News
Karu ready to contest to abolish executive presidency
Jayasuriya says that he would consider contesting the forthcoming presidential election only with the political forces which had since 1995 consistently stood for the abolishing of the executive presidency.
Issuing a statement, the Speaker said he would do so together with those who stood for democratic reforms introduced by the 17th Amendment and further strengthened by the 19the Amendment to the Constitution.
Jayasuriya says he was requested by the clergy, civil societies and youth movements to consider contesting the forthcoming presidential elections.
He noted that these parties highlighted the need for a noble leader who will protect democracy and address the country’s political issues.
He observes that strengthening the 19th Amendment to the Constitution must also be a part of the mandate.
He further notes that in such background he said will contest as the candidate of the United National Front (UNF) with the blessings of the party members.
Jayasuriya’s statement follows UNP’s announcement that it will abolish the executive presidency immediately after the 2020 presidential elections.
The United National Party (UNP) is currently in a deadlock unable to reach consensus over the appointment of a suitable presidential candidate.
UNP Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Deputy Leader, MInister Sajith Premadasa have declared their intentions to contest at the presidential election.
Navy-Army relations to reach new heights: Shavendra
Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva assured that in his capacity as the Army Chief, he would do everything possible to further foster close relations and strong connectivity with the Navy as well as the Air Force during his tenure since all three professional organizations are working for a common goal.
“We all stood together during the critical times of our history and the support given by our Other Ranks in all three forces could not be belittled and it was the unity that freed this country from grips of terrorism. Let me profusely thank the Navy for its unstinting support accorded presently as well as in the past,” the visiting Army Chief quipped.
Lieutenant General Silva also made a special mention of the very effective Naval operations being conducted by sailors round the country in their quest to detect narcotics and other harmful elements, trying to enter the country. He also pledged the Army's support for such operations in the future and invited the Navy to join hands with the Army for such projects too.
The visiting Army Chief also praised the Navy’s contribution to all types of natural disasters and national catastrophes and invited a representative team of senior Naval Officers to attend the forthcoming Army drill competition awarding ceremony as special guests showing their spirits of brotherhood and strong connectivity.
PM to meet TNA today
The meeting is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. at the parliamentary complex.
The discussion between the Prime Minister and TNA are to focus on the UNP's presidential candidate.
Wickremesinghe's meeting with the TNA will take place in the backdrop of discussions held between the UNP Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa and the TNA on getting the latter's support for Premadasa's candidacy.
No discussions with thieves who robbed the Central Bank: President
Admitting that the SLFP has conducted a number of discussions with the SLPP on the matter, he said they have not had discussions with the UNP. He also stressed however he will also not hold any discussions with thieves who robbed the Central Bank.
The President made these comments at the SLFP district convention held yesterday evening (15).
“Both parties are seeking our support”
The President also revealed that the SLFP has received invitations from both parties but has not held a discussion with the UNP. According to him, the SLFP held discussions with the SLPP as the SLFP places the motherland in the number one spot while the party’s identity is the next important factor for them.
He also said he will not allow anyone to underestimate the SLFP and is prepared to show the party’s power to both the UNP and the SLPP.
The President also assured the party is prepared to undertake a programme that will ensure that SLFP party members are not treated unfairly.
Select UNF candidate through a vote among MPs: Patali
The Minister made these comments at a press briefing held in Colombo on Monday (16). During the briefing, the Minister stressed that a new President must be appointed before December 8 and pointed out that while all other parties have named their candidate, the democratic camp which forms the government has yet failed to name its candidate.
The Minister explained his party’s opinion on the matter based on three points. Firstly, an alliance must be created according to democratic traditions if the candidate of the camp is to win. Secondly, while they must come up with an arrangement to be archived within a specific time frame, and thirdly that a candidate must be chosen with everyone's consensus.
Speaking further in this regard, he said that on the 24th of August, all matters relating to the alliance's constitution were discussed and a compromise was reached. The Minister also said that the United National Front had informed the UNP at the time to immediately nominate the candidate, but however, no decision has been taken regarding the candidate yet.
The Minister noted that while the names of Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa have both been presented before the country, it is difficult to go forward without arriving at a consensus. According to the Minister, since the parties will enter the election as a coalition and the UNP has yet to reach a decision, his party, the JHU suggests that all 106 MPs of the UNF should be called in for a vote to choose a candidate.
The Minister pointed out that this is more democratic and would introduce a new political tradition to the country. He also added that when a candidate is chosen, the other hopefuls who were not chosen should not sabotage the campaign and instead work towards winning it. “This is the tradition of the world which respects democracy,” he added.
U.S. ambassador opens renovated archeological museum in Anuradhapura
The collection consists of archeologically significant rare objects, including gilded statues, bronze statues, ancient coins, clothing, and tools used in different industries, along with models of the ancient town of Anuradhapura.
“I am delighted that the U.S. Government has helped preserve Sri Lanka’s stunning heritage for future generations to discover,” Ambassador Teplitz said. “This museum demonstrates our appreciation of and respect for Sri Lanka’s culture.”
In 2015, the U.S. Department of State’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) provided $150,000 for display cases and the security of the collection. The 20 new dehumidified cases, located in the newly renovated building, are built according to the latest international conservation standards. The grant includes the costs of a newly installed security system and fire detectors along with a disaster management plan. This is the third grant that AFCP has awarded to the Department of Archeology’s Museum in Anuradhapura.
In 2009, AFCP awarded $30,000 to catalogue the museum collection. In 2012, a grant of $40,120 was awarded to conserve the museum collection and train Department of Archaeology staff on the conservation of artifacts.
Mahendran's extradition docs forwarded to Singapore Govt.
The Attorney General’s Coordinating Officer stated that the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore has handed over the request to the Singapore government.
