Canteen Owners Association states that the price of a lunch packet will be increased by Rs. 10 from today (19th).

The organizer of the Association Asela Sampath said yesterday they have to increase the price of a lunch packet after considering the prices of rice that are being increased day by day.
According to him the average price for a vegetable food packet would be Rs.110, a fish food packet will by Rs.140 and a chicken food packet will be Rs.170.
Mr. Asela Sampath said there is no shortage of rice in the country but some businessmen are hiding the rice to create an artificial shortage to sell it for higher prices. He said the government has failed to control the price of rice and challenged authorities to conduct an island wide raid to find hidden rice being stored.

The luxury jeep driven by the son of State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana has been involved in an accident in which the youth riding a motorbike was seriously injured and had to be admitted to Colombo National Hospital. The incident had occurred yesterday (18th) at about 2.30 a.m.

Minister’s son stating he would like to settle matters without going to the police had given Rs.100,000 to the relatives of the injured youth’s relatives and saying he would come back with Rs.300,000 more he hd fled the scene leaving the damaged jeep there. He had also given an international driving license as a guarantee that he would come back.
However, he had not come back and the Cinnamon Gardens Police had to tow the vehicle to the police station. The relatives of the injured youth had handed over the international driving license to police and Minister’s son had to surrender to police. However, he been released on police bail.
There is controversy regarding releasing Minister’s son on police bail as the injured youth is still being treated in hospital.
Initial investigations have revealed that the ‘Land Cruise’ jeep driven by the 32 year old Minister’s son belongs to the Ministry of Finance. Cinnamon Gardens police are conducting further investigations.

It is reported that Maithri – Ranil administration is planning to censor websites claiming new laws would be enacted against social media websites that are a threat to national security.

As there are no laws and regulations to control websites active in cyberspace in the country the ‘good governance’ government is planning to present an Act in Parliament to control the cyberspace. According to the Act steps against social media websites would be taken through telephone companies that supply internet facilities.
A senior minister has told media that telephone companies that provide facilities for websites that are offensive to the country are responsible for such websites and the government would bring in laws to take action against telephone companies that violate such laws.
Former Mahinda Rajapaksa regime too had banned several websites active in the country as well as internationally labeling them as a threat to national security.
Source: ‘Lankadeepa’

According to police head office sources it has been ordered that media statements should not be released to private media.

It is stated that private media publishing the controversial telephone conversation IGP Pujitha Jayasundara had in public with a government stalwart could be the reason for such an order.
In the conversation IGP states that the Basnayaka Nilame of Devundara Temple would not be arrested.
Accordingly, information received by police media office in Colombo would not be sent to private media institutions by email hereafter.

The land that belongs to Hambanthota Harbour is 1200 acres but the harbour is to be sold without any assessment to the infra structure development that has taken place and the land it owns.
Normally when a harbour commences operations its value increases. Also, in the valuation a separate valuation is added for the land it possesses and the infra structure facilities available.
However, this harbour is to be sold without considering or adding any additional values and what is unusual is that the government is not keen on collecting the estimated US$1400 million from the buyer.
It is speculated that former Rajapaksa regime has defrauded at least US$300 million when constructing the harbour. It may be the reason why the same Chinese company that constructed the Harbour buys it for US$1200 and no extra money is estimated for infra structure facilities.

The propaganda stating that 15,000 acres from Hambanthota District would be given for an industrial zone is wrong, not more than 1500 acres would be given from Hambanthota said the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera at a press conference held recently.

However, the State Minister of International Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe, at a ceremony held yesterday (17th), said the work of the 15,000 acre industrial zone would commence on 7th January.
Already, people in the area have begun protest campaigns against handing over 15,000 acres to China and UNP and SLFP Ministers of the government make contradictory statements regarding handing over of lands to a foreign company.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe explaining government’s economic policy said in Parliament that 15,000 acres of land in Hambantota District will be allocated for Chinese investors to set up a special economic zone.

It is reported that five persons including JVP Parliamentarian Nihal Galappaththi, JVP Provincial Council Member Sisira Wahalthanthri and the General Secretary of National Bhikku Front Wakamulle Uditha Thero have been asked to report at Hambanthota Police Station before the 23^rd to record a statement in connection with the participation at an agitation organized by the ‘Collective to Protect Hambantota People’s Rights’ on the 14^th against the government’s move to sell 15,000 acres for 198 years to China and depriving employment of employees of the Hambanthota Harbour.

Speaking to the media Parliamentarian Nihal Galappaththi said on the day of the agitation the Police did not present any court order or a document banning the agitation.

He said he would participate not only in agitations that deny the right of the people for their lands but any other agitation held against injustices and to win rights of the people. He said he is prepared to confront any consequences that come up as a result of struggling for the people.

Mr. Galappaththi said such interferences would never deter the programmes and moves of the JVP or its members and he and his party would support any action taken by the ‘Collective to Protect Hambantota People’s Rights’ to protect the right of the people for their lands.

There were persons who committed illegal and illogical acts in Hambanthota District during Mahinda Rajapaksa administration and as they were very powerful people in the administration noting could be done against them says former Speaker and Hambanthota Parliamentarian Chamal Rajapaksa.

He said when they had power they didn’t see their shortcomings and there was disregard for everything he added.
He said only when they meet people they realize the mistakes they had made when they were in power. People they had around them had deceived them said Mr. Rajapaksa.

 

It is reported that a complaint has been received by the Department of Inland Revenue from its Ratnapura office stating that UNP Parliamentarian A.A. Wijethunga has threatened an official of that office stating not to open tax files for his associates.

These days officials in provincial offices of the Department of Inland Revenue are preparing new files to levy taxes. UNP Ratnapura Parliamentarian A.A. Wijethunga is obstructing the officials by threatening them stating certain businessmen are his associates and no tax files should be open regarding them.
When Parliamentarian A.A. Wijethunga was asked regarding this complaint he had said he advised an official in the office by phone not to levy unfair taxes form innocent businessmen.
Source: ‘Ravaya’