JVP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday expressed his amazement on the manner in which public finances had been unnecessarily and freely spent during the CHOGM in 2013.
Anura
While raising a question in the Parliament last evening he had said that it is appalling that a Rs. 10 million had been spent for one diner costs alone of journalists both foreign and local who covered the event.
“Why has a sum of Rs. 10 million been spent as entertainment costs? Had they made salads out of Rs. 5000 notes?” he had questioned.
Meanwhile responding to MP Dissanayake’s question, Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilake had said the Mass Media and Information Ministry alone had spent a whopping Rs. 1.177 billion for as publicity and media coverage costs of CHOGM to which included the following expenses:
Rs. 828 million – construction and maintenance of media center
Rs. 180 million – publicity programs in electronic media
Rs. 144 million – public awareness programs
Rs. 4 million – purchase of office equipment
Rs. 396, 696 – creation of the official go and newspaper advertisements
Jagath Fernando / February 21, 2015
The last 5 years was a period where waste and corruption at the maximum.
So don’t be too surprised.
This is petty cash for the regime.
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Amarasiri / February 21, 2015
JVP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake
The Stupid Crooks, Robbers and Criminals of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Vasudeva, Wimal, Dinesh and Udugampila never learned. Even, Stupid, Mootal, Moda Dogs Learn from their mistakes, bur not these dogs of MaRa and many other Shills and whitewashers.
முட்டால் நாய்.mp4
Is stupidity a Virtue of Mahinda Rajapaksa, his dogs, shills and cronies, in addition to being crooks, Robbers and Criminals, CRCs, just like the IRCs.
[edited out]
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Amarasiri / February 21, 2015
[Edited out]
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Spider Man / February 22, 2015
Most of these deals were done at the private office of Sajin de Vaas Gunawarwardenas office at 29 Grenier Road, off Cotta Road,Borella(road next to Keels Super Market).Sajin comes to this place secretly.
Sajin does not live now at Horton Place.He has lives in a luxury house down Shady Grove Avenue , off Cotta Road,Borella(road on right hand side, almost opposite the Keels Super Market, as one travels from Borella Junction)
Government must catch this thief before he runs away.
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Supun Jayawardhane / February 22, 2015
Why cant they the rulers yet question this directly from MR MEDAMULANA.
If I were newly elected president, I would have done that giving the 1st priority to that than to anything else.
It was the billions that they looted …. plunnered telling only the palatable.
Brainwashing masses – that are the rrural poor of the country… consolidateing their political power- MR had definintely been a criminal -high criminal.
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Roy / February 21, 2015
They used Salads and put the balance in their accounts.
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Pala / February 21, 2015
Ugh makes me want to throw up. Such squander, misappropriation of funds, unlimited abuse of power by MR, his family and his henchmen. There is no end to the exposures. But what next – it is just ballyhoo – prosection??
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Backlash / February 21, 2015
Wanting to throw up is not the solution. Are those tens of thousands (certainly not hundred thousand)who gathered at Nugegoda aware they could have had Petrol around Rs.75/litre and a greater share of State investment in education and health, among other things – benefits of a 40% drop in world market price for fuel – if not for the Rajapakse clan scrounging the meagre resources of the poor country to maintain their wasteful and extravagant high style of living at public expense. In all four corners of the country people must be told how the Rajapakses stole from the State to live the cushy life. Punchi Singho – the regular sucker, was invited to Temple Trees for a free meal and the mistaken thought we now have a really People’s President. The poor fool was taken for a sucker. The country will soon realise the folly of the Rajapakses irresponsible Spend-to-the-sky limits-now-pay-later, if ever. Are these fellows not ashamed to come out and face the public
after this prolonged devilry.
Backlash
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Mervyn Silva / February 21, 2015
The Rajapakse government would have spent another Rs 1 billion for the Commonwealth Business/Investment Forum (CBF) held in Colombo along with the CHOGM.
Has Sri Lanka been able to attract a single investment as a result of the CBF? The answer is emphatic “NO”.
The who is answerable to this expenditure?
Partly G L Peiris and partly Chris Nonis. Kshenuka is not a promoter of Commonwealth Business Council or its chairman Mohan Kaul. Having served in London Kshenuka is fully convinced that CBC is a useless organization which promotes Chris Nonis and a few other corrupt African leaders.
