The Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to move the Ministry of Justice to the World Trade Centre, at a rental cost of 400 million rupees for a two year period, according to a cabinet memorandum presented by the Ministry of Finance and approved by the cabinet of ministers.
Mohamed Ali Sabry with Gotabaya Rajapaksa | File photo
35,071 square feet of space will be rented by the government of Sri Lanka at the World Trade Centre tower for the Ministry of Justice from January 1, 2021-December 31, 2022.
Funds for the highly costly rental has been allocated by the Treasury already. According to documents presented to the Cabinet of ministers, Rs 233.1 million has been allocated as rent for 2021 and Rs 174 million has been allocated as rent for the year 2022.
The ministry of Justice is led by President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, formerly the head of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s personal legal team. Other members of the President’s crack legal team that kept him from being arrested on murder, abduction and money laundering charges have also accrued similar benefits.
According to the Prime Minister’s memorandum to cabinet, the “interim rental” was approved while the ‘House of Justice’ project is being completed to house 14 new judges appointed to the Court of Appeal as part of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s unilateral court-packing exercise. The House of Justice will be constructed in the current Justice Ministry premises in Hulftsdorp.
The move comes as Sri Lanka faces a massive debt repayment and liquidity crisis, with foreign reserves stretched thin. The Government last week announced cost cutting measures that included stopping all state sector advertising in the media as it struggles to keep a flailing economy afloat. Exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and grotesque financial management in the first 3-4 months of the new president’s term of office, including unsustainable tax cuts that have since been reversed, the Gotabaya Rajapaksa presidency will confront one of Sri Lanka’s worst economic crises in history. (Chinthika De Silva)
Ajay / December 7, 2020
Justice Ministry’s profile has hit a low point under Gota’s presidency that it needs such a grand cosmetic boosting. But it is the poor taxpayers who have to foot the bill by living on a monthly allowance of 5,000 rupees per household even longer.
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leelagemalli / December 7, 2020
Gota s hitherto politics as one comes from non political background is not far from his brother’s whose administration did all destruction s ad a pres6 by 2015. Gota stays either silent or pays total ignorance in many alarm6 issues being faced by it citizens today. World is watching and they become speechless regarding inhuman barbarism at mahara killings lat week. Those mothers the way they fight with unnecessary anxieties not knowing their sons are among the murdered or not. ? Why should those mothers be put in tantalus torments as was the case with those mothers whose sons were abducted and went missing by navy under MR junta regime.😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
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leelagemalli / December 7, 2020
Since Nov 2019, SRILANKA exists as Rajapakshe’s private property.
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They dont care much about people s grivances, but their circles.
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Lately I heard BASTARD SON number one of Rajakashe family questioning an OPPOSITION MP, about the paddy storing capacities of the store rooms located in Mattala airport. If sufficient facilities are not available why not MATTALA airport rooms should not have been used for the some storages temporarily. How abusive the young politician to see this way ? THis man should be taken away from srilanka future politics, if anyone would see a better future there.
Mahara Prison issue, mourning mothers kneeling down before gate keepers and jail guards (dogs would be even more dignified than these cops) asking whether their sons are among the killed by alleged police last week. Time goes by, the mournings of these mothers are totally neglected. Their torments are tremouring the areas. Pictures go to the world, – and they question how abusive srilanken leaders should be not to treat their citizens with some dignity.
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JUNTA nature of governing is returned thanks to the total ignorance and indifference of the poor gullible voters of this country. What more talks would be necessary, most would line up to DRINK goda weda mahaththayas ” honey drink” in order to seaking healing from COVID.
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Kuviyam / December 7, 2020
Gotabaya applies a different policy when it comes to his supporters, such as Al Sabry. He appeared for his case regarding US citizenship cancellation; Gota said much money could be saved if the government departments do not occupy expensive Private buildings. Now look at the amount of money spent in moving the Justice ministry headed by Al Sabry to the Trade Center in Colombo
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leelagemalli / December 7, 2020
Rajapakshe a never applied policies as they pledged on the stage. Power greedy sycophants do nothing in terms of proper containment of Covid. People suffer today as no others. The Buddhist clergy and cardinal criticise the govt in public today. 😎😎😎😎
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Ferryman / December 7, 2020
No reason for surprise. This has been the norm perennially – say anything to get votes and do opposite after. This is called “Standard Operating Procedure” in Corporates.
The Manifesto is only an Election poster – it is for the goats to eat the paste.
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leelagemalli / December 8, 2020
Ferry,
You may know this well as a senior citizen of this country, but you guys too had your responsiblities not having done the due timely. It is to express yourself as you now do. See how many as senior citizens do it today yet today. I always agree with Mr SM and few other senior men on this page. It has become the culture. They though read news papers and watch daily news telecasts, but they just take everything as it is put to air. Today no balanced news telecasts, nor from STATE channels. So how can people become aware of the truths. Untruths become headlines news of two abusive media. If Sirasa would not have been different, things would have worked making Rajakashes are unbeatable wweerayas even in today s context. Now with all is falling down for Rajapakahse forces, in the weeks to come, people would show their angers for sure. Not COVID but Rajaakshes are the threat to this nation. Basta.
