State Minister Faizer Mustapha resigns?

February 1, 2015

Parliamentarian Faizer Mustapha has tendered his resignation as State Minister of Aviation and has flown overseas, this afternoon, a source close to the Government said.

The source said Mustapha had been disappointed with the Government’s decision to shuffle some state institutions that came under the Minister of Aviation. 

Several institutions which came under the Aviation Ministry were detached and added to Minister Arjuna Ranatunga’s Ports, Shipping and Aviation Ministry, it was reported. 

State Departments, Institutions, and Public Corporations that come under a specific Ministry have been amended by a Gazette Extraordinary published on 10 January, 2015. 

The source added only the operation of the Mattala Airport has been allocated for Mustapha. However, when contacted, Private Secretary of Mustapha told Ada Derana that the State Minister flew to Singapore due to a personal matter.

Ada Derana also learns that some governmental bodies including the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchanges Commission, which were previously handled by the Ministry of Finance, have been added to the Ministry of Economic Development & Policy Implementation. 

Mustapha who was the former Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Colombo Central Organizer quitted the ex- government and pledged to support President Maithripala Sirisena, on 31 2014.

Rs. 157 Million Spent For Entertainment In Presidential Palaces In Nov/Dec

February 1, 2015 

A whopping Rs. 157 million had been spent by the Rajapaksas on food and beverages alone in entertaining those who visited the many ‘Presidential palaces’ that were built in various locations in the country during the Rajapaksa regime.

President Maithripala Sirisena during an interview on ITN last night revealed that in the months of November and December last year, Rs. 157 million had been spent to treat guests who visited the many Presidential palaces located in Fort, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Nuwaraeliya, Embilipitiya, Mahiyangana, Kataragama as well as a brand new ‘co-ordination center’ that had been constructed in Tangalle – the hometown of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He also said that a brand new, luxurious airplane worth 16 million USD had been ordered for the exclusive use of PresidentRajapaksa.

“It was due to be delivered to Sri Lanka by next month. However, following discussions the Prime Minister, the Ministers and I halted the importation of the aircraft and allocated those finances to purchase spare parts for the aircraft that are currently used by Sri Lankan and Mihin Lanka Airlines,” he said.