Determined not to reconvene Parliament despite the delay in parliamentary elections President Gotabaya Rajapaksa looks set to perpetuate executive rule as long as possible, appointing a host of presidential task forces to deal with issues surrounding the corona virus crisis and the economy.
On Monday April 27 the president appointed a task force to be in charge of health conditions inside military camps after 180 military personnel tested positive for the corona virus the biggest cluster of infections since the first reported case in the island.
He has also appointed two task forces to handle distribution of relief amid the pandemic and a committee to oversee the economy both led by his brother Basil Rajapaksa who was notorious for taking kickbacks when he served as Economic Development Minister under Mahinda Rajapaksa.
For all other activities he uses the military and the security establishment.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s actions have even worried high ranking members in the SLPP who are concerned that the President may come to believe that presidential rule is preferable even to ruling with a cabinet of ministers. Several SLPP ministers have been grumbling about the new state of affairs which are preventing their own access to electoral constituencies and public prominence ahead of a major election.
Colombo Telegraph learns that there are growing murmurs inside the SLPP that even Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa‘s functions as minister of finance are being usurped by the presidential secretariat.
“It’s almost like the President has even found a way to circumvent the issue of his brother as prime minister. His advisors have been warning the President for months that Mahinda Rajapaksa and his sons are one of the biggest impediments to his efficient political project. The corona virus has given him unique licence to sideline Mahinda and really run the country his own way, without needing to really take the cabinet or MPs into consideration. So not only does he not have to deal with Parliament, he doesn’t even need a cabinet,” said one political analyst watching the situation unfolding in Colombo.
The joint opposition on Monday delivered a letter to the President undertaking that they would fully support his efforts to battle corona virus and pledging that they would not move to unseat his minority Government. The undertaking is an unprecedented gesture of support to the Government from a strong opposition.
However sources told Colombo Telegraph that the undertaking has not yet changed the President’s mind about reconvening the House. (Chinthika de Silva)
Nathan / April 28, 2020
The writing was on the wall. If you had not seen these coming blame yourself!
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S. C. Pasqual / April 28, 2020
Mr. Natan,
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Of course it was on the wall…
That’s why we elected him you idiot.
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You fools were crying same way before November election.
We collectively showed you the back door to get lost.
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THE PEOPLE elected him.
Now let OUR PRESIDENT to do the task he was elected for.
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2020
S. C. Pasqual
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“That’s why we elected him you idiot.”
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Does it mean he has overwhelming support of voters?
Watch and learn
Registered Electors 15,992,096
Gota’s share of votes 6,924,255
%Share of Gota’s votes 6,924,255 X 100/ 15,992,096 = 43.29798295%
Your national hangman was elected only by 43.30% of the voters and 52.70% rejected him. His supporters accounted only for 43.30% which is less than half the voters who were eligible to vote.
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About 16.28% of the eligible voters not even bother to vote.
Please stop beating your chest.
There isn’t much to celebrate or gloat.
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2020
S. C. Passqual
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Error
Read as follows:
Your national hangman was elected only by 43.30% of the voters and 56.70%
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S. C. Pasqual / April 28, 2020
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / April 28, 2020
Very soon Mahinda will go missing and the country will be told that he contracted corona virus and had passed away.
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2020
S. C. Passqual
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Brilliant.
Thanks for keeping it brief.
Keep up your good work.
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Helios / April 28, 2020
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
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rj1952 / April 28, 2020
This is the best that a crooked war criminal a world well-respected mil killer of the innocents shitting and sitting on his brain free or brainless tiny head can do.
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With the help of his present and ex-military gangan Karra fellow mini maru military goondas, he will do his best to stab the now already hapless below their waists starving no money to buy food citizens by being a true real kallathoni bully.
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As his mates are only O/L educated running many a hora boru task forces is the easiest.?
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By the time a cure is found for the cursed coronavirus most of the people in this cursed by the rajapuka’s will have been able to take an express flight to the paradise of Nibbana or nirvana.?
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He has now been advised that his fellow siblings and their sad criminal offsprings are snakes in the grass and at any given moment will bite their poisonous serum into this kallathoni’s privates.
