Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera today rejected the news reports that had been published in some news websites, which alleged he had spent time with a young man at a luxurious New York hotel during his recent trip to the US.
Mangala Samaraweera -Minister of External Affairs
Responding to an inquiry made by the Colombo Telegraph, the Minister’s office has sent the following statement, concerning the reports in news sites that claim the ‘young man’ with whom he is having a relationship is his Public Relations Officer, Sameera Manahara.
Following is his statement on the matter:
“The forces of darkness, thought to have been defeated along with the Rajapaksa regime on the 8th of January, are beginning to raise their ugly heads again. A smear campaign against selected members of the Sirisena administration has started, and yet again I too have become a victim of such slander.
Therefore, I place the following facts regarding my recent visit to the United States on the public record.
1. I visited the United States of America for an official visit between the 10th and 13th of February. This visit was part of the new government’s strategy to win many of Sri Lanka’s friends in the international community who had been alienated as a result of the Rajapaksa regime’s disastrous foreign policy.
Hotell bill
2. After meeting Secretary of State John Kerry and other senior U.S. officials of the Obama administration during a two and a half day whirlwind visit to Washington D.C., I arrived in New York by train on the early afternoon of the 13th. I had talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, that afternoon.
3. I also met the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, before departing from the hotel at around 6.30 pm to fly to New Delhi for the state visit of President Sirisena to India.
4. All hotels used during my official visits are booked by the relevant missions. And I have mentioned to the relevant officials not to book ostentatious and extravagant hotels like the Waldorf-Astoria in New York and the Dorchester in London where members of the Rajapaksa regime resided during their travels.
5. Having known the schedule in advance it is also a mystery why two nights were booked by the Sri Lankan mission in New York.
6. On my official trips abroad I take one member of my personal staff from the Minister’s Bureau. They travel economy class unless upgraded complementarily by the airline. During this visit the Public Relations Officer, Sameera Manahara, travelled with me .
7. Manahara was also my Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Ports and Aviation between 2004 and 2007. During my seven years in the Opposition he was one of my principal coordinators and campaign managers.
8. Manahara is the happily married father of a beautiful baby girl.
EDWIN RODRIGO / March 26, 2015
“The forces of darkness, thought to have been defeated along with the Rajapaksa regime on the 8th of January, are beginning to raise their ugly heads again……”
And it is your fault.
Everyone knows that MR is a powerful and highly poisonous snake. If you want to destroy it you have to go for the head. Instead you go for his tail and it is wriggling violently and biting everyone around it. The longer you wait, the more powerful it will become.
Okay, okay we know all about yahapalaya, justice and fair play. If that is what you want let justice take its course like in a land dispute case. By the time a decision is reached the both parties would be dead and gone.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Delay it anymore and we may take the law in to our own hands.
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Sam / March 26, 2015
Oh Maheshini Colonne has spent 03 nights in New York.Wonder why….hmmm.Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam owes us an answer.All on government service ha?
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New Yorker / March 26, 2015
Now what was Prasad Kariyawasam doing in New York wnen he should be taking care of Washington? Old New Delhi hits at the base can never be forgotten easily.Oh those naughty secret photos of private moments of the two together are really naughty.
What to say aney …except aiyoo Colonne !!
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Dodo / March 27, 2015
Four Seasons is even more luxurious and exclusive than the Waldorf!
The Sri Lanka missions should be asked to book 4 star hotels and save funds of tax payers and retired folk of Lanka…
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Amal Dissanayaka / March 27, 2015
Check the date. A couple spent a romantic night on the Valentine Day thanks to Minister.
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K.Soysa / March 26, 2015
Mangala is right; there are dark, demonic forces but they can be defeated ONLY by the Blood of Jesus.
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Nimal / March 26, 2015
Edwin,
You said something very important about the land cases going beyond the life time of the people to the dispute that could be done in a day,as in UK.Judges and the lawyers are behind this injustice that no politician would ever want to solve. People n must hoot at the judges and the crooked and greedy lawyers.
