Trade Unions object to court involvement 
   

By Zahra Imtiaz- Friday, 29 Nov 2013


The Government, Semi- Government and Private Trade Unions Collective Committee has voiced its objections against the involvement of the courts with regard to Trade Union issues, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union Joseph Stalin stated during a media briefing today.


Stalin who was representing the Government, Semi- Government and Private Trade Unions Collective Committee said that protesting was a fundamental right and the government should not involve the courts and take away the rights of the people.


Stalin made these remarks with regard to an interim order issued by the Colombo District Court yesterday (27) preventing the 48 hour strike organized by the Health Services Trade Union Alliance, urging the Health Ministry to fulfil various demands put forward by the Unions.


The order was issued following a petition filed against the strike by a patient.


Joseph Stalin went on to say that around 40 Unions were engaged in the strike action, which was a token strike, adding that the government should not have gone to the extent of involving the courts in this issue.


He stated that due notice had been given with regard to the strike, while attempts had also been made by the Unions to hold discussions with the Ministry of health in this regard.

Stalin added that this action by the government is a violation of their rights and added that courts cannot interfere in issues faced by the Trade Unions as per Article 12 of the Labour Law. (Ceylon Today Online)     

BBS appreciates Sritharan's courage

by Niranjala Ariyawansha-Friday, 29 Nov 2013

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, said he must appreciate Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, Sritharan's courage in celebrating the late LTTE leader as a war hero whereas not a single Sinhala politician remembered Monarawila Keppetipola's name and paid tribute to his heroism in Parliament on his birthday.

"It is such a shame that not a single Sinhala politician was able to remember Keppetipola Nilame on his birth anniversary. Our Sinhala politicians just listened to MP Sritharan's speech. No one interrupted him. We all know that the Sri Lankan Parliament is comparable to a zoo. MP Sritharan at least proved his feelings for his race, whereas we failed," Ven. Gnanasara Thera said at a press conference held yesterday.


He added that the authorities should take Sritharan into custody as he has violated a Constitutional law.

BBS vows to Expose 'heroin dealers' in Parliament

by Rashni MendIs- Friday, 29 Nov 2013

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) said they are in the process of exposing big time heroin dealers, and that they would expose the names of the main heroin dealers in Parliament. Commenting on the issue, General Secretary of the BBS, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, said yesterday that the BBS had passed on information of heroin dealers to the relevant authorities, recently.

He said, he is also privy to the names and the whereabouts of all those who transport heroin to Colombo and he keeps track of them.

"This information was not revealed to the media because it will not be ethical. The apprehension that heroin peddlers had been subjected to, was due to the methods adopted to nab them," he added.

The Ven. Thera asserted that the BBS is taking measures to soon send a group of politicians with backbones to Parliament, after chasing the kuddan (heroin dealers), underworld characters and chandiyas (gangsters) out of the august assembly, who are now the representatives of the people.

Rajapakses who openly kissed and welcomed British Prince of Wales suppressing rape committed on wife of British Bigwales
(Lanka-e-News- 29.Nov.2013, 7.30PM) Sri Lanka (criminal) defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse like how he suppressed earlier the gang rape in Sri Lanka of a foreign Russian tourist girl by the name of Victoria (Girl friend of assassinated British national Khuram Shaikh), he is moving heaven and earth to conceal another incident of rape where a Russian woman had been raped brutally, whereby the police had been made to distort the whole picture of this most disgraceful crime.

According to reports reaching Lanka e news which is always first with the news and exposes the truth fearlessly and forthrightly , 33 year old Russian woman Jurgita Biattvinene had been staying in Hotel Dhammika at Yaddehimulla, Unatuwatuna situated in the Habaraduwa police division, along with her husband a British national whose name is Bigwales living in Woolwich, UK. 

On the 27 th of November, that is day before yesterday, while Jurgita’s husband had been out of the hotel, at about 8.15 a.m. , a worker , Ganegoda Gamage Chatura Dilshan (19 years old) of the Dhammika hotel, a sex starved scoundrel had broken into her room and raped her by force. 

Following a complaint made by the victim’s husband to the Habaraduwa police of this brutal rape , the sex pervert Dilshan was arrested and produced before the court based on a B report B/16023 when he was remanded until the 11 th of December.

What is most perplexing and unimaginable about this episode is, though rape is considered as a most heinous crime , on the orders of Sri Lanka’s criminal defense secretary Gotabaya , the Habaraduwa police had treated this most disgraceful act as not a heinous crime of rape . Accordingly the police had recorded this in the minor offence register under M O I B 483/2013 . In other words this brutal rape of a woman is to the police a minor offence .

On top of all this the most startling ‘crime’ of all was committed by the OIC of the Habaraduwa police R D S Walallawita I.P. by making a minute in the register that this crime is a minor offence and to refer the parties to the conciliation Board.

