News

The Government of Republic of Korea has agreed to provide two concessional loans for USD 14 million (Approximately LKR 2,240 million) to Supply of 190 nos. of Garbage Collecting Compactors to Local Authorities of Sri Lanka in line with the Government’s target of strengthening local authorities with necessary equipment and technology to introduce modern solid waste management practices.

Increasing volume of Solid waste generated in the urban and sub urban areas has become a nation -wide problem and the rapid growth of population in urban areas, recent changes of consumption pattern and growing  industrial and economic activities have  directly associated with this chronic problem of the country.

The Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) of Korea has agreed to provide two loans in Korean Won not exceeding the equivalent of US$ 14,000,000 to supply 190 Nos of garbage collecting compactors to improve the garbage collecting capacity of 84 local authorities in Sri Lanka.The Finance Ministry said that the projects will be implemented by the Ministry of Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports.


Secretary to the Treasury Dr.R H S Samarathunga and Mr. Jung Sung-soo, Chief Representative of the Export- Import Bank of Korea signed the agreement at the Ministry of Finance today.

Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has threatened to halt fuel supplies on credit to Sri Lankan Airlines if the outstanding due amount is not paid by Wednesday (04).

CPC is said to have demanded the airline pay around Rupees One billion before the deadline. 

The amount, from an outstanding Rs 14 billion, is said to be needed by the CPC which is currently locked in another payment controversy with the Inland Revenue Department. Last week, the IRD froze the bank accounts of the CPC after it failed to pay up the Value Added Tax (VAT) totalling Rs 1.5 billion for the purchase of petroleum derivatives. The action came with the concurrence of the Treasury and was temporarily settled with the CPC paying Rs. 500 million.

The CPC has also informed the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and the Presidential Secretariat of its decision to cut off fuel supplies to SriLankan. SriLankan Airlines officials have warned that the airlines’ operations would grind to a halt as a result. 

CPC Chairman Dhammika Ranatunga has said that in future the CPC will maintain a strict policy regarding overdue payments. The CPC has to collect unpaid dues amounting to Rs 70 billion, including Rs 46 billion from the CEB and Rs 14 billion from SriLankan Airlines.

SLFP claims that they have not been informed of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s decision to sue the New York Times over the recent article alleging that he had taken bribes from China Harbour to fund his presidential campaign which he claims are false allegations. The SLFP commented on this in response to a statement made by Rajapaksa at a public meeting of the SLPP recently held in Kurunegala.

At the event Rajapaksa had said : 

“Everyone is saying I should initiate legal action. Therefore I have prepared to send a letter of demand now. The party will also do the same because they have accused me of giving this money to the party and not for my personal use. We have given instructions to the lawyers accordingly”.

Not informed of filing a case

However, when inquired, SLFP and the UPFA both said they have not been informed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa faction to initiate legal action against the NYT.

They also said facing serious allegations the former President is now attempting to mislead the public by distorting facts that were reported by the publication.

Instead, they point out that no mention had been made of giving the received funds to either political party. 

The relevant section in the NYT report is as follows : 

At least $7.6 million was dispensed from China Harbor’s account at Standard Chartered Bank to affiliates of Mr. Rajapaksa’s campaign, according to a document, seen by The Times, from an active internal government investigation. The document details China Harbor’s bank account number — ownership of which was verified — and intelligence gleaned from questioning of the people to whom the checks were made out.

With 10 days to go before polls opened, around $3.7 million was distributed in checks: $678,000 to print campaign T-shirts and other promotional material and $297,000 to buy supporters gifts, including women’s saris. Another $38,000 was paid to a popular Buddhist monk who was supporting Mr. Rajapaksa’s electoral bid, while two checks totalling $1.7 million were delivered by volunteers to Temple Trees, his official residence.

Most of the payments were from a sub-account controlled by China Harbor, named “HPDP Phase 2,” shorthand for Hambantota Port Development Project.

They also point out that the recent communique issued by Rajapaksa does not address the exact allegations being levelled against him. This fact has also been pointed out by Political analysts. 

Quoting his press release they say : 

In his communique, he has replied to the allegations through the below section,

"China harbour did not provide any funds to my 2015 Presidential bid. Despite claiming that the cash was given to my acquaintances and managers of my campaign by sending the cheques to the Temple trees through volunteers they have been vague about the details. This is a purposeful attempt to sling mud”

However the allegations against him are far worse.

They say the direct allegation is against Rajapaksa with the report saying the company in charge of constructing the Hambantota harbour had given him USD 7.6 Million for his campaign while revealing what the money was used for (around $3.7 million was distributed in checks: $678,000 to print campaign T-shirts and other promotional material and $297,000 to buy supporters gifts, including women’s saris. Another $38,000 was paid to a popular Buddhist monk who was supporting Mr. Rajapaksa’s electoral bid) while even mentioning the accounts the money was dispensed from.

Who believes anything Godahewa says? 

However people who are out on bail for corruption charges such as Nalaka Godahewa has not stepped in to absolve Rajapaksa of these accusations. They say the NYT revelations are nothing but a smear campaign. Instead of addressing each allegation directly they appear to be using words to distort the report while trying to shift public focus away from the issues. 

With him not responding to the allegations, we have now had to find the truth of the report ourselves. 

But the issue is so called patriot Rajapaksa did not use either system and instead took out a loan from the Chinese Exim Bank while making payments from it to China harbour taking the investment back to the country of origin. 

Severity of the allegations

It is this China Harbour that gives funds for his 2015 campaign. 

World Bank Revelations

The main company of China Harbour, China Communication Construction was blacklisted by the World Bank preventing them from bidding for any of their projects for the next seven years starting from 2009 due to a corrupt deal they were involved in the Philippines. 

