19 March, 2024

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Someone In The Regime Made Rs.1Billion Per Km Off Katunayake Expressway: Mangala

The Government has paid Rs. 1.8 billion per kilometre for the recently opened Katunayake expressway, UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera charged today, saying the price was double that of a highway constructed with Chinese aid in Kenya.

Mangala Samaraweera

Samaraweera told a press briefing today that China had built a highway in Kenya at Rs. 972 million per kilometre for a 50 km highway.

“The 26km Katunayake expressway has cost double that per kilometre. Some individual in the regime has made Rs. 1 billion off each kilometre,” Samaraweera said.

He said that at the astronomical cost the Katunayake expressway was the most expensive highway constructed in the world.

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    There must be whistle blowers inside the treasury that can leak evidence for this level of corruption?

    Who is taking commissions and how much etc would be interesting to know.

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    DO WE SRI LANKANS CARE MR. SAMARAWEERA?
    Source: http://www.transcurrents.com of 3-1-10

    “We reproduce here a list of alleged acts of corruption presented by the campaigners for Sarath Fonseka. If the Mahinda Rajapakse campaigners send us a response we would post that also:

    1. Hedging Deal – Petroleum Chairman – Asantha De Mel – Exam passed ‐ None– Cricketer‐ Shiranthi’s relation – losses to Sri Lanka Rs. 230 Billion ( Rs. 230,000 Million) Chairman lost his job by virtue of a supreme Court order. The S.C. order to sell petrol at Rs.100 not complied yet (current price of a Petrol liter is Rs 130/‐)

    2. Loss on National Carrier Air Lanka for 2007‐2008Rs. 10,000 Million (10 Billion) – Chairman Nishantha Wicremasinghe (Shiranthi Rajapaksha’s Brother) – Exam Passed GCE O/L

    3. Loss on Mihin Air for 2007‐2008 Rs. 4,000 Million (4 Billion) – Chief Executive Mahinda’s Sajin Vas Gunawardena – Exam passed GCE O/L

    4. New 2008 Budget allocation for Mihin Air Rs. 1,000 Million (1 Billion)

    5. Air port project Weerawila cancelled. Initial cost on feasibility study Rs 500 Million

    6. Mig Deal – through “King’s cousin” Udayanga Weeratunga (Exam passed – GCE O/L Sri Lankan Ambassador – Russia ‐ purchase of 4 Mig fighters which were not air worthy from Belimissa holdings at a price Rs. 400 Million more than the last published price.

    7. All defense purchases through Lanka Logistics ‐ Chief Executive Officer Jayantha Wicremasinghe – Exam passed GCE O/L– Mahinda’s Sister Gandhini’s Brother in Law the owner of ‘Akuressa Palace’ (also Chairman Bank of Ceylon Gamini Wicremasinghe’s Brother.)

    8. VAT Scam – Loss to the Country Rs. 35,000 Million. (Rs. 35 Billion) Inland Revenue Department – Minister of Finance – Mahinda Rajapaksha

    9 Hanbantota Man made Safari Park to be created at a cost of Rs. 16,000 Million (1.6 Billion) This makes no sense as the Natural Safari Park is next door in Yala.

    10. Kerawalapitiya power plant cost US $ 400 Million. Actual cost US $ 200 Million. Planned for 300 Mega Watts built for 200 mega watts.

