Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa ceremonially opened the famous TGI Fridays flagship restaurant in Colombo Fort, as chief guest at the function.
The famous US owned franchise was opened by the Sri Lanka’s de facto Defence Minister who is under a cloud for having commanded troops believed to have committed war crimes during the final phase of the war with the LTTE.
Secretary Defence was accompanied by Mrs. Ioma Rajapaksa, Chairperson of the Seva Vanitha Unit, Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, the Defence Ministry website said.
Cargills (Ceylon) PLC has entered into a development agreement with world renowned TGI Friday’s Restaurant chain as the exclusive franchisee chain in Sri Lanka.
TGI Friday is a member of the US based Carlson Group. The Carlson Group operates over 900 TGI Friday’s restaurants around the world in over 60 countries. The chain is known for its appearance, with red-striped canopies, brass railings, tiffany lamps and frequent use of antiques as decor. The company asserts that TGI stands for “Thank God It’s Friday”, the Ministry said on its website.
The Defence Minsitry said the renowned restaurant was opened in a classy archaic building which was renovated and developed by Cargills (Ceylon) PLC under the directives of Urban Development Authority. Along with the refurbishment project, old colonial era buildings situated in Chatham Street and Canal Raw in Colombo Fort were developed while taking special care to retain and preserve its original architectural value.
Pasel / October 19, 2013
Are they going to serve Beef?
And Where is all the BBS and Ravana gang?
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Suq Madique / October 19, 2013
What the heck does the BBS or Ravana have to do with this? If at all they should have been agitating about Packers casinos, which they’re not. As for whether the meat is Halal?? Who gives a damn?
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Ela kollage thaththa / October 20, 2013
Muslims will give a damn if the meat ain’t Halal, Definitely porks on the menu since Cargill’s does pork sausages.Let me also ask u a question, have you even got a dique Mr Suq yomada? And No this restaurant is definitely not for you.
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Rationalist / October 20, 2013
No they are going to serve Pork Chops to keep others out! Not that they will Mind!
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hadagamba / October 20, 2013
Pasel
Yes of course. They are looking for animal like you to be killed to make a dish.
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Ela Kollage Amma / October 20, 2013
I wonder what heck he spoke about restaurant business. The man who knows only pigshit and slang was the cheap guest ha ha ha.
Karume….!
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Kapila / October 20, 2013
It is pathetic that US JUNK FOOD and FAST FOOD chains are bring housed in historic buildings in the heart of Colombo!
These buildings should be rented to better names and companies than oily JUNK FOOD sellers – There is also Mac Donalds at the Race Course avenues!
This gives the wrong message to Lankan consumers who are today being bombarded with advertising of OILY and UNHEALTHY JUNK FOOD sold by Multinational companies and there is a NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASE EPIDEMIC – Diabetes, heart disease etc. from eating low grade food like KFC, FLORA Maraerine, Mac Donalds,
I suppose Gota who worked in a petrol station in Los Anglese thinks that TGI Fiday and Mac Donalds are CLASSY and up market restaurants!
Shows this Godeya Goon’s tastes! And the Young generation of gode Rajapassas are into CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION – Lambughini cars!
Corrupt and desperate Social Climbers with NO CULTURE, CLASS or EDUCATION – Voila the Rajapassa Royal family!
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Dude / October 21, 2013
Rajapassas are living the KINGBURY Life Style.. Living it up while the sun shines on their looting of the public wealth and bankrupting the country.
Flashy and showy cars and lifestyle – BLING BLING is the name of the game a la Sarkozy..
All those Rajapassa bank accounts and assets can be traced and their property grabbed from the people will be SEIZED by the State and resold at market value once the Rajapassa Regime falls..
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Capucine da Silva / October 21, 2013
Dude, The question, can you work up a scenario where the Rajapakse will fall?Rajapaksas are very crafty and they will sing the baila to keep the two legged grass eaters happy.Who do we have as alternative ? Ranil the man with a memory and activity that does not last even 10 days, a man who runs away when there is an propblem? Sajith P who had not opened his mouth in the parliament during the 20 years he was there, other than to curse the Tamils, who has no education to make a positive contribution at the parliament, who thinks that by offering bribes to the Saffroned rogues he can win the election to the presidency.
There is only one solution, assasinate every saffroned rougue who indulges in politics and then you can convince the two legged grass eating cattle to vote against the Rajapaksasa.
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Vince / October 21, 2013
I agree with you. I see McDonald’s located in the racecourse building. it is an insult to have these cheap restaurants in these historic buildings. Sri Lanka needs to create an identity for these buildings. May be fusion food, that combines sri lankan food with other types and have shops selling Sri lankan creativity i.e. like Barefoot.
