President Mahinda Rajapaksa was vehemently opposed to casinos and gaming centres as a Parliamentarian, believing they would make Sri Lanka a hub for prostitution, homosexuality and even AIDS.
In a speech made in August 1993, SLFP MP Mahinda Rajapaksa said casino kings fleeced the public making millions and transforming their black money into dollars.
“In the recent past casinos have become entertainment. Joschim was able to appear in photos with high profile politicians. People like Joschim worked to bring casinos and prostitutes from Thailand to Sri Lanka as a business,” Rajapaksa said, referring to a gaming mogul in Sri Lanka in the 90s.
“It is under these circumstances that prostitution, homosexuality and AIDS can come to this country,” he is reported to have said.
*Picture courtesy Our Feelings Facebook page
Kalu Nangi / October 24, 2013
I am now suffering from Amnesia….Did I say that? (so says HE the Pres.)
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Amarasiri / October 24, 2013
Kalu Nangi,
Mahinda Rajapaksa, then and Now.
Mahinda Rajapaksa is for Sale Now. His Principles and His Buddhism.
APRIL 2012
What Isn’t for Sale?
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/04/what-isnt-for-sale/308902/
THERE ARE SOME THINGS money can’t buy—but these days, not many. Almost everything is up for sale. For example:
The right to shoot an endangered black rhino: $250,000. South Africa has begun letting some ranchers sell hunters the right to kill a limited number of rhinos, to give the ranchers an incentive to raise and protect the endangered species.
For Sale by Mahida Rajapaksa and his cronies.
The right to shoot all Sri Lankans with Casinos: $5,250,000,000. Sri Lanka has begun letting some Mahinda cronies sell Casinos the right to kill a limited number of Sri Lankans by gambling, prostitution and other crimes, to give the Mahinda cronies an incentive to raise commission funds to protect the Mahinda dictatorship.
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Desperate_SL / October 24, 2013
This man should be hung for all these.
He is one who even went to Geneva for HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ISSUE, very same man to stay calm and quiet while his UPFA politicians loot the nation is impossible. He has not even a single word about abolishing Executive Presidency today. Stupid folks would not even notice all these. This the bad side of the so called democracies. Ours has not been democratic since 2005. They only release the palatable views intending to fool the majority folks again and again. Majority folks are hell bent to believe whatever that sprout his filthy mouth. All others have to stay anei apoi – not having any options than that.
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Lanka de Silva / October 24, 2013
The opportunist of the century – M(oda)R(raja)-
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Fathima Fukushima / October 24, 2013
He was also a human rights activist at that time.
What a joke!
But today there are 89,000 Tamil war widows led by Ananthi. They have to be given the oldest profession. Casinos needed in Maradana.
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RajasH / October 24, 2013
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Javi / October 24, 2013
“Casinos needed in Maradana.”
Hey hey what a coincidence for you “ eunuch”
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Donthagadan / October 25, 2013
Casino need Rajapakshe, Rajapakshe need Casino.
Entire Srilanka has become to a CASINO today. It is the casino run by Rajapskshe thugs. That is the reality.
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Oma yang / October 24, 2013
Fathima, you probably should lead the way by showing the 89000 Tamil war widows how it’s done. Cos you seem to be writing out of experience of standing under the shady corners of the maradana bridge. Wonder what your parents, siblings and children would think of you if they were to read the hatred you have towards people other than your petty and selfish kind. It’s truly shameful, you hide under a veil of a most scared name and yet write with such animosity towards your own countrymen. This attitude seriously does show your scumbag class.
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ruwan / October 24, 2013
the Joke is You Genius Fukushima !
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ruwan / October 24, 2013
Webmaster, your comments are jumping all over the place !
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PalmSquirrell / October 24, 2013
Oldest profession is hunting; so who will they be hunting.
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Ken / October 24, 2013
I think we can blame this on the fat boy terrorist Prabhakaran
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I am Sri Lankan Muslim / October 24, 2013
Hey Fathima Fukushima,
I am Maradana Zahirian :) 1700 Jobs will be given in Casino and 99% of them will be Sinhala Budhist employed, and most of them are Grajuates, and best collages such as Ananda, Nalanada, Ananda Balika, Gothami etc etc. so Non of Our Thambi Buggers will be employed. so its mean another 35 years there will be Sinhala Society going down in Family life, Drinking including Badu Prostitutions :) Wow…. Good for us.. then we can Bring Rich Arabs in the name of Gambling, and then slowly Convert them to Islam :) then we can list this also under Malaysia, Indonesia, Afganistan, Pakistan,… and will name as Srinastan with leader a Some one called Ahmed Abdullah as president hahahahah. Fools …
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sach / October 24, 2013
hi SIVA!
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vishvajith / October 24, 2013
He was also a supporter of Human Rights then, now it doesn’t suit him.
He, then opposed, privatization of education, casinos and the destruction of housing in Colombo for greater development. Today, he is the man to do it all.
The next President need not worry about all this, the Quartet has raised the bar.
Oh the times, they wait for none.
