Archive of entries posted on February 2018
Mahinda Rajapaksa Urges Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Govt to Hold General Elections for the People To Elect a New Govt They want.
By Sandasen Marasinghe and Kamal Jayamanna Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday urged the government to go for a General Election in order to establish a strong government. He also said that that the SLPP has no intention of grabbing power in Parliament. Rajapaksa added that the last Local Government election results however has proved that …
Mahinda Will Definitely Accept SLFP Leadership If President Maithripala Offers It “But, the Sirisena I know will never offer it,” Says Ex-President Rajapaksa
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday called on President Maithripala Sirisena to ensure that Parliament was dissolved immediately and a general election held to end the current political instability. Addressing a special media briefing at Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters in Battaramulla, former President Rajapaksa said the present government had no moral …
Mahinda Rajapaksa Got 5.77 Million Votes(47.6%) at Jan 2015 Presidential Poll But His Party Got Only 4.95 Million Votes(44.7%) at Local Govt Poll Points out Mangala Samaraweera.
Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said today the UNP had a solemn duty not just to the 46% of the electorate who voted for it and President Maithripala Sirisena’s SLFP last Saturday, but to the entire resounding majority of citizens of all 6.1 million of (55.3%) who marched to the polls last Saturday and voted against …
If the Govt Wants To Survive Until the End of Next Year ,It iwill Have to Shift to a new “Intermediate Regime” Model.
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Last year, 2017, the Government and Opposition separately commemorated the centenary of the Russian revolution –actually of twin revolutions, liberal and socialist, of February and October 1917. In an interesting twist, the result of the Sri Lankan Local Government election of February 10th 2018 takes us back to a situation best described …
Victorious Mahinda Rajapaksa Demands Dissolution of Present Parliament and Holding of Early General Elections.
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) swept the all-island local bodies elections held on February 10, has demanded snap elections to the Sri Lankan parliament saying that the local body election results have clearly shown that the government led by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has …
Two Hour Long “One to One” Talks Between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe To Find Common Ground Between UNP and SLFP End Inconclusively.
The Coalition Government partners of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) yesterday scrambled to find a way forward for the Yahapalanaya union, holding marathon meetings with different stakeholders. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had crucial talks to find common ground to take the Coalition Government forward …
Local Govt Polls Verdict Is This-“Better to have good war winning “Honest” crooks than “Dishonest” crooks who shield other crooks”
By Sarath de Alwis President Maithripala Sirisena has earned the verdict given in local government polls. He appointed candidates defeated at the parliamentary elections through the national list and made them cabinet ministers. In electoral democracy, failure is decisive. Overturning the people’s verdict has a price. The verdict rendered at the local government polls is …
Arumugan Thondaman Ditches Sirisena After Local Poll Results to Strike CWC – SLPP Deal;Ceylon Workers Congress to Rule 11 Local Bodies Together With Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will govern 11 local government bodies in the Nuwara-Eliya District together with the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), SLPP MP C.B. Rathnayake said yesterday. His comments came after attending a public meeting in Hatton with CWC General Secretary Arumugan Thondaman.
After Electoral Defeat,President Sirisena May Try to Bring Govt Under His Full Control Without Breaking Relations With Coalition Partner the UNP.
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) said after sweeping the local bodies elections on Sunday, that its victory should be used to propel economic developmental work in Sri Lanka, which the incumbent government had allowed to languish since it came to power in January 2015. A statement issued by the …
President Sirisena Cannot Dissolve Parliament Until Feb 2020 Unless Resolution is Passed with Two-thirds Majority by Parliament.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proxy won 225 local government, or two thirds of the councils up for grabs, in a landslide that shell shocked both the President and the Prime Minister. Official results showed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party was a distant second with 41 councils — 10 municipalities, 13 urban councils and …
Prof.Rajiva Wijsinha Urges President Sirisena to Remove His “Cousin” Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and Replace him Immediately with a Prime Minister Acceptable to the Joint Opposition.
Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha yesterday urged President Maithripala Sirisena to immediately remove Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and replace him with someone acceptable to the Joint Opposition.Incidently Ranil Wickremesinghe and Rajiva wijesinha are closely related being first cousins with a set of comon grandparents.(JO). Following is the text of a statement titled “A Way Forward” issued …
President Maithripala Sirisena is “Shell Shocked”After Election Results and Does Not Know What To Do Says Source Close To the President.
