The unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable

Our Parliament has increasingly become a forum for the ragtag and bobtail, mediocre and the vulgar; a relatively easy path for a social step-up and financial nirvana

Saturday, 12 November 2016

To say that in our times all public institutions and office, professions and honours have been diminished will not be an exaggeration. On the contrary, considering the overall lack of credibility in all these things today, it may be said that it is an understatement, when after all many of them have now been rendered meaningless, representing the very opposite of what they are meant to be.

There is hardly anyone who will speak for the presidency, the highest office in the land. It took only six incumbents and 40 troubled years to completely disillusion the nation, to weary of an office associated with a huge potential for abuse of power, nepotism and corruption in various forms.

Our Parliament has increasingly become a forum for the ragtag and bobtail, mediocre and the vulgar; a relatively easy path for a social step-up and financial nirvana. The Judiciary appears overwhelmed by the enormity of the task before it, again, with neither dazzle nor brilliance. As to our over-staffed yet under-performing government departments; their monopolistic hold valid only because so little is expected of them in terms of performance.

The malaise is not confined to the Government, as the saying goes; so within, so without. If the Hippocratic Oath is suggested to a present day doctor, he will feign total ignorance. The once sacred professional codes (and standards) for the various professions have now become mere showpieces, little understood, hardly evoked. Promotions, recognitions, honours only go by political favour. As a result, presently most professionals are in part-time politics.

 A middling lawyer goes to his party boss, the President, with a plea to be appointed a President’s Counsel. The President is in an indulgent mood and grants the request of the humble lawyer. Sometime later, there is a constitutional controversy. Our obliging President’s Counsel promptly expresses an opinion on the Constitution which is favourable to his patron. Even the President holds out the opinion of the President’s Counsel as one coming from a person recognised by the State as an eminent jurist. What he lacked earlier; seriousness, maturity, intelligence have been conferred on him by Presidential decree!

It will be a mistake to think that such happenings are only of recent origin. In 1948, when the managing of our affairs was handed back to us, the world was very different to the one we were familiar with, pre- 1815. With independence came constitutions, laws, elections, parliaments, government departments, and a plethora of other new and exciting things. To sit behind a desk and push a pen was prestigious.

Nascent capitalism in the colony had opened undreamt of paths to riches to all and sundry. Office and honours did not depend on your birth anymore. These honours came with a lot of pomp and pageantry, sometimes even a trip to the Buckingham palace was included. In to this new world of infinite possibilities, we plunged in with the gusto of the recent convert , a melee of “nobodies” as well as “somebodies”, chasing behind the goodies and the shinning toys with unashamed abandon. Self-seeking, dissolute, former colonials saw no bounds in their quest for honours. It was the “unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable”; Oscar Wilde’s famous description of fox hunting, relived.

We cannot do better than Tarzie Vittachi, one of the most acclaimed English journalists of the era, in describing the temper of the time:

“Englishmen and Englishwomen had to risk their lives over and over again during the war to win recognition. Odette Churchill, one of the most courageous women to serve in the French underground had to serve her candidature in a torture chamber before she was made an MBE. But in Asia, an MBE was generally looked upon with the same disdain that a brontosaurus might have shown to a worm wriggling out of the primeval ooze. At any cocktail party in Karachi, Colombo or Kuala Lumpur you couldn’t spit your olive-seed without potting a couple of OBEs.

“Elsewhere the road to a knighthood was generally long, narrow and straight. It took a Len Hutton, a Jack Hobbs and a Don Bradman to earn the first knighthoods for cricket. A man had to be an Olivier, a Reed or a Gielgud to win a knighthood for contribution to drama, and a Cockroft or a Penny for similar recognition of achievements in nuclear science. But in South Asia it was not impossible to become a KBE for supplying cakes, sandwiches and peach Melbas at cut rates for government parties.

“If you hung around long and often enough on the verandahs of the residences of the great, making yourself generally available for fetching and carrying, there was a fair chance that you would end up with a knighthood. It was really a return to the old courtly tradition of honouring courtiers ( who were usually people pursuing social prestige with the dog-eyed devotion more usual ,nowadays, in those who pursue political careers) who had nothing better to do than to hang around the palace precincts hoping that a crumb would be thrown their way. In the 1950 South Asian context you had to be useful to the Prime Minister to get noticed when the Honours list was due for decision

“Was the Buckingham Palace ignorant of this hectic Asian commerce in imperial honours? Did the Commonwealth Relations Office never realise that knighthoods were showering down South Asia faster than the autumn leaves in Vallambrosa? Was it possible that no one in Whitehall was alarmed at the possibility that there would soon be a glut in the honours market and that the Queen’s medals were in danger of becoming as distinct as screw nails in a junkyard?

“They all knew. The honours list recommended by the new free and equal Commonwealth of Nations always provided material for many hours of helpless mirth among the civil servants in Whitehall through whose hands it passed. But the dominions were extremely sensitive to any slights from London. No one dared to say a word openly.