China Harbour track record in Bangladesh 


Meanwhile since 2018 China harbour has been banned in Bangladesh with the project by them halted due to providing birbe of USD 100 000 to a government officer for a road development project. 

This is the company that the Rajapaksa’s handed over the harbour construction after taking loans for massive interest sums proving they have pawned the country off in return of commissions from these projects. 

They say the Swedish television has proved how under the Rajapaksa regime the country fell in to the Chinese debt trap and that Rajapaksa should now address these allegations in a proper manner.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, responding to the New York Times article titled “How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port” has called it a smear campaign. 

Releasing a communique the former President rejected the claims made by the article on him receiving money from the China Harbour
He has also stated that the China Harbour Co was investigated by the current government and has been cleared of any wrongdoings before being handed over the project back to them.

He also claimed that no contribution was made by China Harbour Co to his 2015 presidential election campaign claiming that every Sri Lankan knows that the main preoccupation of this government since it came into power has been to sling mud at the opposition.

The group of 16 SLFP parliamentarians who left the government is expected to join the Joint Opposition parliamentary meeting scheduled to be held today. MP Chandima Weerakkody belonging to the group claimed they have been invited for the meeting. Sources say it the group meeting set to be held at 4 pm will be chaired by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

However recently MP Dayasiri Jayasekara who walked out of the government along with the 15 other MP’s had expressed some reservations regarding joining the JO officially. He was quoted as saying he does not intend to gain membership of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) the main party of the JO. Basil Rajapaksa, SLPP stalwart had earlier said the group must decide and gain membership of the SLPP if they are to join the JO.

Chamara Lakshan Kumara, the current editor in chief of the Silumina and Resa newspapers. He passed away yesterday following a brief illness. Chamara was 39.

Educated at C.W.W. Kannangara Vidyalaya, Matugama, Chamara began his journalism career at the Lakbima newspaper. He also served as a journalist at the Rivira and Irudina newspapers. He was a Masters graduate in Political Science and a widely respected media personality.

Chamara was the founding editor of Resa, the newest Lake House publication and was recently appointed Editor in Chief of Silumina, the company’s flagship newspaper. He was its youngest-ever editor.
Chamara is survived by his wife, Nilupa Dilhani, his son Dinuga Vidunitha and his parents.

Source : Sunday Observer

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe categorically denied claims of allowing the Chinese to operate on the Hambantota port and reiterated that only the Sri Lanka Navy would control the security at the port.

Issuing a statement, the Prime Minister's Office said that " (they) would like to make following clarifications with regard to a news item that appeared in Print media regarding the Prime Minister’s speech made at the Dr. Saman Kelegama memorial conference held on 29.06.2018 in Colombo". 

At this conference the Prime Minister stated that he negotiated with Prime Minister Li and President Xi of China and came up with a proposal which was beneficial for both parties. Sri Lanka also informed the Chinese that Hambantota cannot be used for military purposes. 

"As far as the Hambantota port is concerned it will only be a commercial port which will trigger off much needed economic development of backward districts of Hambantota and Moneragala very soon", the statement further said.

Allaying any fears, the Prime Minister stated that the Sri Lanka Navy is moving its Southern Command to Hambantota. 

"There is no need to be frightened as security of the port will be under the control of Sri Lanka Navy", the Prime Minister said.

Price of a domestic gas cylinder has been reduced by 138 rupees with effect from midnight yesterday. 

The Consumer Affairs Authority has made the decision to reduce the price of an LP gas cylinder following a decision was taken by the Cost of Living Committee.
 
Accordingly, the price of a 12.5-kilogram domestic gas cylinder has been reduced to Rs 1538 from Rs. 1676.
 
The Consumer Affairs Authority said the gas companies have been notified of the reduction of gas prices with immediate effect. According to the CAA Chairman, anyone found selling over and above the specified price is set to be prosecuted.

The vehicle used in the Matara jewellery shop robbery and its owner has been taken into the police custody, early this morning, Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said. 

According to the Police, the arrest was made at Meditation Center Road, Moragahahena-Thalagala, by the Kalutara Crime Division Officers while the owner has been identified as 43-year-old named Madapathage Kapila Kumara.

The Police had been attempting to trace the white Alto car holding the license plate no. CAE 4706, allegedly used at the robbery. Investigations also revealed that several of the robbery suspects had been living in this address four months before the incident.

The Court of Appeal issued an interim order preventing the removal of B. Denishwaram from the position of Northern Province Minister of transport, fisheries and rural development.

The order was issued when a petition filed by Denishwaram against the Chief minister C.V Wigneswaran on his decision to remove Denishwaram was taken up before the Court of Appeal.

The petition was taken up before a bench comprising Kumudini Wickremesinghe and Janaka De Silva. The case is due to be taken up once again on the July 9.

Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya has been appointed as the Chairman of the Government Medical Officers Association for an eighth term. He was elected unanimously and power of the Central Committee was also won by the team lead by him. 

The appointments took place at the GMOA general meeting yesterday (30).

The wife of former JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera filed a habeas corpus petition today before the Appeal Court requesting to order the government to produce her husband before an appropriate court or to release him. 

The petitioner, Srimathi Chithrangani Wijeweera, states that her husband, the founding leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), went missing after being arrested by the government during the insurgency in 1989. Twelve individuals including the Attorney General have been named as respondents in the habeas corpus petition.
 
She states that her husband was arrested by government security forces on November 12, 1989 in the Ulapane area and that he was not produced before any court ever since. She further says that it has been close to 29 years since her husband was arrested and that the government has not even legally informed her whether he is alive or not. Therefore they are unable to uncover what happened to him, she said.