The Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration has gone back to the 2005-2014 practice of appointing a host of near and dear ones to top government posts, the latest in a series being the appointment of his schoolmate and Los Angeles neighbour Malraj De Silva.
Malraj De Silva
Eva Wansundera
According to an advertisement calling for representations on ambassadors nominated to serve in Sri Lankan missions overseas, published in the newspapers by the Secretary General of Parliament, De Silva has been nominated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to serve as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The last time the Rajapaksa regime held power Malraj De Silva was appointed Sri Lanka’s Consul General to LA, allowing him to continue to reside in his hometown that he shared with Gotabaya Rajapaksa while earning a fat paycheck courtesy of the Sri Lankan Government. De Silva is still under investigation by the FCID for renting a palatial residence in LA while serving as Consul General at a whopping USD 8000 per month. De Silva never provided a statement to FCID officials about the charge. It was claimed that Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s son Manoj Rajapaksa resided at the luxury house while he completed his higher studies. Two military personnel had been assigned to him for security, while water, electricity and other utility expenses were borne by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gota at Malraj De Silva’s home
Rajapaksa stayed at the De Silva residence inside a gated community located east of Los Angeles, California when he visited the US in March/April 2019. It was during that visit that Rajapaksa was served summons in the case filed against him in a California district court by the daughter of slain Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, accusing the former defence secretary and current president of Sri Lanka of masterminding and executing her father’s murder in January 2009.
Video taken at Malraj De Silva’s home in Los Angeles and features Upul Dharmadasa, Gotabaya’s travel agent who has been appointed Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority:
The appointment comes even as the system is still reeling from the shock of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s travel agent Upul Dharmadasa and buddy from LA, being appointed Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Both Dharmadasa and De Silva feature prominently in a video that circulated widely on social media, that shows Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Meanwhile, Eva Wanasundera a former Justice of the Supreme Court who retired late last year and a self-proclaimed “good friend” of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has also been nominated as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to France and UNESCO.
The nomination comes amid an earth shattering scandal involving actor politico Ranjan Ramanayake’s phone recordings that seem to indicate he regularly held discussions with serving members of the judiciary. The Rajapaksa administration has come down hard on the recordings, accusing the Yahapalanaya regime of interference with the judiciary even though no evidence is yet to surface that any of the judges did Ramanayake’s bidding.
The Rajapaksa family meanwhile, who designed the flawed and illegal impeachment against former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and during whose previous term of office the judicial system bore the brunt of political interference, has resumed the old practice of granting diplomatic postings to retired Supreme Court judges. The moves call into serious questions the political affiliations and inclinations of members of the senior judiciary while they were serving. The nomination of former judicial officers as politically appointed diplomats could also be construed as a post-retirement perk, that judges have to work for while on the Bench, legal experts explained.
Justice Wanasundera has been openly affiliated with Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was her batchmate in Law College. In 2015 Wanasundera gave current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa his first big legal victory by issuing an interim order preventing his arrest by the FCID over the 2006 MiG deal investigation, in the unprecedented fundamental rights application filed by the former Defence Secretary seeking to prevent his arrest. The interim order continues to be in effect, but Justice Wanasundera subsequently recused herself from hearing the case on personal grounds. However her recusal followed an order she made in Rajapaksa’s favour, to prevent his arrest by the police, which stunned legal observers at the time. Many senior legal experts opined that Justice Wanasundera’s recusal warranted a lapse of the interim order since she had precluded herself from having anything to do with the case involving the former President’s brother.
Gotabaya theologian Dr Nalin De Silva has also been nominated as Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ambassador to Myanmar.
Related posts
Gota’s Travel Agent Appointed Chairman Civil Aviation Authority
nalmen / January 11, 2020
nothing new
all previous governments did it
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Shiron / January 11, 2020
That doesn’t make it right. If this government wants to prove its credibility it should honor the grandiose promises it made to the people. Otherwise they are just lying hypocrites. No diifrom the rest no doubt, but equally unworthy of being entrusted with running the country.
No point falling back on the convenient excuse “other governments did it”…isn’t that the very reason why this government was elected – because they promised to do things differently??
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
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Kirihandige / January 12, 2020
This what My 3 and Ranil did putting all their loved ones to all the posts remember who is telecom chairman. Who is Dilrukshi..ane get lost …at least GR has the courage to seek advertised suitable candidates with some degree of Professional Qualifications…I see nothing wrong
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babalath appu / January 11, 2020
How unfortunate the srilankens are ?-
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Why dont they the average people see it right yet ?
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What are the real stumbling blocks before them ?-
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Why the very same voters fall back on their laps again ?
