News
Twelve members of COPF oppose report on visa scam
Twelve members of the Parliament Committee on Public Finance (COPF) had opposed a report presented to the House on Friday by COPF Chairman Dr Harsha de Silva regarding the VFS visa scam, SLPP MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage said on Saturday.
Aluthgamage said that he and 11 other members of the Committee had not accepted the report presented to Parliament by the Committee Chairman Dr de Silva, on the issuance of online visas to tourists because the report contained errors.
The other MPs who have opposed the report are Shehan Semasinghe, Vajira Abeywardena, Suren Raghavan, Duminda Dissanayake, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Sita Arambepola, Anupa Pasqual, Johnston Fernando, and Madhura Withanage.
“Since the statistics received by the committee regarding tourist arrivals were contradictory. “We requested the Chairman to delay presenting the report to Parliament. However, Dr. Harsha de Silva ignored our objection and presented the report to Parliament,” Aluthgamage said.
Dr de Silva presented the COPF report to the House on Friday and said the committee had found that VFS Global was selected without bids being called.
It has been reported that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne has been found dead at his residence in Athurugiriya this morning (17)
it is suspected that he may have taken his own life.
A heated argument broke out between Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar during the Kilinochchi District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (16).
A video footage of the incident shows the MP and the Minister engaging in a heated verbal exchange, following which a physical confrontation appeared to develop when the Minister attempted to grab files reportedly in the possession of MP Ramanathan.
“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll lay a hand on you too… got it?” Ramanathan is heard telling the Minister during the exchange.
Police and officials present at the meeting intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear.
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed an intervening petition before the Court of Appeal in connection with a petition filed by former head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Cardinal has sought permission from the court to make submissions in relation to Sallay’s petition and requested that it be dismissed.
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