Mind you, the irony of ironies is ! ever since the complaint of this rape was lodged with the Habaraduwa police , it is SL defense Secretary Gotabaya who had been giving instructions to S.P. of Habaraduwa division R G B Bandaranaike to visit the police station and do everything needed to camouflage the actual incident . The media Director media of the defense Ministry Hulugalla had issued instructions not to expose this under any circumstance. In compliance with these instructions, even the medical report following the Doctor’s examination of Jurgita had been falsified.

According to the preliminary medical examination report of hers , in the GHT form No. 597 it is mentioned that she has been a victim of rape and her private parts were bruised and swollen. However in the subsequent GHT form No. 598 that was obtained an entirely different picture is painted suggesting that she had not been raped.

Moreover , the rapist Chatura Dilshan too had been subjected to a medical examination – something that has never ever happened before in such crimes. In that GHT report 599 it is mentioned that his organ is like a ‘ flower’ 

In the past tourists were received with a smile and a salute. The Rajapakses who hugged and kissed British Prince of Wales Charles when welcoming him are at the same time trying to conceal the rape committed on the wife of Bigwales another British national and save the Sri Lanka rapist .

In the circumstances, under the much hyped Sri Lanka miracle in the making of the Rajapakses , what takes precedence in their lifestyle is promoting rape; and raping foreign tourists, murdering tourists and deporting tourists are the cornerstones of that miracle. 

Governing UPFA defeated in Alawwa as well

 Friday, 29 November 2013 04

The 2014 Budget presented by the governing 

UPFA in the Alawwa Pradeshiya Sabha has been defeated. The budget was defeated yesterday (28) by a majority of two votes.

Out of the 12 governing UPFA members in the Pradeshiya Sabha, seven members have voted against the budget proposal.

It is learnt that a new governing UPFA MP in parliament has worked towards defeating the 2014 Budget in the Alawwa Pradeshiya Sabha.

The governing party parliamentarian has assured the governing party members who voted against the budget in the Pradeshiya Sabha that he would take the responsibility if the party initiates any disciplinary action against them.

Speaker’s comment shows the real picture

 Friday, 29 November 2013 

A comment made by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa in parliament yesterday (28) gave a clear picture of the situation where the government’s purchase of paddy from farmers.

Cooperative Minister Johnston Fernando has told parliament that a kilo of paddy is currently being purchase between Rs. 34 and 37.

Hearing Fernando’s comment, Speaker Rajapaksa has said that he would even sell his paddy to the government if the purchasing price is Rs. 37 per kilo.

Fernando denied statements by the opposition parliamentarians that despite government claims of paddy being purchased at a price between Rs. 30 or 35 per kilo, the actual purchase price is between Rs. 26 and Rs. 27.

The Minister has added that the government has made arrangements to store the excess paddy in the market.

Mahinda adds more burdens to farmers

 Friday, 29 November 2013 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who speaks of a proud ancestry as an agricultural family wearing a kurahan sataka, is continuously burdening the farmers in the country.

Farmers’ association have been demanding for the re-payment of the farmers’ pension and the payment of the arrears due to farmers. The associations urged the government to include these in its 2014 Budget.

However, the Agriculture Ministry has stated that while Rs. 1,800 million is needed to pay the farmers’ pension, the government has allocated only Rs. 1,000 million for the purpose.

Therefore, the remaining Rs. 800 million for the pension will have to be borne by the farmers.

Also, the 2014 Budget has not allocated the required Rs. 2,150 million for the payment of the pension arrears due to the farmers.
The government has also adopted a new strategy to delay the pension payment for farmers by increasing the age limit to receive such a payment from 60 to 63 years.

Budget fails to boost Bourse

November 29, 2013  

• Colombo stock market loses Rs. 20 b in value post-2014 Budget week
• Sound macroeconomic fundamentals aimed for next year and beyond as well as host of progressive proposals fail to ignite investor
• confidence and activity

