‘No State Institution Can Hide How Public Money Is Spent On Public Officials’ – Court Of Appeal Orders Costs On Sri Lanka Telecom For Challenging Information Commission Decisions
The Court of Appeal has dismissed three appeals filed by Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) challenging three orders of the Right to Information Commission, further ordering legal costs to be paid by SLT and stating that no state institution has the right to conceal the manner in which public funds are spent on public officials in describing that as ‘private information’.
The Court declared that SLT had unwisely disregarded the directives of the Right to Information Commission, which is an authority with quasi-judicial powers, to release information of significant public interest and had moreover challenged the fact that the Commission had been uniformly consistent in its decisions. The Court said that the Commission had followed its own principle in previous cases in ordering SLT to release information regarding the interview and selection of a candidate to a senior position which it had every right to do as a quasi-judicial body.
The Commission decisions were in response to appeals filed to the Commission by G. Surendra and D.J. Wijewardena, who served as Deputy General Managers of Sri Lanka Telecom when their information requests were rejected by SLT.
SLT appealed against the Commission decision to the Court of Appeal citing the Right to Information Commission as respondent. President’s Counsel Kaushalya Navaratne appeared for SLT. The appeals were dismissed by the Court.
Recruitments of public officials are by public funds and the State must be transparent and accountable, the Court said.
Accordingly, the Court of Appeal ordered the release of the relevant information as ordered by the Information Commission. The judgments were issued by a bench of judges comprising Court of Appeal Judge Ratnapriya Gurusinghe and Dr. Sumudu Premachandra.
Apart from asking for information on the selection of Manager, Cloud Services of SLT, In addition, former Deputy General Manager G. Surendran had requested information on the money spent on air tickets purchased for foreign trips undertaken by the Chief Operating Officer of the complainant company for various purposes from 2010 to 2019 which SLT had refused to disclose.
The Right to Information Commission had ordered to release that information and SLT had filed another petition challenging that order in the Court which was dismissed. The Court of Appeal ruled that state authorities and responsible officials must be conscious about transparency and accountability in the performance of their duties and responsibilities and that the public has the right to know detailed information about any expenditure made by a state authority or its senior officials.
On that same basis, the Court also dismissed an appeal filed by SLT against an order of the Information Commission directing SLT to disclose the amount of legal fees paid by SLT to counsel to defend SLT in cases before the Commission, which had been asked for by the former employees of SLT. The judges ruled that legal fees is not privileged or personal information and that if an aggregate amount is disclosed by SLT in its annual report, there is no bar to disclosing the breakdown.
Jaffna Man / July 8, 2025
Great!
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Douglas / July 9, 2025
A commendable verdict!
We have seen similar judgments springing from the courts in recent times. Very encouraging and a “Big Thank You” to the Judiciary. That is the way to maintain your dignity and independence.
There is a similar case that would arise in the courts. The Presidential Secretariat has refused to divulge the names and positions of those appointed to the “Media Division” of the President.
To the President and the Secretary: Please read and learn from the case referred to in this article. Time is not for you to do “As You Like It”. We are watching.
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davidthegood / July 9, 2025
Douglas, President has to act to avoid all the obstacles that the opposition puts in his way so AKD will not be able to jail the robber mulanas who are jobless.
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leelagemalli / July 9, 2025
DTG, As I marched yesterday afternoon toward a nearby park, I couldn’t help but think of you. Intrusively, a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Honduras began talking to me. They were aggressive missions who try their best to convert you to their religion by flattering you.
They were mostly middle-aged women. I told them that I am well aware of their positions over the past 20 years in Europe and asked them to leave me alone without pressuring me to engage in biblical discussions.
They had Bible booklets with them to give us. I mentioned to them that I KNOW someone named DTG who would never eat a toffee without invoking his god.
After learning that they were laughing, they departed.
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davidthegood / July 9, 2025
leelagemalli, you are not aware that JW are a false cult which all along denied Jesus as the son of God, but only an angel like Michael the archangel. Better learn truth.
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nimal fernando / July 9, 2025
Ranil would’ve threatened the judiciary ……. or called before the parliament and demanded to be “subjugated” …….. Mahinda would’ve had a one-day marathon session of parliament and removed overnight ….. our recent history is resplendent with these ……
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Lest we forget.
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What would AKD do? Abide by it?
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As good ol’ Lankan pols go …….for most “elites” …….. AKD is the greater evil.
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Ever wondered what would Lanka be if there were no Lankans?
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What if Lanka was all Scots?
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Wearing skirts …… and looking for Ranil with S-Lon pipes and barbed wire in hand ……
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Am I a pervert for saying it ……. and Ranil a great respected Buddhist for doing it?