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Senguttuvan / October 24, 2013
Visvajith,
Robert Mugabe, among many other examples, began as a thundering
socialist, common man’s friend, do-gooder, quintessential nationalist and so on. After four decades he remains a cruel despot, rogue who had
isolated that fine country giving two hoots for Zimbabweans and the world in his arrogant march to destroy that once prosperous land.
Senguttuvan
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vishvajith / October 24, 2013
Very true.
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Donthagadan / October 25, 2013
Today he cant support human rights but the other way around.
That is why he keeps dead silent even if he has to come forward and react promptly – for example when Mervin and his all forms of perpetrations – are just ignored by MR for such a long time. Either he is complacent to anything what Mervin is about to or he is afraid of him revealing all dead bodies that Rajapskehs has hidden in their cellars (basements).
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chandra / October 24, 2013
Lorenzo- You are right about MR
A human rights activist turned to a human rights violator. What a Joke!
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Piranha / October 24, 2013
That’s a laugh, isn’t it? He was also a defender of human rights in a past life.
The man is a chameleon.
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chutta / October 24, 2013
These are the comedians of the millennium. Don’t worry about what they talk. First they think about their own pocket. Then their family and kith and kings. Then henchmen. Then their own ‘men’. Last the people. These are not Sinhalese or Tamils who love their own people or the country. These are all crooks who can and will cheat thousand times people.
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Safa / October 24, 2013
Pres has forgotten his beginings and now joined the jet set under the influence of his advisers,family and friends.
Casinos, drugs, ethanol, prostitution, homosexuality, rape, child abuse, gambling, liquor, frauds, scams, corruption, bribery, commissions, money laundering, thuggery, murders, all rampant in society today. Fast becoming the hub of sin and vice in South Asia.
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Levi / October 24, 2013
Fathima Fukushima –
It is not Maradana. It Was Mariyakade a name derived from a Famous Lady.
“Mahinda Rajapaksa Was Strongly Opposed To Casinos As MP”
MP’s Don’t get a share/cut. only minister and above gets it. Thats Why lots of Ministers. Ministers out number the Plain MP.
levi
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crazyoldmansl / October 24, 2013
Anyone can change no?!!!. Now he is not homophobic, he runs on aids and understands that prostitutes are humans and so prostitution must be made legal.
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Diogenes / October 24, 2013
“A double-tongued KABARAGOYA”!Stupid “sinhala-bauddhayaas” shoud be proud of him!
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Patriot / October 24, 2013
As for me, I am dead against Casinos. In my opinion, Casinos is the dirtiest of all known popular betting games. It certainly cannot be compared to the bookies in the high street.
Minister SB Dissanayake says, he had played casino games and he sees no ill effect in it and therefore he likes it. When the likes of him who gambles with the dirty (jarawa) money provided by bribe giving casino moguls, I am telling him, he had not gone through the loser syndrome. SB doesn’t know what is it for a hardworking man to be connivingly induced into casino game that would eventually lose all his wealth in one night or even in one bet. I can pin point to many an example.
Long before SB has taken to politics, I’ve seen many an Arabs from new oil rich countries cramming to Playboy and Park Lane casinos in London with their English girlfriends surrounded by both their English and Arab bodyguards to bust up loads of easy come money. It is a common knowledge that Westerners paid a very high prices for oil after 1972. But neocons managed to get some of it back by enticing oil rich Arabs to the business of gambling and other vices.
Everyone knows SB is coughing for his casino friend Ravi. SB may not but we know that all big time casino operators all over the world are associated with all known and unknown dirty business.
Gambles do not play roulette, blackjack or buckret for few hours and go home. They spend the whole night there. After their win they look for ways to engage in vulgar fun. Those who lose often want to borrow and play more to recover their loss. That is when all types of vice creeps in. All this time, this type of dirty seen has not come to open for casinos in Sri Lanka were limited. For that and other reasons mentioned earlier, SB may not have gone through that dirty mill.
In the UK in 70s, it was alleged that casino operators had employed various gangs to obtain address of rich but potential customers through illegal ways. It was alleged that they followed the rich to various venues and got their car registration numbers. Thereafter they send them expensive gifts and arranged attractive escorts to entice them into their restaurants and finally into their casino. The then government in the UK had finally tightened rules for renewing the casino licences.
There is nothing to say that a local script will be written by Packer like casino owners to entice a lot of Sri Lanka rich into casinos. In today’s context, if casinos are a must to improve tourist business, then a clear but stringent laws to control casino activities in the relevant act is a must.
