Information obtained through the Right to Information Act has revealed that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed office amidst Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, has spent approximately Rs 178 million on travel to 12 countries during his tenure so far. This expenditure has raised concerns, given the financial struggles the country has been facing.
Dileep Amuthan, a journalist based in Jaffna, acquired the information through the Right to Information Act.
According to the response from the Presidential Secretariat under the Right to Information Act, the Information Officer declined to provide specific details regarding the President’s travel expenses, citing concerns related to national security.
The journalist filed an appeal for each case with the Secretary to the President, the designated officer. He highlighted that, in a previous instance when he was denied access to Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s foreign travel expenses, the Right to Information Commission had ordered the release of such details after a formal complaint. However, despite referencing this precedent, the Secretary to the President rejected his appeal this time, refusing to provide the requested information.
When the Right to Information Commission initiated an investigation, officials from the Presidential Secretariat responded by stating that they only had records of the President’s flight tickets. They further clarified that other travel-related details were held by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Following the commission’s directive, the Presidential Secretariat provided the details of the President’s airline tickets as requested.
When Gotabaya Rajapaksa was president, following an investigation into a request for information about his trip to New York, the Presidential Secretariat disclosed the details of those who accompanied him, with the exception of security officers. In contrast, the Presidential Secretariat has refused to disclose the identities of individuals traveling with the current President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, citing concerns related to national security as the reason for withholding this information.
When the requested information was sought from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry initially asked for the National Identity Card (NIC) number of the requester. However, after the Right to Information Commission clarified that such information was unnecessary, as demonstrated in a similar inquiry with the Ministry of Defense against the same requester, Dileep Amuthan, the Ministry of External Affairs denied having the requested information altogether.
An appeal was subsequently filed with the Right to Information Commission against the Ministry of External Affairs after they initially refused to provide the requested details. Following the Commission’s instructions, the Ministry eventually disclosed the requested information, including details regarding the President’s meals and accommodation during his foreign trips.
Based on the information released through the Right to Information Act, it has been revealed that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has spent 178 million Sri Lankan rupees of taxpayer money on travel to 12 countries. This expenditure has drawn attention, especially given the economic crisis the country is facing, raising concerns about the use of public funds for such foreign trips.
The cost of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s flight tickets as below:
Japan tour on May 2023 – Rs 3,176,988.50 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
London tour on May 2023 Rs 4,028,800.00 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
India tour on July 2023 Rs 313,464.00 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
UK and France tour on June 2023 Rs 11,145,500.00 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
US, UK and Cuba tour on October 2023 Rs 23,646,817.00 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
Singapore tour on August 2023 Rs 3,561,500.00 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
German tour on September 2023 Rs 5,398,300.00 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
China tour on October 2023 Rs 6,293,418.00(Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
Indonesia tour on July 2024 Rs 5,682,635.59 (Click here to read Presidential Secretariat response)
Additionally the food and lodging expenses were covered by the Ministry of External Affairs for the President and his delegation as follows:
However Rs 178 million cost does not include the flight tickets cost of the Presidential delegation.
A notable instance of the challenges in obtaining detailed financial information about President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s travel occurred during his trip to the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai in November last year. When the President’s Secretariat sought the cost details for this trip, they were informed that the relevant information was not available with them, and that the trip had been managed by the Ministry of Environment. However, when the Ministry of Environment was later approached for the same details, they responded similarly, stating they did not have the expenditure information and recommended the Presidential Secretariat inquire elsewhere. This lack of transparency has added to the growing concerns regarding the management and accountability of public funds used for such trips.
The exact details regarding this expenditure remain unaccounted for.
Tony / September 11, 2024
He is no even legal.
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Tony / September 11, 2024
He is not even legal. That is why he’s being careful with his signature.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / September 11, 2024
Ranil’s Foreign Trips are nothing when compared to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Foreign Trips. Ranil’s Foreign Trips are with some purposes for the benefit of Sri Lanka. Mahinda Rajapaksa was the root cause of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. Just imagine the trips to Thiruppathi and China. What about the plundered wealth of Sri Lanka in Uganda by Mahinda Rajapaksa. The list is long. We must remember Ranil Wickremasinghe is gradually building Sri Lanka from bankruptcy.
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nimal fernando / September 11, 2024
Mr AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM,
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Do facts matter to you ……. or your love for a personality – like for over 95% here – overrides everything else?
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The fact is ……. in the brief time he was in control, Ranil has borrowed more than Mahinda. Please do a fact-finding on the sale of Hambanthota Harbour.
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Donald Trump says ‘I Could … Shoot Somebody, And I Wouldn’t Lose Any Voters’
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Ol’ Donald has his readymade lifetime suckers ……… ol’ Ranil has his readymade lifetime suckers …….. ol’ AKD’s is in the making right now ……..
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They used to say one is born every minute …….. but now, it seems, a lot sooner ……
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“An’ here I sit so patiently; Waiting to find out what price; I have to pay to get out of; Going through all these things twice!”
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LankaScot / September 11, 2024
Hello Nimal,
“Always ask yourself, when a politician says he is going to tell you something in confidence, why is this lying bastard lying to me?”
John Humphrys BBC Radio 4 News Presenter; unfortunately he doesn’t write poetic songs like Bob Dylan
Best regards
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Native Vedda / September 11, 2024
LankaScot
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Why is this lying bastard lying to me?
This original quote was attributed to Times foreign correspondent Louis Heren.
