Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake was recently caught lying and attempting to mislead the public over the government’s latest decision to provide vehicle allowances to 58 Parliamentarians.
In one instance, the Minister, while responding to a question raised by BBC Journalist Azzam Ameen said that, the vehicle allowance was a temporary measure taken as some of the vehicles ordered for the use of these MPs had still not arrived.
During a press conference, Karunanayake said, “the government, as well as both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe decided to grant vehicles to some MPs without portfolios as they too have to carry out development work, and tend to issues in their areas. Vehicles have been ordered but it has not arrived yet, so the allowance is temporary, till the ordered vehicles arrive. It’s not like the MPs can travel by bus.”
However, when the same issue was taken up in Parliament last week, Karunanayake in response to JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that if even Dissanayake wanted the vehicle allowance bonanza then he too should join the government. He made no mention about the vehicle allowance being temporary.
“There is a big difference in the government and opposition MPs. The MPs in the government have a lot of work to do, so we have to provide facilities for them to carry out their work diligently, this is why we are taking these measures. We are not just giving them cars, we are giving them to carry out their work,” Karunanayake said.
He also added that 85% of the cost was for taxes and the government was paying it, and therefore this was the ‘change’ unlike in the previous government.
Last week, the Colombo Telegraph reported how President Sirisena had expressed his concern over the cost of tax the government was incurring from the vehicle allowance to be granted to 58 MPs. The move was also seen as an attempting to score points by informally agreeing to ‘bribe’ Parliamentarians as Sirisena attempted to further strengthen his position.
According to a leaked letter, Sirisena had at no point vehemently objected to the allowance as a whole but had instead expressed his concern over the tax components in the allowance. The Rs. 590,000 allowance will increase to Rs. 700,000 a month per MP due to the VAT and NBT taxes. The total cost of the new allowance is expected to cost the country Rs. 2.4 billion.
Amarasiri / November 22, 2016
Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake,
RE: Ravi Caught Openly Lying Over Vehicle Allowance Bonanza Deal For MPs
“Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake was recently caught lying and attempting to mislead the public over the government’s latest decision to provide vehicle allowances to 58 Parliamentarians”
You have been trained well by your predecessors.
Did Monk Mahname of Mahawamsa Fame-Notoriety, lie as as wellabout Buddha visiting Lanka, theA Land of Nauve Veddahh Aethho, around 500 BC.Just wondering.
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Kalupahana / November 22, 2016
Ranil is now trying to bribe politicians of ALL parties with car permits and salary rises, so they will turn a blind eye to his bond scam and the Cope Report. This is an insult to the intelligence of people of Sri Lanka.
Lanka is in a huge Debt Trap between the Chinese loans to Jarapassa who Ranil is protecting and IMF who is Ravi K’s guru.
No one has confidence in the SL economy with the corrupt morons who are running it to IMF tunes. Also, despite IMF loan the rupee is crashing and no FDI.
Clearly, no one has confidence in the IMF either which has beggared so many nations all over the world. IMF makes the poor pay for the corruption of the rich.
IMF loan conditions to Sri Lanka should be down sizing of the tax breaks of politicians and the Cabinet of clowns, rather than VAT on the people.
Ranil Wickramasinghe must he held ACCOUNTABLE for the Bond Scam and the the stink of corruption that rises from the Parliament of corrupt Morons where the culture of impunity for Bribery and corruption has hit the roof! Worse than Mahinda Jarapassa.The people of Sri Lanka are being BEGGARED by corrupt politicians who have become a super CASTE of parasites who are supported by IMF and the Chinese Debt trap.
No one should pay income tax to the Jarapalanaya govt. of Ranil-Sira. Sri.
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Nimal / November 22, 2016
Sadly I must agree with you.
RW must get the bond scammers to return the money or he will lose his credibility.
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Amarasiri / November 22, 2016
Kalupahana
“No one should pay income tax to the Jarapalanaya govt. of Ranil-Sira. Sri.”
