News
Army to provide assistance to families of victims
Fox Hill tragedy:
By Norman Palihawadane
Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage has ordered that assistance be provided to the families of those who were killed and injured at the Fox Hill Supercross 2024.
Army spokesman Maj Gen Rajitha Kumara told The Island yesterday compensation would be paid by a private company that organised the event and the Army would bear the logistics and costs of the funerals of those who were killed.
Seven persons, including a child, were killed, while 23 others were injured, following a tragic accident during the “Fox Hill Supercross 2024” racing event held at Diyatalawa on Sunday (21).
Among the dead were four officials of the racing event who were stationed as flag marshals. The other victims were civilian spectators, as reported by the police.
The deceased were identified as follows: Shivakumar Dhanushika (8); Muththusamy Udayakumar (55), a resident of Welimada; Chamath Niroshan (19), a resident of Seeduwa; Ashen Heenatigala (20), a resident of Akuressa; Rasika Abeynaike (32), Aruna Shantha Upaligamage (62), a resident of Matara; and Ganesh Kamalanath, also of Matara.
Rasika Abeynaike, a member of the Sri Lanka Army rugby team and stationed at the Salawa Army Camp, in Kosgama, was attending the racing event as a spectator while on leave. Abeynaike, who completed his education at Embilipitiya Maha Vidyalaya, and joined the Army Engineer Corps, was scheduled to be transferred to the Udawalawa Army Camp on the day following the incident. His final rites are to be performed at Galaha, Kandy, as per family sources.
Two other victims of the tragic accident, Ganesh Kamalanath and Aruna Shantha, both from the Matara area, and close friends, were fathers of three and two children, respectively.
Ashen Heenatigala from Akuressa in Matara, had recently sat for the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in the Mathematics stream and was awaiting results.
All three were past pupils of Rahula College, Matara, police said
Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that the accident had occurred when a race car veered off the race track and collided with a group of spectators.
The “Fox Hill Supercross 2024” racing event has now been temporarily suspended, police said.
The two drivers of the racing cars, involved in Sunday’s accident, were arrested while undergoing treatment in hospital.
Diyatalawa Police are conducting further investigations regarding the incident. Meanwhile, the Army has launched a separate internal investigation regarding the incident.
The 28th edition of the ‘Fox Hill Super Cross’, organised by the Military Academy Diyatalawa with the support of Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), kicked off at Diyatalawa on Sunday (21), after a hiatus of 05 years. The last event was also suspended midway due to the Easter Sunday terror attacks on April 21, 2019.
by Saman Indrajith
TheBatalanda Presidential Co-mission report was tabled in Parliament yesterday (14) by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.
Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.
Ratnayake said that the Cabinet-of-Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.
Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.
The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to Members of Parliament, as well as the general public, for review.
The Leader of the House revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the Commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.
Ratnayake said that as the entire country is concerned about the findings of the Batalanda Commission, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised, and preventing future atrocities, stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.
The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.
This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).
NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the Committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.
Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Saveen Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.
He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.
“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.
Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.
He said 656 waive-off registrations (WOR) had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.
Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya, said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.
by Norman Palihawadane
Department of Prisons’ Media Spokesperson, Gamini Dissanayake said yesterday that retired Superintendent of the high security Boossa Prison, Siridath Dhammika, who was tragically gunned down at Thalagaha, in Akmeemana, on Thursday (13), had been provided with a firearm for his protection during his tenure, considering the potential threat to his life.
Dissanayake said that during his service period, he had received threats from certain individuals.
Furthermore, the Prison Department stated that during his service, there were no significant issues or shortcomings found in his personal records.
Dissanayake said that the majority of detainees at the Boossa Prison are individuals linked to organized crimes.
Batalanda Commission report tabled … finally
COPE finds fake documents submitted for emergency procurement of drugs
Retired Superintendent of High Security Boossa Prison had threats – Prison Spokesman
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