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Priest arrested over jewellery theft

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by Norman Palihawadane

A priest was taken into custody by the Wellawatte police on Saturday for stealing gold worth Rs 2.3 million from a house where he conducted a special pooja.

During the pooja conducted on Friday, the priest asked the owner of the house, an elderly woman, to buy a piece of white cloth. While she was away, he stole her jewellery kept in a cupboard. Subsequently, the stolen gold was found in the suspect’s vehicle.

The suspect would be produced before the courts, the police said.



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Launch of Kondaya Kepu Cheena by Dr. Sameera Jayasena on Tuesday

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Dr. Sameera Jayasena, a Canadian-Sri Lankan citizen living in Canada will launch his maiden book in Sinhala titled Kondaya Kepu Cheena on Tuesday, October 12 at 11.30 am at Ceylon Tours Ltd – Colombo-07.

Dr. Sameera Jayasena

The Chief Guest will be Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, former minister, academic and diplomat.

Dr. Jayasena is a Canadian-Sri Lankan citizen living in Canada and the book contains the authors experiences and interesting incidents of life dpent in China while he was studying in there as a medical student and the cultural and historical bonds between the two countries.

The author, a frequent visitor to China, is engaged in promoting Sri Lanka as a desirable destination for holidaymakers in China.Dr. Jayasena has also served as Sri Lanka’s Hon Consul in New Brunswick, Canada.

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CoPF’s victory testament to the power of accountability- economist

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Harsha

Thwarting of corrupt online visa issuance process:

The suspension of a controversial online process introduced at the expense of transparency and accountability had proved that a parliamentary watchdog committee could thwart such an operation in spite of overwhelming political power exercised by those who arranged the deal.

Y. Karunaratne, who had been on the staff of the Committee of Public Finance (CoPF) during the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration explained the circumstances the committee derailed the corrupt deal. Karunaratne, who served as an economist at CoPF, when Dr. Harsha de Silva chaired it, said that in December 2023, a far-reaching agreement had been made between the Department of Immigration and Emigration and a foreign consortium. This consortium (GBS Technology Services & IVS Global-FZCO (IVS-GBS) and VF Worldwide Holdings LTD (VFS Global)), was given exclusive rights to process online visa applications.

The former official issued the following statement: “The decision was made without competitive bidding, which would typically ensure that the best deal is chosen for the country. Instead, the public found themselves facing a shocking increase in visa fees – from the previously affordable USD 1 fee charged by Mobitel to a staggering USD 25 per visa.

This move sparked outrage, especially when it became clear that cheaper, more efficient alternatives like Mobitel, which had been managing the service since 2012, were completely sidelined. Despite Mobitel’s proven track record and offers to upgrade the system at a fraction of the cost, their proposal was ignored.

The irregularities in the visa deal might have gone unnoticed if not for the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), led by its Chairman, (Dr.) Harsha de Silva. COPF is responsible for scrutinizing public spending, ensuring transparency in government deals, and protecting public funds. Dr. Harsha de Silva, along with his team, uncovered the truth behind the visa deal. It bypassed competitive bidding, lacked transparency, and failed to protect Sri Lanka’s financial interests.

Dr. de Silva was clear in his commitment to accountability, stating, “As Chairman, it is my duty to ensure that public funds are protected and that no deal, especially one involving public revenue, escapes scrutiny.”

In May 2024, another major issue arose. A massive data breach was reported by travel vlogger Will Davis, who revealed that personal information, including names, addresses, and passport numbers of visa applicants, had been mistakenly sent to unintended recipients. The breach exposed the private data of thousands of tourists, putting their security and privacy at risk.

COPF immediately flagged this breach, linking it to the rushed and poorly managed contract. It became clear that the mishandling of the visa system was not just a financial issue but a threat to the safety of those visiting Sri Lanka.

