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The Elections Commission says the Local Government Elections may be postponed if Parliament convenes on February 8, as requested by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Member of the Elections Commission, Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole, noted that the Local Government Elections may have to be postponed to February 12, or a later date, if the Prime Minister convenes Parliament on February 8 during the silent period prior to the election.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Election Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya is said to have objected to this session with the Speaker on the grounds that it would affect the 48 hours period prior to the election when political activity and media reportage will be prohibited.

Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, speaking at a rally in Morawaka yesterday, said, he has informed the Speaker to convene the Parliament on February 8. He said a letter of request will be presented to the speaker in this regard, tomorrow.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe today announced that the parliament will be convened on February 8 to debate the Bond commission report and other reports in to on serious fraud and corruption.

The Prime Minister made this announcement at a public rally in Morawaka, Deniyaya.

The PM said the letters calling for parliament to be convened will be sent out tomorrow.

“February 8 was decided as being a suitable date as the Ministers and Parliamentarians are currently engaged in election campaign process,” Wickramasinghe said.

According to political sources the decision was taken in response to the challenge made by the President to hold the debate prior to the election. He had alleged the debate was put off in agreement with corrupt individuals.

The Prime Minister also went on to say that it is not an issue if the party leaders wish to debate on the matter for a number of days as the United National Party has done nothing that needs to be hidden or swept under the rug.

“There is much discussion regarding holding a debate on the commission reports in the country today” he said adding that the party leaders had agreed to hold a debate on February 19 regarding the two reports that have been submitted to parliament. However the debate will now be held on February 8 after the Prime Minister has decided to convene parliament following a request made by JVP MP and Chief opposition whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the Speaker in this regard. “The speaker informed me of the request yesterday,” he said adding that thereafter he asked for the parliament to be convened on February 8.

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry on large scale acts of corruption (PRECIFAC), has concluded that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and three others were responsible for financial irregularities to the tune of Rs. 225m by the telecasting of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election propaganda by the ITN channel during the General Election 2015.

The Commission has concluded that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former ITN Chairman Anura Siriwardena, former Deputy General Manager Marketing, Jayasinghe Arachchige Upali Ranjith and former Asst. Manager, Marketing, Duleep Priyantha Wickremesinghe “have committed the offence of ‘corruption’ as explained in para 70 of the Bribery Act, offence of conspiracy to commit corruption and the offence of aiding and abetting corruption.”

The Commission has recommended that cases should be filed against these people under sections 113(B) and 102 of the Penal Code to be read with section 70 of the Bribery Act as amended by Act No. 20 of 1998.

The Commission also stated that the offence committed by Mahinda Rajapaksa is so grave that new laws should be enacted barring him contesting elections for life. The Commission Report further states:

“It appears that the offence of corruption has been committed by the first party noticed (Chairman Anura Siriwardena) appointed by the sixth party noticed (Mahinda Rajapaksa) having treated the ITN, of which the government holds 100% shares, as his private property causing a loss to the government. “The sixth party noticed (Mahinda Rajapaksa) has in the same manner committed the offence of conspiracy for corruption.

“The third and fourth parties noticed (Upali Ranjith and Dilip Wickremesinghe) have committed the offences of corruption, aiding and abetting corruption and conspiracy to corruption at different times.

“People who have committed these offences cannot be expected to render any service to the country or its people.

“Therefore, this Commission is of opinion that it is not proper for politicians convicted of these offences to be appointed as people’s representatives in the legislature or as officers in statutory boards even after seven years of their being convicted.

“Hence, this Commission recommends that laws should be enacted to disqualify these convicted people from being appointed as people’s representatives or even applying as candidates to be appointed as people’s representatives.”

Minister Ratnayake today claimed that the United National Party has no deals with other parties and its only deals are with the people of Sri Lanka. “According to the deal with the public we will develop the country’s economy,” the Minister said adding that new employment opportunities will be generated for the youth while health services will also be developed. “This deal will be strictly adhered to in order ensure a corruption less country” the Minister stressed.

The government will investigate corruption and frauds committed during the Rajapaksa era, Minister of Law and Order & Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake said. The Minister made these comments while addressing a public rally in Morawaka, Deniyaya today.