Not pay taxes, and go to jail. There are not enough jails to accommodate all.
Sira had turned out to be a Turncoat, Traitor, Gona, and Mala-Perethaya eating off the dead protecting the Rajapaksa killers as well.
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest—
…Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest—
…Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”
“Fifteen men on the dead men’s chest—
…Yo-ho-ho, and a sack of billions!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest—
…Yo-ho-ho, and sacks of billions !”
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Leonard / November 25, 2016
He is defending the perks and at the same time saying no one is asking about the countries financial crisis’s. What a guy would have fitted l seamlessly at soon to be ex presi: Obama’s administration after 8 years still wining about the old Bush regime.
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KA Sumanasekera / November 22, 2016
Only the Yahapalana suckers wearing blinkers would believe this Finance Minister.
One would have thought Galleon learnt the lesson not to tell fibs, after the good Chinese Ambassador put a rocket up his ass for distorting the Interest Rates on Chinese loans.
And demolished Galleon in front of the world media.
Any other Finance Minister worthy of his salt, would have either deported the Ambassador or sacked himself.
But then these Yahapalana bosses have no shame.
Look at Batalanada Ranil.
The whole descent inhabitant population are against the Yahapalana PM’s helping hand, which was extended to his mate Singapore Mahendran to carry out the Mother of All Rorts in the Mahavamsa MHstory..
Which pumped LKR 5 Billion plus to Mahendran’ and SIL’s Family Trust in just 12 months of Yahapalana Bond Trading.
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Amarasiri / November 22, 2016
Kiribanda A Sumanasekera,
“Only the Yahapalana suckers wearing blinkers would believe this Finance Minister.”
“But then these Yahapalana bosses have no shame.”
Isn’t this a common trait of the Paras, Paradeshis in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho? The List is too long, and given below are just a few examples.
1. Monk Mahanama lies in Mahawamsa that the Sinhala sprang out from a lion race, and the Para-Sinhala believe that and kiss the lion image, puts it in the flag, and even have a drama called Sinhabahu, by an “Esteemed” Professor, Sarathchandra.
2.. Monk Mahanama lies in Mahawamsa about Buddha visiting the Island three times, and climb the 100 million old mountain to put his foot imprint, and the Para-Sinhala believe that. The Para-Marakkala and Para-Christians believe that it was not Buddha, but Adam who went up there to put his footprint.The Para-Hindus bleive that it was Vishnu who was up there.
3. The Mahinda Rajapaksa suckers wearing blinkers would believe this Mahinda Rajapaksa and cronies.
4. The President Turncoat, Traitor, Gon Mala-Perathaya Sirisena suckers were fooled and made to wear blinkers for Yahapalanya,by letting crooks and criminals at large and interfering with independent commissions and the judiciary.
Yes, but then these Yahapalana bosses have no shame. The 6.2 million who elected were made into big time suckers.
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Nimal / November 22, 2016
Not all the budhists,Christians,hindus and Buddhists are para.
So steady on Amerasiri.
We must have the colonial types to put the country back.We have being going downwards since 1948,
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Amarasiri / November 24, 2016
Nimal
Other than the Native Veddah Aethho, everybody, yes everybody, Para-Sinhala, Para-Demala, Para-Marrakala, Para-Portuguese, Para-Malay, Para-urch, Para-Suddho, Para-Chinese and other Paras are all Paradeshis, Paras in the Land f Nayibe Veddh Aethho.
Furthermore, the Para-Beliefs of the Paras, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, etc are all Para-Beliefs and Para- Myths.
Did any Para achieve or get to Nirvanna, Nibbana, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell, or Apaya? No , not yet. Why? Want to ask Karl Marx?
Are the Paras happy? They are going after each other throats.