COPF’s investigation revealed that Mobitel, the previous visa service provider, had submitted several proposals to upgrade the system, all at a much lower cost – just USD 1 per visa. Despite this, the foreign consortium’s expensive proposal was chosen. The question remained: why was Mobitel ignored, and why did Sri Lanka end up paying so much more for a less secure system?

On 12 July 2024, the Report of the Committee on Public Finance on Outsourcing Online Visa and Passport Application Services between the Consortium and the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka was presented to Parliament by Dr. Harsha de Silva. The report is now available online, revealing the full scope of the visa scam and highlighting critical issues.

The concluding remarks of the report (Section 4) state:

•  The absence of a competitive bidding process in procuring the services of the Consortium prevented the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DOIE) from obtaining the best value for money.

•  The fees charged by competing destinations are significantly lower, and if the System Specification Requirement (SSR) had been finalized, DOIE could have conducted a truly competitive procurement process.

The report also identified several unresolved issues:

1.  Unclear Fee Structure: There are discrepancies in the service fees, with convenience fees lacking transparency.

2.  Data Breach and Termination: The existence of a data breach could trigger a termination clause, which requires further investigation.

3.  Conflicting Exclusivity: The exclusivity granted to the Consortium contradicts the presence of other existing service providers.

4.  Uninvested Funds: The reported USD 200 million investment remains unaccounted for and unexplained.

The COPF made several key recommendations (Section 5), including:

• A comprehensive forensic audit by the Auditor General into the entire procurement process, which was already initiated by the Auditor General as of June 4, 2024. COPF urged that this audit be completed promptly to determine the necessary actions, which could involve terminating the Consortium’s agreement or amending specific clauses.

•  Immediate actions by the Ministry of Public Security (MOPS), DOIE, and the Sri Lankan Data Protection Authority to review the data breach report by KPMG and ensure full data security for all Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) applications.

Thanks to the efforts of COPF, the scandal caught the attention of the Sri Lankan judiciary. In August 2024, the Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling, suspending the controversial visa scheme. The court ordered the immediate restoration of the previous system run by Mobitel, which was known for its efficiency and lower costs.

The ruling marked a significant victory in the fight for transparency.

As Dr. de Silva pointed out, “This victory is a testament to the power of accountability. Without the diligent work of COPF, this injustice would have continued unchecked.”

However, the saga did not end there. On September 25, 2024, the Supreme Court ordered the remand of Harsha Ilukpitiya, the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, for contempt of court. Ilukpitiya had failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s order to suspend the new visa system, deepening the scandal and showing the lengths to which those involved were willing to go to maintain control over the corrupt system.

With Ilukpitiya now facing legal consequences, the message was clear: no one, no matter their position, is above the law.

The fight for justice is far from over. The Supreme Court has scheduled the next inquiry for January 2025, and COPF continues to push for full transparency and accountability. Their work has set a precedent, showing that even the most powerful deals can be undone when public funds and integrity are at stake.

This case is not just about visas – it’s about upholding the rule of law and ensuring that public officials serve the people, not themselves. COPF’s relentless efforts have shown the power of accountability and how one committee’s determination can make all the difference.

As Sri Lanka’s citizens demand accountability and the restoration of transparency in government, COPF stands at the forefront of the fight. Dr. de Silva and his team have proven that with perseverance and leadership, corruption can be exposed, and justice can be served.

The work of COPF continues, and so does the battle for a fair and accountable government. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the Committee on Public Finance, justice is being served.”

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SLPP warns of NPP-ITAK alliance, calls for resistance

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Sarath Weerasekera

… recalls abortive move to overrun Parliament during ‘Aragalaya’

 ITAK denies bid to forge alliance with NPP

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Former parliamentarian Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera yesterday (10) said that Sri Lanka’s triumph over separatist terrorism in 2009 should be preserved if the security of the country and the safety of all its citizens were to be ensured.