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Ainsley Abeywickrema / March 26, 2015
Why only Colonne??Look at Weliamuna, a so-called anti corruption crusader putting up at the same hotel with the same costs! Tax-payers money, eh!
What hypocrisy!
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Ben Dover / March 26, 2015
Ainsley, if you have ever taken a flight from Colombo to New York and still make remarks like this, you’re nothing short of a twit. Please stop this harassment. Mr Weliamuna, in case you have a few brain cells, was representing Sri Lanka in DC and NYC for discussions related to stolen assets and their recovery, as part of his anti-corruption brief. I spoke with him just before he left Lanka and was surprised at his disclosure that he was travelling Economy Class.
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Justice & Fairplay / March 27, 2015
Ben,
What Ainsley is saying is, that Mr Weliamuna should have gone by bullock cart to New York.
Ainsley was a top crusader of course, against the plunder and theft of the last regime. So naturally he is concerned that an economy class ticket has been consumed!!
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Ainsley Abeywickrema / March 27, 2015
Hey Dover – or whoever you are – no one is concerned with whom you spoke etc. Your stupid defence motivated by personal reasons makes it worse. Why should you be surprised that he was traveling on economy? Shows your mindset. If indeed this was the case, then, that should be the level of care expected. But this is not on an economy class travel issue. This is on staying at a luxury hotel with the government people.
Shame!
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srilal / March 27, 2015
Ainsley Abeywickrema ,
As Managala explained , all the bookings are done by the SL Embassy people , when they arrive in NY they just go what ever the hotel which had been booked for them , you seem to be overly concern (jealous) of JC Waliamuna’s participation , wonder why ? don’t you worry too much about $1500 , the trip might turn out to be a few billions worth of recovery !
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Ainsley Abeywickrema / March 27, 2015
Yes, yes we see the yahapalanaya defenders coming out in the open. As those who were critical of MR, we continue to be critical of these replacement characters even now. Party politics do not dictate our responses.
Not our problem if these pro-Ranil types cannot stomach it!
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srilal / March 27, 2015
Ainsley Abeywickrema ,
“Not our problem if these pro-Ranil types cannot stomach it! “
Huh , pro Ranil ? i’ve been critcal of Ranil for many years and even now do the same if the situation arises ! your problem seems to be personal against individuals than actual facts .
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bo / March 27, 2015
A problem with YahaPalanaya (YP) is that the adversaries do not play with the same set of rules; in fact the adversaries consider that the YP rules are the weaknesses of YP people, and so they chip away at it destroying YP and everyone in it. See, who is now under the skirt of YP; the same old rogues and criminals of UPFA that were under MR’s sarong.
To get rid of these menacing crowd, one has to play with their own rules; those that they understand. Fight fire with fire; there should be no mercy, if they are suspects, hold them in remand or prison until investigations are completed, because if they are out they will intimidate the witnesses and fabricate new evidence.
In any western country, no murder suspect is let out on bail. In Sri Lanka politically influential criminals with drug or murder charges, are either let out on bail or accommodated in super luxury Prison VIP accommodation. This is a big joke.
So I say, YP, get your act right. Otherwise people will abandon you. There is already some gossip that even Hirunia is about to turn her back because Kudu Duminda is about to get under YP skirt.
BTW who is steering this YP and executing it. We dont seem to observe who the leader and pace setter is.
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Leelagemalli / March 29, 2015
Why should our representative pay 2000 – 4000 $ a night ? Can they afford them ? Are we oild rich nations ? Middle east tourists travelling to Munich or other citiies across the Europe would behave so – because they are able to do so, but why lankens (belongs to one another poor country) – we are just made fake mid income earners for the sake of Rajapakshes to grab funds and create a misery in lanken economy… but poor folks believed it… the fact is we are all aware, majoirty of the population are under poverty line ( over 50%) – they dont have even the cheapest food item – drinking water enough…. what are we talking about ?
