News
“If I go down, you go down with me,” says Diana Gamage to SJB
State Minister Diana Gamage Thursday threatened that if she loses her parliamentary seat on the grounds that she is not a Sri Lanka citizen, then all Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs too would lose their seats.Participating in the final day debate on Budget 2023 in Parliament on Thursday, Gamage said that if she is not a citizen then the SJB registered by her stands null and void. When there is no SJB, there cannot be SJB MPs, she said.
“Remember without me 54 MPs in the opposition would not be eligible to hold their seats in parliament. Go to temples and pray for your seats because if I go down I go down with you all,” she declared.
Calling SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa a crook, she said: “I hear he is leading a ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the SJB. That is wrong. The original name of this party was Ape Jathika Peramuna which is 17 years old. It is Jalani Premadasa who coined this new name SJB which actually stands for Sajith Jalani Balawegaya rather then Samagi Jana Balawegaya. The party belongs to me. Therefore when the SJB members sling mud at me, they should keep in their minds that they are here today because of me,” Minister Gamage said.
Gamage was nominated to Parliament on the SJB national list and initially sat with that party until her crossover in 1971 and later took office under the SLPP. The question whether she held British citizenship at the time of her appointment to Parliament is under investigation.
On Friday she filed a petition at Colombo District Court claiming that Opposition Leader Premadasa and Ranjith Madduma Bandara holding office as leader and secretary of the SJB was against the constitution of that party. Accordingly, both Premadasa and Madduma Bandara were ordered by a Colombo District Court to appear in court on Jan 25.
Gamage had filed the petition thhrough President’s Counsel Uditha Egalahewa in the Colombo District Court claiming that Premadasa and Madduma Bandara continue to remain members of the United National Party.As evidence, Gamage had produced an affidavit from the General Secretary of the UNP in a judicial process that Ranjith Madduma Bandara had initiated to challenge disciplinary action against him by that party as evidence material to her petition.
She says that article 3 (3) of chapter 3 of the SJB constitution notes that if a party member holds membership of another party, he or she will lose the membership of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya.
She requests the court to deliver a ruling that both Sajith Premadasa, and Ranjith Madduma Bandara holding membership of the SJB, and holding the posts of Leader and General Secretary of the SJB, are illegal.Diana Gamage has also requested an order suspending those named from holding the said office until the determination of her petition is complete.
News
Law will be enforced against all those who acquire assets illegally- State Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe
State Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship, Chathuranga Abeysinghe, while addressing a public gathering held at the Raffles Hotel in Kotte on Tuesday [April 22] said that the law will be enforced against all those who acquire assets illegally.
He said that , if someone joins a municipal council receiving a modest salary and, within two to three years, builds a luxury house and acquires a vehicle, we will question how such wealth was amassed. If a satisfactory explanation cannot be provided, the law will be enforced and the measures will be taken to confiscate any illegally acquired assets.
The opposition frequently levels accusations against us, but we have not engaged in any wrongdoing. We have not misappropriated public funds, used undue influence to secure school admissions for our children, or interfered with law enforcement. We are dedicated to serving the people by upholding an ethical and responsible political culture.
If you wish to develop your community, I respectfully urge you to elect individuals of integrity who will not misuse public funds.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
It has been reported that prison officials and the police have brought the unrest among the 500 plus inmates of the Matara prison which commenced on Tuesday [22] under control by this morning (23)
It has been reported that the inmates had broken out of their wards after which the officials were compelled to fire in the air and use tear gas to bring the situation under control.
The inmates are being temporarily transferred to the Angunkolapelessa prison in groups to enable authorities to repair the the damage caused to the wards and cells within the premises.
The prison officials who were injured during the conflict are receiving treatment at the Matara hospital. 
Latest News
Local government authorities and Municipal Councils are the nursery of corrupt politics. – Prime Minister
The Prime Minister stated that the President has challenged all ministers to transparently and efficiently spend the funds allocated to each ministry through the national budget for the benefit of the people, and that the local governments and municipal councils have historically been the nursery grounds of corrupt politics.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a public gathering held at the Raffles Hotel in Kotte on Tuesday [April 22].
The Prime Minister further stated:
“All 159 of us in Parliament today did not enter through family or financial influence. We are ordinary citizens just like you and individuals who stand among you. Unlike in the past, our members do not behave disruptively in Parliament. When school children visit, there is no need for the Speaker to request their removal that our parliamentary members conduct themselves with dignity, adherence to the law, and political maturity.
This is the kind of Parliament we have always aspired to have. Today, it is you who has made this transformation possible. For a long time, we have not experienced the advantages of an efficient and properly functioning local government. You now have the opportunity to elect representatives who are truly committed to serving you and improving your local institutions.
The event was attended by Arosh Athapaththu, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council candidate representing the National People’s Power, along with several other candidates and a large number of local residents.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
-
Business5 days agoDIMO pioneers major fleet expansion with Tata SIGNA Prime Movers for ILM
-
News4 days agoFamily discovers rare species thought to be extinct for over a century in home garden
-
Features7 days agoNipping the two leaves and the bud
-
Features6 days agoProf. Lal Tennekoon: An illustrious but utterly unpretentious and much -loved academic
-
Features7 days agoAvurudu celebrations … galore
-
Foreign News4 days agoChina races robots against humans in Beijing half marathon
-
News7 days agoCounsel for Pilleyan alleges govt. bid to force confession
-
Editorial5 days agoSelective use of PTA