news

Hemasiri blames tale carriers for souring of relations with Sirisena

Published

1 month ago

September 22, 2020

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Former President Maithripala Sirisena had issued confusing instructions to officials following the Easter Sunday attacks, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando yesterday told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.

Fernando said that following the attacks, Sirisena had instructed him not to impose a curfew, but he had instructed the then IGP Pujith Jayasundara to do so.

“Immediately after the attacks, I contacted the President, who was out of the country. I wanted his permission to impose a curfew but he didn’t want that. But, later from news alerts I learnt that police curfew had been imposed throughout the country.”

Fernando said that he had had a cordial relationship with Sirisena until about January 2019, but it had turned sour gradually due to the actions of some individuals who gave wrong information about him to President Sirisena. That was deliberately done to create a rift between him and the president, he said.

The witness said that following the attack, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Defence State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene had called for a special security meeting and they had asked him and the Secretary to the President Udaya R. Seneviratne to take part.

However, after about half an hour from receiving the message, President Sirisena instructed both of them not to attend that meeting convened by the Premier.

Fernando also informed the commission that he had been the former Defence Secretary and not the Secretary appointed to handle the intelligence services in the country.

He made this statement responding to a question posed by the representative from the Attorney General’s (AG) department who led the evidence. The AG’s representative drew the witness’ attention to Article 52 (2) of the Constitution, which mentioned his duties as a Secretary.

The witness said that he had taken over as the Defence Secretary in November 2018 and the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had given him reports regarding Zahran Hashim and his extremist activities.

However, those reports had not mentioned that there was an immediate threat to the country, he said. They lacked analysis and never comprised recommendations. Fernando said that he expected analysis and recommendations in the reports from the country’s top intelligence agency.

“When I look at a report about a possible issue, I would want to know what we could do about them. But SIS reports always were vague. Even on April 20, the SIS Director only forwarded a WhatsApp message he had received from an Indian source. That’s the job for a postmaster. I lived two kilometres away from him; he could have sent a rider. Also he knew that I didn’t check WhatsApp messages often.”

news

Special COVID-19 probe crippled by infections among CCD sleuths: AG calls for new police team

Published

11 hours ago

October 30, 2020

Dilshan Nadeera

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Brandix Apparel Limited yesterday (29) said that the company would fully cooperate with relevant authorities in the investigation ordered by the Attorney General (AG). A spokesperson for the company said so when The Island sought a clarification with regard to AG Dappula de Livera, PC, directing the police to launch a criminal investigation into the alleged lapses on the part of the company as well as those officials leading to the devastating COVID-19 outbreak.

The Minuwangoda eruption, which happened in the first week of October is widely believed to be the cause of the fast expanding Peliyagoda cluster.

Asked whether the police had contacted the Brandix management as regards the investigation and sought access to Brandix management and workers at its Minuwangoda apparel manufacturing facility as well as records at the Minuwangoda facility, the spokesperson said: “We will work with the relevant authorities in this regard”.

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) tasked with the probe has suffered a serious setback due to a section of its officers being tested positive for COVID-19. Authoritative sources said that the CCD lacked sufficient strength to carry out the investigation.

AG de Livera early this week told DIG Ajith Rohana that a progress report should be submitted to him by or before Nov. 13.

Sources said that the badly depleted CCD was not in a position to conduct the high-profile investigation, in addition to other ongoing inquiries. The AG has directed the Acting IGP to constitute a special team of law enforcement officers to conduct the investigation. Sources acknowledged the urgent need for a thorough inquiry into the far worse second corona wave. Sources said that the AG issued fresh instructions in that regard after the crisis in the CCD was brought to his notice.

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Most garment workers under self-quarantine left to fend for themselves

Published

11 hours ago

October 30, 2020

Dilshan Nadeera

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A large number of garment workers who were undergoing self-quarantine in Minuwangoda did not receive any assistance, Chamila Thushari of the Dabindu Collective, a labour organisation that works with garment workers, told The Island yesterday.

She said that those who were under self-quarantine did not have money to purchase food and even those who were willing to help could not reach them.

“Some of them have received food parcels from their work places but that is not adequate. Most others have not received any assistance. Matters will only get worse after curfew is imposed throughout the Western Province,” Thushari said.

Most of these workers are undergoing self-quarantine at their boarding places, which also house individuals who still work in garment factories. “Although there is a curfew, they can go to work. These are perfect incubators for the virus,” she said.

Thushari said that every day between 20-30 workers under self-quarantine, tested positive for COVID-19.

There were no public health inspectors to monitor the boarding houses of garment workers to ensure that COVID-19 prevention measures were being followed, she said.

“Not even Grama Niladaris visit them,” Chamila said.

news

SJB requests separate seats for its dissidents

Published

11 hours ago

October 30, 2020

Dilshan Nadeera

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella has written to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena requesting him to make arrangements to provide separate seats to the nine MPs who had voted with the government for the 20th Amendment to the Constitution recently.

The letter dated yesterday said that the SJB parliamentary group had decided to expel MPs Diana Gamage, A. Aravind Kumar, Ishak Rahuman, Faisal Cassim, H. M. M. Haris, M.S. Thowfeeq, Nazeer Ahmed, A.A.S.M. Raheem and S.M.M. Musharaf and it requests the Speaker to make separate seating arrangements for these MPs in the Chamber.