President Maithripala Sirisena’s uneasy coalition faced a major internal crisis amid finger pointing for the humiliating shock defeat at local government elections, political sources said. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe whose United national Party (UNP) performed poorly was also under pressure to accept responsibility for the party’s bruising drubbing just two and a half years after …
Sirisena Led SLFP Faction Divided After Local Govt Poll Debacle;One Group Wants to Hand Over Party Leadership to Mahinda While Others Want to Re-Unite With UNP
The SLFP ministers representing the unity government are currently holding a discussion with President Maithripala Sirisena on their future course of action. This comes in a backdrop where the party has suffered a landslide defeat at the Local Government elections 2018. The discussion is taking place at the Paget Road residence of President Sirisena.
MP’s From the SLFP Who Support Mahinda want Maithripala Led SLFP Faction MP’s To Cross Over From Govt to Opposition and Join Them
A 56 -member faction of Sri Lanka Freedom Party supporting ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa has made overtures to government members to join them to form an administration, after a new party backed by them swept local bodies at Saturday’s polls. “We are asking the members of the SLFP who are supporting the government to think seriously …
Maithripala and Ranil Will Have One on One Meeting To Discuss Restoration of Coalition Govt Unity and Capturing Power in Certain Councils Through UNP and SLFP Combination
One of one meeting between President Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to take place today, informed political sources said. the meeting comes in the wake of the defeat suffered by the ruling alliance at the Local Government election. The discussion is aimed at striking an agreement between the two main parties to seize …
Poor Performance of the UPFA/SLFP Led by Maithripala Sirisena in Local Govt Polls Could Seriously Affect President’s Political Prospects
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) is heading for a sweeping victory in the crucial all-island local government elections held on Saturday. It is a victory of far reaching consequence to Sri Lankan nation’s politics in the near term as it is seen as a “referendum” on the performance of …
Foreign Secretary Kariyawasam in Association With Defence Secretary Waidyaratne Acting on a Directive Issued by Premier Wickremesinghe Suspended Brig. Priyanka Fernando:President Sirisena Furious For Not Being Consulted on Matter.
(Excerpts From the “Sunday Times” Political Column of February 11th 2018) Just this week, a completely unrelated incident was to highlight the sharp and heightening divisions within Sirisena’s coalition. It came after Britain’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka James Dauris lodged a strong protest with the Foreign Ministry in Colombo over the conduct of Brigadier …
Senior SLFP Ministers Preparing to Desert Maithripala Sirisena and Join Mahinda Rajapaksa Following Debacle at Local Authority Polls.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), led by President Maithriapala Sirisena, is currently facing a political volcano with the results of the Local Government election. It is learnt that several senior Cabinet Ministers of the SLFP have decided to resign from their ministerial portfolios in the unity government.
Jubilant Mahinda Rajapaksa Calls Upon Candidates of the Sri Lanka Podu Jana Party to Peacefully Celebrate Victory in a Restrained Manner Without Inconveniencing the Defeated Side
(Text of Statement Issued by Former President and Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa following election results of Local Authority Polls being announced) Reports coming in from all corners of the island, indicate that the Sri Lanka Podu jana Peramuna is heading for a historic victory at the local government elections. I wish to express my …
Mahinda’s Podu Jana Peramuna Leads in Most Elections to Wards in Sinhala Majority Areas With UNP Second and Maithripala’s SLFP a Distant Third; ITAL tops 25 of 34 LG authorities in North.
The recently formed Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa seems to have swept a majority of the local government wards in the south at yesterday’s countrywide polls, according to early results that began trickling in late last night. However, in some councils though the SLPP won most of the wards …
Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Proxy Party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna(SLPP) Heading for Landslide Victory In Most Local Authorities Outside North and East
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proxy was set for an unexpected landslide victory in Saturday’s local council elections described by private poll monitors as the most peaceful in decades. Unofficial results showed that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) was leading in almost all the districts outside the north and the east and was on its …
Brig.Priyanka Fernando Says his “Throat Slitting”Action was done Twice To Show that LTTE Leader Prabhakaran was Dead and that Everything was now over.
