To the kind attention of, His Excellency the President of the DSRO Sri Lanka and Hon; Gotabaya Rajapakshe the Secretary of Defense
Posted on January 23rd, 2013
A concerned citizen
Dear Sirs,
Subject: Sri Lanka Customs
It is a sad plight despite your honorable wish of crime free Sri Lanka and anti under world actions, the activities of the Sri Lanka customs is the epi center of Narcotics and other contrabands coming in to the country.
The corrupt customs officials together are minting money from smugglers of Narcotics, Contrabands and various other malpractices of businessman who are importing goods under pseudonym, under invoiced and false cargo manifests where great majority of these importers are Muslims. This is specifically attributed to the fact that Muslim smuggler businessman profiteering largely, speedier and easier than Sinhela businessman who use the legal channel and end product becomes more expensive in comparision with that of Muslim.
This is a great threat to the loyal Sinhela businessman and deteriorating the economy of Sinhela people, subjecting Sinhela people to social insecurity and joblessness in general and Sinhela businessman appear impotent in the society, while Muslims are triumphing.
This way the Muslim businessman rises over night and financially more powerful who later even engage in other wises along with Muslim underworld.
The corruption and malpractice at the Sri Lanka customs is totally blamed for, where they subject Sinhela businessman to harassments and delaying of clearing their cargo on time, applying heavy duties, penalties and cess while helping Muslim businessman in a speedy process and courtesy.
We have eye witness accounts where Customs Officials of all ranks, and going to the Muslim businessmanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s locations, houses for delivering and clearing the container/s, where huge ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bribes are taken in secrecy while containers left unchecked. This is the normal practice of the Customs officials and Muslim businessman, while there may be few customs official who are not, but are victims in front of the majority corrupt.
We assume that this applies to some officials in the defense circles too which you may look in to seriously before that could become a catostrophy to the security of the entire country.
Under the above situation, we appeal and suggest that the Sri Lanka customs should be handed over to the Ministry of Defense under special order by the H E President and Hon; Def. Sec. shall employ honest and tough defense officials to the ranks of administration, so that all ills could be detected, sanitized for one and for all. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
January 23rd, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Sometime back the ports ministers were Arseroff and Hack-him. During this time, they put their thugs in top places at the customs to help Muslims and delay others.
Now we are paying the price of this stupidity.
Customs is the MOST CORRUPT. We need someone like president premadasa to clean this up.
I don’t think MR, GR, NR or BR will do this.
January 23rd, 2013 at 8:50 pm
With all due respect,
I am so happy to note that Lorenzo is opening his eyes to the limits of the Rajapakse governance !!
Mario Perera
Kadawata
January 24th, 2013 at 3:55 am
“The Director and Head of Customs Preventive Division who was accused of accepting a bribe of Rs.1 million has been released on bail by the Colombo Magistrates Court today (January 24).
The suspect was released on a bail of Rs.100,000 and two personal bails of Rs.1 million while the suspect’s passport has temporarily been seized.
The director was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption for allegedly accepting Rs. 1 million to free 5 containers containing vehicle spare parts.
The bribery commission stated that the official was arrested inside his office.
The Magistrate earlier denied a bail request by the defendant.”
adaderana 24/01/2013
January 24th, 2013 at 4:15 am
For God’s sake Mr.President do something NOW not TOMORROW to eradicate corruption in all forms in high places. Arrest the culprits and put them behind bars for good. How can you make our Motherland wonder of ASIA with all these corrupt politicians,Govt.Officials, some Armed Forces personnel etc.
Customs officials are the most corrupt in every country in the world. Most of the drug business done by Muslims it’s a fact no one can deny that. They pray for five times and do the most corrupt things in the book. Mr.Hon Gota take over all the corrupt places under you and make our country real wonder of ASIA. Only you we trust,only you can do it. May God helps you Sir.
January 24th, 2013 at 4:32 am
Lorenzo – I join mario_perera in his congratulatory message to you. A good attempt to realize the reality.
May I also add the name of CR ( Chamal Rajapaksa) to the list of Ministers who added personnel and burdened that State Instituion. We know how that was done during his tenure of office.
Please don’t think this is in anyway to block the development work. What we need is to establish good governance and manage our (peoples’) resources in the most appropriate and beneficial manner to the betterment of all the citizens of the country.