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Appointing his fellow mini maraw’s is the best and easiest solution to this vexing issue.
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Only a brave clean corrupt-free dedicated soul if one is really alive and kicking will be able to get this once-beloved paradise of an island back to its pre-1956 glory.
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At the moment its only a pipe dream.?
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Cheers, R. J.
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S. C. Pasqual / April 28, 2020
rj1952,
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See a Psychiatrist my dear.
Sooner the better.
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S. C. Pasqual / April 28, 2020
rj1952,
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Or a veterinarian……
That’s more suitable.
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sanipa / April 29, 2020
People voted for a change not an authoritarian rule. What’s to come can be seen with Navy COVID they were above the law. That is why they travelled inter district when others are picked up for traveling around where they live. Ultimately majority of the population is exposed . That include some of the 6 m voters . The web are above the law will increase if the country moves away from civilian rule even though parliament is a set of clowns .
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rj1952 / April 29, 2020
Pasky the CT’s own negative scoring pest.
You more than me needs all kinds of help.
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you should offer your availability to the Lankan cricket teams as all the time with your putrid negative comments singing hosannas to your heroes the horu boru rajapuka clan you will and should make it at least to the Lankan book cricket team.
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Even that might be beyond your capabilities. ?
By the way where on earth has your fellow rajapuk fan and a demala meenachi cohabiting petty racist disappeared to.?
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He just vanished into thin air.?
Cheers, R. J.
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punchinilame / April 28, 2020
R.J “Appointing his fellow mini maraw’s is the best and easiest solution to this vexing issue.”
You are prompting the family members to kill each other in the process – still easier and
and first choice of M.R – as he is more in a hurry.
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S. C. Pasqual / April 28, 2020
We didn’t elect him to be a saint.
We elected him to be a leader.
And
He is doing exactly what he was elected to do.
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leelagemalli / April 28, 2020
But Gota is showing no leadership qualities. Who has taken that away from him ?
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Either you imbeciles or his siblings ?
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Or all might that bp Wimal BP Weerawanse?
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Why people are very unsatisfied today if those whole lot of people were in the view that Rajapakshes could do the job ?
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Their priorities are not the priorities of the people- Pasqual wake up… you are still diving in their ASUCHI pit.
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SJ / April 28, 2020
SCP
Could you please explain what kind of leader?
Many may now be wondering why they voted for him.
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S. C. Pasqual / April 28, 2020
Mr. SJ,
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wondering…….?
Let’s try that thing called “ELECTION”
The medicine you people are afraid of………..
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SJ / April 29, 2020
SCP
I have no problem with elections, but it seems that people close to your führer are having the shivers.
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2020
S. C. Passqual
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“We didn’t elect him to be a saint.”
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At the close of yesterday the presidential COVID – 19 Healthcare and
Social Security Fund reached Rs 866 Million.
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Bank of Ceylon Seychelles branch also have International Fund Transfers
facilities. The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is Mahinda Rajapaksa who maybe interested in services provided by Banks of Sri Lankan origin domiciled abroad.
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2020
S. C. Passqual
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“We didn’t elect him to be a saint.”
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Nobody really in his/her wildest dream thought him a saint . Where did you get the idea?
At the close of yesterday the presidential COVID – 19 Healthcare and
Social Security Fund reached Rs 866 Million.
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Bank of Ceylon Seychelles branch also have International Fund Transfers
facilities. The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is Mahinda Rajapaksa who maybe interested in services provided by Banks of Sri Lankan origin domiciled abroad.
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sanipa / April 29, 2020
It depends how you define a leader . Hitler and Prabakaran were leaders but not ethical leaders. Lew Kuan YU was a different kettle of fish as with Churchill a good war leader bad in managing the economy. Idi Amin , Jerry Rawlings of Ghana , Rwanda or North Korea Gadaffi Sadat and many more were leaders but where did they lead to.
