News

Johnston on why yahapalana govt. did not have JO members prosecuted

Published

3 years ago

2021/12/7

by Saman Indrajith

The yahapalana government had tried to prosecute the then Opposition MPs belonging to the Joint Opposition for a fracas in the Chamber of Parliament, but got cold feet on finding that CCTV footage records proved the partiality of former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday.

Making a statement, in Parliament, following the announcement by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that a committee comprising government and Opposition MPs would be appointed to investigate the incidents of violence in Parliament on Friday and Saturday, the Chief Government Whip said: “Time was when MPs came to the Chamber armed with knives to attack us. During an incident that went out of the control of former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, MPs resorted to fisticuffs. Some MPs threw chilli powder, while some hurled chairs. Following that incident the yahapalana government and its speaker Karu Jayasuriya tried to prosecute the Opposition MPs. They lodged complaints at the Colombo Crime Division and the Rajagiriya police station. They boasted that action would be taken against us under the criminal law. Somehow the investigation was stopped. Later, when the CCTV footage was inspected it was found that the Speaker had summoned outsiders to the Chamber. Among those outsiders was a secretary of Karu Jayasuriya, who later decided to stop the investigation seeing that he would be in trouble if the probe continued,” the Chief Government Whip said.

“It is obvious that with regard to the Friday incident, the SJB MPs are trying to cover the wrong doing of their MP. Today they state that there is no security for the opposition MPs. JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke in this House today. TNA MPs too do not complain of such insecurity. That proves the SJB is propagating a lie.

“MP Manusha Nanayakkara rushed to the Chair on Friday addressing the Speaker by the name of an animal. We stood up for the protection of the Speaker, who always upheld democracy in this House. The speaker allows all opposition MPs to raise points of order to hinder the speeches of government MPs. There was no need to continue the session after five in the evening if those opposition MPs had not been allowed to waste the time by raising points of order unnecessarily. Only the minister who is supposed to deliver the reply speech is entitled to ask for additional time, not the opposition MPs. MP Nanayakkara had no right to ask for additional time and thereafter tried to attack the Speaker. There are security personnel assigned to the Speaker but they cannot come to the Chamber that was why we rushed to protect the speaker.

“The opposition’s so-called boycott is a ruse. Today the debate is on the expenditure heads of the Housing Ministry. That ministry was under Sajith Premadasa during the yahapalana time. If the debate proceeded as planned all his corruptions would have come to the surface. Therefore the opposition leader made use of this issue to boycott the debate so that his wrongdoings could be kept under the carpet”.

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Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts

Published

18 hours ago

2025/04/27

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 26 April 2025, valid for 27 April 2025.

The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Latest News

Minister of Foreign Affairs pays his last respects to Pope Francis

Published

18 hours ago

2025/04/27

Priyan

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath represented Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday [26]

News

RW to visit CIABOC on Monday

Published

20 hours ago

2025/04/27

Thilina Walpola

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) tomorrow (28) over the statement he had made on MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, his lawyers have informed the Commission.

Accordingly, the former President will appear before the commission at 9.30am on Monday.

Wickremesinghe was initially summoned by the Commission to CIABOC on April 17 in relation to a statement he had made about the corruption case filed against NDF (gas cylinder) MP Dassanayake.

In response to the previous summons, Wickremesinghe had indicated that he is prepared to appear before the commission but requested a different date citing that his lawyers will not be available in Colombo during the New Year holiday period.

Accordingly, a new was provided and Wickremesinghe requested to appear before the commission at 09.30 a.m. on Thursday (April 25).On April 7, Wickremesinghe had said that MP Dassanayake withdrew the fixed deposits belonging to the Uva Provincial Council, over which he is now facing corruption charges, in accordance with a circular issued during Wickremesingher’s tenure as Prime Minister.

The former President questioned whether the MP’s arrest over the matter was in response to Dassanayake’s vocal criticism of the government in parliament.

The sitting MP is currently in remand custody for allegedly misappropriating a sum of Rs. 1 million of the Uva Provincial Council in 2016.

He was taken into custody on March 27, over three separate corruption-related cases.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court previously granted bail in the cases filed against him but he remains in remand custody due to an order issued by the Badulla Magistrate’s Court.

According to the CIABOC, Dassanayake had solicited funds from three state banks, claiming they were intended to provide bags for preschool children in the province.

Two banks complied, granting him Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million, which were later transferred to his foundation account.

However, when a third bank refused to provide funds, Dassanayake reportedly retaliated by withdrawing the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that institution.The CIABOC filed a case against the MP, citing the government incurred a financial loss of Rs. 17.3 million due to his actions.