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Marikkar accused of misleading parliament

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/4

By Saman Indrajith

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, yesterday, accused Colombo District SJB MP S. M. Marikkar of misleading Parliament and asked him behave without wasting the time of the House.

MP Marikkar during the question time got up raising a point of order and said that 28 Sri Lankans who had arrived at the Bandaranaike Airport, Katunayake were stranded because officials had asked them to pay for quarantine at luxury hotels. “Authorities are not releasing them until they make the payments,” MP Marikkar said.

Speaker Abeywardena stopped the MP from speaking further warning him not to abuse the privilege of raising point of order and to raise any questions the MP had separately following due process.

Later, when he was given the microphone, the MP said the government should give orders to its officials not to exploit the people coming home after serving abroad to nurture the local economy. “They are to be sent back to Oman. This is very unfair.”

The Chair prevented the MP proceeding and asked him to use the microphone for the given purpose.

Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando:

I need time to make a clarification because MP Marikkar is misleading the House. Either he is telling lies deliberately or someone is feeding him with lies and he repeats them here. This amounts to misleading the House. After his allegation I made inquiries. There is no such incident at the Katunayake International Airport. What actually happened was that Oman Airline had brought down 28 Sri Lankans and the Airline had not paid for PCR tests for 22 passengers. As per the guidelines in place, it is the responsibility of the Airline to pay for the PCR tests of the passengers. The delay has been caused by that. Now, the government has decided to pay for the tests and submit the results to the airline. You should not mislead the House.

MP Marikkar:

Yes. There are only 22 passengers because others have been permitted to leave the airport. The airline is not paying for the PCR tests.

Minister Fernando:

You knowingly misled the House. I do not say you are lying. But either you are telling lies or someone else is feeding you with lies.

Speaker Abeywardena:

MP Marikkar should have raised the question in an appropriate manner without wasting the time of the House.

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President and Exco of Sri Lanka Cricket step down

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/29

Priyan

Sri Lanka Cricket has announced today (29) that the President of Sri Lanka Cricket and members of the Executive Committee have tendered their resignations.

The decision has been formaly communicated to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports.

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time

Published

14 hours ago

2026/04/29

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 28 April 2026, valid for 29 April 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle,
Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

Treasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia

Published

15 hours ago

2026/04/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

Nagananda / Harshana

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