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David Blacker / October 21, 2013
TGI Fridays isn’t classed as fast food, though they do have fast food like hamburgers and hotdogs on their menu (so do many 5-star restaurants), and they are certainly not cheap. Do a bit of research, or visit the place before complaining.
In Budapest I saw a McD’s in an ancient renovated building, and it was tastefully done. What’s the problem? many of these buildings are going to ruin and at least someone is now paying to maintain it.
Stop complaining about everything.
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Rationalist / October 20, 2013
Look at Gotabaya’s Body Language when ‘White Skinned’ People are around!
Dekata Thunata Namila, Hina Vevee Vandegena!
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Supun / October 21, 2013
But, Rationalist, he has not ‘dekata thunata newune’, when the ‘white skinned’ people put the pressure to stop the war against terrorist!
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Rationalist / October 22, 2013
We hear that the UK helped him to round up the LTTE.
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Percy Jilmart / October 21, 2013
Maybe in the future the BBS and Goata the Goon (the patron saint of the BBS) will start a new franschise and name it “Thank GOAT It’s Friday?” :-D
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Dave / October 22, 2013
Percy, stop repeating your jokes. I know your hard up for some.
Geez…
LONG LIVE HIS EXCELLENCY – PRESIDENT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSHA
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Javi / October 22, 2013
WhoooHo? King Pong and his Mouse Organ.
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Percy Jilmart / October 21, 2013
Maybe in time Gota the Goon who is patron saint of the BBS will start his own franschise and call it, “Thank GOAT It’s Friday.” :-D
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Rationalist / October 22, 2013
You mean “Thank ‘Goad’ It’s Friday”
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Upul / October 19, 2013
Is the meat Halal?
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Fathima Fukushima / October 20, 2013
Halal or bilal it is not our problem.
Let the Muslims eat halal and you eat what you want.
Remember the butcher’s knife in London streets a few months ago in the hands of 2 young Muslims?
Don’t ask for it.
If Muslims are denied their religious practices like halal there will be jihad.
Go fight Tamil terrorists and turn them into meatballs for army dog squad. Leave us alone.
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Hasanth / October 20, 2013
Spoken like a true follower of a psychopathic religion. Islam and its extremist offshoots are the worlds problem. You can see the venom and rhetoric from Fathima here. If none of them like the laws of the land – let them all go and live in Saudi Arabia and experience true islam. They will all convert and come crying back.. If they want halal, burka’s and mosques.. go live in a muslim country and leave us Kaffirs. We will lose nothing… Then you can all go and kill each other and leave the rest of the world to progress.
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Arsath / October 21, 2013
Hasanth you Dumb ass!! Fathima Fukushima!! Do you really think it’s a she/he and the impersonator is Muslim.. for fuck sake it could be you making comments under two different names. Grow up you tiny dick!
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Point of View / October 21, 2013
She is a Sinhala Buddhust with a Muslim name, who posts comments for a packet of rice and a bottle of Arrack !
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MaRa HoRa / October 21, 2013
Camel Urine lover Jimsofty aka Leela answers his own comment since no one didnt bothered to read his pro Gothaya pigshit comment.
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PalmSquirrell / October 19, 2013
With inflation , the market for these foreign franchise stores is not as rosy as it was few years back. I have seen plenty a Pizza Hut, Dominos, Baskin Robbins and McDonalds near empty for days.
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mike / October 19, 2013
Will they also serve pig shit, GOATA’s favourite dish (in his own words!).
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hadagamba / October 20, 2013
Mile the pike
How do you know that? Iy=t appears that you must have shared that dish with Gota before?
And your brain of that too.
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ruwan / October 19, 2013
RAJAPAKAYAS GODAYATA MAGIC ! Rajapassa’s (Godayas) Come to Town ! The Jarapakse Hilli Billies !
Berate the West, but bring all their entertainment here ! Did I hear the word ‘HYPOCITE(S)’ !
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Probono Publico / October 19, 2013
Nothing wrong at all in opening this
I’m only curious to know the BBS stand on this place serving beef,over to BBS rep in CT who is always ready to lambast others in issues but where is he/she now?
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BBS Rep / October 20, 2013
Hello Probono Publico,
So far I have not lambasted anyone or any idea and do not intend to do so in the future as well.
Well, we are not in the business of making monks of all Sri Lankans. Tolerance towards lay people is a Buddhist tradition. We are not anti business either in whatever shape or form it comes. We are not against eating meat, that is a individual choice. So this restaurant opening in Colombo is of no interest to us other than perhaps a simple curiosity.
