Did Rajapaksa family Alleged Corruption Cook the Presidency?
Posted on January 19th, 2015
Prof. Hudson McLean
Was Mahinda Rajapaksa aware of the alleged corrupt dealings of his own brother Basil Rajapaksa Secretary of Economic Affairs under ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa?
With another brother Gothabaya Rajapaksa as Secretary of Defense, with Security under his domain, GR must have been aware of goings-on?
And then, did the arrogant son, Namal Rajapaksa was known to throw his weight around the inner circles, roaming the Island in his fancy expensive sports cars, live beyond his means on ill-gotten gains, as a Member of Parliament?
If these allegations are proven, should litigation be taken against Corruption at the Top, before similar action is taken against others irrespective of Party considerations?
Which ever way Mahinda Rajapaksa answers this question, MR will prove himself either Incompetent or a Liar!
The Six Million Dollar Question: Is President Maithri Sirisena, a man of his word, strong enough to allow activate impartial legal remedies to start with immediate effect?
When in my previous publication, when I expressed, “Corruption is the Curse of Sri Lanka”, one writer pointed out that Corruption is not restricted to only Sri Lanka, but it is a Global Endemic.
Looking at Transparent International:
http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results
Sri Lanka ranks at No: 85, along side India. Even Singapore is sliding down slowly!
With President Maithri Sirisena taking office at the start of the 2015, hopefully, if President can get Sri Lanka to move a few points upwards, that will be a good start to Crown his Presidency.
One of the LankaWeb readers/writers suggested a special section dedicated to corruption to Name & Shame those who are involved in corruption. Whilst this is an important issue, both LankaWeb and those who subscribe must be prepared to face litigation in the event the victim decides to take legal recourse. Hopefully LankaWeb Readers might have alternative remedies for this epidemic!
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January 18th, 2015 at 8:36 pm
Dear Lankaweb and Prof. Hudson McLean,
This you may not see as relevant but please read on.
On 4th June 1979, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlins the son of a woman from Ghana and a man from Scotland seized power in the West African country known as Ghana.
Ghana was ruled by successive Africans from its time of independence in 1957. Ghana too was invaded and ruled by the Portugese, the Dutch and the British about the same timelines that Sri Lanka was invaded and ruled, except that the Porthgese invaded in 1481. Ghana is rich in Gold, Diamonds, Cocoa, Oil and Natural Gas.
Till Jerry Rawlings seized power even though it had the best education systems in West Aftrica and produced the most of the scholars for Africa, though it had huge deposits of natural reserves the lives of the poor, which was 98 percent of the population, remained extremely poor at that time. Jerry Rawlins was only 31 years of age.
Jerry Rawlings changed all that. He jailed and executed the known corrupt. He did not waste his time. On one Friday afternoon in July 1979, he lined up every living ex-prime minister and made them face the the firing squad. The so called civilized world screamed but the so called civilized screamers never fed the poor of Ghana.
Then Jerry Rawlins re-built Ghana. When he wanted to leave office after four years the poor cried and wanted him to contest the elections. He did as a civilian and won. He then built Ghana to be one of the strongest economies in Africa. He left after two four year terms.
We need a Jerry Rawlins in Sri Lanka. The corrupt politicians, however big and whoever, should be tried and got rid of for good.
Soma, my mother’s poor house maid who worked for my mother for the past 25 years during the periods of various governments got poorer and poorer. Even though she is paid 40,000 rupees a month, given health care, travelling money etc., now fifty years of age she is frail and has nothing to show for her life. My mother built her a two bedroomed house complete with attached bathroom, a living room, a kitchen and a dining room (all tiled and at a cost of four hundred fifty thousand rupees) and at least she got something she can be happy to show for her life’s work. Soma is lucky. My mother herself had humble beginning and brought all of us up with great difficulty. She never forgot that she was poor once.
Where did Namal Rajapaksa get money to lead the super luxury life of his. Rohitha and Yoshita and Shiranthi, and thousands of Rajapaksa relatives and hangers on had a life un – believable for Sri Lankans. All these came from the sweat of millions of poor Somas.
Come on General Fonseka you are one hope Sri Lanka has. You rid Sri Lanka of the terrorists. It is time you rid the country of economic terrorists who are the scum of this country who drained it for nine years and treated Sri Lanka as their private cash cow.
JP
January 18th, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Good Article. If that was started then every body screams saying WITCH HUNTING. On the other bribery commission’s extremely slow just like a sloth. Probably, people in their don’t have any desire to do anything.
January 18th, 2015 at 8:53 pm
IF you red the every thing that everybody writes, Wele Sudha had told, Duminda silva had gifted RS 10 million worth gold at the wedding reception of gota’s son. that would successfully close anything that would do. Wele Sudha had been a assistant of Duminda.
with respect gold MR sold, they have set up accounts as Seychelles citizens and deposited large amounts of money in Swiss bank. It is said 350 tons of gold had been sold to Japan.
