News

Kurunegala Mayor served charge sheet

Published

3 years ago

2022/12/23

Thilina Walpola

Bids to move HC, CA against corruption probe fail

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A high-profile investigation into corruption in the Kurunegala Municipal Council involving members of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has begun following an abortive bid made by Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana (SLPP) to halt the proceedings.

The Court of Appeal did not issue a stay order in respect of Mayor Vitharana’s plea to nullify a gazette issued by North Western Province Governor Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda to conduct an inquiry into allegations of corruption against him. The Mayor has moved the Court of Appeal after Kurunegala High Court judge N. A. Nishantha Peiris dismissed the case on Nov 29. Former lawmaker Faizer Musthapha, PC, and Senior State Counsel Nayani Kasthuriratne appeared for the complainant and respondents, respectively.

Karannagoda has appointed retired Judicial Officer Lalith Ekanayake to conduct the inquiry. Investigations conducted by the National Audit Office have revealed how members of the government, the Opposition as well as officers of the Kurunegala MC brazenly shared shops available at the Kurunegala Central market, main bus stand and Maligapitiya shopping complex outside laid down procedures. The report named all recipients, including Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana (three shops) and Opposition Leader W. A. Wijayananda Wedisinghe (two shops).

The Court of Appeal has postponed the hearings to January when it was first taken up on Dec 15 thereby allowing the commencement of the investigation. Having sent a medical certificate through a lawyer on the first day he was asked to come, the Mayor appeared before the One-man commission held at the Kurunegala Government building. The Mayor has been served with the charge sheet and other necessary documents. Hearings are scheduled to commence today (Dec 23) and then continue in the first week of January.

Early this week, the crisis at the Kurunegala MC took a new turn when the budget presented by Mayor Vitharana was defeated with some SLPP members voting against it. The budget received seven votes in favour and 14 against.

When this issue was raised with Auditor General W.P.C. Wickremaratne, the official said that it was the responsibility of relevant political authorities to act on the findings/queries made by the National Audit Office.Karannagoda, who served as the Commander of the Navy at the height of the war (2005-2009) has held several appointments after his retirement, including that of Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Tokyo before being named Governor of the North Western Province in Dec. 2021. The NW Province comprises the administrative districts of Kurunegala and Puttalam.

The AG stressed that their findings, pertaining to the Kurunegala MC administration, had been brought to the notice of the Parliament on more than one occasion. Local Government bodies come under Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is also the Minister in charge of Local Government ministry.

The Governor, who represents the executive, issued an extraordinary gazette notification on Nov. 09 requesting for a comprehensive report from the one-man commission within three months. Declining to comment on the developments, Karannagoda said that he would await the completion of the investigation conducted in terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act.

The appointment of the one-man commission took place, consequent to inquiries conducted by three boards into findings by the National Audit Office.The National Audit Office has queried the payment of nearly Rs 59,879,720 more than the required amount to a CCD Construction Company in respect of two projects undertaken by the Kurunegala MC. Pointing out that this excess payment had been in spite of the total value of the agreement being Rs. 232,122,585, though estimated at Rs 230,186,606.

The National Audit Office has altogether queried 27 projects undertaken by the Kurunegala MC. The excess payment of Rs 59,879,720 pertained to one of the 27 projects undertaken during Thushara Sanjeewa’s tenure as the Mayor.

The SLPP won the Kurunegala MC at the Feb 2018 Local Government polls. The Kurunegala Mayor was implicated in the demolition of the Buwaneka Hotel, building with a historic connection, on July 15, 2020. The Road Development Authority (RDA) demolished the building without obtaining approval from the Department of Archaeology.Following the Governor taking action on disclosures made by the National Audit Office, an interested party had made representations to political higher-ups to thwart investigations and further actions.

Responding to queries,Auditor GeneralWickremaratne explained the urgent need to have cohesive systems to take punitive measures against those found guilty of waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement. The disclosures pertaining to the Kurunegala MC shouldn’t be considered as an isolated incident, the AG said, adding that over the years they had submitted quite a number of reports to Parliament that hadn’t so far produced the desired results.

The National Audit Office has also inquired into large scale frauds perpetrated by the Kurunegala MC, renting of shops at Kurunegala bus stand, procurement of excavator from the private sector, in spite of having oneofits own, releasing of machinery belonging to Kurunegala MC to various contractors, releasing land belonging to the state and Kurunegala MC to outsiders, serious financial irregularities in the procurement of water meters outside laid down procedures and payment of Rs 329,450 for furniture that hadn’t been procured by the Mayor’s Office.

