a quarter-century of war haunt those traumatized by the carnage, along with a lingering uncertainty about the fate of those who never returned home. Toward the end of the war, the Tamil Tigers were forcibly recruiting child soldiers to deploy as cannon fodder in the final phase of a war waged without mercy on either side. Detention camps and summary executions swallowed many more.

The U.N. estimates that at least 40,000 Tamil civilians died in the final months of the war as the Sri Lankan military unleashed indiscriminate attacks on the Tigers’ last redoubts. The Tigers stand accused of using the civilians as human shields, preventing their departure to safety, while the military is accused of shelling these civilian refugee camps, even in areas designated as safety zones.

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was commander-in-chief during this brutal finale, is unapologetic about the consequences. He recently told me that it was war and thus victory was essential, an outcome that he says was widely desired and welcomed by the public. Asked how he reconciled being a devout Buddhist and commander-in-chief, he argued that his goal was peace.

In his view, Tiger leader Prabhakaran misjudged the situation, hoping that international pressure in response to the carnage would force the state to back off. Prabhakaran, in Rajapaksa’s view, was “too full of himself,” failing to understand that this time the state had no intention of allowing the Tigers to regroup.

Although Rajapaksa eradicated terrorism and raised living standards, he lost the 2015 elections. He attributes his defeat to resentment against him from Muslims (9.7 percent of the population, according to a 2012 census) and Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils (15.2 percent), and to the Sinhalese harboring unrealistic expectations who took what he delivered for granted.

Asked if he had any regrets, Rajapaksa says he trusted people too much. Regarding the scars of war in this traumatized nation, he says that he has promoted reconciliation by returning land to the Tamils and investing heavily in infrastructure and development projects in the northeast, helping them to begin restoring their lives after three decades of war. Asked why the Sri Lankan Navy is operating luxury resorts on unreturned land, he says it is important to give them something to do.

It is easy to understand why Rajapaksa is described as the “affable authoritarian,” exuding bonhomie and a steely will. He artfully parries awkward questions about the need for justice and accountability for war crimes. In his view, there is no need for an international tribunal because Sri Lanka has the judicial expertise to conduct its own reckoning. When I pointed out that President Maithripala Sirisena has yet to follow through on his pledge to establish a truth and reconciliation commission, Rajapaksa says that starting this process was his idea, having sent a mission to learn lessons from South Africa’s experience, but the international community opposed this initiative. Pressed to explain what he would do to promote future reconciliation, Rajapaksa offered no vision for healing the wounds other than stressing that the priority should be on promoting economic development and raising living standards.

Regarding Asian leaders, he admires authoritarians such as Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, and former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who both boosted the economies of their nations. But he is more skeptical about Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, another devout Buddhist leader presiding over a country troubled by endemic inter-ethnic conflict and religious tensions. I drew attention to her desire to attain freedom from fear, and how Sri Lanka’s lingering culture of war makes this goal elusive. He agreed it made sense in theory, but expressed uncertainty about how to proceed, adding that now she faces the burden of delivering on her promises.

He stopped short of condemning Sri Lanka’s militant monks and extremist Buddhist organizations for advocating and engaging in violence targeting Muslims, but did say that it is not consistent with public sentiments.

Asked about continued abductions and the silencing of critics by state forces, Rajapaksa maintained that this is no longer the case. A January 2016 report by the International Truth & Justice Project Sri Lanka — “Silenced: Survivors of Torture and Sexual Violence in 2015″ — provides compelling evidence to the contrary.

Has press freedom improved under his successor? Rajapaksa doesn’t think so, saying the media is controlled by the government and is subject to various threats. He also brushes aside accusations about the murder and disappearance of journalists on his watch. When asked about a journalist whose posthumous final column implicated Rajapaksa in his anticipated murder, he points out that in parliament Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, his political rival, accused a prominent ex-general of ordering the hit.

“Twelve thousand Tigers were released from detention without trial,” says Rajapaksa, adding that there are no more political prisoners in Sri Lanka except for him and his family, who are subject to harassment by the media and government. He bitterly complained about his son’s arrest, and that he has not been allocated an official bungalow — a privilege extended to other ex-presidents.

And corruption allegations? “They say I have stolen $18 billion, but if they find evidence of even $1, I will cut my throat,” he says, claiming that evidence has come out implicating the current president.