January 18th, 2015 at 8:58 pm
However, the CID has found to be false the rumour that Wele Suda had given, through MP Silva, gold worth Rs. 10 million at the wedding of the son of former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
This is why Duminda Was safe.
Remember what Mahinda Rajapakse said and where Duminda was a care taker minister etc.,
January 18th, 2015 at 9:43 pm
@Jayantha, yes looks like the Sri Lankan population had had enough of the corruption of the Rajapaksha Govt. Perfectly exemplified as you say and by Prof Hudson McClean in the form of the arrogant spoilt brat of a son called Namal Rajapaksha. Using vast amounts of money he didn’t earn or deserve to roam around Sri Lanka in expensive cars.
Also how the wealth which belonged to the majority people and was appropriated by corrupt minority, has some eerie parallels with Russia in the 1990s. After the Soviet Union fell, the wealth and industry which was built up by the Russian people majority who were poor were looking forward to a new better era in the 1990s under Boris Yeltsin. Most importantly to have that wealth divided up equally and given to its rightful owners the Russian people. Instead that vast wealth instead of given to the Russian people was appropriated by a few, who became multi-billionaires and fled to the west with their ill-gotten wealth. While the Russian people starved in the 1990s, with long bread ques etc being a daily occurrence.
People like Billionaire Roman Abromovich who fled to the west come to mind who ended up with a vast fortune at a young age and was rich enough to buy things like the Chelsea football club and other assets.
Yes Boris Yeltsin’s 1990s Russia could draw some parallels with Sri Lanka under Mahinda Rajapaksha and his corrupt clique in his second term. Mmmm, no wonder Mahinda Rajapaksha’s govt was defeated in the election last. People had enough of this corrupt clique.
January 18th, 2015 at 9:54 pm
“Yes Boris Yeltsin’s 1990s Russia could draw some parallels with Sri Lanka under Mahinda Rajapaksha and his corrupt clique in his second term. Mmmm, no wonder Mahinda Rajapaksha’s govt was defeated in the election last. People had enough of this corrupt clique.”
-Very true. yesterday I was thinking on this line Boris Yelstin is a very good comparison.
January 18th, 2015 at 11:28 pm
Looks as if especially the Sinhala voters who voted for MY3 did not see beyond the corruption stories, some of which were true, but all of which have not yet been proven. Corruption often accompanies high growth, and this has happened in Sri Lanka with the MR effort to demonstrate post-war economic development. It was the flaunting by young family members that irked many. However, even those now appointed to high office in the MY3 100-day program are tainted with allegations of corruption.
The other consequences of the “CHANGE” have yet to be faced, and hopefully they will prove that what went into creating this “constitutional coup” was worth it.
January 18th, 2015 at 11:47 pm
nilwala,
The voters will not look for proof OR simply they cannot check these allegations.
But they can see
1. How the those who claimed to have made sacrifices travel
2. How the wives and children of those who love the motherland dress, do make up , dance in night clubs ,etc etc
3. How those who won the war for us, keep LTTE leaders together with their money without disclosing anything to public
4. How those who are Buddhist allow night races and 3/4 naked women dance in front of Dalada Maligawa
5. How those who claim to be Sinhala Buddhists go to Poe’s feet to invite him
6. How KUDU use has increased 5 fold since 2010 and hear containers are cleared containing drugs by Prime Minister and PM still attends parliament
… list goes on. People see and hear these and also have difficulties to cope with in daily life, regardless of so called high economic growth.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:34 am
Well done Gothabhaya ! Let the man with a court case for fraud, yet appointed as Finance Minister of Runil answer. You must have answered Fonseka’s allegation he was forced to buy arms from your own company with 3 times inflated prices.
Gotabaya rejects Ravi’s accusation on BoC account
January 19, 2015 12:57 pm
Former Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, today rejected allegations leveled against him, regarding an account in the Thaprobane Branch of the Bank of Ceylon containing nearly Rs 8 billion under his name.
In a press conference yesterday (18), newly appointed Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake claimed that a sum of Rs. 7,500 million was found in the bank account under the name of the former Defence Secretary and that the money has now been transferred to the Treasury.
“This is grossly misleading and appears to discredit my reputation with ulterior motive,” Rajapaksa said, in a statement released to media.
He stated that there is an Operational Account held with the Bank of Ceylon Thapprobane Branch dedicated for the use of financing the construction of Army Headquarters building at Pelawatta.
He alleged that the account was created with the approval of the Cabinet from the revenue from the sale of land at Galle Face, Colombo where the Army Headquarters was previously located.
“After the relocation and construction work was started, withdrawals were to be made from it based on the progress of the construction work undertaken by various contractors and suppliers,” he said.
Rajapaksa says the account is operated by the Chief Accountant and other authorized officials of the Ministry of Defence under the overall supervision of the Secretary of Defence.
“All cheques are issued with two signatures upon the receipts of certified payment vouchers. As I recall, the Account was open with the total receipts of about Rs. 20 billion in 2011 and withdrawals have been made each year thereafter for the payment of certified claims from contractors,” he said.