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Jay / April 28, 2020
I believe that the priority is to navigate through this COVID-19 storm. People are not worried about the rest. If GR can exclude the PM and Cabinet and run this short-term it is good for the country. What natters is what is good for the county at this point of time. Look at how UNHRC issuing statements by exaggerating arrest of curfew violating idiots. How could UNHRC not see Indian police men bashing and chasing people including women? This is the time Country needs a person like GR.
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leelagemalli / April 28, 2020
Jay,
either you re born fool or made fool.
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Has Gotler proving records to have managed anything good apart from few road constructions and jogging tracks driving away the slum dwellers by fore. ‘
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Besides, aswe know it is forces that did those numerous work… of course, where FORCES are there, they work it since they are disiplineed unlike BPs Rjapakshes and their hooligans.
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And tell us, what good step GOTA took so far to be CLAPPED with WOW effect ?
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Had BP Gota closed down BIA as of End of February by gearing the containment of VIRUS spread, I too would go and support Gota or anyone.
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These buggers are allergic to criticisms, but ruining the country keeping the FUNDs for them and their political survivals as done before.
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Entire COUNTRY is in dark today thanks to BP Rajapakshe rascals.
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leelagemalli / April 28, 2020
There are rumours that those Navy personnel lack PPE where it was due.
That should have been the reasoning behind the rapid increase being found among those soldiers.
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We got to see how those SOLDIERs sometimes having no place to sleep, how hard they worked themselves in buidling those shelters in camps for arriving passengers and their quarantining.
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Bps to use those MOUTH masks and other accessories while the ones who are really in need, incl. hospital personnel to send in risks is happening due to the lack of heartedness in Rajapakshe ballige puthas.
They have proved it many a times, but PEOPLE are made blind. Poor folks would not care much about their votes being draged away, but making every effort to find a living. How much they are poor is known to the world today even if Ballige puthas over the years made every effort to show off lying the world.
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I have no doubt, there will be an another WAR, may be soley against Rajaakshes are in making. They just dont care about anything but they abuse the power even if the constitution has made it clear that ballige puthas are not allowed to do so – in an unexpected situation how they have to react is written in the CONSTITUTION, if they are not clear – due to lack of knowledge, supreme court of the nation is theere to help out. But they are sure, if they would go to SC, like earlier times, they would be SENT back home. However, there will be sort of unrest mixed anxities growing in the country today.
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May God Save Srilanken people.
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Helios / April 28, 2020
Leelagemalli,
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Having a brother like you, your sister must be even more interesting.
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I would love to see your sister for an hour or so, to see what she knows!
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Hope she is Ram Menika’s older sister.
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leelagemalli / April 28, 2020
My sister would not want to see dogs. Either Shiranthi Rajapakshe or Apawithra are good candidates for your choice.
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But you can try that APAWITHRA PADIKAM ARACHCHI, who paved the way innocient masses to fall in danger, The kind of bitches could widen their rear legs to you easily. She has been doing the job for Rajapakshes and their henchmen for such a long. ‘
Stinky pig should go down with corona together with her masters. Wait and see, how would Karma work on them.
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Pala / April 28, 2020
Once a dictator always a dictator. The family and the military is all he needs. Old MR and his sons are not under threat. That is an illusion. Hitler commanded his military personally. All his senior generals knew not to upset the old man. To the end he kept ordering non existent military units to the front line to defend Berlin. His generals had long since given up on telling him the truth. There was no elected body of government. That was dispensed of very early on during his rule. That is the scenario that Sri Lanka is heading to. Supposing there were elections and the outcome of those elections is not to his liking he will either declare emergency rule or dismiss parliament. Constitutions are just pieces of paper dictators wipe there backsides with. Supposing elections were held and the result is to his liking he will use parliament initially to cement his dictatorship by getting rid of the 19th, independent commissions, RTI act. i.e. all the progressive improvements made under the former government. Once he gets what he wants out of parliament then it will be all over. The racist Sinhalese buddhist never appreciated democracy. They are now going to learn the hard way.
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chiv / April 28, 2020
What was commission for MS is what is Task Force for Gotha. These are some of Lankas great inventions for rest of the world. Enjoy the ride.
