Professor Rajiva Wijesingha says when he expressed his displeasure to the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe concerning the decisions made in the Higher Education Ministry without consulting him and informed of his decision to resign from his portfolio, the PM in return had told him to read Butler’s ‘Art of the possible’.
The State Minister for Higher Education says when the issue of the UGC Chairperson’s resignation occurred, he informed the President and the Cabinet Minister for Higher Education Kabir Hashim that he will resign by February 17 if a decision is not made to make him the Cabinet Minister for Higher Education as he could not continue his work independently under the present set up.
Thereafter when the PM contacted him over the phone and asked him not to resign, he had maintained that he should be made a cabinet minister and that he does not wish to continue his work under present circumstances. In response, the PM had said he would make a decision and get back to him and until then, to read Butler’s ‘Art of the Possible’. “I don’t need to read that; I need to start work. On Monday I cleared my desk. I have a simple rule, you have to do what you say you are doing, if not you have to explain why you are not doing it.” Wijesingha said.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Liberal party leader Prof. Wijesinghe who is a cousin of the PM, has also commented on the issues prevalent within the government regarding the manner in which the cabinet was appointed and the various portfolios assigned to each of the Ministers of the new government. He has blamed former President Chandrika Kumaratunga for the cabinet comprising majorly of UNP-ers.
Prof. Wijesinghe has noted that many Ministers including Rosy Senanayake was unhappy of being made a State Minister and has added that it was such issues that led to the resignation of Faizer Musthapha.
“Look what happened with Faizer. If you don’t want to make them Cabinet ministers its fine, but why put them under Cabinet ministers because the Constitution is clear that the President can appoint Cabinet ministers and assign them their jobs. The President can also appoint non-cabinet ministers. Cabinet ministers can allocate anything he/she wants to a non-cabinet minister but the non-cabinet minister is not under the Cabinet minister. They are supposed to have an independent existence but none has it. I can think of half a dozen in the present Cabinet, who should not be in it,” he has said in his interview.
He has also noted that contrary to the promise that was made to appoint a ‘scientific’ cabinet, the manner in which some of the governance sectors have been assigned to Ministers is completely illogical. Citing an example, the State Minister has said that although divisional and district secretariats should be ideally under the Public Administration Ministry, they have been assigned to be under the purview of the Fisheries Ministry.
“Ranil’s Cabinet portfolio is absolute crackers! Policy planning, youth, cultural and women’s affairs and investment promotion-but no-one knows where reconciliation fits in,” he has stated pointing out that it is unclear as to whether it is under the PM’s purview or is being dealt with through a Presidential task force.
Jagath Fernando / February 25, 2015
Thank god you are out.
You are a mis fit to politics. Sorry about it.
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sama / February 25, 2015
He is an another nitpicker – being unable to adjust with people.
iN the public press conference – that was the first – the way he behaved towards that Prof Hiriburagama was beyond all respect levels. This man is just a book worm nothing else.
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Seelawathi / February 25, 2015
Yes this man cut his neck by himself.
Proved that his KNOW ALL nature cant bring that much to lanken higher eduation
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Seelawathi / February 26, 2015
If these men would learn to adjust themselves so that their knowledge could use better for the country, we could develop this nation. Their person is very wrong actually – just to behave as if they are the ones who know it better. This could be the reason them to be isolated in FORMER regime too. They simply dont know how to pass their knowledge to other.
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Analyst / February 25, 2015
NEXT. You will probably see him on the stage holding hands with DJ, Booruwo, HLDM and the likes at the next Nugegoda
march in support of Criminals. Murderers Drug pedlars , People smugglers, ect.
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Samuel Jayaweera / February 26, 2015
You are deadright – these men can only support for the destruction of the situation even worsening it from current.
I consider none of the profs can fit to lanken politics. They are more thoretical. If you guys listened to him in Satana lately – man is literally a know-all character only.
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Ben Hurling / February 25, 2015
Proves one point.
Both SLFP and UNP are run by people who are in it for themselves. Nothing else.
These two corrupt entities running Sri Lanka taking turns, is actually the real problem.
