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Prior to the reshuffle of the cabinet, Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam is said to have given 460 backdated government employment appointments according to sources from the Ministry of education and Cultural Affairs.  

According to reports, the Minister had issued these appointments to the Central cultural fund and several other agencies operating under the Ministry of Education. 

When questioned an official from the Ministry said these suspicious appointments are being reported in the Central cultural fund and several other agencies coming under the Ministry of Education and therefore till the subjects and roles of the Ministries are gazetted the Ministry has decided to not take a decision regarding the matter. 

He also said an investigation will be launched as to how these appointments were made. 
 
The official went on to say that providing employment is not an issue but there is a due process to do so but if these have not been made accordingly a decision will have to be made.

Buddhist relics not even heard of in Buddhism is being displayed in the country now with it almost taking the appearance of a fair says Asgiri Anunayake Anamaduwa Dhammadassi Thera. 

The Thera made these comments at the recently held State Vesak festival in Bingiriya. 

“Exposition of relics were on rarely in the past with a lot of respect,” he said adding that now such relics and displaying of them have become common. 

According to him the use of the terms ‘Real scared relics’ gives a feeling that there are fake ones as well. “Therefore such use is not suitable,” he said. 

(Resa)

The new parliament session is scheduled to be declared open by President Maithripala Sirisena today (08) at 2.15 pm. 

Accordingly, the President will arrive in parliament with an escort from the triforces, police and cavalry where Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe will usher him in over the red carpet to the house. 

There onwards the Speaker along with Sergeant of the Mace, deputy and assistant sergeant at arms, Secretary of the Parliament and his secretariat staff will usher the President through the main door of the parliament to the main chamber. 

The President will be seated in the Speaker's chair while the Speaker will sit in the seat below. 

Following this, the statements regarding the prorogation and recalling of the parliament will be read by the Secretary of the Parliament, Dhammika Dissanayake while the President is set to read out the government's policy statement. The parliament will then be adjourned till tomorrow (09), 1 pm following which the customary tea party will be held for MP and guests.  

Seats in the opposition prepared for the 16 group 

Also, seats in the opposition for the 16 MPs who left the government has been prepared as they have officially informed they will be sitting in the opposition Parliament sources said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that steps will be taken to bring the Samurdhi Bank under the Central Bank since the Samurdhi Bank is not under any state body's supervision and is not regulated.

Therefore, the Prime Minister said that he has advised to inquire into this and take the financial institution under the Finance Ministry.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced this addressing the United National Party (UNP) May Day rally held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Sunday.

Speaking further the Prime Minister said the UNP was able to take control of the Samurdhi Ministry which was assigned to the UNP following the recent cabinet reshuffle and has to take steps to correct the mismanagement. If necessary a new mechanism can be formulated to administer the mechanism.

The Prime Minister further said that he received the statistics of the Samurdhi Ministry operations yesterday and Rs. 25 billion has been allocated for the Ministry for 12 months of this year. However, the Ministry has already spent Rs. 13 billion in the first three months of the year.

"Accordingly, 53% of the total money has been spent in three months. It should only spend 25% for three months. So what happened to the money?" he asked.

The Premier pointed out that the Samurdhi Bank is an institution that was not monitored by any institution while other state financial instruments such as Employees Provident Fund, Public Employees Trust Fund are managed under the Finance Ministry. However, there is no regulation to oversee the Samurdhi Bank.

"Therefore, I inquired about this and advised to take it under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance," he said.

He said all others banks in the country are controlled by the Central Bank, and it is a big problem that only Samurdhi Bank is not under the control of the Central Bank.

"Therefore, I will tell you that Samurdhi Bank will be coming under the control of the Central Bank in the future and In the future, this work would be carried out fairly," the Premier said.
However meanwhile according to ormer minister S.B. DIssanayake, who held the Samurdhi portfolio,assigning the Samurdhi Bank under the Central Bank of Sri Lanka is not at all acceptable. Former Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare S.B. Dissanayake stated that the approval of two-thirds majority in parliament would be required if that is to be changed under the Samurdhi Authority of Sri Lanka Act.

He stated that the act clearly states that the Samurdhi Bank will not come under the supervision of the Central Bank. 

“We will never give the two-thirds of votes needed to change that,” he said.

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the National Budget proposed by him last year offers a package of concessional credit schemes that would empower young entrepreneurs, women, and the differently abled in the country within the theme of “Enterprise Sri Lanka”, with a view to  reawakening Sri Lanka's  entrepreneurial spirit and to regain its rightful place as a vibrant trading hub in the Indian Ocean.

He made these remarks while addressing the Plenary Session of the Asian Development Bank's 51st Annual Meeting in Manila on Saturday (05).

Full text of Statement by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera is as follows;
 
I thank you for giving me the floor at this august gathering today, that celebrates 51 years of yeoman service to the people of Asia and the Pacific region by the Asian Development Bank. Sri Lanka has been working hand in hand with the ADB for over half a century that I can describe as a robust partnership in empowering our people to achieve sustainable development.

