By Kumar David –
Prof. Kumar David
“Compassion” for scoundrels and dearth of grit are not good signs; President Sirisena needs to be resolute
Maithripala Sirisena’s victory was time for good cheer and his 100-day Work Plan occasion for exhilaration; two big steps forward. I certainly am no silly idealist who imagines that all 100 steps can be achieved in full, but if important matters are addressed to satisfaction President Sirisena will go down as the president who navigated the greatest achievements in the shortest time. It would be churlish to pick holes within a week of his taking office unless the matters are serious, but one of the two items I have in mind is much discussed in the media already. That is how was Basil able to abscond despite President and Eng. Patali Ranawaka’s assurances that big crooks will be brought to justice and not permitted to flee?
Basil walked through Katunayake without let or hindrance; obviously there was no order in place to prevent escape. How many million dollars were in his baggage – I think nothing was checked? There is no point picking on, or pinning the blame on low level officials; Basil could not have scooted without a Presidential nod. There are two explanations. As they were buddies in the Rajapaksa cabal for a decade a degree of personal friendship may have grown, so the President may have found it squeamish to take an old buddy into preventive custody. The other possibility is that the powers that be, not just the President, thought it less messy to let the scumbag get away than endure a lengthy and embarrassing trial. Either way so serious a misstep, so early in the day, will embarrass not the President’s opponents but those who placed their trust in him.
Basil walked through Katunayake without let or hindrance; obviously there was no order in place to prevent escape. How many million dollars were in his baggage
The other regrettable matter is the choice of Ministry Secretaries. The new Defence Secretary MUD Basnayake raised eyebrows when, according to the Colombo Gazette, he commented on assuming duty: “I wish to pay a special word of thanks to my predecessor with whom I spoke over the phone before I assumed duties”. Was it really so necessary to say this about an alleged rights violator, BBS guru and a person who is not untainted by the Bacillus of graft? According Lanka WebNews, “Maithripala Sirisena appointed P.B. Abeykoon, one of the most corrupt persons in the Rajapaksa regime, as his secretary. Abeykoon is respondent to charges of election malpractices according to the UNP. In an ITN interview during the elections he asked voters to vote for Mahinda Rajapaksa”. Colombo Telegraph says “Media Ministry Secretary Karunarathna Paranavitharana received lucrative positions in the previous administration due to his political manoeuvring”. These concerns and the objections in the previous paragraph are voiced in a constructive spirit since the public must be an eternal vigilante.
The dark and hideous experience of the Rajapaksa years has quite rightly made everyone very sensitive; some of these allegations are false or exaggerated, but what the hell! Can’t President Sirisena do better than provoking concern during his very first week in office? Even Pope Francis interwove “justice with reconciliation” since this Argentine Bishop knows better than anyone else that Christ’s message forgiveness is inseparable from sincere repentance and genuine contrition.
The crucial aspects of the 100-day programme
Having got these gripes off my chest let me turn to the pleasant task of summarising some important pledges in President Sirisena’s Work Programme. I have collated from different sections but first let me say that Sirisena has returned to the original pledge in the Memorandum of Understanding to abolish, not just tinker with the Executive Presidential System – excellent! As a newly elected President Mr Sirisena is entitled to our trust and I intend to take him at his word.
Wednesday January 21
The process will begin of abolishing the authoritarian executive presidential system and replacing it with an executive of a Cabinet of Ministers responsible to Parliament, and of repealing the 18th Amendment to the Constitution with legislation to establish strengthened and independent institutions, including a Judicial Services Commission, a Police Commission, a Public Service Commission, an Elections Commission, a Commission against Bribery and Corruption and a Human Rights Commission. This will be through a 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which will be presented to Parliament and passed as swiftly as possible.
Wednesday January 28
An all party committee will be set up to put forward proposals to replace the current Preference Vote system and replace it with a Mixed Electoral System that ensures representation of individual Members for Parliamentary Constituencies, with mechanisms for proportionality.
Tuesday March 17
Amendments to change the system of elections will be placed before Parliament and passed as swiftly as possible
April 2015
Monday April 20
A Parliamentary system will be put in place instead of the Executive Presidential system.
