Pic by Dimuthu Premaratne ‘Customs duo took money …pdfs.island.lk/2010/03/11/p1.pdfThe Island,...
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`Vol. 29 No. 100 Thursday 11th March, 2010, 36 Pages Rs. 20 Registered in Sri Lanka as a Newspaper – Late City Edition 11 Graham Greene, the West and human factors Babies and children in hospital How journalists think 5 10 Street signs warn- ing Romanian drivers to be careful of drunken pedestrians lying on roads were erected by road safe- ty chiefs worried about the “despairing” levels Officials in Pecica, a village town about 13 miles from the Hungarian border in the coun- try’s west, ordered the bright red signs, com- plete with the phrase “Attention - Drunks”. (See World View -P 6) Street sign warns drivers of ‘drunk pedestrians’ A high ranking police officer attached to the Terrorist Investigations Department (TID) told The Island, yesterday that those Customs men had secured the support of some lower rankers in the department and the police believe that they shared the spoils at the expense of national security. Investigations have revealed that the two suspects had access to LTTE leader Prabhakaran through Pottu Amman and some of the deals had been struck direct- ly between the LTTE chief and some cus- toms men. “We are going deep into the matter and hope to arrest more suspects who were in the LTTE’s pay,” the TID offi- cer said. ‘Customs duo took money from Prabhakaran to clear lethal cargo’ by Dasun Edirisinghe The electoral system would definitely be reformed after the forth- coming general election, SLFP General Secretary, Minister Maithripala Sirisena told the media in Colombo yesterday. The UPFA, the Minister said, also expected to give more powers to the Independent Commissions which would be established SLFP General Secretary and Agricultural Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday addresses the press in Colombo. He was accompanied by Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijelal de Silva. (Photo-Kamal Bogoda) Pottu Amman China has agreed to lend $290 mil- lion to Sri Lanka for a new airport and to revive the country’s railway network, the foreign ministry said. See Financial Review China to lend $ 290 mn. by Devan Daniel The Insurance Regulator says insurance premiums have fallen slightly after the war as the risk factor associated with terrorism is no longer present. The Insurance Board of Sri Lanka (IBSL) earlier this week said Sri Lanka’s insurance companies had to pay high pre- miums to foreign re-insurers because of the threat of terror- ism. Reinsurance is where insurance companies take out insurance with internationally reputed re-insurers to cover risks of suddenly having to pay large claims. Since the war ended, these premiums have come down. “Reinsurance premium rates have come down slightly after the war ended last May,” confirmed Manjula De Silva, President Insurance Association of Sri Lanka, speaking to journalists earlier this week. Reinsurance premiums fall after war Terrorism policy premium down 75% by Lal Gunasekera Consumer Affairs Authority officers have been ordered to prosecute with effect from yesterday traders who sell rice at prices higher than those stipulated by the government. The Minister of Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Marketing Development, Bandula Gunawardene, told The Island that he had instructed the offi- cials of the CAA to conduct raids and take into custody any trader violating the regulations by selling rice at higher prices. “Some retail traders continue to sell rice at higher prices, while some sell it at lower prices; we will be very strict with the unscrupulous traders,” the Minister said. There are officers from the CAA at every District Secretariat and they have been given the authority to take strict action against errant traders. The rice prices have come down in the wholesale market. Samba sells at Rs. 63 by Rex Clementine After three days at St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, the Holy Relic of St. Anthony, which arrived in Colombo on Sunday, was taken to St. Mary’s Cathedral in Galle amidst massive crowds along the Galle Road. “Naturally we expected a massive number of devotes to see the Sacred Relic, but in the end we had more peo- ple coming to the Church than expect- ed. We had to open the Church at 4.00 a.m. and go on until 4.00 a.m. the next day because the crowd was not simply abating,” Rev. Fr. Clement Rozairo, the Administrator of St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade told The Island. “Although the queue was getting longer each day, people were very dis- ciplined. Meanwhile, during yesterday’s pro- cession to Galle, the Holy Relic stopped at St. Anthony’s Church, Kadalana in Moratuwa and Kalamulla in Kalutara as His Grace Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith handed over sections of Holy Relics of St. Anthony to be kept in the two churches dedicated to the Saint. First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa visited the Holy Relic of St. Anthony at St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade. The Holy Relic was taken to St. Mary’s Cathedral yesterday. St. Anthony’s Holy Relic taken down South Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundera, on March 8, ordered the freezing of three accounts held in a private bank in Kollupitiya. These accounts belong to Mrs. Asoka Tilakeratne, mother of Danuna Tilakaratne, son-in-law of General Sarath Fonseka, Nishara Jayewardene, and Ms. Galhenage. The Island learns that these persons have told the CID that the