    11. Kerawalapitiya power plant. (Additional Losses) Cost per day to CEB Rs 70 million. Per year Rs 25, 550 Million (25.5 Billion) Initial agreed purchasing price per unit Rs 18. Current purchasing price Rs 40/‐ Loss to the CEB from a unit Rs 22/‐

    12. Uma Oya Project.‐ projected value US$ 265 Million enhanced value US $ 545 Million. Increase of US$ 280 Million. Rs. 28 Billion ( Rs. 28,000 Million). Two reservoirs that are built have an extent of only 50 acres. Victoria project has an extent of 7,500 acres. Minister–Chamal Rajapaksha – President’s brother

    13. Cabinet of Ministers have approved purchase of 35 Gantry Cranes at a price US $ 600,000 higher than the last purchase price. This purchase has not been effected yet. (Minister in Charge; Chamal Rajapaksa‐ President’s brother)

    14. Contract signed with Dilhan Wicremasinghe Shiranthi’s brother’s son (Chairman Air Lanka) to supply branded computers to all divisional Secretariats at a cost of US $ 16 Million (price per computer Rs. 150,000/=). He supplied all unbranded computers which are available at unity plaza at Rs. 50,000/=. Amount robbed Rs. 1,200 Million”

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      Great stuff Punchinilame. Please keep it coming. Whether dumb & stupid Sri Lankan electorate cares or not.

      Unfortunately, we do not have a proper opposition to tackle these shameless thieves. And show them the gates of Welikada Prison. That day will come soon though.

      Please note hey are stealing from one of the world’s poorest nations. Just reocovering from the worst civil conflict world has ever seen.

      Shallow is not the word.

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        Am I wrong, Sinhala Buddhist fools never going to change. As long as kill a Tamils Sinhala Buddhist veerayas not bother anything. Still some Sinhala fools believe Historical Tamil Jaffna library burned by LTTE….All Sinhala Buddhist fools never going to change, we Tamils much much better off our own nation called Tamil Ealam….Look Sinhala veerayas choice of politician…look Tamils choice of Tamils on northern province…

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          It’s really simple, if you want a separate state you need to fight for it, don’t expect us to give it in a platter.

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          J.Muthu,

          Of course, you are never wrong.

          Yep. “Sinhala Veerayas & modayas” are still basking in the glory of victory over cruel VP & LTTE. Meanwhile, Rajapassa clan, their cronies & henchmen are looting Sri Lanka’s wealth.

          There are many “”Sinhala Veerayas & Modayas”. Some were capable of committing terrible cultural crimes such as burning down of Jaffna Library. An attack on our heritage. However, there is a credible case by the most senior Policeman in Jaffna that night as to who the real culprts were. I am afraid, it was the cunning LTTE. Who then blamed it on GOSL for propaganda. I suggest you read his book. Fact check it, before arriving at a conclusion.

          Again you are right. Chief Minister of NPC is a man who has the integrity to be a national level leader of Sri Lanka. By far, the best Chief Minsiter in Sri Lanka at the moment. I regret he was grabbed by TNA.

          Cheers!

          PS: However, you are wrong about a racially segregated Tamil Ealam in Sri Lanka. Consider forming such an entity in Tamil Nadu, India. True “homeland” of Tamils.

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          The truth is well known. No Sinhalese or anybody can deny it.The Jaffna library was burnt by Gamini Dassanayakka and his thugs with the assistance of his friend Cyril Matthew. They went to Jaffna with this specific mission in mind.

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            Nari Sabry,

            If that is the truth. I have problem accepting & condeming that.

            The only problem is that claim is credibly disputed by a very senior Policeman who was in charge that nigth in Jaffna.

            Unfortunately, investigating and establsihing the truth is not a Sri Lankan Forte. Either on Sinhalese or the Tamil side. We love lies. As long lies serve our individual agendas.

            Let us hope the truth will be established by future GOSL.

            Cheers!

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              Correction:
              If that is the truth. I have “NO” problem accepting & condeming that.

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      GOOD WORK!

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      Thanks for the info ,we sri lankiyos are deaf dumb and blind.

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    Sinhala Buddhist fools make all Sinhalayos typical modayas……

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      Sinhalayas are not the only modayas in this world of ours. In every country where there are pockets of planted ethnic minorities, majority locals are always the problem as they are the fools, idiots, and the lazy bunch.