References:
Through a comparison with the mtDNA HVS-1 and part of HVS-2 of Indian database, both Tamils and Sinhalese clusters were affiliated with Indian subcontinent populations than Vedda people who are believed to be the native population of the island of Sri Lanka.
http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v59/n1/full/jhg2013112a.html
The Vedda Tribe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f89NuukY32U&t=533s
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davidoff / November 28, 2016
Sumanasekere, just bear up for a few more months.Come the PS elections and these Yahapalana morons will get their due desserts from the people.Of course, we will have to wait a little longer to see justice done to Colombus,(RK) as Parliamentary elections are not due for some time.
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Paul / November 22, 2016
‘they too have to carry out development work, and tend to issues in their areas’
The only development work these ugly bastards carry out is to develop their bank accounts.
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Hamlet / November 24, 2016
Paul I agree:-
Why do elected Politicians need Luxury Vehicles? I have still to see a Politician who goes round his Electorate in a Vehicle, listening to and rectifying any Problems of the People, let alone ‘Development Work’.
Most of them expect the People to come to Them with their Concerns and Complaints; of course Bearing the Obligatory ‘Pagaa’
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Amarasiri / November 25, 2016
Paul
“The only development work these ugly bastards carry out is to develop their bank accounts.”
CORRECTED:
The only development work these ugly PARA-bastards carry out is to develop their PARA-bank accounts.
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KA Sumanasekera / November 22, 2016
Galleon Ravi, is in the same league as Batalanada Ranil’s mate Singapore Mahendran, when it comes to making money under Yahapalana strategy.
Galleon who was issuing rubbery cheques before the Election is now a proud owner of a Yahapalana Customs Warehouse under his daughter’s name.
In addition to giving his UNP mates in the Front Benches, Instant lottery tickets with a guaranteed first prize. he has helped his Colombo Elite mates to import 70 Luxury Prado and Pajero with Ferguson Tractor duty rates.
Now he is trying to out source some CB function such as Credit Card Control to joiunt ventures tof his mates.
This dude is like a bloody big Eel , Very hard to pin him down.
Is He still holding that USD 3 Million, which Galleon Raja gave him for safe keeping?…..
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BBS Rep / November 22, 2016
Ravi Karunanayaka, shame on you man. Have you got no guts to tell the truth. Not enough defrauding the citizens you then have to give them a double blow by lying or prevarication. Shame on you. Don’t you have any principles.
You even questioned Azzam Ameen if MPs are to travel in bullock carts. Come on Ravi. Why do MPs have to travel in huge big gas guzzling luxury semi-trucks when the same can be achieved in Toyota Corollas or similar which are easier to park and cause lesser congestion on the streets not to mention causing lesser impact on the environment.
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Hamlet / November 25, 2016
BBS Rep:-
“Why do MPs have to travel in huge big gas guzzling luxury semi-trucks.”
Because their Minds are so Small, they need something BIG to make up for it. Gamayata Magic!
Becoming an MP is so easy, compared with becoming a Doctor or Engineer!
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Leonard / November 26, 2016
Why they say some Men need Big Cars to show off their manhood it is to compensate another part of the anatomy been too small.
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Cheers / November 22, 2016
More bullshit from another of the Yahapalanaya’s leading liars, now giving his leader a run for the prize of ‘Liar of the Year’, while feathering their nests at the cost of the country.
Kuveni’s curse continues!
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justice / November 22, 2016
“…………….as they too have to carry out development work…………………………”
Ravi K thinks that the ordinary man is an idiot.
A minister like him would not have lasted in any western democracy.
We will see how long this regime will last.
Maybe the new constitution is designed to save it from immediate oblivion.
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thrishu / November 22, 2016
Disgusted by more manipulations.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 22, 2016
“He also added that 85% of the cost was for taxes and the government was paying it, and therefore this was the ‘change’ unlike in the previous government.”
Can someone explain the logic in this sentence?
What is the difference between the recipient NOT PAYING the taxes and the government PAYING the taxes?
With both alternatives aren’t the public losing their money? It is not the ministers or the government’s money to fritter!
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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The Oracle / November 22, 2016
A bright young star , even a potential candidate for the top job .
