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Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera has issued a sincere apology for the recent comments he had made with regard to drug dealers and those connected to the drug trade holding high positions in various organizations or as philanthropists in religious organizations.

In response to a question on the restoration of Capital Punishment for drug dealers at a press conference last week, while reiterating his opposition to Capital Punishment, Samaraweera said that certain individuals connected to the drug trade try to cover their sins by being benefactors of society, holding high positions in various organizations or as philanthropists in religious organizations. 

“Inadvertently, I also mentioned Rotarians and Lions Clubs, which I deeply regret.”

He stated that there may be some individuals in society that join various organizations for such reasons. “However, I fully recognize and acknowledge that this does not, in any way, diminish the noble charitable work which has been, and continues to be done by these Organizations throughout the country, especially for the poor, needy, destitute and the vulnerable.”

“I understand that my comments would have resulted in causing pain of mind to many. To all of them, I express my sincere apologies,” he said in a statement

Source : Derana

Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera says law will be strictly enforced against errant traders who are raising prices of essential items arbitrarily.

He said the government has decided to strictly enforce the law against traders who use the revision of fuel prices as a justification to raise prices of essential items and services.

Accordingly, the government will take steps to introduce a strong new bill to overcome the shortcomings in the existing Consumer Affairs Authority Act to protect consumer rights, said the Finance Minister addressing a media briefing recently.

According to the fuel pricing formula introduced by the government on 11th May, the fuel prices will be revised in line with the market price on the midnight of the 10th of every month.

When asked whether the government has a plan to protect the consumer if the traders decide to raise the prices of other goods and services related to fuel prices, the Minister said that fuel prices alone cannot be used to raise prices of goods and services.

"In our country not only fuel prices, if the prices of all goods and services are increased, the prices in the market will be increased immediately but if the prices are reduced the benefits are not passed on to the consumers," he pointed out.

"Therefore we need to create moral qualities in traders. We need to train them to do the same when the prices are reduced as when they are raised," he added.

Minister Samaraweera said the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen is taking measures to draft the new laws required to protect the consumers from unscrupulous traders.

The Minister explained that a number of factors decide the price hikes on goods and services, and the prices cannot be raised based on fuel prices.

He said the price of goods and services should be increased carefully and fairly and the government is carrying out this responsibility with great care.

Source : Colombo Page

The debate regarding the allegations against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa by the New York Times newspaper claiming that he received Rs. 7.6 as campaign funds from a Chinese company will be held this week. 

According to parliamentary sources, the debate is set to be held on July 19. The debate proposition is to be made by the United National Party (UNP).

Releasing a gazette the Registrar of Pesticides has lifted the ban on glyphosate for all crops throughout the country. 

In a gazette notification dated July 11, 2018, Registrar J.A. Sumith said that on the advice of the Pesticides Technical and Advisory Committee, he was rescinding the order made under Section 11 of the Control of Pesticides Act No.33 of 1980 and published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1937/ 35 of October 23, 2015 which cancelled every licence issued in respect of pesticides containing the chemical glyphosate.

The Government imposed the glyphosate ban in 2015 over fears that this chemical was one of the causes for the kidney disease epidemic in the North-Central Province and elsewhere.

However, the recent move has now outraged Minister of Health, Rajitha Senaratne. He says the registrar cannot lift the ban contrary to cabinet decisions. While in 2017 the ban imposed in 2015 was lifted only for tea and rubber crops the Minister says the registrar cannot lift the ban on all crops. According to him, the new gazette is contrary to the cabinet decision made and he stressed that no public officer can act against them. 

Accordingly Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera says a new Gazette will be issued today once again lifting the ban of glyphosate use for tea and rubber as other industries are now managing without glyphosate and have not requested the use of it.

The Delegation of the European Union, the Missions of the EU Member States in Sri Lanka as well as the diplomatic missions of the Governments of Canada and Norway in Sri Lanka have written to President Maithripala Sirisena to verify the worrying information in the public domain about the intention of the Sri Lankan government to resume implementing the death penalty after a moratorium of more than 40 years.