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Something wrong ……… somewhere.
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Difficult questions …… for a simple man.
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Human Touch / July 9, 2025
NF
Was it not RW that championed the RTI act?
That was the prelude to this.
We should not point fingers for the sake of it.
Give credit where it is due.
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nimal fernando / July 9, 2025
HT,
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It’s hide and seek …… now you see now you don’t ……..Why did Ranil try to hide/scuttle (and still trying) the Easter bombing investigation? Shouldn’t that also be in the public domain? Isn’t that ‘right to information’ as well? Even tried to play the Bishops conference/group or whatever against the Cardinal!
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To each his own ……. I don’t know about you or some others here ……… but fortunately, I can see/fathom if a person’s intentions are genuine or not.
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Please tell me a single thing I should give Ranil credit for? ……. Something good he enacted/initiated and stood by?
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Ranil is the worst thing that ever happened to Lanka ……. without Ranil, Lanka wouldn’t be in this predicament.
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Human Touch / July 10, 2025
NF
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“Please tell me a single thing I should give Ranil credit for?”
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You are obviously trying to overlook the elephant in the room much like DTG and his ignorant view about Israel.
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So let me be blunt and ask you this, who stood tall and bailed Sri Lanka out of the 2022 crisis? and normalized the economy in a short period.
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Remember that was the time Gota wanted to handover power to either AKD or Sajith, but unfortunately they both ran like hell with their tails tucked between their legs.
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Let us try to be honest to ourselves and use our human conscience or common sense for a change.
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nimal fernando / July 10, 2025
HT,
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To each their own …….. as far as I’m concerned ……. we have got the best president and the best government we could’ve got. And that in my lifetime which I never expected: a dream come true! ……. I’m the happiest man alive!
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You are obviously a Ranil supporter and see him through rose tinted glasses ……. you’re not alone. :))) As a former Ranil supporter/believer ……. I can sympathise with your pain/suffering: I would’ve been in the same boat if I didn’t have the ability to change my mind.
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As I’ve got the president/government I always dreamed of ……. I don’t waste a lot of time arguing cause that doesn’t solve much ……… I just rub it into people ……. mostly Native.
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So if you don’t mind I’ll answer you in point form.
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1. True, as a seasoned senior pol Ranil stabilized the situation ……….. somewhat. Stabilising an economy and putting in place measures to develop the economy to bring it into a position to meet our loan obligations is a different thing Could you please name things that Ranil put in place to develop the economy? If you can name what his 92 advisors and 37 + 2 ministers did to help out, that’ll be even better!
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nimal fernando / July 10, 2025
cont part 2
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2. As for Ranil sticking to principles ……. when Rosy Senanayake lost, he refused to bring her into parliament through the National List. But later after sitting in the sidelines for 2 years ……. after having lunch with Mahinda/Rajapakses he himself entered parliament through the NL. His takeover was well orchestrated by the Rajapakses ….. the rest – handing over to others – is just political theatre/pantomime for the consumption of the gullible.
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3. The Rajapakses wanted someone who would work under their dictates. Ranil was the ideal man: fitted their schemes like a glove. AKD wouldn’t have touched it with a barge pole, and rightly so. It would’ve jeopardized his later chances/prospects.
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4. Ranil was handed a country that was declared bankrupt …….. the country went bankrupt because we couldn’t fulfil our financial commitments: mostly pay interest on our loans. When a country is declared bankrupt, it gets breathing space to recover by not having to pay interest on its loans. Ranil had a luxury that Gota didn’t have, that might look like financial genius-ary to the ignorant gullible. All the funds/money that would’ve gone to service our loans was available to Ranil to rescue the economy!
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nimal fernando / July 10, 2025
cont part 3
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5. Ranil isn’t the first or the last to go to the IMF …….many idiots before him have done and ensnared their countries to IMF dictates ….. and very difficult to extricate from there on. It doesn’t take a genius to go to the IMF! Read how Mhattya Mohammed rescued Malaysia after the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 refusing the help/dictates of the IMF. Does Ranil posses that kind of financial brilliance that he himself and other like you haven’t given him? :))))
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6. To show I’m not mean spirited …… let me give you a consolation that I believe was the right thing to do. Ranil’s greatest achievement in the crisis was stopping the Aragalay when he did. Albeit he did it with Senadeera’s avant guard thugs dressed as Army men. That’s when ol’ Uncle Junious’ brilliance came to the fore via Ranil! :)))
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There’s more to things …… than what simply meets the eye ………
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“Let us try to be honest to ourselves and use our human conscience or common sense for a change.”