      In Malaysia, it is Bhumi-puthras, in Australia it is the Aborigines, in South Africa it is the Zulus, in South America it is the native indians and Sri lannka of course it is the stupid and corrupt Sinhala Buddhists.

      The smart foreigners (the Colonial masters, Christians, the Bohras and Muslims in the case of Sri lanka)like to see these fools kept away from power and position of influence because they muck up everything they touch. They try to confine the to where they belong: as their drivers, nannies and domestic servants.

      Of course the smarter ones – who had gone to exclusive schools, owning high value city real estate and in positions of successful businesses and civil service want to be in position of influence so they could perpetuate this: keeping the fools where they belong… in the back of their bungalows. Sadly it seems things are getting harder for the clever people.

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    People have to be careful of this gossip monger ill informed Man-gala. Actual cost depends heavily on the number of exits and bridges, the terrain (tunnels, Canals, railways crossings, environmental and especially archeological studies and etc) and the economic situation of the country and whether it is urban or rural one. In the case of E3, it was build on marshy land hence expensive. Less rules less sophisticated, less rigorous less expensive.

    Bulgaria are much cheaper than in other countries, half the cost of spain (€ 4M/km/lane). Is the quality of motorways built in Bulgaria not that good, or Bulgarian authorities are honest and there is no corruption We don’t know.

    In Spain, building motorways cost: € 4M/km/lane and Maintenance of them cost €42,000/km/lane/year.

    Information cost: Integrated management systems which collect traffic information: from € 40,000 to 140,000; Data collection; cameras: € 6,000, Weather Station: € 32,000; Electronic Signpost: € 42,000; Laser Radar: € 40,000.

    Signs cost: Replacing a demolished sign: € 145 to 300; Sign cleaning (removing graffiti): € 45-75; For example, the cost of switching signals to 110 km/h which was carried on last year was estimated at € 250,000 (about € 40/sign).

    Accidents cost: Emergency equipment mobilization € 772/unit; Daily cost of maintaining each mobile Intensive Care Unit: € 3,100; Mobilization of a helicopter (for rural areas which are difficult to reach by other means): € 3,642; Activate a medical helicopter: € 6,800; Fire fighters: € 3,000; Subsequent cleaning of the road: € 600.

    Road building and land in the USA is much cheaper. In Italy the new Brescia-Milan autostrada, is going to cost 38 M€/km/lane. And Pedemontana lombarda is going to cost 47 M€/km. That is more than fifteen times and over 20 times the cost of our E3 per km/lane.

    For one thing our motorway is only as expensive as Bulgaria ones. So, it is absurd for Man-gala to say E3 is the most expensive in the world.

    Man-gala should respond to my figures if he can.

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      Banda….you figures are all cooked up in kiribath that you serve those Buddhist Monks.

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          Banda

          Why do you take it upon yourself to defend the indefensible?

          Do you benefit from defending the thieves?

          If you do, then carry on.

          If not don’t waste your time, go find a part time job.

          Or send your wife to middle east.

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            Because the Appu from the Estate Bungalow wants to show that he is well read !

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            Remember Banda claimed he was a just a Sinhala everyman/average Sinhala chap from the village/small town; he sure does not speak like the average village Sinhalese.

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            I’m just wondering, why are you worried about Banda!
            By the way do you get anything for expressing your views here?
            I don’t.

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          Adey Bando, does your costs include those larger than life size Cutouts of the Bus Conductor also? I hear the Foreigners are laughing at them.

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      If you are that smart please add reference where do you gather these numbers ?
      You always keep silent when questions are made to you genuinely.

      Mangla has revealed it – lanken highway road construtions are highly corrupted and half the allocated funds are going to the hand to Mr 10 percent and the cooperation. We the nation have brutally been abused, thanks to you the ilk who would never the see the gravity of the corruption level we have been facing now.

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        Not many would trust you but if the sources of your information are accurate, no need avoid adding them accordingly.
        You bugger, being in your 70 ties seem to have a big problem to allow your mind for the most corrupted monsters of the world.

