A joint Cabinet paper submitted by Rajitha Senaratne, Champika Ranawaka, Arjuna Ranatunge and Sarath Fonseka, seeking the progress over corruption investigations was vetoed this morning by President Maithripala Sirisena, who informed minsters that the Cabinet meeting was ‘not the place’ to discuss such issues.
President Sirisena
Senaratne’s cabinet paper comes amidst increasing exasperation by both the public and civil organisations, who have alleged that the government is soft peddling corruption investigations.
Highly placed sources said that Sirisena had however assured to give Senaratne and other concerned ministers a ‘separate meeting’ if they wished to discuss the progress of the investigations of bribery and corruption carried out under the previous regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The vetoed Cabinet paper comes, less than 24 hours after the Anti-Corruption Front accused the government of failing to take action against those involved in bribery and corruption, while also accusing the AG’s Department of inefficiency, despite the Financial Crimes Investigations Division completing many investigations, and have submitted the necessary information to the Department to file action.
In a total of 38 cases handed over by FCID to the AG’s department for further action, Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa and his wife, Shashi are alleged to be involved in a bribery and corruption case for the sum of Rs. 306 million, while former Minister Basil Rajapaksa is alleged to be involved in a case to the amount of Rs. 2990 million. Former Governor to the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal is also alleged to be involved in another case to the tune of Rs. 200 and 700 million, where former Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera has also being named. In another case, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is alleged to have being involved in a case amounting to Rs. 600 million.
Ansar / May 17, 2016
The Cat is out of the bag.
Who’s protecting whom. Did we get cheated one more time ?
Are we seeing the real MY3 now, the true face behind the charm.
You pulled out a class act MY3, bring in MARA as your PM that will be the best climax to this mega drama.
Long live the Serendipity.
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Lanka Watch / May 17, 2016
Anzar – Have you not heard of the saying “birds of the same feather
flock together’ and one looks after the interest of the other and
they fly together.
FCID, The Police and the Judiciary are all ready to call the cases
but the ‘TOP’ is not ready to give the OK sign to proceed because
this is a cycle of events where each gets a chance to be at the top and the bottom.
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roger / May 18, 2016
that’s what MY3 is hoping to get MR supporter to his side and throw RW and probably make MR his PM (under him) its after all ego isn’t it?
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Lanka Watch / May 18, 2016
Roger – There cannot be two PMs in the new constitution but some
thing is certainly brewing and the govt. may split party wise b4
the current period ends.
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mike / May 18, 2016
roger
You got it right.
Like Medamulana Meeharaka, MY3 cannot read. Maybe RAN3 can but prefers to be dumb and dumber!
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Richard / May 18, 2016
MY3 will not last 1 day if he appoints MR as MP. MR will escort MY3 straight to Welikada.
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BBS Rep / May 18, 2016
My3 is just as corrupt and just as nepotistic.
MR has files on Sirisena as well.
So the corrupt will protect the corrupt.
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Don Stanley / May 18, 2016
CT editors: Great job! you need to persuade someone in the FCID to release the info in full.. We need Whistle blowers in FCID to release all the files.
FCID should release the files and information to the general public since AG’s office is corrupt. Delaying cases and claiming inefficiancy is a mask and lie. It is tantamount to corruption and aiding and abbetting corruption by AG.
Very likely the files on the corrupt Jarapassa stooges will soon go “missing”, like the missing National Drugs Policy Bill when Sirisena was so called Minister of Health! and Missing persons.
Time for a whistle blower in the FCID to unload the files like the panama papers or Edward Snowden’s or Wiki leaks, let the people judge the Jarapassa cronies and stooges.
The funds need to be traced and brought back to the country to pay of the National Debt and stop the crash of the rupee.
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Daham / May 17, 2016
He himself is corrupt. What else he can do?
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Bunjappu / May 17, 2016
what matters is the size of corruption man…
thre are no leaders in the world… that re no corrupted by any means. Even Dr. Merkel faces it today.. being sideby to those who let entered Syrians to HER COUNTry: OVER 60% are against her. But she was pure politician in EU region.
Even JVPers cant reduce it to 0% … Mr Sirisena too should have guys to support him. It is natural that any leaders has to abuse their power unncessarilly protect some guys supproting to them. Obama also does. He is not called as highly corrupted men. Even Fidel crasto is corrutped letting his brothers to work under his lead… that is also corrution. Tell us where a leader works without being biased to their or his or her men and women… ? THIS is the real world…. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism. what matters is the size of corruptoin. size of nepotism.