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Aku / November 22, 2016
Isn’t this just dandy – what irony… Is this why we have to pay so much more to smoke a ciggie and drink a beer??? A lime fruit is Rs 30/=… And the excuses to sell the Citizens Gift to these rouge MPs?? Why did they need a car permit if they were going to sell it anyways???
Really ashamed of you Ravi K… And you’ll too, PM Ranil and President Maithri… Totally ashamed of your attitude… and you are wanting to serve the Citizens or serve MPs to get rich the legal way??? From our money???
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Amigo / November 22, 2016
There are thousands of intellectual readers who read and comment on CT articles. My question to all of you is: is there any reliable way to get rid of this kind of pathological liars democratically, without waiting for the next election? I am so fed up of this guy’s baloney that I don’t think people who believe in democracy should wait too long to find a way to teach them. And there are a few dozens in current parliament! Please remember we as human beings can not and should not rely on JVP/LTTE type violence but should find out a reliable and democratic way, acceptable to all civilized world, to show this type of pathological liars that the public don’t tolerate hypocrisy, blatant lies,and continuous cheating.
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maalumiris / November 22, 2016
“My question to all of you is: is there any reliable way to get rid of this kind of pathological liars democratically…”
Maybe our Good Governance PM will step into the situation and resolve these obvious-to-all abuses of power and the public purse.
Just Kidding !! :) :) :)
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Upul / November 22, 2016
The only democratic way to send this govt. home is just very simple. Need some really honest group of people to organize a mass nonstop protest against this corrupt govt. These types of protests happened in Thailand. The only question is where do you find some honest dude’s? Most of the srilankan’s are talking against corruption only until they get into power. Once in power the do the same as the previous lot who were there earlier. This honesty should come from each individual’s heart not only by the words. If that happens, then, there will be a prosperous Sri Lanka for everybody to live happily.
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Douglas / November 22, 2016
“If Anura Kumara Dissanayake wants a vehicle allowance, then join the Government”. Just imagine the philosophy of a “Senior Politician” and a “Senior Cabinet Minister”. What more can we expect from these politicians who run the affairs of Governing. Yet the people keep rallying around them and follow them until they too get some handouts. Will there be a day when these types of Politicians are booted out for good from the political arena? It has to come and it will be.
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carlion / November 22, 2016
Wonder why the “Daily Telegraph” allows fellows like Amarasiri to write hateful stuff with the sole purpose of arousing religious strife. His comments about the Buddha’s visit has no relevance to the subject being discussed.
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KA Sumanasekera / November 23, 2016
Carlion,
What is important is the Yahapalana PM’s hidden agenda of Degrading Buddhism.just like what Mr Ex Prez Obama said about ISIL
TNA Abraham demanded in public that Buddhism must be removed from the Constitution, if they want him to come to the party.
His Boss now says the Vellala people in Colombo will get their Eelaam based Batalanada Constitution, before Dewali in Seventeen.
Batalanada’s latest presentation at the CA is important.. He said there must be only Srilankans in Srilanka.
I don’t know what TNA the 50 % partner stands for.
Batalanada also emphasized that the Police Powers and the Land must come under whoever is in charge of the Nine Provinces.
This bothers me more than me becoming a Srilankan.
I do not want Muththettua as even our MP ,let alone the CM.
The list of such potentials are too long to mention.
But one thing is clear.
Yahapalana CMS have nothing to worry with Car Permits like the one young Yahapalana Boss Senasinghe got.
Even the lesser Yahapalana bosses are guaranteed of LKR 700,000 for petrol per annum with the CPI built in…
Amare is being a bit too patriotic,
He does not realise that the great Vatican is in the land of people, whose ancestors were brought up by a Foster Couple who happened to be wolves.
Poor whoever who wrote that probably couldn’t find any lions in his neck of the woods.
Mahavansa on the other hand had more exotic Tigers and Lions to pick..
