Sri Lanka needs  all the Parliamentarians of Joint Opposition to save Sri Lanka from its enemies.
Posted on July 25th, 2017

By Charles.S.Perera

I did not expect to put any of my patriotic friends against the Joint Opposition when I wrote my last article.

My intention  was not to cause disunity  in the Joint Opposition and get the anti JO elements play their tom-toms in anticipation of a division in the JO. We have the right to question but not with an eye to breakup the JO.

Because JO is the only saving grace” the people have to rid of this useless experiment being carried out to rule the country by the SLFP and the UNP when in fact one the Prime Minster is the UNP leader and the other the  President a UNP sympathiser pretending to be the President of the SLFP.

But  it is becoming obvious from past experience that no one can change the disastrous path this Yahapalanaya Sirisena-Ranil Government is taking to destroy every thing that we as citizen of this resplendent Sri Lanka respect and honour, such as its historical Sinhala Buddhist background, its culture, and the trust and unity that had been built through out the  years with the minority Communities of this Country. If they the Yahapalanaya continue to rule unchecked, the Sri Lanka we knew will not be the same again.

Joint Opposition helped this Sirisena Ranil Government to pass the 19th Amendment. Joint Opposition helped  Sirisena Ranil Government to pass their Budgets. Joint Opposition helped them in various ways hoping that they will correct their idiotic pursuit of the disastrous path to disintegrate Sri Lanka.

Joint Opposition did not object to writing a New Constitution but on the other hand participated in every one of the Committees set up to write a New Constitution. In being in the Constitution Assembly the Joint Opposition thought they will be able to  take action against the sinister moves of the Yahapalanaya Government to write a New reconciliatory Constitution  to  radically change Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lanka, to a multi racial, multi religious  country, giving the Tamils equal rights by even allowing them to sing the National Anthem in Tamil.

But, to what extent did the Joint Opposition succeed in their efforts to change the march of the yahapalanaya caravan of disaster ?

Every( ?) proposal the  members of the JO made at the Committee stage in the working process for the  writing of a New Constitution had not been accepted by the Lal Wijenayake Committee, and as a result the Joint Opposition withdrew from these bogus Committees.

If the Joint Opposition continues to stay on with the Constitutional Assembly, what is the guarantee it can stop Sirisena Ranil combination writing and passing a Constitution changing Sri Lanka politically from what it had been for more than two thousand five hundred years ?

Did  President Maithripala Sirisena show his gratitude  to the Joint Opposition which contributed much during  Sirisena –Ranil government’s  teething period ” by accepting it as the official Opposition of the Parliament which it very much deserves,  or give the post of Chief Opposition  Whip to the Joint Opposition ?

It is all right if the Joint Opposition remaining in the CA will enable it  to stop Sirisena-Ranil  government carry out secret manoeuvres to fool the people and hoist before them an outwardly innocent  Constitution  with all requirements included to make it Federal in implementation.

But President Maithripala Sirisena  is more UNP than Ranil Wickramasinghe his Prime Minister. We have seen how President Sirisena  steps in  at the correct time to save Ranil Wickramasinghe when he is facing a difficult political or other situation ?

In the case of the Bond issue there was every reason with two COPE reports and Attorney General’s declarations  to have interdicted Arjuna Mahendran- the  ex Governor of the Central Bank, and confiscate his Travel Documents and allow the Attorney General to file action against him.

But what did the President Sirisena do ?

Maithripala Sirisena allowed his Prime Minister to appoint the thief” to a higher post,  perhaps with a higher salary, as the advisor to the Prime Minister himself. Later when the situation was getting too hot to handle , President Sirisena appointed a Commission of inquiry  requiring it to give a report in three months.

After three months the Commission asked for an extension of the sittings of the Commission for six months, and it appears that  they will be asking for a further extension when they have enough evidence  even to hang him” without further investigation.

And again, what happened in the case of the Volkswagen Plant to be set up in Sri Lanka ?

President Sirisena  in order to fool the people  in a highly publicised Ceremony laid a foundation stone to set up a bogus” Volkswagen Plant in Kuliyapitiya. That play acting” of President Maithripala Sirisena was to save the face of his alter-ego Ranil Wickramasinghe .

President Sirisena  promised people a Cabinet reshuffle, because the Finance Minister  Ravi Karunanayake had fallen out of favour with the people. Ranil Wickramasinghe was aginst it because Ravi Karunanayake and Arjun Mahendran are his bosom friends. President Sirisena had to go ahead with his play acting to please the people, without harming the relation between  the President and his alter ego  Ranil Wickramasinghe.

The so called cabinet re-shuffle became an utter farce-a comedy” giving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Lotteries Board( the hen laying golden eggs) to Ravi Karunanayake, and the Ministry of Finance and the Media to Mangala Samaranayake,  the other bossom friend of the Prime Minister.

There are many such instances of President Maithripala Sirisena stepping into save face for Ranil Wickramasinghe.

President Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickramasinghe are political twins”. Nothing will separate them.

Something more drastic has to be done to either separate them and allow President Maithripala Sirisena to deliver himself from the delirium from which he is suffering, that he is ever grateful to Ranil,  and that he is nothing” without Ranil Wickramasinghe,  and make him understand that he should decide to stand or to die with  the leadership of SLFP cast upon him,  and now supported  by a section of the SLFP for their enjoyment of the priviledges and social dignity of being Ministers in  government even if it is taking Sri Lanka on a disastrous  path to be  a failed State. President Sirisena cannot do without the SLFP Presidency either, as otherwise it will be taken over by his sworn enemy Mahinda Rajapakse.

Having regular meetings organised   by the Joint Opposition and  with SLFP Supporters of  the President Mahinda Rajapakse in great numbers is good, but people participate in these meetings,  and thereafter fall into a political” somnolence. The people should be roused up and kept aware of the evil of Sirisena-Ranil Government to the Country and the people.

Just telling them that the Yahapalanaya Government is to a great state manipulated by the Western Countries and the UN, make some start hollering  that  it is creating phantoms               ( බිල්ලෝ මවනවා) or seeing crocodiles in the basin ( කොරහේ  කිඹුල්ලෝ දකිනවා ).

People see these UN and other Western visitors to Sri Lanka coming regularly, and see pictures in the news papers and TV showing   how they shake hands with our President and the Prime Minister and perhaps take it for a great yahapalanaya achievement.

Some of our people may be satisfied  by the mere fact that these great white men  come to shake hands of  our political dignitaries. Some of them may even  not mind prices of commodities going up,  and that they and their familes may  have to forego meal in order to make ends meet, as longs as they are given the priviledge of seeing  the white Western Leaders squeeze the hands of the  President Maithripala Sirisena, and seeing red carpets laid in foreign air ports to meet President Sirisena and the Prime Minister Wickramasinghe.

But in reality some of these visitors like Ben Emmerson QC- the UN Rapporter is not a reputable character.  Emmerson has been accused of child abuse. He was suspended  from being the most senior lawyer on the public inquiry into institutional child abuse in England and Wales .(https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2066530/child-abuse-inquiry-accused-of-staging-a-cover-up-as-sexual-assault-claims-surround-probes-top-lawyer/ )

Now the Jeffrey Feltman another UN Reporter in Sri Lanka was,  it appears involved in the Hillary Clinton e-Mail scandal. There are also the leaked Audio of the American State Department  of Jeffrey Feltman’s  involvement in using UN  with the Administer  of the American State Department. Vijay Prashad’s book –Arab Spring, Libyan Writer, speaks of Jef Feltman’s interference in the Affairs of the Arab countries.  These are the people who interfere into Sri Lank’s reconciliation process and the preparation of the New Constitution.

Ordinary people of Sri Lank do not know these questionable people who squeeze the hand of President Maithripala Sirisena  not for the respect and affection for the man, but to use him for their own purposes. The others who know  pretend not to know calling it  creating phantoms( බිල්ලෝ මවනවා) or seeing crocodiles in the basin ( කොරහේ  කිඹුල්ලෝ දකිනවා ).

Therefore, the JO should prepare pamphlets in Sinhala, Tamil and English explaining every action taken by the government which are detrimental to the country and the people. And also inform the people about the foreign visitors to Sri Lanka and what they do when they come.

The pamphlets should be short in simple language easy to read and understand by people of all sections of the Society. They should be printed in big letters. One pamphlets should cover one issue. They should be issued regularly to the people. So that they will know what President Maithripala Sirisena and his alter ego the Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe are up to behind  the scene with those pretentious speeches of high morality, humanity and righteousness, to divide and endanger the independence and unitary state of this land of the Sinhala Buddhists.

I had made this proposal to Dallus Alahapperuma in his face book. But he does not seem to have even read it.

22 Responses to “Sri Lanka needs  all the Parliamentarians of Joint Opposition to save Sri Lanka from its enemies.”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    My dear Charles,

    JO, MR, NR, CR, BR and GR are POWERLESS and SCRAED. IF they open their mouth, Sira traps them. After he made his 3 months threat, NO ONE will talk against Sira.

    Same with the MODI matter. Sira ORDERED MR and GR to meet MODI and was very angry with WW.

    You are a GOOD FRIEND of the JO. A good friend will NOT say YES to everything. A good friend says NO when it is bad. Too bad they don’t take your advice. They will REGRET it.

    But voters DO NOT accept ANY of this. They want WAR HEROES to be BOLD, LOUD and STAND UP AGAINST Sira. IF Rajapaksas cannot do that, people don’t think they are HEROES because HEROES don’t remain in a useless FEDERAL CONSTITUTION COUNCIL.