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News

Developing the human resources needed for construction projects remains a key challenge before us – PM

Published

3 hours ago

2026/06/20

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Government has already allocated substantial funds for future development activities, including the restoration of areas damaged by the recent cyclone Ditwah, and that one of the key challenges currently faced is securing the necessary human resources, particularly technical personnel, required to carry out the construction and development projects.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on Friday [June 19] in Kandy while paying a visit on the Mahanayaka Theros of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters.

During her visit to the Malwathu Maha Viharaya in Kandy, the Prime Minister met with the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayaka Thero, Mahanayaka of the Malwathu Chapter, as well as the Anunayaka Theros of the Chapter, the Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero and the Most Venerable Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma Thero. The Prime Minister also engaged in a discussion with the Mahanayaka Thero.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister paid a visit to the Most Venerable Warakagoda Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero, Mahanayaka of the Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Maha Nikaya of Sri Lanka, and the Anunayaka of the Asgiri Chapter, the Most Venerable Narampanawa Ananda Thero.

During the discussions, the Prime Minister briefed the Mahanayaka Thero on the current progress of the new education reforms. She also stated that measures would be taken to recruit teachers in the near future to address the existing teacher shortage. She further noted that the evaluation of answer scripts from the recently held teacher recruitment examination is currently underway and that successful candidates will be recruited expeditiously following a practical assessment.

The occasion was attended by the Members of Parliament, the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa, and several other officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Children should gain experience through activities such as aesthetics and sports from the primary education stage – PM

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/20

Priyan

Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that if Sri Lanka is to nurture the future leaders, children must be exposed from the primary education itself to the experiences and values gained through fields such as aesthetics and sports.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the “Punchi Hapannu 2026” occasion to recognize and appreciate the winners of the Primary Literary Skills, held on Thursday [8 June]at Polpithigama National School during an educational inspection tour in the Kurunegala District.

The event was organized to recognize the winners of the “Punchi Hapannu 2026” Language and Literary Skills Competition, which was conducted with the participation of students from 49 primary schools in the Polpithigama Education Division, based on a concept initiated by the Divisional Director of Education. The occasion was further featured by aesthetic performances presented by students who had won across 17 different competition categories.

During the event, certificates were awarded to the winners by the Prime Minister.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister further stated:

“The initiative undertaken within the Polpithigama Education Division is an example for the entire country. Primary education is a broad and multifaceted field. The foundation provided through primary education is important in guiding a child along the right path. A child has only one opportunity in life to experience primary education, and it is our responsibility to ensure that this opportunity is provided in the most appropriate way.

Today, we witnessed how effectively the children of the Polpithigama Education Division utilized the opportunity given to them to creatively showcase their aesthetic talents. Likewise, we are striving to build an education system that provides opportunities for children across Sri Lanka to develop their hidden talents”.

Following the ceremony, the Prime Minister visited Makulpotha Maha Vidyalaya in the Polpithigama Education Division and layed the foundation-stone for a new two-storey school building.

The construction project, implemented with an investment of Rs. 45 million, is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and handed over for students in January 2027.

The event was graced by the presence of members of the Maha Sangha, and attended by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, Kurunegala District Member of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Geetha Herath, education officials of the North Western Province, parents, principals, and several other invitees.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Inaugural session of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya Student Parliament held at the Presidential Secretariat

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/20

Priyan

The inaugural session of the Student Parliament of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo, was held on Friday (19) morning at the Old Parliament Chamber of the Presidential Secretariat.

The event was organised under the ‘Vision’ programme series, a joint initiative of the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya was selected to participate in this programme as part of the initiative.

During the event, Deputy Chairperson of Committees of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Hemali Weerasekara, addressed the students on leadership, personality development and parliamentary traditions.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage, explained the role of the President’s Fund and highlighted the programmes implemented for the benefit of school students.

Senior Presidential Adviser on Science and Technology, Professor Gomika Udugamasooriya, emphasised that life’s challenges can be overcome by critically examining every experience. He also highlighted the importance of encouraging children, from their school years onward, to explore diverse fields beyond a single subject area and to develop an innovative mindset through experimentation and discovery.

Among those present were Director General of Public Relations to the President, Dharmasiri Gamage, Director (Communications) of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Samantha Mallawarachchi, Deputy Director (Administration) of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Chintha Madhubhashini, Director of the Tri-Forces Coordination Unit at the Presidential Secretariat, Air Commodore Asiri Gallage; Assistant Director Lieutenant Colonel Nadeeka Dangolla; Principal of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Dr. Sumedha Jayaweera; Principal of Ananda College, Colombo, D. M. Lal Dissanayake; as well as teachers, parents and students.

(PMD)