Thursday April 23
Parliament will be dissolved and free and fair elections held under a caretaker government.
The following items should be read in conjunction with these extracts and provide underpinning for the new parliamentary system. If all goes smoothly, and there is no reason it should not, the political system in Lanka will be much improved.
Tuesday January 20
The Standing Orders will be amended and, in terms of Proposal 67/10 now tabled in Parliament, Oversight Committees will be set up comprising members of Parliament who are not in the Cabinet will be established and their Chairmanship will be given to representatives of all Ministers in consultation with the leaders of all parties represented in Parliament.
Wednesday January 21
The process will begin of abolishing the authoritarian executive presidential system and replacing it with an executive of a Cabinet of Ministers responsible to Parliament, and of repealing the 18th Amendment to the Constitution with legislation to establish strengthened and independent institutions, including a Judicial Services Commission, a Police Commission, a Public Service Commission, an Elections Commission, a Commission against Bribery and Corruption and a Human Rights Commission. This will be through a 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which will be presented to Parliament and passed as swiftly as possible.
A second crucial matter is bringing crooks to book. In a letter in Colombo Telegraph (14 January) R.A. Ratwatte well expressed the outrage that people feel when the crooks of the old regime, not the little rogues but the big scoundrels at the top, are allowed to walk away scot free. This is what he had to say. “If all the petty catchers’, drug smugglers, rapist and vermin who robbed our country blind and drove self-respecting honourable people who were trying to make an honest living, to despair are allowed walk away, If all those relatives of the Rajapaksas who held down highly paid state jobs and denied qualified people. If those who blatantly abused their positions are not named and shamed and punished, it will constitute blasphemy”.
The work programme makes scant reference to bringing crooks to book other than:
“Thursday February 5: Special Commissions will be appointed to investigate allegations of massive corruption in the preceding period
It was neither the high principles of democracy nor the cost of living that turned the tide. It was graft, abuse of power, cronyism, and impunity for corrupt politicos and drug dealers that swelled anti-Rajapaksa sentiment. An anti-corruption drive is crucial and will be credible only if it reaches to the very highest levels of power and cronyism and tackles corruption, impunity, conflicts of interest and influence peddling across the political spectrum. Furthermore with ex-President Rajapaksa now on the rampage stirring the communal cauldron there is no better way to clip his wings than to put him on trail, after investigation and due process, for his alleged crimes, and to let the full facts pour out. The alleged attempt by Rajapaksa and his cronies to engineer a coup at the last moment must also be investigated and criminal charges filed if warranted.
A strange provision
There is however one rather strange provision in the 100-day Work Programme. The April 23 entry which I truncated previously reads in full as follows
Thursday April 23
Parliament will be dissolved and free and fair elections held under a caretaker government. Following that election, the Prime Minister will be appointed from the party getting the highest number of seats at such election, with a Deputy Prime Minister from the party getting the next highest number. A National Government of all parties represented in Parliament will be established to govern for a period of at least two years.
Clearly this provision was drafted by a political novice and if carried into the Constitution would shackle the freedom of the post-election government. In a nutshell I can explain the conundrum as follows: Either Ranil will be Prime Minister and Mahinda his Deputy Prime Minister, or the other way round! I see this as a recipe for gridlock and disaster. It is one thing to encourage a National Government but it is idiotic to prescribe it as a compulsory Constitutional requirement.
Something important to do
A leading Communist Party Trade Unionist who disagreed with the then majority line (probably not a majority any longer) in recent correspondence has raised “The possibility of the formation of a nucleus of an independent force beginning with a discussion of maximum effective implementation of the 100 Day programme. Such a discussion would involve meeting the conspiracies now being hatched by the defeated forces to sabotage progress. In my view the Maithri group is not strong enough to deal with this opposition alone. This is where an independent left force is needed to discharge a responsibility. Since the JVP is showing interest in the implementation of the 100 Day programme (its focus is on the “National Advisory Council”) I believe it should be brought in to the nucleus.”
