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Parliament

Sandasen Marasinghe and Disna Mudalige

JO members joined LTTE to protest against me in Australia: PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said in parliament that a group of Joint Opposition members joined hands with LTTE cadres to stage a protest against him while he was in Australia when the Deakin University conferred him with a honorary degree. The Premier said the JO activists and LTTE extremists protested against him and they were together shouting at him using public addressing systems.

The Premier made these observations yesterday while responding to a question raised by joint opposition MP Padma Uadayashantha Gunasekera, who demanded to know as to what measures the government will take against those who spread racism through the internet.

The Premier also said that it was suspicious if these efforts to promote racism were done by those who staged the protest.

Together, against him in Australia.


Procedure fraudulent, incorrect: JVP Leader

The procedure taken to grant degree awarding status to SAITM was fraudulent and wrong, said Chief Opposition Whip and JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Moving an adjournment debate in Parliament yesterday on issues pertaining to SAITM, the MP said the University Grants Commission (UGC) granted the degree awarding status to the SAITM on August 31, 2011 on certain conditions to be met .

He pointed out a post review on these conditions was due after February 28, 2012, but eight days prior to that, the power of granting degree awarding status was taken over by the Ministry Secretary from the UGC.

Observing that Dr Sunil Jayantha Navaratne was the Ministry Secretary who was holding office at that time, MP Dissanayake alleged that this move was a fraudulent act carried out with the connivance of the then Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake.

MP Dissanayake further pointed out an expert committee comprised of 10 persons appointed by the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), unanimously decided that the SAITM could not be recognized and the report was handed over to Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne on September 4, 2015.

The MP also claimed that Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne deliberately delayed publishing this report in a Gazette allowing the matter to be taken up in court.

The MP further said SAITM had obtained BOI approval in 2008 by producing fake documents. He urged former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to articulate their positions on SAITM issue and take steps to resolve it without allowing it to be further complicated. The MP further pointed out that the UGC had been unable to properly fill the student vacancies at State Universities, depriving university entrance to many students. “In 2013/2014 intake, there had been 1,794 vacancies, in 2014/2015 intake there had been 1,455 vacancies and in 2015/2016 the intake had been 2,226 vacancies. The students are languishing at home for 19 long months after the A-L exam. In Colombo, Ruhuna and Sri Jayewardenapura Universities alone, there is a shortage of 310 staff lecturers. These must be addressed as soon as possible” he said.


Security personnel of former President:

Matter should be referred to relevant committee, report to Parliament

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday, stated that the matter concerning the security personnel of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa not provided with the relevant aptitude training should be referred to the relevant committee and a report should be summoned before Parliament.

He said that it could be found out whether they had not been directed to the training or had the security personnel had not participated in training.

The Premier made these observations yesterday, when joint opposition member Wimalaweera Dissanayake questioned as to why the monthly travelling allowance and special allowance of one third of the basic salary was not paid to the police officers who were deployed to provide security to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Rathnayake said that the said allowance were initiated to be given to the police officers who were deployed to provide security to the President, Prime Minister, Ministers and former Presidents in 2002 by the UNP government. He added that the previous government confined the allowance only to the President’s security. Again this, the government changed enabling security officers of the Prime Minister, Ministers and former Presidents to get the allowance. However, the security officers had to take aptitude training before they were entitled for the allowance. Since 2005, the security division of former President Chandrika Kumarathunga was decided by a Cabinet. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s security division is operated separately. “I have instructed that they be attached to the Ministerial Security Division. However, during the previous regime, the allowances had been given even without aptitude training,” Minister Rathnayake said.

When MP Dissanayake questioned as to why such a long period had been taken to provide the training, the Premier said the training was provided by the Police. The security division had to direct the officers for training. “So we can direct this matter before a relevant committee and get the report within a week, the Premier said. “Then only could we find out what has taken place.”


Govt. will find out if any groups

or personnel are attempting to promote separatism, LTTE

Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka assured Parliament that the government would find out if some groups or personnel attempt to promote separatism and LTTE.

The Minister made this observation yesterday when joint Opposition Parliamentarian Padma Udayashantha Gunasekara questioned the government’s stance on posts shared in the internet and social media these days that promotes separatism and LTTE. He added that in one of them a woman in LTTE attire made statements too. He made this query during the round of questions for oral answers.

At this stage, Minister Sagala Ratnayaka said that if there were such incidents, they be reported before the Court and action would be taken accordingly.

Leader of the House, Highways and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella questioned as to whether those websites operated locally or internationally and MP Gunasekara said that he was not aware of it. Minister Kiriella said that opposition members make baseless statements. They attempt to give undue publicity to the LTTE at a time when it had been eliminated.

At this statement Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the opposition members were unaware as to where those websites were being operated. “Then how could we know if they operated them with those inimical forces?” the Premier questioned. “Some of the Opposition members with several LTTEers altogether around 20, staged a protest in Australia when I went there.”