Chris Nonis should be questioned for this colossal expenditure which ultimately promoted his business empire only. He impressed prince Charles as a Sri Lankan Maharaj who owns all the tea plantations.
Sajin physically assaulted Nonis. That is not enough. For the sake of transparency, action should be initiated against Nonis for misleading the government and getting the government to spend billions on a tamasha which promoted his business interests only.
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srilal / February 22, 2015
To be fare ,before Chris N becoming HC in London , MR had managed to grabbed the CHOGM in the early part of his tenure , Australia was given SL ‘s first chance owing to SL’s volatile situation at that time , Chris N ‘s appointment was purely based on CHOGM and he was expected to deliver results ,thus profiting and exploiting the situation to the maximum was a by a product for Chris Nonis.
PS: i’m not a defender of DR CN , he lied and promoted the dictator at the expense of 21 Million odd people , but that is a different matter altogether.
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Samuel Jayaweera / February 22, 2015
I think it was not only based on CHOGM because MR was not welcome by any parties in london. That was the otherr reason – since CN is said to have close ties even with Royals. MR made every effort to abuse him. CN lost by allowing it. That is it. CN or anyone knew that MR was marching on a wrong direction – may also be possible CN sought closeness to the head of state just going through the same tracks as DJ didd – meaning only for selfish gains.
Macwood tea to be promoted, this particular CN woudl have even gone on stripping. That is what happened acutally, If you lie with dogs, the problem of ticks should be inevitable.
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Ansar / February 21, 2015
These S.B’s have thought this is their grand father’s BOOTHALAYA.
The sad part is there are still a whopping 5.2 Million idiots who condone and approve of these kinds of fallacies and day light robbery of their RAJATHUMA. In days and months to come with more revelations that will dwindle for sure.
I am sure this is one more topic Dayan the D….y will not want to read or dwell.
Over to you BOORUWANSA, GEMBANPILA and the gang. Bring the RAJATHUMA back, to continue his extravagance from poor people’s sweat and blood.The residues supplied by RAJATHUMA to their henchmen must be eroding and no wonder these suckers need blood from their RAJATHUMA for their survival.
Sorry suckers, an overwhelming majority has come to their senses and will never allow a repetition for your self seeking appetite.
Become a human being first, then talk of humanity and patriotism.
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Psycho / February 21, 2015
Salad is a Sudda name, it’s accharu.
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srilal / February 22, 2015
No it’s ” Salada”
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Leelawathie / February 23, 2015
You should really be a PSYCHO not to have got that – LOL
Accharu = pickle
Salads = salada
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Kamal / February 21, 2015
What a wasted country we are living. A leader who was corruppted in Billions and Billions but he is still praised by some group! Very very shameful to live in this country. How can I explain the characters of the people who still visit medamulana to see that HORA? Are they human being?
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Palmsquirrell / February 21, 2015
MR still garners soo much support because despite the abuse they heaped on everyone, they were screwing over the Tamils and this is what too many Sinhalese want. More Sinhalese voted for Rajapaksa than for Sirisena. One can’t help but conclude that when JR Jayawardene said the Sinhalese would be happy if he starved the Tamils, he was more right than people care to admit.
At the same time, the Sinhalese did not vote enblock for Mahinda, so chauvinist mindset is not the be all end all for many but even the people who voted Sirisena are not supportive of international war crimes investigations .So it’s a case of screwing the Tamils being primary concern for many and for others it is 3rd on the list of concerns.
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Kamal / February 22, 2015
Eventhough sinhalese are well dressed and working in modern world with new technology and culture, if they get meat of Tamil or Muslim people bodys they will eat. The racism is that much worse in SriLanka. Only a bit is exposed. Sinhalese are animals they dont have any kind or happiness over other races. They are jealous, cant even bear small developments in other communities. They are not true buddist.
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Sylvia Haik / February 21, 2015
Our 98.2 literracy race had not obviously contributed to a sane society if there are still millions of us unable to recognise the wholesale corruption under the Rajapakse regime and still queue to praise the main protagonists, Mahinda Rajapakse and his siblings. This lot, that would have sold their souls for a few Dollars, is a far cry from their father, D A Rajapakse who was a man of principles, and rightly or wrongly, resigned rather than be a party to policies he did not approve.