He added that the names and signatures of authorized persons are available with the Bank and Chief Accountant of the ministry and that the balance as at the last day of his holding office was “certainly over Rs. 8 billion.”
“The figures can be verified from the Treasury as annual deposit balance is reported to the Government balance Sheet,” Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.
“As I have ceased to be the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, my successor is the automatic custodian of that Account and he can verify all these. My name appears in the signature card in my capacity as Secretary Defence along with other authorized officials and hence it has nothing to do with my personal account.”
“Therefore, there is no truth whatsoever that I have a personal account in the Bank of Ceylon with Rs. 8 billion. I deny this completely and request the Secretary to verify this with the bank and the Treasury and disclose the correct situation on this account,” he said.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:53 am
Obvious method of opening this types of accounts is “Ministry of Defence of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka “ with the Secretary and Chief Accountant as signatories. There is no reason whatsoever for the account name to be individual’s name.
Such a simple process can even be understood by public. Reading the above (Gothabhaya’s reply), I am not sure whether this was followed. If not then there Minister has a valid argument.
January 19th, 2015 at 3:47 am
How those who GR won the war for us, keep LTTE leaders (KP) together with their money without disclosing anything to public
My Sinhala brothers if you recovery any of VP’s money please pay me back as I have received given ( for our dream TE .
NB/ make sure KP not leaving SL (Mina told me He was Maldies ,now in Thailand (his wife Home))
January 19th, 2015 at 5:06 am
>>>Did Rajapaksa family Alleged Corruption Cook the Presidency?<<<
This is a silly question. Even Ranil WELL BEFORE THE ELECTION admitted that anti-corruption can be used a 'short-term' tool to get elected, but if you don't deliver on the main concerns of the voters – high cost of living, jobs growth, and security – then your government won't be around very long as the public gets tired of all of the accusations and counter-accusation of corruption.
Yes, Ranil was able to successfully us the corruption issue to divide the Sinhala Buddhist vote, but how long can that last?
One terrorist bomb slaps the voter back into reality and what is REALLY important to them, so let's quit the excessive corruption focus – ALL POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT – and let's get down to the people's business.
January 19th, 2015 at 6:01 am
One of the worst corruption stories cooked up by Indians in the island nation is about the Chinese projects and commissions paid by the Chinese government to the Rajapaksa Family up to 3 times the cost in some cases. Indian imperialists cooking such corruption stories are rampant in its colonies from Fiji to Guyana. China is very strict about corruption and many officials and business people have met with the capital punishment.
January 19th, 2015 at 6:20 am
Prof. Hudson McLean,
This is the age old burden of the man at the top. If he did not know, he was incompetent, because it is his responsibility to know, and if he knew and failed to do anything about it, he had neglected his responsibility or even worse he was still complicit in it.
Vimutti,
“so let’s quit the excessive corruption focus – ALL POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT – and let’s get down to the people’s business.”
If they put in place robust mechanisms to investigate and halt corruption that is going on and will be going on in the future, then only people will believe that all this rhetoric is not merely election propaganda.
Remember that the The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) was made largely impotent by removing the remit it previously had to investigate instances of corruption without someone making a complaint to it.
This emasculation of the CIABOC was done by all the political parties acting together. So much for the sincerity of ‘all’ the parties.
Eradicating or at least minimising them and also investigating the past ones are important but talking only about corruption as if it is the only burning issue of the day is not going to solve the problems of the masses.
Quicker they realise it better would it be for the people and the country.
January 19th, 2015 at 8:09 am
With reference to our finance ministers claim of detecting a Gota’s account with 8 or 13 billion rupees and transferring the same to the treasury, since Gota has provided his answers, we expect minister Ravi to make a complain to the Bribery and Corruption Commission and let it investigate any corrupt practices or bribes relating to the said account. Same procedure must be followed for all other fraud. Having said that, I must say that the public is also interested to see that 100 days program is implemented in full.
January 19th, 2015 at 8:37 am
Referring that AnuD’s mention of 350 tons of gold belong to LTTE sold to Japan, I wish to give some basic figures of gold reserve extracted from a journal named ‘trading economic’.
It said; “Gold Reserves in India remained unchanged at 557.75 Tonnes in the third quarter of 2014 from 557.75 Tonnes in the second quarter of 2014.”
Also said is; “Gold Reserves in Sri Lanka averaged 8.94 Tonnes from 2000 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 22.95 Tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2013 and a record low of 3.63 Tonnes in the third quarter of 2012. Gold Reserves in Sri Lanka is reported by the World Gold Council.”
What lies our now ruling fellows must have told voters to get their minds poisoned against the man who led and won a 30 year war against the terrorists in just 3 years and an economic boom thereafter. We eagerly await to see our new rulers deliver what they promised.
January 19th, 2015 at 9:10 am
To all…. see what is happening in Sri Lanka now…this is in Agalawatta
www[dot]youtube[dot]com/watch?v=GTvX7GAILho#t=18
The attack took place yesterday. The characters behind it are obvious.