  2. SA Kumar Says:

    FEDERAL CONSTITUTION COUNCIL.
    NPC- Saiva TE
    EPC – Muslim TE
    Other 7PCs – Bhuddist Sinhela Lanka

    All fine but only my worry is Indian flag is flying in United Mother Lanka

  3. ranjit Says:

    No one blame you Charles. If you are a true patriot and patriotic to the Motherland you should be truthful and write your mind bravely for our readers to understand and think freely on the situation we face today in our country. As I told you many times JO and Mahinda Rajapaksa are the only solution to lift our country back to normal. Today country is in a mess. Bonny and Clyde (Sira-Ranil) play havoc with our economy and everything. Sira must be kicked out from the SLFP first for being betrayal to the party and to its leader when he became the joint opposition member to contest the election in 2015. He is the one who broke the party not my president MR.
    Time has come to kick their ass and send them both to hell. People are suffering more than any other time in our history because of their stupid policies and actions. Sinhala population and the buddhist religion both are in danger because of their policies. They listen to the tie coat westerners than our own citizens. Drugs, murders and looting public funds by the yamaballo in Yamapalanaya are rampart. Harassment and detention of opposition to this Yamapalanaya is the daily occurrence in this land today. Mahinda and JO must rally the patriotic movements around the country and start building a coalition to stand against this evil government to stop them before they break and destroy our Sinhala nation with the help of bloody western hypocrites and Indian parasites. Let’s call MR and JO to act strongly and save Motherland before it’s too late.

  4. Charles Says:

    Thank you Ranjit. Let us pray that things will get better for Sri Lanka .

  5. SA Kumar Says:

    1) The previous government took a $8 billion loan from the Chinese to build the port
    2) sell a 70 percent stake in the strategic Hambantota port for US$1.12 billion to state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings.

    now You know why we-Tamil call you Mod…….. ane man thanni ne ….

  6. Nihal Perera Says:

    I am in complete agreement with Ranjit. Charles is a patriot who should never be afraid to question anyone, including the JO. We see everyday how dirty politics are being played by both sides of the political spectrum. SLFP and UNP members and their leaders are playing a political chess game hoping they can out manure each other and retain the power, while everything else in the country is going to hell in a hand basket.

    It is extremely worrying the way this regime is trying to change the constitution with the help of the Tamil Diaspora, and their foreign supporters like UNCHR. Charles is absolute right to question the JO, including MR, on where they stand on the new constitution. Are they against it or for it? It is a legitimate question that we all need the answers for from JO and MR. Like many patriots in this forum, I will always appreciate MR and eternally grateful for saving the country from the LTTE murderers, and their supporting parasites in the West.

    However, today we are facing a greater threat from the same elements who supported the war. This time it is by using the constitution to hoodwink the naïve majority (Sinhalese) and separate the country using the back door.

    I feel the same way that Charles and others feel. We need the answers from the JO and MR how they planning to resolve not only constitutional crises, but myriad of other serious issues that ruining the country due to political chess playing by both sides.

    Keep up the good work Charles!

  7. Fran Diaz Says:

    Dear Charles

    We understand your point of view. Thank you for all you do for Lanka.

    In politics today, there is a lot more than meets the eye. Ananda USA has explained it.

  8. Senerath Says:

    වසර 30 ක්‌ සම්පූර්ණ වී ඇතත් මෙරට ජනතාවට මේ දක්‌වා එම ගිවිසුම මෙන්ම, එම ගිවිසුවේ ප්‍රතිඵලයන් ලෙස බිහිවූ 13 වැනි සංශෝධනය ද අහෝසි කර ගැනීමට නොහැකි වී ඇති අතර තවදුරටත් එම ගිවිසුම මෙරටට සහ ජනතාවට බලපෑම් කරන අයුරු ද දැකගත හැක.

    මේ වන විට නව ව්‍යවස්‌ථාවක්‌ ලෙස හෝ 20 වැනි සංශෝධනය ලෙස එළිදැක්‌වීමට වත්මන් ආණ්‌ඩුව උත්සාහ දරණ ව්‍යවස්‌ථාව මෙන්ම එට්‌කා ගිවිසුම ද ඉන්දු – ලංකා ගිවිසුමේ දිගුවක්‌ ලෙස හැඳින්විය හැක. ඒ නව ව්‍යවස්‌ථාව හරහා ඉන්දු – ලංකා ගිවිසුම මගින් දෙමළ ජනතාවගේ ඓතිහාසික නිජභූමිය ලෙස පිළිගෙන ඇති උතුර සහ නැගෙනහිරට දේශපාලන බලය පැවරීමට උත්සාහ දැරීම සහ ඉන්දු – ලංකා ගිවිසුවේ ඇමුණුමේ ඇති සමහර කොන්දේසි එට්‌කා ගිවිසුම මගින් ඉන්දියාව මේ දක්‌වා ඉටුකර ගැනීමට උත්සාහ දරණ බැවිනි. එබැවින් මෙම අවස්‌ථාවේදී ඉන්දු – ලංකා ගිවිසුම මෙන්ම එහි ඵලයක්‌ වූ 13 වැනි සංශෝධණය පිළිබඳව යළි සලකා බැලිය යුතුය. මෙම සතියේ “දේශපාලනයේ මෙතෙක්‌ කතාව” අතිරේකය වෙන්වන්නේ ඒ සඳහාය.

