Archives for December 29, 2016

The massive agitation and the protest march organized by the ‘People’s Front against Uma Oya multi – Destructive Project’ against the failure of the government to pay compensation appropriately to the people who have been affected drastically due to the ‘multi destructive’ Uma Oya project that has severely affected the eastern slopes of the central hills and the socio- economic affairs of the people living in the area has commenced.

Representatives of political parties, mass organizations, artistes, environmentalists, university teachers and large crowds are participating.
The businessmen in Badulla town have closed their establishments to support the protest movement.

 

UPFA Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa has been summoned to the FCID today too to question him regarding misuse of state owned vehicles.

Despite summons being issued by the Police FCID on several occasions, to obtain a statement in this regard, the former minister was not present and the Fort Magistrate’s Court had to order the former minister of Rajapaksa to appear before the FCID and provide statements. Accordingly he was questioned for more than five hours when he arrived at the FCID yesterday (28th).

JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetahthi writing to President Maithripala Sirisena requests him to withdraw the decision to sell Hambanthota Harbour and to present in Parliament the agreement to be signed in a few days.
In his letter Mr. Handunneththi states, “We do not know how to describe the secret transaction other than describe it as a ‘deal’ and it is an issues for the people how such moves differ from the ‘deals’ during the ones in the ‘black decade’ of Rajapaksa administration. The transaction cannot be justified just because it is presented in parliament. The government should have minimal ethics to tell the country what conditions have been agreed to when selling assets belonging to the people and also it is a right of the people to know details about such a transaction. For, anyone who signs or represents the transaction or we who write this letter would not exist after 99 years when the country gets back the ownership. This is a matter that involves the future generations as well.
We, after considering all these matters, request you not to allow this agreement that hands over a people’s asset to foreign ownership; at least to take immediate measures to bring it before the parliament before it is signed so that people would know what it is. We would like you to take action immediately as the whole country is waiting to see what action you would take regarding this.”

All paddy stores in the island would be surrounded and lorries of all large scale rice mill owners that arrive to buy paddy at reduced prices would be turned back from tomorrow (30th) says the National Organizer of All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation Namal Karunaratna and he called upon the farmer community, consumers and small and medium scale rice mill owners to join the movement.

He said this when representatives of the farmer community, consumers, and small and medium scale rice mill owners arrived at the Paddy Marketing Board to discuss the paddy racket being carried out with the participation of the Paddy Marketing Board.
Mr. Namal Karunaratna said paddy in stores of Paddy Marketing Board is sold to a few brokers at Rs. 43.65 a kilo on the pretext of emptying the stores to meet the rice crisis that could occur in the future, the brokers sell the paddy for Rs.49.53 at the stores itself and the racket is being carried out with the mediation of the Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board and Minister P Harrison.
He said recently lorries of large scale rice mill owners that had arrived to buy paddy at very low prices were turned back by the members of the All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation, representatives of small and medium scale rice mill owners and consumers and added that all paddy stores would be surrounded from tomorrow and paddy being bought at dirt cheap prices would be prevented.
Mr. Karunaratna said a scientific formula to distribute paddy was presented to the Chairman of paddy Marketing Board and they expect him to work according to this plan.