In the backdrop of the masses being slapped with back to back tax increases, the Government has sought parliamentary approval for a whopping Rs. 1.1 billion to purchase 32 brand new luxury vehicles for the use of ministers, and deputy ministers.
Gayantha Karunatilake – Minister Media
In the list presented by Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunathilake on behalf of Minister Finance on Tuesday, Ministers Sarath Fonseka and Mahinda Samarasinghe were allocated Rs. 70 million each to purchase luxury vehicles.
The other ministers whose name was in the list were; Vajira Abyewardena to purchase two cars for Rs. 98,000,000, including one for his Deputy Minister Nimal Lanza. Rs. 91,000,000 has been allocated for Harin Fernando and his deputy minister Tharanath Basnayake, while Rs 35,000,000 each was allocated for Ministers Rauff Hakeem, Wijith V Zoysa, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, and P. Digambaram.
A further Rs 56,000,000 each has been allocated for Deputy Ministers Lasantha Alagiyawanna, and Arundika Fernando while Rs. Rs. 28,000,000 has been allocated each for Deputy Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara, and Indika Bandaranayake, while another Rs. 27,500,000 has been allocated for Deputy Minister Susantha Punchinilame to purchase a car.
Paul / June 9, 2016
And another thing, have you noticed how these sobs are always addressed by their full title? For example on Derana they would say “And here to collect his vehicle is the Honourable Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs, the Honourable Arundika Fernando MP”
Why cant they just call the bugger Mr Fernando?
http://www.dailymirror.lk/110653/Car-wars-Yes-we-want-em
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ramona therese fernando / June 9, 2016
When a person like Ranil doesn’t understand the common man culture, and instills a neo-Lankan-culture with European operatic music, his political circles will likewise live in rarified worlds of their own.
All kinds of pretend humility, but when the crunch time comes, they haven’t a clue of commonality with the common Masses (the majority).
We ask Ranil to keep Lankan music as authentic as possible- then understanding will dawn.
(At least Rajapaksas made no bones about things)
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Gamarala / June 9, 2016
Instead of aligning with political parties people should get-together and rally under an umbrella of anti corrption to agitate against these injustices with people like Prof Sarath Wijesooroya and Mr Nagananda Kodituwakku.
Politicians in Sri Lanka will NEVER STOP STEALING TAX PAYERS MONEY UNLESS HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE PEOPLE.
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anomar odnanref. / June 9, 2016
How can they have a clue of commonality when people like you vote them into power. European operatic music is a culture, a culture far beyond the intelligence of the average sri lankan.
There is nothing authentic about lankan music as it is a part of indian culture, great indian culture.
Ranil is a shrewd man. He will run circles around you without your knowing. He will enter through your mouth and exit from your rear and you will still not know.
Ranil knows that people like you are fools, damn fools who will sell your precious vote for a packet of biscuits.
It is people like you who does not understand the common mans culture for if you did then the common man will learn from you.
Ranil’s political circle knows that voters like you are weak and prone to temptation that’s why today you are in a bloody mess with a bigger mess heading your way.
You lankans will never learn and when you do it will be too late.
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ramona therese fernando / June 9, 2016
anomar odnanref.,
Well,….that was a fine set of disjointed interjections with little substantive efficacy.
Let me respond all the same:
1) European operatic music emerged from the European culture of Roman crucifixions, inquisitions, crusades, and colonization of cultures of originality. Sri Lankan music on the other hand, comes from the millennia (indeed millions of years) of Buddhistic heritage. Our music is authentic to us, and is of simple elegance and equanimity.
2) The Indian caste system reflects in India’s musical heritage. Hence its blandness. That we share some drumbeats merely shows our neighborliness.
3) Ranil is the unfortunate result of the colonial legacy, but we will advise and pray for his return to the heritage of his forefathers.
4) I personally preferred the Rajapaksian policies, but even they needed our advice and prayers so as to contain their excesses.
5) Never fear – the common Lankan man is gradually regaining the bearings on his heritage and political awareness.
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vikram / June 10, 2016
[Edited out]
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PROUDMAN / June 10, 2016
[Edited out]
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KA Sumanasekera / June 9, 2016
No sweat,
Yahapalana UNP Heavy Hitter Rajitha told the journos, he wants the 4WD to go Estates and Up Country.
He said no way he can travel thousands of kilometres in an Indian car to give Yahapalanaya.
What is all this fuss here…
But my elders have one question.
What about our Dalits who live in Up Country and the Estates .
Does the CTB give them 4WDrives, even when the 30 weeks plus pregnant moms go to Hospital or the local Quacks?.
No Journo had the balls or the brains to ask that ******* Yahapalana Minister, about our Dalits..