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It is high time UNIVERSITY dons to stroll out of their closets and start edcuating the masses – adequately as they can. If not today, when would the experts join hands in that process ? People like Dr Dewasiri should come out of his cacoon. He made it clear, tha tpeople will need lot more time to stay discuss and they are not yet ready for open discussions about anything yet.
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FACTs and FIGUREs of Rajaakshe nepotistic politics should be revealed to the nation.
We dont want Rajapakshe uneducated men to lead us to ALL LEVELs of bankrupcies
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Sinhalasena / January 12, 2020
Sri Lankans are Sinhala Buddhists. They will even eat the shit of safron clad when they are hungry
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bombili / January 13, 2020
Just like you did Prabakarans
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meer / January 13, 2020
bombili – Dumbili, you appear to have eaten VENEREAL Gandasara’s s..t when you were hungry!
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Navin / January 12, 2020
Not to this extent buddy. Last time over 200 of them, this time since the young princes are all married, it will be more, considering the ambitious in laws are already rewarded…..must be jolly family gatherings, lining up for jobs.
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Burt / January 12, 2020
People rejected a politician “Premadasa” and voted for a Pretender “Gota”.
He pretended to be a outsider to the political corruption and fell for it. So if you were stupid enough to fall for it and waste your vote, blame no one other than yourself.
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Amarasiri / January 12, 2020
Colombo Telegraph,
The Rajapapsksa Mafia is displaying Tribalism in the so-called Democrat Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
That is how tribalism works. The tribal head appoints those who are in the tribe or associated with the tribe, are appointed to the tribal councils. Those in the competing tribes , and those associated with the competing tribes are generally not appointed.
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Burt / January 12, 2020
You have seen nothing as yet. The Rajapaksa mafia and its goons are throwing every thing they got at the general election to get a 2/3 majority in parliament. I think the Sinhala Bauda idiots will help them achieve that. After that it will be Rajapaksa for ever and the constitution will be worse fraud than the Mahawansa crap.
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Chithrananda / January 13, 2020
But these time GR promised to the people I change everything. That’s why people used there 6900000 votes
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kebab / January 11, 2020
What about Ranil’s aunt to England and the ex cop to Australia ! Qualified ?
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Nimal Perera / January 11, 2020
Our foreign service is anyway good for nothing and full of political friends and these appointments confirm it’s status over the years. Nothing much could be said about career officers as well.
Give me one example where the tax funded foreign office staff deployed overseas have brought one significant investment to SL and I will withdraw my comment.
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R. Wahab / January 11, 2020
You are right,? nothing tangible benefit to the country, majority of them continue their family business, or look after their personal affairs very little work done.
More fun less work or no work, with only mustard size work by a few.
Days of diplomacy the calibre Of
deshananya Vernon Mendis or Jayantha Dhanapala whom I know are gone.
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S. C. Pasqual / January 11, 2020
So what…?
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He will appoint whoever he seems fit for whatever posts necessary…
That’s why we make him president.
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Whoever doesn’t agree with appointments can go to courts if it is illegal.
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If not let him do his job.
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Lankan / January 11, 2020
That’s the best you can do to defend the clan? How lame! I know, you cant really defend the indefensible without egg on your face..taking one for the team eh Pasqual?
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mike / January 11, 2020
Lankan – Why waste an egg on Pusqual? Let us give him something else and you can guess what I am talking about!
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K.Anaga / January 11, 2020
Maybe, to whitewash their sins?
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Desperate Sinhalaya / January 13, 2020
whoever ?- MY gosh, are ballige puthas are gods to go for it that way ?
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dontyou think that the well qualified ones that stay on the piple line to be posted should be the CANDIDATEs ?
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I wonder the bugger et al would bring another JALIYA WICRAMASOORIYA to represent us in the US. He was just an unlernt person who had only been busy with tea sale in the US. Jaliya W is now in custody or so, having looted statefunds in the US.
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The other bugger was Udayanga WEERATHUNGA – none of these men are even good to sweep the floor in maradana area. Mig flight purchase and lot more underground black money making businesses made them heroes.
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May well be ballige puthas will be given further posts by GOTABAYA next days.
I have no doubt, YOU paskal or the like WOULD do any low level work becoming their toilet papers right ? HOw can you guys be exmplary to your own offsprings ?
This is why our society down there in SL stay SO STUPID as a whole right ? You are no better to those who chew beetle leaves and polute the colombo city areas.