Cheers!
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sach / February 25, 2015
Mervyn is with gover, Dumiya is with gov, Wijithamuni is with gover, almost all bad elements of MR gover then are with current gover. :)
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Snowden Edward Asange / February 25, 2015
The names u throw are NOT fit to be in the PRESENT SET, but to hold the parliament together, they are being USED without their knowledge, SOONER than later, they will realize that they were just pawns and WILL have to face the muzik for committing fraud, corruption, plundering of national wealth and so on… The next set of ppl elected by the citizenry MUST be people who are QUALIFIED and NOT CRIMINALS who have dosh to throw about and BUY their way to parliament with a rupees 500 and a “BUTH” packet to the fool hardy…
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Native Vedda / February 25, 2015
Ben Hurling
“These two corrupt entities running Sri Lanka taking turns, is actually the real problem.”
This is what I have been trying to tell you for many years. JVP Rohana Wijeyweera compared this tweedle dee tweedle dum act as two sides of the same coin. Whatever he did or didn’t do he got that much right.
Regime change is part of the act.
What is the alternative?
Do you want to bring back Rohana and Prabaharan? Whatever we discuss here in this forum doesn’t mean much to the ordinary people.
I suggest you and J Muthu work together with a view to forming a non sectarian, secular, progressive, …….liberal campaign group to educate the masses.
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Ben Hurling / February 25, 2015
Native,
“forming a non sectarian, secular, progressive, …….liberal campaign group to educate the masses.”
Would love to do just that. However, J. Muthu is a difficult bloke to deal with.
Cheers!
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Javi. / February 25, 2015
Ben Humuduruvo,
As Gamini supporter of RW once informed you to take off those el fascista visors of cabrón (billy goat) to think straight.
Like Rail I would suggest rather than Jane’s Defense Weekly,
you read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin.
Woodworm Stop holding hands!
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Native Vedda / February 26, 2015
Ben Hurling
“Would love to do just that. However, J. Muthu is a difficult bloke to deal with.”
Isn’t it part of learning and educating ordinary people?
Please send him your ideas and give him time study your paper. Let him respond to you. You can take it from there.
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Javi. / February 27, 2015
NV,
The borrowed nomenclature: Ben (English) Hurling (Irish) the borrowed feathers is shy because he is serious because he lost his initial plot.
Should I tell him which beautiful romantic book to read so that he understands how to speak to landlord farmer of any culture.
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
Ben_d the hen,
Muthu means Pearl and he has swam to the Vanni.
Now he is a landowning farmer and has difficulty that has been imposed on him by the terrorist army that he has to think many a time to cultivate his land.
How do you converse with such a person who is your countryman??
You can hide but you cannot conceal the `I` in you for always.
You are Batti Tam`ill…
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sirimal / February 25, 2015
Learned professor should have gone mad to POINT index finger falling to the levels of Wimal Buruwanse and the ilk
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Javi. / February 25, 2015
If you look at the picture closely in total concept what it means is:
index/pointer finger (indicate latin)the finger used in the
untrained ‘hunt and peck’ typing style.
“I’am number one, useful for picking my nose!(^_~)
Hairy boy: he has to dig his own gold first.(*^_^*) blushing
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Simon / February 26, 2015
Javi is a genetic mutation – else he would not add this kind of comments. As usual, who is interested in knowing what he would do with his Index finger?
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
“”Javi is a genetic mutation”
No_miS,
That is your perverted mind jealous Simon Slot the siren!
Different nations have different ideas of its meaning and the common factor is taken into account – have a look at Ranil with his picking finger-https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/pm-to-remove-racist-media-institutions-from-stock-market/comment-page-1/#comments
Can you or she comment realistically No because you are just greedy ¬[Edited out]
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Javi. / February 27, 2015
“falling to the levels of Wimal Buruwanse and the ilk”
But call cantre call girl at germany travelling by underground and commenting is surely jealous of Werawansa’s better looking wife while weeping for Hinurka the drug related family’
So you are related to the sihal journalist ghetto at Germany that you employed 2 imbeciles Sun, Simon what else you do??