Are also coming from rich nations ? Why cant lanken missions in the US or where lanken represenatives are travelling to cant pre check the and settle hotels of affordable sort so that one can save these dollars and better use for the poor of poor that dont have even health, shelter, meals ( simply saying they are on survivial mode for entire life).
I really dont think today president would waste the sums the way the bugger Rajapakshes deliberately did, but they can even go further the way the Greece are asked to do by EU nations these days. Austerity measures can save us from all disasters.
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Pot Shot / March 26, 2015
I am not convinced but lets give the benefit of the doubt to the minister. His statement must be clear and address the issue instead of explaining his mode of transport and the people he met which anyway we know from the media.
Is he having a relationship with this Sameera. YES? or NO? If he is, then it is a personal and private matter and as long as it is not abused to the extent where public funds are used for his pleasure. Otherwise let us Sri Lankans mind our bloody business and only raise objections on policy, governance and fraud related issues.
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Jango / March 26, 2015
Another bull’s eye, Pot Shot. Well done!
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Justice & Fairplay / March 27, 2015
Pot Shot, you have scored a Bull’s Eye in addition to writing a lot of common sense; a commodity rapidly receding amongst many sri lankans.
It is the effectiveness of the public discharge of his duties that we should watch Mangala Samaraweera for, and not what happens behind his bedroom door, if they don’t concern us or cost us any.
This CT website promises much, but often it lets itself down.
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maali karunaratne / March 27, 2015
Lets keep private lives of politicians as private unless public money is wasted. We are worried about MR’s travels because he wasted public money. Private lives of Mangala is made public but there are lots of politicians past and present whose private life has been full of crimes such as rapes, sexual harassment, etc.
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MirakRajBanda / March 26, 2015
Ohh Ok. Will you please explain the other, 20 years of age, inexperience, lady Public relation officer; why and under what context she was recruited?
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Ansar / March 26, 2015
This is the depth to which the MARA campaign will scoop in order to get to the people who are tirelessly working to restore the lost credibility of our beloved country.
The personal life of anyone is not the concern of anybody as long as it does not affect the general public or our public coffers, unlike the previous administration which was skinning the general public and plundering the state coffers for their luxurious life styles.
This is the true quality of low class people who pry on other people’s private lives for their personal benefit.
They say a person’s true quality will come out when he is up against the wall. No wonder the hidden qualities of our previous rulers are coming out now and everybody knows why……INVESTIGATIONS AND EXPOSURES.
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Aia / March 26, 2015
Happy to see the transparency, which was a rare thing during MR’s ruling. About the rubbish they published about the young father, it is very unfortunate he was in the receiving end of this political savory.
“5.Having known the schedule in advance it is also a mystery why two nights were booked by the Sri Lankan mission in New York.”
Leaving things unexplained as a mystery is not good enough for a FM, Mangala has to get to the bottom of this. Because Guys in the missions are used to practices they used to do all these days.
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Ben Hurling / March 26, 2015
I do not care about Mangala’s private life. That is his business.
I applaud him for staying away from both Waldorf-Astoria & Dorchester hotels as well.
However, Four Seasons is still not justified. Way out of league. Just look a the invoice. If paid for by impoverished tax payers in SL.
New York is an expensive city to stay overnight. Still, one does not need USD 15 000,- to kill a couple of nights there on a working visit.
Personally, I would never accept such luxuries poured upon me by people who are struggling to survive in Sri Lanka.
Cheers!
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Sylvia Haik / March 27, 2015
First MR tried to frighten his opponents by saying he had “Files” on them. That has obviously failed. His tactics now appear a smear campaign aided and abetted by his sycophants. The photocopy of the alleged invoice is a bit suspicious as it is titled “Pro Forma Invoice” as they are not issued by hotels.