Good Governance(TM) aka Yahapalanaya(TM)
All residents and expatriates better see this. It is not an amateur video, it is from a broadcaster.
January 19th, 2015 at 10:02 am
www[dot]youtube[dot]com/watch?v=GTvX7GAILho#t=18
යහපාලනය රට පුරා කිරි පැණි සේ ඉතිරෙයි. මාද්දිය හෙළුවෙන්. කාට කියන්නද යහපාලනය ගැන.
January 19th, 2015 at 10:45 am
To all…. see what is happening in Sri Lanka now…this is in Agalawatta- why police officer were doing nothing?
please tell those sandiyas ” Godiya enava “than they will run to their home.
January 19th, 2015 at 11:00 am
Ada Derana reports Ravi Karunanayake’s lie.
Defence Secretary verifies Gotabaya’s claims
January 19, 2015 11:18 pm
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The newly appointed Secretary of Defence, B.M.U.D. Basnayake, today confirmed that the account held with the Bank of Ceylon’s Thapprobane Branch, containing nearly Rs 8 billion, is not under the name of his predecessor and that it belongs to the Ministry of Defence.
In a press conference yesterday (18), Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake had claimed that a sum of Rs. 7,500 million was found in a bank account under the name of the former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and that the money has been transferred to the Treasury.
However, Rajapaksa has rejected the allegations leveled against him as “grossly misleading” and an attempt to discredit his reputation with “ulterior motive.”
In a statement released to media earlier today, he stated that it is an Operational Account dedicated for the use of financing the construction of Army Headquarters building at Pelawatta.
Rajapaksa also said that the account was created with the approval of the Cabinet from the revenue from the sale of land at Galle Face, Colombo where the Army Headquarters was previously located.
New Defence Secretary Basnayake confirmed these claims while also refuting Karunanayake’s allegation that it was used by the former Defence Secretary as a personal account.
Related News
January 19th, 2015 at 11:38 am
RaviK is the guy who said during the Eelam 1V that SL army is going to Pamankada saying it is going to Alimnkada and going to Medhawachchi saying it is going to Kilinochchi. I think he is trying to find money to fund his mini budget to be announced at the end of this month. He started his very first task from the wrong step. Hope GR will sue RaviK for defamation!
January 19th, 2015 at 11:43 am
ANYTHING that smacks of National Development, especially in Infrastructure Development favored by the previous GOSL, will be DE-EMPHASIZED by the new Maithripalanaya (= Kotipalanaya ) GOSL; so OUT GOES the Deyata Kirula Exhibition!
What we can expect to see INSTEAD is UNLIMITED ASSISTANCE for the Colombians to send their children abroad for a Foreign Education! To hell with the rural Bhumiputhrayas!
Aiyoooo Sirisenaaaa …. What have you done to our Motherland!
……………………….
Sri Lanka’s new government to end Deyata Kirula national development exhibition
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 19, Colombo: The new Sri Lankan government has decided to end the Deyata Kirula national development exhibition which coincides with the Independent Day celebrations.
The government has decided to halt the programme with immediate effect but the development activities that are already in progress, such as construction of buildings will continue, the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Joseph Michael Perera told media.
Therefore the construction of buildings which have already commenced will continue in the same manner, the government said.
The 9th Deyata Kirula National Development program this year was planned to be held in Matara.
The development exhibition, held annually since 2006 to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations, cost billions of rupees.
The government has received a number of complaints about the program and a report will be compiled Minister Perera said. He added that large scale corruption and financial misdeeds have been reported.
The previous government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa initiated the Deyata Kirula program with the aim of developing rural areas. However, the critics of the program say it is a colossal waste of public money.
January 19th, 2015 at 12:29 pm
LEELA
Mahinda Rajapakse sold FIVE tons of GOLD which Sri lanka bought from IMF to Western banks. 350 tons of ( Iam quoting what I Read in papers) comes from what was collected after the war. This Gold can not be completely pure gold.
January 19th, 2015 at 1:41 pm
What I didn’t agree with the MR regime is to block some websites critical of them .I would have asked or challenged them to operate such websites from sl so that any thing deliberately inaccurate and mischievous could be challenged in our courts. Then our courts must not favour the conniving politicians.
Any sign of excessive lifestyles not conducive to the incomes must be challenged.
Corruption and waste undermine the lives of the people which is sinful, wrong and could be even criminal.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:01 pm
Now then defence sectratery has confirmed Finance Minister was wrong, this Elephant with a Tie Ravi Karunanayaka) must be asked to resign by the President. That is called Yahapalanaya
January 19th, 2015 at 2:03 pm
AnuD,
I have seen this Gold nonsense 1 month ago. Do you believe it ? It cannot be so obvious. Actual HORAKAM may surface later.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:06 pm
Quoting from the article:
Was Mahinda Rajapaksa aware of the alleged corrupt dealings of his own brother Basil Rajapaksa Secretary of Economic Affairs under ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa?