At this stage MP Gunasekara said that he would find as to where the websites were being operated in and what those websites were.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said some of the websites of Namal Rajapakasa and Mahinda Rajapaksa operated overseas, sling mud at the President, Prime Minister and Cabinet and himself. He requested that those websites be looked into.

A this stage UNP MP SM Marikkar said that it was not a website but a profile called ‘MR Esata Penena Minisa’ to which the Premier said that we could direct that ‘MR Esata Penena Minisa’. be found out.


CAA seals matchstick factory

CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE

The Consumer Affairs Authority sealed an illegal matchstick manufacturing factory in Panawa, Nittambuwa yesterday evening.

According to CAA officials, the authority raided the factory following a complaint by a citizen that it was manufacturing and distributing matches to consumers without the Sri Lanka Standard Institute (SLSI) certificate.

The CAA sleuths seized matchstick boxes worth Rs. 120,480 from the factory.

Matchstick manufacturing deals with hazardous material and obtaining SLSI certificate is a must for the product, said CAA Chairman Hasitha Thilakaratna.

He said Industries and Commerce Minister Rishad Badiudeen urged to conduct the raid as the product in question was of importance in terms of public safety.

“We are taking steps to bring this case before the Attanagalla Magistrate’s Courts on March 17,” he said.


Those who misled students in 1971 and 1989 have no moral right to speak of students: Kiriella

 

Sandasen Marasinghe

The political parties that misled the students in 1971 and 1989, has no moral right to speak of the country’s students any more, said Highways and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella.

He also said that it was the UNP that initiated the free education system. We have provided the students with text books, uniforms, bursary and the Mahapola and we will solve the university students hostel issue by 2018.

The Minister made these observations joining the Adjournment Motion on SAITM moved by JVP Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Minister Kiriella also said that some groups have created a political issue concerning the SAITM. Now we have to act according to a Court order. “The legal background, the standard of the SAITM was challenged before Court in the same manner that they do here,” Minister Kiriella said. “The Court has considered all aspects and gave its decision. We have to abide by it.”

The Minister said the Kotelawala Defence University also commenced a medical faculty during the previous regime, adding that the Medical Council granted its approval to it even at a time there was no hospital to it since the Medical Council feared the then Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

“I appreciate the previous government as it initiated this private medical college although it was a leftist government,” Minister Kiriella said. “It also granted a loan of Rs 600 million to the SAITM. The then President Mahinda Rajapaksa also granted 10 students scholarships in SAITM.”

He requested that all support to act in line with the Court order. He also asked for assistance to operate SAITM until the appeal against the Court order on SAITM is heard.


CAA seals matchstick factory

CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE

The Consumer Affairs Authority sealed an illegal matchstick manufacturing factory in Panawa, Nittambuwa yesterday evening.

According to CAA officials, the authority raided the factory following a complaint by a citizen that it was manufacturing and distributing matches to consumers without the Sri Lanka Standard Institute (SLSI) certificate.

The CAA sleuths seized matchstick boxes worth Rs. 120,480 from the factory.

Matchstick manufacturing deals with hazardous material and obtaining SLSI certificate is a must for the product, said CAA Chairman Hasitha Thilakaratna.

He said Industries and Commerce Minister Rishad Badiudeen urged to conduct the raid as the product in question was of importance in terms of public safety.

“We are taking steps to bring this case before the Attanagalla Magistrate’s Courts on March 17,” he said.


Those who misled students in 1971 and 1989 have no moral right to speak of students: Kiriella

Sandasen Marasinghe

The political parties that misled the students in 1971 and 1989, has no moral right to speak of the country’s students any more, said Highways and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella.

He also said that it was the UNP that initiated the free education system. We have provided the students with text books, uniforms, bursary and the Mahapola and we will solve the university students hostel issue by 2018.

The Minister made these observations joining the Adjournment Motion on SAITM moved by JVP Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Minister Kiriella also said that some groups have created a political issue concerning the SAITM. Now we have to act according to a Court order. “The legal background, the standard of the SAITM was challenged before Court in the same manner that they do here,” Minister Kiriella said. “The Court has considered all aspects and gave its decision. We have to abide by it.”

The Minister said the Kotelawala Defence University also commenced a medical faculty during the previous regime, adding that the Medical Council granted its approval to it even at a time there was no hospital to it since the Medical Council feared the then Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

“I appreciate the previous government as it initiated this private medical college although it was a leftist government,” Minister Kiriella said. “It also granted a loan of Rs 600 million to the SAITM. The then President Mahinda Rajapaksa also granted 10 students scholarships in SAITM.”

He requested that all support to act in line with the Court order. He also asked for assistance to operate SAITM until the appeal against the Court order on SAITM is heard.

 

 


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