A week on since the unveiling of the 2014 Budget by President and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, overall investor sentiment doesn’t appear bullish as the Colombo stock market has lost over Rs. 20 billion in value.
On the day of the 2104 Budget, i.e. 21 November, market capitalisation was Rs. 2.413 trillion, whereas yesterday it was down to Rs. 2.393 trillion. The market saw a marginal rebound yesterday whilst on Wednesday its value was down to Rs. 2.30 trillion.
The All Share Index and the S&P SL 20 Index has dipped too – ASI from a 2.8% year-to-date return on 21 November, yesterday it was down to 1.94% and S&P SL 20 from 3.79% to 2.54%.
Some link the widespread bearish mood to lack of confidence overall and the Budget not being emphatic in terms of kick-starting a fresh wave of optimism and growth. Another was the slew of debenture issues with attractive fixed returns diverting investor interests and liquidity from equities.
However, those who have described the 2014 Budget as progressive are baffled by the lack of enthusiasm by investors.
From a macro perspective, the 2014 Budget has what investors would like – a lower regime of mid-single digit inflation, lower deficit, a downward interest rate regime and stable exchange rate, apart from aspiring to increasing GDP growth to 7 or 8% level.
The 2014 Budget also has far-reaching proposals to boost import-competitive domestic industries/sectors, from where there are several listed companies.
Agriculture/food, dairy and cement are some of the frontline sectors which stand to benefit from the 2014 Budget.
Other analysts said originally the lack of confidence largely stemmed from the 2% Nation Building Tax (NBT) on the financial sector as investors feared banks would be hit. However, the Treasury has confirmed that the new tax won’t impact intermediation cost.
The Government aims to rake in around Rs. 3.6 billion only via this tax, which is insignificant given the banking industry’s total profit before tax (after VAT) of Rs. 116.3 billion and after tax profit of Rs. 82.3 billion in 2012. Another concern for banks was the heavy emphasis of directed lending in the 2014 Budget.
The expansion of the VAT coverage by reducing the threshold to Rs. 250 million per quarter from Rs. 500 million previously was also seen as negative though the larger listed firms viewed the move as welcome as it levels the playing field. The imposition of 15% upfront tax on lease of State or private lands to foreigners was also seen as denting Sri Lanka’s attractiveness globally for business and investments.
Another concern is the upward pressure on inflation following the slapping of higher duties on select food imports. The Government justified the move as a firm support to domestic producers as well as to make local manufacturers more competitive vis-à-vis imports.
Investor expectation of higher cost of living is despite the Budget targeting a 5-6% inflation rate, thereby extending the near five years of single digit inflation further.
The 2014 Budget also gave a direct boost for the Bourse by extending tax incentives to firms keen on listing. This would mean investors will have a wide choice.
This particular proposal saw the Securities and Exchange being quick to commend the benefits though the Colombo Stock Exchange, while the Colombo Stock Brokers Association hasn’t yet commented though a week has passed since the 2014 Budget was unveiled.
Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, the Chairman of the SEC, which has over the past one year endeavoured to make the capital market more buoyant, commended the President and the Secretary to the Treasury for the capital market development oriented budget, for the second successive year.
“Last year too, a number of concessions were given to the industry. The unprecedented growth of the corporate debt market and the significant growth in the unit trust industry were direct results of the concessions given through last year’s Budget. The capital raised from the corporate debt market grew by 330% while the unit trust industry witnessed a growth of 77%,” Godahewa said.
“The 50% tax reduction for three years for companies listing on the Colombo Stock Exchange is a great opportunity offered in this year’s Budget. It will definitely encourage more IPOs in the future. I hope many companies will make use of this window of opportunity. As it is said, the faster you move, the greater your benefit,” the SEC Chief added.
First Capital Equities said Budget 2014 has limited impact on the economy as well as stock marketwhilst some of the targets are ambitious.
The Colombo Bourse year-to-date had remained lacklustre despite a significant vote of confidence on prospects for equities and the economy by foreigners, judging by the Rs. 23 billion inflows.
Acuity Stockbrokers in an analysis of Budget 2014 noted the markets through 2013 have mirrored the overall sluggishness in the macro-economy. Activity on the CSE has been mostly subdued, with markets hitting a Y-T-D high (6488.85 points) as investors factored in the Central Bank’s dovish policy stance.
Since then though, markets have been largely on a downtrend. Very recent trends in the market appear to show signs of a marginal pick-up. Since hitting a low in September (5605.3 points), the main share price index (ASPI) has been indicating a very gradual uptick.

FIVE PERSONS INJURED IN SHOOTING IN TISSAMAHARAMA

November 29, 2013 

Five persons were injured in a shooting incident over a private dispute at Yodakandiya in Tissamaharama, the Police Spokesman stated.

TWO ARMY OFFICERS PRESENT AT COURTS TO GIVE EVIDENCE ON RATHUPASWALA INCIDENT 

November 29, 2013 

Two army officers presented themselves at courts to give evidence on the case regarding the Rathupaswala protest and shooting which resulted in the death of three persons.

The case was taken up by the Gampaha Magistrate Court today (November 29).

The Gampaha Chief Magistrate Tikiri Jayatilleke questioned the Colombo Crimes Division in court on the reason the army officers were present in court to which the CCD replied that they were present to give evidence.

The Magistrate claimed that several witnesses had already been named to give evidence to the case and that an answer would be given this afternoon regarding the necessity of the evidence provided by the army officers.

Sri Lanka foreign lenders led by China, export credits up

28 Nov, 2013 07:13:36

Nov 28, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka has 1.9 billion US dollars of new bilateral and multilateral commitments up to September 2013 led by China with export credit from other countries also showing increases, a finance ministry report showed.