By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London In the backdrop of pro-LTTE activists demanding the expulsion of Brig. Priyanka Fernando, Sri Lanka’s Minister Counsellor in London, the veteran army officer defended his action saying it was meant to portray that the LTTE leader was dead, when demonstrators continued to shout “our leader is Prabakaran”. Brigadier Fernando is …
Split In Coalition Govt Widens as President Sirisena Mounts Anti- Corruption war Against the UNP in SLFP Election Campaign For Local Authority Polls
(Excerpts From the “Sunday Times” Political Column of February 11th 2018) The nation today awaits the victor and the vanquished at the local polls which took place yesterday. As the hours tick by, that there will be surprises galore, in the first test of strength for the ruling coalition, has become clearer. One such instance …
The Function of the Military Attaché to the Sri Lankan High Commission in London is not to be its Security Guard
By Dushy Ranetunge in London The unfortunate incident involving Sri Lanka’s military attaché to London exposes the challenges faced by the Sri Lankan administration, struggling to steer the nation away from the gates of the International Criminal Court. Waving the red flag of Tamil Eelam in the face of the hard line, nationalistic segments of …
Reigning Queen of Hindi Filmdom Deepika Padukone Sparkles On Screen as “Rani Padmavati”
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj After days of protests, demonstrations, threats and violence against its release, India’s ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s classical magnum opus ‘Padmaavat’ hit the screens on 25 January. Despite the controversy and in spite of being banned in several populous states in North India,the film about the legendary “Rani”(Queen) Padmavati has clicked at the …
All About Arjun Aloysius the Perpetual Treasuries “James Bond” Implicated in the Central Bank Bond Scam
By Namini Wijedasa (This article written for “Sunday Times”by Namini Wijedasa two years ago was posted on this Blog then.It is being re- posted now in view of its current relevance -DBSJ) Just three days after last year’s presidential election, someone predicted the Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL) bond issue on an online website for stock …
Whatever the Results of Local Govt Polls, North -Eastern Tamil Politics Will Remain in the Dead End it Has Inhabited for the last 70 Years
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka THE POWER OF HERE: TAMIL POLITICS ON THE MORNING AFTER Whatever the political configuration in the North and East on the morning after, Tamil politics will remain in the dead-end that it has inhabited for 70 years. This is not because such a sad outcome is inevitable, but simply because it is …
All Big Talk About Fighting Corruption is Sheer Bunkum and Corruption Will Remain After Local Govt Polls.
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake If all the loud talk on the poll platforms in these past weeks has given some idea of a major political change after today’s elections, just forget about it. There will be no change. Corruption will remain, and right on top of politics and governance. Those who have promised to eradicate corruption, …
Letting Demonstrators Brandish Tiger Flags in London After Proscribing LTTE in the UK, Exposes Hypocritical double Standards of Britain.
By Dr. Sara Dissanayake The recent incident involving the throat-slit gesture made by Defence Attaché Brigadier Priyanka Fernando in response to the Eelamist protesters in London has, rightly so, stirred much controversy. Developments following the incident also sparked ample debate, prompting the public to take sides under the prevailing circumstances. Instead, this incident compels me …
State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene Praises Brig.Priyanka Fernando For Giving the Right Signal to Pro-LTTE Diaspora.
By Yohan Perera State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene today lauded Minister Counsellor (Defence) Brigadier Priyanka Fernando of the Sri Lankan High Commission in UK, for giving a signal to the pro LTTE Diaspora members whom he said are not genuinely interested in the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake Says There Wont be any Inquiry By Army Into Brigadier Priyanka Fernando ‘s “Throat Slitting” Gesture Agains Protesters With LTTE Flags
By Indika Ramanayake Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake said that they would not be conducting an inquiry the actions of the Defence Attache of the Sri Lankan High Commission in UK Brigadier Priyanka Fernando after he was spotted making a throat slitting gesture towards protesters who thronged the Embassy office in the UK.