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Good advice ……. if we all can practise!
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Human Touch / July 10, 2025
Dear NF,
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Thank you for your response. I took the time to read it carefully and I truly appreciate your sincerity.
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One thing stands out clearly — as you mentioned, this is the first time in many years that you feel genuinely content with the leadership. That is significant, and I respect it. After all, one’s peace of mind is deeply personal and matters above all else to the individual.
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That said, I would like to share a few observations from my perspective. You are, of course, under no obligation to agree with me — I simply offer these thoughts in the spirit of open and respectful dialogue, trusting that facts will ultimately speak for themselves.
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First, I would like to clarify a common assumption: you seem to believe that I am a supporter of Ranil Wickremesinghe. The truth is, I have consistently voted for the JVP in past elections — always against Ranil — until the most recent election in September 2024, when I voted for RW.
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That decision was not born out of personal loyalty or admiration, but rather from a desire to support someone who, in my view, successfully steered Sri Lanka out of crisis and back toward a semblance of stability and normalcy.
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to be continued
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nimal fernando / July 11, 2025
HT,
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We, in our own way, want the best for our country/motherland. People can have/hold vastly diverse opinions – how that can come about. That’s a salient trait of a free society.
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When the opinions are honestly held – like yours and some others here – I welcome and appreciate them. I don’t look at things believing what matters is my opinion/opinions or nothing else. Sometimes I can be wrong.
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If not, why exchange opinions?
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But I resent and abhor blatant misrepresentation of facts/truth.
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More than education/learning/religion/philosophy/what-ever-else ……. first and foremost …… one has to be true/truthful to oneself …. that’s living ……. savouring life.
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End of sermon …… Native is hiding!
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leelagemalli / July 10, 2025
HT,
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To each his own. On the surface, this seems tolerant to many. Human Touch, I think you could feel the pulse of the people during that most trying time since Gota’s government broke off.I find yours to be more reliable than anyone else’s based on rumours.
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In any case, this is how the government’s current media spokesperson operates in order to open the eyes of the public. Even though Keheliya might have been corrupted, his was marginally superior
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PftxrL8zMks
. Regardless of the previous governments we had, Nalinda Jayathissa destroys all of his former colleagues’ records. The majority of them use Sunil Watawala’s theorem today, which states that even if a question is direct, it simply prevaricates something else. Some people are interpreting this to mean that a government that one could imagine
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SJ / July 10, 2025
“much like DTG and his ignorant view about Israel”
There is a world of a difference between ignorance and gross dishonesty.
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davidthegood / July 10, 2025
SJ, shocked at your gross dishonesty when you should know better about Israel, for the return of Jesus to an undivided Jerusalem for kingdom reign.
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SJ / July 10, 2025
You, shocked at anyone’s dishonesty?
What do you know about being honest?
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Human Touch / July 11, 2025
dtg
How uncreative of you to simply flip the script.
Are you some kind of imbecile trapped in a grown mans body?
This is not the right community for you, we don’t entertain duds.
Particularly duds like you who are having a blind faith and a blood lust for Palestinian blood. Do you even know what is in the Torah?
We are at a time when even the Jewish Rabbi’s are openly opposing Netanyahu and his Zionist drive, you are sitting in Sri Lanka and licking Zionist ass. Shame on you pathetic shameless scumbag.
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davidthegood / July 11, 2025
Human Touch, why are you so fond of scum bags and those areas which seem to be very attractive to you, even mentioning licking Zionist ass. Disgusting.
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Raj-UK / July 10, 2025
Nimal Fd
If RW was the worst, do MR & GR come at least a close second?
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leelagemalli / July 11, 2025
Raj,
SRIANKENs have a tendency to quickly forget information. They don’t care about factual information. They are champions at it. I left the country for Europe in the late 1980s. However, I did travel back home 1-2 times per year. So mine is not out of date because I communicate with people at all levels in my home country on a regular basis. If Ranil had continued for another two years, this country would undoubtedly be prepared to begin debt payments in 2028. Now, with the growth rate falling to 3.1% or next year, we can’t even imagine a better future.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h47iUEXELp8
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Wait and see how long this government will last. I am very pessimistic about AKD and Dr. Amarasooriya’s rule, even though I had some high hopes that they would at least implement new laws and stand up to underworld thugs and drug traffickers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYF_WW6u9UY
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nimal fernando / July 11, 2025
PS ……. Without Ranil’s un-electability ……… there wouldn’t have been Mahinda/Gota/Rajapakses …….. at least not for so long ……….
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nimal fernando / July 11, 2025
Raj-UK,
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Forget personalities …….. and look head-on at events/history that transpired …….