China has committed 517.9 million US dollars up to September, Japan 421.5 million US dollars, Asian Development Bank 371.2 million US dollars, the World Bank 196.4 million US dollars, the United Kingdom 103.7 million US dollars and USA 64.9 million US dollars.

While Japan, the ADB and World Bank gives long term loans at low interest China gives export credits at semi-commercial terms.

Sri Lanka has been using large volumes of export credits and supplier finance for infrastructure from the Exim Bank of China, but other countries are now also giving larger volumes of export credits.

Western nations have renewed their interest in promoting export credits to boost their domestic economies in recent years.

This year the Exim Bank of the US had loaned 64.9 million US dollars for a water supply project.

Export credits were also signed up from Spain (29.4 million Euros for water supply), Netherlands 57.7 million, Hungary 22.5 million Euro, UK 107.1 million for a milk factory and bridges), Belgium 6 million Euros and Austria 3.1 million US dollars.

The Exim Bank of China has given 283 million US dollars for railway track, 155.4 million for the Hambantota Port and 79.6 million for water supply.

Sri Lanka has notched up 8.0 billion US dollars in loans which were awaiting disbursement.

Unlike commercial foreign borrowings which are mostly used up in current spending, project loans are mainly for investments which can take around 4 years to complete.

Sri Lanka had 1.9 billion US dollars of commitments from China, 1.5 billion from Japan, 1.2 billion from ADB, 730 million from the World Bank, 680.7 million from India, 434 million from Iran and 235.4 million from Russia.

China sends warplanes into air defense zone

By AP News Nov 29, 2013 

BEIJING (AP) — China said it sent warplanes into its newly declared maritime air defense zone days after the U.S., South Korea and Japan all sent flights through the airspace in broadening defiance of rules Beijing says it has imposed over the East China Sea.

A computer screens display a map showing the outline of China's new air defense zone in the East China. Pic: AP.

China Sends Warplanes Into Air Defense Zone by nelvely

Sri Lanka Has A 2600 Year-Old Culture?

By Sharmini Serasinghe -November 28, 2013 

Sharmini Serasinghe

If what has become of Sri Lanka today is the legacy of a “2600-year old culture”, might we have been better off without any culture at all?

Ever so often we hear the famous cliché ‘dropped’ by our politicians- “………Sri Lanka’s 2600-year old culture……….” It is a sine qua non statement repeated ad nauseam at many a public and political forum (the most recent being CHOGM) to add ‘weight’ or to perhaps impress otherwise empty utterances. This is obviously done solely to awe the audience, especially a foreign one.

I recall, as an impressionable young girl, when Sri Lanka’s first Executive President J.R. Jayewardene made his State Visit to the USA during Ronald Reagan’s tenure as US President. In his televised address on the South Lawn of the White House, JRJ casting aside his noblesse oblige referred to the United States as “a country with only a 200-year old history, while Sri Lanka’s was over 2500 years old”!

This ‘casual’ or ‘calculated’ remark (with JRJ one never knew) has remained with me to date. To me even then, this ipse dixit remark reeked of an acute inferiority complex and I felt utterly embarrassed on his behalf.

For us Sri Lankans, we have heard this old-hat too often and, therefore it has no effect. But to an outsider hearing these words “Sri Lanka’s 2600-year old culture” and seeing for themselves how this “Buddhist culture” has shaped this country’s fortunes/misfortunes, it must be truly mindboggling!  Read More

A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)

Prosecute The War Criminals In Special Court Or Before International Criminal Court.

by L.Annadoure

( November 12, 2013, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The last phase of Eelam War had seen the internationalization of the internal civil strife at the behest of Sri Lanka and more than 20 Nations which have had vested interest on and over Sri Lanka had volunteered themselves for a conjoint operation against LTTE in annihilating them on the pretext that LTTE was a terrorist organisation which need to be quelled at any cost nay decimated from the face of earth. 

Sri Lanka Has a 2600 Year-Old Culture by nelvely

The Counter-Robin Hoods

| by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“I shop everywhere, anything that fits perfect will be purchased, price and name does not matter”.

Rohitha Rajapaksa (Daily Mirror – 8.5.2013)

( November 28, 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In her autobiographical-history of Pre-revolutionary China, Han Suyin explains how the country’s incompetent and spendthrift rulers used taxes as a mode of wealth-extraction from ordinary people. Kettle tax, stocking tax, bedding tax, hog tax, wealthy house tax, army mule tax, troop movement tax, soldier reward tax…the list was endless. “There was inaugurated in certain areas a ‘happy tax’ for the purpose of promoting happiness on the day taxes were paid” .

The Counter-Robin Hoods by nelvely