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adrians / May 18, 2016
Bunjappu,
You had you say in beginning few lines whether it is right or wrong.
Surely as citizens we should try to control +C and +V.
otherwise we will have a Raja Pacha regime all over again.
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rio ziegelaar / May 17, 2016
@ Ansar.
I could not say it better.
One thing to add in here is also that we should take into consideration the MY3 was MR puppy and pimp. Also at the end of the day I come back to the conclusion that these are peersons of the Sinhalese race, to me one of the lowwest one can find on the planet.
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Ansar / May 17, 2016
Rio, It looks like MY3 used UNP to pedestal his way through and kicking the ladder now.
So ungrateful of him. But then what more can you expect from politicians of any denomination.
Even Mangala’s bonanza to MARA to Uganda and the love letter he wrote to MARA might have been part of this mega drama, with the blessings of MY3.
Politicians are the best artists in the world, Hollywood, Bollywood all bloody crap. MARA was number one and surely MY3 is not second to him.
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Know All / May 17, 2016
So, the Sinhalese are one of the lowest races you can find on the planet? Um. Funny, I don’t recognise Ziegelaar as a Sinhalese name.
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taraki / May 17, 2016
‘these are peersons of the Sinhalese race, to me one of the lowwest one can find on the planet’
They are not as low as the Rio Ziegelaars of this world. They really do not belong to the Human race.
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Native Vedda / May 17, 2016
taraki
“They are not as low as the Rio Ziegelaars of this world. They really do not belong to the Human race.”
You may be right they are angels of the nether nether land. Perhaps from the Neverland where lost boys are found.
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Native Vedda / May 17, 2016
rio ziegelaar
“Also at the end of the day I come back to the conclusion that these are peersons of the Sinhalese race, to me one of the lowwest one can find on the planet.”
You have made some observation that makes me think, think harder.
Have you met all the Sinhalese born and bred in this island and then made your conclusion?
Did you pick a sample Sinhalese population and then come to this conclusion? Did you compare the Sinhalese with other races/people?
Let us see your study on Sinhalese people. You also would have discovered many other attributes that you are not sharing with us.
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eusense / May 17, 2016
Vedda,
You did not describe how you escaped the “ethnic cleansing” and dogged “genocide” of Tamils by the Sinhalese, and live to post stupid posts here!
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mike / May 18, 2016
eusense
Welcome back! It appears you have just been released from solitary confinement in .. Keep writing sense instead of nonsense.
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KA Sumanasekera / May 17, 2016
Wonder why Batalanda Ranil is behaving like a mouse and forcing the all clean UNP Yahapalana suckers on to Stress Pills..
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Alexander / May 17, 2016
Is he also becoming MaruSira?
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Analyst / May 17, 2016
President.
Please stop singing the swan song over and over again. We are tired of it.
We also know that Billions which belonged to us Srilankans were syphoned off from our country by these above mentioned people and others including You and others from your Good governance .
You haven’t kept your promises you made to us when we made you the common candidate for Presidency.
We are still seeing money our money being wasted on , On the Kurunegala MP, on the Ministers and MP’s .
Why Oh Why. You and the PM know exactly what you need to do,
A year and a Half is past NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
The European Union has already warned you and your government to be Transparent , Hiding criminals and Murderers and not Justice being served correctly is a grave Mistake .
Criminals should be exposed and Punished by the Judicial with your Guidance as the President of SL, Not Blocking the Punishments and protecting Criminals Big or small..
In other words what authority you have to block Judgements.
This is how the Previous regimes ruled the country and we and our country became the PARIAHS OF THE WORLD AND THE LAUGHING STOCK.
Show your Honesty and Integrity of running a country ,our country.
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sarojini / May 17, 2016
The fact is the YP Government tried their best to destroy the Rajapakses searching for evidence high and low . However without evidence a court will not and should not convict a criminal . This is what the government fears, If they go to courts without evidence and the Rajapakses were proved to be innocent the government would have egg on their face and the Rajapakses will be riding high once again . This is the greatest fear of the YP and hence they are dragging their feet, leaving the people in suspence . Not many people would understand this scenario . Believe me it is not for want of trying !
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Snowden Edward Asange / May 17, 2016
Duh….. there is a simple solution to ur concerns….Like in MRs era…where Gota was calling the shots….arrest all paksas FIRST…. give em the white van treatment then lets talk about Courts n judicial process.MR’s goons are BEING PROTECTED BY MS N RW… with this veto…Rajitha SF Champika n others should join the RED brothers n do the needful…shoot now question later…SF pls take over…n teach the asses a lesson…wipe em ALL…
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CK / May 17, 2016
Last week he boasted about taking action against corruption look what he does now. He better never go to western country and start boasting again because he will be a laughing stock to them. He cheated 62 million voters. He will go down the history as a president who lost the golden opportunity to make the country corruption free one and who really did nothing valuable for the country.
