28 March, 2024

Blog

Aiyo Sirisena! Cut Out The Bluff!

By Upatissa Pethiyagoda

Dr. Upatissa Pethiyagoda

Poor ex-President Maithripala Sirisena has fallen off his lofty perch and being compelled to become a mendicant, sitting behind a mat, under the Bo tree in Pettah. What a shame that a man fit enough to be the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is too poor to pay One Hundred Million rupees as his share of damages to be paid to the victims of the Easter Sunday Bombing (2019), that killed some 268 innocents and permanently disabled several hundreds more, in explosions at two churches and three luxury hotels frequented by foreign tourists. This was a tragedy of massive proportions.

The Supreme Court finding was that Mr Sirisena, pleading sickness, was away in Singapore. Considering all evidence, the Court concluded that he was guilty of gross dereliction of duty and in callous disregard of prior knowledge that this tragedy was to occur.

In the past, until about 1972, persons aggrieved by our Court decisions, had recourse to The Privy Council in the U.K. However, in the heady days of declaring ourselves an Independent State, we kicked this symbol of justice out of our nation. This was a triumphant change wrought by politicians of that time. We now have no channel beyond our Supreme Court, to seek relief for any perceived injustice, or error of our Court system.     

But, should our erstwhile Leader, be compelled to beg from his citizens, for money to honour the verdict of the Supreme Court? There being nowhere that an aggrieved citizen could plead for review of a verdict, delivered by our highest court.

But clearly, judging by the first attempt in Kandy, the chance of meeting this burdensome plight of our Ex-President, is doomed to fail. Some alternative, if any, has to be found. The dignity of his last office means that he can neither beg nor steal. There seems only one option that remains— he needs to borrow. But then, who will be able or willing to lend such a colossal sum?

I could suggest one other solution. There is a person by the same name, (Maithripala Sirisena) who is believed to have a net wealth of 14 Million in US Dollars, and a further Rs 5.32 Billion (yes, with a “B”) locally. This could comfortably cover the Rs 100 million fine. Failing which, there is a person called Percival. Mahinda Rajapaksa who commands a net worth of US $ 18 billion (Yes, spelt with a ‘B’) to whom a hundred million Rupees would be “Petty Cash”. There was also some 18 million (?) rupees in currency notes, allegedly found in Queen’s House by those who stormed it, after Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa left in a hurry. This is said to be now in Police custody. 

That pitiable request for public donation is ripe. Is it not? Aiyo!!

“Caliban”.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Latest comments

  • 4
    0

    Thank you, Dr. Upatissa Pethiyagoda,
    .
    A good article, and one in which the sarcasm directed at “Aiyo Sirsena” ( a man for whom I had some respect until about 2017) is quite justified. I still wonder if it all HAD to go wrong, but certainly, the punishment for his dereliction of duty after knowing about the bombs, is welcome.
    .
    But how do we nail the Rajapaksas? Guys like me must be careful about what we speculate, but it was in their interest more than anyone else’s that their should have been mayhem.
    .
    However, here’s another Pethiyagoda, Rohan of that ilk, speaking both seriously and eloquently about celebrating Independence:
    .
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIIqm0GpIcM
    .
    Thirteen minutes in English that all Lankans must listen to.
    .
    By the way, he’s got the commitment to produce some programmes directed at young people in Sinhala. Remarkably effective they are, too, although he’s clearly more at home with English.
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)

    • 6
      1

      On the day he apologized to victims, he also announced his plans to stand in next Presidential election. Rajapaksas were standing in front of massacre site , few days after , to announce Gotha’s candidature. AIYO SILLY LANKA.

    • 2
      0

      SM and all,
      .
      Zimbabwe has become a dark country with rich earth resources in that country but in MR terms Sri Lanka has been made a dark country with no proper knowledge.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whDZUhEgDwo
      .
      The same Hard Talk moderator interviewed Sri Lankan Gotabaya right after the war was overestimated to have been won. There, Gotabhaya’s HIK HIK seizures in that interview, made him a WEERAYA to stupid dominated srilanka.
      .
      Today, Sri Lanka has reached levels of fall srilanka similar to Zimbabwe. The big difference is that the late Mugabe was an educated man compared to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s education. .

  • 1
    0

    why was 18b usd not found by the yahapalanaya.Mahinda also said he is also looking for it.

    • 6
      1

      S,
      This is the ideal way to find out if all these billions have actually been stashed away by politicians.
      Fine them all 100 million each. If the fines are paid, it means they have the cash. If not, they go to jail. Ideal either way.

    • 2
      0

      Shankar,
      .
      There is ample evidence that they have stashed money in Dubai, Uganda and other places around the world.
      Secret trips from bastard son of MR Yoshitha to Dubai were also planned during the Good Governance regime without revealing the real motive. Why on earth has the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka kept silent on all this for so long?
      With this in mind, their baggage boy – Cabral as their governor to SLCB had in his mind on boosting foreign exchange savings, however, those funds were somehow frozen so that they failed to bring them into the country. This should be found by the current authorities.
      We have to be very sensitive about these issues, because this could become saline to shrinking srilanken economy.
      .
      Mahinda Rajapakse and all his family should be put in jail and get the truth out of them by hook or by crook…. If Sarath Fonseka became the leader, this would have become the reality…. People are starving today… If the authorities don’t do this… When?

  • 2
    0

    Aiyo Sirisena! Cut Out The Bluff!
    Be fair and considerate to people
    Mike Tyson hired Donald Trump to be his personal financial adviser. Now Trump was the President of America. The moral is, your employee today could become your President tomorrow. So be fair and considerate to people.”Ranil was rejected by Maithri now he is the president Ranil appointed Maithri so how can the country believe maithri Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters

  • 4
    0

    Ayyo sira can pay from the money he got from Royal Park residence murderer suppose to be 400 million

  • 5
    0

    If I am not mistaken, Sira had a Maybach limo (to those who are unfamiliar with the brand, it is a custom built limo built by Mercedes to rival Rolls Royce & Bentley, which, even the German Chancellor is not privileged to have) to ride about during his presidential days. Certainly, it would have cost more than £250k to purchase & in the traditions of SL, the official vehicle would have been ‘gifted’ upon leaving office but I doubt a Maybach in SL will have any buyers, although, maybe, a bit in the international market, in which case, it should contribute something.

    I wonder if the Inland Revenue is aware of the Sira with a net worth of Rs 5b. Of course the US $ 14m must be in a numbered account & beyond the reach of IRS but I am just wondering as to what the fun is in having all that money stashed away & not being able to spend any of it. Talk about ‘water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink’.

  • 2
    0

    That’s the car. You maybe able to identify it from Sira’s motorcade archive pictures. Which is more extravagant – Sira’s limo or RW’s independence day bash? Either way, we have shown the world that we don’t skimp on things even with borrowed money.

Leave A Comment

Comments should not exceed 200 words. Embedding external links and writing in capital letters are discouraged. Commenting is automatically disabled after 5 days and approval may take up to 24 hours. Please read our Comments Policy for further details. Your email address will not be published.