With another brother Gothabaya Rajapaksa as Secretary of Defense, with Security under his domain, GR must have been aware of goings-on?
And then, did the arrogant son, Namal Rajapaksa was known to throw his weight around the inner circles, roaming the Island in his fancy expensive sports cars, live beyond his means on ill-gotten gains, as a Member of Parliament?
If these allegations are proven, should litigation be taken against Corruption at the Top, before similar action is taken against others irrespective of Party considerations?
IT WOULD BE EXCELLENT TO STATE CLEARLY WHAT ARE THE ACTS OF CORRUPTION DONE BY RAJAPAKSE AND ONCE THAT IS DONE COMPARE IT TO GOVERNMENTS IN COLOMBO BEFORE HIM. THAT IS ONE ISSUE
WHAT IS “ARROGANT” ABOUT A POLITICIAN DRIVING A LAMGOUGINI OR SPORTS CARS? IF THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF “ARROGANCE” THEN WHEN OBAMA WHO ALWAYS HAS A 45 LIMOUSINE ESCORT INCLUDING HIS WIFE MICHELLE ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY PASS LAWS TO SUPPORT “GLOBAL WARMING” TO INCREASING OUR UTILITY BILLS WITH “FUEL ADJUSTMENT CHARGES” WHY THEN LIMIT THIS ACCUSATION TO SRI LANKAN POLITICIANS? DOES THOSE WHO LEAD INDIA LIVE THE SIMPLE LIFE. HOW ABOUT THE LEADERS OF EUROPE, RUSSIA? CHINA?
IT IS NEBULOUS ACCUSATIONS LIKE THAT WHICH CONJURE IMAGES OF DEMENTED PEOPLE DOING DEMENTED THINGS THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE ELIMINATED.
THEN WHAT ASSURES US THAT THE SIRISENA COALITION WILL BE TRUE AND FAITHFUL TO THE DEMOCRATIC CAUSE, REJECT IN TOTALITY CORRUPTION WITHIN THEIR RANKS AND NOT BE ARROGANT IN THE LEAST, FOP THAT IS PART OF THE PLATFORM TO OUST RAJAPAKSE.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Good that this article appeared. I have commented many time in this website about what Gerry Rawlings did in far away Ghana during MR’s time and was suggesting a similar action here. I was living in Nigeria when that happened. Few others and I were even asking for a military government for similar action here. Good to see that similar sentiments prevail. No need to waste so much of time to take effective action within a democratic framework.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:09 pm
“The secretariat had received 379 vehicles by Sunday but 172 more vehicles have not been returned yet. Jeeps, cabs and cars were among the fleet of the Secretariat and some of these had been used by special advisors, the clergy and other individuals and also by state institutions,” SSP Rohana said. ”
– What a mess this bugger created. I know 1 Pallath Sabha UPFA Colombo candidate who distributed 3 vehicles to his relatives in a far village.
As these vehicles belong to Presidential Secretariat ask Lalith Weeratuga to go and find and return them. Why use police ? It is his duty
January 19th, 2015 at 2:25 pm
Nilwala, Christie,
When a contract is given to Chinease something happens irrespective of cost, but that is not development. They are supposed to complete and hand over and is only a byproduct. The costs are highly inflated in all cases more than doubled and the main product is corruption. There have been cases where they do not enter into proper contracts with subcons and pay them in cash bypassing banks; hence no revenue to the governments. These are not due to any Indian interventions.
January 19th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
I refer to Jayantha’s comment again.
What Gerry Rawlings did had a lasting impact on the behavior of that country’s politicians. They were very well behaved after that so much so that when their subsequent leaders died their people mourned the deaths for weeks.
January 19th, 2015 at 3:04 pm
Good to hear Horaata Kirula money wasting propaganda and pocket development for Horajapaksa is scrapped. well done !
January 19th, 2015 at 3:39 pm
Before executing the “corrupt” it is better to execute all traitors.
The traitors are making BS allegations against GR. Even the new defence secretary has rejected these TRAITORS’ allegations.
ACCOUNT HOLDER of the BOC TAPROBANE branch account of 13 billion rupees is the MINISTRY OF DEFENCE not GR.
There is a bigger attempt here. Someone (guess who) is trying to steal that 13 billion rupees for himself!
Fox to mind the hen house! RAJ RAJARATNAM? Anyone?
January 19th, 2015 at 3:42 pm
My3 is GOOD but his UriNePee buddies are crapp. He should SACK all his ministers and appoint a CLEAN Cabinet just before the election!
My3 LOVES the SLFP. My3 and SLFP cannot be seperated. It is My3’s duty to work for the BETTERMENT of his beloved SLFP.
January 19th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
Lorenzo,
You said “My3 is GOOD but his UriNePee buddies are crapp. He should SACK all his ministers and appoint a CLEAN Cabinet just before the election!
My3 LOVES the SLFP. My3 and SLFP cannot be seperated. It is My3’s duty to work for the BETTERMENT of his beloved SLFP.”