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BBS Rep / June 9, 2016
So then, what is the difference in the area of defrauding the people of Sri Lanka between MRs Mafia’s misrule and MS/RW Yahapalanaya/Yamapalanaya’s misrule.
The cost of each luxury car can build ten houses for ten families made homeless during the recent floods or twenty rudimentary liveable houses for twenty homeless families and in the process employ two hundred workers for one year. All that money will be pumped into the economy and will circulate for a long time to come. Now multiply that by 32 and see what the result is.
Ah then these bloody bloodsuckers called politicians must be given gifts to be loyal to the two big bloodsuckers, MS and RW. The people and economy be damned.
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No mercy. / June 9, 2016
Yes ! the corrupt politicians need luxury vehicles.
They are hard working, dishonest, loved and feared by the masses, they are corrupt otherwise they cannot come into power, their vulgarity is a part of their qualifications and education, they have built the country into what it is, very soon a failed state, they work an average of 12 hours a day thinking of how to grab more and more, they thrive on the masses during natural disasters like maggots in a festering wound so on and so forth !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please give them all they want !!!!!! they deserve it.
The voters deserve what they are getting and still a lot more to come.
Let them enjoy while the going is good for there will come a day when they will see themselves at the end of a rope hanging from the nearest lamp post. That day is not very far away. It will be people’s power and fate and destiny.
Examples : Nicolae Ceasescu of Romania. Shot by firing squad.
Saddam Hussein. ( The butcher of Baghdad ) Hung.
The Shah of Iran. Died of Cancer in exile in Morroco.
Mobutu Sese Seko of the Congo. Suffered and died of Cancer.
Ben Ali of Tunisia. Languishing in Saudi Arabia.
Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Frightened to die.
Hosny Mubarak of Egypt. Languishing in jail.
Muammar Gadafi of Libya. Shot like a dog without mercy.
Charles Taylor of Liberia. Jailed for life.
Bashar Al Assad of Syria. Dying a slow death seeing his
country torn to pieces in a civil war.
Mengitsu Haile Mariam of Ethiopia. Died in Exile in Zimbabwe
of a massive heart attack but in agonising stages.
Adolf Hitler. Committed suicide and died worse than a dog.
Rafiq Hariri of Lebanon. Killed by massive car bomb.
Hafez Al Assad of Syria. Died of massive heart attack.
Not fogetting the Kim dynasty of North Korea.
The above are just a few who robbed, cheated, intimidated, murdered, tortured, maimed, and God only knows what else they did and in the end they paid their price and must be paying a greater price somewhere in the bowels of damned Hell. Let Satan extract from them in the most horrendous way the evil they used on others.
ALL GOOD THINGS MUST ONE DAY COME TO AN END.
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Andre / June 9, 2016
Absolutely correct ! They are hard working, they need to go for weddings, parties ceremonies, openings, meetings, they are developing the country, etc. Its not an easy job. If not for them the country will not progress. Today Sri Lanka has prospered because of them.
What is the voter doing ! nothing. Drinking kassipu and eating kothu roti, robbing temples, looting the innocent during calamities etc etc.
Thank you ministers for your hard work and may the Triple Gem bless you all. May you prosper more and more in life.
We need more like you.
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Uthungan / June 9, 2016
Why is Benito Musollini of Italy missing in the list?
Did Yahapalanaya Bodi Sira and Ranil resurrect him?
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Chinthana / June 9, 2016
So this has got to be w joke. Normal people can’t buy cars due to taxes and this and that
But they can spend a billion buying vehicles for these idiots?
What’s wrong with the vehicles they already have?
Are they so posh to have to use brand new, and expensive vehicles?
Seriosuly have some respect for the tax payers money and use the existing ones.
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Nihal / June 9, 2016
Our Parliamentarians also should follow this example or allow any who are willing to do so
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Justice & Fairplay / June 9, 2016
Listen, all you mad-men, whom we unwisely voted into parliament.
For LONG YEARS, MPs, Ministers, Governor generals, Presidents, Prime Ministers of India, went about in Indian made vehicles. India – for long years – had just two cars which they made themselves; the Ambassador and the Fiat. And these political types went about in them.
I suggest all these clowns in the SL parliament be give only Indian made cars to travel. If not they could resign and go home. And that includes that super clown Rajitha who cannot travel unless it is a 4 wheel drive.
70 million for Sarath Fonseka’s car? What kind of a joke is that? And the Prime Minister will be going about in a car which cost us the moon, the stars and the high heavens?
For God sake, Have these people no CONSCIENCE?????
Time will not be far from now, when people of ALL SHADES will clamour to have the Rajapaksians back.
And I wont blame them, if this is how, Yahapalanaya is going about its business.