However, while claiming that action will be taken against wrongdoers according to proper legal procedures the Minister went on to say it will not be done in the fashion that punishment was meted out by the Rajapaksa’s to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.

While claiming that the United National Party’s candidates are experienced and capable individuals the Minister said the party will not allow them to commit any fraudulent acts if appointment.

Renowned film director and screenwriter, Dharmasena Pathiraja, has passed away.

He was aged 74 at the time of his demise. The final rites of the late film director is scheduled to take place in Kandy.

Dharmasena Pathiraja, was renowned for the films he made during the 1970s. His creations were well received by a wide audience, mainly for its atypical nature, unlike most commercial films of that period.

Bambaru Avith which was made in 1978, is widely considered as Pathiraja’s masterpiece. The same year, this film represented Sri Lanka at the 10th Moscow International Film Festival. and was screened at Venice and Los Angeles film festivals.

In Sri Lanka, he was awarded Best Director and Best Film Honours at the first Presidential Film Awards and the OCIC Awards.

In 1997, a special council selected to celebrate 50 years of Sri Lankan cinema, named it the fourth best Sri Lankan film of all time.

A group of war-displaced Tamils have prevented state authorities from officially validating the illegal occupation of privately owned land in the Jaffna peninsula by Sri Lanka security forces.

Government surveyors who arrived at a village in the northern islet of Kayts, to chart an area for a permanent navy installation, had to turn back after meeting with stiff resistance from the original owners and their neighbours.

Almost 30 families from the Paruththiyadaippu village have been displaced for more than a decade.

Government Surveyor ET Yogatheepan had earlier informed Jaffna District Surveyor Yogaratnam Kadirgamanathan that he will conduct the demarcation on 25 January to establish a sentry point for the Kanchadeva naval base as authorized by Minister of Lands Gayantha Karunathilake.

The letter seen by JDS dated 10 January 2018 had been copied to local government authorities and the commander of Kanchadeva camp.

Alarmed by the surveyor’s visit, the legal owner of the land, Pushparaj Sujeewarasa had informed local authorities that he had no idea of the demarcation.

Devious scheme

Villagers who rushed to the scene in protest, are wary of a devious government scheme to gradually legalise the military occupation.

"Our land will be surveyed bit by bit and officially handed over to the navy permanently."

Traditional Paruththiyadaippu residents believe that the officials backing off was temporary as local government elections are due to be held on 10 February.

"They can come back once the elections are over," a displaced villager told journalists.

"The navy should vacate forever and allow us to live in our land peacefully."

Vacating military occupied the land, release of political prisoners, revealing the fate of disappeared and accountability for war crimes have been the key demands of a majority of Tamil political parties campaigning in the north and east.

According to Tamil politicians, at least 35,000 acres of land in the predominantly Tamil north and east, is under military occupation.

Source : www.jdslanka.org

With Prime Minister today (27) taking up the challenge by President Maithripala Sirisena to hold a parliamentary debate prior to the local government poll on February 10, political sources say a major political explosion is expected in the upcoming days.

According to sources, there are attempts to arrest the head of Perpetual Treasuries, Arjun Aloysious prior to the bond debate. Aloysius is also said to have decided to reveal more information regarding the bond deal before the media in the coming days.

The revelations made by Aloysius will also have a decisive impact on the government's survival informed sources said.

Marapana report to the PM

Meanwhile, the report compiled by the committee to investigate if any UNP members were involved in the bond scam is to be handed over to the PM next week sources said.

Sirikotha sources claim that special statements responding to criticisms levelled by the President and SLFP members have been taped and is expected to be released in parts from Monday.

President Maithripala said on Friday that more than $58 billion, or 90 percent, of foreign loans borrowed by the previous government, was unaccounted for in Finance Ministry records.

However, ministry officials the last government said President Maithripala Sirisena’s numbers were false.

The central bank’s latest records show Sri Lanka’s total outstanding debt was 10.3 trillion rupees as of the end of September last year.

Sirisena, who is struggling to deliver his 2015 election promise of eliminating corruption, also said a large sum of funds under the previous government that should have been deposited with the treasury have gone to private companies. This was done in a systematic manner to avoid disclosure, he said.