“Whatever the shortcomings during the last SLPP administration (2020 Nov. to 2022 July), a larger section of the electorate cannot, under any circumstances, create an environment conducive for those who still pursued a separatist agenda,” the ex-Public Security Minister said.

“If the NPP forms the next government under its own steam or as an alliance consisting of a selected group of lawmakers representing the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the country will face a catastrophic situation, ” the one-time Navy Chief of Staff said.

Those who had made Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s huge mandate possible in the 2019 presidential election must not support any party or a coalition that would endanger national security, Weerasekera added.

Weerasekera contests Colombo district, on the SLPP ticket, at the forthcoming general election. “We are committed to the protection of national security,” the SLN veteran said. At the last parliamentary election, the SLPP won 145 seats, including 17 National List slots.

Responding to another query, Weerasekera said an alliance between the NPP and Tamil lawmakers would be exploited by external powers to advance their own agendas, the former MP said.

Acknowledging that the SLPP had lost badly in the presidential contest just weeks before, Weerasekera appealed to the electorate to be mindful of consequences of a Parliament sans, what the former minister called, a nationalistic representation.

Weerasekera said the armed forces, that had made numerous sacrifices, paid to defeat terrorism shouldn’t be at the mercy of a government that may jeopardize national security interests.

Referring to a recent statement made by ITAK Jaffna district contestant M. A. Sumanthiran, at the Jaffna Press Club, Weerasekera pointed out that the ITAK that had been LTTE’s cat’s paw during the war appeared to be ready to join the NPP.

Although the ITAK denied former Minister Udaya Gammanpila’s declaration that the NPP and one-time LTTE ally hadn’t reached a consensus, Sumanthiran is on record having suggested that his party would accept an invitation, if any, to join an NPP-led government. “Obviously, Sumanthiran is busy preparing the ground for the NPP-ITAK alliance. If that happens, there’ll be quite serious repercussions, detrimental to the security of the State,” Weerasekera said.

Asked whether the SLPP believed it could muster sufficient countrywide support among the electorate to secure some seats, Weerasekara said that though the NPP had won the presidential election, its candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake had not been able to secure 50%+1 vote. While AKD obtained 5,634,915 (42.31 %), three major Opposition parties (the SJB, the UNP-led grouping and the SLPP) had, altogether, polled 7,005,583 votes, Weerasekera said, questioning the very basis of the NPP’s mandate.

Weerasekera mentioned that the NPP repeatedly declared that the Parliament should be filled only with its members as it feared the outcome of the general election. The bottom line was that the NPP had realized that its relentless campaign couldn’t pave the way for an overwhelming parliamentary majority for any political party.

“The NPP cannot act as both the government and the Opposition, simultaneously,” the war veteran said, the NPP would have to rethink its strategy after the general election. The challenges at home as well as abroad couldn’t be addressed by the NPP, Weerasekera said, urging the electorate to back the Opposition.

Commenting on ‘Aragalaya,’ Weerasekera emphasized the responsibility on the part of the next government to inquire into the circumstances that had led to the ouster of a democratically elected President. Recalling how former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, in March this year, had disclosed direct foreign intervention in overthrowing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former public security minister said ‘Aragalaya’ should be investigated.

Alleging ‘Aragalaya’ had benefited NPP, which had only polled just 3.16 % of the valid vote at the 2019 presidential election, could never have won the recently concluded national poll if not for a high profile externally backed political project.

Weerasekera said that he raised the US intervention both in and outside Parliament. Unfortunately, the powers that be conveniently ignored the issue at hand, the ex-parliamentarian said. In fact, a section of the previous Parliament represented the interests of those who engineered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster, the ex-MP said.

 Weerasekera said that the country was at a crossroads. “The NPP seeking to fill Parliament with its members made an abortive bid to overrun Parliament in July 2022. They have conveniently forgotten what they attempted to do. Perhaps, the NPP should explain what they planned to achieve by taking control of Parliament,” Weerasekera said.

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