I do not believe Packer is targeting high rolling Arabs to his casinos in Colombo. I am sure his target is the next level down. The question that minister pack should ask is, whether the pimps here will train SB’s varsity girls and Bandula’s school girls to be the gamblers comfort women or import Russian whores to escort the Arabs, Chinese, Indians, Maldivians and all that AID infested fallouts from Maccaw? Whatever it is, I am positive Packer is ready with his bags and Learjet to rush out all that spoil to Switzerland or Australia on daily runs.
if Sri Lanka is to maintain the present growth, we need to attract investments, so sermonize the casino minister. True true, Packer is bringing the much needed investment. But if Packer is not paying any taxes whatsoever for 10 +3 years, pray tell us how the government intend to earn its share to meet its loan payments leave out the perks and hand outs to ordinary Sri Lankan. Casino minister Yapa must tell us.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / October 24, 2013
S B Disanayake will include the Subject Called CASINOs,, drugs, prostitution, homosexual, raping, Opponents killings, child abuse,other gambling’s, illicit liquor, frauds, scams, corruption, bribery, commissions Taking, money laundering, thuggery, to the curriculum of high school as compulsory.
As He is Patronizing the Shit eating Pigs.
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Karikalan / October 24, 2013
Good analysis man
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raminda / October 24, 2013
This is what ” power make you blind” ,
He always show he is Buddhist, every poya day he display a drama, I dont know is he Buddhist..? Prabhakaran kills our solders, but he is going to kill families
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / October 24, 2013
“Mahendaraa: That is Two decades Ago, man.
Now I am the F King of Sri lanka, with three Horns.
And My Family and clan also like prostitution,
homosexuality, Heroin Business, and Booze.
specially my close family.
We Have money from, Aha, You know from where,and where.
Oh, If there is an another Civil War?
If there is an another Tsunami?
Oyi, Malinda, Merviya, Wass, Mohan, Basil we all
are Goda.
I told them to Start branches of Off shore Banks,
AND I AM NOT GOING TO DIE,
I AM THE IMMORTAL F KING OF WONDERLAND?”.
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Saracen / October 24, 2013
This is why he can afford to buy luxury sports cars and houses for his sons and family.
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Levi / October 24, 2013
crazyoldmansl –
Don’t Worry Now there is Treatments to Delay “AIDS” from HIV. Also there are treatments to either accelerate or delay aids.
“Bribe does it!
Levi
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Lapatiya / October 24, 2013
I am definitely sure that our Maha Raja Doesn’t remember anything he said or did in the past. Just like Duminda Silva. Duminda Silva can remember everything he did except shooting Bharatha Laxman Premachandra. Maha Rajara also remember everything except that Human right work. At that time as a MP he was ready to go even to hell to protect our human rights and now after he becoming President he take the Nation to the Hell.
Now our Maha Jaraa cannot remember why Mahanayaka’s given him titles such as Sri Rohana Janaranjana, Sambudda Saasana Chakrawarthi, Sri Lanka Raja Wansabidana keerthi Sri…..etc. etc.
Mahinda Rajapaksha is the real “Debidda” acting like “Diyasena Kumaraya” or “3 Sinhalaye Maha Bauddha Upasaka” while making Sri Lanka a “Gambling Centre” in Asia.
Also don’t forget the that this same “Debidda” still observing Sil on every Poya day in front of TV Camera.
Over to you Dalu Banda.
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mike / October 25, 2013
I wonder whether Kudu Duminda remembers Anarkali???
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Ken / October 24, 2013
Every developed country has Casinos. Even Singapore saw the benefit and opened one. It may not be the best way but definitely one of the fastest way to bring money into the country for development.
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Lapatiya / October 24, 2013
With 10 years of tax holidays?
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Point of View / October 24, 2013
……. but this is a triple blessed Sinhala-Buddhist country ! We follow Buddhas teaching !!
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / October 24, 2013
Mr P [inata Ken];
[ “Every developed country has Casinos. Even Singapore saw the benefit and opened one. It may not be the best way but definitely one of the fastest way to bring money into the country for development”].
Did your mother told that Casinos,
Booze, Homosexuals and Specially Prostitution will develop you all?????.
Nice advise given by your Mother?.
Doesn’t It.
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asoka / October 24, 2013
Ken
Are you saying SL is a developed country ? Is that why we are exporting our women to the Middle East ? I hope there are no females in your family
because if one day you are short of money you might use them to make a quick buck , and say it is for ‘development ‘.
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abu mukarram / October 24, 2013
he knows sinhalaya modaya. they can be cheated easily
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Maghribi / October 25, 2013
Cash benefits are good incentives to shift policies. Poly-Ticks = Many Parasites vying to enrich at the cost of the deprived while the rich and powerful taking control of the resources by unfair means.
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Haramanis / October 28, 2013
In the beginning there were the casinos where printed money was released thru the casinos. Many well healed people of Colombo seven flocked to the casinos where they could have the cake and eat it too. Packer was given an amazing deal where he too could have the cake and eat it to his hearts content. He was offered a partnership to setup his casino where his partner is none other than Percy himself. So packer can ask and receive whatever he wants because when he profits so does Percy. The Chinese millionaires will come and play while Packer and Percy make mountains of cash all tax free and who cares for stupid Sri Lanka and its inhabitants. They are just indentured servants to be thrown scraps off the tables of Packer and Percy for which they must be all grateful and stop complaining.
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Sisira / October 28, 2013
SORRY…I HAVE FORGOTTEN. WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT??? I JUST CANNOT REMEMBER ANYTHING. REAL SORRY.
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