        Wait and see, upcoming summit will be their waterloo.

        Desmond Tutu has made it clear the need of boycotting the summit on behalf of support the lanken tamils.

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      You sure don’t type like an average Sinhala everyman; which is what you claimed you were.

      Katunayaka expressway is no big deal, you don’t have to deal with frost, thaw cycles like parts of the Northern Hemisphere or travess canyons, gorges and rugged mountaines terrain. So cut the crap/bulls%^t about how expensive it is to build the highway.

      You will spin and inject any sort of excuse to defend your Rajapaksa paymasters.

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      Tamils would eat any shitt.

      e.g. Balachandran before he died ate hot excreta thinking chocolate!!

      Mangala is a straightforward man.

      Basil is the thief.

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    Figures could be this Km cost this much or that cost for this Km..

    The point is that the government should be able to produce documents showing exact expenses to the people of Sri Lanka. When these are delivered and the government can answer questions raised about certain business dealings and expenses, people should all get behind the the government and say they are doing a fantastic job in developing the nation.

    We need to eat before we start driving down the roads of development!!

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    It is good Mangala is kept well informed by insiders of all these rackets by the high and mighty in the Govt. It is also thanks to him the Krrish racket was contained. But then he is not as innocent as his former fashion outfit was called. His own rackets in the Housing, Shipping and other Ministries are legendary. The cake-taker was when he installed an elevator in the Govt house he stayed for his ailing mother – all at public expense.

    As the man in the village would say okkama patta horu.

    Pakis Petty

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    FACTS SUPPORTED BY FIGURES CANNOT BE DISPUTED. INDEPENDENT AUDITS SHOULD REVEAL THEM ALL.

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    From the horse’s mouth: The man knows how the formula works from his Lanka Telecom / Chandrika days experience (whether it is per Giga Hz of band width auctioned, per kilometer of cabled laid or per bullet supplied to the Military etc..etc..;<)

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    Building a road through built up area is different from carving one through virginn lands as in the case of the African jungle.

    “Elevated multi-lane highways through cities can be costly because of the displacement of current infrastructure. For example, recent costs in the New York City area have been $333 million per mile (Wieman, 1996).”

    This works out to Rs 26,015,630,000 per km approximately (or 15 times the Katunayaka Highway cost Mr Samaraweera is quoting).
    Source: http://www-pam.usc.edu/volume2/v2i1a3s2.html

    I am not suggesting comparing New York road construction costs with Sri Lankan costs is reasonable. Just suggesting that the costs could vary widely due to numerous factors.

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      Just like the big Mac, road building in NY is cheap because material and transport there is done in a big way. Mangala knows about a different gala not of those that is used for road building. I say it again E3 is done well and the cost is not excessive.

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    Lets forget how much each played out. We are told we owe Rs. 41.5 Billion to Chinese on account of this Express way. The daily Gross income from this Road in the for the first four days of the Only expressway that had a chance of making profit out of all the white elephant creation of the MR regime. Rest are well established failures that cannot generate money, was less than 3.5 millions per day.

    However the loan requires RS. 3.41million per day as interest at 3%. The present going rates I am told is 6%. That means we have to pay Rs.6.81 millions per day as interest. So Mangala instead of saying that man played this much. Try and find the ways and means to pay back the ferryman.

    Please remember the figures given is only the interest. How about the Capital, Maintenance including staff salary, fuel, electricity, repair.

    Instead of pontificating and preaching because you too will do the same thing when and if you come to power.

    You will be currently doing this if not for Mr not giving you the pound of flesh you demanded a few years back when you worked and brokered with LTTE for MR victory.

    levi.

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      Don’t be stupid. Benefits of infrastructure to a nation is calculated in a different way. Roads, Highways and Expressways are as important as Harbours and Airports. They all have to go hand in hand or in par with the modern day communication infrastructure. Without them, much anticipated tourist boom and/or economic expansion could never have taken place. Thanks to the government, we see it’s all advancing together.