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“WESTERN journalists sometimes quote with approval a maxim of the late Louis Heren, a former deputy editor of the Times of London: “When a politician tells you something in confidence,” he wrote, “always ask yourself ‘Why is this lying bastard lying to me?’”
https://www.economist.com/asia/2009/02/18/no-disrespect
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nimal fernando / September 12, 2024
LS,
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You have read this forum long enough to realize that no one fools us but ourselves. Others only plant the seeds of deception ……. and the rest, the propagation, the cultivation, the harvesting we do ourselves. ………. From Bandarawela to Colombo to Jaffna, to 153 bus ……. you name it! :)))
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My one and only idol ol’ Diogenes got it right a long time ago ……. if he was still around, he’ll be holding his lamp in Native’s face, in the midday sun ……. for Native not being honest to himself!
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He understood humans ……. without too much philosophizing, ideologise-ing …….. What a guy!
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Such is life!
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“An’ here I sit so patiently; Waiting to find out ………………. :))))
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nimal fernando / September 12, 2024
LS,
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I’m just stunned/flabbergasted by the level of sophistication people of learning, education, knowledge, life-experience, advanced age, ……….. bring to deceive themselves. And that aspect of the forum just fascinates me ……. no end.
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We saw Ranil wasting all the money on travel ……. in a time of great hardship for the people: mostly children. But the excuse is, Mahinda did worse. …….. Are these things relative? :)))
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Even ol’ Al would’ve been fascinated …….. how his Relativity has come to be used in Lanka!
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nimal fernando / September 12, 2024
There is reality out there …… and there’s what we wish/want that reality to be ……. all the time is spent ……….. trying to amalgamate the two. :))
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LankaScot / September 12, 2024
Hello Nimal,
Be careful who you admire, apparently Diogenes had some habits more in line with Ruchira’s writings than yours, mine or Natives. But then that could be put down to “Fake News” 2,300 years before Trump. If Lester was still around he would claim Diogenes had a Laser not just a simple Lamp.
Best regards
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nimal fernando / September 13, 2024
LS,
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In formative late teens, Diogenes was such a great hero of mine …….. a couple of years ago, I spent one entire night roaming the streets/places he would have roamed in Athens. It was important to me. :))
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If you thought Lankans go off the rails – like LM’s scolding of the Rajapakses, in a language only he understands – the Greeks are worse! We hired a van to take us to Meteora from Athens ……. it’s about a 4 hour drive. At first, the driver was very courteous and well behaved ….. but for my luck, I started talking politics with him – there’s nothing much to do stuck in a van for 4 hours – he was so angry with their pols …… his every other word was MF. ……. It seems ol’ Diogenes has a long line of successors.
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Native is a poodle around Ranil and other pols ……. any pol can do anything ……. only women have to be on the straight and narrow!
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Where can you find better entertainment ……. all for free? :)))
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Native Vedda / September 14, 2024
LankaScot
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“Hello Nimal,
Be careful who you admire, …..”
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nimal admires the psychopath late Tiruvengadam Velupillai Prabaharan though I consider him as a hardcore card carrying liberal.
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Native Vedda / September 12, 2024
“.. ol’ AKD’s is in the making right now”
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Ol’ Harini has taken defamation too seriously even before voters have crowned AKD.
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“We’ll meet Tissa Attanayake in court” Harini denies allegations that she will stop Dalada perahara.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA_yPWX9w4o&t=37s
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Do you think people have any chance of surviving Lal Kantha’s Kangaroo courts?
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gamini / September 11, 2024
AYATHURAI RAJASINGHAM,
From some of the comments of Critics of Ranil Wickremasinghe, who have posted comments, it appears they are concerned about a Rs. 178 mil. They are trying to make a Mountain of a Mole Hill, just to run Ranil Wickremasinghe down. Is it not this same Ranil Wickremasinghe when appealing to the International Community, loudly proclaimed that Ranil Wickremasinghe will not receive International assistance because he does not have a mandate from the Public. These Critics also proclaimed that Ranil Wickremasinghe, will not receive a bail out from the IMF. It is this cost of Foreign Travel, that Ranil Wickremasinghe was able to get Foreign Assistance to restore the supply of Fuel, Gas, Medicine, Manure and give the Country a 24 Hr Power supply.
Where were these do gooders, when the Rajapaksas spent Billions of Rupees to Foreign Companies to project an Image for Sri Lanka and as you say the entourages over Hundreds that accompanied Mahinda on his Joy Trips abroad, that cost dearly to the whole Country and to Air Lanka sacking Peter Hill and abrogating the Emirates Agreement, for not accommodating his Entourage, unloading the already seated Passengers? These Pundit Critics have been the bane of this country, misleading the masses always.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Gamini,
You will never change even a bit!
Did you ask Mangala to honestly investigate the 4 countries who told of the $19B deposit? Now, even the countries deny having said anything because after seeing the Yahapalanaya’s stealthy attitude about the lost money, they feel why they should be foolish enough to hand over the Old Rowdy stolen money to the Evil Emperor who refused to show any seriousness for it. Evil used Mahendran and PTL Aloysius to rob Rs 1100B. Evil did not go and witness at the PCoI though the deal was not bordered by Aloysius but by Yahapalanaya’s Finance Minister Ravi, with the local banks. Aloysius promptly wrote and handed over 112 commission checks for all politicians. That was used as a proof A Tamil man had given commission on government deals, but the government ministers cashed checks were not punished. Dayasiri even confessed that he too had got the check. Remember a Minister said he did know days before the 4/21 attack was going to take place? Still, nobody is punished for the direct involvement of the 4/21 though all matters of how to carry out the attack were discussed in cabinet and Mano Ganesan said that he felt ashamed of having been a minister in that shameful cabinet? After all these you are whitewashing the Evils’ juggleries.