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Rationalist / October 20, 2013
Hello BBS Rep.
When did you change your tune? You were behind the BBS when they attacked Muslim Butcher Shops! They are Sri Lankans too. re “Tolerance towards lay people is a Buddhist tradition”.
“Well, we are not in the business of making monks of all Sri Lankans”.
If the BBS is the Norm for Buddhist Monks, thank goodness you are not trying to make Sri Lankans into Buddhist Monks.
It is No wonder, Sri Lankan Buddhists are converting to Other religions!
“We are not anti business either in whatever shape or form it comes.” Even if it is by Graft and Corruption?
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Probono Publico / October 20, 2013
BBS rep your credibility is at serious stake here my friend do reply and let us know your stand to what I asked and what rationalist asked if you keep silent now dont post again as we will take you for a joke or as they say in informal circles take you for a bite!
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Probono Publico / October 20, 2013
Thank you very much for replying to my posting and I appreciate it
You say that ”Tolerance towards lay people is a Buddhist tradition. We are not anti business either in whatever shape or form it comes. We are not against eating meat, that is a individual choice”
BUT is that your own personal view or the view of BBS?
if its your own personal view I accept it but if you say that its the BBS stand then I totally reject it as an outright lie
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BBS Rep / October 22, 2013
I represent BBS and my personal views do not count.
So many deride us not on evidence but on emotion. So many say we are this or that when we are just the opposite.
Can’t win with most of the CT readers.
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Rationalist / October 23, 2013
BBS Rep:-
Please take your BBS and go and demonstrate opposite the TGI Friday. They serve halal beef imported from Overseas.
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Javi / October 20, 2013
Biscuit Boofer Society
“So far I have not lambasted anyone or any idea and do not intend to do so in the future as well”
So peeping tom counts trees and conceals the forest?
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Banda / October 19, 2013
Let the dogs bark, the country shall move ahead.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / October 19, 2013
yes Dalu Banda,
You can move forward with Looting clan.
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Lapatiya / October 20, 2013
@Julampitiye,
I don’t know why you disclosed Banda’s full name. Next time please don’t do that as so far he kept his Identity secret from his relatives. Now all his relatives knows who this “D.A.L.U Banda” is.
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mike / October 20, 2013
BALU Banda, stop barking and move ahead with your arse-licking!
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sana / October 20, 2013
When you are hungry, kabaragoya can become Thalagoya
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asoka / October 19, 2013
NICE SHIRT GOTA…!!
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kasipu / October 20, 2013
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Taraki / October 20, 2013
It’s a wonder BBS haven’t complained about the name including ‘God’. They are quiet at the moment probably until CHOGM is over.
They may think TGIF it stands for Thank God It’s Friday but we all know it stands for Thank Gota’s International Friends.
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David Blacker / October 21, 2013
Why should the BBS complain about the use of the word “god”? Are gods worshipped in Buddhism?
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J.Muthu / October 20, 2013
Typical Sinhala make Sinhala fools…………..
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ruwan / October 20, 2013
Not ALL Sinhalese, but SOME, you’re right ! Just the Rajagodayas !
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Taraki / October 20, 2013
Ruwan, read his posts. For muthu it has always been ‘singala buddhist modayas.’ That’s the limit of his mental ability.
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Javi / October 20, 2013
‘Sir, TGIF – Thank God it’s Friday!’
Overhear! it’s always
‘S H I T – Sorry honey, it’s Thursday.’
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jehan1 / October 20, 2013
no problem. import the beef. keep all the cattles in the temple. then export the beef (like india the 4the largest beef exporter).The Sri Lanken cattle farmer suffers then commits suicide. just because gota and bbs wants to get into the beef business.
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Javi / October 20, 2013
Ape shit gota needs the leather even from the dogs rundown on the highway for export to the west.
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Fathima Fukushima / October 20, 2013
Why they need the defence minister to open restaurants?
No other jobs for the defence ministry?
(BTW why is Kothapaya’s wife so [Edited out]? She looks like a Tamil.)
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Ela Kollage Amma / October 20, 2013
No other jobs for the defence ministry?
Ha ha ha yep thats it, you hit the nail on the head.
Not that no other jobs to do, but the truth is he doesnt know how to do. Nandasena is a Rajapaksa. So what can you expect from a Jarapassa otherwise glofied him as a super hero.
these fellas cant even sit properly in from of a camera let alone their speaking and language skills. Owful body language.