This captures the core issue that needs to be urgently addressed at this moment. The problem is the JVP, which though it is taking the correct political line is so high and mighty that it spurns working with or talking to others. Maybe it fears that others may claim a share of the credit. Sigh! Sectarianism comes in various shapes and forms. Anyway let us keep trying.
douglas / January 18, 2015
As regards Basil’s “exit”; let us be fair. At the time he left the country there was not a single “complaint” made against him in any organization handling matters relating to crimes. Even the complaints filed by the JVP were made after the date of his departure. In the absence of any such “complaints” filed against him, no one could have prevented him leaving the country. Up to his departure, he was “free” to go anywhere he wishes. This writer speaks of “preventive custody”. To take out a “preventive arrest” at least there must be a proper complaint filed and an order of a proper court. Can that “Order” be give by the President? Have we done that? If in the absence of such legal requirements, a person is taken to “preventive custody”, these very people who voice for “Justice”, “Rule of Law”, “Human Rights” will get hold of a “Grand Opportunity” to put the present regime in a tight spot.
/
Amarasiri / January 18, 2015
Kumar David –
“Compassion” for scoundrels and dearth of grit are not good signs; President Sirisena needs to be resolute
Compassion for the scoundrels, and then people take over French Revolution Style tp Show Peoples Compassion.
/
srilal / January 18, 2015
Dear prof. Kumar ,
i urged you to watch today’s (17/01/15) Sirasa “Satana” program , i was stunned by JVP Wasantha Samarasingha’s. revelations , according to him MR’s close relative Thiru Nadesan had driven RW to the Temple trees on the that fateful morning (9/1/15) , question is why Thiru Nadesan brokering RW’s negotiations with MR ? what were the deals or preconditions that MR had with RW ? is that the reason , why so many wanted guys behaving as if nothing had happened ? is that the reason many fugitives are allowed to flee the country ? why can’t they suspend the current Bribery commissioner and appoint an interim commissioner to expedite the process ? it looks like MY3 had let RW to run the show and RW is calling the shots , the whole thing is getting very messy and suspicious , has any one wondered why the hell police taking so many days to issue a B-report , then court is taking it’s own time to issue the relevant order , by the time they finished all their bureaucratic red tapes , all the fugitives would have been living in seashells or another Banana republic with all their loot! MY3 needs to take control of the state affairs during the interim period , Ranil is known to be a Rajapakse sympathizer and he is doing it deliberately , all the previous useless old guards (John A, Joseph M , Jayawicrama P et al) are back in business along with the usual suspects ( Rishard B , F. Mustafa , R.Hakim et al ) , people who put their life on line ( S.Senasingha , Ranjan R , W.Senanayake , Hirunika et al) are being given step motherly treatments while undesirable characters who were not sure which way to jump are given prominent places in the new government . people need answers and Ranil needs to come up with some solid answers , Thank God JVP is fully aware of the whole drama.
/
Javi. / January 18, 2015
“Thank God JVP is fully aware of the whole drama.”
As long as it is Sihala Buddhist = Shit Buckets-It’s the boys and girls like the colonial skunk.
“” Thiru Nadesan had driven RW to the Temple trees on the that fateful morning (9/1/15)””
Gass Gembo S FROG: Skunk Fu*****king Run Out of Gas
Nadesan is also a close confidante of Basil Rajapaksa. It is Nadesan who carried out Basil’s diplomatic links with the Indian government. Like Killi they are Royalist thugs who buy and sell. No different from Pavement Premadasa the thug war monger.
Tatto to Ratio?? Balance of power. 66 years of shit bucket rule like the gonna at Delhi now on promotion at the US Mutt Prasad K who named Tamil Nadu MPs as terror for his bread and butter and had to leave- south block report.(it hurts the shit bucket)
Can anyone dream of anything better when carrier diplomats are – opportunist who have become thieves. Linda has given a picture of CBK striking a pose like the Buddha Watti Amma why so??
Sattayka Natta
Sevura Hatto!
Thoppi Karaya Sooraya- Sihala Ulu/Olu (spanish missionary 1/2 round tiles)
/
General Rommel / January 18, 2015
“That is how was Basil able to abscond despite President and Eng. Patali Ranawaka’s assurances that big crooks will be brought to justice and not permitted to flee?”