Asked about future plans, Rajapaksa pointed out that now he is barred from seeking a third term as president, but, flashing his signature smile, did not rule out running for prime minister. “Politicians never retire,” he says.

Fritting Away UDA Funds Rajapaksa Style

The glass top of the fish tank at the Independence Arcade has cost Rs. 30 million

by Nirmala Kannangara

 Saturday, June 18, 2016

It has now been revealed how the Urban Development Authority (UDA), which came under the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development during the previous regime, spent a staggering Rs. 4.1 billion on

promotional events allegedly on the verbal instructions of the then Secretary of Defence and Urban Development, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Amongst the events this money was spent on were opening ceremonies, advertising campaigns, entertainment, musical shows, event management, refreshments, name boards, plaques, hoardings, photographs, invitations and car passes among others.

According to the UDA, this money was spent between the latter part of 2013 and the end of 2014, and all contracts had been offered to known parties without following government procurement guidelines.

Had the UDA saved this money, it could have been used to build 4,868 houses for the homeless, similar to those built under the model village concept of Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa. Since each unit costs Rs. 300,000, the Rajapaksa regime could have provided shelter at least to 15,000 people of this country instead of spending the money on promoting the then first family.

This newspaper is in possession of a detailed report of how these expenses were incurred, and according to the details, the UDA had spent Rs. 21.351 million on an advertising campaign on the failed floating market project in Bastian Mawatha, Pettah and on entertainment at its opening ceremony in August 2014.

“What was there to advertise about the floating market? Although the then government boasted that it would attract foreigners and that local vendors would be able to sell their products to foreign tourists, no foreigners ever visited the floating market nor did locals visit the market. There were about 100 stalls and most of which are now shut. To spend such a large amount of public money on an opening ceremony clearly shows how desperate the former regime was to boost their crumbling image amongst the general public,” highly reliable UDA sources said on condition of anonymity.

Plaques at high cost

Meanwhile startling revelations have come to light that Rs. 16.793 million had been spent on the supply and installation of six plaques at six separate housing schemes built for ‘un-deserving’ communities; Lakmuthu Sevana in Wellawatte, Laksanda Sevana in Kolonnawa, Sirisara Uyana in Borella, Randiya Uyana in Mattakkuliya, Methsara Uyana in Borella, and Sirimuthu Uyana in Thotalanga, Colombo 14 under the Urban Re-generation Project (URP) programme.

“These six plaques could have been purchased for less than Rs. 2 million, but spending a little over Rs. 2.798 million per plaque shows how much wheeler-dealing had taken place and commissions made out of these unsolicited contracts. When one of our officers contacted the person who supplied these plaques, he said that he was asked to supply a plaque for the price he had estimated although its real cost was less than one fourth of the quoted price. If the actual prices were so low, then where did the remaining money go? Had the quotations been called for to supply plaques as per government regulations, the bidders would have quoted low prices. That would have prevented interested parties from getting their hands on the commissions they were seeking. That was why government procurement guidelines had not been followed but were offered to certain interested parties on the verbal instructions of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa,” the sources alleged.

Meanwhile the UDA had spent Rs. 14.142 million on the opening ceremony of the renovated former Auditor General’s Department building in Colombo 7 while spending yet another Rs. 15.909 million as food allowances which is an utter waste according to the UDA sources.

“If this money was spent on something useful for the future, it doesn’t matter spending public money, but unnecessary spending to please a few VVIPs and to show the people that they were doing  ‘development’ cannot be accepted.  When families are battling to have three square meals per day due to poverty, why didn’t the then rulers think of using billions of rupees of taxpayers’ money to provide relief to the down-trodden?” the sources claimed.

Over Rs. 9 million had been spent on the advertising campaign for the opening of the Galle Fort ‘Dutch Hospital’ which is an exclusive modern shopping complex while Rs. 525,000 had been spent on the supply and installation of a granite plaque for the opening ceremony in August 2014. Although there are many hotels in Galle that could have provided refreshments for the invitees, the UDA had ordered the refreshments all the way from Water’s Edge in Battaramulla which cost the UDA Rs. 2.299 million.