SHAME on all of you!!! Let’s hang our heads in Shame as well!
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Justice & Fairplay / June 9, 2016
One more question: How do these clowns go about their businesses now?
I dare say it isn’t by bus, nor bullock cart. So if they use cars, I suggest that they be overhauled and reused for another 5 years. Overhauling done at agents, and at tax payers expense.
That is what you and I who own private cars would do, would it not? We don’t chuck away a car in 5 years and get another? So why not the same philosophy for the clowns?
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Siri / June 9, 2016
My son said, when it rains in Canberra, Australia, the roof of the PM’s house leaks. Many times they have shown this in the TV. This is happening during the
the times of many PMs from both the major parties.
The reason – the PM don’t want to waste the public money, fixing the roof of the PM’s house is not easy and cheap like a normal house. It’s a huge mansion, involve lot of money. Not only the PM lives there and his is working there along with several hundred employees. Relocating them to temporary location and fixing the roof is major work and involves considerable sum of money, time and trouble.
Australia is not a poor country, and the PM don’t mind putting up with little inconvenience when it rains for saving the public’s money.
The Malaysian King and PM travel in their locally made Perodua cars. They don’t have big ego like our politicians, very simple people, when they are on the road no big escorts and tamasas like in Sri Lanka.
Our politicians come to power to suck dry the poor people’s blood. They are shameless, greedy, mean and selfish, when majority of the people are struggling to have a good three square full meals a day. They are real parasites living out of the poor people. If they behave this way, very soon God’s curse should be on them.
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Yahapalana Puppy / June 9, 2016
We need luxury vehicles to travel in the Yahapalana super highway.More luxury vehicles on the way to be used in the Reconciliation super highway.
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words / June 9, 2016
Sri Lanka needs a revolution. An intellectual revolution. Enough is enough!
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Sapumal / June 9, 2016
As a person who uphold the concept of Good Governance I don’t want to see things like this in our administration. It is against the prunes entails of good governance. They need vehicles. That is ok. But why they need 98 million , 90 million vehicles? That’s call greed for public money. That’s a theft. A bribe. We shouldn’t fall into that category. Yes that may be politics. But we want to change that culture. That’s why we all faught against Corrupted MR regime. SF didn’t even elected by the people. Mahinda Samarasinghe also the same. They have no legitamate right to grab big chunk of public money for their own benefit. In any developed country has no such a practice. This is a Hugh violation of fundamental rights of the general public and also tax payers. Sto wasting money. Buy do me cabs. Even if you take vehicles and visit public, you do nothing. Give those vehicles grams sewaka fellows. They will do more work than all of you idiotic politicians.
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Sapumal / June 9, 2016
As a person who uphold the concept of Good Governance I don’t want to see things like this in our administration. It is against the fundamental values of good governance. They need vehicles.yes, That is ok. But why do they need 98 million , 90 million worth vehicles? That’s call greed for public money. That’s a theft. A bribe. We shouldn’t fall into that category. Yes that may be politics. But we wanted to change that culture. That’s why we all fought against previous Corrupted regime of MR. SF didn’t even elected by the people. Mahinda Samarasinghe also the same. They have no legitimate right to grab big chunk of public money for their own benefit. Look at In any developed country you dont see such a practice. This is a Hugh violation of fundamental rights of the people of this country and also violation of rights of tax payers. Stop wasting money. If you really want a vehicle to work, buy those double cabs. Even if you take vehicles and visit public, you do nothing. Give those vehicles Gramasewaka fellows. They will do more work than all of you idiotic politicians. (Corrected)
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Dilu / June 9, 2016
There should be a provision to recall these rascals. They have lost touch with the general population. So sad.
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shankar / June 9, 2016
now the no confidence motion against ravi will become a full confidence one.
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jim softy / June 9, 2016
they legalize corruption.
Voters are the dumb and dumber.
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shankar / June 9, 2016
they say we had to tax the people because the former regime has left us in a financial mess.
now they are dishing to themselves 1.1 million.
when is the local government elections to be held.mustapha is playing arab games thinking this is arabia.people are waiting with gritted teeth for the LG elections to teach this yahapalanaya a good lesson and show their feelings.
the more mustapha delays the election the worse the result.
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nagananda / June 9, 2016
There seems to be a serious deficiency by birth in all Lankans. Not bothered about the forward-march of the Nation, except their private interests and self-centered life style.
How come these people spend taxpayers money for their extravagant life style. Why should people tolerate this nonsense.