Answer: One Mafia leads way for another, “Behind every great fortune there is a crime” – Balzac and a quote recounted in by Mario Puzo in the novel, The Godfather.
/
K.A Sumanasekera / January 18, 2015
What a coincidence..
Dr Kumar and Dr Mervyn must have got their PhDs from the same Uni..
/
Palayang Yako / January 18, 2015
Sumane:
After all it was b..ds like you who were in bed with the likes of Vermin all these years so you must bring some expertise to the b.s. you utter on this occasion.
It’s said also that those who sleep with dogs wake up with fleas and I understand that Vermin woke up with a hell of a lot of fleas!
It’s only a racist society like Australia that will put up with the likes of you and I SINCERELY hope they don’t deport you to Sri Lanka!
/
K.A Sumanasekera / January 18, 2015
…Palayang Yakkooo…
/
Javi. / January 18, 2015
Dalit Sumane how is your wella bunker- Is it now a dream because she says you gone down under following the long run by rattons??
/
Native Vedda / January 18, 2015
K.A Sumanasekera
Are you a practicing racist?
/
Native Vedda / January 19, 2015
K.A Sumanasekera
Where is Basil’s Aryan Sinhala suite and his kurakkan shawl? Has he ditched all his national dress for jeans all because he wants to be a cool all American.
/
Native Vedda / January 19, 2015
Palayang Yako
“It’s only a racist society like Australia that will put up with the likes of you”
Racist or not K A Sumanasekera look up to Australian racists and the Australian racists look down on him.
Being a racist is not easy. Being a Sri Lankan racist needs extra effort. K A Sumanasekera tries and fails all the time.
/
K.A Sumanasekera / January 19, 2015
Dear Native,
You are in good company….
/
Javi. / January 18, 2015
Basil has a typical Chinese haircut – no sideburns!
/
Thiru Nadesan / January 18, 2015
I hope your brains are not located in the rear portion on your anatomy.
You do seem to know the difference between a donkey and horse.
/
dcn / January 18, 2015
Thiru Nadeson
Are you also the part of the Rajapakse clan? Then naturally you know the difference……..!!!q
/
Javi. / January 19, 2015
he is a sterile mule with horses and donkeys from both sides of the sides of spectrum bating him – that is how renuka H, has always been
/
Javi. / January 19, 2015
Thiru Nadesan,
Muttal, Maddhu, Naddar, (donkey, cow, merchant)
So your fear is a Jose Mujica, Manuela and his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle,
Here is the Sinhala version for all to enjoy- puta madre negociante
Kurumitto Story-Janahithage Virindu Sural
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhZGvKYtaVs
/
Native Vedda / January 19, 2015
K.A Sumanasekera
Where are the other baggage of this man and woman? Have you sent them by chartered flights or in several containers?
Now you are stuck wherever you are who is carrying his b***s?
Where is your mighty brave heart Gota?
Is he hiding behind women folks?
I can see Basil hiding behind his wife.
/
K.A Sumanasekera / January 19, 2015
Dear Native,
I am in my little Apt in Wellala Gardens,, watching how desperate the Elite and the Anglicans have become after MR offered Sira the other Presidency as well.
How Cool.
Ven Rathne and his Maha Sanga getting a bit jittery too according to my elders, because there is talk in the South that LTTE Flags are reappearing in the North, And the new settlers there from the South. are feeling uncomfortable too.
I hope your buddy Samare won’t read the CT while he is overseas defending your mates in the RAW.
/
Native Vedda / January 19, 2015
K.A Sumanasekera
“because there is talk in the South that LTTE Flags are reappearing in the North,”
If southerners are fond of waving their animal flag whats wrong if their northern brethren did the same? Waving animal flag exposes their arrested development.
Why couldn’t these two stupid people have common flag secular and humane, such as the Dharma Chakra, dove, peacock, … without the sword and AK 47s.
Sinhala/Tamil madness knows no bound.
Where is Gota?
/
K.A Sumanasekera / January 20, 2015
Dear Native,
You got a point.