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Shantha / February 21, 2015
What a waste, what a waste, what a waste, these scoundrels have ripped off the Sri Lankan people, and have tried every trick in the book to waste our money, and fleece this country. There has been no one overlooking or checking the spending, and they have spent as if there was no tomorrow, and these grand unnecessary events were simply to show off to international visitors. How much of this money went into their pockets?
There has been no accountability, and no one held responsible for this absurd wild spending. They were out of control demons, and we should make sure never return again.
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Navin / February 21, 2015
It is only right that Rajapaksa be blamed for the atrocious extravagance, it being underlined that probably over seventy percent of the money expended went into the cavernous pockets of the Medamulana gang and their cronies.
However what Nugegoda manifested was the ignorance and illiteracy of the Sinhala Buddhist electorate, with the exception of the minority of the majority as defined by that [Edited out] Dayan Jayatilleka.
Today there is grandiose talk about Yahapalanaya. MS-RW came to power forty days ago. Did they not know of the names of the criminals who bled the country blue, the crimes they committed and how much they spirited away? Did the MS-RW combine need the JVP complaints about the wholesale robbery to initiate investigation into corruption? No. But complain the JVP did. Has any of the major wrong doers been arrested and charged? No.
KP the LTTE CFO has been in custody from 2009. There is no file on him with the Sri Lankan Government. Why does Maithripala not arrest the officers responsible to investigate and charge them for dereliction of duty?
There is a story in Lankanewsweb today that Lalith de Silva CEO of SLT has gifted a luxury apartment and a vehicle to the Chairman of SLT, brother of the President. Do you need any investigation Mr President, to arrest Lalith and ask him to explain how he got the money to make these expensive gifts? Have you asked your brother, Mr President, whether the story is true, and whether it is proper for him to accept expensive gifts from his subordinate? Do you think Mr President, it is ethical for a President to hand over the Finance Ministry to an individual who is facing charges of money laundering in the Courts?
Mr President in order to demonstrate the sincerity of your Yahapalanaya I ask you to do a simple thing. Declare your assets and liabilities to the general public. Exhort the other politicians to follow your example. You do not need legislation to do this. You can do this immediately.
Or are you waiting for a “French Revolution” to install wayside guillotines to cut off the heads of the present and former Rulers including yours and your family’s?
The Sinhala politicians have from 1948 made sure that the Sinhala electorate remain ignorant and illiterate for ever. A major milestone was reached in 1956 when Bandaranaike floated into power in his “Sinhala Only in 24 Hours” baloon. The next milestone was in 1962 when English Medium classes were terminated in Sri Lanka’s government schools.
Within twenty years, Sri Lanka had been marooned, where the vast majority of the people were cut off from knowing whatever developments were taking place in the outside world. English was like Oxygen for this purpose, and the politicians mercilessly cut it off to the general public. How come Chandrika speaks English and French today? How come Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot speak two sentences in English without sounding like a drunkard. The answer depends on whether English was available or not available to each of them during their schooling.
Sinhala politicians even today see the need to keep their electorate shrouded in ignorance and illiteracy. They are now going beyond denying knowledge of the English language. They have resorted to desperate measures, to forcing people to pay for their children’s education. How? By visibly degrading the quality of education in government schools, and at the same time promoting private fee levying schools, which is denied to the vast majority, as they are unable to afford. A country like Sri Lanka MUST allocate atleast 15 percent of its GDP to education; another 15 to health. They get less than 5 percent each.
The Sinhala politicians WANT to keep their electorate totally dependent on them for their sustenance. This continues even today. The JVP talks about empowering the electorate. That is the only sliver hope Sri Lanka has for the future. Otherwise one can truly say she is damned.
When Sri Lanka gained independence, Sri Lanka was ahead of Singapore. Just comptemplate for a moment that we are in the dumps today. The population is completely powerless to get their government to do anything which is in the interest of the People. The policy of successive governments to keep their electorate in illiteracy and ignorance has been successful. Such policies are continuing.
I am aware of course, that the segment of society to whom these comments are most relevant will never be able to read and understand them. Sad.
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David Perera / February 21, 2015
If the paid documents are not perfect get the people who approved payments to the task. It is so simple. Politicians have no authority to sign cheques for payments. Only the officials have that and they are responsible for payments made without proper documents.
Start the probe there and find who is actually was accountable.
