News
Lankan Catholics pray for fair election, good leader
(UCAN)Lankan Catholics have started a week-long prayer campaign so that a good, visionary leader is elected in the crisis-hit nation through a free and fair presidential election due on Sept. 21.
The prayer campaign runs from Sept. 8-15, closing a week before millions in the Buddhist-majority island nation flock to polling stations to cast their votes.
In a message to Catholics as the campaign started on Sept. 8, Bishop Jude Nishantha Silva of Badulla, called on the faithful to be responsible to elect “a genuine leader” who can steer the nation from crisis.
“Voting is both a responsibility and a right; don’t hesitate to vote for a leader who can address long-standing issues and build a better future for our country,” Silva said in a post on social media.
“Seize this crucial opportunity to choose a leader who can create a legacy suited to our current needs and ensure a free and fair election by behaving peacefully on the day before and after so that no one is harassed,” said the former director of Catholic charity, Caritas.
Silva urged Catholics in all parishes to join in Holy Hours and special prayers to seek “divine guidance” for the country’s future and to foster a spirit of unity and peace among voters.
Sri Lanka is grappling to overcome the worst economic crisis fueled by debts and depletion of foreign currency reserves blamed on years of misrule and corruption by the powerful Rajapaksa family.
The crisis triggered a nationwide mass public uprising, forcing former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign and flee the country in July 2022.
Current President Ranil Wickremesinghe has attempted to introduce major financial reforms and sought bailout packages from international creditors such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
However, Wickremesinghe is accused of failing to revive the ailing economy and also for tacitly getting the backing of the Rajapaksa dynasty for political gains.
His government’s decision to increase taxes and failure to control inflation have triggered public outrage. The authorities are also accused of shielding corrupt officials and for not doing anything significant to prosecute human rights violators.
A record 39 candidates, including two Buddhist monks, are vying for the presidential election. Wickremesinghe will contest as an independent candidate.
Catholic Nuwan Antony joined the annual feast at the national Shrine of Our Lady of Matara on Sept. 6-8 with his 10-member family.
He said they have joined prayer services including Holy Hour for the election of a good leader.
“We need a president who can transform the political culture of the country, someone who doesn’t crave for power or positions of authority for selfish interests, but instead prioritizes the welfare of the people and the development of the nation,” he told UCA News.
Roshini Ruwanthi, a Catholic from Our Lady of Sorrow Church in Negombo, said that her community has been praying for divine guidance in choosing the right leader.
“Our community has been praying to God for wisdom in selecting the right leader this time. We are seeking guidance because the citizens have endured significant economic hardships, and children are struggling with malnutrition issues,” Ruwanthi told UCA News.
Bishop Raymond Wickramasinghe of Galle said that for more than seventy years, people have elected political leaders who disappointed them.
“People should pray to God and stay awake to elect a right leader to the country and vote peacefully,” Wickramasinghe said in a message on Sept. 7.On Aug. 27, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka issued a statement to urge voters to elect a president who is committed to democracy and to protect all democratic institutions.
COPF final report on USD 2.5 mn cyber fraud recommends action against all responsible
The US$2.5 million loss incurred during Sri Lanka’s foreign debt repayment to Australia was a clear case of a cybercrime and theft, Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament yesterday.
Presenting the COPF final report on the cyber fraud, Dr. de Silva said the incident amounted to a serious financial crime and called for a comprehensive investigation, by law enforcement authorities, to identify and prosecute all those responsible.
The report revealed serious governance, procedural and operational failures that enabled the fraudulent transfer of public funds, while recommending sweeping reforms to strengthen cybersecurity, financial controls and public debt management systems.
According to the report, officials of the Treasury and the Central Bank bore responsibility for governance lapses that contributed to the failures. It also highlighted the fact that the Ministry of Finance was operating an outdated Microsoft Exchange Server after security support had ended, while basic safeguards, such as multi-factor authentication, had not been implemented.
The COPF said suspicious payment instructions linked to debt repayments involving India, the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium had also been detected, preventing further losses. However, the US$ 2.5 million fraud materialised only in the repayment transaction involving Australia.
The report has noted that officials had failed to verify lender email domains, relied on unverified email communications and lacked adequate internal controls, allowing the fraud to continue for months.
Although the investigation uncovered system-wide weaknesses across several institutions, only four mid-level Finance Ministry officials had been suspended so far, the report said.
The COPF has recommended a special audit of the foreign debt repayment process, strengthened cybersecurity measures across state institutions, updated financial regulations and improvements to public debt management systems.
by Saman Indrajith
News
Opposition signs no-confidence motion against Justice Minister for dereliction of duty over Negombo Prison deaths
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, together with Opposition MPs, yesterday signed a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) in Parliament against Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara.The move comes in response to the unrest at the Negombo Prison, where both prison officers and inmates were killed.
Opposition members said the Minister had failed to fulfill his responsibility and accountability regarding their safety.According to the Opposition group, the NCM seeks to hold the Minister directly accountable for lapses in ensuring protection within the prison system.
The Attorney General yesterday informed the Supreme Court that the government has decided to review the legality of agreements entered into by the previous administration to hand over the country’s electronic visa issuance operations to private companies.
Additional Solicitor General Viveka Siriwardena, appearing for the Attorney General, made the submission when the Supreme Court took up the fundamental rights petitions filed by former MPs President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, Patali Champika Ranawaka, and Rauff Hakeem, challenging the previous Cabinet’s decision to outsource the e-visa system.
The petitions were heard before a three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeyesekere.
The Additional Solicitor General informed court that the current Cabinet had appointed a subcommittee to examine the legality of the agreements with the private companies and requested time to report on its findings, stating that the review was still underway.
President’s Counsel Sumanthiran, appearing as one of the petitioners, told the court that although the present government had indicated its intention to cancel the transaction, the petitioners wished to proceed with the case.
He noted that members of the current Cabinet had been named as respondents in the petitions.The Supreme Court directed the petitioners to issue notice on the members of the current Cabinet, named as respondents, and fixed September 29 for further proceedings.
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Showers will occur in the Sabaragamuwa, Western and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
US$ 2.5 mn cyber heist exposes system failures
Opposition signs no-confidence motion against Justice Minister for dereliction of duty over Negombo Prison deaths
AG informs SC of e-visa agreement review
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