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Native Vedda / March 27, 2015
Ben Hurling
“Personally, I would never accept such luxuries poured upon me by people who are struggling to survive in Sri Lanka.”
Therefore UNP/SLFP government needs to reappoint Sajin de Vass Gunawardena as the monitoring MP at the Ministry of External Affairs.
Hopefully it will solve budgetary issues within the ministry.
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Lasanda / March 26, 2015
Like in Arab countries, [Edited out]
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Point of View / March 26, 2015
Are you referring to former Meeharaka ?
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Lasanda / March 26, 2015
Referring to this Royal [Edited out]
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Rio Ziegelaar / March 26, 2015
A very “diplomatic” reply to a question he may have not understood. His private life is not of my bizness so long as the poor tax payers in SL are paying for it.
Is Four Seasons a 3 Star hotel? I am sure you could find good accomadation in NY for much cheaper. His room costed around 1,500 US$ per night while the others had to enjoy cheaper rooms. Where is the equaTlity here. This is where good governance should start with.
That he did not sleep at the Waldorfs etc does not show much good governance. Like saying I did not ride a Bentley, instead I rode a Mercedes.
When will these egoistic greedy politicos learn? Will he stay at Four Seasons if he had to pay the bill? I bet the answer is a loud NO.
Mangal is jus as bad a parasite as the others from the old rulers. Wasn’the not a MR henchman at some time? HMMMMMM.
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Ben Hurling / March 26, 2015
USD 1500,- per night for 8 hours of rest?
Totally grotesque & immoral. This is the best Good Governance can do?
Imagine how former dictator’s cronies in NYC and visiting NYC must have wasted Sri Lanka’s meagre public?
Woldorf Astoria will surely miss the Rajapassa key account.
Cheers!
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srilal / March 27, 2015
Rio Ziegelaar ,
Didn’t you read the article ? Mangala Has clearly explained how the accommodation related matters are being done , still you go on accusing him for having a super luxury hotel and a deluxe room , isn’t this some sort of personnel vendetta against Mangala ?
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Rio Ziegelaar / March 26, 2015
MS is another parasite and a good Kangaroo, better than the ones you find in Australia. To me he is just another scum-bag.
From Wikipedia….
Political career
He was the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s chief organizer for the southern city Matara beginning in 1983 and Assistant Secretary of the SLFP Coordinating Secretary of the Mother’s Front.
He first entered the Parliament of Sri Lanka as a representative of the Matara District in 1989, and he was appointed as Minister of Post & Telecommunications in the cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994. He also served as the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Public Utilities in the same Cabinet after a reshuffle and was later given the Deputy Minister of Finance portfolio.
Following the election defeat of his party in 2001, he was made the Chief Opposition Whip and the Treasurer of the SLFP. In 2004 he became the Minister of Ports, Aviation and Media in the new cabinet of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
In June 2005, after conflicts with Kumaratunga, he dropped the Media Ministry, but remained Cabinet Minister of Ports and Aviation. He became the campaign manager for Presidential candidate and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. When Rajapakse won and took office in November 2005, he surprised many by appointing Samaraweera to the additional post of Foreign Minister instead of Prime Minister; Samaraweera maintained his other posts.
In late January 2007 Samaraweera was replaced as Foreign Minister, but remained Minister of Ports and Aviation.[2] On 9 February 2007, he was sacked from the cabinet together with ministers Anura Bandaranaike and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi after falling out with the president. He then went on to create a new political party, the SLFP (Mahajana) wing.
In October 2013, the Matara Magistrate’s Court issued a Court order to arrest him and 10 others for their alleged involvement in obstructing a peaceful protest march in Matara by UNP activists, to oust its leader Ranil Wickramasinghe.[3]
On 12 January 2015 Samaraweera was again appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs under newly-elected President Maithripala Sirisena.