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Good Sense / April 28, 2020
So is everybody realizing things too late. Now the great “Nayakathuma”, akin to “Thalaiver” and “Fuhrer” is in operation. Even he too doesn’t care a damn whether elections are held or not. At the rate closures are going on with military guards one of the easy targets is the entire Hulftsdorp area. So no court cases. The DGHS himself admits that firstly; no COVID 19 case is in the intensive care, secondly all the clusters of the virus are under control. So what is this bloody fuss? As per the article even Mahinda will blast at Gota saying “Are you shitting in your pants each time that bunch of Doctors with a vested interest tell you that everything is bad?” It is observed that the Police and others at check-points are getting more and more advanced with a view to earn a quick buck. The opposition should have been wiser to make a case for elections even under degraded conditions so that this joker is made to answer in some form or the other to Parliament even his party may have a thumping majority. NOW it is too late.
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Simon / April 28, 2020
Having read the main essay and the comments that followed, I perused through various readings to find a suitable analysis to summarize the “Personality” and “Actions” of this President. I came across a very fitting analysis from the records of the “Interrogations” conducted on the trail of Hitler in 1945. In one of the interrogations as to understand the “Personality” of Hitler, one among the 22 accused, Albert Speer gave a very fitting “Interrogation Report”, thus: ” Hitler was the type of half-educated. He had read a tremendous lot but had interpreted all that according to his own lights and views of the world without improving his knowledge. He could not carry on a normal discussion. Hitler was never open to factual arguments. Every decision was made from the viewpoint of the inner circle. In innumerable cases he did the exact opposite to what he has said before and did not consider himself tied by any promises or agreements. He was not only immoral but completely amoral. He pronounced death sentences with greatest calm and without a trace of sentiment”. SOURCE: Interrogations By Richard Pverly – The Nazi Elite in Allied Hands, 1945.
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Buddhist1 / April 28, 2020
Task force after task force, since the President does not want to reconvene the Parliament, which would be a violation of the Constitution after June 2nd, until then why not have a Civilian Oversight Body overlooking the decisions made by the President. President himself can get suggestions from the previous Govt and Opposition for suggestion of the names.
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Buddhist1 / April 28, 2020
Money donated to Corona Fund setup by the President is not published in any website. Keeping in mind what happened to Sunami Funds under Mahinda Rajapakse, the donors are worried if their contributions are accounted for in a proper way. Auditor General must audit this account for donations and expenditure and provide a public report. These donations were not given for any other purpose other than for helping the poor and needy during Corona days. Today I read an article where Cabraal who has several cases against him has said that these funds will be used for development after Corona. First question, why should Cabraal be involved in any project where money is involved as he has money swindling charges against him and also the last Presidential Commission clearly states that during Cabraal’s time as Governor of the Central Bank there were Bond Scams bigger than during former Governor. Secondly, why the Presiding and the PM have only those who have high crime pending guys around them? Can’t they find other civilians who can lead these projects?
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a14455 / April 28, 2020
This is a joke. They are too scared to hold elections but they also don’t want the president to do his job.
If anything you should blame Hoole the fool for this BS
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leelagemalli / April 29, 2020
Then according to your, JVP, UNP, SLFP and all others should have the so called fears … ha ha..
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Man did not you go to school ? Why on earth you guys to agree with BP rascals that have looted the state and nation to the core. Prior to 2015, they were the looters known to all. That was the reason ballige puthas to face the election defeat. But since then, what did was, just fought to get rid of the uncountable number of crime investigations filed against all in Rajapakshe circles. I dont think even their domestic animals did not kill anyone. That gold buiscut queen was alleged to have given her official vehicle for the murder of Rugby Player wasim thadjudeen.
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Buddhist1 / April 29, 2020
Under what section of the Constitution is the President appointing the Task forces? Further the Task Force managing the donated funds are being spent at the request of Basil’s leadership Task Force. Hence one group appointed by the President is being monitored by another group appointed by the President. Which means there is no independent supervision. This is total violation of the Constitution as part of the spending is from Consolidated funds for which the Parliament has not given approval.
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