    **************************************************************

    ජනතාවට සේවයක්‌ නොවන
    මෙම ක්‍රමය අහෝසි කළ යුතුයි
    මානව හිමිකම් කටයුතු පිළිබඳ නීතිඥ කල්‍යාණන්ද තිරාණගම මහතා

    13 වන සංශෝධනය මේ රටේ ජනතාවගේ ඉල්ලීමක්‌ හෝ අවශ්‍යතාවයක්‌ මත ගෙන එන ලද්දක්‌ නෙවෙයි. ඉන්දු ලංකා ගිවිසුම මෙන්ම 13 වන සංශෝධනයත් ඉන්දියාවේ අවශ්‍යතාවය මත, ඉන්දියාවේ බලපෑමට යටවෙලා කරන ලද්දක්‌. එම අවස්‌ථාවේදී ඉන්දියාවට අවශ්‍ය වූවා ත්‍රිකුණාමලය වරාය මෙන්ම උතුර සහ නැගෙනහිර දෙපළාතේ සම්පත් ඔවුනගේ යටතේ තබා ගැනීමට. ඉන්දු-ලංකා ගිවිසුමේ සඳහන් වනවා ඉන්දියාවේ ප්‍රයෝජනයට හානිදායක ලෙස ත්‍රිකුණාමලය වරාය භාවිතා නොකළ යුතු බව.

    ඉන්දු-ලංකා ගිවිසුමට අනුව පිහිටුවන ලද පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමයෙන් මේ රටට අයහපතක්‌ මිස යහපතක්‌ සිද්ධ වී නැහැ. පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමය නිසා බොහෝ විෂයයන් සම්බන්ධයෙන් පොදු ක්‍රියාදාමයක්‌ සිද්ධ වෙන්නේ නැහැ. එම ක්‍රමය ඇති කිරීමට පෙර මෙරට පාසල් 10300 ක්‌ පමණ තිබුණා. නමුත් පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමය ඇතිකර 2000 වසර වන විට පාසල් සංඛ්‍යාව 9300 දක්‌වා අඩු වූවා. අධ්‍යාපන ක්‍ෂේත්‍රයෙ පමණක්‌ නෙවෙයි ඒ ආකාරයටම සෞඛ්‍ය ක්‍ෂේත්‍රය ඇතුළු තවත් ක්‍ෂේත්‍රවල එම පිරිහීම සිද්ධවී තිබෙනවා.

    අනෙක්‌ අතට පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමය නිසා විශාල වියදමක්‌ දැරීමට සිද්ධවී තිබෙනවා. පළාත් සභා මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් පමණක්‌ 400 ගණනක්‌ සිටිනවා. ඇමැතිවරයකුගේ පඩිය සහ වරප්‍රසාද ලැබෙන මහ ඇමැතිවරු 9 දෙනකු සිටිනවා. සාමාන්‍ය ඇමැතිවරු 36 ක්‌ සිටිනවා. ඔවුන්ට පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ නියෝජ්‍ය ඇමැතිවරයකුගේ වැටුප සහ වරප්‍රසාද ලැබෙනවා. පළාත් සභාවේ නඩත්තුව සඳහා වෙන්කරන මුදල්වලින් වැඩි කොටසක්‌ වැය වන්නේ ඒ සඳහා තමයි. ජනතාවට දරන්න බැරි එම බර ඇති කළේ 13 වන සංශෝධනයෙන් ඇති කළ පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමයෙන් තමයි.

    පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමය ඇති කළ නිසා උතුර සහ නැගෙනහිර යන දෙපළාතේ ජනතාවට ඇති වූ සෙතකුත් නෑ. සෙතක්‌ වූයේ ප්‍රාදේශීය දේශපාලනඥයන්ට පමණයි.

    ලංකාවේ එක්‌ පළාතක සිටින ජනගහනයට වඩා ජනගහනයක්‌ ඉන්දියාවේ එක්‌ ඡන්ද කොට්‌ඨාසයක සිටිනවා. ලංකාව වගේ කුඩා රටකට මේ වගේ ක්‍රමයක්‌ අවශ්‍ය නැහැ කියන එක තමයි මගේ අදහස. ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම මෙම ක්‍රමය නිසා බලය බෙදෙනවා කිව්වට එහෙම දෙයක්‌ සිද්ධ වෙන්නේ නැහැ. සිද්ධ වෙන්නේ ප්‍රාදේශීය දේශපාලඥයන්ගේ අවශ්‍යතා සපුරාලීමක්‌ පමණයි. ජනතාවට සේවයක්‌ නොවන මෙම ක්‍රමය අහෝසි කළ යුතුය කියන එක තමයි මගේ අදහස.