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Snowden Edward Asange / March 26, 2015
Dont go by wikipedia, did u know what u write can be corrected by me on wikipedia? prolly u already made some entries b4 u copied it here… Be glad a humble human being from remote Polannaruwa got a chance to rule Sl than the thugs from Matara…
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Analyst / March 26, 2015
People should rise to protest and show their discontent when the rulers begins to waste the state finance for their own pleasure for example wasting on luxury hotels ect. Why
It’s commendable on the minister for not wasting like the previous regime but the bill at the Four Seasons speaks for itself. The US SL mission staff including the honourable HC are used to the high life in the name of POOR SLankans,
Our present humble government should keep a CHECK on these matters.
Patients need kidney Dialysis machines Cancer sufferers needs proper treatments the nation is suffering with pollution of All sorts that need to be seen to what about the epidemics ,drinking water poisoning and many more.
The wealth enjoyed by these parasitic state officials should be spent on the poor men women and children who voted them in. Do not ignore the mass who voted you in they have the right for the money you spend and they have a say how the politicians can spend and so on. That is true DEMOCRASY.
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Simon / March 26, 2015
Perhaps the Poor Sri Lankas can elect one of them selves like MR who can then rip of a couple of Billion dollars of the Poor Sri Lankans.
Hey analytic, please check your self in a good hotel and h[Edited out]
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Analyst / March 26, 2015
Hey Simon what’s your point are you barking up the wrong tree..?
Good governance means use public money wisely, it’s not the case of showing off to the other world leaders look we also can travel like you and parading the pseudo ( made up) faced wife and idiotic children and the hangers on. Mega bills were paid to NYs Astoria and the Limos hired by the Dead Royalty of SL was enormous. These were tax payers money namely. Poor SLankans.
Lessons to be learnt by the present Yahapalanayas.
The minister concerned did not book the Hotel accordingly . So why the US SL Mission was so extravagant in booking Five Seasons Hotel and instead of one day the booking had been made for 2days even though it was not reqested by the Minister.
The US SL Mission are they still following the bad practice inherited from the last Regime?
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srilal / March 26, 2015
i had high regard for Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam , he is an educated , career diplomat , but when the fight broke out between Dr Nonis and Sajin , Prasad K was there and apparently he was the one who stepped them apart ,when the ministry level investigation began , He conveniently washed his hands by saying ” I was just enjoying the sinhala music and didn’t see any thing ” in other words he had taken Sajin vas’s side , i guess he is just another MR’s beneficiary.
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Owl / March 31, 2015
Oh Prasad has been a notorious turncoat in his entire career.He knows how to do a 360 degree turn without been noticed..He has developed courage ONLY NOW to call Sajin Vass an uneducated thug.
However he still praises his relation Mahinda Rajapaksa.
New government better watch out since Washington is too important to be left in unreliable hands.
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Plato. / March 26, 2015
Compared to the Rip-off and the Impunity of the MaRa dynasty rule of the past 10 years this is a storm in a Tea-cup! Unless this Govt:is more effective in checkmating MaRa,GoRa and the other crafty crooks this will go on and on!
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J.Muthu / March 26, 2015
I just cant under stand Sinhala Buddhist, they enjoy [Edited out]. wake up guys, let Tamils go free in their land….don’t blame mangala, u its u r culture…
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shankar / March 26, 2015
muthu,what about Arjuna mahendran?What culture is that?Bhuddhist?
Aren’t we two branches of the same tree?North and south of mahaweli.
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Taraki / March 26, 2015
All you do is complain about ‘Sinhala Buddhist’. Here is something to help you write even more racist posts. You see? An act of kindness from a Sinhala Buddhist.
[Edited out]
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Siri / March 26, 2015
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Adel / March 26, 2015
Why wont you come out clean rather side step the real issue like a silly boy! Its a known fact that you like boys so lets have a media briefing(most of you guy’s love it…like the idiot Rajitha!) and come out of the closet…be the first and make real history. We dare you Mr. Minister!
