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Sunday February 18th, 2007 |
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Power shock at
Kerawalapitiya
Several engineers attached to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)
have warned the government that the proposed Kerawalapitiya
Power Plant, if constructed and operated will incur the country
a staggering loss of Rs. 77 million a day.
A confidential document with details of how the government will
incur heavy losses due to this has already been submitted to
Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy.
The confidential report prepared by some of the country’s
leading power and energy consultants have also been circulated
to other relevant officials including President Mahinda
Rajapaksa and Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne, The
Nation reliably learns.
Experts point out that the increasing use of automotive diesel
fuel in gas turbines has cost the country a staggering Rs.
29,989 million (US $ 285 million) to date, more than what it
would have cost if the optimum technology-fuel combination
reciprocating engines and heavy fuel oil had been used.
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The famous
Sinhala saying goes “Like lighting cigars when the beard
is on fire.” But former Minister Mangala Samaraweera
does not seem to be troubled by the recent turn of
events and was seen enjoying a cigar, taking a respite
after the controversial press conference at the
Parliamentary Complex last week. - ( Pic by Ishara S.
Kodikara)
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SLFP to decide on Mangala and Sripathi
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is seriously contemplating
disciplinary action against former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera
and Sripathi Sooriaratchchi for the verbal attacks on the
President, his family and his government.
They have already told the public that President Mahinda
Rajapaksa was being dictated by his brothers.
They have further threatened to place before the public details
of some of the alleged corrupt involvements of the Rajapaksa
brothers.
A few members of the party told The Nation that strict
disciplinary action must be instituted against them for
violating the norms of the party by speaking ill of its
leadership and ‘slinging mud’ against the head of state, an act
they say warrants a severe penalty.
They also said they were going to mount pressure on the Party
General Secretary and the disciplinary committee to take
appropriate action.
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NEWS |
US closely watching
kidnappings in Sri Lanka
The US government is closely monitoring human rights
violations in Sri Lankan but is yet to decide on
appointing a special envoy for the Sri Lankan conflict.
The US government has decided to take a close look on
killings, disappearances, abductions and kidnappings in
Sri Lanka through diplomatic channels, The Nation
learns.
According to State Department sources, the US government
is not willing to appoint a special envoy for the Sri
Lankan ethnic conflict with immediate effect.
Claymore blast kills one in Jaffna
One civilian was killed and five soldiers were wounded
in a claymore blast in Jaffna yesterday targeting a bus
carrying army personnel.
According to the Media Center for National Security the
explosion took place at around 11.50 am at the Old Park
Road in Jaffna town. Two civilians who were near the
blast site were injured and one had succumbed to
injuries later.
Anura’s birthday bash (Event)
Minister Jayasuriya to start
mobile offices
Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Karu
Jayasuriya plans to hold mobile offices of the state
services periodically to attend to people’s problems by
going to their doorstep, similar to the Presidential
Mobile Services carried on by former President
Ranasinghe Premadasa.
Officials of all ministries and departments and
statutory bodies will participate at these mobile
offices along with the provincial and district
officials.
The first mobile office is to be held in the Moneragala
District.
Sinhala and Tamil are
compulsory for public servants
All new recruits to the public service should have
working knowledge in both Sinhala and Tamil and are
required to undergo a language proficiency test in the
future, according to new regulations to come into effect
shortly.
The circular in this regard is to be issued by the
Public Administration Ministry within the coming week,
The Nation learns.
Changes to 17 th Amendment
soon in Parliament
Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister
D.E.W. Gunasekera said yesterday that the changes to the
17th Amendment will be presented to all the political
parties representing the Parliament and the final report
will be submitted to Parliament as soon as possible.
“We have identified a minor error in the 17th Amendment
which prevents the Constitutional Council from meeting. |
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POLITICS |
Political Affairs
Anura wilts while Mangala
fires on
The curtain rose on the Bandaranaike circus this
week with the chief protagonist Anura Bandaranaike
deciding to join the Rajapaksa bandwagon without so
much as a murmur.
Mangala replies to
President
One week after his ouster as Minister of Ports and
Aviation, Mangala Samaraweera answered the charges
leveled at him by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a
20 page letter that was also a scathing attack the
government and its practices. Following are excerpts
of that fiery epistle
 The
tragedy of being Anura Bandaranaike
So, for how much longer would the country tolerate
what Bandaranaike himself called this ‘circus of
clowns’? |
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NEWS FEATURES |
Military Matters
READY TO POUNCE
The JVP it appears is hell bent on exerting pressure on the
Rajapaksa administration making various demands from time to
time since Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ascension to the presidency. The
latest among this is their call to negate the Cease Fire
Agreement signed between the government and the LTTE five years
ago. |
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INTERVIEWS |
Meet the Nation
“Mangala is a tower of contradictions” -
Dilan
Justice Minister Dilan Perera lashed out at the deposed
ministers and said they could not talk of corruption in the
government because their cupboards were not clean.
“President should not take advice from
family members” - Sripathi
Deposed Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi has charged that
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been ill advised by his brothers
and that his family was misleading him in the discharge of his
governmental duties.
“I could do better”
With the President’s unceremonious sacking of three senior
cabinet ministers last week, a crescendo was reached in Sri
Lanka’s political theatrics. |
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SPORTS |
Chamara’s ton in vain
VISAKHAPATNAM (AFP) - Yuvraj Singh smashed a blistering
95 not out to guide India to a series-clinching seven-wicket win
over Sri Lanka in the fourth and final one-dayer here on
Saturday.
He received valuable support from Sourav Ganguly (58 not out) as
India surpassed Sri Lanka’s total of 259-7 with six overs to
spare to win the series 2-1. The opening match was abandoned due
to rain.
The win gave India a crucial psychological edge going into next
month’s World Cup in the Caribbean as they will meet Sri Lanka
in Group B. Others in the group are Bangladesh and Bermuda, with
the top two sides advancing to the next round.
These guys are privileged
Sri Lanka’s rugby stars of yester-year would give anything to
make a comeback if they see the opportunities available to the
present generation of players. Club players who represent ‘A’
division teams see rugby as a tempting option to consider as a
profession. The hectic calendar drawn up for Sri Lankans this
season suggests that the sport now needs full time
professionals, not only in the players department but also in
the administrative ranks.
Just consider the era in which players like Hisham Abdeen,
Priyantha Ekanayake, Chandrishan Perera, Saman Jayasinghe, Roger
Rodrigo, Nazim Mohammed, Palitha Siriwardene, Marco de Silva and
Asoka Jayasena played their rugby. They were truly committed to
rugby. But the game wasn’t big enough to bring them a
substantial financial return to become full time rugby players.
Despite these odds they played their hearts out. Those
knowledgeable would agree that during this time, when the sport
was amateur, they played superior rugby and were good enough
even to play in a foreign league.
Paraplegic Ajith campaigns for
equality to all
One of the greatest tragedies that could happen to anyone and
has robbed the country of someone qualified in many fields is
the unfortunate accident that Dr. Ajith C.S. Perera experienced.
Like any other mortal Perera was destined for a brilliant career
academically and professionally both in Sri Lanka and England in
a strange mix of cricket and chemistry.
He was for the record, a chartered chemist by profession and a
Fellow of many a prestigious body counting over ten years of
work experience as a senior manager/director with two
multinational pharmaceutical companies. |
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Designed by Mangala Madanayake |
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