    ************************************************************

    ජේ. ආර්. ජයවර්ධන මහතාට බේරෙන්න
    බැරි නිසා තමයි මෙම ගිවිසුම අත්සන් කළේ
    ජාතික සංවිධාන එකමුතුවේ කැඳවුම්කරු
    සාහිත්‍යශූරී ගුණදාස අමරසේකර මහතා

    1815 ගිවිසුම වගේම අපව යටත් කළ ගිවිසුමක්‌ ලෙසයි මම ඉන්දු-ලංකා ගිවිසුම දකින්නේ. මොකද එම ගිවිසුම ජනතා විරෝධය මධ්‍යයේ පරිප්පු ගුවනින් දාල, ජේ. ආර්. ජයවර්ධන මහතා අල්ලගෙන අත්සන් කළ ගිවිසුමක්‌. එම ගිවිසුමට විරෝධය දැක්‌වූ එකසිය ගණනකට වෙඩි තබල මැරුව.

    ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම මට සිතෙන ආකාරයට ජේ. ආර්. ජයවර්ධන මහතාට බේරෙන්න බැරි නිසා තමයි මෙම ගිවිසුම අත්සන් කළේ. එම තත්ත්වය නිසා එම ගිවිසුම සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම ක්‍රියාත්මක වූයේ නැහැ. ජනාධිපතිගේ නියෝජිතයකු ලෙස ආණ්‌ඩුකාරවරයකු පත් කිරීම වැනි වගන්තීන් එම තත්ත්වයට බලපෑවා.

    ඊට පසුව අපි ජනතා විමුක්‌ති පෙරමුණ සමඟ එකතුවෙලා උතුර සහ නැගෙනහිර යන දෙපළාත වෙන් කිරීමට කටයුතු කළා.

    එසේ වුවත් ඉන්දු-ලංකා ගිවිසුම මෙන්ම 13 වන සංශෝධනයත් සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම නීති විරෝධියි. මේ පිළිබඳව ඉතා හොඳ විශ්ලේෂණයක්‌ කරල තිබෙනවා රාජා වනසුන්දර විනිශ්චයකාරතුමා. එතුමා සඳහන් කරල තිබෙනවා මෙම ව්‍යවස්‌ථාව නිසා පෙඩරල් රාජ්‍යයක්‌ ඇතිවන බව. ඉන්දියාවේ තිබෙන පෙඩරල් රාජ්‍යයට වඩා එහා යන පෙඩරල් රාජ්‍යයක්‌ ඇතිවන බවත් සඳහන් කරල තිබෙනවා. එම නිසා 13 වන සංශෝධනය ඉවත් කළ යුතු බව විශේෂ වාර්තාවක්‌ සපයමින් රාජා වනසුන්දර මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කර තිබෙනවා. එපමණක්‌ නෙවෙයි එතුමා සඳහන් කරල තිබෙනවා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ සාමාන්‍ය බහුතරයෙන් එම කටයුත්ත කළ යුතු බවත්.

    එම කටයුත්ත මහින්ද රාජපක්‍ෂ මහතාට කරන්න තිබුණා. ත්‍රස්‌තවාදය පරාජය කරලා මේ රට එක්‌සේසත් කළ ඒ මහතා එම කටයුත්ත නොකිරීමේ පාපය තමයි අද අපි මේ ගෙවන්නේ. එම අවස්‌ථාවේදී එම කටයුත්ත කිරීමට මහින්ද රාජපක්‍ෂ මහතා ඉදිරිපත් වූවා නම් ඊට සියලු දෙනාම එක්‌වන බව මම විශ්වාස කරනවා.

  9. Ananda-USA Says:

    Meanwhile,

    The YAMAPALANA Cabinet approved the long-term 99-year lease of Hambantota Port to the Chinese yesterday for a 1.12 billion USD payment by the Chinese.

    This will be presented to Parliament for DEBATE ONLY, but NOT FOR APPROVAL by a VOTE, before being SIGNED INTO LAW next Saturday.

    If the Parliament is responsible for ENACTING LAWS, why is it not necessary to be VOTED ON and only DEBATED? The Yamapalanaya wants to CIRCUMVENT the Parliamentary vote and sign the agreement before itruns into ORGANIZED OPPOSITION.

    The agreement provides for ownership of slightly LESS than 50% by China of the Hambantota SERVICES Company, while 70% of the ownership of the Hambantota Port INFRASTRUCTURE Company will be LEASED to China for 99-years. Apparently, various BUY-BACK provisions to REDUCE the lease period from 75 to 65 years after 10-years, and even 100% after 60+ years are also part of the agreement.

    The FAILURE by the Yamapalanaya to SECURE a MAJORITY STAKE in the INFRASTRUCTURE Company is VERY DESTRUCTIVE, and EXTREMELY AGONIZING to me, personally!

    No one but a PARA-GATHI KALLIYA of RANK TRAITORS do things like this.