      Not long ago, I remember, all these geezers and NGO sharks were writing off Sri Lanka as a ‘failed state’ meaning a basket case. None writes like that anymore. I wonder, whatever happened to those writers?

      I am totally against bribery and corruption. Like snowden did, accusers here also must come up with acceptable and justifiable evidence and not rumour mongering or stupid comparisons like in this one.

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        “Not long ago, I remember, all these geezers and NGO sharks were writing off Sri Lanka as a ‘failed state’ meaning a basket case. None writes like that anymore. I wonder, whatever happened to those writers?…” Fat hope, Banders. SL under the Rajapakses is a Basket Case- except it is living on borrowed money. If the economic health was as good as Kabara Lal and the Rajapakses boast
        your pol-gediya should be available at Rs.15 instead of Rs.45.
        Your pang-gediya at Rs.20 instead of Rs.50. Your Ord. Petrol at
        Rs.65 instead of Rs.135/litre. Your CEB bill will be at least 75% cheaper. The advantage of the Rajapakses is the ordinary Sri Lankan is a fool and thinks only the rich pay taxes. The yakkos have no brains to realise the difference between the prices I quoted above are all naked Taxes by an uncaring, venal regime that falsely believes the man in the street lives, eats and otherwise enjoys life like them.

        F.N. Stein

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          Where I live people pay up to Rs 500 for a loaf of bread or a coconut without complaining…

          An economy is a two way street. If you try to keep price of a coconut at Rs 15, then the coconut plantation industry will not survive in Sri Lanka. As for bread, fuel and to a large extent electricity generation in SL today is based on imported inputs, hence the cost of production is related to world market prices.

          No one should be taking the politicians giving such price guarantees seriously.

          What is needed is paving the way to produce a competent workforce and to create employment opportunities for the population and to enable them to earn a decent wage. Infrastructure investment is one way to achieve this.

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        “I am totally against bribery and corruption.”

        So banda how is it that you condone high value contracts being given without tender procedures?isn’t that the only way to control corruption.Your points as well as palm squirrels points are valid,and the only way that apples can be compared to oranges is through tender procedures that are not being followed anymore.

        In the absence of tender procedures someone indeed is making big bucks but not on the scale that mangala claims.For one thing he is comparing a highway that is double the length in kenya and proportionately allocating costs to the katunayaka expressway.He does not seem to understand economies of scale.

        Ranil and mangala should be highlighting the tender procedures or to be precise the lack of it.Not a word about that from these two.Is it because UNP and CBK have skeletons in their cupboards too?None of these politicians are reliable and will always milk the country like a cow being milked.The only way to stop this is to start implementing the 17th amendment with the independent commissions including the bribery one.

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          What open tenders are you talking about? No country was interested in any project in Sri Lanka before MR finished the war. All that the West waited to see is the breakup of Sri Lanka. Remember! Their agents, the NGOs, evangelist and et al had disseminated that Sri Lanka is a failed state. Neocons had gone so far as to take away their GSP on false pretenses.

          But MR and his government had been clever to rejuvenate our friendships with old friends. So much so, President Rajapakse openly said that Hambantota harbour project was first offered to India. But fools as they are, they were simply not interested. Its another matter that none can do anything with India. See, how long India had been dragging the Sampoor power project. How long they have been bragging about 50,000 houses for war affected Tamils. Not even 3,000 has been completed to date, and that is after four years.

          Every Sri Lankan leader dreamed to build this Colombo Katunayake expressway. Only Sirima B could made a physical start a long way back. Neither JRJ nor Premadasa nor Chandrika nor Ranil could add anything to that structure let alone finish it. Chandrika government in which Man-gala was a key man had to pay compensation to a Korean company for going back on an agreement to build it. Man-gala must tell us whether its a dispute for commision and if so how much was it?

