President Maithripala Sirisena‘s Chief of Staff Hemasiri Fernando has been appointed the Chairman of the Board of Investments (BOI).
Fernando previously functioned as the Chairman of the People’s Bank but resigned from the position as Sirisena directed the subject minister to reconstitute the boards of the two main state banks – Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank.
Sirisena ordered the subject minister to reconstitute the two director boards claiming that there were multiple corruption allegations against their members.
Contradicting his own order, Sirisena has now appointed the former Chairman of the People’s Bank – the man who presided over a director board plagued with corruption – as the Chairman of BOI, another state institution Sirisena wanted to re-organize.
The new position has been given to Fernando in addition to his current post as the Chief of Staff of the President.
Sirisena also appointed Fernando as his own Chief of Staff nearly two months ago while the latter was still holding the position as the Chairman of People’s Bank, heading a “corrupt director board.”
Fernando is the third BOI Chairman since the current government came to power. The first Chairman, Upul Jayasuriya appointed by the current government resigned from his position in July 2017 paving the way for Dumindra Ratnayake to take up the position. Ratnayake resigned from his position last week after Sirisena announced his plans to appoint a new board of directors to BOI.
nalmen / October 24, 2018
he might also appoint him as head of the dept. of railways
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Amarasiri / October 24, 2018
Gamarala,
“President Maithripala Sirisena‘s Chief of Staff Hemasiri Fernando has been appointed the Chairman of the Board of Investments (BOI).”
Will this guy do what you want him to do? Will he bend over and say, deeper please?
News from COLOMBO — Sri Lankan police arrested and charged a senior naval officer on Wednesday for the abduction and murder of two Tamil businessmen during the final stages of the island’s brutal civil war.
http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/546380/World/Asia/Sri-Lanka-arrests-navy-officer-over-wartime-murders
Lieutenant Commander K. A. Dayananda was taken before a magistrate and remanded in custody over the double murder, which investigators believe took place in January 2009.
Police said the victims, both from the Tamil minority group, were kidnapped by naval officers and later killed despite their families paying a ransom for their release.
This news is from from the Hindu. This news comes from the chain saw chop shop Saudi Arabia.
Would you release the “Ranaviru”?
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Emil van der Poorten / October 25, 2018
nalmen:
How about Mihin Air?
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shankar / October 25, 2018
and also as the head of Dick’s Joy Ltd.
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Ruwan / October 24, 2018
The former Chairman Duminda Ratnayaka, former CEO, Etisalat , an Engineering Degree Holder from Moratuwa Campus, with 1st class Honours, was working as Chairman BOI without any remuneration, as a true public spirited man. I can not fathom why Sirisena wanted someone else in that position
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MsMaralathoni / October 24, 2018
BOI is reported to be a hora gulak – highly corrupted body.
So that is the reason the chairman to be replaced this way.
However, President seems to have no other choice than rely on the few he could trust.
I dont worry if very same president would appoint any silly guy for the diplomatic vacancy in Austria next.
Lanka lacks good people. The few carrier diplomats are either retired or swollen headed personaliteis. That lady who previously worked with PUNDIT Dayan Jathilaka is jobless these days.
All in all, whatever we are compelled to read these are beyond all bearing.
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Sarrij / October 26, 2018
R.
Blame the stupid S L voter for electing a stupid President.
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Buramphisincho / October 24, 2018
Hope not this would end up giving us an another example similar to the ambassador appointment to Quatar.
I believe, Mr Sirisena has no whatsoever general knowledge about the ground realities of the grave issues.
That may be the very reason for his behaviour.
After electing President, what 6.2 millions of this country expected him to come up clean whatever he is going to do. However, be it with external affairs or internal issues, MrSirisena has been making more mistakes over the few months. Of course there are few appointments that can be considered as fine. But many of his mediation has brought almost nothing.
Dismissal of FCID head was one of the bad examples. And also ones like Dayan Jaythilaka to be the current lanken Ambassador to Russia was what I never thought of.
All in all, I wonder what goes through the HEAD of incumbent president these days.
We are perflexed.. really. do.
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nimal fernando / October 24, 2018
“I wonder what goes through the HEAD of incumbent president these days.”
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He is awaiting his executioners ………… a dead man walking
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In a field where there are no honest ones ……… he wants to make-out he is the only honest one
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Ananda / October 24, 2018
Its sad the way President Sirisena works. When Fernando was removed from Peoples Bank, JO members called him that he was corrupt and we saw this in the news media. If only the President removed him from PB and appointed him to BOI at the same time there would have been no opportunity to name this clean Gentleman as a corrupt person. I am not sure who advises the President but Lakthilaka has to take the blame as he is the Senior Adviser to the President. Unfortunately President Sirisena is surrounding himself with stupid idiotic advisers.