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gamini / September 12, 2024
Mallaiyuran,
You seem clueless on Local Politics. For your information No one is incarcerated for the supposed Bond Scam because it is a Hoax of an Allegation the Rajapaksas initiated through Handunnetti and Dew Gunasekara to sling mud at Ranil Wickremasinghe after the Rajapaksas embezzled over Rs 1000 Bil between 2008 to 2015 through Govt Bond issues by placement and not through Auction, as it should have been by Auction.. Issuing Bonds to raise funds for development is a legitimate exercise in any Democratic Govt. When Ranil Wickremasinghe wanted to raise funds he did the same through an Auction, but the Relationship between the Bidder Company and the Governor CB, gave rise to a suspicion (only) that went like wild fire of a Bond Scam. Earlier Bonds to the value Rs. 1000 Bil was traded through the same Perpetual Treasuries Company, where Nevard Cabral as Governor CB and his sister Shiromie as a Director of the Bidder Company, you all even did not know even, nor had any issue. No monies were traced, having gone to anyone’s Bank Account, not even to Ranil Wickremasinhe’s like how Tsunami Funds were found in Mahinda’s Helping Hambanthota Account. Further no monies were displaced from the CB as you people allege and the Court froze Rs. 12 Bil of Perpetual funds they have burrowed from BOC, which monies Basil Rajapakse wanted to utilize to bridge the Deficit of the 2022 Budget.
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gamini / September 12, 2024
Contd.
Malleiyuran,
Only issue is whether there was any Insider Trading, which was never taken up in Court nor proved. So first learn facts before you come to a Public Forum and display your Ignorance.
Try to get a copy of the Letter the Singapore Govt sent refusing to comply with the Sri Lankan Govt request to extradite Arjun Mahendran, if you have the capacity to absorb any sense.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Come on Gamini,
How would I have the capacity to read 20,000 pages of evidence Appe Aanduwa sent to the Singapore government to have Mahendran evicted? (A quick question, what did Aanduwa’s bald heads write on those 20,000 pages -Buddham Saranam Gacchami – a billion times? ) It was a donkier case worse than importing poop from China and taking a TOILET COMMODE as the election symbol for the UNP-SLFP Union! Who stopped the investigation of the embezzlement of the Cabal’s team at CB? All Colombo media reported it was Mahendran who was ordered to stop investigating the CB’s old bond cases because it was involving Old Rowdy. Now you’re writing something like you and Evil lived in a house, it showed only the backside to Old Rowdy’s house, so you two never saw him in your life? I may have missed some local news, but I never attempted to hide the whole pumpkin in the plate of rice. After Aloysius’ young wife had to fight with the police as her husband was dragged as scapegoat out of their family’s house to the prison, falsely accused by the Yahapalanaya government, while who did the robbery, I wrote here in CT that for any Tamil Slave who wants to serve to Evil or Old Rowdy “remember your case too will be paraded by this lane one day!”
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
There is evidence that some brilliant Tamil employees of CB, during Yahapalanaya time, were put in prison and kept in 4th floor and investigated for years treating them as they were co-conspirators who supported Mahendran in his rebellion in the Central Bank. These are living things (life) who were humiliated as Mahendran’s henchmen and forced to accept the crime. If Mahendran is a pants wearing man, at least to save those youngsters’ name, he should communicate with Anura as soon as Anura gains the presidency, then he should voluntarily come and witness to the court about the games of Yahapalanaya time’s Central Bank, It was Coomaraswamy, a Tamil businessman, at the end straighten the Central Bank before once again Cabal came back and plundered it with quickly redeeming Old Rowdies Bonds. No one involved in the un-Constitutional Coup was punished by Yahapalanaya because the Coup too was Yahapalanaya’s grand orchestra! It was Evil who dismissed Sumanthiran’s case at CoA. During the Coup, it was Evil who was meeting Rowdy King and White Flag Murderer after 1AM and passing Western diplomats’ secret messages, intended to Evil as him to remain in the government, instead of relenting it to Old Rowdy.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
The Central Bank’s other biggest fraud was, without maintaining any records, letting Hezbollah bring in Rs 3000B to build the Jihadi University. After all, Nobody has ever honestly accepted how much of the Saudi Halal money was imported and exported to buy the Sinhala Buddhist Ministers in the past 20 years. Anura must find the bottom out on the Jihadi University game too., Yahapalanaya’s Finance Minister Mangala passed in 2017 the “Foreign Exchange Fraud Amnesty Bill (2017). Mangala hurried to pass that bill because he was advised by four countries that Old Royal Rowdy had yanked out a $19B to be deposited in foreign countries. Old Rowdy was facing a serious threat from Prince Zeid on the Genocide he committed. Zeid, that time High Commissioner of UNHRC, insisted to the member countries that the report accusing the 42 top UNP-SLFP Union members and Rapist Military Officials need to be investigated for War Crime. While Mangala using American friends to put a hold on that, the activity he passed that bill, so all Rowdy Royal’s deposits can be transferred to Langkang and safely invested locally, but alas FATF listed Yahapalanaya government’s activities as Money laundering and the Langkang Rupiyal plunged to 270. An SLFP affiliated commentator named Gunasekara described Yahapalanaya Rupiyal as toilet paper, in CT.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
When I wrote that Tamils should take Mahendran’s humiliation by Yahapalanaya Aanduwa as their final lesson of Tamils seeking “Washing jobs in Appe Aanduwa”, CT edited that comment. My comments are not in the frequently edited class, but that comment was edited by CT for some reason. If CT is ready to acknowledge, it should do that, so the Yahapalanaya’s lies can be exposed, and I would feel proud of having written that comment at the appropriate time. Mahendran was brought from Singapore, used in that ultimately lower regard treacherous conspiracy act, undressed to nude and dumped in the Lankawe’s sewage canals, and they went on their ways, never minded. Nobody out of the Sinhala Buddhist Yahapalanaya wasted a minute of their time to apologize to that Cooli, called Mahendran, “Sorry man, you misunderstood us, next time watch us out if you want to be a respectable governor in another CB!”