Not least concerned about the group of organized cheats ruining the Nation. Always willing to forget and accept the politico cheats as their leaders conveniently forgetting serious and monumental blunders committed by them. Consider that embezzling of taxpayers money in various forms is something that the cheats are entitled to that people should refrained from talking or raised their concerns, encouraging the cheats to rob the Notion’s wealth at will. This list goes on and on and on. Hard truth is that granting of universal franchise has ruined the Nation. The absolutely dishonest politico cheats, not least bothered about the sorry destiny of the nation, know that the pitiful situation affords them a field day all the time, allowing them to deceive the gullible people at will. This is why leaned, respectable people who sacrificed their life for the betterment of mother Lanka like anagarika Dharmapala left Sri Lanka for good, because the situation is serious and seems something inherent in almost all Sri Lankans.
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Hamlet / June 9, 2016
Why would Politicians need Luxury Cars to visit their Electorates?
The Politicians should be living in their Electorates, not just visiting, for Ceremonies and Functions paid for by their Voters!
Otherwise how would they know what the Problems of the Electorates are?
If the MP for SalaWa was living in His Electorate, this Disaster would not have happened! He would have made sure that He and His family were Safe, and therefore the rest of His People!
Apparently some do not even attend Parliament when Important Issues are Up for Discussion. They just draw the Money, and do their own Thing!
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suppiah / June 9, 2016
Lankan politicians need super luxury vehicles because they are honest, hardworking, educated, intelligent persons.
If not for them the voters will be still eating grass and drinking mud water. Thank God for them everyday.
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bo / June 9, 2016
They want secure, reliable, 4-wheeled, luxurious vehicles that could cope with Sri Lankan pot holed roads? Yes…..!
Give each of these piss-heads one of those surplus armored-cars that the army has, along with an army driver. Just throw in some straw mattresses to make them comfortable so that ministers could kip with their mistresses safely on the way to work at outstations. After all that is what they are very good at, apart from bragging and cheating the public.
This will serve a worthy and useful purpose for these expensive government assets, and stop the utter waste of public money and reduce taxes.
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Sirisena Yatawara / June 9, 2016
Sri lanak under the uncertainties of natural and man made disasters, since last 18 moths of current regime led by UNP-Ranil.W… MS of New UNP and CBK of New-UNP has not address key issues of People.
Instead of that “Good Governance and rule of law” run by UNP-ranil W…want to import Rs 1.2 billions value of motor vehicles for 30 Minister and deputy Ministries.
They do not care that all this money borne by Poor Tax payers which has been recently increased VAT and NBT, form 11% to 15% of VAT and NBT 2% to 4% by Ranil W… budget. Spending billions of Rupees for Minsters comfort is ridiculous.
Why they want such luxuries cars to work for the people?
The MPS, Minister and other authorities are political parasitises.
They become burdens to democracy governed and as well as their people!
In fact Policy of UNP is saying ,it is simple principle ,if you want to be part of our political game, you have to follow our policies and by our Rules that is teaching of UNP policy makers.
Thousands of people are victims of Flood and landslides last month in many part of country, as the result of that lost their belongs including homes . Due explosion of weapons which blast in Army camp thousands of people are victimise, become homeless lost of all belongs by man made disasters.
The “Good governance” of UNP are not care about this victims.
Many of majority people become homeless by the explosion.
Problems of people ill has not been seek any type solutions except that import billions of Vehicles for own comfort of UNP ministers.
We saw in current UNP regime has blasted previous MR ruling parties, but “good governance option” by UNP current regime is a dead end for the vast majority people at least for foreseeable future.
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KA Sumanasekera / June 9, 2016
Ammatta Digital Harin son, is suing the journo who published his demand for LRK 90 Mil for a vehicle.
He is demanding LKR 50 Mil.
May be Harin son thinks that our Journos also have become rich Elite in the 15 Months of his Boss Batalanada’s Yahapalanaya.
Otherwise how on earth can can sue a journo for 50 Mil..
A journo wouldn’t earn that even if he/ she holds the job for 50 years..
Harin son must be thinking in “bitcoins” after Batalanda Ranil gave him that Digital gig.
What a joker..
Yahapalana Fonny doesn’t have to go to Thamil Nadu now, to find them…
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Dengusira. / June 9, 2016
So called GOOD GOVERNANCE [ yaha palanaya.] sick, gone to dogs.
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R.K / June 9, 2016
All parties are the same. Whats J V P doing. Can a ordinary person think of buying a car. The lowest is NANO 1.5 Million. You cant think of buying a mid size car for less than 4.0 million. Is the YAHAPALANAYA Government think that the common man must tighten thieir belt for the sake of politicians to spend BILLIONS and Billions. Its very sad. Some good thinking people must come gather for the sake of the country. Should not rely on UNP/SLFP/JVP form a new front who will sincerly work for masses with out delay. Some must come forward atleast a good DICTATOR who will put the country right.
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