“On one or two occasions a British Governor General whose job it was to ‘ forward’ his prime Ministers list of recommendations to the palace , tried to whisper a word or two about the necessity of maintaining high standards of capacity and dignity in the Honours List.

“He asked, oh-so-tentatively, whether it would not be advisable to drop Mr. Distiller’s, Mr. Hotelier’s and Mr. Pill-Pusher’s nominations for knighthoods since their unsavoury reputations had penetrated even the marble halls of the Government House. He must have wished he had never spoken. The prompt and devastating retort was: ‘do you want to go back to doing your own washing-up in South Kensington?’” (The Brown Sahib – Tarzie Vittachi 1962)

As Sri Lanka Mulls Reforming MMDA, New Report Highlights Shocking Degrading Of Muslim Women Through Existing Act

November 11, 2016

As Sri Lanka focuses on reforming the controversial Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) of 1951, a damning 61 page report has disclosed the many ugly sides of the MMDA in Sri Lanka, which has discriminated and rendered Muslim women less than equal as citizens in the country. This report also comes amidst hype around EU’s alleged demand to amend the act as a condition for GSP+. While there is no such condition attached to the GSP+ Sri Lanka has to show progress on international conventions, some of which have called for review of discriminatory family laws and raising the age of marriage for Muslims.

The report titled ‘Unequal Citizens: Muslim Women’s Struggle for Justice and Equality in Sri Lanka’ by Muslim women working in the area of human rights, has exposed many instances where children as young as 14 were married off and had to suffer sexual and physical abuse in the hands of their husbands, while in many instances even getting a divorce can be challenging for women.

The report detailing several case studies reveals how young girls were either forced into marriage, or had to undergo abuse, both physically and sexually post marriage for various reason including dowry matters. In one incident, a 15 year old girl was forced into marriage by a mosque committee citing ‘bad reputation’ even though she was not at fault and a man who had been harassing her demanding she marries him, tried to molest her after entering her home while she was changing her clothes.

Detailing the incident the report said, “A 15-year-old girl from the Eastern province was continually harassed by a man in her village who was asking her to marry him. She kept refusing him as she was still attending school and was not interested in marriage. One day when she was alone at home, the man had entered her house and when she was changing her clothes he had tried to molest her. She had screamed and neighbors had come from outside to help her, and had found the man in her bedroom. Shortly afterwards they had taken both the girl and the man to the mosque committee, and the mosque committee had insisted that the girl marry this man on the basis that she now had a “bad reputation” and therefore that no one else would want to marry her. The girl had refused but was forced into marriage, and because it was ordered by the mosque committee her family had not objected. After marriage the man was with the girl for only one month, after which he abandoned her. The girl who had dropped out of school has been living alone and fending for herself with little family support for the past 2.5 years.”

In another incident, a husband beat his 16 year old bride with a helmet, causing her serious injuries, because she refused to ask her mother and brother to sell the remaining property and give him a bigger dowry.

Detailing the case, the report said, “A 16-year-old girl from the Eastern province was given in marriage to a man from the same district after he had approached her mother and brother with a marriage proposal. The man asked for a big kaikuli (dowry) so the family sold half of their plot of land and bought him a motorbike, and gave the remainder in cash as kaikuli. After the nikah she had gone to live with him. After the third day of marriage, the man had pressured the girl into asking her family to sell the remainder of their land and property and give the money to him. To this she had objected saying that her family would have no place else to live if they did so. The man then began to be severely physically abusive towards her, and on the 10th day after marriage she was attacked with a helmet causing her serious injuries so that she had to be taken to the hospital. In the hospital she said that her injuries were because she had fallen, as she was too embarrassed and scared to mention the domestic violence to anyone. The husband had then dropped her at her mother’s house and abandoned her thereafter. Now at 18 years of age, she has obtained a fasah divorce but was unable to get back any of the kaikuli except the motorbike.”

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Respect to the January 8th agreement- Collective of Civil organization says

- Nov 11, 2016

Collective of Civil Rights Organizations demand respect to the January 8th agreement which include uphold the rule of law in Sri Lanka.

“We urge government to uphold the rule of law and deliver justice for victims,” said Chameera Perera at a press conference held at Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) on Nov. 9.
 
 “What happened to Journalist Lasantha Wicramatunga and Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda? Are they terrorists?” 
 
He said, “The government which promised to work for good governance has a duty bound to deliver justice for the victims who have been went missing and assassination.”
 
Perera pointed out the danger of protecting culprits who responsible for involve in issues of disappearance and killings.
 
“Don’t disturb for CID investigations and protect suspected culprits under the ranawiru (war heroes) label,” said Perera, convener of Left Circle.
 
Samal Hemachandra, Mayuri Jayasena, Akalanka hettiarachchi, Mayura Senanyaka and D. A. D. Abeyratne raised their voice against protecting culprits who responsible for crimes at the event.
 