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Lapatiya / October 24, 2018
He knows very well that he will not get a second chance. He is now acting like a mad cow. He is interfering in everything now. First he thought he will have a UNP support in his second term as common candidate. Then he used Bond Scam to sling mud at UNP and Leadership. He used Gota to rope Rajapaksha support. Now he realized nothing will work. Then he submitted strange Cabinet papers to purchases some Old Hercules Aircraft manufactured in 1966 and start a Railway track in Polonnaruwa. Idea was to get the quick commission before departure. Both leaked to the Media and he withdrew the board papers. His chief of Staff got caught while receiving biggest bribe in the history. He knows UNP is behind this. That is why he started messing around. Tomorrow he will sack another board to confuse things. No Investor will invest under these circumstances as there is no political stability in the country. That is what he needed. Reportedly he has mentioned that “Mama Yanawanam Yanne Gini Thiyagenai” He is doing exactly that.
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Samson Gunawardhana / October 24, 2018
But he should not behave like a headless chicken right ?
How can he face the 6.2 million after the next election ? Late Rev Sobitha Thero would never have thought that this would end up this manner.
Not a single of those high profile crime doers has yet been caught.
Nor have they found any kind of huge fundg rabs as promised 4 years ago.
Nor have we any idea whether or not Jaliya W and Udayanga Weerathunga be caught by lanken police ?
Nor have they found the billions of dollars alleged ot have grabed and kept in Banks in Middle east.
Not last but not least, not a single high case is finished yet, and nothing is achieved in the line of serving the JUSTICE.
All in all, he has been behaving like a moron, just distributing the funds to that police man and the boy who is said to have built up a rocket… Nothing of the actons can get him forward.
People have just started hating him.
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Lapatiya / October 25, 2018
Samson,
It is very sad to see the current state of affairs in the Country. If these continuing no qualified, respectable person will accept any position in any Govt. institutions. Only crooks like Shiral Laktilaka and his henchman like former Timber corporation chairman and head of President staff will be occupied in such important positions. All what he needed is more time to fill his and his family’s bank accounts. First 2 or 2 1/2 years he couldn’t do anything as he couldn’t believe that he is the Executive President in the country as it was too big for him. He behaved like real Gramasewaka during that time. If he realized the power he had he never would have agreed with the 19th amendment which curtailed his Executive powers and duration of Presidency. His Daughter and Family members started doing things taking former Royal Family members as examples. Now he got the taste but it is too late as he realized that his time is limited and now trying to make mud in the economy and creating problems in the Govt. in which he is the head. He is such a shameless person
Now about punishing Rajapaksha rouges. Do you think it is possible to hunt Rabbits while sleeping with them. This Gon Silisena is exactly that. How can he take Rajapakshas in to books while holding secret talks with them? It took only one day to this shameless man to betray 6.2 Million people who took him to that position as very next day he had a secret talks with Gota. in his residence with lights off. Simple Example is still CID couldn’t produce Ravindra Wijegunaratne, CDS, to the Court in abducting and killing 11 youths case because this shameless Person is protecting him. There was a Order from that Iron Lady Judge, Lanka Jayaratna, but CID became helpless. In fact the Judge said to the CID that “bring big sharks before the Court instead of sparrows”
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Samson Gunawardhana / October 25, 2018
Lapatiyo,
It is all that 30-year CIVIL war destroyed the potential leaders.
Had good leaders been in the country, would Mr Sirisena ever be able to be the common candidate ? No
And none of the so called politicians of the day are whole hearted to make a real change so that the masses would be benefit of it.
Honestly saying, I dont think JVP would ever be capable of producing good leaders either. They lack wise leaders. AKD is no better to any other in their party. Most of them are just average men that keep hunting after corruption and abusive nature of rival men. But never grasphed that the people are more into CORRUPTION and ABUSIVE cultures than the other way around. So long people s attitudes would not change tremendously, you cant introduce them with law and order issues. They love HIHGLY abusive politicians, regardless of CRIME records they are entwined with. Our people to be blamed, than to anyone else. Politicians are the mirror image of majority of the people in this country.
Minority thoughts bearers that long for a society safeguarding high values remain as shadow in the next few decades too. Buddhist clergy is not sufficiently knowledge to forsee the depths of lanken issues. They the MOST sacred are Mahanayakas are the ones most SCARED. So long they are protected , they would not wake up from their long slumber.
Country is obvioulsy lack of good leaders today not just for the state but also in many other areas.
Other issue is many have left the country during war weary days. Not many would get back to the country.
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Kusal / October 25, 2018
@Lapatiya
Good one with humour
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Raja Senanayake / October 25, 2018
It is necessary to pass a law laying down some academic qualifications and experience in a relevant or associated field to become eligible,. The unfettered discretion given to the President under the present status quo is not satisfactory since those appointed have no financial stake I suggest new appointees be required to provide a good faith deposit which will earn interest and be refunded at the end of the term if there are no claims against him by the organisation he is appointed to after one year.
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K.Pillai / October 24, 2018
We have run out of appointees under the official unofficial policy of Sinhalese-Only policy.