Magic in the west- must be an awful place you live in to be haunted by skin heads.
I don’t have these problems of travel transport etc at west end square mile where home is like woody allens N.Y. where all I hear is the sound of birds.
Does that trouble your left thinking villager mentality??
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Jude Fernando / February 25, 2015
We cannot entirely believe Rajiva’s side of the story because he lacks credibility and full of himself. We hope CT will publish Government’s and Ranil W’s side of the story. So that we could get closer to the truth of the matter.
“I think the Prime Minister has to be a butcher and know the joints.”
R A Butler 1966
Cheers
Jude
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Javi. / February 25, 2015
You see nonsense is for aristocrats and he is not one.
But when he told Simpleton John Snow Channel 4 “you are uttering nonsense”
Sinhalese worldwide praised him not realising that he did not have the breed to get away from that statement at London though he studied at Oxford.
There are folk of Lankan birth in the UK from Oxbridge who are masters of western classics and are any day better than Rajiv.
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Vibhushana / February 25, 2015
Hello Prof,
You were complaining about ‘jumbo cabinet’ before. Although you are aiding and abetting creation of the same.
You should join UNP, climb the ladder like everyone else, win the support of the people, shine in your chosen subject before demanding a cabinet position.
Its lazy to form a tiny party and then horse-trading your support for a cabinet position.
This is exactly what electoral reform should prevent. Tiny parties like yours should no longer create unstable govts and aid in creating jumbo cabinets.
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wijaya / February 25, 2015
you miss the point!
He did not ask for cabinet post.
He raised the point of cabinet ministers interfering with his duties
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
Hora_Oru, ship shap shap,
Shape Shape Shape favorite pastime Sihala .
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FAMOUS449 / February 25, 2015
What a nonsense is Prof Rajiva talking about?; either he must shut up his gap and get going with his works as assigned to him or he must submit his resignation instead of questioning his leader about his powers and responsibilities….
Its shameful an academic as highly qualified as he is, he must prove his worth, not otherwise.
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Point of View / February 25, 2015
He is only qualified not educated and it shows !
Ranil should accept his resignation, without any further delay. Please appoint someone who is a team player with people skills and has no problem taking instructions from superiors.
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
“”He is only qualified not educated and it shows ! “”
He is qualified in the abstract arts in 2 dimensions where the 3 is hidden so he can bat and everyone bats.
However, if he manufactures something like `Dyson` that you can touch then it is possible for everyone to comment.
Present day greatest force is banker’s compound interest- AER, AEP bla bla…
it hits the bladder!!
School Teachers & Professors of the abstract were drawn into politics at Lanka because there were no `crowd controllers`. If you are a tough nut then an intelligent school teacher would make that person the monitor & same way Gooo`ta became secretary defense.
It is the same today with the church where the pews are empty though folk have faith.
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Ilyas iqbal / February 25, 2015
Dear Prof’s
Please keep yourself out of politics!
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Amali / February 25, 2015
Rajiva should be strengthen than this. He should be able to get appointed a pure commission and he does know nothing about UGC. So he needed previous commission to work.
You don’t have managerial properties on your career. You may know English only!
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notcorrupt / February 25, 2015
Its is evident that he is a self centered man!
No credible track record in politics, however wanting the highest appointment. Its a blessing that he has resigned.
We do not need more selfish politicians
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Leelagemalli / February 25, 2015
In general, i dont think Profs can be good politicians.
Besides, Rajeewa is a best buddy of depitakattu Dayan Jayathilaka. So, how can we just feel that Rajeewaa could dliever the best he could.
He is so direct – that can only harm new political spirit.
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Leelawathie / February 25, 2015
You may be right.. PROVED Example
a) GLP – most knowen failure of MR regime
b) Paranawitharana
c) Now -Rajeewa
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Jagath / February 25, 2015
I see no difference between this guy and people like Dayan Jayatilaka, Nalin
de Silva and Gunadasa Amarasekara. Wonder why PM Ranil wants to politically entertain this AH in the first place.