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Douglas / May 17, 2016
I think the President senses what these four are up to. These four have planned a strategy of “attack is the best form of defense”. We know who they are from their performance during the last one and half years and one of them merely a few months of taking over a cabinet post. Minister Rajitha is a person who has failed to honour summons to appear for ten times to give a statement to FCID. Then who is Champika? What happened to that “accident” inquiry. Who is Ranatunga? We know what he had done and doing in the Port administration. Who is Sarath Fonseka? The first task he wanted to do was to import a luxury vehicle to move around. This is just a brief pointer to know who these four are. They themselves know what the people are talking of and have miserably failed to honour the promises made. So what is the exit strategy to hoodwink the masses? As I said earlier it is: Attack is the best form of defense. On the other hand, is there a necessity to have a Cabinet decision through a “Cabinet Paper”? Already the Cabinet has made the decision on the course of action to be followed. Look where the failures are and correct the course of action. This is nothing but to stage a “Road Show” to make the people believe and impress that they are the MAJOR players in expediting the delayed Investigations. Good decision by the President and also to tell them, they can meet and discuss ways and means of solving problems. First they must learn to look in your own eye.
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Viraj De Alwis / May 17, 2016
MY-3 Exposed. Now we know his true colors. Looks like we all have been duped.
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KA Sumanasekera / May 17, 2016
Are these the dude behind Dr Mervyn in his new Joint Opposition?.
Which is really cool.
Because Dr Mervyn was the first dude to hand over the files on all those big ass rogues in Parliament.
I mean who would know about rogues , thugs and kappams better than Dr Mervyn.
Hope these do gooders don’t pick on UNP heavy Wijedasa,
Because when he brings the sledge hammer out , these brave bodies will be flat on their faces.
I am surprised the FM, Rtd, is still standing, after carrying that LKR 85 Million to the bank.
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justice / May 17, 2016
The ‘foot-dragging’ of the Attorney General in cases of corruption, fully investigated and presented, is indeed puzzling.
More puzzling is the failure of the President to order the AG to expedite.
It appears like powerful forces are at work which threaten even the President’s progress in politics.
He has bloated the cabinet with failed politicians and is unable to retrieve the economy by cutting away the ‘dead wood’.
The appointment of the Field Marshal to a ministry which has no meaning while he wants an expensive – not armoured – car, is the height of political survival at any cost.
Approval of office accommodation requests by ministers who can very well carry on in offices already existing, for rents of tens of millions of rupees, shows his weakness, as also does the recruitment of defeated politicians through the back door.
His fearful reluctance to order the army to ‘behave’, shows that he is ‘under threat’.
The common man is suffering due to unjust taxation to finance all this,
and will not vote for this government again.
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Renuka / May 17, 2016
Maithripala Sirisena is yet another political fake. He promised to step down as President and abolish the Executive Presidency, and still clings to power. He has appointed family members/friends to top positions, and allowed his brat son to behave like a Sri Lankan official. He is no different from the Rajapaksa family, and he has only just started.
How can we keep trusting these politicians? They promise us the moon, and give us nothing but raw deal.
He should NOT have blocked this report and allowed transparency. We expected that of him.
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Sene / May 17, 2016
Progress of investigations on corruption should be discussed at a special cabinet meeting since this was an election promise and also its importance was highly talked last week in London by president himself. The world is watching Sri Lanka
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Senthil / May 17, 2016
What ever My3 and Ranil does to keep a workable government, obviously they have to bend at few places, we must be grateful to them for rescuing the country from MR and luni, which no one imagined. They and their family took lot of risk to do that timely help. Tamils voted for SF and present government, because that is the one and only option. What we were doing while MR and luni was ramshackle the nation, we all eating kavuing. There is a story leave the elephant and catch the ant. Any person can do thing to their own capacity. Modia modia.
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Madhura / May 17, 2016
Cabinet meeting is not the place to talk abt that. The president is right.
A separate meeting can be called to discuss that. Why waste cabinet meeting time for that. Discuss the progress of your individual ministries. Do the job you are appointed to do as a cabinet minister.
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VJ / May 17, 2016
I think the man is trying to save his own life. It is fear, we all know what MR is capable of.