    The TRADE UNIONS representing the Petroleum Workers have launched a STRIKE to PROTEST the ALIENATION of National ASSETS including the oil facilities at Trincomalee Port, and the looming lease of Hambantota Port to China.

    Let us hope that MORE TRADE UNIONS, POLITICAL PARTIES and ORDINARY CITIZENS rush to JOIN the ONGOING PROTESTS!

    …………………..
    Sri Lanka government approves Hambantota Port deal with China
    Tue, Jul 25, 2017, 08:44 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s government on Tuesday approved the deal to lease the loss-making Hambantota Port to a State-owned Chinese conglomerate for over a billion dollars.

    Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the Cabinet today granted final approval to sell a 70 percent stake in the strategic Hambantota port for US$1.12 billion to state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings.

    Under the agreement, the Chinese will manage the port operations and Sri Lanka Navy will be in charge of port security.

    According to the agreement the Port will be leased to the relevant company to carry out the operations. The government will also be a partner of the operations.

    The Minister said the Hambanthota Port was a huge burden to the Port Authority due to continuous losses and paying loan installments borrowed for the port.

    “Security of the port will not be given to anyone else. It will be handled 100 percent by Sri Lankans,” the Minister said. “That should allay fears that port could be misused by the Chinese.”

    Hambantota port straddles the world’s busiest east-west international shipping lane across the Indian Ocean and some nations, especially India have raised concerns that it could become a military hub for the Chinese.

    Minister Samarasinghe said foreign naval vessels could call at Hambantota as they did at the main port in the capital Colombo.

    “We will not provide special treatment to any country. We want to maintain good relations with all and we don’t want to antagonize anyone,” Samarasinghe said.

    “We don’t envisage giving special treatment to any one country like during the previous regime,” he said referring to a 2014 incident when two Chinese submarines called at Colombo – the only time any foreign submarines had stopped there.

    The previous government took a $8 billion loan from the Chinese to build the port – a commercial failure which does not even generate enough revenue to pay staff salaries – and other infrastructure.

    The new government, which came to power in January 2015, has been trying to renegotiate the terms of the loan. Samarasinghe said Hambantota port needed a fresh capital injection of $600 million to make it viable, but Colombo could not afford the investment and was banking on the Chinese to turn around the business.

    According to new negotiations, China Merchants Port Holdings agreed to reduce its stake in the Sri Lankan joint venture running the commercial operations of the port from 70 percent to 65 percent after 10 years, the document says.

    Minister Samarasinghe said the deal now needs to be approved by the parliament and it will be presented in parliament for approval on Friday. After debate in parliament it will be ratified, the Minister said.

  10. Ananda-USA Says:

    The Yamapalanaya IMPOSED a 1% TAX on INWARD REMITTANCES by all Sri Lankans!

    That will have a CHILLING EFFECT on all LARGE REMITTANCES/INVESTMENTS by Expatriates!

    That will NOT BE an INCENTIVE, but a DISINCENTIVE for making such INVESTMENTS by Sri Lankans!

    Meanwhile,

    Our testimonial evidence has been given to the Presidential Commission on the Bond Scam that the HITAPU Finance Minister RAVI KARUNANAYAKE has accepted the BRIBE of a RENT-FREE LUXURY MANSION (approx 10,000 USD monthly rental) from Aloysius Mahendran …. one of the MAIN CENTRAL BANK BOND SCAMMERS!

    Ravi Karunanayake, and his PROTECTOR Ranil Wikunanasinghe, should be DIMISSED by the President IMMEDIATELY, and Karunanayake should be INDICTED for BRIBERY!

    …………………………………
    Sri Lanka parliament uses electronic voting in passing Foreign Exchange Act
    Tue, Jul 25, 2017, 09:52 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka parliament today passed the Foreign Exchange Bill with amendments after it was debated in the House. When the Division was taken 94 voted in favor and 18 against the Bill.

    Parliament for the first time used an electronic voting system to vote on the Foreign Exchange Bill, Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva said.

    Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting the Bill said the main policy of the government is to manage the foreign exchange control.

    The Foreign Exchange Bill will relax Exchange Control by liberalizing inward and outward remittances of both local and foreign currencies.

    The Premier said legal allocations for foreign exchange control act are introduced at present. Thereby the provision is being simplified for easy implementation. A remittance fee of one percent will be levied for every million rupees brought into the country from abroad by Sri Lankans.

    Joining the debate Deputy Minister Dr. de Silva argued it was timely and prudent and would not only help attract greater volume of Forex but also allow Sri Lankan companies to expand overseas.

    Minister Kabir Hashim emphasized the importance of improving the Foreign Exchange Act provision. These provisions will be established under Bribery Act and Money Laundering Act.

    Addressing the Parliament Minister Mangala Samaraweera expressed confidence that the country will be developed by building a stable economy. Minister also reiterated that an accurate people friendly economic policy will be adopted for this purpose. The government will get rid of obsolete and ineffective policies.