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Ha Ha ha…… Now you are blaming only Old Rowdy. What a somersault!
Gamini It was you and Evil who have been hiding the UNP-SLFP union’s heinous crimes with your misinterpretations of truths. Without an International Inquiry held on Resolution 50/1’’s acquisition of Langkang Aanduwa’s guilt of running the country to bankruptcy, no internal clearance of the criminals is valid, unlike you are trying to misdirect the readers.
I guarantee you one thing, if Evil becomes as the president, he will make sure that within two- or three-years Rowdy King returning to Presidential Palace and Cabal is in the Central Bank. That is the honorary Kandyan Accord between of the UNP-SLFP Union factions; not any pact with Chelva!.
(Where and what Mr. Breuer is doing without investigating these, but very sternly warning the non UNP-SLFP Union candidates that if they deviate from Evil set traps, they will be severely punished for trying to escape!)
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Now, why is only Aloysius in prison? Because he is a Tamils? Evil planned to rob the Central Bank only to keep the IMF away at that time, because he was fearing IMF pressure to investigate Old Rowdy’s war crimes. The entire Yahapalanaya government was only a Gilmart operation from day one (January 20, 2015) and Evil lost after Yahapalanaya (in 2019) even without one seat in the Parliament. The shame is it was he who willingly resigned, though! Before he dismissed the parliament, Modaya didn’t know what the feelings of Sinhalese were about his government. Why didn’t he think of taking a few more months to fix the problem and try to earn a good name that time and save his fat ass? That decision alone tells him he is not politically technical or cunning but a bastady arrogant person, sheepishly exposing him and getting hurt. Because now the IMF is covering his back, he even refused to conduct the LC election as per the constitution, but threatened to punish the SC Justices, with the help of the IMF! Just tell me something casually: what kind of cunningness you see here. Just telling lies and lies that are not even appearing in the Mahavamsa and had convinced the Modaya fools and got some votes.
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old codger / September 12, 2024
Malli,
“, why is only Aloysius in prison? Because he is a Tamils?”
Nobody is in prison for the fake bond scam. Aloysius was released in 2019, and most charges dropped by 2022.
https://www.ft.lk/Front-Page/Ravi-Mahendran-Arjun-and-others-released-from-13-charges-in-bond-scam-case/44-731532
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
I wish Anura gave assurances to the Singapore government that if no guilt was found on Mahendran side, then he would not be punished and bring him and investigate the Evil’s and Ravi’s Central Bank Robbery, thoroughly. This will bring out so many secrets that are hiding behind why the IMF is so enthusiastic to lend Evil this time, while in 2015, he did not want to borrow from IMF, when the country was not in much this chaos, but he robbed CBSL and sold Hangbangtota to China? IMF Mission Chief Peter Breuer, going above the Langkang’s constitution, above the Election Commissioner’s ruling, threatened the other candidates of their policies in order to create advantage to Evil. If this IMF support is for Anura, when Peter Breuer comes to the country next time, Evil would have him arrested.
Why are those cases’ reports sealed? On September 22 Anura should release all those reports to the media.
Instead of having the gas cylinder, this UNP-SLFP union candidate should take a toilet commode to show that they are the people who negotiated Poop from China, instead of fertilizer. They would have even looked better if they asked China for fart instead of LG gas, pee for oil! These donkeys from the time Sir Pon Ramanathan had got them released from the British prison, devastating the country, demanding them to be put back where they belong!
Comedians!
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old codger / September 12, 2024
Malli,
“I wish Anura gave assurances to the Singapore government that if no guilt was found on Mahendran side, then he would not be punished and bring him and investigate the Evil’s and Ravi’s Central Bank Robbery, “
The courts have already dropped most of the charges. There was no “robbery “
https://www.ft.lk/Front-Page/Ravi-Mahendran-Arjun-and-others-released-from-13-charges-in-bond-scam-case/44-731532
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Old,
If you are satisfied, as a friend of yours, and one who believes you, I accept the news on face value.
