Archives for August 2018

The All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation (ACFF), in a complaint to the Auditor General, states former minister of the present government in charge of dairy cows P. Harrison and the present minister Gamini Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa have acted ignoring recommendations of the Attorney General when importing dairy cows thereby have incurred a loss of millions to the government. ACFF also states the farmers who bought the dairy cows have been severely inconvenienced as the cows imported had been sick and many had died.
The convener of ACFF Namal Karunaratna and the General Secretary of ACFF T.B. Sarath together with a group of dairy farmers made the complaint yesterday (6th).

 

The Auditor General’s Department has commenced a special investigation regarding buying electricity from private power stations and money paid for such buying say reports.
A report on the factors revealed through this investigation would be presented at the meeting of the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) to be held today (7th).
The special investigation is to be carried out regarding buying electricity from private powerhouses such as S. Embilipitiya, S. Matara and Asia Power say reports.

The JVP in a statement condemns the cowardly attack on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stating the sinister act would make Venezuelan President more determined to continue with added vigour the revolutionary process he is heading in Venezuela.
Full text of the statement:
Condemn the cowardly imperialists’ attack on President Nicolas Maduro
It is with concern we came to know about the failed cowardly assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. According to the media, the assassination attempt was made using several drones loaded with explosives while President Maduro was delivering the closing speech on the 81st Anniversary of the National Guard.
Assassination attempts on progressive leaders when they cannot be overthrown democratically, economically, politically, and militarily is the last attempt by imperialist conspirators who would not hesitate to deploy the extreme rightist opposition in the country to carry out their schemes.
We, as the JVP, vehemently condemned the cowardly attack and are relieved that no harm has come to President Maduro who, we are sure, would be more determined to continue with added vigour the progressive process he is heading in Venezuela.
The JVP always stands with progressive and left forces and their leaders and condemn all attempts by imperialists and their lackeys to deny the cause of progressive social transformation of its front-runners.
Long live the Bolivarian Revolution!
Long live International Solidarity!
Anura Dissanayake,
Leader
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (People’s Liberation Front – JVP)
06.08.2018

“Some who are engaged in politics in this country are on one side corrupt or lazy and on the other are not honest. Only a very small group engages in honest politics in the country. The majority in politics in the country is corrupt,” says President Maithripala Sirisena.
The President has made these observations at the opening of a new trade centre at the Hospital Junction in Polonnaruwa under the ‘Pibidemu Polonnaruwa’ (Awakening of Polonnaruwa) programme on the 4th.
“All heroes at present are heroes only for the media. They become heroes in front of cameras. Today, the new generation gets media to hold press conferences and talk like big shots. Today, the political heroes have their act in front of cameras. We are not used to such gimmicks. We have never done such acts,” said the President.
Despite the President saying that some who are engaged in politics are not honest,, he himself has not fulfilled the promises he made as the common candidate. He has violated the two main promises as well as certain other promises he gave the people at the presidential election.
He, as eh common candidate, said once he came to power he would abolish executive presidency which is one of the main promises he made to the people. He also said he would not contest the presidential election again and no presidential election will be held in the country hereafter. However, violating the promises he made President Maithripala Sirisena has come to a position that he is manoeuvring to contest the presidential election.
Mr Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate also promised to reveal frauds and corruption committed by the members of the previous government and take over all public funds and assets plundered by them. However, the process too has taken a backstage at present. Media has reported that many who had been engaged in various crimes, frauds and corruption are not arrested due to influence from higher political stalwarts of the government.
Even newspapers had published that Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa or his wife Shiranthi Rajapaksa would not be arrested due to an understanding between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
When considering these, President Maithripala Sirisena too falls into the category of dishonest and corrupt politicians in the country say political analysts.

The minimum salary of a state employee should be made equal to the minimum salary of a Member of Parliament says the President of National Center for Trade Unions (NTUC) Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP K.D. Lal Kantha. He makes this request to the government.
When the living index has gone up by Rs.5000 under the present government alone, the people’s representatives making a request to increase MPs salary is indeed shameful said Mr Lal Kantha.
Mr Lal Kantha says state employees should be paid a salary equal to Rs. 54,285 which is the amount MPs are paid adding that it is a just and a logical demand.
He said attempting to raise the salary of MPs without increasing the salaries of employees cannot be justified. Mr Lal Kantha said according to the manifesto of the JVP the salary of the employee should be equal to that of a Parliamentarian.

The Audit Commission has come into effect from 1st August as soon as the President places his signature for it states the Auditor General’s Department.
The National Audit Bill that was delayed for 3 years was passed in Parliament; the Speaker placed his signature and now the signature of the President is the requirement. The relevant gazette notification was published on 26th July.
At the moment the Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe is on a foreign tour and as soon as he returns he would be sworn in by the Speaker as the Commissioner.

The Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayaka at a meeting held at Namal Oya in Ampara District on the 4th has responded to a comment angrily made against him by the retired President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting held at the Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre.
At the meeting, Mr Anura Dissanayaka has asked the retired President to stop going around uttering words not appropriate for his age but to come for a live debate with him so that he could reveal agreements the retired president had reached with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Speaking further at the meeting held at Namal Oya at Ampara Mr Dissanayaka said, “The words he uses are not appropriate for his age. Hence, I ask him to get used to using words with restraint. The essence of what he said was that we are protecting the government but are directing our attacks against him. We do not do politics on Ranil’s lap. We do not do politics on Mahinda’s lap either. For, we are not indebted to them.
However, I would like to ask Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa how much protection has he got from this government? When Shiranthi Rajapaksa was about to be arrested Mahinda spoke to Ranil. Then who applies oil on Ranil? It’s Mahinda. Why is the investigation into Thajudeen’s murder stopped halfway? How did investigations into Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder stop? These investigations are halted on an agreement reached between Mahinda and Ranil. As such, we do not have anything to get protection from Ranil or to get him to save for us. Who needs protection from Ranil and save from him? It is for Rajapaksas. Hence, I challenge Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa for a debate.
It is better than saying things at various places. For, talking about others at various places is not gentlemanly. It is better to have a live TV debate. He could arrange with one of the many channels that support him. We can have a face to face debate. I would be able to reveal how he is being protected by this government, his frauds and corruption, the crimes the members of his family have committed and assets they have bought in this country and abroad.
I would like to ask him to stop coming out with words not appropriate for his age. For, the people in the country should know the truth.”

Several meetings of the ‘Ten Thousand Meetings’ programme of the JVP held throughout the country under the theme “People’s Administration to Develop & Protect Country” were held in several districts yesterday (4th).
The Leader of the JVP Parliamentarian Anura Dissanayaka participated in a seminar held at Ampara while the General Secretary of the party Tilvin Silva participated in a meeting held at Ragama in Gampaha District. The Information Secretary Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath addressed a meeting held in Colombo District While the Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunneththi addressed a meeting held in Anurdhapura District.
By holding these meetings under the theme “People’s Administration to Develop & Protect Country” the JVP expects to have a dialogue with the masses regarding the programme JVP intends preparing to develop the country.
The series of meetings was launched on 15th July and it is reported that all meetings well attended and received by the public.

Gampaha:
Ampara

A plan is being hatched to privatize certain sections of National Water Supply and Drainage Board complains the Water Supply Trade Union Collective Alliance.
Already, action has been taken to open a new water filtering station at Weliwita in Ambatale area as a joint venture between the government and the private sector says the convener of the Water Supply Trade Union Collective Alliance Engineer Upali Ratnayaka.
He said the project is not a successful venture and the trade unions are getting ready to take trade union action against it.