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Mohamed / February 25, 2015
This Prof is no different to GL Prof and not fit to do politics. I wonder weather they are even fit to be academics from their utterances. DR DJ his pal must be manipulating the strings. The UGC Head and her spouse Colombo VC is reported to have been involved in campaigns promoting the former President MR. Under good governance the responsible minister should have acted on it at the first opportunity instead crying when a senior responsible person acts for your complacency.
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jayasingha / February 25, 2015
Looks like educated professionals cannot be politicians, MPs and ministers. They are misfits as they are not moving with and do not have empathy with the people.
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Hameed / February 25, 2015
He never had a kind word for Ranil W when he used to team up with Dayan Jayatileke on the lecture circuit. I remember him making a dig at RW. He said if the government goes on like this, even Ranil could become a leader!
And to think he’s RW’s cousin. Well, the future has come and his dig has become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Hameed
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Rajiva Hunter / February 25, 2015
Rajiva, please visit the West soon.
Complicity to genocide charge sheet near complete.
You will make the perfect PR piece for the need to continue deeper genocide investigations.
You will not be taken too serious when you try to cooperate with the prosecution either.
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Peace Lover / February 25, 2015
so the cat is out of the bag…..its all about getting portfolios….anyway its good that your out Rajiva
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Saman / February 25, 2015
Your paper qualification is not enough to work with others.
First and foremost you have to train and tame yourself.
Tolerance, Patience, endurance and forbearance are very vital factors to cultivate and develop.
Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe is such a state leader.
Just read our Prime Minister’s long history of political life.
Dear Professor, Rajeewa, you must learn a lot before you work with others.
Your political life is not very long. It is short.
Wait and see.
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gogomahinda / February 25, 2015
Look,You have resigned/kaput/over so why complain and wha wha wha ?
Or are we developing a new culture where those resigned go crying to anyone?
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Park / February 25, 2015
GROBR! Thank God people like Rajeeva cannot bend the strong will of Ranil. Why should Rajeeva be given a State Minister’s position, let alone Ministerial position? How many votes did he get in an election, he was never elected he came to the Parliament through “Pinata Seat”. He now wants a “Pinata Minister Position”. He has such a big EGO, he should be put in the same place like his good friend Dayan. These educated fools who only think of themselves as God’s given gift to humanity have to be kicked out of politics. Rajeeva for his personal benefit has let Maithripala Sirisena down. Rajeeva promised to help Maithripala Sirisena to complete the 100 days programme and accepted the State Minister position has no right to question the decision or action of his superior Minister of Higher Education. These types of guys have to be kicked out of politics for ever.
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Snowden Edward Asange / February 25, 2015
RAJIVA, ur NOT indispensible! there are MORE than one who could fill ur void for teh better…. and u say …
“I don’t need to read that; I need to start work. On Monday I cleared my desk. I have a simple rule, {you have to do what you say you are doing,} if not you have to explain why you are not doing it.” Wijesingha said.
your quote in quote….{you have to do what you say you are doing,}
U said you would RESIGN on the 17th.. what happened? its the 25th…. one week too late… You tried to think the present set is for suckers… NOPE. Suckers are the kind who put forward false threats that’s brushed aside… NOW that u have more time in your hand, start something in partnership with DJ for an alliance to bring back MR…
Glad to note that RW, being your cousin didn’t let u have your way… so RW believes in the phrase… ” Either my way or the Highway” GOOD RIDDANCE ! YOU wont be missed… after all u were a chit MP in the previous regime… who was NOT ELECTED but SELECTED….
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Sarath / February 25, 2015
Thanks for going. You don’t have the skills or the capacity to be a cabinet mnister. Peter Principle! Now you’ll have more time for your Bangkok trips.
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Simon / February 25, 2015
Now the good prof. Writes so much rubbish, what cant he do some reading for a change ?
The book he should be reading is “WAR CRIMES DENIAL” by Dr.Dayan Jayatilike with major contribution from Rajiva Wijeyasingha
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Sensible Citizen / February 25, 2015
What an indignity to the other professors. He lost any credibility left with his finger up. The present government doesn’t need any baggage. It is a blessing in disguise. Rajiva ideally should join modawansa, Gota, gammanpila group
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Snowden Edward Asange / February 25, 2015
Here hie is showing his index finger.. Kabir Hashim and RW showed him the ” MIDDLE FINGER” in a way saying…up your [Edited out] LOSER !