But how many millions were spent on preparing the 20,000 pages report to have Mahendran extradited? Why was this money recovered from the earlier Yahapalanaya Attorney General who filed the case? This withdrawal was done by Hitler administration. Are you saying Hitler team had more confidence in Mahendran, but it was the Yahapalanaya culprits who had devised the trap to encircle Mahendran? Then what the heck Gamini is writing! Outrightly blaming the Rowdy Royals as the goons who twisted innocent Evil’s hand to punish Mahendran. Bottom line is, Anura has to set up one single investigation, time limited. All thieves who were involved in the 2016 theft and the attorney general who accused Mahendran of the theft, the Hitler’s attorney general for not having punished the false case filers and the judge who dismissed the case without the main suspect appearing in the court in front of him/her. If the new Attorney General is correct, then the Yahapalanaya Attorney General should pay out of his/her pocket for all court expenses.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Why did these things just happen out of the blue when Jayakumari and Gobi are the designated actors for terrorists? Why elected Tamil Opposition Leader Amirthalingam and Sampanthar Aiya were fired by the government, with or without NCM? Is that not because they are Tamils? Only two Tamils were elected as opposition leaders in Langkang history, but they both were fired during their term by the ruling party government. You like to swear that it was a mistake in the constitution to let Tamils become Opposition leaders, so the ruling party has to dismiss the Tamil Opposition Party Leaders. While Amirthalingam was opposing the government’s atrocities like disenfranchising Siri Ma O, Sampanthar Aiya severed his hand, gave it to Evil and told him that he can raise it in the parliament all the times he needs a vote. But he was fired, unfortunately enough Sampanthar Aiya didn’t have a hand to raise against his dismissal, so he stayed home, without going to Parliament.
Instead of these comedies, please explain why the Sinhala Buddhists are behaving like headless chickens in the parliament when it is something concerned about Tamils?
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Ajith / September 11, 2024
“Ranil’s Foreign Trips are nothing when compared to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Foreign Trips. “
You are comparing two thieves and saying who is the best thieve among two.Are you not ashamed of it. The country is in bankrupt. People are suffering for a meal on the increased cost of living. Don’t you know Mahinda Family chased away for their crimes including these trips. So, you say now Ranil should be chased out of the country.
Dr. WA.W clearly explained it is not bankruptcy. It is mis management of the funds. Bankruptcy was declared by RW artificially to create an opportunity to bring IMF and put all the debt on Peoples shoulder and protect Rajapaksas.
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leelagemalli / September 11, 2024
Thank you AR
Besides, he traveled around the world to beg for funds, not to go on safari like the MEDAMULANA rascals. We remember there were days, srilanken airlines flights were prepared to send to Paris in order to pick up pet dogs for Rajapkshe criminals. Media was dead then, since they were provided with laptops and other perks in favour of RAJAPAKSE propaganda.
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Just becasue the pilot or other staff members diasgreed, they were attacked by RODIAs on that alone.
. Ranil ‘s hard work freed the nation from the conditions left by Gotabaya, Mahinda and Basil. This is the fact about the situation.
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I know Professor Maithri Wickramasinghe (1.5 years ago or so) once travelled to Jaffna for a conference but in a 2nd class compartment of a local train. She never abused her status as the president s wife.
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Ranil W has no financial scams (BOND scam was architected to destroy him) but the Rajapkashe BPS and JVP mad dogs wanted revenge on him because he is/was a man who could talk eye to eye with world leaders like Prince Charles. Sri Lanka failed to do so.
AKD is like that Tambuttegama Tambugala who pretends to be a doctor and brings millions of dollars looted by the crow or Basil Rajapaksa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3og9jFxrFCE
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Douglas / September 11, 2024
Aiyathurai Rajasingham: “We must remember Ranil Wickramasinghe is gradually building Sri Lanka from bankruptcy”.
Yes. True. He has sold Two Repeater guns to each MP. Of the 225 already 215 have purchased two guns each. Only 10 have refused the offer.
That is another way, (your Hero’s way) to rebuild S/L from bankruptcy.
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leelagemalli / September 15, 2024
Douglas,
you are a decent human being. I never compared you with Bandarawela Guruwawaraya.
And some of your comments helped us improve our awareness. However, did you watch the video below ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJRcubFZOE&t=2259s
Victor Ivon is recapping the situation before us. What is your opinion about what he has got to say ?
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Thanga / September 11, 2024
Coming from an affluent family and born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Ranil is used to a bon-vivant style of living. Austerity is only for the low and the underprivileged.
Ayathuray Rajasingam says “What about the plundered wealth of Sri Lanka in Uganda by Mahinda Rajapaksa.” That is exactly the reason why the Rajapaksas were dethroned. Is he now saying Ranil too should be forced to resign for the same reason? He should know that Ranil spent all this money when the country is still bankrupt. Sri Lanka’s foreign debt stands at a wobbling $92.43 billion U.S. dollars as of today.
Among bilateral creditors, Sri Lanka owed China $4.7 billion with debt to India standing at $4.74 billion. Japan, a part of the Paris Club group, was owed $2.68 billion. June 26, 2024
Though Sri Lanka’s economy is projected to see moderate growth of 2.2% in 2024, showing signs of stabilization, following the severe economic downturn of 2022. But, the country still faces elevated poverty levels, income inequality, and labour market concerns, says the World Bank’s latest bi-annual update.
Poverty rates continued to rise for the fourth year in a row, with an estimated 25.9% of Sri Lankans living below the poverty line in 2023.
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chiv / September 11, 2024
Thanga, as you say most are corrupt, criminals who either plundered, looted, sold assets, made illegal deals like Rambo …………… Talk is that many SLPP members currently with Ranil, ( 55 or so ) are getting ready to leave country, expecting Ranil to lose. Just like Rajapaksas , they too have hidden property abroad ( like Mahindananda, houses, real estates, proxy businesses, their corrupt family members / friends, ………… ) so that, they can continue living lavish, without Aragalaya fears. Like how Easter helped Gotha to get elected, , Rajapaksa camp have come up with their BS saying “now that Namal is so popular among voters to win, an attack on Mara and Namal is planned soon and their lives are in danger “.