money, although credited in their names, did not belong to them. The money found in the accounts amounted to US$ 600,000, 15 million SL rupees and 100 pounds sterling. The funds had not been declared to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The accounts have been frozen under the Money Laundering Act, which empowers the Colombo High Court to freeze accounts under investi- gation. The applications to the High Court were for freezing funds made by the Central Bank and the CID, The Island learns. CAA to prosecute errant rice traders by Franklin R. Satyapalan SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem has told Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao that if there is any- body who could solve the problems of Tamil speaking minorities it is President Mahinda Rajapaksa, because he has won the confidence and trust of the Sinhala majority, Deputy General Secretary of the SLMC Nizam Kariapper says. No more presidential polls, says Minister Sirisena Hicorp Deal: HC freezes three bank accounts Hakeem tells Rao only MR can solve Tamil problem Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 India invites TNA, TMVP leaders to New Delhi by Norman Palihawadana T wo Customs officers now in custody for their alleged involvement with the LTTE have revealed that they got mil- lions of rupees from the LTTE to clear without checks the outfit’s lethal cargo. by Ifham Nizam Today, the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwela will get three ring- tailed lemurs (lemur catta)-two females and one male-from the Rare Species Breeding Centre in London, through an animal exchange programme. Education Officer of the Zoo Nihal Senerath told The Island Zoo gets three new inmates UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake has written to the Cabinet Secretary asking that Johnston Fernando be disallowed from attending Cabinet meetings in view of his expul- sion from Parliament. Fernando and Indika Bandaranaike, who crossed over to the UPFA, from the UNP, recently lost their seats in Parliament after withdrawing a funda- mental rights petition they filed Tissa wants Johnston out of Cabinet Eight Chief Inspectors have been interdicted with immediate effect, by Police Headquarters, for being involved in election malpractices dur- ing the recently concluded presiden- tial polls. Police HQ sources said that the interdictions were a violation of election laws. Police HQ flouts polls laws, interdicts 8 CIs Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 The SLIM-NIELSEN Peoples’ Awards Best Brand of the year was won by Singer. Singer Chairman Hemaka Amarasuriya receives the award at a gala ceremony held at Waters Edge Yesterday. Pic by Dimuthu Premaratne SLIM-NIELSEN Peoples’ Awards 2010
Transcript of Pic by Dimuthu Premaratne ‘Customs duo took money …pdfs.island.lk/2010/03/11/p1.pdfThe Island,...
`Vol. 29 No. 100 Thursday 11th March, 2010, 36 Pages Rs. 20 Registered in Sri Lanka as a Newspaper – Late City Edition
11
Graham Greene,the West andhuman factors
Babies andchildrenin hospital
How journaliststhink
5 10
Street signs warn-ing Romanian driversto be careful ofdrunken pedestrianslying on roads wereerected by road safe-ty chiefs worriedabout the “despairing” levels
Officials in Pecica, a village town about 13miles from the Hungarian border in the coun-try’s west, ordered the bright red signs, com-plete with the phrase “Attention - Drunks”.
(See World View -P 6)
Street sign warns drivers of‘drunk pedestrians’
A high ranking policeofficer attached to theTerrorist InvestigationsDepartment (TID) toldThe Island, yesterday thatthose Customs men hadsecured the support ofsome lower rankers in thedepartment and the policebelieve that they sharedthe spoils at the expense
of national security.Investigations have revealed that the
two suspects had access to LTTE leaderPrabhakaran through Pottu Amman andsome of the deals had been struck direct-ly between the LTTE chief and some cus-toms men. “We are going deep into thematter and hope to arrest more suspectswho were in the LTTE’s pay,” the TID offi-cer said.
‘Customs duo took money fromPrabhakaran to clear lethal cargo’
by Dasun Edirisinghe
The electoral systemwould definitely bereformed after the forth-coming general election,SLFP General Secretary,Minister Maithripala
Sirisena told the media inColombo yesterday.
The UPFA, the Ministersaid, also expected to givemore powers to theIndependent Commissionswhich would be established
SLFP General Secretary and Agricultural MinisterMaithripala Sirisena yesterday addresses the press inColombo. He was accompanied by Southern ProvinceChief Minister Shan Wijelal de Silva. (Photo-Kamal Bogoda)
Pottu Amman
China has agreed to lend $290 mil-lion to Sri Lanka for a new airport andto revive the country’s railway network,the foreign ministry said.
See Financial Review
China to lend $ 290 mn.
by Devan Daniel
The Insurance Regulatorsays insurance premiums havefallen slightly after the war asthe risk factor associated withterrorism is no longer present.
The Insurance Board of SriLanka (IBSL) earlier this weeksaid Sri Lanka’s insurancecompanies had to pay high pre-miums to foreign re-insurersbecause of the threat of terror-ism. Reinsurance is whereinsurance companies take outinsurance with internationallyreputed re-insurers to coverrisks of suddenly having topay large claims. Since the warended, these premiums havecome down.
“Reinsurance premiumrates have come down slightlyafter the war ended last May,”confirmed Manjula De Silva,President InsuranceAssociation of Sri Lanka,speaking to journalists earlierthis week.