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Tara / January 11, 2020
It seems the new ambassador to Myanmar, Dr. Nalin de Silva has been strategically appointed, so that there will be coordination between the Rakhine and Sinhala Buddhists on how to treat Muslims here, seeing that Myanmar and the Rajapaksa’s have shown hatred for the minority. Maybe Gota should have appointed his buddy the BBS goon.
Read up on Dr.Nalin de Silva
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalin_de_Silva
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Wimp Kid / January 11, 2020
Ex Judges are not suitable for diplomatic postings.
The government should pick appropriate people with the relevent
skills and experience for diplomatic postings.
Diplomats should be proactive and outgoing people with a good sense of current international political and economic climate.
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Burt / January 12, 2020
Be real:
Sri Lankans pick a 7 Eleven clerk to be president and you have a problem with “Ex Judges” getting diplomatic postings?
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punchinilame / January 11, 2020
MR did it earlier, as below and this WILL HAVE to be repeated – to govern Sri Lanka for ever:
“Among the political appointees Mr. Dissanayaka revealed in Parliament are: Sarath Kongahage – Ambassador, Germany – Former Chairman of SLRC Nawalage Bannet Cooray – Ambassador, Italy – Former SLFP organizer for Kolonnawa Gamini Rajapaksa – Ambassador, Jordan – Former Deputy Minister of the UNP government H.R. Piyasiri – Ambassador Myanmar – Former Parliamentarian of the UNP Buddhi Athawuda – Ambassador, Netherlands – Minister Athauda Senevirtna’s son Udayanga Weeratunga – Amabssador, Russia – Presidents brother in law Jaliya Wickremesooriya – Ambassador, USA – President’s brother in law Dikson Daala – High Commissioner Maldives – father of Pradeep Nilanga Daala, Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth, a close friend of the President. ASP Liyanage- Ambassador Nigeria – a property trader and a close friend of the President Oshadhi Alahapperuma– Ambassador Sweden, Younger brother of Minister Dulles Alahapperuma Yasara Abeynayake – Consular in Sydney – Gamini Fonseka’s daughter Bharathy Wijeratna – Ambassador, Turkey – Former Minister Mano Wijeratne’s wife Dr. Yvonne Amarasinghe – Ambassador, Vietnam – President’s close friend Srimal Wickremesinghe – Deputy Head, Vienna – Brother of Ms. Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of the President Waruna Epasinghe – Embassy in Washington – A son of a government adviser Karaunaratna Pranavithana – Consul General, Canada – former Chairman of SLRC, a defeated candidate at an election WKS Dissanayaka – first Secretary , Abu Dhabi – a relative of the President Lalith U. Gamage – Indonesian Embassy – a SLFP politician from Galle HNB Ratnayaka – Second Secretary, Russia – Minister C,B, Ratnayaka’s son Lionel Premasiri – Deputy Secretary General, Canada – Former organizer of the SLFP in Galle Harshana Herath – Second Secretary, Singapore – Chief Minister of Sabaragamuwa PC Mahipala Herath’s son Chamithri Rambukwelela – Second Secretary, New York – Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s daughter Muthu Padmakumara – Second Secretary, London – the daughter of Chairman of Lake House Bandula Padmakumara Methsiri Cooray – Ambassador, Netherlands – President’s close friend Dr. Crtin Waidyarathna, High Commissioner in London – wife of Dr. Ajith Ratnayaka Umayangana Randeniya – Second Secretary, Singapore –
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Jayt / January 11, 2020
Now all of them direct relatives of Tamil. You did not mentioned Rajapaksas” Tamil relatives. They are all relatives of Tamil and link to Tamil
Sri Lanka already automatically becoming a Tamil state . Malays, Bandaranaike s Vasudavas, RW are all Tamil ralitive.s.
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Navin / January 12, 2020
How many QUALIFIED and EXPERIENCED individuals in this lot?
How many CAREER DIPLOMATS?
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ajith / January 11, 2020
S.C. Pasqual,
You are right that Gota is appointing whoever he needs to get out of this period. Almost 52% Srilankans including 75% Sinhala Buddhists approved him to do that. WE can remember the ambassador (may be his cousin) appointed Mahinda during their period had a good armed deal for them. The attorney general appointed by him did a good job in removing unwanted judges and punishing former military commander for contesting against him. People made a choice and they can’t get rid of them for next 5 years.
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Lion / January 11, 2020
Ajith, This time they will govern forever and 52% of the voters will be there with the expectation of at least licking the bones thrown at them occasionally by the Raja company.
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Native Vedda / January 12, 2020
Lion
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Any chance of getting 8 measures of FREE RICE imported from the MOON?