The problem is obvious Lorenzo; where could he find such people from who are available, at least a few? He has to find them from the same load of dirty individuals. The best he might be able to do, if at all, is get some not so outrageously dirty ones; then again having to give the quotas for each party that came to help it is well neigh impossible.
He may love the SLFP, but the way he ganged up with ‘a has been’ and ‘a newer been’ to betray his leader makes it a treacherous act. The ploy did work and now he is the president.
I fervently hope he will not ruin SR Lanka, because anything is possible with the duo behind him.
I am not counting on the power of the JHU and the JVP because most probably they will further diminish in stature after the general election.
January 19th, 2015 at 4:28 pm
Whats the difference dear friend Lorenzo. GR is not a saint. SL’s treasury was MR’s purse and MOD was GR’s kitty. The treasury keeper bolted. I know GR did some good work also.
January 19th, 2015 at 4:51 pm
SenaD,
Not to worry we (My3) have a plan. No harm telling it because the UriNePee cannot do anything!
1. My3 is the SLFP leader (not CBK) DETERMINED to see SLFP wins the next FEW elections by book or by brooke. I did NOT say hook or by crook. You wait and see!
2. Near the election, My3 is going to APPEAL to the people to give him CLEAN MPs to make his promises come true.
3. My3 is going to tell the people it was this Useless, Notorious, Punk (UNP) MPs that DISRUPTED his GREAT PLANS. So BUST them and vote for the SLFP.
4. My3 is going to HAND PICK SLFP candidates for the election. NO UNCLEAN politician will be given nominations. ONLY clean and good people will be selected. Women will make up at least 40%. Corruption charges will br brought against ALL TOP UNP and UPFA leaders who try to DISRUPT SLFP plans.
5. SLFP under MY3 is going to win the next election with 150 seats. You will see MPs who are NOT in politics. GREAT people.
6. GOOD GOVERNACE starts then! Yahabalanaya starts then!
So just hang in there. We have a plan. We will backstab ANYONE to do justice to SL. UNP is just a TOILET PAPER, TNA just a condom, SLMC is just a disposable undie.
When a climb follows a dip, if you are on a BIKE, you DON’T put brakes going downhill. You go FAST as you can. Then only you get the MOMENTUM to climb the hill.
January 19th, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Lorenzo(My3),
I suspect Champika will join SLFP.
January 19th, 2015 at 5:24 pm
Nanda,
Yes. He is now having second thoughts for HIS OWN POLITICAL FUTURE.
I meant My3 CAMP. Not we = My3.
One good thing MR left was this large army spy network operating from Kotte. Now they work for My3.
Please keep me posted with your suspicions. They are TRUE on MOST occassions. Unlike MR, we listen to the people so we KNOW where the icebergs are.
January 19th, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Namaste: Hi alloy; Thanks. Any contracts signed will be costly to get out without paying compensation if you do not abide by the contract. I am sure there are international bodies like the World Trade Organization that may look in to such matters. Anyway going by the news items it looks like new rulers were lying to mislead the Sinhala voters to come to power . Aloy it is Indian imperialists who have been destroying the Sinhalese since their arrival in the island since 1792. Indians in the island are a privileged lot since their arrival under the British guns. India has been directly involved with local elections of its colonies and the island nation is one of them. You know who is running the economy of the Indian colonies from Fiji to Guyana including ours..
There are Chinese projects being carried out world wide. They are much cheaper compared to projects by other countries. There are Chinese projects in Indian colonies like Fiji, Kenya, Uganda to name a few. If Chinese contractors are paying in cash to subcontractors, they are just following the local practices. I am not defending Chinese actions or any alleged corruption my concern is unsubstantiated claims by Indians and Socialists of the island. India is our enemy from the time of Rama. Jai Hind
January 19th, 2015 at 5:35 pm
Namaste: Hi alloy; Thanks. Any contracts signed will be costly to get out without paying compensation if you do not abide by the contract. I am sure there are international bodies like the World Trade Organization that may look in to such matters. Anyway going by the news items it looks like new rulers were lying to mislead the Sinhala voters to come to power . Aloy it is Indian imperialists who have been destroying the Sinhalese since their arrival in the island since 1792. Indians in the island are a privileged lot since their arrival under the British guns. India has been directly involved with local elections of its colonies and the island nation is one of them. You know who is running the economy of the Indian colonies from Fiji to Guyana including ours..
There are Chinese projects being carried out world wide. They are much cheaper compared to projects by other countries. There are Chinese projects in Indian colonies like Fiji, Kenya, Uganda to name a few. If Chinese contractors are paying in cash to subcontractors, they are just following the local practices. I am not defending Chinese actions or any alleged corruption my concern is unsubstantiated claims by Indians and Socialists of the island. India is our enemy from the time of Rama. Take for example the proposed Harbour City which India and Indians in the island hates. It is going to cost less than two billion dollars. A similar project in he West will cost more than twenty billion dollars, in the middle East more than ten billion dollars and Asia (excluding Japan & South Korea) more than five billion dollars. Jai Hind
January 19th, 2015 at 5:48 pm
Lorenzo,
You should no my style by now. I understood what you meant by “=My3” at the very first instant, was trying to be naughty only.
