Archives for September 15, 2017

The vehicle parades held by the ‘Anti-SAITM People’s Wall’ to demand the government to abolish SAITM illegal medical degree selling institute at Malabe reached Lipton Circus and commenced a protest rally.
Members of political parties, trade unions, doctors’ associations, students’ movements reached the venue in cars, vans, buses, lorries, three-wheelers and motorbikes.

 

The opinion of the Supreme Court has been sought for the 20th amendment to the Constitution that would let elections for all provincial council to be held in a single day and legal sectors state the Supreme Court may decide that a referendum would be necessary to adopt such a resolution.
They point out that the term of the Eastern, North – Central and Sabaragamuwa provincial councils expire in October and any extension to the terms would violate the Constitution.
As such, the Supreme Court would definitely decide that a referendum would be necessary to make amendments or postpone the elections say legal experts.

The vehicle parades organized by the ‘Anti-SAITM People’s Wall’ organization to protest against SAITM, the institute at Malabe that sells medical degrees have begun its 4th day today (15th) and would reach Colomb in the afternoon.
The 4th lap of the parades has begun from Chilaw, Gampaha, Kegalle, Horana and Kalutara today morning. Meanwhile, doctors in Puttalam, Gampaha, Kegalle, Colombo and Kalutara are engaged in a token strike from 8.00 a.m. today till 8.00 a.m. tomorrow concurrently with the protest parade.
A rally will be held at Lipton Circus at 2.00 p.m. today once the vehicle parades reach the site.
The general public that visits Colombo today has been advised by the ‘Anti-SAITM People’s Wall’ to take alternative measures for they would be inconvenienced due to the protest rally of vehicles.

The promised compensation for the destroyed crops is being delayed day by day, the farmer has been made destitute by the drought as well as floods and despite having dozens of ministers for large tanks, small tanks, agriculture, paddy, rice, Mahaweli reservoirs, fertilizer etc. the farmer has been made to commit suicide says the National Organizer of all Ceylon Farmers’ Federation Namal Karunaratna.
He said this when inquired about the incident where a 57-year-old farmer from Puwakpitiya, Habarana committed suicide by consuming poison due to depression when his big onion cultivation was destroyed by rain.

Senior Additional Solicitor General Dappula de Livera PC told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the treasury bond scam yesterday (14th) that its decision that the Director of Perpetual Treasuries Ltd Arjuna Aloysius need not give evidence before the commission was not correct.
The Senior Additional Solicitor General, the chief counsel of the Attorney General’s Department said the Attorney General too would not agree with the decision. He said the future course of action with regard to the incorrect decision would be taken after a discussion with the Attorney General.
The Commission on the 13th decided that Arjun Aloysius could keep away from giving evidence and the Commission has no mandate to force him to give evidence.
However, the matters the Commission of Inquiry required Mr. Aloysius to’ give evidence were on:
(i) The ownership, control and structure of the group of Companies of which Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd is a member;
(ii) The role played by Mr. Aloysius in applying for and obtaining a Primary Dealer’s License from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka;
(iii) The role played by Mr. Aloysius in preparing the Business Plan of Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd which was submitted to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka at the time Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd applied for a Primary Dealer’s License and the subsequent Business Models followed by Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd;
(iv) The role played by Mr. Aloysius in the day to day operations of Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd while he was the Chief Executive of that Company;
(v) The reasons for Mr. Aloysius resigning from the post of Chief Executive of Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd;
(vi) The role played by Mr. Aloysius in the day to day operations of Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd after he resigned from the post of Chief Executive of that Company;
(vii) The profits and/or capital gains received by Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd and the disposal of these profits and/or capital gains by way of dividends, fund transfers and transfers of profits (if any) and investments;
(viii) The audio recordings of telephone conversations which are said to have taken place between Mr. Aloysius and Mr. Kasun Palisena with regard to Auctions of Treasury Bonds held in March 2016 and the matters discussed therein including the information which Mr. Aloysius is said to have claimed, he possessed with regard to those Auctions;
(ix) The role played by Mr. Aloysius with regard to the Fine imposed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on Perpetual Treasuries (Pvt) Ltd in April 2016 after the aforesaid Auctions;
(x) The nature of the relationship between Mr. Aloysius and some officers of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka;
(xi) The nature of the relationship between Mr. Aloysius and Mr. Arjuna Mahendran, the previous Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka;
(xii) The nature of the relationship between Mr. Aloysius and some officers of the Employees Provident Fund including Mr. Saman Kumara and Mr. Navin Anuradha;
(xiii) The nature of the relationship between Mr. Aloysius and Mr. Nimal Perera, the previous Chairman of Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC and the resulting transactions on Treasury Bonds entered into by Pan Asia Banking Corporation;
(xiv) The reasons for Mr. Aloysius telephoning Mr. Richie Dias of Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC during the period when Mr. Dias was furnishing his statement to the Commission of Inquiry; and
(xv) The reasons for Mr. Aloysius leasing an apartment which was occupied by Mr. Ravi Karunanayake and family.

They are not fighting to get any salary increment but their struggle is to get the fraudsters and the corrupt in the Ceylon Electricity Board whose crimes make the consumer pay more for the electricity bill says the General Secretary of Lanka Electricity Board Employees’ Union Ranjith Jayalal speaking on behalf of the Joint Trade Unions Alliance of Lanka Electricity Board. He added that the attempt of the authorities to give a bribe of a salary increment would not stop the employees from carrying on their struggle. He said the only solution that is needed is to take legal action against fraudsters and the corrupt and added if authorities fail to listen to their voice the 48-hour token strike would be converted to a continuous strike.
He said this when representatives of the Joint Trade Unions Alliance of the Electricity Board came to FCID to make a complaint regarding large scale frauds that had been committed in Ceylon Electricity Board yesterday (14th).