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Ranil’s un-electability castrated and eunuch-fied the opposition: opposition to the SLFP/CBK/Rajapakes/Sirisena SLFP-side of politics ……… for 30 or so odd years the SLFP-side of politics have been in power unhindered. With any other electable leader from the UNP-side of politics, governments would have alternated like before ………. without letting endemic corruption to get so entrenched.
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Being adult/grownup ……. means ……. having the ability to look/focus at/on events/reality/truth sans the personalities ……….
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If AKD is not corrupt ……. doesn’t steal ……. accept and move on ………… what is the point of wasting most of one’s adult life trying to make someone what he is not?
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davidthegood / July 9, 2025
nimal fernando, you are not a pervert as you question, but ignorant of mulana robbing.
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LankaScot / July 9, 2025
Hello Nimal,
It wouldn’t be the first time that the Scots have fought South Asians. The British called it the Indian Mutiny and the Indians the First War of Independence (but not at the time). Where have all the Mangal Pandy’s gone? Or the Rani’s of Jhansi? Pandi Kuti would have been a good Lakshmi Bai.
If we could scare the life out of the Cossacks at the Battle of Balaclava Ranil would be no problem. Remember some of us have “Berserker”DNA.
Best regards
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nimal fernando / July 9, 2025
LS,
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“the Cossacks”
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One of the very first books I’ve read long time ago …….. “And quiet flows the Don” ……. it’s about Cossacks and wars …… and a young wife having a torrid affair with a neighbour … right down OC’s alley …… :)))
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LankaScot / July 10, 2025
Hello Nimal,
Maybe OC was William Hurt’s stand-in for the film Body Heat (1981)?
Best regards
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LankaScot / July 11, 2025
Hello Nimal,
I have swum in the River Don many times, I have even rescued people from drowning in it. And as for “torrid affairs” I stay silent.
Aberdeen has 2 Rivers, the Don to the North and the Dee to the South.
About the book, women from Farming Communities seem to have a more “earthy” disposition than the Urbanites.
Best regards
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SJ / July 10, 2025
“Pandi Kuti would have been a good Lakshmi Bai.”
She liberated herself some time ago from the influence of the bigoted Tamil Hindu duo.
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leelagemalli / July 10, 2025
Dear Readers, Given that they were elected within six months of taking office, what caused the NPP to lose 23 million voters?
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Why is everyone so dissatisfied with AKD’s leadership these days?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF5d-vNm1TE
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What other positive actions has his administration taken in place of carrying out the measures that RW has already put in place during his 26 months as interior president?
When they seize power, what happens to the big lies like zero vAT and imagining fuel price reductions? Their persistent deception has turned them into jokers in the eyes of the average person who hoped for a better future. Nine months after the election, they have yet to introduce a single new law or reform. Additionally, the rate of high crimes like klling has increased.
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leelagemalli / July 10, 2025
Readers,
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A7RvTQpzyg
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More than anyone else, JEPPOs are linked to the Easter Sunday tragedy. Since their leader is now in charge, there is no assurance that justice will be done.
Those who disagree, please present reasoned arguments. I believe that both the LTTE and the Jeppos handled the Sri Lankan terror.
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Ajith / July 10, 2025
‘No State Institution Can Hide How Public Money Is Spent On Public Officials’
“The Court of Appeal has dismissed three appeals filed by Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT)”
The decision of the Courts should be welcomed. I am not sure this is the first time that the courts faced such an appeal. If it is not first time how it should be possible for corruption, misuse of power by most of the Government institutions including Presidents, Parliament, Military, Officials were happened?
The people of Sri Lanka completely rejected the past governments and political leaders with a new government. It clearly shows that facts. That means that the people have elected a new government to see whether they can do better than the previous leaders. If they fail, they have to search for another government but it is not necessarily the same old outdated political leaders or political parties.
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SJ / July 10, 2025
“The people of Sri Lanka completely rejected…”
How complete was complete?
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Human Touch / July 11, 2025
SJ
Ajith is sitting in cuckoo land.
Doesn’t know the difference between 46% and 100%.
Another dtg class of mutt.
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davidthegood / July 10, 2025
Ajith, you say that people have elected a new government to do better than previous leaders. We need to give AKD time to avoid the obstructions of the mulana robbers who fear going to jail but not willing to do jobs and earn finances. Sad that with this state of affairs, they can easily end up in hell even as governing leaders.
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Human Touch / July 11, 2025
dtg
What the hell are you trying to say?
Have you had too much Punnakku today?
I hear it is intoxicating.
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davidthegood / July 11, 2025
Human Touch, did not know you had punnakku experience, which is intoxicating.
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