His administration is facing a debt crisis and struggling to face an expensive loan repayment cycle started this year. It must repay an estimated 1.97 trillion rupees ($12.85 billion) in 2018 - a record high - including $2.9 billion of foreign loans, and a total of $5.36 billion in interest.

“President Maithripala Sirisena said of the 10 trillion rupees loans taken by the previous government from abroad, only about 1 trillion rupees could be accounted for in the assets and huge sum of money could not be accounted for in the documents in the finance ministry,” his office said in a statement.

Sirisena’s office did not respond when asked if the numbers were correct. However, it confirmed that the president stated the numbers. He made the comments to a group of local editors.

The president also criticised his own coalition government, saying some of the sales of state properties during the last three years were done without informing the cabinet.

Two officials at the Finance Ministry who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said Sirisena’s statement on the foreign loan was wrong.

Under the previous government from 2004-2015 led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka borrowed 5.17 trillion rupees of total loans including 2.16 trillion rupees ($14.06 billion) of foreign loan.

Ajith Nivard Cabraal, central bank governor between 2006 and 2015 and a close ally of former leader Rajapaksa, said the president may have made “this irresponsible statement to sling mud at the previous regime”.

“Sri Lanka has diligently and faithfully recorded all foreign borrowings in accordance with our laws and regulations as well the terms of issue, during the time of the previous government,” Cabraal said.

Source: Reuters

President Maithripala Sirisena says he is prepared to form an SLFP government if the 96 parliamentarians of the United National Freedom Alliance extends their support to him.

The President made these comments at a public rally held in Ratnapura today.

Pure Alliance!

According to the President, a thieving elitist alliance has been formed and a pure alliance should be formed against it as an alternative. The President had made these comments while meeting with editors and media heads yesterday at the President's house.

The President had gone on to say that he is on a difficult journey within this government but however he will face any obstacles in his fight against corruption.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo pledged his country’s assistance to upgrade the train service in Sri Lanka when he met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees yesterday morning.

Widodo accordingly promised to send a team of technical experts to Sri Lanka to assist in upgrading the train service. He has also stated that arrangements should be made to strengthen the friendship between Sri Lanka and Indonesia based on historical relationships.

The Indonesian President also expressed his willingness to contribute towards infrastructure development activities in Sri Lanka.

Discussions were held on developing education and tourism through joint efforts and ensuring free and peaceful naval transportation.

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry has recommended filing criminal cases against 13 individuals including former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi over the Avant Garde case.

The final report of Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.

The other individuals against whom the Commission recommends filing criminal cases over the Avant Garde case include former Additional Defence Secretary Damayanthi Jayaratne, former Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Limited (RALL) CEO Major General K.B. Egodawela, former RALL Chairman Major General Palitha Fernando, former Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, former Mayor Dhanasiri Amaratunga, former Mayor Janaka Ranawaka, former MP Duminda Silva,

Western Provincial Councilor Upali Kodikara, former Navy Commanders Jayantha Perera and Jayanath Colombage and Rohanaweera De Zoysa.

The Commission has held that the state officials among those mentioned above are deemed not fit to hold any office in the public service hereafter. It observed the former Navy Commanders, who acted in a manner that Avant Garde Maritimes Services gets undue benefit, have been recruited to the company at higher salaries after their retirement.

It has proposed taking legal action against the deployment of RALL employees at election work and crediting those expenses to RALL, depriving a considerable income to the Navy by handing over the floating armoury project to Avant Garde and not issuing permits under the Firearms Ordinance to the weapons possessed by the RALL.

It has also recommended that the Auditor General must be given full authority to audit the business undertakings with majority shares to the Government in the same manner that the public enterprises are being audited.

Source : Daily News

UNP Uva Provincial Councillor A. Ganeshamoorthy who is alleged to have committed financial frauds was ordered to be arrested today.

Provincial Councillors Ganeshamoorthy, Upali Senaratne and eight others sustained injuries during an assault which took place yesterday.

Ganeshamoorthy was ordered to be arrested while receiving treatment at the Badulla hospital.

Meanwhile, six persons were also arrested in connection with the assault on Provincial Councillor Ganeshamoorthy at the Uva Provincial Council, yesterday.