Rajapaksas are so good in creating election violence and Mayhem, capable of organizing an attack and killing a few innocent supporters of them , to gain popularity. ( they organized violence against Aragalaya, Muslims, Tamils ……………..).
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Native Vedda / September 11, 2024
chiv
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Don’t even consider Namal baby a serious contender leave alone a serious threat.
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Suppose Tamil Common Candidate Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanenthiran wins the elections on 22 September 2024, where is he planning to seek asylum?
Man would be scared to death.
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chiv / September 12, 2024
Native, “where is PA planning to seek asylum ???”, is there a place where there is NO Lankan Tamil living ??? I guess, he knows, his chance of winning or seeking asylum is NIL. Is it true more than one third of candidates who paid deposits in are now absconding / missing. Other than monitoring election, now EC has to now for missing candidates ?? Can a election be withheld because of missing candidates ??? just curious.
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chiv / September 12, 2024
Sorry. Now EC has to search for those missing candidates ??
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / September 11, 2024
Thanga,
It is true that Ranil had come from a affluent family, but he is simple and always like to accommodate with ordinary citizens. During our University days soon after the lecture we used to go to the canteen and even at Ganesh Cafe, Bambalapitiya and ask for plain tea and vada only (5 cents each). So it is unfait to comment bon-vivant style of living. Those were in the good old days. Now Ranil says ‘Past is past. Let us practice austerity. It is not correct to say that Ranil spent all the money when the country is still bankrupt. At first one has to spent in order to bring back to normalcy and he did it. Ranil took some adequate measures with the assistance of India the result of which saw many tourists coming to Sri Lanka. Production began to increase. Some developments began to take place in the agriculture sector. Eventually Sri Lanka’s Rupee began to rise. It takes time. No doubt there is poverty. Just visit Jaffna and see the number of houses the value of which run to crores. Agriculture in Jaffna is flourishing and also in other Provinces. There are more.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
“Agriculture in Jaffna is flourishing “
Dear Friend,
When Siri Ma O shut off the imports and made an extreme shortage of food items in the 1970s, it was Jaffna home garden that brought the country’s economy. You or Evil do not have to teach Tamil farmers to do farming. Even after so many restrictions placed because of drying the water wells, they have always been making their life with farming, education, professional jobs….. And other acting toiling works. Northern people never carried Panthams to Southern politicians to run their lives, unlike some are doing these days. Don’t think that by describing that Evil is sitting and rocking the cradles for Jaffna farmers, that is why their farm crops are growing well. You can wash for the Evil if you want, but Tamils will kick him out with this election from the North. Even during the tightest time, he did not cut down the Northern Rapist Army expenditure, as usual he too has been increasing it by billions. All Evil did to North was he had canceled all the Indian – Australian offers to development. He is waiting with Deva for a chance to sell many lands to the North. All northern politicians are constantly expressing fears that these UNP-SLFP union devils are trying to sell northern lands to China in order to seek Veto to protect the Old Rowdy King from UNHRC.
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Further, if the Rapist Army release all their lands, they will be doing a better job. They will be running better tourism industry, inertial workshops….
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Ajith / September 13, 2024
AR,
Can you able to give some statistics to show historical statistics to show the increase of Production and Productivity of Agricultural sector between 1978 to 2024?
Are you saying that the houses in Jaffna was built only after 2022?
What do you say about burning of Jaffna library and July 1983?
Where were you during that period? Eating vadai and Plain tea in Bambalapitya with Ranil?
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / September 15, 2024
Ajith,
I don’t know whether you went to Jaffna to witness the Productivity of Agricultural sector. All types of vegetables are grown in Northern Province. In fact there are Moringa farms, and other types of vegetation. Today Jaffna is self sufficient. It will be still flourishing had S.Sritharan (TNA President) not protested in diverting the water from Iranaimadu tank. You should also see palaces that were built after 2022 running to crores. In fact, today Kokuvil is the richest area where hundreds of palaces are built. Do you know the number of Star hotels that have suddenly appeared in Jaffna. Now tourists are flocking in Jaffna. As regarding the burning of Jaffna Public Library, Ranil has nothing to do with it. It was Cyril Mathew and the JSS Union thugs who were involved in it. In fact, the JSS Union thugs were transported in two buses by a Tamil politician (not the Tamil Parties).
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RBH59 / September 11, 2024
Ranil did not hold the election, citing a lack of funds, despite not being a leader chosen by the people. He used the pretext of national recovery, but if Pohottuwa believed in its 134 ministers, why was none of them elected instead of appointing Ranil? This decision suggests that even Pohottuwa recognizes the absence of a capable leader from their side. It’s deeply disappointing that 134 members who failed to manage the country’s recovery opted to support Ranil as president, after having previously criticized him. These MPs, who are supposed to represent the people, have completely disregarded public sentiment. Even if Ranil wins, his past failures, especially what Pohottuwa has already exposed, remain. The Right to Information Commission and the people’s right to act should continue to scrutinize and challenge the decisions made.And recover all those who defauled the country what has ranil done on this only able beg for recovery and the future has to pay the dept.
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Mani / September 11, 2024
This kind of scrutiny is absolutely essential. No president should incur such expenditure at the citizens’ expense when the country is in dire economic straits.
