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Sumanthiran blames it all on President

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/20

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) lawmaker M.A. Sumanthiran told Parliament on Wednesday that although the Parliament should be dissolved, the MPs would vote against a motion to dissolve it, hoping that such tactics would help them outlast the people’s discontent.

Sumanthiran said that during recent Parliament sittings there had been examples of those delaying tactics.

“For almost 40 days, people have been on the road, saying “Gota Go Home”. But those who call themselves people’s representatives who come and sit here are deaf, they cannot hear that. They can’t even agree to take up for discussion a matter that people have been shouting from the streets. This is unprecedented in this country. For over a month not just in one place, but in several places.

MP Sumanthiran said that as the people’s representatives, those in Parliament should be prepared to discuss the issues and concerns raised by the people. However, those in Parliament were ignoring the people and that showed that the parliament also had lost its legitimacy, he said.

“It is not only the President who lost his legitimacy; this Parliament also has lost its legitimacy. Parliament must be dissolved, but again when it will be put to a vote here, and MPs who are holding on to their positions will vote against that motion to dissolve Parliament. The MPs think that delaying tactics will allow them to carry on. However, this is not possible and the Parliament is pushing the people of this country to seek other remedies. That is the danger of not giving the voice of the people an expression here. This danger you don’t seem to understand,” he told Parliament.

The TNA MP said that the President had declared a state of emergency. Article 155 (4) 2 of the Constitution said that ‘if the Parliament is at the date of the making of such proclamation, separated by any such adjournment or prorogation as will expire within 10 days, a proclamation shall be issued for the meeting of the Parliament within 10 days”.

However, since Emergency was declared on 06 May, 11 days had elapsed since the next Parliament meeting took place, Sumanthiran said.

“There’s a gap of over 10 days, the Constitution very specifically says that if it is separated by longer than 10 days another proclamation shall be issued summoning parliament. That wasn’t done. Article 42, which I read earlier in the day, says the President is responsible to this Parliament not only for his duties, performance, powers and functions under the constitution or written law but also for the law for the time being relating to public security. He has failed, even in the most recent exercise of his powers under the public security ordinance. Where the constitution says he shall make another proclamation summoning parliament, he hasn’t done that. He has not done that. So that is just the most recent one,” he said.

The TNA MP said that they condemn the counter violence against the politicians of whichever side. However, they also condemn the violence that started it all on the morning of 09 May, he said. The beginning of the violence lies at Temple Trees, he said.

“The Attorney General has named 22 people. Because until then the police won’t act. The Attorney general whom we have criticized as being partial, as being the person withdrawing the cases against politicians on the government side, is now trying to redeem himself. How many of them are members of this house? All on the government side. The attorney general whom you appointed who has been acting on your side, now he is naming Government members and he has said “arrest them” including the senior DIG for Colombo for allowing this to happen. But eventually the buck stops with the president. He was in-charge. He was in-charge of the security. He held the post of defence minister and that of internal security,” the TNA MP said.

Sumanthiran said some government MPs claim that the police did not intervene when their houses were attacked, that the police looked the other way and that the police did not even record the numbers of the motorcycles used by the assailants.

“Now who was in-charge of the police at that time? Your own President! Your President! And when we moved to discuss a matter – a motion of censure of the President, you protect him. You blocked that motion. How is this possible? The very person who allowed your house to be destroyed, the very person who allowed attacks by all those assailants on peaceful demonstrators at Galle Face the other day. It took more than an hour for those assailants to walk from Temple Trees to Galle Face after destroying the shelters that had been put up by the demonstrators outside Temple Trees. What was the President doing? For one full hour? He was just watching. Must have thought, jolly good, let them destroy Gotagogama also. I’ll take two for the price of one! After they did the Temple Trees he must have thought, bonus for me also let me get this also out, otherwise how do you explain? President who is functioning from the President’s house, not seeing for over an hour these assailants coming and mercilessly attacking unarmed, peaceful protestors,” he said.

Sumanthiran said that the one who allowed that attack, more importantly the one who allowed attacks on MPs’ own houses, is the President. The President destroyed the economy of this country. After carrying out a number of initiatives that the Opposition parties warned against, Gotabaya in his address to the nation said he had made wrong decisions and that he was sorry, the TNA MP said.

“When you say I made wrong decisions the next line must be “therefore I resign.” That is the democratic tradition. My decision on “chemical fertiliser was wrong” he says, my decision in delaying going to the IMF was wrong he says. So, resign! Take responsibility! Why only the Central Bank Governor and the secretary to the Treasury? The final decision was by the President. Now that is one thing, what happens about all this violence? And the government members unashamedly are standing here complaining about the violence against them without condemning the person who is responsible for that violence. Without condemning the person who allowed that violence to happen against themselves,” he said. (SI)

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New Chairperson and Members appointed to the Finance Commission

Published

13 hours ago

2026/07/22

Priyan

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Ms N. R. Anees as the new Chairperson and a member of the Finance Commission.

J. M. C. J. Wijetunga and K. Karunaharan have been appointed as the other members of the Commission.

The letters of appointment were presented to the appointees by the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat ton Monday (20) afternoon

The appointments were made to fill the vacancies createdy following the expiry of the terms of office of the previous members of the Finance Commission.