    Minister Samaraweera further said the country has shown a remarkable improvement on the economy since the present government took office in 2015. He also said the country’s total debt amount by 2019 will be 4.245 billion dollars. This is a burden which the country never expected to face. Out of this debt 82 percent of loans were taken during Rajapaksa regime. This is also identified as three times larger than the gross national income.

    The Bill provides provisions for exportation and importation of foreign exchange subjected to terms and conditions which will be gazetted by the Finance Minister.

  11. Dilrook Says:

    Imposing a 1% tax on inward remittances by Sri Lankans and relaxing outward remittances are foolish measures. These are more aimed at easing ETCA and helping regime crooks to syphon out their ill-gotten money to safe havens abroad. This will further reduce FDIs and kill the hen that lays golden eggs. Only 18 MPs voted against the bill. JO has 51, JVP another 6 and TNA 14. What happened to the other 53 MPs? Probably it helps them too hide their money in foreign bank accounts.

    $4.5 billion is the loan repayments due in 2019 – the highest ever. All this was borrowed between 2008 to 2015. It is true Mahinda borrowed 82% of the outstanding debt. All others borrowed the remaining 18%.

    The claim debt is three times the GNI is nonsense. It must be a typo. Total debt was almost always stayed above GDP for the past 16 years. Central Bank hides $22 billion debt ($21 billion by 2014). These were borrowed by the government through corporations and other organisations bypassing the Central Bank. This corrupt practice of direct borrowing and hiding debt must stop.

  12. Dilrook Says:

    On Hambantota port, there is no vote in parliament because no party has asked for a vote!

    This is the same thing that happened to the Office of Missing Persons bill. No party asked for a vote! Not having opposed it effectively in parliament, some JO MPs slay the Act outside parliament which is hypocrisy. The very same happened to 19A. Only 1 MP (now not in parliament) voted against 19A. But some JO MPs that even voted in favour of 19A, criticize it outside parliament. The last 2 budgets are the same. JO MPs who didn’t vote against the budget oppose it outside the parliament.

    JO still remains in the Constitutional Assembly and Dinesh even met Feltman! While no one knows what exactly was discussed, Dinesh was quick to tell his version of the event to the people. They cannot verify it. He must have boycotted meeting this interferer which would have conveyed the disagreements there are about the new constitution and a protest against outsider interference. Voters must take note.

    Politicians of all parties can do these and get away because there are hardcore political loyalists who have little or no regard for the nation.

    On a different matter, Mahinda’s loyalists and advisors have done enough damage to him and his family. This resembles political street thugs attacking anyone speaking against their politician. Extremely unfortunate for Mahinda to have such loyalists and advisors. He needs no enemies.

  13. Senerath Says:

    “Mahinda’s loyalists and advisors have done enough damage to him and his family. This resembles political street thugs attacking anyone speaking against their politician. Extremely unfortunate for Mahinda to have such loyalists and advisors.”– Dilrook

    This is the game they think they can win. We can observe this foolish behaviour by almost ALL his supporters, including some in Lankaweb. Young generation will definitely vote against this. People with some sort of internet acessibility will not trust them and will vote against. As a matter of urgency he should not carry on with the same strategy as before and must change. Now or never.

  14. Charles Says:

    Senerath Mahinda Rajapakse and his supporters are the only way out for Sri Lanka, if not Sri Lanka is doomed.

  15. Lorenzo Says:

    Sira attacking Run-nil in 2010.

    Please give wide PUBLICITY.

    “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1BybtQHHx0”

  16. Fran Diaz Says:

    In the context of what is happening today, Sri Lanka does NOT have a working DEMOCRACY.

    As Dilrook points out :

    * The 19-A was not voted on
    * The OMP Bill was not voted on
    * The H’athota revised project Bill was not voted on, but the Deal was signed in. Instead of the voting, Parliament was put on hold for one week ‘due to unruly events’ in the Parliament.

    At this rate, one wonders what is going to happen to Govt held (on behalf of THE PEOPLE OF LANKA, Assets of Lanka, such as Trinco Port, N&E as part of Lanka, Land, Govt held tea land, Petroleum & Gas, Minerals, etc.

    Also, one wonders what will happen to the leaders of the Armed Forces of Lanka ?

  17. Fran Diaz Says:

    Why were not the 19-A & OMP Bill & Budgets voted on properly with Debate/Vote from the Parliament, as required by the Constitution ?

    Because the Sri Lanka Parliament has been bribed to the hilt with raised monthly Allowances on top of their raised Salaries, & luxury cars, plus other benefits such as Rent Allowances, etc.
    The Parliamentarians are beholden to the Yahap and will do their bidding, however illegal and unfair the method used by the Yahap leaders.

    Conclusion : So we do NOT have a working DEMOCRACY.
    The People have been let down.
    The Country will be sold due to the Yahap ‘Crash & Sell’ Plan.

    What Lanka does have now is a Fascist/Sadist govt.