“We continue our struggle until government deliver justice for victims such as Lasanatha, Prageeth and husband of Mayuri Jayasena,” said activists at the event.
 
Lawrence Ferdinando,  Colombo.

Police probe calls made by youth found dead at Wimal’s house



November 11, 2016

Police investigations are being carried out with regard to several calls made from the mobile phone of the youth, who was found dead at the residence of UPFA MP Wimal Weerawansa. 

  Police said that, acting on a court order, they are looking into certain numbers recorded in the mobile phone’s call history. 

Thalangama Police has also confirmed that the former Minister was not present at home on the night of the incident.  

Meanwhile it has been reported that the Kalubowila Hospital Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) report on the death has still not been submitted to the court while certain samples have been sent to the forensic for further tests. 

 Lahiru Janith, 24, a close friend of Weerawansa’s son, was found dead at the Hokandara residence of Weerawansa on Ocotober 25.

 The youth, who frequently visits the Weerawansa’s residence in Hokandara, had reportedly arrived at the house that night and stayed. He was found dead the following morning. 

Solving problems of Tamils is my obligation: Sirisena

Maithirpala Sirisena. Photo: Special Arrangement

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on his achievements, challenges, and the importance of a judicial mechanism that has the confidence of Tamils.

• MEERA SRINIVASAN-November 11, 2016
• 
  

In January 2015, nearly six years after Sri Lanka’s brutal civil war ended, President Maithripala Sirisena came to power deposing Mahinda Rajapaksa, on the promise of good governance, the abolition of the executive presidency and reconciliation with the Tamil minority. His election, to many at home and abroad, heralded hope of a new beginning for the country.

Almost two years since, he is grappling with old and new challenges — ranging from an open split within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party he leads, to the frictions of coalition politics in the island’s first national unity government, to growing impatience of the Northern polity — even as he tries to move ahead with his reformist agenda.

Solving problems of Tamils is my obligation.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

The security of small states –2

What should the small states do? First of all there must be a recognition that imperialism is no longer in vogue, and therefore all small states are not equally in danger from the bigger states. As I have argued, the small states that are contiguous to big and powerful states should be placed in a special category.

Click here to read the part one of this series

by Izeth Hussain

( November 11, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I decided to add a second part to my article in order to focus on the question of what might be done to ensure, or at least promote, the security of small states. According to conventional wisdom the answer would be that nothing, or precious little, can be done by the small states themselves because the hard reality is that international relations are governed by the powerful and the rich. The reason for that is that it is they who have the weapons, the money, and control of the media to coerce or influence the international community in their favor. Therefore the best that a small state can do is to behave circumspectly, if need be respectfully, towards powerful countries. Alternatively, the consequences could be dire. A striking illustration was provided by the fate of President JR. He thought that he could antagonize India with impunity because the Americans would stand by him. They didn’t. The rest is history.

Unfortunately, however, prudent behavior on the part of the small states won’t suffice to secure them against the powerful. Part of the reason for that is that power contains in it a drive to influence, control, dominate the weak, which can result in ill consequences for the latter unless there are countervailing factors in operation. That was seen in the building of empires in the past, the raison d’être for which was not always or only economic gain. Today, as empires are no longer in vogue, the small states that are most vulnerable are the ones that are in contiguity to comparatively powerful states. The latter may not have a powerful urge to dominate its neighbors, but it could be expected to have legitimate security preoccupations which could lead it to want to influence its neighbors or even dominate them. The traditional answer for legitimate security preoccupations was to allow the powerful countries their spheres of influence – consisting of contiguous states – which spelt unequal relations between the powerful and the weak ranging from a loose hegemony to outright domination. So, prudent good behavior on the part of the weak will not ensure their security against the powerful.

The argument that I have developed above is premised on the assumption that only hard power counts. Hard power was traditionally conceived of as consisting of military power and economic power, but later media power was added to them. It was not appreciated that there was a qualitative difference between media power – the power to persuade others – and the two other forms of hard power which were used to coerce, not persuade, others. Media power is really what has come to be known as “soft power”, and its emergence led to a tectonic shift in international relations. Significantly, in recent times, Joseph Nye’s theorizing about soft power has come much into vogue.

I will now provide some examples to show the importance of soft power in the contemporary world after 1945.Decolonisation took place for the most part peacefully. There were violent struggles for independence only in a few places – Vietnam, Algeria, and in the final phase in Angola and Mozambique. There was a notable independence struggle in India, for the most part non-violent, but hardly anything comparable elsewhere. In most Afro-Asian countries independence was not won but was conferred on them. The reason was that in Britain and elsewhere people had turned against imperialism. That was the consequence of the soft power of ideas. Today Gandhi, the international icon of soft power, has his statue outside Westminster Abbey in London.