In a letter sent to President Sirisena, the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka together with the British and the Canadian High Commissions, Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania and Norway said that they strongly and unequivocally opposed capital punishment in all circumstances and in all cases. 

"The mentioned diplomatic missions have made known in their letter that they strongly and unequivocally oppose capital punishment in all circumstances and in all cases.  The death penalty is incompatible with human dignity, does not have any proven deterrent effect, and allows judicial errors to become fatal and irreversible", the EU's delegation to Sri Lanka said.  

The diplomatic missions have requested the President to maintain the moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty and to uphold Sri Lanka's tradition of opposition to capital punishment.

It was reported that when the Cabinet took the topic of capital punishment for discussion last week, it was only Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera who opposed it on principle.

"I have always been against the Death Penalty and my stance has not changed. Even within the Cabinet, I voiced by opinion but the majority was for it", Samaraweera said. 

The Minister was of the opinion that life imprisonment for drug dealers was a greater punishment than death stating that “it would kill him a little every day instead of putting him out of his misery".

The new charge sheet for traffic spot fines will be in effect from today (15), according to the police. Police Media Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara stated that the new charge sheet will include 33 traffic and motor offences.
 
Previously there were only 23 offences and 3 of them have been removed from the new list, he further said.
 
Additionally, the minimum fine for an offence has been increased from Rs. 20 to Rs 500 in the new charge sheet, he added.

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a press release today (17) apologised from the Lions and Rotaract clubs for inadvertently mentioning them when he said that certain individuals connected to the drug trade try to cover their sins by being benefactors of society, holding high positions in various organizations or as philanthropists in religious organizations. 

"In response to a question on the restoration of Capital Punishment for drug dealers at a press conference last week, while reiterating my opposition to Capital Punishment, I said that certain individuals connected to the drug trade try to cover their sins by being benefactors of society, holding high positions in various organizations or as philanthropists in religious organizations. Inadvertently, I also mentioned Rotarians and Lions Clubs, which I deeply regret", Samaraweera said.

"There may be some individuals in society that join various organizations for such reasons. However, I fully recognize and acknowledge that this does not, in any way, diminish the noble charitable work which has been, and continues to be done by these organisations throughout the country, especially for the poor, needy, destitute and the vulnerable. I understand that my comments would have resulted in causing pain of mind to many. To all of them, I express my sincere apologies", he added.

One of the most admired War Heroes in contemporary Sri Lanka, Corporal Hasalaka Gamini Kularatne of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) who exactly 27 years ago laid his life for defence of his Elephant Pass camp was recalled to memory in front of his Elephant Pass statue premises during 13 - 14 July in fitting commemorative arrangements, organized by the 66 Division of the Security Force Headquarters - Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN).

Commemorative arrangements began with an all-night Pirith chanting ceremony on Friday (13) night, followed by an offer of alms (Heel Daana) to the members of the Maha Sangha. Organized on the instructions of Brigadier Deepthi Jayathilaka, General Officer Commanding, 66 Division with the support of the 662 Brigade Commander, Colonel Champika Ranasinghe and his troops, the commemorative event was attended by the mother of late War Hero and a gathering of civilians, in addition to Officers and Other Rankers.

On the following day (14), Major General Nishshanka Ranawana, Commander, Security Forces - Kilinochchi (SF-KLN), attending the second phase of the memorial ceremony as the Chief Guest set light to the eternal lamp near the statue and revered the heroic memory by placing a floral wreath at the foot. The War Hero’s mother, Mrs S.G Juliet, together with the General Officer Commanding, 66 Division, 662 Brigade Commander and several of her relatives paid their respects to the monument by placing wreaths.

Hundreds of coconut oil lamps were lit around the premises afterwards in memory of this great soldier as the dusk fell before the ‘Last Post’ was sounded for the culmination of the day’s proceedings in keeping with military traditions.