CT readers should also take a closer look at the declaration of assets/liabilities of the main contenders. Even if one takes them at face value, they are rather alarming. Ranil has debts around LKR 1.8 million, Namal around LKR 81 million, Sajith around LKR 93 million and Dilith around LKR 170 million. You can guess who is going to pay these debts. We the citizens of Sri Lanka or unscrupulous business people in return for favours – which means, we citizens, again!! Anura has no debts but also has zero money in his three bank accounts. Considering his parliamentary salary goes into the party kitty, do they give him his allowance in cash? If so, this is a dangerous precedent as it leaves no paper trail. Or does the party stock up his larder/fridge every month? We have the right to know. If these president-wannabes can’t manage their own household budgets prudently, why should we trust them with the national budget?
https://www.dailymirror.lk/news-features/A-close-look-at-assets-pedigree-of-main-Presidential-candidates/131-291461
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Native Vedda / September 11, 2024
Sinhala_Man
–
It appears Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s hands are clean.
Nevertheless he has a wife and at least a son, daughter in law, maybe a few brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews nieces, cousins, cousins’ spouses, brother in laws, ……..
Can you fill in the blanks …… ?
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Douglas / September 12, 2024
NV: Anura is not yet clean.
He has yet to send his wife (sorry I don’t know her name) accompanied by a “Professor” to an Air Force – Airport and arrange to give her a “Guard of Honor”.
A few days back Sajith P – a Presidential Contender of SJB (Sajith/Jalani Power) sent his wife Jalani Premadasa accompanied by Prof. G. L.Peiris to Palalay Air Force airport and was accorded a “Guard of Honor” and “CLEANED” himself from all the ills and evils before September 21st.
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deepthi silva / September 11, 2024
The people of this country never wanted Ranil W as their President ! The people did not want his bogus rescue or crossing of a bridge !
They did not even want ham to represent them in Parliament ( Ranil even lost in Colombo, UNP stronghold ).
He was made President by the Rajapaksa family.
King Charles would have felt embarrassed when this President without a mandate and his false show wife came for the Royal party.
Ranil and wife will never miss this kind of event !
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Native Vedda / September 11, 2024
deepthi desperate silva
–
Keheliya Rambukwella granted bail.
–
Which candidate is he going to support?
Which of the following candidate would you want Rambukwella to support:
Ranil
Sajith
Anura
Namal Baby
Sarath Fonseka
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
P Ariyanethiran
Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero
Dilith Jayaweera
Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero
………
……. ?
/
deepthi silva / September 12, 2024
Angoda Vedda, please take your tablets on time ! In 10 days you will see what people think of your Ranil !
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old codger / September 12, 2024
Native,
Our old lady from London is more desperate than usual today…..
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deepthi silva / September 12, 2024
Codger if I am desperate you must be depraved ! To admire girly boys like Mahendran, Mangala, RW ,Sagala ! their odd thick lips, womanly gait, squeaky voice … sickening depravity ! Finally on 21st all this will end
As you take pride in quoting tit bits, ( you even know when charges against Aloysius were withdrawn ), can you tell us where Mahendran is hiding in Singapore ?
Has Ranil met Mahendran/Aloysius since the Bond scam inquiry ? Where ? How many times ?
What happened to that mobile phone Aloysius conveniently dropped in a Singapore swimming pool ?
Are you telling us you don’t know !
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old codger / September 12, 2024
Deepthi the desperate,
“Has Ranil met Mahendran/Aloysius since the Bond scam” Of course. Ranil has been to Singapore many times.
The mobile phone is not relevant, because charges have been dropped.Stories in social media aren’t evidence.If you have evidence of wrongdoing, you can intervene in the case.🤣🤣
Of course I admire womanly gait. Don’t you have a womanly gait?
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deepthi silva / September 12, 2024
Codger ,the old know all !
Sri Lankan Judiciary ! Even Ranil has no respect for it ! He knows he is guilty but these judges cannot bring themselves to deal with a sitting (then) Prime Minister ,who conspired with his gay buddy Mahendran to commit a big fraud at the Central bank !
Even before Mahendran was appointed Governor by Ranil, his son in law resigned from Chairman ship of Perpetual ( In order to fool Old Codgers and the judges) .So no conflict of interest !
No judge asked Ranil if he got funded by Mahendran or his associates before the Bond scam. You say even after he gets funded !
Your sense of justice is such, you might say Prabakaran killed Amithralingam in self defence !
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old codger / September 13, 2024
Deepthi,
“Sri Lankan Judiciary ! Even Ranil has no respect for it ! “
How come Rambukwella was jailed for 7 months and three other Ministers lost their seats then? Can you tell me any other time such a thing happened?
OK, so, you’re the latest Bond scam expert? Please, please tell me how much money was lost, and how?
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old codger / September 12, 2024
Native,
“Keheliya Rambukwella granted bail.”
Giving him a chance to get away, just in case AKD wins?
/
Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
Now Anura can file a real case instead of Evil’s game to save Rambo from India. It was India, who pointed out that Langkang crooks were engaged in importing make medicine from non-pharmaceutical companies, from the loan it gave to Covid-19 relief.
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SJ / September 12, 2024
” importing make medicine from non-pharmaceutical companies”
hmmmmmm
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Mallaiyuran / September 13, 2024
“hmmmmmm
What is it?
Gas again? You need to find something cost-effective.
Consult Rambo for any imported medicine or consult Evil if you can start a joint venture with him to fill up his cylinders, free.
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leelagemalli / September 12, 2024
“He was made President by the Rajapaksa family.
King Charles would have felt embarrassed when this President without a mandate and his false show wife came for the Royal party.