          Neither Chandrika nor Ranil had the political will or a backbone to face up to the challengers and get the Expressway or Norochchole or Kothmale or any other worthwhile project off the ground. MR had to be elected to office not only to finish the war but take the country towards economic prosperity. Those who live abroad may not feel what’s going on here but we who live in Sri Lanka experience it very well.

          Now the neocons are overlooked, they would do anything to topple MR. Right now, Man-gala is their cheap gossip monger.

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            Patriot,

            What do you mean by, ‘No country was interested in any project in Sri Lanka before MR finished the war.

            When George Bush Jnr. put his arm around RW and assured aid for 64 projects for this same development to take place, that moda Bitch CBK unseated RW. Thereafter the world body decided to go with the Devil MR himself and get him elected with VP’s help and annihilate the LTTE along with VP. So do not think that MR is indispensable now that the job is done.

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              Gamini,
              all these guys feel that MR is the man who finished the war.

              They dont have idea about US and Indians were the ones who made it. How many more years, they want it to keep hidden ?

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                Indians rammed the so-called ‘Indo-Sri Lankan Accord’ down our throat and told JRJ that they would guarantee to implement it. Everyone knows that many Sinhalese, Tamils, LTTE, JVP, SLFP and etc were against it. To nullify the opposition by Tamils and LTTE, IPKF started a war against them in 1987 and continued it until 1990.

                But Indians couldn’t defeat LTTE. Tamils complained widely that Indian jawans had raped their old women but not LTTE. In the end, President Premadasa had to ask Indians to leave Sri Lanka and let us solve our problems our way. Premadasa couldn’t solve our problem for he was killed; but Rajapakse managed to finish LTTE and solved the problem. So please educate us how Indians have ‘finished the war?’

                As for the United States, they didn’t sell any arms even to their yankey dickey, JRJ. They didn’t lend us money to buy arms either. They only put restrictions on us. It is China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Libya and few other countries that helped us with our war effort. The truth is, the US got their stooge Norwegians to help and supply all sorts of war paraphernalia [radio & communication station etc] to LTTE. In the end, Obama went so far as to ask Rajapakse to let Pirapakaran and his terrorist gang surrender to a third party. Hardly a friendly act, is it?

                You may be a fool Siri, but we ain’t.

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            gamini,
            Read that book named ‘Confessions of an Economic HitMan’ by John Perkins if you want to understand how the US has got underdeveloped countries to accept enormous development loans from its friends and institutions like the World Bank and USAID and in turn forced those countries to acquiesce to political pressure on a variety of issues. And that is exactly what Bush wanted to do to Sri Lanka through Ranil and the peaceniks the Norwegians.

            See, JRJ was considered a western backer to such an extent everybody called him yankee dickey. When neocons refused to sell him arms to fight LTTE, JRJ thought they would help him through Israel. Only when Indians used parippu diplomacy and neocons sided with the pending invaders JRJ realized neocons are no friend of anybody but themselves. All over the world, and time and again, Chinese and Russians have been proved to be reliable friends in every aspect.

            JRJ was smart enough to control his MPs with undated letters of resignations and etc, but he never could win the war with LTTE for knew not who his true friends are. Whereas MR, he had seen all that play and he knew exactly who enemies are. And he managed them to his advantage. If LTTE helped MR to come to power, that’s their stupidity and MR’s smartness. In spite of your absurd allegations, I say, that’s how MR won the war with LTTE as well. No Neocon gave it to him in a platter. Be a man, and give him the due credit gamini.

            MR is a political animal. So, he has his share of shortcomings. But for one thing, RW is no match for MR. RW neither knew his enemies nor his friends are. When the fellow cannot manage his party, how can you expect him to manage a country?

            I say, under RW (hypothetical) all types of extremism would rise up in the country once again and that would lead to absolute chaos and mayhem once more. And that was the road map of the separatists at the last Presidential election to reach their goal. It’s no different today. Fortunately majority Sinhala Buddhists know this game. So, they overlook his shortcomings as unavoidable turpitude.