Take a look – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCvaF8YRYcE
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Leelawathie / March 26, 2015
so that you guys can live up your fantasies.. why should he sacrifice.. just live it closet or not… is your right… western countries allow it to happen while developing countries now. It is not right to discriminate anyone by sexual orientation. I resepct everyone regardless of race, caste, sex … if not now when ? We the heteros have rights, and why not the others ? where is the tolerance limt ?
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Snowden Edward Asange / March 26, 2015
NOT that I discriminate against gays….BUT…..God made Adam and Eve NOT Adam and Steve nor Eve and Eva… its only natural, once people go beyond nature the wrath of the Creator sets in… then its NO point blaming Mother Nature…
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hari / March 26, 2015
And I have mentioned to the relevant officials not to book ostentatious and extravagant hotels like the Waldorf-Astoria in New York and the Dorchester.
Seriously?
Four Seasons is far more expensive than Waldorf Astoria and Dorchester. Your bill says you paid USD 2000+
How stupid you think the average Sri Lankans are? Or you prefer to keep them stupid and poor? So they will never understand the games you play.
You don’t fit the job my dear.
It’s time that the new government looked at a more professional FM.
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joe / March 26, 2015
Can you ask these kind of questions from the previous regime. No. White van will be at your doorstep.
Just ask MR and his brothers if they can visit to Europe and USA. Then we will talk.
Mangala you are good.
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Crana / March 26, 2015
4650 dollars for two nights?!! That is 2325 per night for a room at Four Seasons! That is an absolute crime.
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C. Wijeyawickrema / March 26, 2015
In a situation like this to say the young man is a father and married is not the end of the matter.
I know a young man married with a baby girl, but he was gay full-time.
Accept or deny an act honestly, if you are gay. Why hide it?
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Native Vedda / March 26, 2015
C. Wijeyawickrema
“I know a young man married with a baby girl, but he was gay full-time.”
What is wrong with if the young man is in open marriage? As long as he remains open and honest about his relationship it should not bother us. Does the wife trust him, if she does and approves his bisexual relationship should that bother you or any other person?
It is none of your business and keep it that way.
The pertinent question is did Mangala misuse state resources. Stop scrutinising his private parts in public forum.
If you are a homophobic bigot keep it to yourself.
“Accept or deny an act honestly, if you are gay. Why hide it?”
Don’t ask don tell.
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pachoris / March 26, 2015
Being happily married, how does Samaraweera know this if he’s just a minion? It’s ok being bisexual. You failed to give a blunt yes or no response to whether you’re having a sexual or romantic or both relationship with Sameera?
Are you or were you sexually involved with this man? Yes or No?
A lot of homosexuals(even in the army with batmen) get married to hide their real selves because if hostile social attitudes. In addition, bi-sexuals are also common in SL. Him fathering a child is a pathetic avoidance political tactic. It means nothing. You can be married and have homosexual or lesbian sex on the down -lo. Typical political response from him. Clinton said he didn’t have sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. He didn’t think fellatio was sex! Who is he taking us to be? Matara suukiri moda kollo?
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pachoris / March 26, 2015
This isn’t about your private love life or sexual partners. Four seasons i Googled for tomorrow and i can get for $750/night. Waldorf i can get online for 300 to 500 range and if booking way in advance even for 260/night..STOP precaricating and taking lovers at STATE expense. THAT’S the point you’re missing. Not your lover being passed off as a state representative. You learnt well fron your friend who took her lover and hairdresser at public expense. We don’t care about the filthy excessive Saddam like waste by MR and his sub educated crook Divineguma brother. Next time stay at a Patel Motel or Holiday Inn Express. It’s not like you were raised and born tothe manor to think . You failed to give a blunt yes or no response to whether you’re having a sexual or romantic or both relationship with Sameera?
Are you or were you sexually involved with this man? Yes or No? We accept you as being gay and we welcome how open you are.