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mike / October 21, 2013
GOATabaya’s wife was [Edited out]. She has the requisite qualifications to serve as Chairperson in the Ceramics Corporation!!
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kris / October 20, 2013
Gota should not worry about few dogs barks here ,they don’t have any other thing than barking for everything
Few stary dogs
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Ela Kollage Amma / October 20, 2013
Thats what many of us here thought about one stray dog who barks at everyone other than bootlickers. Jimsofty, fukushimba, Asanka, Sarojini, John, Mulliyawaikkal
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Fathima Fukushima / October 20, 2013
And the bittches counter-bark at them! :)
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chandra / October 20, 2013
For the avoidance of doubt Fathima is also Mulliyawaikkal also known as Lorenzo from LW.
From his comments here and at LW people are able to judge his character. He has not stepped foot in Sri Lanka since 2008.
Wonder why? more to be revealed…
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Peacelover / October 21, 2013
please do tell more of his past!
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justice / October 20, 2013
Gota is an american and this is an american food vendor – not like the 7UP he worked in earlier.
So,he was invited to open it – though he ate in fast food joints while in USA.
Will they serve steaks and pudding american style?
He can taste for the first time – and take the leftovers for his wife’s swiss puppy.
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Ex Atheist / October 20, 2013
AN AVERAGE SRI LANKAN FAMILY CANNOT EVEN AFFORD TO GO TO A THOSAI BOUTIQUE. CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED SO MANY TGIs IN THIS COUNTRY?
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Javi / October 22, 2013
Those are slime joints with froglights to sit eggsaminations.
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vishvajith / October 20, 2013
No issue for me.
Btw, BBS n other mad fellows operate on an on/off basis with the switch operator being the Govt. The problem here is that the mad fellows will get fed up of this arrangement and will want to be the switch operator themselves. Now that will be fun times.
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BBS Rep / October 22, 2013
Vishvajith Thambi,
We at BBS do not respond to any government switch. If I do not comment sometimes it is because I find some comments crude and not worth replying to. I also do not entertain hate mongers, no matter what side of the world they come from.
And mostly I do not reply because I have very little time. I work full time and have almost no access to the internet from Fridays to Sundays.
BBS is an independent body. Sometimes it is expedient for us to collude with some particular government standpoint – like almost every society in the world. Often we do not agree with the government actions, and yet again out of expediency do not come out raving and ranting.
Such is life.
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Levi / October 20, 2013
Dear Mike
“Will they also serve pig shit, GOATA’s favourite dish (in his own words!).”
I am not sure but defintely Goat.
levi
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 20, 2013
Should we not be opening glitzy bath and curry, iddiaappa-pittu, Plain Aaappa-pani- egg aappa -kiri aappa-Pani Appa,Kola kanda, Kool and rotti (various types) restaurants instead. These should go with good ‘cutlis’, malu banis, seeni sambol banis, mutton rolls, etc.
Why ‘Fridays’ which most Sri Lankans can ill-afford? The tourists of course have been to these, where they come from and come here in search of a new experience.
‘Home grown’ solutions for things that are critical for the nation and really matter, but Western impositions for everything else!
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Rationalist / October 20, 2013
What about ‘Kimbula Paan’?
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Indran / October 20, 2013
A few despicable and prominent individuals with Tamil names, continue to literally or figuratively dance the Portugese-Sinhalese creole baila, and constantly attempt to speak eloquently in Sri Lankan English creole:
Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chelva Kanaganayakam
Gajan Pathmanathan
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Javi / October 20, 2013
The origin baila is not Portuguese but African and that’s where even westerners come from.
It’s the same as me saying that Kathak and Kandyan dance form is from Bharatanatyam dance.
Music and Dance are generally shared and it brings the world together.
You northerners/southerners have a lust problem.
Check this out South Africa’s Civil War and Freedom Songs Video 5.14mins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FEBDNJtNWk
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Indran / October 20, 2013
A few despicable and prominent individuals with Tamil names, continue to literally or figuratively dance the Portugese-Sinhalese creole baila, and constantly attempt to speak eloquently in Sri Lankan English creole :
Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chelva Kanaganayakam
Gajan Pathmanathan
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Fathima Fukushima / October 20, 2013
Tamils are Negros (respectable people). But these Tamils don’t look like them. Something wrong.
But when Radhika puts her pottu she looks like Pottu Amma!
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PalmSquirrell / October 20, 2013
You make no sense with your “negro” comment.
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Abhaya Premawardena / October 20, 2013
why is this news ?