Hope it will be a Sira & Mara flag to fix those Royal Scum Bags in CT’s List.
/
Punitham / January 18, 2015
David
Thank you for being the vigilante on behalf of all the citizens.
Not only the Secretaries but even some Ministers are a shame as explained by Emil van der Poorten in his post here on the 15th inst. It is extremely crucial to have the right secretaries and ministers.
Let our President show resoluteness in public life to bring about urgent changes to the critical situation in the country. He is free to show any amount of compassion in his private life.
We all have to be extra-vigilant as the previous President will work 25hrs a day and eight days a week to wreck the present govt.
/
Davidson Panabokke / January 18, 2015
Oh! Basil in New York airport!!
Is a lot of our hard work during the election getting undone by appointing Rakapakse faithfuls?
/
Don Quixote / January 19, 2015
YOUR hard work ? So D Pana has jumped as well has he ?
What a joke !
/
KD Hunter / January 18, 2015
Well done, KD. Now that your ulterior motive of removing the executive presidency (the single most effective protection against Tamil separatism) has evaporated in to thin air, you might start a campaign of revence.
Be careful about throwing allegations at people like Basnayake and Paranavitana without providing evidence.
MR may have allowed such bullshit to happen, but don’t expect such weakness from My3 and Ranil. They are strong eaders with a backbone.
So if you keep making unfounded allegations against honest public servants, you will be sued out of the one pair of trousers you own at current.
/
Palayang Yako / January 18, 2015
K.D.Hunter:
Another alias for the Australian low-life, I see!
You say, “MR may have allowed such bullshit to happen, but don’t expect such weakness from My3 and Ranil. They are strong eaders with a backbone.’ Interesting, given your sucking up to the MR gang all these years (and under other pseudonyms) even now!
Ranil has NEVER been distinguished by the size of his backbone and to say otherwise is b.s.
You have given the word “hypocrite” an even BIGGER meaning.
Kumar David was the first commentator to push for a “common candidate,” persisted with it and, in typically Sri Lankan fashion, people refuse to give him credit for that.
Apropos “one pair of trousers,” don’t you think you should change yours after the “accident” you had when the election results were announced?
/
Galagedara Chandiya / January 18, 2015
As usual, the rhesus monkey has stepped on his tail!
You can blame Australian low-life, but I live in the “loken uthum rata with a 3000 yr old civilisation, Sri Lanka”. Nowhere else you pale monkey.
You and Kumar David are suitable to rot together after the 100 days when the SLFP wins the parliamentary election and puts the Sri lankan people out of this transient misery.
Juice up yourself well until then, “Kapalla Beepalla Joli karapalla” breed of lansi monkey.
/
Javi. / January 18, 2015
“MR may have allowed such bullshit to happen, but don’t expect such weakness from My3 and Ranil. They are strong leaders with a backbone.”
What is Truth?? maharaja killi??
Your 66 year `authority` sihala buddhist=shit bucket needs to be thrown away but never tinkered because it’s too expensive and to be replaced.
you need to become cannibals once again hora oru/kallathoni.
/
jinkers / January 18, 2015
“My3 and Ranil. They are strong leaders with a backbone”. That is an overstatement. “MR may have allowed such bullshit to happen” – Because he behaved in a Dictatorial fashion and he had henchmen who would listen to him obediently and do his dirty work. That is the reason for wanting to remove the presidency which was in the wrong hands. Least to do with Tamil separatism.
/
Javi. / January 18, 2015
“That is how was Basil able to abscond despite President and Eng. Patali Ranawaka’s assurances that big crooks will be brought to justice and not permitted to flee?”
Opportunity makes a thief!
Liam Fox was no doctor similarly , free education, atta prikana don’t make you an Engineer but a scumbag who detained and deported the heart patient leader of opposition and former PM of Canada at airport The Caribbean folk do the same.
“The other regrettable matter is the choice of Ministry Secretaries. “
It’s good old Gangsta Rap- Wangga Macchan Wangga Vallia Patu Ponga.
Ref the picture: Where is the satayakas opirith nool and his womans saree as in the picture – sihala buddhist = shit buckets??