(PMD)

News

True leadership is not about titles or power, but about acting responsibly for the well-being of others – Prime Minister

Published

14 hours ago

2026/07/22

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that true leadership is not about titles or power, but about acting responsibly, with compassion, and working for the well being of the others.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the President’s Guide Award and Prime Minister’s Award Ceremony, organized by the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association, one of the country’s leading voluntary organizations dedicated to empowering girls and young women. The ceremony was held on Sunday (19th July )at Temple Trees in Colombo.

During the event, the Prime Minister presented medals and certificates to the award recipients.

A total of 350 awards were presented at this year’s ceremony, comprising 338 President’s Guide Awards and 12 Prime Minister’s Awards, in recognition of the recipients’ discipline, resilience, integrity, and commitment to serving others.

Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that one of the greatest strengths of the Girl Guides association is its commitment to providing equal opportunities to every child, regardless of their background or abilities. The Prime Minister also emphasized that true leadership is not defined by titles or power, but by acting responsibly, listening with compassion, and working for the well-being of others.

The Prime Minister further noted that while women had limited opportunities in the past, today increasing opportunities are being created for girls and women across all sectors, and young women are making remarkable progress in every field. The Prime Minister further stressed that every girl and young woman deserves equal opportunities to improve themselves, noting that the country needs young women leaders who are ready to step forward to build a better future for Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that, particularly at a time when Sri Lanka is undertaking significant economic and democratic reforms, achieving sustainable national progress requires not only economic growth but also the development of citizens who uphold strong ethical values and social responsibility. In this regard, she commended the invaluable contribution made by the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association.

Guided by its motto, “Be Prepared,” the Girl Guiding Movement in Sri Lanka was first established on 21 March 1917 at Kandy High School by Miss Jenny Calverley Green. Today, the movement operates through seven branches; Butterflies, the Little Friends, the Guides, the Rangers, the Youth, the Differently Abled Guides, and the Community Guiding Units, catering to different age groups and abilities. The President’s Guide Award is the highest honour that can be achieved by a Girl Guide and is awarded only to those who successfully complete the required challenges, written and oral examinations, and the BP Challenge. The Prime Minister’s Award is presented as the highest recognition within the Ranger Guide section.

The event was attended by at the President of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association Swarnika Pitigala, Chief Commissioner Dr. Kushantha Herath, President’s Guide Commissioner Pushpa Perera, Prime Minister’s Guide Commissioner Aruni Karunaratne, other senior officials of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association, President’s Guides and Prime Minister’s Guides, as well as a large number of their parents.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Customs asked to resume probe or face legal action

Published

23 hours ago

2026/07/22

Sahan Weerasooriya

Rs. 16 bn BMW revenue fraud:

Public interest litigation activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has said he will initiate appropriate proceedings against Director General of Customs, Wimal S.K. Liyanagama, in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act No 9 of 2023, unless the Customs carries out a revenue fraud inquiry to recover approximately Rs 16 bn in lost government revenue.

General Secretary of Vinivida Foundation, and former Customs officer, Kodituwakku said that though the Department, in response to his request for a meeting to discuss the issue, in writing, assured them that the investigation was underway, they found that the actual situation was not so.

Kodituwakku alleged that the Customs Chief had neglected what he called statutory duties under the Customs Ordinance, by disregarding his request for a meeting.

Kodituwakku said the investigation into the importation of 1,728 brand new BMW vehicles, under the concessionary duty permits issued by the government for the public servants, between 2011 and 2014, had been stalled.

The civil society activist said that investigations had revealed the vehicles hadn’t been imported by the permit holders themselves but others. It also transpired that the value of the imported vehicles, mentioned in the commercial invoices, proforma invoices and the CusDecs, tendered to Customs in the names of the permit holders, were not the actual values for the vehicles in question.

The high-profile case has been handled by the Central Investigation Directorate, at that time headed by Murugesu Thayabaran, a batchmate of Kodituwakku.

The ex-Customs officer said that he had appeared as counsel for Thayabaran in Court of Appeal and was determined to bring the case to a successful conclusion. According to him, the importer, over the years, had been represented by nine President’s Counsel as the case dragged on from the time of P.S.M. Charles, Director General, Customs.

Kodituwakku made available letters he wrote to the Customs and other parties on this issue, to The Island. Pointing out that the Court of Appeal on 7 May, 2024, dismissed the importer’s final appeal regarding the case pertaining to the revenue loss of Rs. 16 bn, Kodituwakku said that although the court had cleared the way for the Customs probe, no action had been taken.

However, the Court of Appeal ruling was given before Liyanagama succeeded Seevali Arukgoda as DG Customs on 6 May, 2026. Liyanagama served as Director General of the Department of Management Services at the Treasury before the new appointment.

Kodituwakku said that he had also brought the Customs case to the attention of the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

Emphasising the failure on the part of the Opposition to raise this issue, both in and outside Parliament, Kodituwakku said that since the exposure of the BMW scam, during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency, there had been four presidents, namely Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe and incumbent Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Unfortunately, successive administrations had allowed the interested parties to drag the case. The lack of interest shown by political parties revealed that they not only protected those responsible but encouraged corrupt practices of allowing third parties to import vehicles in terms of permits issued to legitimate recipients of such permits.

Having campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, during the presidential and parliamentary polls in 2024, the NPP couldn’t, under any circumstances, turn a blind eye to this situation, Kodituwakku said, adding that even the IMF should be concerned of the failure on the part of successive governments to recover the money.

By Shamindra Ferdinando