I will cite a few other examples, without going into details, to show the power of soft power. The Soviet Empire suddenly started to self-destruct and quickly dismantled itself. No hard power was brought to bear on the Russians towards that end. A spectacular demonstration of the limitations of hard power was provided by the American withdrawal from Vietnam. The US had the power to blow up the world several times over but it could not subdue the Vietnamese people and had to withdraw in ignominy. The American Empire itself seems to be self-destructing: the times are gone when it could to bring to heel with a few short sharp orders the likes of Marcos and the Latin American dictators, and that is not the result of the deployment of hard power against the US. At the moment the US and Russia cannot end rebellions by bombing out Mosul and Aleppo because international opinion would be against it. But during the last War Dresden was subjected to fire-bombing and two nuclear bombs were dropped on Japan, and those crimes were perpetrated with total impunity.

So, it is incorrect to say that international relations are determined solely or mainly by the rich and the powerful states and the small states don’t count at all. The reason for this is that the wretched of the earth are arising and the world is going through a revolutionary process, a process that is not restricted to the poorer countries. The eruption into the White House of a Stone Age man, Donald Trump, is the symptom of a revolt against the Establishment and a desire for fundamental change among a substantial segment of the American people. We Asians should remember that the American withdrawal from Vietnam had behind it, as a substantial factor, mass demonstrations all over the West, including within the US itself. It is therefore a reasonable expectation that should the wretched of the small states arise against bullying and domination by bigger states, they could have considerable sympathy and support in the West.

What should the small states do? First of all there must be a recognition that imperialism is no longer in vogue, and therefore all small states are not equally in danger from the bigger states. As I have argued, the small states that are contiguous to big and powerful states should be placed in a special category. There is inherent in power the drive to dominate, and big states could have special security preoccupations that drive them towards domination over small neighboring states. That that is something that can spell danger for the whole world was demonstrated convincingly by the Cuban missile crisis of the early ‘sixties. The US believed that it had the divine right to place missiles In the Soviet Union’s neighboring states. The latter wanted to reciprocate by placing missiles in Cuba. The US would have none of it, and the crisis was resolved by the reciprocal withdrawing of missiles from Cuba and Turkey. It is only in recent times that the world has come to know that we were very close to nuclear war over that nonsensical problem.

Obviously the relations between big and small neighboring states require special attention. What seems to be necessary is the working out of a regimen regulating those relations that comes to be accepted by the international community. A solution through the traditional “spheres of influence” is today unacceptable because it spells unequal relations. The regimen could be based on the two fundamental principles of Non-Alignment: the true independence of states as distinct from merely formal sovereignty and peaceful co-existence. The latter would mean that a big state should refrain from interfering in the small neighboring states of another big state. That would amount to peaceful co-existence which would eliminate security preoccupations allowing untrammeled freedom for small neighboring states. A group of small states should move in this matter through the Non-Aligned Movement and the UN. It is a matter on which the Sri Lanka Government could take a special interest for reasons that are too obvious to be spelt out.

TNA denounces 2017 Budget priorities

TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran

• Main opposition party criticises reduced education, agriculture and fisheries spending
• Sumanthiran tells Parliament that Govt. ignored proposals by Tamil reps for North-East livelihood allocations
• Slams proposal for “vertical tower” in North instead of spending on rebuilding lives and livelihoods
• Opposes ‘selling off state assets’, urge Govt. to look at other remedies for state enterprise development

By Dharisha Bastians-Saturday, 12 November 2016

The main opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday issued a scathing critique on the National Unity Government’s budget for 2017, saying it proposed a “grossly inadequate” allocation for development of the North and East and reconciliation work and neglected spending for priority sectors such as education.

Opening the debate on the second reading of the budget yesterday, TNA Jaffna District Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran told Parliament that the Government had allocated insufficient funds for the North and East in its second annual budget plan unveiled on Thursday (10).

He said that after the Government had allocated Rs 14 billion for the North and East in 2016, it apologised for the inadequacy of the allocation, and promised to hold a donor conference to obtain funds to boost the economies of the

TNA tables new proposal on 65,000 housesformer battle zones. “But the donor conference didn’t happen, and we are left with a small allocation for 2017,” the TNA Legislator observed.

Sumanthiran said that while the budget proposals indicate an allocation of Rs. 180 for “reconciliation work,” they do not outline for what purposes the monies are allocated. The TNA MP said he had met Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake ahead of the budget presentation, with a detailed proposal for the North and East, with regard to Agriculture, Fisheries and animal husbandry.

“Those three together are the main livelihoods of our people. People have to get back on their feet. I am deeply saddened that those proposals have not been considered,” he added.

Instead, the Finance Ministry had allocated Rs. 1 billion for a “vertical building” with office space and an entertainment area in the North, the TNA lawmaker charged.

“Who wants that? The people didn’t ask for it. They want to get back on their feet. Give them something to boost their economy. Why doesn’t the Minister consult representatives of the people of the North and East when he drafts these proposals?” Sumanthiran demanded.