Just like Egypt in its Spring.
” This is where an independent left force is needed to discharge a responsibility.”
Just like Glasnost, Yeltsin and Putin and nearly 20 Oligarchs at Sloan Square Alone.
Like f’ing old labour that destroyed the professions and came with a new spin New labour- deceit, social engineering and above all boom and bust.
Who ever asked Gordon Brown why he gave £3 billion to Iranian TATA for free before his departure. Presently 75% of TATA income comes from Rover made in China Cheri Automobile. The few left at British steel are being made redundant by TATA. Brown never bothered about Ebola while when he lost he went into the lucrative Africa upliftment business- he is the son of a cat-o-lic priest.
Why were the elections called and not nullified – because military bankster Lanka has no other card like Guinea West Africa and resources- 3rd time president and still going strong.
Remember Bush asked French President and Putin on TV minutes before Invasion of Iraq- Show us (+ Blair+ Jose maria) your cards. France had its finger in the socialist military supply pussy like it is now.
______
It will cost the state more money in foreign exchange to get back the ones that have flown away and their new commissions with the Chinese will be shared.
It is the same case VP inside and KP etc outside pulling the money and guns with Passa familial and his gang of drug dealing, terrorist.
Every new minister and his cronies whether he jumped ship or not will need his own harvest while the goijng in power is good.
The land of the agricultural economy- keep drinking tea like farmers do (that is how it all started) but never learn mindfulness.
Kotiya bette, Satayaka Natta Sevura Hatto!
/
Jeremy Ludikins / January 18, 2015
In politics, what is the resolution of any politician? His/Her stability and consolidation. This is true any where in the world.
I think it is important to be realists. This alliance is essentially a 100 day alliance, viewed with the possibility of facing a competition, individually after 100 days.
The fellows have not yet covered all the portfolios in appointing the cabinet. They even have forgotten the Ministry of Agriculture, Posts, Telecommunications and what else? They simply could not take the subjects and functions of all the ministries of the previous government and consolidate into 25 ministries. What a shame?
If the fellows cant do such a simple thing how can anyone think of doing anything big?
Referring to Secretarial appointments, Prof. Kum must also know that in reality, it is always bright summer for some and dark winter for others who only can voice their plight by voting against an existing government.
/
dcn / January 18, 2015
The masses voted for Maithree as President for good governance and to bring to books all corruption related complaints and punidh them urgently. As we could see the numerous stories of corruption are springing up every day and all these are peoples money. They have paid through taxes on oil, milk, sugar, dhall, dry fish, …………….etc, etc, for these to rob whilst the poor had to live in hungry, debt and frustration. In addition the people are burdened with long term debts which the previous regime borrowed and also robbed.
We expect President Sirisena and P.M., Ranil to act swiftly without trying to be gentlemanly to show justice to the people. They also should be well reminded if by chance MR was allowed to win by hook or crook what would have been the fate of Maithree, Ranil, Chandrika today!!!!
/
Javi. / January 18, 2015
All that the [Edited out] =Sihala Buddhist nation has achieved is covered the face of being named a failed state by virtue of its selection/election of opposition candidate as president.
Could the `werelions` have undone what they built like the `weretigers`hun chinese.??
The worse is yet to come.
/
dulan / January 18, 2015
We as citizens must do our lot to check Maithri and Ranil from going on as usual
/
j.thavarajah / January 18, 2015
K.D.Hunter.
The E.P. is the single most effective protection against Tamil separatism. OK. That is your position. The campaign to abolish the E.P.was spearheaded by the JHU and JVP.So,they were effectively supporting Tamil Separatism? What Logic!
Besides,it is the Tamil vote that decides the winner.In 2010,the Tamil voter boycott helped MR to win.In 2015,the Tamil voter voting enmasse defeated MR.So,the Tamil voter logically would prefer not to have it abolished!
This election has nothing to do with T
/
j.thavarajah / January 18, 2015
K.D.Hunter.
The E.P. is the single most effective protection against Tamil separatism. OK. That is your position. The campaign to abolish the E.P.was spearheaded by the JHU and JVP.So,they were effectively supporting Tamil Separatism? What Logic!