This policy worked well for the Armed Services but here ‘competence’ is discouraged.
But see how this policy wreaked SriLankan Airlines.
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Suren / October 24, 2018
Sad situation, leader of a civilised nation, behaving in this manner. He surrounds himself with people of poor quality, and none is there to give him sensible and good advise. Even a kid wouldn’t behave like this, it’s real pathetic, and don’t know what went wrong with him. On daily basis, he is throwing more and more mud at him, and his people are making him the laughing stock of all. A good leader should keep close to him people of high caliber to assist and advise him to deal with people and solve issues with tact and care instead of creating more and more issues. Good and intelligent leaders know how to deal with their friends and enemies so that it would resolve conflicts, confusions and confrontations with courage and admiration, and no ill fleeings and hatrance towards none.
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Joy Dick / October 24, 2018
” Dicks Joy ” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what more can you expect. ??????????????????????????????????????
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Buddhi Perera / October 24, 2018
Same set of people are appointed to various important positions. People who were appointed to those positions in 1990s are still getting similar appointments. In a country which has thousands of honest and capable intellectuals, why does this happen. It shows the lack of intelligence or common sense of our leaders.
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punchinilame / October 25, 2018
It is actually appointing a suitable ACCOMPLICE, with ease – for the one and only purpose the
present day SL politician (Sinhala Buddhist) retain their Post?
Will any journalist dare to tabulate the “Crimes” MY3 has committed or is committing,
with or without help of his Advisory staff to the Nation, in the guise of Governance?
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Chamuditha Senanayaka / October 25, 2018
My3 is an honest man. Can compare him with SWRD.
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Lanka / October 25, 2018
6.2 million people voted not to protect democratic right of people but to make President ; PM and Mps..nothing else …
Now m&s need to make use of his post as much as possible ..
We expect him do well..
But disappointed all..
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JD / October 25, 2018
I heard the PResaident assassination attempt or or coup was all bull$hit. President had informed DIG Nalaka De silva in Advance saying “you are going to be arresrted. go and say something and come”. It is all drama. first Mahinda Rajapaske (Even LTTE did not want to kill him because He gave Rs 800 million via Allus and also to emil Kanthan). Then Ranil had his assasination coup (Who wants to kill Gerandi). Now, there should be one for the PResident , when the elections are near by.
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melankan / October 25, 2018
The person who said that he will be ‘six feet under’
When the most corrupt rogue president SL ever saw, the cunning vicious pathetic human being who wasted poor county’s money (…just two examples re wastage 1. Sri Lankan Airways 2. Corrupt rogue’s equally corrupt wife’s Vesak trip to Paris in 2014 staying at King George V hotel. It’s told that even Queen Elizabeth didn’t want to stay in that hotel saying “too expensive” but for our corrupt pathetic woman it was perfectly alright. Whose money was used btw?) was kicked out in 2015, the majority thought that they are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately it was not so. People dreamt in vain.
If former was the most corrupt pathetic rogue leader SL ever saw, this present guy is the most useless weakest untrustworthy non credible president SL will ever see. Wish this All f*rt no s*it Weda beri Tarzan boru kaaraya will be sent home in 2020. Another dream? Hopefully not…should not be this time.
SL will never have a future as long as these rotten politicians frequent Diyawanna oya. So sad
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vis8 / October 25, 2018
Nepotism, anyone??? :)
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JD / October 25, 2018
In his secod term, Mahinda Rajapkse had bought every govt asset that Ranil di dnot sell to foreigners. Now, the second termis coming the time for PResident Sirisena to buy what ever left. So, he has to appoint his all the corrupt subordinates to important positions.Cricket _ Secretary has Asked Sony deposit bout $ 200, 000 of his commis from Cricket to be dposited in his account (Just After TRUMP relection dollar crahses,. at that time most of our politicians may get crack heads). So, if the Cricket Secretary is arrested, do You say thilanga sumathipala, PResident good friend and the finacial support duringthe 2015 Arab spring, did not have any money from Sony. He always say I gave all the money including Rs SIX billion to the contractor he will give me commis which is legal in Sri lankza.
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JD / October 25, 2018
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JD / October 25, 2018
MAithripala Sirisena says By mid January all these appointments mat stop. The new appointee to the BOI had said, Sir I can not creat money. Because every one in their is a thief. Ranil says, I knew it, It happened even during the times of Mahinda Rajapakse. Eventhough the news blog article accuses, The Appointed say, I have never stolen, I am also taking what ever they give. A couple of Professors also have give me money
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JD / October 25, 2018
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nalmen / October 25, 2018
it is time he saw a psychiatrist
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edwin rodrigo / October 25, 2018
The best thing is to appeal to the Viceroy to do something about it. If you do not know who he is, his name James Dauris. Please take care to get his name right. It is not James Bond though he acts like one. Read my lips – it is James Dauris
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