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Palayang yako! / October 20, 2013
Come on everyone, please understand that for anyone raised on Slurpees in a 7-Eleven TGIF is truly “up-scale.” And considering that a U.S. gas station would only have a canned-pop dispenser this must have seemed like declaring open the Ritz!
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jay pathbey / October 20, 2013
This is good news for Sri Lanka.
For those who seem to take a sadistic pleasure in insulting Gota, you must remember that Gota and the Rajapaksa’s never sold the country to the Tamils through the bullshit Peace Agreement like spineless Ranil did. He had to whip them and out of the country too to bring Sri Lanka to what it is today. If there is one man in Sri Lanka who has a spine it is Gota.
For the idiot who commented about Gota’s body language in front of the whites, even Ghandhi adopted the same posture in front of the whites. But deep down inside he was laughing at the whites because of their stinking habit of wiping their asses with paper.
JP – USA
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Patta Pal / October 20, 2013
Hello where have you been lately. Tell me that the NPC elections are not the forerunner for separate rule. So don’t be hasty in coming to conclusions, the Rajapakses have effectively sold the country to the highest bidders by their divisive policies, and who do you think will have the last laugh? Your nemesis.
Gota needs no insulting, he is insulting himself by his very behaviour
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Backlash / October 20, 2013
The Brothers have ruined the economy to the extent the humble polgediya/thengai, indispensable to every kitchen in the country, is now beyond the reach of the ordinary man (around Rs.45-50) Many in the lower middle class and below are forced to manage with just a single
ordinary meal today. What The Royal Family must provide is dansalas
(something like soup kitchens) in every street corner serving at least rice and parippu (pol sambole will soon vanish from most homes)One of these many Ministers springing up periodically can be made the Minister of Dansalas. Following the fetish of The Royal Family about their tainted name these can be called Rajapakse Ping adi Isthanaya.
Backlash
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / October 20, 2013
Anything that can rattle the cages of LTTE diaspora monkeys like this can’t be all that bad for Sri Lanka :D
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RajasH / October 20, 2013
what has this to do with LTTE diaspora monkeys …..it appears that you love to drag LTTE and the Tamil diaspora in to everythign
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / October 21, 2013
I don’t need to drag them into anything, since they seem gather around and start howling like a pack of stray dogs all by themselves: just check out the comments here :D
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Javi / October 22, 2013
Long time no flea! Catfish!
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Ela Kollage Thaththa / October 23, 2013
[Edited out], BBS is looking for you everywhere. They cant wait to roast you in an open fire with an apple in your mouth. You the same person who writes disgusting comments about Buddhists and Tamils on Srilanka Topix Forum. This Blady Moose limb comes up either as in a Sinhala name or Tamil name and creates disharmony between the Tamils and Sinhalese.
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Percy Jilmart / October 21, 2013
Siva Sankaran Sarma aka David Blocker is back with his pet project of Tamil bashing. :-D
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David Blacker / October 21, 2013
I don’t use other names like you cowards, Percy Jilmart aka PresiDunce Bean aka Shehan Jayawardene. Get a life, retard, instead of accusing everyone you don’t like of being me. There’s only one of me and I quite like my name and use it whenever I comment.
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Ela Kollage Thaththa / October 23, 2013
Other names also include Punc, CrimeaRiver, [Edited out]
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pataginia / October 20, 2013
[Edited out]
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Lankan / October 20, 2013
What was the “Paga/Commission” that was paid?
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Betsy / October 21, 2013
The hatred and the intolerance to the minorities are clearly showing ,the sinhalese despises and condemns ,i am a srilankan muslim and being treated as an outcast, am covering my head, so i will have to expect intolerance,being spat,ridiculed,who cares,as i long as i have my patience,tolerance,forbearance and continue being happy,kind,content and well mannered,i will not take notice of all these insults or illmannered ,people who ,harrass,ridicule,mock ,spit and be evil to the minorities ,may be its the new srilankan motto,for all the hardship we muslims go through we will be rewarded by Allah, aameen
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Sai Thy / October 21, 2013
Be happy you people were eating Nana’s dirt all these days. Now you can eat American birds. What else you want him to do. Already big investments are sold to Chinese and made happy. Americans also need investments. He has to kill Nana’s to support them. Best way to safe the government is sell everything you own to foreign and they will protect there interest. So government get its protection. Forget you being SriLankan or Sinhala or Buddhist now believe and be Rajapakse government.Your identity is Rajapakse family
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Taraki / October 21, 2013
Why did Gota open TGIF under a cloud? Was it raining?
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Javi / October 22, 2013
The mean looking cloud and a ten-ton frog
singing “wake me up before you glow glow-wham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A
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