News
Patali asks Tiran to counter ICIJ claims : Alleged offshore holdings
… Urges Inland Revenue to conduct a proper inquiry
Eksath Janaraja Peremuna leader and SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka has said that Public Security Minister Tiran Alles could resort to legal action if there was no basis for the recent declaration by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that he has offshore holdings, identified by Pandora Papers.
Former Minister and SJB MP Ranawaka said the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) should conduct a proper inquiry into the allegation.
Lawmaker Ranawaka said so at a recent public gathering at Ambatale. The ICIJ in a statement said that Minister Alles was the first sitting Sri Lankan minister to be identified in the Pandora Papers data trove as having offshore holdings.
An ICIJ analysis of the leaked records and the UK’s public property register claims that Minister Alles owned two BVI companies that held properties in London.
The BVI Business Companies Act (No 16 of 2004) is the principal statute of the British Virgin Islands relating to British Virgin Islands company law, regulating both offshore companies and local companies.
MP Ranawaka responded to media queries after the conclusion of the public gathering organized by Dhanya Samarasinghe, executive member of the women’s wing of the party.
Asked about the steep increase in taxes, with effect from January 01, 2024, Ranawaka maintained that the delay in restructuring of local debt and shortcomings in the overall process had resulted in the increase of interests, and the government’s failure to tax those individuals and companies, that had benefited through debt restructuring, had led to the imposition of unbearable taxes on the vast majority of people.
MP Ranawaka said that if the whole tax process had been digitised within a short period of time revenue could have been increased by 50 percent. The ex-minister said the government had failed to recover unpaid taxes, penalties and interest amounting to well over 900 bn.
Commenting on the high-profile operation undertaken by Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, targeting the underworld, particularly gangs engaged in narcotics trade, MP Ranawaka alleged that Tennakoon was engaged in a propaganda campaign to secure the post of IGP.
The Colombo district MP questioned why the police had waited so long to launch such operations.
The former JHU stalwart said that confirmation of Tennakoon as the IGP, in spite of him being faulted by the Supreme Court in respect of a fundamental rights application, would be an affront to the law. The public would lose faith in the process that involved the Constitutional Council.
Referring to ‘Mathata Thitha,’ conducted during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as the President, and his successor Maithripala Sirisena’s declaration that major drug dealers would be hanged, MP Ranawaka said that the ongoing campaign, too, was nothing but a show. (SF)
Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Sindurala arrived at the port of Visakhapatnam in India on 17 September 2026, to participate in the bilateral naval exercise ‘SLINEX – 2026’.
The Indian Navy formally welcomed the SLN vessel upon its arrival, adhering to naval traditions.
The joint exercise will take place on 20 and 21 September in the seas off the east coast of India. On 18 September, the Commanding Officer SLNS Sindurala, Captain Sunanda Appuhamy, held official discussions with Commander Suraj Aiyappa, Commanding Officer Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kavaratti, aboard both vessels.
The annual exercise aims to enhance cooperation, interoperability, and professional exchange between the two navies. During the exercise, crew members from SLNS Sindurala will also participate in several professional and cultural exchanges organized by the Indian Navy.
Advisory for strong winds and rough seas for Multi-day boats in the Bay of Bengal deep sea areas
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 05.00 p.m. 18 September 2026, valid for the next 24 hours.
PLEASE BE AWARE!
The atmospheric disturbance to the North of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to develop into a low pressure area within the next 24 hours.
Due to its influence, wind speed over the Bay of Bengal sea areas will increase during the next few days starting from
tomorrow (19th).
The wind speed in the sea areas marked under the “Advisory” category on the map below will increase to 55-65 kmph at times and those sea areas will be rough or very rough at times.
Navel and fishing communities engaging the activities over this sea area are advised to be vigilant and be attentive to the future forecasts and bulletins issued by the department of Meteorology in this regards.
Text and Pic by Priyan de Silva
Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake has questioned whether some promises contained in the National People’s Power (NPP) manifesto, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, could be fulfilled even if the government wanted to implement them.
Dissanayake raised the issue during a discussion following the release of the third biannual report on manifesto monitoring by the March 12 Movement, at the BMICH, on Wednesday.
He questioned whether the report had taken into account legal and institutional constraints affecting the implementation of certain pledges.
Citing the proposal to establish Anti-Corruption Investigation Offices in each district, Dissanayake said such offices could be established only with the agreement of CIABOC and that amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act would be necessary.
He also referred to the pledge to abolish the Executive Presidency, noting that successive governments had made similar commitments since 1994. He questioned whether there had been adequate consideration of where the powers vested in the Executive President would be transferred if the system were abolished.
On the proposal to establish a Public Prosecutor, Dissanayake questioned whether the Government intended to maintain the office alongside the Attorney General, who currently performs prosecution-related functions.
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake said Dissanayake’s remarks should be regarded as his personal views and not as Government policy.
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultants M. Thilakarajah and D.D. Mataharaarachchi presented the third-phase findings, covering January to June 2026.
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SLNS Sindurala arrives in Visakhapatnam for SLINEX 2026
Advisory for strong winds and rough seas for Multi-day boats in the Bay of Bengal
Showers in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya Districts
Some NPP manifesto promises may be difficult to fulfil – CIABOC DG
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