Besides,it is the Tamil vote that decides the winner.In 2010,the Tamil voter boycott helped MR to win.In 2015,the Tamil voter voting enmasse defeated MR.So,the Tamil voter logically would prefer not to have it abolished!
This election has nothing to do with Tamil Separatism.
/
Native Vedda / January 18, 2015
j.thavarajah
“The E.P. is the single most effective protection against Tamil separatism.”
It is Hindia that is most effective protection against Tamil separatism.
/
Patriot / January 18, 2015
How can President Sirisena be resolute when he himself was part and parcel of the then government by helping (i)to introduce the 18th amendment and (ii) to remove Shirani Bandaranayake, with out expressing any objection.
Look at what has happened to him today. He can not remove the Chief Justice. Mohan Pieris has the strength to stay in the CJ position without listening to the demands made by various parties because he knows very well that the present president was also behind removing the ex CJ by voting in favour of the impeachment. Further, the present CJ also knows that the present PM the then opposition leader was not interested either to protest strongly against the impeachment. The present president then voted in support of the 18th amendment too which paved the way for every other undemocratic acts. The then CJ Shirani Bandaranayake fully supported Rajapaksa very obediently by letting him get away with a referendum to pass the 18th amendment. All these people are responsible for the grave situation that the country is in at present. None of these people apologized to the countrymen for supporting these undemocratic actions. Only Rathana thera after leaving the government apologized for the mistake done by him by voting in support of the 18th amendment. Irony is that the present president and the prime minister have to beg this guy(CJ) to resign on his own or else they should sack him through an impeachment and there is no other way get rid of him. As such, there is no way that the president can be resolute.
/
Plato. / January 18, 2015
PATRIOT.
You may recall MARA definition of Patriots and Traitors.
Looking at this Photo where Basil and Wife are making a quick get-away:
Basil and wife are Patriots,C.T.and its readers are Traitors!
/
Native Vedda / January 19, 2015
Plato.
“Basil and wife are Patriots,C.T.and its readers are Traitors!”
Or LTTE rump.
/
Douglas / January 18, 2015
srilal: I too saw that “SATANA” programme of Sirasa TV and was stunned to hear that Ranil was accompanied by this person named Thiru Nadesan to the Temple Trees. This Nadesan is the husband of Nirupama Rajapakse, the MP and a nice of MR, and the Chairman of Hilton hotel. His name is mentioned in very many underhand deals within Rajapakse regime and front and back stage player in affairs of the entire family.
This “Unholy Association” of the PM is and will be a “Contagious” and an “Incurable” disease that the “Yahapalanaya” of the Present President will contact very soon, if not a very “HEAVY DOSE” of antibiotic is not given right away. I feel sorry for this “GIVI PUTHA” who was put on the “Throne” by the people. I always had and still have grave doubts of this leader Ranil. Is this the “Beginning” of the “END”?
/
Samuel Jayaweera / January 19, 2015
I usually agree with Srilal, but I am afraid, cant agree with him above.
Ranil’s cautious behaviour on that day saved the nation. What could Ranil have done being on the opposition instead ? Had he been given a better choice ? Recalling the manner they the rascal Rajapakshes treated SF immediately after election results were declared in 2010, to paint a picture sending all message painting a brutal picture on Sarath Fonseka- this time too, they rascals carefully planned it – wait Douglas, this will come to surface soon. As promised , the newly elected adminstration will have to open all these since JVP and JHU would not let them keep it away from public. I have no doubt – Ranil and Maithree are both highly intelliget matured senior politicians know how to handle things in favour of safe side of srilanken nation.
/
srilal / January 19, 2015
Samuel Jayaweera ,
“Ranil’s cautious behaviour on that day saved the nation. What could Ranil have done being on the opposition instead ? “
Honestly , MR didn’t have any other option than seeking refuge from Ranil on that fateful day , it’s bit too early to speculate about Ranil’s communication skills or his marvelous actions which took place on 9th , but one thing is more than obvious , since MY3 let RW to run the show , MR and his close cronies still behave as if nothing has been changed ! point in case , it was a public secret that Basil would be the first to flee , if and when the power changes hand , what happened ? Gota’s remaining in SL needs critical analysis , hence i refrain from commenting on him . where are PB,Cabral ,Mahinda Balasooriya , Sudarman and the rest of crooks ?
