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SJB to ensure 25% of its candidates will be youth
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) would ensure reserve 25 percent of candidates were youth, MP Mayantha Dissanayaka told the media yesterday.
“The SJB working committee has agreed to this. We believe that young people need more access to politics and young leaders must come up the ranks,” he said.
Dissanayaka said that the opposition political parties were demanding elections as the current administration was not capable of solving the economic crisis.
“Some government MPs say that elections are costly. A general election might cost a few billion rupees but what about the cost of political instability? Who would want to invest in Sri Lanka, or provide bridging finance, without a stable government?” he said.
The SJB MP said that the government no longer has 113 MPs in Parliament. The Opposition has the majority in Parliament. However, the Opposition does not see the point in palace intrigues, he said.
“The Parliament does not reflect the will of the people. How many government MPs can go to their villages? They are afraid of the people. I don’t think people are ready to accept the so-called solutions of the government. The President was elected by MPs. We need a Parliament that reflects the will of the people and a President that is elected by the people for stability and to carry out reforms needed to dig Sri Lanka out of the hole it is in,” Dissanayaka said.
New controversy erupts over missing USD 2.5 mn:
Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has sought citizenship details of Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.
According to a letter dated 28 April, addressed to the relevant department, Solicitor England and Wales Kodituwakku sought the required information in terms of Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act No 3 of 1982 of Australia. Suriyapperuma is also the Secretary to the Treasury.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Suriyapperuma (from November 2024 to June 2025) is embroiled in a deepening controversy over the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
The leader of the Vinivida Foundation said that he intended to move court against Suriyapperuma for entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of the country’s Constitution (Article 91(1)(d)(xiiii).
Kodituwakku said: “This is clearly an accountability and integrity issue and violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also this act contravenes the law of a member in the Commonwealth.”
USD 2.5 mn paid to a third party was meant to be an instalment of a loan taken from Australia. Suriyapperuma neither responded to an SMS nor answered his hand phone.
Geetha Kumarasinghe (UPFA/Galle District) and Diana Gamage (SJB National List) lost their seats in 2017 and 2024, respectively, over citizenship issues.
Meanwhile, public interest group ‘Free Lawyers’ that exposed the theft of Treasury funds questioned the failure on the part of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), to pressure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to temporarily remove Suriyapperuma to facilitate unhindered investigations.
On behalf of ‘Free Lawyers’, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday expressed concern over the way the CoPF, under SJBer de Silva’s leadership, handled the issue at hand. Issuing an open letter, Tennakoon, urged the CoPF chief to explain his stand on a spate of vital issues which needed to be addressed without any further delay.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
News
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara (Sue Tue Nhan) at the conclusion of the 161 km ‘International Peace Walk’ in Colombo yesterday. The Bo-sapling will be taken to the US by the spiritual leader. Pic by Sujata Jayaratne
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday revealed that a USD 625,000 payment made by Sri Lanka’s Department of Posts to the US Postal Service (USPS) had not been received by the intended party.
The declaration was made at the post-Cabinet media briefing.
According to the Minister, an investigation has been initiated into the incident.
The Minister said that an investigation was underway within the Sri Lanka Postal Department regarding the missing funds paid to the US Postal Service.
He added that the US Postal Service has indicated the non-receipt of a payment amounting to USD 625,000, and that investigations were being conducted by both the Postal Department and the CID to determine how the incident occurred.
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Treasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
USD 625,000 meant for US Postal Service goes missing
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