The Opposition MP said that infrastructure alone will not rebuild the lives of people, and noted that the previous Government had come in for criticism for its predominant focus on infrastructure while neglecting other aspects of uplifting the war ravaged regions.

“We urge the Government to move away from these fancy ideas of putting up towers that are not useful for the people living there  - although it must be for some others – and consult us on allocations that will be meaningful to our people,” he asserted.

In his 30 minute speech, the Opposition MP also recorded his party’s criticism on other aspects of the 2017 budget, saying many of the proposals made would lead to social exclusion and inequality even though the budget was titled Accelerating Growth and Social Inclusion.

Sumanthiran said that the allocation for education was lower than the previous year, while several other sectors had also been neglected in the spending proposals. There were some allocations for agriculture and fisheries, the TNA MP said, but these were insufficient.

“It is clear that the Government’s priorities lie elsewhere. Rs 15 billion has been allocated for digitising the economy. Rs 1 billion has been set aside for marketing campaigns for foreign direct investments. Rs. 1 billion has been allocated for free trade zones. And the allocation for agriculture is only Rs 450 million,” Sumanthiran said.

This was despite the Finance Minister’s claim at the budget presentation on Thursday that Sri Lanka had an agriculture based economy.

“We cannot afford another upheaval as a result of social inequalities,” he warned.

For the first time since 2002, when Sri Lanka was reeling from the economic aftershocks of an attack on the international airport in Katunayake, the 2017 budget expenditure was lower than the previous year.

The opposition parliamentarian also took aim at the Government’s plans to privatize state enterprises, saying the Government’s efforts in this regard were misdirected. “The Government must look for other remedies to deal with inefficiency and lethargy in the state enterprise sectors, it must not sell off assets in this way,” Sumanthiran noted.  

Strongly rejecting a controversial Government proposal to build 65,000 prefabricated steel houses in the North and East, the Tamil National Alliance tabled a new proposal in Parliament yesterday to build the same number of homes in the war-ravaged regions at less than half the cost.

Taking the issue up during his speech during the budget debate, TNA Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran said that while the steel houses would cost Rs. 2.1 million per unit, the new proposal by civil society that would be financed by five local banks, estimated the cost of a brick and mortar house more suitable to the needs of the people of the North and East at Rs. 800,000. “If the proposal is to include a community centre, parks and other facilities for the village, the cost per unit would be Rs 950,000, less than half the cost of the Government’s proposal,” Sumanthiran told Parliament. Further, the TNA MP said, local banks were willing to finance the project, which meant the Government would not have to expend foreign currency on paying for the housing scheme.

Minister of Resettlement and Rehabilitation D. Swaminathan’s USD 2 billion proposal to build pre-fabricated steel houses at a cost of Rs. 2.1 billion per house came in for sharp criticism from civil society activists, economists and Tamil political representatives on the basis that the units were pricey, flimsily constructed, could not be modified to suit individual needs and were unsuitable to the climate.

“We are not saying we don’t want houses. We don’t want people to misunderstand this. Of course our people want houses. But we want permanent houses that people can live in and pass on to their children,” Sumanthiran told the House, reiterating that the TNA was not blocking the housing proposal.

Sumanthiran informed Parliament that the TNA had helped to facilitate the alternate proposal for 65,000 houses, which was drafted by a collaboration of civil society groups and experts.

The TNA Lawmaker noted that while the steel houses would cost upwards of Rs. 2 million, houses had already been built in the North and East through the Indian housing scheme, for Rs 700,000, three times less than estimated cost in Minister Swaminathan’s proposal.

He also revealed that the Minister had been calling up TNA MPs and asking them if they wanted houses for their areas. “We don’t want prefabricated houses on which someone is making a killing,” Sumanthiran charged. “You can’t leave that to your children. We want a veedu (house), but not a koodu (cage),” he said.

“With the same amount of money the Government was willing to put down for 65,000 houses, 120,000 houses can be built according to this proposal and funded by local banks,” he stressed. (DB)

Sirisena Enjoys Kehel Kole Bath While Ravi K Wants Public To Tighten Belts: Full Text Of The Budget Speech

November 10, 2016

As President Maithripala Sirisena enjoyed a scrumptious lunch in a kehel kole (banana leaf) today, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake unveiled a mixed bag of goodies, aimed at tightening the belt of the public by increasing the taxes while also reducing essential items such as green gram, dhal, potatoes, white sugar, LP Gas and Kerosene.

Photo via President’s media director Dharmasri Bandara Ekanayake’s Facebook Page

Delivering the annual budget speech in Parliament this afternoon, Karunanayake announced an increase the Telecommunication Levy on internet services by 25%, despite his government initially promoting the use of internet prior to elections last year, by way of promising to provide free Wi-Fi across the country, which is yet to be realized.