RW’s inaction is the root cause for his earlier administration down fall , did he handle wisely CBK’s unwarranted dismissal of his 2 ministers when he returned from Washington ? lack of timely interventions led MR to become a monster .if RW were to go by his old strategies ,long before we would be able to see MR taking the reins again !
/
Samuel Jayaweera / January 19, 2015
Agree with you atleast to some extent – we shall wait and see how all these will be handled by them until end April. My worries are as to why the current addministration did not replace the EDITORS yet… that can be very advantageous to them soon, since Malinda Seneviatne sounds to be acting further as Mahinda ‘s man even today while he is continuing this editorship for NATION.
Anyways, I still believe the decisions in general being made by RW could lead to the prospherity – in today s srilanka (in a no war situation). Boston researchers had shared the view – that RW is among the few intelligent leaders in the asia. Please dont get it wrong, i m not supporting UNP or any party politics, but to this day, we are aware fo the facts that the country lack of Lalith athulathmudala, Kadirgamar,Gamini disssanayke the type of high weights in lanken politics.
/
srilal / January 19, 2015
Since Nation paper is not an official government paper ,Replacing Malinda is not an ethical thing to do . but how about current) accused ) bribery commissioner ,head of air port , Prasanna Wickramsooriya et al ?
with regards to RW , of course no one can come close to RW’s clean records , he he never been accused of any financial frauds , my concern is , RW’s unusual closeness to MR and being sympathetic towards MR might take for MR’s advantage , MR is an extremely dangerous person and he will not hesitate to strike when time is ripe , that is my concern !
/
srilal / January 19, 2015
Douglas ,
We as citizens of SL have every right to be on alert and caution an impending danger , the way it goes , RW is back on with his usual suspects and let loose , in the mean time power hungry MR is planning for his next move , before we know MR will be appearing on our TV’s and will claim he had to intervene to save the country from Western countries and Tamil Diaspora !
MR and his Cabal must be brought to justice for the alleged attempted coup , nothing less will solve the impending danger ,period !
/
Navin / January 19, 2015
Prof Kumar David
It is time to test Maithripala Siripala, to find out how different he is from Mahinda Rajapaksa. His appointments indicate he is not the Common Candidate we thought he was. Let it not be that the main difference is lack of testicles.
Get together with Rev Sobitha Thera, and hold a million strong march of righteous minded citizens demanding from Maithripala a guarantee that within two weeks, okay maybe one month, he will get rid of all the crooks criminals cronies charlatans and other cunts of the kind named in your Article.
How else can action be initiated to ensure Sri Lanka does not revert to being the cesspit it was on 8th January?
/
EDWIN RODRIGO / January 19, 2015
Even if Basil’s bags were unchecked in SL, which must certainly be the case, he would have probably been discovered by US customs if he carried a lot of cash. I am not sure about the exact figures, but the US allows only up to $ 5,000 to be carried in person by anyone entering the country.
While in SL, it would have been possible to bypass such procedures in SL by one call to an influential person, it is not possible in the US, with it’s highly effective system of checks and balances. It is not probably the way the black money was transferred. In any case we are talking about billions here, not measly amounts of the order of millions.
But of course I am not sure about this because he had a diplomatic passport.
/
srilal / January 19, 2015
Don’t forget Basil had a transit at Dubai , Dubai is a place where money talks , all the crooks from all over the world have been flocking to Dubai to invest , most of it’s properties have been bought by crooks !
PS:it’s really funny ,Basil four baggage were misplaced at the Katunayake Air port , reason being , baggage controllers suspected he was carrying stash of US currency notes, it’s not known how much money he had been carrying but in the end Sri Airlines had to dispatch the lost baggage to the rightful owner.
/
Cassandra / February 21, 2015
Why? ‘Resolute’ is the name of the desk used by the US President at the Oval Office – Why should Maithripala become a desk.
/