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Roshan Silva / May 17, 2016
Why is the government NOT probing the corruption charges of this Muslim minister who amazed wealth during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government before January 8th., 2015 and is now holding important ministerial post in the Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremasinghe “Yahapalana” government. Corruption charges have also been reported against this Muslim minister even in the present ”Yahapalana” government.
Is it true that this Muslim Minister is on Maithripala camp in the “Yahapalana” government. We see the internet news that a “henchaiya” of Mahinda Rajapaksa – Dr. Palitha Kohana, former Sri Lanka Representative to the UN now facilitating big mineral deals for this highly operative Minister who it is rumoured was a very close associate and a partner in all the corruption rackets conducted by a Rajapaksa minister before January 8th., 2015. It is a talking point in the mineral sands export business that the Mineral Sands Corporation in Pulmoddai is drenched with corruption via a BOI company owned by another Muslim businessman dealing in vehicle imports and specializing in the purchase of “Duty Free” vehicle, import permits from government and Joint Opposition members of parliament. This company is situated in Havelock Road, Colombo and seems to be called Roda Lanka Ltd. This company, it is rumoured, with the help of this Minister is dominating the purchasing of all the mineral sands that are put on tender for sale by the Mineral Sands Corporation since 2010 through various nefarious corrupt dealings. HE. Maithripala Sirisena has to set in motion probes/inquiries against this Muslim minister at the earliest. Deceptive politicians have disgraced the former government and will now do the same with the present government too. Like murder will be out one day, all corruption of these mega deals as stated by Minister Champika Ranawaka will definitely come out to light, but has to be probed by HE. Maithripala Sirisena before it is too late.
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Native Vedda / May 17, 2016
Roshan Silva
“Why is the government NOT probing the corruption charges of this Muslim minister who amazed wealth during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government before January 8th., 2015 and is now holding important ministerial post in the Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremasinghe “Yahapalana” government.”
For the simple and same reason why Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremasinghe Yahapalana government is not seriously probing Mahinda and his clan.
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thondamanny / May 17, 2016
hello !!! hello !!
Are you there at the other end.
WE WERE ALL DUPED LONG BEFORE 08/Jan/2015. thereafter it was a continuation of that lead up.
Will suck any bone or pick up any crumb that remain in the government coffers.
Brought forward from the back door demands a Benz to serve the masses.
Rajitha was born with a foul mouth and (07) Ships. Oh ! (07) silver spoons.
Oh ! No. It was not me but my driver……
A massage parlour will fit the bill inside the Port to increase productivity.
Finally, to get even Yahapalana power turns on ROSIES demand for recount of Preferential votes.
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Native Vedda / May 17, 2016
Roshan Silva
“Why is the government NOT probing the corruption charges of this Muslim minister who amazed wealth during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government before January 8th., 2015 and is now holding important ministerial post in the Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremasinghe “Yahapalana” government.”
For the simple and same reason why Maithripala Sirisena – Ranil Wickremasinghe Yahapalana government is not seriously probing Mahinda and his clan.
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Nathan / May 18, 2016
Old age is slowly creeping on you, NV. See what you did. You clicked on the same comment you had made a minute earlier. I am there with you!
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Native Vedda / May 18, 2016
Nathan
Thanks old chap for noticing my error.
I was just checking to see if you were wake.
In fact my internet connection let me down.
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Justice & Fairplay / May 17, 2016
This scenario as presented here, is very hard to believe.It is possible that some things stated by the President havent been reported.
Improper reportage can rouse a sleeping populace as nothing else can.
If however that is not the case, then this President has indeed laid the first stone towards his own political ruin for all time. He would then have descended from the promise of a ‘Truly Great’ to a ‘Very ordinary’.
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thrishu / May 17, 2016
It proves that both MS and RW are either protecting MR and family or running shit scared in case the adversaries return to power soon. RW is also in this game; he may have kicked the UNP ladder having gone to heaven of luxury cars, by hanging on to Sirisena coat tails. Gamaya Divyalokey Gihin…..!!!
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WalaGemba Raja / May 17, 2016
“…. President Maithripala Sirisena, who informed minsters that the Cabinet meeting was ‘not the place’ to discuss such issues.” This by no means is a veto. If the president has definitely vetoed this by putting in writing through a presidential decree or mandate, then this shameless President deserves to be impeached because a President who is against corruption is against all ideals of “Yahapalanaya”. Forget good governance and quick riddance of corrupt politicians is the way forward by putting and end to Marru-Sira’s reign. I bet the main scoundrel must be the Wijedasa, Marapana and other scoundrels who connives against this government by giving insider information to the Madamulane Ali Baba and his band of thieves.