This year’s meeting theme “Linking People and Economies for Inclusive Development” resolves to strengthen the ADB’s founding vision to create a poverty free Asia and the Pacific. In fact, Mr. Chairman, my own government has been unequivocally promoting an inclusive growth trajectory for Sri Lanka in a knowledge based, highly competitive social market economy with a vision to become a rich country by 2025.

We are living at a time that you can call unparalleled to any age in human history, because of the rapid technological advances that enable innovative solutions for many development challenges. Asia’s moment of economic growth, buttressed by fast improving health and educational opportunities allow the millennium generation to connect to each other by overcoming cultural, language and other feigned barriers which regressed our progress for centuries. This unique opportunity should be seized with much optimism for a new era of prosperity in the 21 Century.

Our concerted efforts at this regional forum would no doubt bring about changes to the millions of lives at a rapid phase. My government’s National Budget proposed this year offered a package of concessional credit schemes empowering young entrepreneurs, women, and the differently abled in the country within the theme of “Enterprise Sri Lanka”. We wish to reawaken our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and to regain its rightful place as a vibrant trading hub in the Indian Ocean. Your theme here at the ADB today stands a matching tribute to those domestic policies embedded in our core values ranging from inclusive growth, good governance, and empowering the private sector as the engine of growth.

Despite the brunt of extreme weather conditions and other adverse external factors, Sri Lanka’s economy demonstrated time tested resilience in 2017. We recorded our highest ever FDI inflows and our highest ever export performance. These led to meaningful job creation as the unemployment rate also declined to 4.2%. We expect the economy to accelerate growth driven by private enterprise and exports. 

We have introduced some key reforms including the new Inland Revenue Act, which came to force last month that could be called the most progressive tax reform in Sri Lanka in several decades. This is part of a broader agenda of introducing transparent rules based legislative and governance frameworks.  Our Active Liability Management Act was made effective with a view to improve domestic and foreign debt management. The rules based and transparent auction mechanism for government securities was introduced in the same vein. We are at the doorstep of becoming an upper-middle income country and your continued support to accommodate the desired transition without any hindrance to our national development agenda would be immensely appreciated.

With an ever active ADB resident mission established in 1997, over US $ 8.5 billion project and policy based active loans, grants and technical assistance since 1968, reaching over 500 projects, Sri Lanka’s ADB portfolio remains robust and active. Our interactions span mainly from the Transport Sector, Energy to Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development. I fervently hope that our national priorities and expectations have an attentive hearing in this august assembly that evolves for greater mutual benefit.

As a founding Member and a strong partner, let me Mr. Chairman, reiterate Sri Lanka’s steadfast commitment to a long-lasting engagement with this entity in time to come for the immense benefit of our own countrymen and millions of others in the Asian Pacific region. I thank you until we meet again in Fiji next year.

Underworld figure and drug kingpin Dilip Rohana alias Dileepa was killed yesterday evening in a shootout with the Special Task Force (STF) in Mailapitiya.
 
According to the Police, Dileepa was wanted by the Organized Crime Investigation Division as well as the STF for a number of crimes. The incident had taken place around 6.30 pm when the STF arrived at a house located in Mailapitiya in order to arrest the underworld figure.
 
Police say he had shot at the STF and was killed in a return fire. Investigating officers recovered a 6 mm pistol used in the shooting while going on to arrest a woman who was accompanying Dileepa at the time.

“The suspect had succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the Kandy Teaching Hospital following the shooting” Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.
 
Dileep is said to be a close associate of prominent underworld figure Dhadallage Manju alias D. Manju who was also killed during a shootout with the STF on February 23 in Wattala.
 
While known as one of the main drug distributors in the Western province he was also the main arms supplier to prominent underworld figure, late Aruna Udayashantha alias Samayan.
 
Dileepa had been continuing with the underworld gangs activities following the death of D. Manju, the Police said.
Source : Sunday Observer

Sri Lanka is aiming towards rapid industrialisation throughout the country under the aegis of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
While addressing an inaugural event of a new auditorium at Millaniya Divisional Secretariat on Friday (04), Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said Millaniya can be identified as a centre for rapid industrialisation, as reported by the Columbo Page on Sunday.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who opened the new building complex at the Millaniya Divisional Secretariat built by the Home Affairs Ministry at a cost of Rs.50 million, is seen presenting bags to Field Officers. 

He informed that the government is engaged in the process of land acquisition and shall pay compensation to the people in lieu of land.

Further, the work for the industrial zone is all set start in June or July post the signing of agreements with Thai Rochana Company.

The government has targeted to set up 100 factories in the industrial zone spreading across 450 acres in the next ten years. Further 50 large factories are set to be constructed around the place.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe further said that industrialisation will result in urbanisation.

Malaysian police have intercepted a tanker with 131 Sri Lankans believed bound for Australia and New Zealand, smashing a large human smuggling ring that has been operating for a year.