Colombo Gold Centre

They had spent Rs. 9.993 million to advertise the opening ceremony of the former fish market in Pettah which was renovated and converted to the Colombo Gold Centre. Although the UDA had an event management division, an event manager had been appointed for the Colombo Gold Centre opening ceremony at a cost of Rs. 7.686 million. Meanwhile, a high-ranking UDA officer who wished to remain anonymous, told The Sunday Leader that they were forced to carry out the instructions of the then Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

“We were neither able to question why such directions were given nor able to follow procurement guidelines and offer the contracts,” the sources added.

The sources further explained that under Gotabhaya Rajapaksa there was no room for any permanent officers to follow government rules and regulations as such decisions were thoroughly scrutinised by the former management on the advice of the ministry secretary.

“It was the ministry secretary that gave orders which we had to carry out knowing that it is us that would fall into trouble. Politicians and their appointees can violate any government rule, but once they are no more in power, it is the permanent employees who carried out illegal instructions that have to face the consequences. A ministry secretary is liable for any misdeed, but Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was not a government servant. He was brought as a ministry secretary by his brother, so he was not worried about violating government rules,” the sources alleged.

The UDA had spent Rs. 937,500 to put up name boards for Muwadora Uyana, Mattakkuliya; Sirimuthu Uyana, Thotalanga, Colombo 14, and Randiya Uyana, Mattakkuliya housing projects which were carried out under the Urban Re-generation Project. Hence the UDA had spent Rs. 312,500 for each, while event management had charged for Randiya Uyana housing scheme Rs. 10.046 million.

The musical show held at its opening ceremony had cost the UDA Rs. 1.827 million. In addition, a further Rs. 577,768 had been spent on entertainment at the opening ceremony and another Rs. 455,600 had spent on printing invitations for the Randiya Uyana opening ceremony. The total expenditure for the Randiya Uyana opening ceremony had been a staggering Rs. 15.966 million including the charges for the granite plaque which cost Rs. 2.798 million.

In addition to the Sirimuthu Uyana opening plaque which cost Rs. 2.798 million, in order to print invitations, envelopes, vehicle passes and posters, it had cost further Rs. 755,600 while the cost borne by the UDA for the event management for Sirimuthu Uyana was Rs. 9.23 million. The total expenditure for the Sirimuthu Uyana opening ceremony had been Rs. 12.787 million.

Event management

According to the report, for the name boards of Lakmuthu Sevana, Wellawatte; Sirisandha Sevana, Bloemendhal, Colombo, and Methsara Uyana, Borella, the UDA had spent Rs. 1.38 million which is Rs. 460,000 per name board. For Sirisanda Sevana and Lakmuthu Sevana event management Rs. 4.833 million and Rs. 4.968 million had been spent respectively. For Sirisara Uyana, Borella and Laksanda Sevana, Kolonnawa event management Rs. 8.602 million and Rs. 8.610 million had been spent respectively. Further, Rs. 850,000 had been spent on erecting two hoardings at Laksanda Sevana housing project and another Rs. 594,875 had been spent to print invitations and envelopes, vehicle passes and posters for the Laksanda Sevana opening ceremony.

Although the report states that under the Urban Re-generation Project another Rs. 2.5 million had been spent on printing and framing 5000 photographs, it is not clear as to which project this money had been spent on. It is also learnt that the money spent on the opening ceremony of the Independence Arcade, Colombo 7 too includes this staggering Rs. 4.1 billion. In the weeks to come, this newspaper plans to expose full details of the Independence Arcade opening ceremony expenses on refreshments, invitations, event management, entertainment, advertising campaign, and plaques.

Chairman UDA, Ranjith Fernando said that he cannot exactly remember how much the previous management had spent on all promotional events but confirmed that it is an utter wastage of public money as they were huge figures.

“Since I am not in office I do not have all the figures but they have freely spent public money. The glass top of the fish tank at the Independence Arcade also has cost Rs. 30 million and there are more than 200 fish in it. Each fish has been bought for Rs. 65, 000,” Fernando said.

When asked whether all these payments had been made during the previous regime, Fernando said that some had been settled and some were not. “The payments that had not been paid are yet to be settled. Without calling quotations, the contracts had been given to a few parties,” Fernando claimed.