My Grandma’s friend her next door neighbour is still waiting to taste the free rice harvested on the Moon, before she is gone.
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S. C. Pasqual / January 12, 2020
My dear Mr. ajith.
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1. GR is our 100% president. He got that and this percentage game is irrelevant now.
2. “Good armed deal” story is also long gone now. Those stories invented for 2015 election. You had 5 yeas to prove all those baseless allegations.
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ajith / January 12, 2020
SC,
Truth will never die. Even the murder of Lasantha has not been proved for more than 10 years in the Buddhist Sinhala nation.
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Lion / January 11, 2020
Isn’t ths guy De Silva a land surveyor. Good for him as Rajapaksas can use him and state resources to manage their assets.
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Douglas / January 11, 2020
S.C. Pasqual: “Let him do his job”. In the first instance, you must know “WHAT” job and “WHO” assigned it. Do you really believe, “HE” is doing that “JOB”.? The way “HE” goes about within the last 50 days, I don’t think you really know anything of either that assigned “JOB” or “WHO” assigned it. I would urge you to OBSERVE what is going about in the Administrative Machinery, without any bias.Definitely, you will realize that things are not moving in the RIGHT DIRECTION and turning it to be the other side of the “same coin” that we had for the last 4 1/2 years under the term “Yahapalanaya”.
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bhumiputhra bandaara / January 11, 2020
[Edited out] We are sorry, the comment language is English – CT
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ramona therese fernando / January 12, 2020
A few of them are ok….say 15% of buddies….but Civil Aviation is leagues above Travel Agency.
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jehan / January 12, 2020
crooks have taken over, the dumb singhaleese will suffer like never before with inflation going hyper.
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Spring Koha / January 12, 2020
Any chance that we can get Phone Ranjan an overseas posting. He will not be out of place in a Confederacy of Dunces. In fact, he is the closest thing to Ignatius J Reilly that we have got.
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Adrian / January 12, 2020
On being asked why she appointed her relatives to high positions, Mrs B replied “Why not? They are the only people I can trust.”
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I’m just mentioning it, not approving or disapproving.
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Plato. / January 12, 2020
For the Rajapakses Old Habits Die Hard as per these appointments.Jobs for the Boys and Girls, those who are dear and near. More to follow……
Dr. Nalin de Silva has been posted to Myanmar [BURMA ] to study the methods of The Buddhist Monk Asin Virathu,Leader of Burmas 969, and known to be the Buddhist version of Bill Laden.
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Machan / January 13, 2020
You cannot blame Gota for appointing his buddies living overseas as High Commissioners etc because according to a recent survey the majority of Sri Lankan’s living in the countr currently have very low IQ Levels 79 to be precise below even Vietnam 94 which also fought a bloody war like Sri Lanka and also not very proficient in the English Language. Most of the educated and English speaking have all left the country seeking greener pastures overseas and Gota is merely exploiting the current situation after the recent Presidential Election results which has given him a very clear mandate to do whatever he likes. Despite gaining independence 71 years ago nothing seems to have changed and the voters keep making the same mistakes over and over again and worst is to come in the near future I guess.
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Ahmed J / January 13, 2020
Nothing wrong. We need like minded people to rebuild sri lanka.
No one is talking to any point. Congrats on the new ambassador. I hope he represents sri lanka well
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N.Gooneratne / January 13, 2020
I see a lot of negative comments from Ratta giya aththo! We have certainly voted in a good President who we believe will deliver the goods in time. The last 4.5 years were possibly the worst period in the history of this country. The so called privileged individuals ran this country to the ground.
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Vis8 / January 13, 2020
Oh, shut up unpers: the leaked tapes tell everything one needs to know about the unp. Go take a listen. Hope you will begin to see through your box.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / January 14, 2020
Best Wishes to the new Ambassadors!!!
As long as they are Lions or Lionesses I am fine with it.
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K A Sumanasekers / January 14, 2020
Not as cool as Keselwatta Kids Baila Hits..
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But then even that bit of Talent is a heck of a lot better than Dr Rani’s for sure,
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The biggest issue for Yahapalana sucking UNP Clans is whether it is Keselwatta Kid . or UNP Uncle Karu or the incumbent Dr Rani himself until 2025.
And how to counteract the raging anger of 7 Million who are waiting to hear the date of the next Election.
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With those revelations in Gonja Tapes , even the SB UNP suckers in the Villages would not want to return those UNP Heavies who have been hoodwinking and even bullying them, while ripping the guts of the Nation.
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The contents and the details of those Phone Chats are getting more and more exciting with each new release.