Authorities halted the modified tanker on Tuesday off the coast of southern Johor state, national police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement Saturday.

He said the immigrants included 98 men, 24 women, four boys and five girls.

Police also raided a fishing boat used to transport the migrants to the vessel and detained three Indonesians and four Malaysians on board, he said. Another five Malaysians were nabbed for suspected involvement in the smuggling syndicate.

“This syndicate has been operating since mid-2017 and has international connections across Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia,” Fuzi said.

A total of 127 Sri Lankans will be charged for entering Malaysia illegally while nine Malaysians, four Indonesians and four Sri Lankans will be investigated for human smuggling, he added.

The syndicate was transporting the immigrants using a maritime passage in the waters of Tanjung Gemuk in Kota Tinggi, Johor, Channel News Asia reported.

Source : AP

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) applauds the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) for the swift action taken to apprehend the President’s Chief of Staff I.H.K. Mahanama and the former Chairman of the State Timber Corporation P. Dissanayaka, on charges of soliciting a bribe and accepting a sum of Rs. 20 million as an advance payment. TISL also believes this sets an excellent example of collaboration between the private sector and CIABOC to counter public sector corruption.

Whilst welcoming His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena’s approval to immediately interdict the officials concerned and instructions to authorities to enforce the law without obstruction, TISL wishes to highlight the importance of transitioning to a system of accountability that functions independently of political power, without requiring ‘political clearance’ to proceed. TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere stated that ‘the need for political approval before proceeding highlights the potential for political interference. When political approval is no longer sought, that is when anti-corruption will move from having ad hoc success to gaining true public trust in upholding the rule of law’.

TISL also calls on CIABOC to actively pursue investigations into other stalled investment projects which may uncover further instances of grand corruption. Furthermore, this case highlights the need to attract candidates with the right expertise for state sector positions. Continuing to offer ‘patronage jobs’ to politicians will only serve to exacerbate the problem.

TISL wishes to underscore that as per the offences detailed under Section 17 and Section 22 of the Bribery Act, the prescribed punishment is a period of rigorous imprisonment of not more than 7 years and a fine not exceeding five thousand rupees. Whilst in this instance it appears that pre-emptive action was taken by CIABOC officers with the co-operation of the person from whom the bribe was solicited, it must be highlighted that in many instances the party from whom the bribe is solicited may not cooperate with authorities in favour of expediency and advancing their business interests. In such cases it is necessary that CIABOC takes proactive action to uncover and prosecute both the bribe givers and takers.

Grand Corruption is a global scourge and is technically defined by Transparency International as including an instance where a public official causes the state or any of its people a loss greater than 100 times the annual minimum subsistence income of its people (household income) as a result of bribery, embezzlement or other corruption offence.

A suspicious dinghy with 14 people on board was intercepted in northern seas by a Navy fast attack craft attached to the Northern Naval Command yesterday.

The boat carrying men, women and children was spotted during a routine patrol in the early hours of Saturday, a communique released by the Navy said.

After detecting a suspicious boat movement in the seas about 11 nautical miles northwest of Point Pedro, the Navy had dispatched the Fast Attack Craft to the location. 
 
According to the Navy, the dispatched naval personnel found 14 persons comprising 07 males, 03 females and 04 children aboard the dinghy the Navy said. 
 
The group was later brought to the naval base SLNS Uththara in Kankesanthurai where they were given necessary first aid and other medical requirement was provided. The 14 persons along with the dinghy was later handed over to the Kankesanthurai Police for further investigations.

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has lashed out at Minister of Wildlife, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka claiming that he should be stripped of his ministerial post due to his public and indecent criticism of President Maithripala Sirisena at the United National Party (UNP) May Day rally held on Sunday. 

Political sources say Dissanayake had made this request from the President after meeting him in Batticaloa. 

He is also said to have called up Minister Malik Samarawickrama to express his great displeasure regarding the issue.

Prime Minister angered!

According to sources Samarawickrama had claimed that the Prime Minister too is angered and livid over the comments made. He had also said Fonseka was recently called to Temple Trees where the PM cautioned him about some similar statements he had made. 

 
                     ''We appointed a wrong individual as President, that is why this happened to the UNP” - Minister Sarath Fonseka 

Speaking at the May Day rally of the UNP Minister Fonseka said the country and the party both are in a bad situation as a wrong individual was appointed as President. 

He went on to say that a member of the party should be nominated at the next Presidential election. He also mentioned that the Rajapaksa's should be sent where due and if not Fonseka and others would be in a dangerous situation in the future.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has said that Mahinda Rajapaksa was a minister in her government and is the biggest thief in the country.  She made these comments to the media yesterday during a trip to observe the renovations progress of the Veyangoda public fair. 

She made the statement in response to a media personnel posing a question to her regarding the recently arrested P. Dissanayake on a bribery charge who was a former secretary of her’s. 

According to her, there was nothing she could do about corruption by officers and that she never advised them to do so.