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Spring Koha / February 25, 2015
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again: Professori, you are made for pontificating (much like your indefatigable soul mate DJ) NOT for scrambling in the vipers nest that is our ministerial politics, and being shafted by crafty buggers like Hashim …..woo! woo! woo! You are about, ooh let’s see, two or three moves behind your protagonists.
Your on-off resignation has been a right old fiasco.
You are indeed living a charmed life! Your malleable ‘principles’ allowed you to serve the evil mob as they screwed the nation, and then, with a smart swerve, you corkscrewed your way into the affections of the My3 palanaya.
It has turned out to be a disaster.
Professori, get back to entertaining us with more stories of how ‘the President ignored your advice’, and regretted it later, and other tales of derring-do. Don’t forget to review for us the books on the reading list that librarianthuma Ranil has so graciously given you.
For the sake of the country, leave the hard work of sorting out Higher Education to one of the many professionals.
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jayasingha / February 25, 2015
MR new about this guy’s capabilities. That is why he was removed from the peace secretariat and was not given any responsibilities thereafter. Ranil and Chandrika grabbed this good for nothing professor first to support Sirisena’s crossover.
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
Oi song of the kingfisher- malu malu…
“”I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again: Your on-off resignation has been a right old fiasco.””
I give you a thumbs up for saying the right things and don’t know why the others dropped you.
However, we are all relative entities so lets compare with our immediate neighbour as some of them have stunned and angered US Greenspan and Modi himself- quality baddu.
When national winner Modi rebuked the CM of Delhi who had resigned before GE by calling Aam Aadmi Party and IIT Delhi product Kejriwal Naxilites the response he got was Do you want us to go to the jungles?? We have the Art and the Technology to stop Corruption and he contested over again to win over both the national greats. Delhi is known as a pseudo Punjabi capital and Bombay down to earth so it has both changed. Today Bombay has become even greedier with the Gujarat’s buying and selling anything and Delhi is getting cheesier.
You don’t have this quality product for reason- The politicians and civil servants locked all foreign scholarship’s and postings for their kith and kin so the many who left because they saw it will never be back as they like me are established beyond what Lanka can offer even in the near future. We cannot love and be wise.
Hindia does the same yet they produce so many geniuses and I know of a couple who committed suicide Connaught place ND because the opportunity was elusive. To top it your std of education is linked to British which is more of trade union action than knowledge and practice.
Difference as to why Canada clicks is because the French carry the research.
Professor Shakespeare father of Tragedy and Freudian thinkers (2 faces) UK
Professor René Descartes father of Je pense, donc je suis; and Jungian thinkers (3 faces of Picasso)like the Swiss.
Nice to see you are back young man- do you rear Scottish terriers??
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Park / February 25, 2015
Rajeewa, the State Ministry position was given to you not because you were elected by the people in an election, but because you are the leader of the Liberal Party which supported President Maithripala Sirisena. If the State Ministr of Higher Educaton position was for the Liberal Party, did you summon the meeting of the seniors in the Liberal Party before you made your decision to resign your post? You are the leader of Liberal Party, but you were part of Rajapakse Government which was clearly not a Liberal minded party. How could you have done this? Here again what approval did you get from your party members to support Rajapakse? You talk about fair rule, have you been fair to your own party members?
I think its time to stop non elected parliamentarians getting “Pinata Seat”. Why should there be some people in the parliament who are not elected by the masses? Parliament is a place of elected representatives who work for the people and not a place for people who are parachuted into the parliament.
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David Perera / February 25, 2015
Do we Like beggars in the world paying loans amounting to 80% or so of GDP can afford to maintain hundreds of ministers? Can’t this person understand the cost of a minister to a government. In my opinion indirectly paying bribes out of public funds to raise their hands-creating endless and unwanted ministerial portfolios.