President Maithripala Sirisena recently signed 21,000 odd documents to be sent to the Singapore government seeking Mahendran’s extradition to face litigation in Sri Lanka.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa's track record comes to light again
“Our country should be free from crime, drug trafficking, terrorist financing, money laundering and corruption. Our houses and streets must be safe places for children, women and the community at large. Businesses should be shielded from security threats.”
Those were the buzzwords of Gotabaya Rajapaksa when he was addressing all the forums and meetings held so far during his campaign.
What he is hiding about his past record including crimes and corruption of the previous regime will be exposed when the real race is on for the presidency, a renowned political analyst said.
He recalled that Sri Lankans have short memories and they have conveniently forgotten the illegal evictions, the ‘White Van’ abductions, the Matale ‘mass graves,’ the Bodu Bala Sena extremism as well as unwarranted militarisation, land grabs, detentions without being formally charged to extra-judicial executions.
The list will not end there. It also included mass killings, to violations of international law, to war crimes, to mass atrocities – the one name and the one family that is synonymous and inextricably linked to these and other multitude of human rights abuses and heinous crimes in Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, siphoning off Tsunami funds that came into the Helping Hambantota initiative into a private account, the Euro 28 million MIG Deal, Shangri-La land deal for 10 acres of $125 million, the hedging deal which incurred a loss of 280 million, building memorials via spending public money, controversial Avante Garde transactions were among the hundreds of corrupt practices carried out during previous Rajapaksa regime were well documented and published in local print and social media during that period.
Therefore, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Rajapaksa family regime should be made answerable for a multitude of human rights abuses and heinous crimes in Sri Lanka during their rule, he claimed.
Announcement of Presidential polls in two weeks: EC
Chairman of the Elections Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya says the dates related to the next presidential elections will be announced within the next 14 days.
There was speculation that the Commission might announce the presidential elections during this weekend. However, Deshapriya says the Commission had not yet reached a decision on the matter.
According to Director General of the Elections Commission, Saman Ratnayake, presidential elections will be held between 15 November and 7 December this year under the prevailing law of the country unless and otherwise the law is amended by the responsible authorities.
Lotus Tower blooms while Chinese debt looms
When the Government has failed to manage SOEs due to official inefficiency and lack of productivity, the decision to hand over the Lotus Tower to another similar state entity does not augar well for the country, economic analysts said.
Be that as it may, the government has decided to vest the proposed television tower and the entertainment centre in a management consultancy company as a Public Company under the ownership of the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC).
The company is to be enlisted it in the Colombo Stock Exchange and to issue a share capital of 30 per cent through an initial public issue.
However, in terms of the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Act, and the Sri Lanka Telecommunication (Amendment) Act, the TRC has no powers to implement the proposal .
By reason of impossibility of establishing a company in terms of the Telecommunication Act, several steps had been taken to lease the Colombo Lotus Tower to a property management company.
From the start of Tower constructions by two Chinese companies in November 2012, it has faced multiple delays and charges of mismanagement and fund wastage which were highlighted by the Auditor General.
Although the period for completing the Project was 912 days, it had been extended up to October 2017, and it was not completed until this year delaying the completion of the project by more than 500 days.
The total amount of the loan of US$ 88,655,000 had been utilized in the computation of the agreed charges from the beginning but it was reported that US$ 636,508 had been over paid.
PM testifies before Presidential Commission
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) probing fraud, corruption and irregularities that have taken place in government since 2015.
Wickrtemesinghe appeared before the Commission at the BMICH in Colombo yesterday (16).
The Premier was summoned to record evidence over allegations of irregularities committed over a building obtained on rent for the Agricultural Ministry.
“I provided evidence at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) investigating fraud and corruption this morning. This is the second independent commission that I have appeared before in my official capacity as Prime Minister. We will continue to ensure accountability,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
The Presidential Commissioner initially summoned the Prime Minister to appear before it last Thursday (12), but he informed the Commission that he was unable to appear on that date and yesterday (16) was the next date given to Wickremesinghe.
Discussions with UNF leaders a resounding success: Sajith
Deputy Leader of the UNP, Sajith Premadasa claims the special discussion held last night with UNF leaders on the Presidential candidate was a resounding success. The Minister made this claim responding to the media while leaving the meeting venue.
The meeting held at the residence of Minister Mangala Samaraweera last night (14) was also attended by Ministers Champika Ranawaka, Rauf Hakeem, Rishad Bathiudeen, Mano Ganesan and Palani Digambaram. Meanwhile, UNP Ministers supporting Premadasa including Malik Samarawickrama, Kabir Hashim, Mangala Samaraweera, Ranjith Maddumabandara, Eran Wickramaratne were also in attendance.
According to sources, the Ministers had engaged in a lengthy discussion about the possible candidate the coalition led by the UNP could field in the upcoming election.
Following the meeting, Minister Ajith P. Perera had put up the post below on his Facebook page.
A challenge presented by PM Ranil!
A decision was made to discuss with the minority parties of the UNF after Premadasa’s meeting with PM Wickremesinghe last Tuesday (10).
According to the BBC Sinhala Service, the PM had stipulated that Premadasa must win over the support of the minority parties if he is to become the UNP Presidential candidate which was agreed by the parties as well. The meeting was held last night in accordance with this agreement.
UNP decision to Ranil on Tuesday
Meanwhile, a party leader of the UNF who was in attendance at yesterday's meeting has told theleader.lk that the agreements of the meeting will be informed to the Prime Minister officially on Tuesday after the cabinet meeting.
While Minister Rajitha Senaratne was not invited to yesterday's meeting, sources claim Premadasa is set to meet Senaratne separately in the coming days.
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