A lot
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Nihal / March 26, 2015
I live in New York…Four Seasons Hotel is three times more expensive than Waldorf Astoria…He paid $4650 for two nights. That’s $2325 a night.
Waldorf can be had for $369 a night for a Superior King Room..
Is this good governance? Wasting tax payers’ money..? He’s spending worse than the previous regime..
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Analyst / March 26, 2015
He did not book the hotel but the HC people did it for him as it’s the norm. Get it. HC lots wanted to have a nice ride in the name of this minister.
These vultures of the previous crooks are all over and the Yahapalanaya had to be extremely careful.
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Ainsley Abeywickrema / March 27, 2015
@Nihal it does not need much brains to figure out that USD 1500 per night can’t be for a cheap hotel as this bunch of ‘yahapalanaya’ characters like to think! And some of their supporters try to defend by saying that they traveled economy class as if its a big thing.
Welimauna should step down as head of TISL if he has any ethics left in him.
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srilal / March 27, 2015
“Welimauna should step down as head of TISL if he has any ethics left in him “
you let the cat out of the bag …….
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thondamannar / March 26, 2015
Ramya MANAHARA sri Four Seasons’s Madura………
[Edited out]
Sameera for Mangala…… What are Sameera’s qualifications? Whom did he get to meet or was he sold to anyone? kerry ? barry ? bankrupt moon?
samantha powerless? kenneth Roth ??
Colonne for Sameera ??????????
JUST ONE VISIT IN THE COMPANY OF MANAHARA AND NOW THEY ARE ALL FRIENDS OF SRI LANKA IN (02) DAYS……. WHAT A PLAYER !!!!!!!!
[Edited out]
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gogomahinda / March 27, 2015
Our FM has stayed at a junior suite at Four Seasons for USD 4650!! Crazy ! Gravy train all the way.
Mangala,next time nothing more than a room.And your yahapalanaya entourage not more than a secretary in a 3 star hotel down the road.
PRO to arrange CNN,Bloomberg interviews is what we will be told next !!
Ello,ello ! am Sri Lanka porin minster secrtaree,you interviu my minster?
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Abhaya / March 27, 2015
Nice for 2 nights 4600 $ . very nice use of peoples money . and who was [Edited out]
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gogomahinda / March 27, 2015
TI has not obviously trained its local head about accepting free gifts.
I guess in Lanka its Ok for a corruption whatever to check in to a USD 1500 hotel room/suite and not feel bad.
What a happy party on Lanka’s account.
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euroe / March 27, 2015
Mangala if you are honest, come open you are gay… we al know that no need to give sily excuses….. mangala you are not inocent any more…
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Analyst / March 27, 2015
Billions had been plundered doing these acts in the past 12 years nothing compared to that.
Peoples money . Education health and the environment were all put in the back burner when the tax payers money was being swindled for more than a decade. No shame.
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Simiyon / March 27, 2015
Well $4600 for 3 to 4 nights seems too high. There are plenty of good hotels in NY for cheaper. I think the government should put limits on hotel/trip expenses.
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Don / March 27, 2015
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bo / March 27, 2015
If they have a relationship, they should not be working as the boss and the subordinate staff. One of them has to go and work in a different organization. It is a question of conflict of interests, if there is a private relationship.
How and what do they do, when it comes to official social functions with other national leaders and their spouses? Does this guy (PR staff) goes as the spouse of Mangala or as the PR POC? How do other people point to them and mutter things under their breath? It is not just a private matter that should not be talked about; I think it is an important issue at national and international level that undermines a country’s prestige.
In other countries like France for example, when hidden private matters of Ministers became public suddenly, they have caused severe embarrassment to the Minister and also to the government and the country they represented. So Mangala should simply either confirm or deny, and let the world know. Make it a controlled piece of news acceptable to all whether they like it or not, and not become victims to gossip and innuendos.
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