Source : SLR

They will reveal all details on the funds received by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa from China by next week, says the JVP. 

JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated this at a seminar held in Maharagama on Saturday. Despite the allegations, Rajapaksa has failed to deny the accusations. “Instead he is going around saying other things,” Dissanayake said adding that it shows the country’s leaders can be bought by other nations. “What kind of leaders are these” he questioned. 
 
He says that they will present all the information to the Parliament next week, with substantial proof.

Despite widespread reports that the Sri Lanka Army is preparing to remove a large number of its troops and camps from the North, releasing a statement today the Army has refuted these reports. “The Sri Lanka Army as a responsible one will not close down any Army camp as alleged in those misleading reports” the communique read. 
 
Going on further it said that certain media organizations operating under disgruntled politicians who are unhappy about the various development projects, being undertaken by Army troops island-wide are trying to mislead the public with false propaganda. “We urge the public to not be misled by these reports,” the Army release said adding that under any circumstances it will not resort to any decision that would pose a threat to national security
 
Explaining the situation the communique said the right-sizing process of the Army after the war is being distorted by parties with vested interests.  
 
“Rightsizing process has always been happening in the Army. Through the process, the troops who are mainly deployed for administrative duties are relieved and mobilized for field duties to gain better productivity, thereby doubling their efficiency” it further said. 
 
However this process does not allow any Army camp to be closed, but it instead enables the majority of troops in those camps to be deployed for emergency disaster needs and nation-building tasks in an effective manner. 
 
“Nevertheless, some false media reports try to claim that this process has led to a large let-up in the security arrangements in the North and East. It certainly is not a disbanding of battalions but is only a restructuring with the intention of distributing human and material resources equally among other battalions” it further said.

The Q branch Police in Tamil Nadu have detained three Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, including a couple, involved in several thefts and chain snatching cases when they attempted to flee to Sri Lanka in a boat from Rameswaram.

Acting on specific information, a Q branch team, led by N. Rajeshawari, Inspector of Police detained the trio – Rajan alias Kettiyan Pandi, 34, his wife Roopa alias Anu, 23, and Y. Nishanthan, 26, on Friday evening when they were waiting at the Ayyanarkoil seashore for boarding a boat to flee, The Hindu newspaper reported.

Pandi and his wife, who were staying at the Mettupatti refugee camp in Namakkal district and Nishanthan at Sivagnanapuram here after registering at the Mandapam refugee camp had decided to escape to their native villages in Jaffna after police launched a hunt for them in connection with chain snatching and criminal cases.

Police said Pandi, who had arrived as refugee in 2002, was involved in around 25 theft and chain snatching cases and was facing trial in about five cases. Nishanthan, who arrived as refugee in 1996, was also involved in several criminal cases, including two attempts to murder cases, police said. Roopa had pledged stolen jewellery and helped her husband, the police said.

After getting in touch with Nishanthan, Pandi arrived in Ramanathapuram with his wife, a couple of days ago to flee to Sri Lanka, police said.
Kenikarai police have arrested the trio.

The police have also arrested K Karnan, 42, a Sri Lankan Tamil living at Melavalasai on charges of pledging a stolen gold chain and mobilising money to the trio.

Police said Pandi after consuming liquor with Nishanthan on Friday night, had entered into a house at Madakottan, near here and snatched 7 sovereign of gold chain from an aged woman. Karnan pledged the chain for ₹1.10 lakh and arranged for their clandestine trip, police added.

Pandi, who was initially into bike lifting, switched over to chain snatching and had been operating on his own, police said. The couple had left their two children with Roopa’s mother in Mettupatti camp, police added. 

(Colombo Gazette)

IGP Pujith Jayasundara says he is prepared to introduce the national suit to the Police as a uniform instead of the current Khaki uniform. Once it is done, all police officers will conduct themselves like him, the IGP is claimed to have said. 

Sources say he had made these comments during a friendly discussion between, Minister of Law and Order Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara and Northern Province Chief Minister C.V Wigneswaran.