  18. Ananda-USA Says:

    Tomorrow will be YET ANOTHER BLACK FLAG DAY in Sri Lanka, when the Hambantota POrt will be signed over to China for 99-Years!

    How shall we stem the TEARS of Mother Lanka?

    Should the HANDS RAISED in AGREEMENT with this TREASONOUS ACT MOST FOUL, and those that will SIGN that TREACHEROUS AGREEMENT TOMORROW, be SPARED the VENGEANCE of Sri Lankan PATRIOTS?

    I think NOT! We will NEVER FORGET this DAY of INFAMY in our history!

    SOW the WIND TODAY; REAP the WHIRLWIND TOMORROW!

  19. Ananda-USA Says:

    Cerburus,

    Yes! The proceeds of the Handover of Hambantota Port will be STOLEN just like the other funds in the National Treasury were.

    I MOURN the LOSS of the VAST INCOME we could have EARNED from the Hambantota Port to DEVELOP and TRANSFORM Sri Lanka into the NEW WONDER of Asia!

    ALL of the DEBTS of Sri Lanka could have been PAID-OFF with 5-years of INCOME from Hambantota Port services to ships plying the Maritime Silk Route of China.

    Instead, we GAVE AWAY THAT OPPORTUNITY …. a ONCE IN A Nation’s LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY …. to China for $1.12 Billion … a MERE PITTANCE compared to the 100’s of Billions of USD that we could have EARNED from it!

    We GAVE AWAY GOLD in exchange for COPPER!

    We send our poor women as HOUSEMAIDS to the Persian Gulf to be humiliated, exploited and raped! We could have given them a VIBRANT Motherland to return to and help develop with the Hambantota Port funds.

    If I were President, I would order the YAMAPALANAYA TRAITORS who did this to be HOISTED onto POINTED STAKES at Galle Face, and left there to DANGLE in PERPETUITY as a lesson to ALL would-be TRAITORS!

    I WEEP. I WEEP UNCONSOLABLY for my Motherland, for WE OURSELVES are OUR WORST ENEMIES, aiding and abetting our ENEMIES to DISMEMBER Mother Lanka!

  20. Ananda-USA Says:

    Sale of Hambantota Port – A fair deal.? අපේ හම්බන්තොට වරායත් අද චීනෙට වික්කා පුතේ

    https://youtu.be/R6liq_rrRgg

  21. Ananda-USA Says:

    BTW,

    I am not OPPOSED to Chinese Investment and Involvement in the Hambantota Port. IN FACT, I WELCOME IT.

    But, the MAJORITY stake in that Investment should be in Sri Lankan hands, and Security Control and Sovereignty over the Port should be COMPLETELY in Sri Lankan hands, for Sri Lanka to be the MAJOR BENEFICIARY of its National Asset and RETAIN sovereign ownership.

    Instead, the YAMAPALA government has thrown the BABY out with the BATHWATER!

  22. Ananda-USA Says:

    MORE SKULDUGGERY by the Yamapalanya:

    At a meeting today (the Video is on Youtube), the NFF made the following Revelation about a DISCREPANCY in the Hambantota Port Lease:

    The Hambantota Port Services (HPS) Ltd company (valued at 606 million USD)

    1. will be owned in the ratio of 50.3 : 49.7 in favor of SL owning the MAJORITY of shares according to the Bill presented to the Cabinet, BUT

    2. it will be owned in the ratio of 42.0 : 58.0 in favor of the Chinese company owning the MAJORITY of shares according to the AGREEMENT that was signed yesterday.

    In addition, the Hambantota Port Group (HPG) Ltd company (valued at 794 million USD)will ber owned in the ratio of 15.0 : 85.0 in favor of the Chinese company owning the MAJORITY of shares according to BOTH the ocuments approved by the Cabinet AND the AGREEMENT signed yesterday.

    Therefore, the Chinese company will own 58% of HPS Ltd and 85% of HPG Ltd, a MAJORITY share in BOTH companies.

    This reduction in Sri Lanka’s ownership of 8.7% in HPS Ltd from 50.7% to 42.0% represents a sum of 57.3 million USD!

    Who AUTHORIZED this DISCREPANCY at Sri Lanka’s EXPENSE?

    Who will PROFIT from this? Are these BRIBES GIVEN to YAMAPALANA Ministers?

    Is this why, the Speaker of the House SHUTDOWN the DEBATE on this Bill in Parliament, called the VOTE to Approve the Lease against VOCIFEROUS OPPOSITION, and FLED the HOUSE in an unseeming hurry, suspending Parliament and PREVENTING FURTHER DISCUSSION until August 4, 2017??

    WE NEED the Hambantota Port LEASE AGREEMENT to be IMMEDIATELY REVOKED & an INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED into POSSIBLE CRIMINALITY in this MATTER!

    Is the PANA-NATHI JANA-PATHI listening, or is he ASLEEP at the HELM as USUAL?

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