“Arrested” Uthayanga Weeratunga Is Released as a Free Bird While Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake Sends Police Official Team to Escort the Ex-diplomat From Dubai to Sri Lanka
By Skandha Gunasekara The country’s authorities were in the dark regarding the planned arrest of wanted former diplomat, Udayaga Weeratunga, despite two separate teams of officials travelling to the country for his extradition. A highly-placed police source said that Interpol had only issued a Blue Notice – which is used to collect additional information about …
“Black Tortoises (Gal Ibba) and Flapshell Tortoises (Kiri Ibba) in Sri Lanka Are Being Illegally Slaughtered in Large Numbers For Consumption by Chinese Construction Workers and Tourists
By Rathindra Kuruwita Police are not doing enough to protect the black tortoise (gal ibba) and the flapshell tortoise (kiri ibba) being slaughtered for the consumption of Chinese construction workers and tourists, says Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR).
President Sirisena Rescinds Govt Decision to Suspend Minister Counsellor at London High Commission and Lambastes Foreign Ministry for not Consulting him about Brig.Priyankara Fernando.
By Shamindra Ferdinando An irate President Maithripala Sirisena has rescinded government decision to suspend Brigadier Priyankara Fernando, Minister Counselor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London following allegations that he acted in a threatening manner during a protest staged by some pro-LTTE groups outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London on …
♛ Singer A.E.Manoharan Was Crowned “Thamizh Poppisaich Chakkaravarthy” (Emperor of Tamil Pop Music) ♫
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Ithaya Oasai”(Sound of the Heart”) was a drama put on the boards by the students of St.John’s College,Jaffna in 1963/64. The play proved so popular that it was staged to members of the public in Jaffna,Kandy,Trincomalee,Batticaloa and Colombo. The chief actor in the play was a handsome curly-haired student in the then Higher …
Govt Institutions Continuously Engage in “Window Dressing” of Financial Records to Show Reduced National Debt Figures and By pass Borrowing Limits Reveals Auditor-General.
By Chathuri Dissanayake Government institutions have engaged in continuous “window dressing” of financial records to under report national debt and bypass borrowing limits imposed by debt management regulations, Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe revealed yesterday. Taking the balance sheet of the Finance Ministry as an example, Wijesinghe said data presentation has been manipulated to avoid presenting …
Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry By Suspending Brigadier Priyankara Fernando Has Taken the Side of Demonstrators Brandishing Tiger Flags on Independence Day Outside Our Mission in London
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “Our nation–Tamil Eelam! “Our leader–Prabhakaran!” shrieked the demonstrators brandishing Tiger flags outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London on the 70th Independence Day of our country. Defense Attaché, Brigadier Priyankara Fernando, can be seen on video, watching the demonstration. What does the Brigadier see? The Tiger flag, with the crossed rifle-butts …
President Sirisena Countermands Foreign Ministry Order Suspending Brig.Priyankara Fernando and Issues Directive Restoring his Minister Counsellor (Defence) Post at London High Commission
The Minister Counsellor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lankan High Commission in London was allowed to resume duties on a Presidential Directive today after being suspended from his duties following a video footage, Army Spokesperson Brigadier Sumith Atapattu said. The video footage showed him behaving in an offensive manner was emerged and circulated on social …
Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Challenges UNP-SLFP Coalitio To Strip Him of His Civic Rights and Warns Govt That It Wouldn’t be an Easy Task.
By Shamindra Ferdinando Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has queried whether the UNP-SLFP coalition wanted to deprive him of civic rights for bringing the nearly 30-year war to a successful conclusion. Had they been trying to find fault with me for rapid development after the eradication of terrorism, Rajapaksa asked a cheering crowd at Dravindra Seth …
Brigadier Priyanka Fernando Serving as Minister Counsellor(Defence) at Sri Lankan High Commission in UK is Suspended For Allegedly “Behaving in an Offensive Manner”.
The government yesterday suspended Brigadier Priyanka Fernando, Minister Counsellor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London following allegations that he had acted in a threatening manner during a protest staged by some pro-LTTE groups outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London on the Independence Day.
Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Says Statements Made Against Him By Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne About Udayanga Weeratunga are Baseless Allegations
Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, has issued a statement from the US, in response to a news item published in the newspapers based on a statement made by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne, that questioning of Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunge at the Dubai airport, while he was on his way to the …
President Sirisena -led SLFP Opposes UNP Leader Wickremesinghe’s Proposal to Strip Civic Rights of Politicians Guilty of Serious Crimes.