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dcn / February 21, 2015
Money has been spent like water and some robbed may be. This is public money collected from all poor people byway of direct or indirect taxes and the persons who misled, misused, robbed telling lies would be cursed by all Gods. They may fool the people because many people are innocent and believe in the acts of these corrupt people but the Almighty God is watching and would get punished
appropriately in due course though Ranil & company may be lenient and may even let them free.
It is the God’s blessing that President Maithree won and setting some standard for public living, e.g.
He travelled to India on a state visit but used only the passenger flight and travelled with only 17 persons contrary to the previous regime using a complete plane and entourage would well have been more than 60 – 70 atleast. THANKS PRESIDENT MAITHREEPALA SIRISENA FIR SAVING SO MUCH MONEY FOR WHICH THE MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION WOULD EVER BE GRATEFUL TO YOU CIUPKED WITH THE GOD’S BLESSINGS.
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srilal / February 22, 2015
Even after wasting Millions of Dollars of Tax payers money with a planeful of Sycophants accompanying MR to any country , he would return home only with bogus promises , nothing substantial , whereas MY3 had done just the opposite , less expenses with maximum ROI , MR had been trying so hard to get the Indian prime minister to Colombo ,but no avail , when MR went to Modi’s inauguration , he pleaded with Modi to pay a visit to SL , but Modi just ignored MR’s plea , what an embarrassment for the country !
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Plato. / February 21, 2015
Navin.
In the old days at Peradeniya,languages spoken in the country were classified as follows.
OVAA.
ARAWAA.
MEWAA.
This itself was an indication of the madness that was unleashed in 1956!
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Mallaiyuran / February 21, 2015
Anura Kumara should nor blame without knowing the truth. Old Royal Family did not waste a penny of government money.
Brother Prince even does not have a home to live(He has only Mansons and Bungalows to rent). So he is lining in Mother-in-Law’s house. (what is meant by mother-in-law’s house?. Sinhala people, when they get married, they do not live in female partner’s house? Tamils customs is they may live only in Mother-in-Law’s house, because that is the dowry house)
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bo / February 22, 2015
It does not make any sense with just complaints and accusations; it is making people raise their bile. What we need to see is to have them charged, arrest all the people involved, incarcerate them and bring them in front of the court. Well start from MR and Basil, all the other crooks in that order. If an organization is failing, then it is the manager who MUST take the responsibility. No shrugging the shoulders and say I don’t know or nobody told me. The manager has been placed on trust by the people; he has not only broken that trust, but also helped himself top a vast fortune that Basil went off to hide and protect. Arrest all these criminals now, and the police can take time to investigate while they are in remand, not in hospital. Remember what MR and Gota did to SF on the trumped up charge against his son-in-law; it was over peanuts compared with these fabulous sums of money
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Jim softy / February 22, 2015
IF the govt wants they can do this. that is create bodies and laws to do it.
the question is will they do it.
Right now most of what they are doing is witch hunting, getting ready to face the general election and eliminating possible contenders from the scene so that, they will be the only leaders in the near future.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 22, 2015
Anura Kumara is from the party which fed Manioc to the brave members of the Liberation Fighters of the Socialist Sinhala Eelaam.while their Leader was feasting on Village Chicken.
May be Anura has substituted Halal Chicken , because Village Chooks are hard to get because of their love making with the Elite, Anglicans and the Vellalas. nowadays.
Still Anura obviously doesn’t like the Foreign Journos having three course meals at the Temple Trees, which show case our excellent Sea food and culinary skills.
The sad part is that Anura and his mates have forgotten that his previous leaders helped CBK to prevent Ranil giving Prabakaran his Eelaam under the guise of ISGA.
Anura is oblivious to Mangalan now telling the US and Cameron how Ranil and him going to set the traps to catch Rajapaksas and the brave commanders and hand over the new UN chief from Jordan.
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rivira / February 22, 2015
What JVP first do is to request the government to appoint a truth commission to do justice for killing of it’s own comrades in 88 &. 89.