Being a exciting writer, he put a bit more twist and picked a Lion, who used to roam our woods before the Vegan Indians arrived.
And Mahavnasa gave it a bit more juice too, to say our Kuveni’s older cousin was laid by a Lion.
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Amarasiri / November 23, 2016
carlion
“Wonder why the “Daily Telegraph” allows fellows like Amarasiri to write hateful stuff with the sole purpose of arousing religious strife. His comments about the Buddha’s visit has no relevance to the subject being discussed.”
IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESS, Truth is a process….TO FIND THE ANSWERS…
IN SCIENCE TRUTH IS A PROCESS PURSUED BY THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD, Truth is a process….TO FIND THE ANSWERS…
It is all part of the appeasement package, and the history of deception.
Q1. Was there any need for Ravi to lie? Yes? No? Why?
Q2. Was there any need for Monk Mahanama in Mahawamsa to lie about the lion? Yes? No? Why?
Q3. Was there any need for Monk Mahanama in Mahawamsa to lie about Buddha’s visit to the land? Yes? No? Why?
The answer is blowing in the wind of lies…. in the wind of lies…
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Native Lankan / November 23, 2016
This guy again got caught when questioned by Hiru’s journalists at ‘Salakuna’ on Nov 21, 2016. He was aggressive toward the three journalists but finally admitted he ‘lied’. Please watch:https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLChpVzhcrYzgnEg-JVYVH1Xhh63418PIE&v=0wHEPfBwnBQ
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kumudu / November 23, 2016
Azzam Ameen,
Keep up the good work.
Kumudu
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Siribiris / November 24, 2016
Yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump released a video laying out actions he would take on his first day in office on January 20; he emphasized in his announcement on a full withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) by presidential executive order.
Donald Trump is not like My3; he knows what he is doing; does what he says; and says what he does. Now I have a question about Sri Lanka’s yaha-palans.
Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said during his budget speech that the government plans to join the TPP and other trade agreements.
Mr. Karunanayake! Are you planning to tell us a series of lies on this changing situation? We all know the TPP is all but dead without USA. We expect an answer from you and PM’s inner circle.
However, our ‘well-informed’ and ‘well-educated’ Diyavanna set that support Yahaplans does not know what they vote for during the budget! FM’s other plans in the budget will turn upside down and even backfire like the TPP?
Coming color is no good for the Yahapalana set! Therefore, buy the duty free and other vehicles, mansions and shares; sell state properties including the Central Bank for peanuts; Make as much money as possible through bonds and other scams because there may come an early departure?
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Amarasiri / November 24, 2016
Siribiris
“Coming color is no good for the Yahapalana set! Therefore, buy the duty free and other vehicles, mansions and shares; sell state properties including the Central Bank for peanuts; Make as much money as possible through bonds and other scams because there may come an early departure?”
Welcome to The new Weimar Republic, with a 2,500 year o;d Sinhala “Buddhist” Civilization. Lanka, the Land of Native Veddah Aethho, is surely getting there with the help of the Paradeshis, Paras.
The republic was a semi-presidential representative democracy, which emerged in the aftermath of the German Revolution of 1918–19. A national assembly was convened in Weimar, where a new constitution for the Deutsches Reich was written, and adopted on 11 August 1919. In its fourteen years, the Weimar Republic faced numerous problems, including hyperinflation, political extremism (with paramilitaries – both left- and right-wing); and contentious relationships with the victors of the First World War. The people of Germany blamed the Weimar Republic rather than their wartime leaders for the country’s defeat and for the humiliating terms of the Treaty of Versailles. However, the Weimar Republic government successfully reformed the currency, unified tax policies, and organized the railway system. Weimar Germany eliminated most of the requirements of the Treaty of Versailles; it never completely met its disarmament requirements, and eventually paid only a small portion of the war reparations (by twice restructuring its debt through the Dawes Plan and the Young Plan). Under the Locarno Treaties, Germany accepted the western borders of the republic, but continued to dispute the Eastern border.
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