Maithri to discard 'betel leaf'
The UPFA would contest future elections under the 'hand' symbol instead of the 'betel leaf' it had been using from its inception. This was stated by the Secretary General of UPFA Mahinda Amaraweera at a party activists meeting held yesterday (26th).
The main party in the UPFA is the SLFP and all other parties in the UPFA agreed to contest under the 'hand' symbol said Mr. Amaraweera.
Will Sri Lanka lose Colombo Harbour?
It is revealed that there is a plan to hand over the East Container Terminal of Colombo Port, the container operational terminal fully owned by Ports Authority, to an Indian company.
This decision has been taken by the three member committee of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama and Economic Affairs Ministry Consultant R. Paskaralingam.
Minister of Ports Arjuna Ranatunga presented a cabinet paper on 22nd June, 2015 regarding finding a global partner to modernize the terminal and bring it to an internationally-competitive standard. According to this cabinet paper it was proposed that the 'global partner' involved in modernizing the jetty would get 49% ownership of the jetty and the Port Authority would get the other 51%.
However, it is revealed that this cabinet paper was altered and on recommendations of the aforesaid committee the Port Authority would have only 15% ownership of the jetty and the rest (85%) would go to the Indian company.
The tender for reconstruction work was to be closed on 20th July but was extended till 31st August to accompany the Indian company. Two other jetties in Colombo Harbour – the N.A.G.T. jetty and C.I.C.T. jetty – have been handed over to a Chinese company and a Japanese company and Ports Authority owns only 15% from each of the jetties. Sri Lanka would lose Colombo Harbour if the East Container Terminal is handed over to an Indian Company and will become only a small share holder.
There are 9900 employees in Colombo Harbour and if it is handed over to an Indian Company the terminal would be filled with Indian workers and other companies too would follow the Indian example. If this happens Sri Lankan workers will be confronted with unemployment.
Plans to sell Kahatagaha Mines opposed
It is reported that the government is planning to arbitrarily sell Kahatagaha Graphite Mines to Lanka Graphite Ltd. A discussion regarding has been held yesterday between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Rishard Badurdeen, Chairman of Kahatagaha Mines and representatives of Lanka Graphite Ltd. at the Prime Minister's office at Temple Trees yesterday (26th). It has been discussed to make available 49% of the shares of Kahatagaha Mines to Lanka Graphite.
Kahatagaha Graphite Mines is the most successful mine that gives the biggest profits to the Treasury and has not become a burden to the government due to the dedication of employees and the Director of Board.
The mine that had been closed down for some time was restarted without any capital from the government and at present it is maintained with high standards.
The move to sell the mine that has been made a profitable venture due to the dedication of employees and the Director Board is vehemently opposed by employees and the Board of Directors.
Trade union leaders complain that the move is an attempt to close down the mine by arbitrarily selling it. The move to sell the mine indicates the inability of the 'yahapalana' government to initiate a production process and its haste to sell state resources say employees.
Thug that assaulted 'Rivira' journalist identified
When the identification parade was held at the Gampaha Magistrate's Court yesterday (26th) former Army intelligence sergeant Prem Ananda Udalagama, who was accused of assaulting the former editor of the Rivira newspaper, Upali Tennakone and has been remanded, was identified by Mr. Tennakone and his wife at the thug that assaulted Mr. Tennekone.
The identification parade was held before Gampaha Acting Magistrate Mahesh Herath with the presence of Tennakone, his wife and another eye witness.
Mr. Tennekone and his wife had left the country following the incident which had taken place on September 23, 2009.
CID report on Gammanpila to AG
Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne ordered the CID yesterday (26th) to send extracts of its investigations into allegations against Udaya Gammanpila to the Attorney General.
The CID had earlier sent a report on its investigations into the incident to Attorney General but AG's decision regarding had not been late. However, Gammanpila was arrested on the decision of the AG but was released later.
Gammanpila with another suspect is accused of defrauding Australian citizen Brain Shaddik of Rs.110 million using a fraudulent Power of Attorney in 1995. The case will be heard on 25th November.
Sujani gets bail, banned from travelling abroad
Sujani Bogollagama, who was arrested by the FCID as a suspect in the two cases conducted under the Money Laundering Act together with five others including Namal Rajapaksa, was released on cash bail of Rs. 100,000 with four sureties of Rs.10 million each by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris yesterday (26th).
Sujani Bogollagama and five others including Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa are suspects in the alleged two transactions worth Rs. 45 million and the alleged purchasing Rs. 100 million worth shares of a company called Hello Corp from ill-gotten funds by the Gowers Corporation, a company headed by Namal Rajapaksa.
She was released under strict bail conditions, warned not to interfere with witnesses and was directed to report to FCID on first and last Sundays every month. She was also banned from leaving the country.
Sujani Bogollagama was being treated at Merchants ward in Colombo National Hospital when she appeared before the Magistrate yesterday.