Actually I suspected MR’s fate in 2012. I was forgiving him until 2012 even though I knew he was cheating big time. Our friend poor Ananda-USA living in dream world. Why can’t he think properly ? He is an engineer, good in writing software which should train him to be open minded and suspect own decision and correct them all the time. But he is fixed in the deep trench dug by the Maha Hora.
January 19th, 2015 at 6:32 pm
Jayantha,
Gerry Rawlings was able to do that in Ghana, and the people was able to appreciate that, because Ghana was NOT a Buddhist country.
In Sri Lanka that type of action will not be possible.
However, if the politicians go on like this, one day there may be a Gerry Rawlings in Sri Lanka, despite being a Buddhist country.
January 19th, 2015 at 7:52 pm
How can you be so hard on Namal Rajapakse? He is a youth with youthful exuberance. We have all children and know how they are. Namal on the other hand had an extraordinary life and he was only profiting from that. But did his arrogance “…. throw his weight around the inner circles, roaming the Island in his fancy expensive sports cars, live beyond his means on ill-gotten gains, as a Member of Parliament?” stop development taking place in Sri Lanka ?
This corruption attributed to the President has been planned to stop his continuing to be the most hardworking and patriotic President taking the country forward which no one had ever been able to do before, and now all those accusations are to see that he never comes back to power.
The Government we have is UNP and UNP had never given progressive Governments. Last time Ranil was the Prime Minister he signed a CFA completely ignoring thr presence of the President and ¨Parliament, and nearly handed over part of Sri Lanka to Prabhakaran. This time Ranil is no different he will completely avoid the President , turn his back to him, and will give autonomy to the Tamils. There is no Communal unity-bringing the Tamils and the Sinhala together with Ranil, which unfortunately Mahinda Rajapakse beleived in to his misfortune.
January 19th, 2015 at 8:08 pm
>>>Last time Ranil was the Prime Minister he signed a CFA completely ignoring thr presence of the President and ¨Parliament, and nearly handed over part of Sri Lanka to Prabhakaran. This time Ranil is no different he will completely avoid the President , turn his back to him, and will give autonomy to the Tamils. There is no Communal unity-bringing the Tamils and the Sinhala together with Ranil, which unfortunately Mahinda Rajapakse beleived in to his misfortune.<<<
This time there will be a CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE to Ranil's actions, which explains why the UNP head of BASL keeps asking for the Chief Justice to resign. There are no grounds to impeach the current Chief Justice even if Ranil had the two-thirds votes in Parliament, which he does not.
The Constitutional changes must be studied in detail, and Ranil MUST face the voters in April to continue as Prime Minister. This unelected Prime Minister thing is a big hole in the democratic process and needs to be fixed soon if the president's powers are to be weakened.
January 19th, 2015 at 8:15 pm
It is MUCH worse to have an ‘unelected’ Prime Minister with dictatorial power than an ‘elected’ President with dictatorial powers. The President had the blessings of the voters, whereas Ranil only has to manipulate the self interest of certain MPs to have ultimate power over Sri Lanka.
In the general election in April, each party MUST disclose to the voter which leader of their party will be Prime Minister if their party achieves a majority in Parliament outright or through a coalition if they have the most votes. Otherwise, the democratic process becomes a sham.
January 19th, 2015 at 9:49 pm
Christie,
I too started my reply in exactly the same way, to an Indian guy heading the technical division of a certain multi-billion dollar company in US when he replied to my question put up in their website. Thank you. Like you I am in support of the proposed harbour city project. We will never be able to put up such a thing. These western powers do not have such big money to give us and we should not let the opportunity to go away. I am for casino also if it is at a distant place like Kalpitiya.
I see that the real work horses of almost all technological companies (including Microsoft and Google) in the US are Indians. Why can’t our people also do the same. We have a significant number in the NASA. I think our people have got misdirected into politics from the time of Bahu and Kumar David in the Engineering faculty of Peradeniya. Communism had been driven into their heads by some people, probably by their lecturers ( some of whom gave lectures on socialism in their houses while their children played Beethowan in the next room).
January 20th, 2015 at 2:37 am
Who are in favour of creating a “Gerry Rawlings Brigade” and start “eliminating” the corrupted politicians after giving them sufficient warnings ?
January 20th, 2015 at 3:00 am
Vimutti Says:
January 19th, 2015 at 8:15 pm
The supreme court accepted the 13th amendment only because the directly elected executive president does ensure the unitary nature of the state.
If they propose to convert the executive president into a ceremonial president it could be challenged at the supreme court because such a scheme violates the unitary nature of the state.
That is a fundamental issue that will not be missed by the patriots.
All the external enemies, the very obvious and the not so obvious, are eagerly waiting for the removal of the executive presidency.
I hope we will not end up with the feeble system where the leader of the country does not have a true mandate to pursue the program presented to the people.