Reinsurancepremiums fallafter warTerrorism policy premium down 75%
by Lal Gunasekera
Consumer Affairs Authority officershave been ordered to prosecute witheffect from yesterday traders who sell riceat prices higher than those stipulated bythe government.
The Minister of Trade, Commerce,Consumer Affairs and Marketing
Development, Bandula Gunawardene, toldThe Island that he had instructed the offi-cials of the CAA to conduct raids andtake into custody any trader violating theregulations by selling rice at higherprices.
“Some retail traders continue to sellrice at higher prices, while some sell it atlower prices; we will be very strict with
the unscrupulous traders,” the Ministersaid.
There are officers from the CAA atevery District Secretariat and they havebeen given the authority to take strictaction against errant traders.
The rice prices have come down in thewholesale market. Samba sells at Rs. 63
by Rex Clementine
After three days at St. Anthony’sChurch in Kochchikade, the HolyRelic of St. Anthony, which arrived inColombo on Sunday, was taken to St.Mary’s Cathedral in Galle amidstmassive crowds along the Galle Road.
“Naturally we expected a massivenumber of devotes to see the SacredRelic, but in the end we had more peo-ple coming to the Church than expect-ed. We had to open the Church at 4.00a.m. and go on until 4.00 a.m. the nextday because the crowd was not simply
abating,” Rev. Fr. Clement Rozairo, theAdministrator of St. Anthony’sShrine, Kochchikade told The Island.
“Although the queue was gettinglonger each day, people were very dis-ciplined.
Meanwhile, during yesterday’s pro-cession to Galle, the Holy Relicstopped at St. Anthony’s Church,Kadalana in Moratuwa and Kalamullain Kalutara as His Grace ArchbishopMalcolm Ranjith handed over sectionsof Holy Relics of St. Anthony to bekept in the two churches dedicated tothe Saint.
First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa visited the Holy Relic of St. Anthony at St.Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade. The Holy Relic was taken to St. Mary’sCathedral yesterday.
St. Anthony’s Holy Relictaken down South
Colombo High Court Judge DeepaliWijesundera, on March 8, ordered thefreezing of three accounts held in aprivate bank in Kollupitiya.
These accounts belong to Mrs.Asoka Tilakeratne, mother of DanunaTilakaratne, son-in-law of GeneralSarath Fonseka, Nishara Jayewardene,and Ms. Galhenage. The Island learnsthat these persons have told the CIDthat the money, although credited intheir names, did not belong to them.
The money found in the accountsamounted to US$ 600,000, 15 million SLrupees and 100 pounds sterling. Thefunds had not been declared to theCentral Bank of Sri Lanka.
The accounts have been frozenunder the Money Laundering Act,which empowers the Colombo HighCourt to freeze accounts under investi-gation.
The applications to the High Courtwere for freezing funds made by theCentral Bank and the CID, The Islandlearns.
CAA to prosecute errant rice traders
by Franklin R. Satyapalan
SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem hastold Indian Foreign SecretaryNirupama Rao that if there is any-body who could solve the problems ofTamil speaking minorities it isPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa,because he has won the confidenceand trust of the Sinhala majority,Deputy General Secretary of theSLMC Nizam Kariapper says.
No more presidential polls,says Minister Sirisena
Hicorp Deal: HC freezesthree bank accounts
Hakeem tells Raoonly MR can solveTamil problem
Continued on page 7
Continued on page 7
India invites TNA, TMVPleaders to New Delhi
by Norman Palihawadana
Two Customs officers now incustody for their allegedinvolvement with the LTTE
have revealed that they got mil-lions of rupees from the LTTE toclear without checks the outfit’slethal cargo.
by Ifham Nizam
Today, theNational ZoologicalGardens in Dehiwelawill get three ring-tailed lemurs (lemurcatta)-two femalesand one male-fromthe Rare SpeciesBreeding Centre inLondon, through ananimal exchangeprogramme.
Education Officerof the ZooNihalSenerathtold TheIsland
Zoo getsthree newinmates
UNP General Secretary TissaAttanayake has written to the CabinetSecretary asking that JohnstonFernando be disallowed from attendingCabinet meetings in view of his expul-sion from Parliament.
Fernando and Indika Bandaranaike,who crossed over to the UPFA, from theUNP, recently lost their seats inParliament after withdrawing a funda-mental rights petition they filed
Tissa wants Johnston out of Cabinet
Eight Chief Inspectors have beeninterdicted with immediate effect, byPolice Headquarters, for beinginvolved in election malpractices dur-ing the recently concluded presiden-tial polls. Police HQ sources said thatthe interdictions were a violation ofelection laws.
Police HQ flouts pollslaws, interdicts 8 CIs
Continued on page 7
Continued on page 7Continued on page 7
Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7
The SLIM-NIELSEN Peoples’ Awards Best Brand of the year was won by Singer.Singer Chairman Hemaka Amarasuriya receives the award at a gala ceremonyheld at Waters Edge Yesterday. Pic by Dimuthu Premaratne
SLIM-NIELSEN Peoples’ Awards 2010