Real “yahapalane” : Minister’s company gets contracts for Rs. 3.6 b

( June 19, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Has a company associated with a United National Front cabinet minister been awarded contracts for two road rehabilitation projects which will cost the taxpayer Rs 3.6 billion?

Insiders say the company has been under the minister’s name. Since they began bidding for projects under the present Government, the name has been changed and overall management responsibility placed with a member of his family.

Insiders reveal that the minister himself sat at the ministerial meeting just days ago where these two contracts, together with a few others, were given approval.

One project is a joint venture to rehabilitate 89 kilometres of rural roads at a cost of over Rs 1.81 billion. This sum is without taking into consideration the Value Added Tax (VAT).

The other project is for the rehabilitation of 94 kilometres of rural roads, also together with another firm, at a cost of over Rs 1.817 billion. Here again it excludes VAT.

In accordance with good governance or yahapalana principles, ministers are expected to declare their conflict of interest when contracts are awarded. The question being raised is whether this requirement was followed when the minister concerned sat at a ministerial meeting to give approval to a family venture. – ST

Why are university heads racing to slander protesters?

Charlotte Silver-15 June 2016

Brooklyn College has refused to retract accusations of anti-Semitism against Palestine solidarity activists who took part in an on-campus protest, even though they have been cleared of wrongdoing.

Following a three-month investigation by a City University of New York disclipinary committee, all bar one of the charges against two students who disrupted a faculty council meeting in February dropped.

were

The only penalty imposed on the two, Sarah Aly and Thomas DeAngelis, was that they were admonished for “failure to comply with lawful directions.”

But soon after the protest had taken place, the school’s president rushed to indict its participants in a campus-wide email.

Both Aly and DeAngelis were prominent members of Students for Justice in Palestine at the college when the demonstration took place. Although they have subsequently graduated, they fear that the politically motivated probe against them could have lasting repercussions.

“The language in the general public to this day surrounding this case assumes that Tom and I are hateful and anti-Jewish, even though the three-month long, taxing investigation found no evidence of this,” Aly told The Electronic Intifada.

On 16 February, an ad hoc group of students interrupted a faculty meeting with a call-and-response style protest in which they raised a variety of student concerns, including tuition spikes, undercover police on campus and the university’s investment in private prisons.

The scripted protest did not include any reference to Palestine, but as the faculty council cut their meeting short, one of the students shouted “Zionists out of CUNY” and “Zionism out of CUNY.”

The next day, Brooklyn College president Karen Gould sent the campus-wide email condemning the protest and stating as fact that “anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish comments” had been made.

The same day, the Jewish Telegraph Agency quoted an anonymous source claiming that a protester called the chair of the faculty council, Yedidyah Langsam, a “Zionist pig.”

In March, the school launched an investigation into the incident, which resulted in no charges of hate speech.

One female student, who is unrelated to Students for Justice in Palestine, admitted to shouting “Zionists off campus” off-script from the planned protest, but her charges were still not related to the content of her speech, but to violating the school’s rules of conduct, according to a statement from the university.

She settled with the school and agreed to attend a training that will supposedly teach students to express their political views within the rules of conduct.

Throughout the investigation, no witness, including Langsam, ever corroborated the media’s allegations that a student shouted “Zionist pig.”

Stress

Sarah Aly and Thomas DeAngelis, the former president and secretary of SJP at the college, refused to settle. While they were never accused of making the derogatory or anti-Zionist statements, they were the most prominent students at the protest.

Aly said that a large photograph of the protesters was published in the school’s newspaper, and she and DeAngelis were singled out. The media’s unverified allegations in conjunction with the university’s premature condemnation left them in the spotlight.

Aly, who wears a headscarf, told The Electronic Intifada that following Gould’s email she endured a stream of online attacks and Islamophobic slurs. A picture of her on a poster advertising a study abroad program was vandalized, her eyes blacked out and an inverted cross drawn on her forehead.

“On a personal level, as a poor Muslim woman of color, the impact is much deeper,” Aly told The Electronic Intifada. “I’ve already had much difficulty overcoming my personal obstacles in order to focus on school, and this added stress has made it all the more difficult.”

Aly added that she has suffered a spike in anxiety attacks and gets increasingly frequent migraines.

After the investigation cleared the protesters of making anti-Jewish comments, Aly and DeAngelis requested that Gould retract her original email. So far, Gould has refused to do so.