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              Patriot,
              You seem not to be aware of, half of the under currents sweeping across the globe. I do not want to just speculate right now, but wait and see what will unfold in 2014. Right at the moment MR is fulfilling what the UNP under Ranil would have found difficult, with MR crowd in the Opposition. You think it is MR’s brilliance that he made use of VP to come to power and got them to bury all their heavy artillery and abandon their stronghold Kilinochchi and expose themselves on a Beach front only to be massacred. Yes I concede, Ranil is too soft and too Gentlemanly to have committed such an act. Then to drive off thousands of Shanty dwellers overnight from the city for future development. To rid free Education and have Private Universities in place. Allow Casinos to develop the Tourist Industry, which in turn will create direct and indirect employment to Hundreds of thousand locals. Get a Political settlement to the vexed Tamil problem by granting Devolution.
              Isn’t all the above happening at the moment, without damaging RW’s image? Further with the current Lawlessness see what happened to the Law College Principal, being packed home when he did to his son, what he earlier did to Namal? Sooner than later things will change, so mark my word.

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            Well said Patriot. I remember the monster concrete pile near the New Kelani bridge from my childhood days and always wondered would this thing ever get completed. Many years later only now it has come to fruition.

            Rather than crying foul all the time, let us give the man credit for what he is doing. We all agree that corruption is not acceptable. It is our duty not to give or take bribes and to report them when we come across any, however much large or small. Let us all get together and highlight them whenever and wherever they are occurring. With the modern mobile communication technology it should not be too hard to capture the images and conversation discreetly on some of them hand over to press or and put up on the internet for all to see. I have seen such incidents being reported in the overseas press and TV.

            http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/prime-time-tv-brings-home-police-corruption-1325026.html

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              paul,
              I fully agree with you that we the citizens of this country could candidly turn the bribe takers upside down, only if we consider exposing it our responsibility. If someone start it, I am sure it’ll catch-up like wild fire. And that’s the need of the hour. Thank you and very nice of you to bring about that revelation in the Independent.

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        dear Banda

        Hey wise guy stupid as I am. I am only asking you all wise guys how are you /we going to pay back. Is it by selling our souls, wifes, children (Daughters/sons) to pay back. Or lift the skirt /lower the pants to Casinos.

        Rs. & cts leave alone Dollers do not grow out of this air.
        Only Bribe booty grow

        Bye wisa guy.

        Stupid levi

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          Levi,
          Do you know that the US government owe the world 17,000 billion dollars. And that is more than their GDP. And the biggest chunk of it, 1300 billion to China. Now don’t get me wrong, my exercise is not to compare Sri Lanka with the giant but to show you that every country has to borrow money at times.

          Today, Sri Lanka government borrowings have come down about 79% of GDP from its peak 102% in 2004. I hope the government will keep this ratio at a comfortable level.

          As for your question, how do we pay it back. Well, we’ll have earn and pay the interest and the capital back just like you guys pay your mortgages.

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        Dear Banda the wise one
        The NGOS etc do not comment on us as the funeral is on. They will come their pound of flesh like shylock when it is over.

        We are no longer a “basket Case” We are Casket case waiting to be interred or cremated.

        I agree comparison was stupid. but just wishing away want wipe the debt. The unborn generations will have to pay for the extravagance of the rulers.

        Time for remedial action before it is too late.

        Levi

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    Mangala was the minister of ports in the first Mahinda Rajapakse cabinet when the Hambanthota port project was initiated. He may have hoped to have the whole pie for himself. Then Basil came in with a partner contractor which pissed off Mangala and that was how the rift began. If not it would have been Mangala who would be sloshing the pie with down with different wines and singing hossanas for you know who.

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    That Basil hora is the thief.

    He robs 10% from every project.

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