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The latest made me ecstatic. CBK’s poor Papa had given something which I can’t mention here,to the Suddas to get those 3000 Acres of our Mahavamsa Land.
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Ranjan also revealed some riveting a stuff about the Gene Pools of CBK Clan as well , and how they have been adulterated..
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But the best was the bits of Sex Chats with that “Baby” Actress on how the Sperms travel and meet the Ovaries and sometimes produced adulterated results.’
The Actress seemed to be so thrilled about it , specially when Ranjan addressed her as Babe to emphasize the intricate bits..
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But I didn’t like when Ranjan talked about the Genes of Prince Siddharta, Queen Yasodara Prince Deva Datta and a few other Royals whom I haven’t heard about.
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But my contention is that these Posts rubbishing the appointment of Qualified and well experienced people to fullfil Nandasena’s promises is distracting the UNP suckers from the Main Game.
There by ‘ giving the Pohottuwa blokes the opportunity to keep destroying what ever is left of the UNP by using Gonja Tape Revelations..
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I must watch that Hindian Made “Siddartha ” Doc/Movie to check whether the ex UNP Minister was telling that Babby Actress the Truth..
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GWW / January 14, 2020
I have been living in North America for many years but monitor Sri Lanka news regularly. I rely on Colombo Telegraph (CT) for in depth analyses of Sri Lanka news from knowledgeable people. However, my trust was shattered when I read this article.
I have been living in Los Angele for the last 20 years and knows Malraj De Silva very well. CT claims that he was paid $8000 per month by SL Govt etc. However, Malraj publicly stated in the last Independence Day Observation during his tenure (2015) that he did not take any money from SL Govt. He personally told me that he did not take a salary or any airline ticket etc. from Sri Lanka Govt. He used his own funds. He also lived in his own house. Therefore, I would request the editors to investigate the statement in this article and make corrections as needed.
Malraj represented Sri Lanka and SL community in LA very well during his tenure here. He also had worked as an expatriate in Middle East before. Therefore, he is familiar with needs and aspirations of SL people working in middle east and immigrant communities in general. He is a well to do person in Los Angeles and he would not take an ambassadorship for money. He wants to serve Sri Lanka.
I would love for a day, we can discuss issues with facts that are true and journalists who check their data before writing articles to character assassinate honest people.
If CT writers go wrong on things I know well, I am wondering whether I should trust on other SL news where I do not have direct access to truth.
I hope you start fact checking your articles in the future.
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Nalin Perera / January 14, 2020
I second this as I am also living near LA and knows well about how Malraj present Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan community. He has done lot of good deeds to Sri Lankan living near and not a crook who look for money like many living in Sri Lanka. As a.responsible journalist, I urge you to take good care before start spreading negativity and that is what Sri Lanka had many year resulting what we have now. Finally we have a president who has the right vision and courage to change the Sri Lankan thinking to make this country as a developed nation. Be supportive for the effort and focus on developing the country instead of being negative.
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Dave de Alwis / January 14, 2020
What is the big deal here? all political-diplomatic appointees are appointed discretion of the president. It has been the practice of all governments and it will be in the future as well.
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Priyantha Karunatilake / January 14, 2020
Mr. Oshada Senanayake, appointed as Director General at Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) has no academic qualifications and professional experience in Telecommunications and mass media in accordance with the Telecommunications Act 1991 .We believe he may be good only as a board member in ICTA as he has experience in computer Software Development and Delivery
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L. Perera / January 14, 2020
The time has come for Sri Lanka to change the image of POLITICIANS.
Addressing them:
The President – Mister President: The PM. – Mister PM. All members of Parliament – by their first or
Surname.
All members of Parliament must own the motor vehicles they use and drive it themselves. Their right to use Govt vehicles driven by state paid employees, to be used strictly on work related trips only.
They must be made to realise they are Servants of the public and address their constituents accordingly and show respect to the elderly an clergy of all religions.
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Umbe. Watte / January 15, 2020
Gota’s announcement that meritocracy will be the basis for senior appointments in the government is laughable and another insincere political statement. His close buddies with no moral right or expertise are being appointed. No hope for sri lanka that is now sinking further and deeper into the cesspit of a pariah nation.
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kali / January 15, 2020
Gothas Buddy, Mahinthas Buddy, Basils Buddy, Namals Buddy , Rishithas Buddy Wimal the Wansas Buddy , Buddys Buddy and so on./ It is Buddy Galore with no end in sight for the next 5 years.
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Adrian / January 15, 2020
I don’t care whose buddy they are as long as they do their job well. GR has warned them of his expectations.
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