Bitter War In The IFJ: Park’s Perk Man Blames IFJ President For Arrest And Says IFJ Rigs Elections

November 1, 2013 

The detention, questioning and deporting of the two International Federation of Journalists’ paid workers in Sri Lanka last Wednesday is evidently a part of a broader game plan by the IFJ president Jim Boumelha to destabilising IFJ activities in Sri Lanka a leaked email claims.

Sukumar Muralidharan

Jacquline Park, a paid worker of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) was detained and questioned along with another paid staff member,for conducting workshops while on a tourist visa.

A close confident of Jacqueline Park, another paid worker, IFJ’s South Asia Project Manager  Sukumar Muralidharan in an email sent on November 30, 2013 to IFJ secretary Beth Costa and its Sri Lankan affiliates squarely places the blame for this turn of events on the IFJ president.

He said; “It is deeply shocking to learn of  IFJ colleagues being taken in for interrogation by the Colombo city police.I must say however, that it comes as no surprise, considering the trail of correspondence that precedes this mail of mine. I was trying with great difficulty to keep out of this thread of correspondence, but it seems time now to break the silence.”

Muralidran goes on to accuse an Indian journalist who is also an Executive Committee member of the IFJ (whose name we have to withhold for legal reasons): “Full details can be revealed at some future time and there is a long history behind this, of which this particular thread of correspondence is only the most recent event.”

Naming the Indian Journalist he said the journalist “has been operating with the active support of two disgruntled elements within the IFJ affiliate structure in Sri Lanka.”        Read More

Chandra Wants Answers On Casino Bill

November 1, 2013 

Good governance activist Chandra Jayaratne has written to the Minister of Investment Promotion requesting clarifications on the controversial casino bill that the Government was proposing to present to parliament but subsequently withdrew for amendment in the face of strong opposition.

Chandra Jayaratne

Referring to the Gazette Notices Issued under Strategic Development Projects Act No.14 of 2008 on 23rd September 2013 Jayaratne asks the Minister to be transparent about the scope of the tax concessions to the resorts operating in the proposed casino zones and the revenue loss to the state from the proposed tax breaks to casinos that will operate under the Strategic Development Act. Jayaratne demands answers from the Minister on 10 key points in the public interest.

His letter to the Minister in full is found below:

28th October 2013

Hon. Minister of Investment Promotion

Ministry of Investment Promotion,

Levels 25 & 26, West Tower,

World Trade Center,

Echelon Square,

Colombo 1.

Dear Mr. Minister,

Clarifications Re; Gazette Notices Issued under Strategic Development Projects Act No.14 of 2008 on 23rd September 2013

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