By Saman Indrajith The SLFP wouldn’t endorse moves to deprive anyone of his or her civic rights, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told Parliament yesterday. Amaraweera was referring to the recommendation made in the PRECIFAC that section 81 of the Constitution be amended to provde for scrapping civic rights of a politician for life if he or …
UNP Claims Credit for Arrest of Treasury Bond Scam Suspects Arjun Aloysius and Kasun Palisena and For Removal From Office of Arjuna Mahendran and Ravi Karunanayake
The United National Party (UNP) yesterday sought credit for the arrest of bond scam suspects and insisted it was possible because the Government had protected judicial independence, as well as promoted investigations and called for greater resources to be allocated for investigations concerning the previous administration. UNP General Secretary and Public Enterprise Minister Kabir Hashim …
Four Reasons as to why the Feb 10th Local Govt Polls are Important.
By Prof. S. W. R. de A. Samarasinghe The local government (LG) election scheduled for coming Saturday is notable for four main reasons. One is the doubling of members to be elected. The second is the introduction of a mixed system that combines wards and a list. The third is the introduction of a women’s …
Continue reading ‘Four Reasons as to why the Feb 10th Local Govt Polls are Important.’ »
Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe Wants to Amend Section 81 of Constitution to Enable the Removal of Civic Rights of Persons Convicted for Serious Crimes.
By Saman Indrajith Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday asked the political parties represented in Parliament whether they would support amending the Section 81 of the Constitution to deprive a person found guilty of serious crimes of his civic rights. Commencing the adjournment debate on the bond commission report and the presidential commission report on serious …
PTL Owner Arjun Aloysius and CEO Kasun Palisena Arrested by Police in Colombo and Re-remanded Until Feb 16th.Ex- Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran In Singapore Ordered To Present Himself to Police in Colombo and Face Charges.
Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) owner Arjun Aloysius and CEO Kasun Palisena were re-remanded till February 16 by Fort Magistrate Court yesterday. They were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on 4 February, charged under the state property act in connection with the Central Bank Bond scam investigation. The individuals, along with former Central Bank …
To my Mind, Dharmasena Pathiraja’s Name Ranks Alongside That of Lester James Pieris.
By Gamini Akmeemana He never compromised in his art and this iron will reflected in his death, too. He wanted the simplest of funerals and got his wish. There were no political speeches and no lobbies vying to hijack his body. True to his secular beliefs, Dharmasena Pathiraja the ‘materialist’ (as he called himself) did …
“Critical to Ensure Reconciliation of Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher Communities to Build the Nation” – President Sirisena’s 70th Independence Day Message
President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said fighting corruption was the self-defence of a nation. Speaking at the 70th Independence anniversary celebrations at Galle Face, the President said, “Strengthening the attitude for anti corruption and implementing it is the self defence of the nation to ensure its progress.” The text of President Sirisena’s speech: “Today, we celebrate …
The Supreme Arrogance of Corruption and Imperviousness to Rule of Law That Distinguished the Rajapaksa Presidency Cannot Be Allowed To Return.
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene As furious competition for votes in the forthcoming local government elections reaches fever-pitch, hostility (real or contrived as the case may be) between the bedraggled actors that strut on Sri Lanka’s political stage has become positively noxious. Braggadocio and shifty evasion We may look in vain for inspiring policy driven speeches …
Maithripala Sirisena’s Trail of Contradictions and Bizarre Remarks Raise Concerns About His Credibility as President.
By The “Sunday Times” Political Editor With just five days to go for the local polls, a joke doing the rounds on mobile phones this week is about an old American, a Russian and a Sri Lankan talking to God. When will my country come out of the recession asked the American and god replied …
When Ravi Karunanayake Gave Rs 50 Million For the Maithripala Sirisena Election Campaign No Questions Were Asked About Where He Got The Money From.