He also proposed for a SIM activation levy of Rs. 200 to be imposed from next year, due to the large number of SIM cards sold monthly. According to Karunanayake, more than 150,000 SIM cards are sold in Sri Lanka monthly. “Annual Spectrum License Fee (ASLF) has not been revised for a considerable period of time. Hence, I propose to increase the Annual Spectrum Licensee Fee by 25 percent, with effect from January 1, 2017,” he said.

Karunanayake also said that the Annual Spectrum License Fee (ASLF) has not been revised for a considerable period of time, hence he proposed the increase the Annual Spectrum Licensee Fee by 25 percent, with effect from January 1, 2017.

In support of the country’s digitalization process, all mobile telephone operators will be given a 6 months period to convert their infrastructure to provide at least 3G coverage. Any operator who failed to implement within this period will be liable for a surcharge of Rs.100 million per District. All metro areas are required to be converted to 4G by 30th June 2018, according to the Finance Minister.

He also proposed to introduce the Excise (Special Provisions) Duty on the importation of beer can at the rate of Rs.10 per can of not more than 325 millilitre and Rs. 15 per can of more than 325 millilitre. Further, Custom Duty (CD) on the importation of powdered milk will be increased from Rs.500/- to Rs.800/- per liter on the importation of potable alcohol.

He also insisted that the Ceylon Tobacco Company donate Rs. 500 million to the Presidential Fund to be utilized by the Presidential Task Force for the antismoking campaign from next year.

Meanwhile, the corporate income tax rate has been proposed to be revised to create a three tier structure of 14 percent, 28 percent and 40 percent. Income tax rate applicable on liquor, tobacco, betting and gaming, etc. will be continued at the rate of 40 percent. SMEs, Exporters of goods and services, Agricultural sector and Education sector will be subjected to the lower rate of 14 percent. All others including banking, finance, manufacturing and trading will be subjected to income tax at 28 percent. Income tax rate of 10 percent currently applicable on funds, dividends, treasury bills and bonds will be increased to 14 percent. The SME category will be redefined in a rationalized manner.

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2017 budget of Ravi -revolutionizes education: Rs. 800,000.00 and Rs. 500,000.00 interest free loans !

Full text and Video footage of the 2017 budget speech

(Lanka-e-News -10.Nov.2016, 10.30PM)  Finance minister Ravi Karunanayake presented the budget (second reading of the appropriation bill)  in parliament today. 

The sessions commenced at 2.00 p.m. and president Maithripala Sirisena too was in parliament to hear the budget speech. 

A number of far sighted measures had been taken pertaining to education in this year’s budget .The main measure being , granting of an interest free loan of Rs. 800,000.00 to each of the 15000 students who are deprived of University education in order that they can pursue their higher education. These students are to be selected based on the zero score , and they can collect the loan of Rs. 800,000.00 as the cost of the higher education course from an Institution recognized by the University Grants Commission .  A sum of Rs. 300 million annually has been set aside for this.  

The commencement of this system in SL  that is followed in other advanced countries  is most useful and is an introduction that can bring about a  most salutary revolutionary change.

Another far sighted  measure has also been taken . To overcome the dearth of teachers of mathematics , science and English in the ‘difficult areas’ , a sum of Rs’ 500,000.00 is to be granted as interest free loan to pursue higher education in those subjects. They are to be enrolled as teachers , and they have to compulsorily serve in the difficult areas for three years. 5000 teachers are to be enrolled for next year , and a sum of Rs. 100 million has been set  aside towards  this. 

Funds have been set aside for vocational training in the spheres where there is a dearth . For example , hair styling  and  cinnamon Industries where there is a dearth . A sum of Rs. 300 million has been set aside towards this, while a sum of Rs. 300 million has been allocated towards training in health and  construction .

A sum of Rs. 125 million for the construction of an e learning center at Kelaniya University ; and to increase the number of  students  learning medicine at the Ruhunu University from 160 to 300 , a ten story medical faculty is to be constructed, and towards this a sum of Rs. 500 million has been allocated via the budget. 

What are revealed above  relate to the education sphere . The full budget speech of Ravi Karunanayake is hereunder. 

Click here for full text of the 2017 budget speech 

Video Footage below 

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by     (2016-11-10 20:54:27)

2017 Budget -- Deficit bridged with taxes, loans and fine

2016-11-11 20

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today, the 2017 Budget based on the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund, had pushed the people from the frying pan to the fire.

 “Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has assured the IMF that the government would take steps to reduce the budget deficit by imposing taxes,” JVP MP Vijitha Herath said and added that the

 JVP was opposed to this anti-people budget and would vote against it in Parliament.

 Mr. Herath said the Government had no option other than obtaining loans, imposing taxes and fines to bridge the budget deficit. 

“The present government is also placing the country in a debt trap just like what the Rajapaksa regime did. The government hopes to obtain Rs.390 billion from the new taxes introduced in the 2017 budget and about Rs.230 billion was from the tax on goods and services,” he said.

