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A ‘black week’ has been declared by National Trade Union Center (NTUC) demanding to close down the medical degree selling SAITM private medical school at Malabe.
Accordingly, they have decided that employees in all state institutions to wear black bands and hoist black flags in their institutions.
Also, several other protest activities would be carried out and the campaign to protest against the illegal degree boutique would continue until it is close down say a spokesman for NTUC.
A list of 300 names of politicians who have not handed over declaration of Assets & Liabilities has been sent to Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for further action says the Chairman of Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya.
If the politicians who have not declared their assets and liabilities are found guilty they would not be able to contest the forthcoming election state Bribery Commission sources.
Among the politicians who have not declared their Assets & Liabilities are current provincial council members, chairmen, candidates who were defeated at the last general election, former mayors and UC chairmen, former chairmen of Pradeshiya Sabhas, former MPs and Ministers. Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya said the Bribery Commission would take legal action against the 300 politicians.
The office bearers of political parties too are expected to declare their assets and liabilities. The Election Commission has decided to give them two more weeks to hand over their declarations. The Commissioner said a list of those office bearers of political parties would be sent to the Bribery Commission by the 28th of this month.
A news item published by ‘Ravaya’ on the first page of its issue on 01.01.2017 had stated that the JVP also was a party that had not submitted income and liabilities of its office bearers. However, when the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva pointed out that all office bearers of the JVP had already submitted declarations of assets and liabilities to the Speaker, the newspaper had to publish an apology for publishing a falsehood.
15 trade unions connected with the health sector will engage in a token strike on the 20th of this month demanding the government to close down SAITM private medical school that sells medical degree states the Center to Oppose Private Medical Colleges.
Its convener the General Secretary of All Ceylon Medical Officers’ Association Dr. Jayantha Bandara speaking at a media conference held yesterday (12th) said among the 15 trade unions that would take part in the token strike would be All Ceylon Health Services Union, Unemployment Graduates Union, Development Officers’ Union, All Ceylon Ward Clerical Union, All Ceylon Nurses’ Union, All Ceylon Medical Officers Association, All Ceylon Ayurveda Health Services Union, All Ceylon Laboratory Assistants Union, All Ceylon Telephone Operators Union, All Ceylon Hospital Overseers’ Union, Public Management Assistant Services Union, All Ceylon Family Health Service Officers Union, All Ceylon Government Ayurveda Officers’ Association.
The Presidential Commission of inquiry appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to probe Central Bank bond scam stating that a criminal case based on penal code cannot be filed on the report presented by the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) too doesn’t have a mandate to investigate criminal acts or find any person guilty say legal experts.
They point out the Commission of Inquiry has not been mandated to probe whether there has been a contravention of any law. According to the gazette on 27th January 27 the Commission’s main objective will be to “investigate and inquire into the management, administration and conduct of affairs of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL)”.
President Sirisena, a day before a Parliamentary debate proposed by the JVP on the bond issue, appointed the three member Commission comprising Supreme Court Judges Kankani Tantri Chitrasiri, Prasanna Sujeewa Jayawardena and retired deputy Auditor General Velupillai Kandasamy.
Legal experts point out according to the mandate given to the Commission, it cannot decide whether there has been violations of any law. They all relate to probing issues like; “irregularities,” whether “proper procedures,” were followed, “malpractice,” committed in respect of the bond issues. They point out the reference to “irregularities,” “proper procedures,” malpractice” all come within the ambit of civil laws. As such a criminal procedure cannot be carried out they point out.
Despite President Sirisena’s appointment of a Commission a Police ‘criminal’ investigation is already under way based on it being declared a scam by the COPE report.