By C.A.Chandraprema Ravi Karunanayke, the beleaguered Assistant Leader of the UNP suffered another serious setback to his political career last week when his party asked him to step down from his party positions until he was cleared of the charges which emerged against him as a by-product of the bond commission hearings. There would naturally …
Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL) Owner Arjun Aloysius and PTL Chief Executive Officer Kasun Palisena Arrested By Police and Taken to Criminal Investigation Dept( CID)Headquarters for Recording of Statements About Treasury Bond Scam
The owner of Perpetual Treasuries Limited, Arjun Aloysius and its CEO, Kasun Palisena, both kingpins in the LKR 11,450 million Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) bond scam of February 2015, were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Sunday. These are the first arrests in the scam. They were whisked away to the …
CID Files “B” Report In Courts Over Treasury Bond Scam Citing Central Bank Ex- Governor Arjuna Mahendran, Perpetual Treasuries Ltd Owne rArjun Aloysius and PTL Chief Executive Officer Kasun Palisena as Suspects
By Shehan Chamika Silva Filing the first ‘B’ report in Court on its investigation into the CB bond scam, the CID on Friday cited former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, Perpetual Treasuries Ltd., (PTL) owner Arjun Aloysius, PTL Chief Executive Officer Kasun Palisena and PTL as suspects in the main magisterial inquiry. Appearing for the …
Mt.Lavinia Police Ex- Crimes OIC Arrested for Questioning Over Concealing Evidence In Lasantha Wickrematunga Murder; Arrest of Former IGP,DIG and SP Also Imminent.
By Camelia Nathaniel The CID had taken into custody the former Crimes OIC of the Mount Lavinia Police on a 48 hour detention order over the killing of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge which took place nine years ago. CID sources told the Daily News that the then Crimes OIC of the Mt. Lavinia Police, …
A Scenario Where Mahinda Rajapaksa Stages a Comeback, Would be of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government’s Own Making.
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s local government elections, scheduled to be held on February 10, have elicited the interest of a national election, and with good reason. This is the first time the country will go to the polls in about three years since the President Maithripala Sirisena–Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe combine rose to power …
TNA Leader Sampanthan on a Fools Errand Trying To Finalize a New Constitution After the LG Polls While Fissures Between UNP and SLFP Widen Daily
By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham Last week, leader of the opposition and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R. Sampanthan, had two diplomatic meetings in Colombo with leaders of two Asian countries, who were on state visits to Sri Lanka, and a third with the Colombo based political section head of the European Union. What’s noteworthy about the …
He May be a “Garrulous Gasbag” But I Believe Rajitha Senaratne is Telling The Truth That Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Will be Arrested and Jailed After Feb 10th”
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Henry Kissinger and Oliver Stone, who had very little in common, are both credited with originating the saying “ just because you are paranoid it doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you” and its variation which goes “even if you are paranoid you can have real enemies”. The same goes for …
Mahinda Rajapaksa Wont Be Stripped of his Civic Rights But Ranil Wickremesinghe May be Replaced as Prime Minister Says SLFP Spokesman Dilan Perera
by Maheesha Mudugamuwa The SLFP yesterday said under the current circumstances a new Prime Minister should be appointed, replacing incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe after the conclusion of local government polls on Feb. 10. Addressing the weekly SLFP media briefing at party headquarters in Colombo, SLFP Spokesman State Minister Dilan Perera said such a move would be …
Rajinikanth vs Kamal Haasan: “Star Wars” Erupt In The Political Space Of Tamil Nadu State.
By Dr. Chandrika Subramaniyan The guessing game is finally over. Rajinikanth, the State’s super star, has officially announced his entry into politics and named it as ‘spiritual politics’. He has declared that he will form his own party, which has raised the eyebrows of many people. However, his entry is unlikely until the next Assembly …
UNP Ministers Under Whose Purview the Police,CID and A G Dept Function Are responsible For Not Taking Legal Action Against the Rajapaksas States President Sirisena
By Ajantha Kumara Agalakada The one-day Parliamentary debate on the Bond Commission’s report and the PRECIFAC report scheduled on February 6, is simply a ‘gimmick’ instead of a fruitful one, President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday. In an interview with media personnel at his official residence, the President said this was a debate which should have …
What the President and Prime Minister say During Election Time Should Not Be Taken Seriously says Ex-Minister Ravi Karunanayake
By Ajith Siriwardana United National Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayake said yesterday whatever the President or the Prime Minister said during this election period should not be taken seriously. He said that was a matter to be considered after the election.
“UNP Will Lose the Floating Votes at Local Polls Because Ravi Karunanayake Has Tarnished the Party’s Image Badly Says Filmstar -Politician Ranjan Ramanayake
By Yohan Perera Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, the film-star-turned politician, said today it was too late for UNP assistant leader Ravi Karunanayake to step down because the damage had already been done to the party. He said what the Bond Commission said in its report about Mr. Karunanayake had tarnished the image of the UNP …