 Mr. Herath said the government had no plans to increase State revenue by increasing production but instead had burdened the people. 

“The government has inconvenienced the people by imposing new taxes such as carbon tax on vehicles and airport tax and much more,” he said adding that the allocation for education and health had also been reduced considerably in the budget.

 “The allocation for health was reduced from Rs.174 billion to Rs.160 billion and the allocation for education from Rs.171 billion to Rs.76.9 billion when compared with this year's budget. The allocation for higher education has been reduced from Rs.171 billion to Rs. 63 billion,” he said. 

Mr. Herath said the government had hoodwinked the people by reducing prices of certain goods while taxing them on others. 

“The total price reduction is Rs.67 but the government is taking it back on just a one phone call. The government charging about Rs.50 from a Rs.100 phone card,” he said. (Ajith Siriwardana)   Video by Danushka

PM promises to sack cops if found guilty of attacking disabled war heroes-Dutugemunu and Elara also dragged into the debate 

by Saman Indrajith -November 11, 2016, 9:53 pm

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday that if any policemen were found guilty of attacking disabled servicemen near the Presidential Secretariat last week they would be sacked from the service.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said so responding to a query raised by MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena, who accused the government of setting police anti-riot squads on disabled military and police personnel demanding their pension rights.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe: "I will investigate this incident separately.

There was a discussion on the demands of ex-servicemen at the Ministry of Defence. We have to investigate to find how this incident took place after all the demands by the servicemen had been granted. We also have to find out how disabled bhikkus were present there. How did those bhikkus become disabled? Police personnel, if found guilty of harassing disabled protesters will be removed.

"I like to ask where these bhikkus were when General Sarath Fonseka was incarcerated. We’ll have to sack those

who jailed Fonseka."

MEP leader Gunawardena: Bhikkus visited Sarath Fonseka when he was in jail. How many times Ven Maduluwawe Sobhitha visited him? We ask the Prime Minister whether he would admit that it was wrong to assault disabled soldiers.

Prime Minister: Assaulting the disabled is wrong. It is also wrong to instigate the disabled and create disturbances. I did not talk of Ven Sobhitha Thera. I was talking of the bhikkus who were present there on that day when the incident occurred.  Ven Sobhitha Thera conducted a religious ceremony opposite the Dalada Maligawa. I can recall some people attempted create a division among the Maha Sangha’s of Malwatte Chapter.

NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa: Bhikkus can participate in events. Bhikkus even marched along with King Dutta Gamani when he went to war against King Elara. The Prime Minister should not talk as if he were unaware of facts. Members of Maha Sangha have always been with the war heroes. The problem is that we are having a prime minister who does not know about it.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe: King Dutta Gamani never entered into a deal with Prabhakaran to ascend the throne of Magama. 

Sri Lankan drug courier, Uber driver held at US border crossing

November 12, 2016

A suspected drug courier and his Uber driver, residents of Quebec, wound up in the hands of U.S. authorities when their GPS led them to the International Bridge Plaza.

 They were headed from Montreal to Edmonton, Alberta, but inadvertently swung by the U.S. port of entry. 

Neither had the required immigration documents to legally enter the U.S. 

Federal investigators recovered 2,024 grams of methamphetamine and 914 grams of Ecstasy pills contained in plastic bags in a Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes box.

 Mayooran Rajasingam was named in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court alleging he conspired with others to distribute a controlled substance. Todd Wilton, a special agent for Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, filed the complaint.

 U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Greeley ordered Rajasingam held pending a Nov. 17 detention hearing. 

Wilton said in the complaint that Rajasingam, from Sri Lanka but a Canadian citizen, and his Syria-born Uber driver, tried to enter the U.S. on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Both showed Quebec driver’s licenses.

 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, noting that neither had documents to legally enter the U.S., referred the vehicle and occupants for a secondary inspection. 

The driver had a small amount of marijuana in his pocket. 

Investigators found a Saigon Tourist travel bag near the hatch back of the rented 2017 Hyundai Tucson. The bag held the cereal box containing what turned out to be illegal drugs, the government said. 

The Uber driver told investigators he was to be paid $600 to drive to Edmonton, and was unaware that drugs were in the vehicle.

 Rajasingam told police he thought he was delivering cash. He said he was to receive $1,000. 

“Rajasingham said that he and the driver utilized a GPS navigational device for directions, and that the GPS led them to the International Bridge Port of Entry in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan,” Wilton wrote in the complaint. 

“Rajasingham stated that they had no intent to enter the United States.”

 Source: mlive 

-Agencies  

Uprooted from Syria, stranded in Gaza

Nassar al-Adeeni has vivid memories of how an uprising began in Syria more than five years ago.