Not only the pay but security, official residences, official vehicles, personal staff, foreign trips, office building and maintenance of an office, various unwanted meetings, petty openings, – won’t these and many other involvements cost nearly five millions a month to maintain a an unwanted minister. Don’t we have enough and enough ministers already.
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Dev / February 25, 2015
Rajiva, Dayan and even Ranil have huge ego’s !
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
Taming the Ego,
Opportunity makes a thief..!
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Aia / February 25, 2015
What to appoint a scientific cabinet, these Doctors getting some kind of kick ups by adding Science, maybe they must have been bullied by some not learning Science. The other guy says he is a political scientist and this guy leaving the cabinet is not scientific.
Both prof RW and Dr DJ can start writing some novels but in pseudo names if people were to read. GLP can go back to Uni. If all this happened , political nagging would end. People expected a lot from this educated lot, but disappointed. This guy kept cleaning the desks. He needs a cabinet ministry. Now he might receive a call from MR. He would loved to be responsible for reconciliation but not sure where it sits is.
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Palayang Yako / February 25, 2015
This man should NEVER have been appointed to anything even vaguely resembling a Cabinet position.
This man lied through his teeth in defence of the Rajapaksa government over a long period of time, displaying a sycophancy that is amply documented. It was nothing short of obscene that he should have been appointed to ANYTHING in a government committed to cleansing the Augean Stable that we hope ended on January 8th.
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Lanka Watch / February 25, 2015
It is shocking that Dr. Rajiva resigned from the govt.at a time unity is expected from the politicians, who supported a regime change for good governance. Why did he not discuss the issue with the govt. before
he decided to hand over his resignation, is the question he should answer to the public. Education alone is not enough to run a ministry and one needs PR and experience, which Dr.Rajiva hasn’t got. He thinks that he is the ‘know all’ in the subject of education like the other profs. DJ & GLP, dealing in politics . Profs. should not be given positions in handling people’s affairs as they stick to the books and do not understand the feelings of the ordinary people and we have not heard of any profs.in politics who did good service to the people Even Dr. N.M. failed as a minister as he did not have the working experience.
The govt, should do away with the position of state minister as this
position is misunderstood and this is the second resignation of a
state minister in a short time. People expected Dr.Rajiva to do a good
job of work in reforming the education system but greed to be on top ,
superseded. he should withdraw the resignation and get back to the govt. with an apology as he has no case to prove that he was right in his decision.
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Javi. / February 26, 2015
“Even Dr. N.M. failed as a minister as he did not have the working experience. “
Like all poor Reds he was stunned when he saw wealth and destroyed all like in a game of snake and ladders so that he may be at the top- Peking Wall cotta road to hide that windfall.
Bombastic Boris used the Fword on Red Ken and he won hands down. Boris is the loving favorite of the objective Chinese reds who like to sing London Bridge is falling down. Boris is not a screaming frothing Red either but travels by bicycle like Jon Snow.
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Know All / February 25, 2015
Reading the several articles the Professor wrote before the Presidential Election and the way in which he complained of and criticised freely so many ministers and officials he had worked with, I wondered what sort of loyalty this man had. And here we have him, in no time at all, complaining again. He does not seem to me like a team man. In the circumstances it is just as well that is going.
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Kumar R. / February 25, 2015
Rajiva,
GROBR!
One question – you very vehemently objected to the way Chris Nonis was treated following the assault by Sagin Vass. If you were half as principled as you want us to believe, why did you not resign at that time?
Is it Ranil’s side-stepping you despite your oppotunistic jump-over that is irritating you now? You jumped over only because you reliazed the inevitability of the death of the last regime (just a couple of months earlier than Dayan). Your cross-over was an opportunistic one – not a principled one! So don’t whine now.
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i'mmad / February 25, 2015
This professor should have stayed behind and proved that not all professors in politics are same; incapable, pedagogic but not practical, and redundant. Sadly, he has also demonstrated by this act, that he, too belongs to the same old mud! So the public impression of professors doing politics especially as Ministers (in all its variety- full, state, project or deputy)has become entrenched as one full of learning, but no wisdom and acumen!
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