January 24th, 2013 at 5:13 am
Smuggling is very very very lucrative.
Corruption is relative. Sri Lankan Custom Officers are indeed disturbingly rife with corruption, but not to the horrendous extent of the India or Muslim countries.
Two months ago month following the death of four Muslim cow smugglers in West Bengal, the whole area with its vicinity entered into the caldron of fire where Muslim cow smugglers blocked roads and railways paralyzing the administration virtually for hours.
When police went to negotiate with the local bosses of Muslim smugglers, there was a large outcry for vengeance. Even some of them were heard to scream that the business of cow smuggling was going on in full cognizance of police and as they had to pay government officials hefty amounts regularly, death of their co-cow smugglers was unacceptable to them.
Few Muslim cow smugglers told police officials that the any such death in future would lead to massive destruction only.
Muslims had been smuggling African natives to work like animals in Muslim countries, where the women would be sex slaves and the men castrated guards of the harems – at best.
January 24th, 2013 at 7:03 am
There is a dearth of National feeling in Sri Lanka. Various groups are running their own show to make money or to get power, and there is no cohesive single mindedness for the greater good of Sri Lanka as a Nation. Over a hundred different political parties have been registered here. For what purpose ? All political parties ought to exist for the greater good of the citizenry of Lanka, for a sense Security of all here. Disloyalty to the country (a hangover from 500 yrs of Colonization), is shamelessly accepted as a norm. That it in itself is a disgrace to this country.
Some suggestions :
– An Oath of Allegiance at school level a must. Also for all government workers as well as for the private sector.
– There ought to be a National Rogues Gallery of photos displayed of those proved disloyal to the Nation.
– A fair wage to workers and workers rights a must.
– All Illegal Migrants ought to be deported.
January 24th, 2013 at 8:29 am
Fran Diaz,
“Over a hundred different political parties have been registered here. For what purpose?”
Primarily it is for the benefit of those parties themselves! There had been at least one case where the elected candidate resigned immediately after having collected the tax-free car for the next person in the list to get duly elected and that one in turn getting the tax-free car. That of course is quite legal. I am not sure whether that one in turn resigned for the next in line to avail the perk. This indicates one of the purposes as far as those individuals were concerned.
For such parties that itself is well worth the endeavour.
Whatever the system, invariably there will be shortcomings in it and people with a certain bent will exploit them.
The better educated people would find even more ingenious methods to exploit any shortcomings in the rules and would even know how to conceal their wrong doings and would have plans to avoid / evade censure.
When you said, “Disloyalty to the country (a hangover from 500 yrs of Colonization), is shamelessly accepted as a norm.” you identified one important manifestation of the malaise. It is as if it is alright to avoid tax, defraud public funds and property.
All of your suggestions would help, but it will take a long time to change such mind set because there are so many stake-holders benefitting from the status quo, particularly because the change has to be achieved within a parliamentary democracy.
January 24th, 2013 at 9:13 am
SenaD,
Thanks for your response. You are right : “… it will take a long time to change such mind set because there are so many stake-holders benefitting from the status quo, particularly because the change has to be achieved within a parliamentary democracy”.
Even the developed countries (Democratic) are still struggling to make their Democratic Systems better.
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But, suggestions even now give us Hope for a Happier, Healthier, more just and equitable future for all. We are seen as an ‘administratively weak’ nation by those who wish to exploit the country, as we do not yet have proper Systems in place for Good Governance. The some 30 yr war with the ltte was a great set back to the Nation, as were the JVP insurrections. One wonders now whether Mrs Sirimavo B. could not have better handled the JVP initial onslaught which was triggered by, again, 500 yrs of Colonisation (neglect of masses), & the Cold War. One more observation : Sri Lankan leaders are tardy about action till social problem reach monumental proportions and becomes National issues.
So make Suggestions we must, all of us. We must attempt to make Sri Lanka free of strife as much as possible, on an all time basis.
January 26th, 2013 at 11:29 am
Open wine bars let everyone celebrate and be happy.work towards a secular broadminded country.live by good example of honesty,hard work and respect to others.Don’t rub religion in to every damn thing in our lives as it is the school of the hypocrites.It has no relevance to this day and age and it is divisive and suppressive.