Isra Saleh el-Namey- 11 November 2016

At least 15 children were captured and tortured in Deraa, the city where he lived, after graffiti critical of the Damascus government was found on a school wall. The authorities’ “barbaric deeds were the main factors behind how the uprising spread quickly,” Nassar said.

Nassar took part in protests against Bashar al-Assad’s government. The protests were violently suppressed.

Nassar was arrested in 2012. After a few months in captivity, he managed to trick the guards and make a daring escape through an opening in a fence. He was astonished when he realized he had successfully escaped the confines of the hellish prison.

Nassar, now aged 26, is the only male child in his family. They are Palestinian refugees, who lived in Syria until a few years ago.

Nassar’s mother, Samar, was “scared to death when I was captured,” he said. “She was afraid that I would be killed – as happened to some other people inside the jails.”

Once Nassar escaped, Samar felt there was no option other than to flee Syria. She and her family headed to Egypt in 2013, the year that the country’s elected president, Muhammad Morsi, was ousted in a coup.

“The situation in Egypt was extremely tense at the time,” Samar said. “We felt that we were not welcome there.”

As a result, the family left Egypt and entered Gaza through underground tunnels that were in operation at the time.

Dignity “strangled”

Samar was immediately shocked by the living standards in Gaza, which has been under a tightened Israeli siegesince 2007. “Human dignity is being strangled here,” she said. “It is in no way better than what we went through in Syria.”

Having fled a civil war in Syria, the al-Adeeni family had to endure Israel’s 51-day bombardment of Gaza in July and August 2014.

Unsure where to go, the family rented an apartment in Gaza City’s al-Zaytoun neighborhood during that attack. “I had to move to save my family,” Samar said. They had previously lived in the Tel al-Hawa area of the city.

The family used its savings to pay the rent. With its money running out, the family is now searching for alternative accommodation.

Nassar, a law graduate, has been unable to find work in Gaza, which according to the World Bank in May 2015 had the world’s highest unemployment rate.

“The situation here is worse than I ever imagined,” he said.

Samar said that she “missed our spacious home in Deraa, our kind neighbors and the happy days we had in the past.”

“We are waiting impatiently for any chance to leave here and go back,” she added. For the time being, they will remain in Gaza. The tunnels through which they entered have been closed.

They are fearful of what has happened to their friends back in Deraa. “I do not have any contact with them now,” said Nassar. “I really want to hear that they are okay.”

No helping hand?

The al-Aldeeni family – like others who have fled Syria to Gaza – have a history of displacement. The family is originally from al-Majdal, a village in the Galilee region of historic Palestine that was attacked by Zionist forces in 1948, resulting in the mass evacuation of its residents.

Syria was one of the main countries where refugees uprooted during the Nakba, the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine, took shelter.

Israel has refused Palestinian refugees to return, in contravention of international law.

Syria hosted 12 camps for Palestinian refugees. Of them, five have either been destroyed in the ongoing civil war or become inaccessible to aid workers from UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees.

More than 200 Palestinian families have moved from Syria to Gaza, according to Atef al-Aymawi, who heads a committee to support these refugees.

After arriving in Gaza, the refugees from Syria have been “left stranded,” he said. “They are in terrible situations but are not considered eligible for special assistance.”

For many of the families concerned, the only aid they have received are food parcels from UNRWA and from charities. They have not received assistance in finding work from the government in Gaza, al-Aymawi said.

“People in Gaza are already suffering under the siege,” he said. “But that does not mean these families shouldn’t be given a helping hand.”

Making ends meet

Nabeel Abu Nahel rues the day he decided to travel to Gaza.

Life in Gaza is “like hell,” the father of five said. “I used to have a stable job in Syria. I had a nice home. Everything was fine. But now we have to adapt ourselves to unbearable situations.”

His family now lives in a three-room apartment. Abu Nahel is struggling to pay the rent of 500 shekels ($130) per month.

“I want to get back [to Syria] as soon as possible,” he said. “But I cannot put my family’s lives at risk. I cannot go back there unless security is restored.”

Taybeh Ahel moved to Gaza from Syria in 2012. The 48-year-old mother was confronted in Gaza with multiple financial problems.

“I had to pay the rent for a small apartment,” she said. “And apartments are very expensive to rent in Gaza these days. Also, one of my sons was about to start university so I had to find money to pay his tuition fees.”

Ahel set up a small business to try and ensure that she had an income. She prepares traditional Syrian dishes in her apartment and sells them to people in Gaza.

“I started by making a small number of meals,” she said. “Then my work grew so I hired other women to prepare food for larger numbers of people.”

Her business has “lessened my family’s economic problems,” she said. “We no longer have to wait for other people to help us.”

Her 17-year-old son, Mutasim, has been particularly active in the business. He both cooks food and delivers meals once they are ready.

“We are lucky that we have been able to make our own living,” he said. “I have promised to help my mother whatever way I can. It would be too much for her to bear on her own.”

Isra Saleh el-Namey is a journalist from Gaza.