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Plato / December 7, 2020
Marie- Antoinette onetime Queen of France told her subjects, at the height of the French Revolution, to eat Cake if there is no Bread.
We all are in the midst of the Covid-19 but for AliSabry and his Ministry it is cake!
Srilanka is notorious for Champagne tastes with Toddy incomes.
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Champa / December 7, 2020
Didn’t the President tell the other ministers to leave the rented offices citing higher fees? What a double standard.
When they see an opportunity to line their pockets, one country – one law doesn’t apply.
These typical greedy politicians don’t deserve to be in office.
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leelagemalli / December 7, 2020
Champa,
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He is no better to Trump. What he has been uttering has no meaning. Either he stays mum as if a crocodile fed with Kirimati/Clay or just ignores. Either GOta is sick or he dont know have the least knowledge on anything.
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What does President do from MORNING to EVENING ? I think POLONNARUWE Donkey was multiple times efficient than Gotabaya, however, that was also highly criticised. Today, people are scared of leaving any public statements.
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Pundit / December 7, 2020
He’s a very successful , affluent , lawyer and is obviously used to doing things in style. Austerity is for losers and no hopers.
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Kuviyam / December 7, 2020
Al Sabry is same for Mulsim Community He supports a government which is aginst Kuran specifically say that the body of mulsim should be buried and not cremated
So are Catholics and Christians The story of underwater getting polluted if body infected by COVOD 19 is buried utter rubbish WHO has said the body infected by cOVID can be buried or polluted Every thin is made politics by Mahinda to overcome rising COL and failing Economy MP Sanakiyan from Baticalao spoke in parliament eloquently in parliament in all three languages is a slap for Mahinda government Lt Sighalese realize how thaey are taken for a ride by Lotus Bud party Humpty (G) and Dumty(M)on e day will have a fall and perish
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Ashan / December 7, 2020
Sri Lanka, an underdeveloped nation, is cursed by corruption and waste, by it’s leaders.
This regime worse than the others as the nepotism is unprecedented, and going by their past history, their personal enrichment worse than others. This is nothing but a wasteful move, and most probably some crooks will benefit from this, and the tax payers will lose, as many in the country are at starving point.
The banana republic continues.
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Buddhist1 / December 7, 2020
I will predict today very soon Ambanda Sabry will be moved from this Ministry. Watch!
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leelagemalli / December 7, 2020
B1,
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let s hope the best, he is clearly pompous guy though betrayed his community being closed Rajaapkshes. This guy was the person who pleaded Muslims to vote for Rajaakshes, if not, they would have been smashed …. etc.. see how low he is fallen into as a lawyer. Lawyer Dolawaththa and Ali Sabry should not be lawyers to srilankens. If men would have worked like that in Europe, they should have to loose their approbation as a lawyer but our banana republic, any simple simons could become CHANDI.. so long Rajaakshes are in power.
The kind of men how they face their own community is my question.
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Dinuk / December 7, 2020
Who owns the world Trade Center which would benefit from this move?
Seems like USAID and MCC may be behind this project..
In the past many USAID projects to ‘strengthen’ Justice sector and democratic Governance in Sri Lanka Parliament turned both into “Cesspits” of Corruption!
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Pon Lanka / December 8, 2020
This is only a drop in the bucket and all extravagant expenses would be appropriated by printing extra money by Mahinda ayya . The Auditor General wouldn’t query these kind of expenses even not included in the annual budget ,if so, he would face the music.
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Captain Morgan / December 8, 2020
Makes no sense. Spending Rs.400 Million to pay two years’ rent to house a totally dysfunctional ministry!
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Buddhist1 / December 8, 2020
With the addition of the new Judges there is not enough room in Madamulana kitchen for the Judges to write their judgements. Hence to keep them in one place in order to monitor and influence the judgements Ambanda Sabry has moved it to the new location.
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Thanga / December 9, 2020
The whole Rajapaksa family is corrupt. Their followers out of selfishness gloss over such corruption.
They owe Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family owes a sum of Rs.47.9 million to Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLRDC) for the construction of the ‘D A Rajapaksa Mausoleum and Museum at Medamulana. Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development signed the contract. The original estimate was Rs. 33.9 million but during construction, the cost ballooned to Rs.81.2 million. Only Rs.33.9 settled so far leaving a balance of Rs. 47.9 million.
I am sure the old man must be turning in his grave seeing his sons constructing a Mausoleum and Museum at taxpayer’s expense! Is this not a disgrace for the Rajapaksa family?
Both Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa gifted a golden statue of Buddha to the Sandahiru Maha Saya in the presence of Maha Sanga in Anuradhapura. The statue was made out of 8 kilos of gold confiscated by the Customs and handed over to the Rajapaksas. While the Rajapaksas have got away with the massive and shameful “theft” poor Director General of Sri Lanka Customs Jagath P. Wijeweera and former Customs Additional Director General Tharaka Seneviratne were arrested by the FCID and charged in courts by the previous government.
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