Ranil and wife will never miss this kind of event !”
–
DS has always been known to be controversial to anyone who cares about the facts. She hardly fights to think outside her box. It may be a real problem of her generation.
..
Her hero, who worshiped the slanderous dogs knowing that they would punish anyone because of their greed for power, has passed away today. Among the 6.9 million pigs, she was also forced to think that Gotabaya would be Sri Lanka’s LKY. The shameless woman still calls Ranil wrong. The truth is that RW was right in what he said about the country as he was then a Premier in MS’s govt. Give the devil his due.
.
And because we know that this elderly woman is stuck in UK for some reasons and she was against Ranil was since we know her.
There are others like Ajith (in North) who are completely against whatever Ranil does. Both come from the same age group. That should be a real issue confined their age.
.
She talks about King Charles being embarraced of Ranil’s presidency even though 225 lakh Sri Lankans have benefited from the measures taken since Ranil became caretaker president.
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deepthi silva / September 12, 2024
Vedda, you say what Ranil said was true ! 24million people don’t agree with you ! You say Ranil solved problems ! Others disagree !
In public matters there are many opinions, all are right and all are wrong , it depends on the individual bias.
You have a very strong bias . There is no cure for you, just enjoy your hateful personality and the abuse you come out with. That is how your culture and family made you. That is you !
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Native Vedda / September 12, 2024
deepthi very desperate silva
–
“That is how your culture and family made you.”
–
Now you are blaming the culture of Sri Lanka.
Can you name the culture that you meant?
–
Don’t forget the 2500 years culture.
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leelagemalli / September 12, 2024
NV,
–
“Now you are blaming the culture of Sri Lanka.”
.
Rajapakshe culture.
:
This PISSU woman and all have stood up for the Rajapakses like blind people for ages. That’s how culture started to become horrible. Not a single mainstream media giant stood up to Rajapakse’s bragging. .this woman (in her 70s) and everyone else supported that abusive culture.
–
That culture robbed the nation of its last penny, until Ranil took over and paid the salvation role.
JVP dogs can only bark. Like barking dogs dont bite, they cant work on the progress of this nation. They are good at WIMALWEERWANSISM (bastardization of the society).
.
People should be grateful for Ranil’s sacrifices in the last two years. Those who knows salute him world wide.
–
DS as a demented woman, we no longer need to argue with her or such. It will only waste our precious time. Basta.
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Native Vedda / September 12, 2024
deepthi desperate silva
–
“In public matters there are many opinions, all are right and all are wrong , it depends on the individual bias.”
–
For example a total of 6.9 Million Public opinions decided to vote and elect murderer to top office supported by a large section of Saffronistas, being a coward eventually forced to run/fly away.
–
In the meantime 22 Million suffered immensely.
Why should people suffer just because less than 1/3rd of the population made a very very stupid choice?
–
In a democracy people not only have the rights to vote but also have the responsibility to vote for the right candidate, which means people should make informed choices, not emotional choices.
–
Hope you will not support crooks, racists, murderers, ….. in future elections.
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Nathan / September 12, 2024
deepthi silva,
Innocent tangles are o.k.
However, your, ‘That is how your culture made you’, is overboard.
I belong to the same culture.
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Native Vedda / September 12, 2024
deepthi desperate silva
–
“King Charles would have felt embarrassed when this President without a mandate and his false show wife came for the Royal party.”
–
I am embarrassed too.
King Charles is a hereditary king, not elected by popular votes.
–
I am embarrassed, being a British loyal subject how could you forget King Charles’s status.
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deepthi silva / September 13, 2024
Your Ranil and his philosophic wife travelled to London to take part in the coronation of King Charles.
Who should be embarrassed ?
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leelagemalli / September 13, 2024
Are you jealous of Prof. Maithrie Wickramasinghe?
–
What is the point of raising cmments?
Don’t you have anything better to do? As an old lady I thought you could see things better. You remind me of the late Nalin de Silva – ultra racist with a Prof. Title…..
–
Besides, Why should it be embarraced?
–
This is how your sick brain guides you. …. Why don’t you have a test?
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Native Vedda / September 13, 2024
deepthi silva
–
“Your Ranil and his philosophic wife travelled to London to take part in the coronation of King Charles.”
–
JR and Premadasa were invited to Charles and Diana’s wedding.
Your King Charles invited Ranil and Prof Maithrie for his coronation.
If anything you should be embarrassed by that invitation.
Why didn’t your King Charles invite you for his coronation but Ranil was?
–
When you think about embarrassments, Mahinda comes to my mind. The Oxford Student Union withdrew its invitation to Mahinda at short notice who was scheduled to deliver some sort lecture.
Do you know why?
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whywhy / September 11, 2024
This is about half a million rupees a day including weekends and minus
flight charges . And full monthly maintenance not included . Nobody has
any idea on the value of a president residence . All these included , a
president himself becomes a kind of foreign investment without BOI involvement .
That all right but the return to the tax payer public ? Bankruptcy ? Never
ending dreams ? More and More Corruption and Racism ? New Investments are
Nepotism ? Now , there is another Million Dollar Question that is still not too late is ,
Why this Media not asking on their question times , ” What Is That You Expect as an
All Inclusive Salary For Your Services His Excellency Hopeful ? “
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Mallaiyuran / September 12, 2024
whywhy
Nobody has any idea on the value of a president residence
What do you mean?
Evil is the one of the lowest income receiver with in the candidates. If you are skeptical of believing that what can be done!
/