“These official proceedings, which were long and stressful, including a nine-hour hearing policed by armed security, for some reason have not been enough to counter the president’s rush to judgment e-mail,” Aly said.

Gould did not respond to a request for comment.

Lobby pressure

Radhika Sainath, Aly and DeAngelis’ attorney from the organization Palestine Legal, believes Gould’s email was a result of mounting pressure from the Zionist Organization of America and Brooklyn assemblyman Dov Hikindto take a stand against Brooklyn College’s SJP chapter.

Hikind, who has raged against the college’s SJP chapter since 2013, has been linked to acts of terrorism as a former member of the Jewish Defense League, which the FBI listed as a “violent extremist Jewish organization.”

On 17 February, the same day Gould released her email, Hikind issued a statement that claimed administrators told him they “feared for their safety” during the protest. Focusing on the alleged support among the faculty for the protesters, Hikind wrote that one faculty member told him the protest was “reminiscent of 1930s Nazi Germany.”

In January, the month before the protest, the ZOA announced that after urging Gould to take “remedial steps” against members of SJP, the college had instructed security personnel on campus to closely monitor “tensions” and would be requiring all students to receive “diversity training.”

Over the years, the ZOA has pressured the Brooklyn College administration to punish or shut out speech critical of Israel, by threatening lawsuits and filing a complaint under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, that wasultimately settled with the university administration.

Less than a week after the faculty council protest, ZOA published a 14-page letter claiming there was widespread anti-Semitism on several CUNY campuses.

The letter triggered an ongoing investigation into alleged discrimination on campus.

Crossing the line?

In the wake of Brooklyn College’s investigation, two more university heads have rushed to publicly condemn students protesting Israeli military or government officials on campus before an investigation into their actions even began.

Short of criminalizing speech critical of Israel, Zionist groups have instead secured summary judgements by schools’ leaderships.

When students at San Francisco State University disrupted an event with Nir Barkat, the Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, on 7 April, President Les Wong immediately issued a statement condemning the protest and announcing an investigation.

The Jewish Weekly reported that Wong’s statement came after he had a telephone conversation with Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a pro-Israel lobby group in Los Angeles, and Garrett Ashley, vice chancellor of the California State University system.

Hier reportedly reminded Ashley and Wong of the Irvine 11 case, in which 10 students were convicted for disrupting a 2010 speech by Michael Oren, when he was Israel’s ambassador to the US.

A month later, Wong wrote an editorial in The Jewish Weekly bemoaning the state of “civil discourse” on campus.

On 18 May, students at the University of California Irvine, demonstrated outside a film screening featuring a panel discussion with Israeli soldiers, sponsored by Students Supporting Israel.

The protest was staged by a coalition of groups representing Black, Latino, Asian and Muslim students, who were protesting the presence of military personnel on campus.

Following a similar order of events as Brooklyn College, the next day UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman sent an email to the entire student body, condemning the protest for “crossing the line of civility” and asserting unverified allegations about the nature of the protest.

Gillman announced that an investigation had been launched in order to determine if disciplinary action would be necessary.

The ZOA is pressuring administrators at UC Irvine to punish the student protesters.

And while numerous groups organized the protest, the administration focused its investigation solely on the campus SJP group, which will attend a hearing on Thursday.

Though media reports claimed the protesters blocked the entrance to the event, disrupted the film and required police to escort Jewish students out, legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild provide a very different account.

In a letter to Gillman, NLG writes, “The observers worked cooperatively with law enforcement and the students throughout the protest to make sure that everyone present understood when they might be crossing any line that might put them outside UCI policy or the law more broadly.”

“When the police explained that a certain action would be considered a violation of the law and lead to arrest, the students listened and altered their actions accordingly.”

Daniel Carnie, a student member of the campus SJP and Jewish Voice for Peace, participated in the protest and told The Electronic Intifada, “We brought them [NLG observers] because we were expecting libel and slander and we knew we needed some backup.”

Carnie said they staged the protest cautiously, chanting slogans without amplified sound and keeping the entrance to the event cear.

“We were operating within the guidelines on campus, throughout,” Carnie said.

Charlotte Silver is a journalist based in San Francisco. Twitter: @CharESilver