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jay / May 17, 2016
President Sirisena We voted for you to fight corruption,Why are you not doing to?You seem to be on the side of the criminals,crooks and thieves.Please see to it that the AG
does his work and put the crooks behind bars!We want justice!
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Monte Cristo / May 17, 2016
Mr President, What a sad state of affairs !
The people were all waiting for the last one and a half years to see all those corrupt thieves who were hauled time and again to the FCID, CID, BRIBERY COMMISSION, et al and given so much publicity in the Press about impending charges and imprisonment, now to see it all going up in smoke.
39 cases have been sent to the AG’s Dept for action and the AG has been warming his butt over them, probably on your instructions.
Mr President, you are obliged to give the Country an immediate answer for your action in vetoing this corruption probe, for if this is true then you are sending a horribly wrong signal to the people of this Country. Why would the investigating departments have forwarded these cases to the AG if there were no Prima Facie cases against them? Who is frightened in taking up these cases to the Law Courts and why? Or is it that there are hidden agendas to safeguard those corrupted crooks?
You were voted into power to act on certain very vital issues, the most important of which was to fight against Bribery and corruption and to bring to justice all those who were guilty of such criminal acts in the previous regime, acts that bled the Country and its people and have, in your Govt’s own words brought the Countries Finances to its knees, consequent to which you are now imposing draconian taxes on the population so that you and your Government can hang onto power.
Why are you doing this ?
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Shan / May 17, 2016
First Rajitha should go to the Bribery Commission to give a statement. These guys are such hypocrites.
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Jeremy Ludikins / May 17, 2016
All this shows MY3 can play his game well. Unlike Jarapassa days, the President cannot say you are over ruled! Your paper is not approved! because there are two groups of ministers and should the occassion demands the Majority of the UNP can be shown in the Cabinet. But MY3, as the chairman of the Cabinet can rule any paper is out of order on grounds that it is not Cabinet business. MY3 has quickly learned the state-craft to manipulate things.
In a way a boss should be able to manipulate to have his own way. On the other hand it brings a sense of sadness as this is the beginning of abuse of power. In view of the unnecessary oppulence shown by the former regime, the general impression was that the former regime was corrupt to the hilt and they lost the recent elections. But, the AG is slow to act, they say. The scrutiny was on Yuwanjan Wijethilake. The sin of this exercise fell on the lap of Suahda Gamlath. We now have Jayantha Jayasuriya as the AG. But yet the progress of it same as before. The result is the same whoever is the AG. What would the ordinary assume?
THE POLICE HAS NEVER PROVED THAT JARAPASSA AND HIS CRONIES ARE INDEED ROGUES. THE FILES ARE NOT COMPLETE. HALD BAKED EVIDENCE. So that can be a reason for the AG to keep silent as he thinks fit.
WHAT A SHAME! we are unable to catch hold of the obvious.
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Kugan / May 18, 2016
Good move by president,he knows it’s waist of time and money.
Soon the case comes to courts they all goes to hospitals.
Or easist is charged them on shria law.get a good judge from Royal Saudi.send all the 39 files or send them with the files.verdict shouldn’t go wrong.
Or Dr.Marvin he also not clean hand put his case last for ever on 40th.
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Shan / May 18, 2016
There is a large section of CT posters who want nothing but MR’s blood for obvious reasons. What can you do when you spend your hard earned money on a pet project and then getting crushed. These people hate MR not because MR looted the county but because he finished LTTE off.
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Words / May 18, 2016
Spot on!
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BBS Rep / May 18, 2016
Can CT get its hand on the so called Joint Cabinet Paper submitted by Rajitha Senaratne. We would like to know the details.
The whole establishment is corrupt to the core.
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Devasiri / May 18, 2016
MY3 cheated all of us soon Arab spring against him and his family because we trusted only him not RANIL.
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SJ / May 18, 2016
Arab Spring?– Are you serious?
Arab Spring brought a worse butcher Sisi to eventually replace Mubarak.
Freed Mubarak of all charges.
It threw Morsey behind bars and sentenced him to death.
What do you hope will bloom in your Sri Lankan version of Arab spring?
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Adrian / May 18, 2016
By today’s standards it appears as SLFP stands for SL Frauds Party and UNP stands for United Notorious party. People must not – must not – must not elect any one from these two parties again, including others who had unfairly benefited from the politics. The elected must assure that they will establish justice to the word.
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