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paragon / February 22, 2015
I HAVE BEEN WATCHING ANURAKUMARS SPEECHES AND ACTIONS HE SEEMS TO BE GENUINE BUT IN A HURRY.HE SHOULD KNOW IT IS VERY EASEY TO CREATE SYMPATHY AMONG SINGALESE RURAL MASSES(WHICH HE IS SUPPOSE TO REPRESENT) ANEEY POW APPEY RAJAPAKSA MATHAYA EAYA WITARAI KOTIYATTA BAYA NATUWA WADTH THUNNE,THANK BALLNADA RANIL PONAYA EYAWA NATHIKARANDA ATHANUWA.SO ANURA KNOWS VERY WELL HIS PARTY CANOT FORAM A GOVERNMENT MAY BE MAXIMUM 10-15 SEATS THEY CAN WIN.DO YOU WANT TO INCREASE YOUR SEATS OR NOT TO GIVE A CHANCE TO RANIL.WHY NOT ATTACK MORE ABOUT RAJAPAKSAS ASSOCIATES SUCH AS GOTHA-WIMAL-MHINDANANDA-MERVIN-NAMAL-YOSITHA-JONSTAN FERANADO-TIME BEING LEAVE KING RAJA ALONE TILL NEXT ELECTIONS ARE OVER.OTHER WISE ANNEY-POW APPEY MATHAYA WILL SOCRE MORE POINTS-JAYAWEEWA -SAADU-SAADU.
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EDWIN RODRIGO / February 22, 2015
Let us look at the bright side, so that we may keep our sanity and suppress our uncontrollable urge to go berserk. Rs 1.17 billion is approximately equivalent to US$ 9 million.
1- MR & Co wanted to build a Formula-1 track at Hambantota. In the country I work in, the Formula-1 track cost about US $ 1.5 billion about 10 years back. In today’s money, the genuine cost would be around US $ 2 billion. Add 50% as the santhosham for the Royals and the cost to the country would have been US $ 3 billion. We could have built a moon rocket with that money and sent the rocket sceintist son to the moon with no meands to come back. Come to think of it, that would not have been such a waste!
2- Then there is the cancelled Commonwealth games. Another saving of US 200 million at least, I guess.
So let us not get worked up too much about a measly US $ 9 million, peanuts compared to what we were spared of due to the intervention of the Satahrawaram Gods who protect Lanka.
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Know ALL / February 22, 2015
BTW, whatever has happened to that famous Rajapakse patriot, one of the powerful troika, the Hon Basil Rajapakse? From a day or so after the election, the man has been missing in action, gone to his second home. So much for the love of the Gang for the country!
And yet the likes of Dayan Jayatileke would have us believe that MR should come back as PM to ‘save’ the country.
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Snowden Edward Asange / February 22, 2015
When Basil FLED to the USA, someone had taken photos of his dragging his briefcase and was in jeans and T-shirt, wonder where his National dress and the Satakaya was? Stupid people of SL can be hoodwinked so easily…so sad that there are people who still want to see Jarapassas rule the country… WE need to check on teh literacy rate, may be they made a mistake and said we are around 98 %…
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WalaGemba Raja / February 22, 2015
What Hon. MP Anura K has stated is correct! Almost 90% of this astronomical CHOGM catering bill had a minimum mark up of 500% for each plate. A plate that was itemized as Rs 5000/= was only retail Rs 1500/=. The real cost of production may be 25% less and this is retail and even lesser for wholes sale. For an exclusive mega event such as this, one can easily cater for less than $15 per head. The world biggest buffet in Las Vegas cost less than $18 (not including taxes+tips) per head. A nutritional meal served with organic food with special dietary needs for athletes in an Olympic village cost less then $20 per head. Check Aramark’s (Worlds largest Caterering company) or Sodexo for prices. Hence, one can imagine the extent of the price gouging and plunder of our finances.
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Jim softy / February 23, 2015
I think non one inthe parliament is willing to present at least a private members bill to make these EX- and present parliamentarians to bring into books. Present ones have immunity and no one wants to change the laws to make them resign as soon as they accused for some theft, wastage or some other fraudulent or criminal activity. then the police and investigate.
It looks even the Sri lankan law enforcement need overhauling if needed incompetant and destructive or interfering officials needed to prosecuted.
AKD talks but cannot do anything. Is there anyway for him to get into the govt change things the way he can ?
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N.Wijeratne / February 23, 2015
They made salad out of many notes at temple trees-not only Rs.5000/- notes-
Ask those who came to Nugegoda for the meeting?
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madma / March 7, 2015
No Anura gura, they were used to wipe the backsides of JVP ring masters.
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