January 20th, 2015 at 3:44 am
The supreme court accepted the 13th amendment only because the directly elected executive president does ensure the unitary nature of the state- Also voted in parliament
now 13A is land of law it can only amend by parliament .
Also Hindhu Modi is in power can any of your Bhuddist Sinhala leader can touch 13A.
My Sinhala brother wait for right time as you know We-Tamils against 13A more than you.
We want only TE no more or no less .
let me go back to my day dream Nalai pirakkum TE !!!
You modayas & We Sakkiliya never learn anthing for last 2,500 years (according to Mahavansam)!!!
January 20th, 2015 at 11:46 am
Let us see how Maithripala Sirisena protects our war heroes from Western and Tamil Diaspora witch-hunts and what he will TRADE in EXCHANGE! Nothing short of Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity I FEAR!
This will MAKE OR BREAK the new Government!
Aiyoooo Sirisenaaaa …. What have you done to our Motherland??
……………………..
Helping Sri Lanka’s New Democracy
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 20 (NYT) Sri Lanka’s voters shocked themselves and the world this month by tossing out their president, who crushed the Tamil insurgency in 2009 and then led the country, along with his brother as defense secretary, to the brink of authoritarianism.
The new president has promised to restore freedom of the press, independence of judges, and the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.
Democracy advocates, including Secretary of State John Kerry, say this is the country’s most important chance to open a new chapter in more than a decade.
But the country must make sure that members of the ousted regime do not return to power and that the new government can secure its authority. The United States – and only the United States – can do something to help make that happen.
The former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, aren’t politically dead yet. Critical parliamentary elections are scheduled for April. The new president, Maithripala Sirisena, rode to electoral victory on the back of a diverse group of parties. He must now consolidate his power so that democratic reform can go ahead.
What can the United States do to help? Mr. Kerry said the United States would take up longstanding human rights concerns with the new government. The State Department has spearheaded the creation of a United Nations investigation into war crimes committed under the Rajapaksa regime during the country’s civil war, which lasted from 1983 to 2009.
But that inquiry offers both too much and too little at this point. Too much, because pushing for full, sweeping accountability in this fragile moment of transition could destabilize the new government and jeopardize the warming of relations between the United States and Sri Lanka. Too little, because the United Nations investigation doesn’t have any teeth -the panel leading it doesn’t have the powers of a criminal tribunal, and cannot even impose a financial penalty.
Here is where Washington can play a constructive role.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former defense secretary, oversaw the Sri Lankan armed forces’ worst atrocities during the final stages of the civil war and, as it happens, he is a naturalized American citizen. (Indeed, he used to live in Los Angeles, where he worked as a computer systems operator at Loyola Law School.)
As a citizen, Mr. Rajapaksa can be held liable under the War Crimes Act of 1996, which puts war crimes anywhere in the world under the jurisdiction of United States courts if the perpetrator, or the victim, is a United States citizen. Put another way, the United States has a perfect justification to go after Mr. Rajapaksa individually.
Independent observers have long viewed Gotabaya Rajapaksa as an obstacle, perhaps even more than his brother, to a smooth political transition in Sri Lanka. There is little indication that he will respect the new government, which has opened an investigation to look into widely reported allegations that he and his brother attempted to engineer a military coup to overturn the election results.
It is in the new government’s interest to move decisively to protect its democratic victory by eliminating the threat of Mr. Rajapaksa’s return to power. That is a distinct possibility if his brother, Mahinda, succeeds in a bid to maintain control over the powerful opposition party.
That’s why marginalizing Mr. Rajapaksa now is important. The new president, Mr. Sirisena, has signaled that he is open to domestic criminal prosecutions to ward off foreign war crimes trials. And the president’s spokesman has indicated that the government may be willing to prosecute specific war crimes, such as the so-called White Flag incident, in which surrendering Tamil leaders with white flags were allegedly executed by soldiers on the final day of the civil war. That’s a highly significant statement because, as many Sri Lankans know, and as the State Department reported to Congress, the army chief at the time said that Mr. Rajapaksa gave the order �they must all be killed,� and later added that he would be willing to testify in a war crimes trial.
But proceeding against Mr. Rajapaksa will be politically challenging for the new Sri Lankan government to do on its own. The United States could help by signaling its own interest in opening a criminal case against Mr. Rajapaksa in the event that Sri Lanka doesn’t. That would give the new government both an opportunity and a justification to clean its house. Because of Mr. Rajapaksa’s citizenship, the United States would also be less vulnerable to accusations that it was meddling in the affairs of another nation.
The Obama administration might even say, in a very public way, that it will decide whether to proceed with its own criminal inquiry after giving Sri Lanka’s new establishment an opportunity to move first. Such signals from the United States could help politically marginalize the Rajapaksas at a critical point in the life of the country. They would also bolster President Sirisena’s efforts to have the country repudiate the past and recognize that its best future lies with his administration. The United States should do its part to bring accountability to Sri Lanka and assist its transition to democracy.