Galle District MP and the SLFP organizer for Bentara-Elpitiya electorate Geetha Kumarasinghe today said that she will participate in the May Day rally organised by the Joint Opposition in Kirulapone.
Kumarasinghe said that threats of disciplinary action will not deter her from taking part in the joint opposition rally likely to be held under the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Kumarasinghe went on to say that she had reliable information that over 40 UPFA parliamentarians have already decided to participate the Kirulapone rally. She also predicted that a large group of her supporters will attend the joint opposition May Day rally and added that already 20 buses have been obtained to transport them to Kirulapone.
However 7 out of 10 SLFP electoral organizers in the Galle district have announced that they will take part in the SLFP May Day rally held in Galle. They are Shan Wijeyalal, Chandima Weerakkody, Nishantha Mutuhettigama, Manusha Nanayakkara, Piyasena Gamage, Sajin Vass Gunewardene and Gunaratne Weerakoon.
Meanwhile Akmeemana SLFP electoral organizer Dr.Ramesh Pathirana and Ratgama organizer Mohan Silva are likely to join Kumarsinghe at the Kirulapone rally.
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader and MP Udaya Gammanpila yesterday challenged the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara to arrest Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan to show his impartiality when implementing the law.
He was addressing a press conference at the N.M. Perera Centre in Borella. He said Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan along with several TNA MPs and a group of NGO representatives had forcefully entered an Army Camp belonging to the Gajaba Regiment in Palavipachchan in Kilinochchi on April 16.
He pointed out the Army had lodged a Police complaint in this regard on the same day.
“The IGP speaking to the media after assuming duties said that he was ready to discharge his duties impartially. However, we should judge the IGP not by his words, but by his actions. The above incident is an opportunity for him to show his impartiality.
Sampanthan had entered the premises forcefully, disturbed the duty of army personnel and had stated that the army camp should be removed.
He had noted those lands should be given back to the Tamil people. So far, the law has not been implemented against him despite the Police complaint lodged.
“We challenge the IGP to arrest the Opposition Leader if possible and show that he was true to his words,” he said.
Gammanpila also said that they would make a complaint to the Bribery Commission over a suspicious act of shares trading by the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation which led to a loss of Rs 146 million to the Corporation.
“Sri Lanka Insurance in 2011 bought approximately 33 milllion shares of a fish exporting company at a price between Rs 3.90 and Rs 6.20 per share.
However, all these shares were sold by the Corporation at Rs 1.70 per share suddenly on April 18 to an unknown private investor named K.Gajanadan.
Four days after this transaction, the EU ban on fish exports was lifted.
When the Government was repeatedly saying that it intends to get the EU fish ban lifted very soon, why did Sri Lanka Insurance, being another government owned institution,allegedly sell the shares of a company that exports fish to the EU bearing such a huge loss We go before the Bribery Commission, not because of any faith we have in this Commission, but because it is the only legal body to lodge such complaints,” Gammanpila said.
“Until now VAT was not levied on wholesale and retail trade. However, VAT is levied now for retail trade that has a turnout of Rs.300,000 for a quarter. This means VAT has to be paid if the daily income of a retail shop is above Rs.33,333.00. VAT means Value Added Tax. This tax is levied against the principles of taxation. Value cannot be added when a good is bought and sold.
A retail shop merely sells goods. Value added means what is added to a thing that is newly produced. Hence, levying tax on wholesale and retail trade is against the principles of taxation. This is a very serious situation,” says the Information Secretary of the JVP Vijitha Herath addressing a press conference held at the head office of the JVP at Pelawatta today (24th).
Mr. Herath said, “The present coalition government is attempting to burden the people with a new round of taxes to maintain wasteful spending for their high level living. We are holding this press conference to brief the media regarding this act of the government, to reveal the latest bond fraud of the Central Bank and to apprise regarding our May Day demonstration and the rally.
With the dawn of New Year the VAT is increased.
Despite the government proposing in the budget to levy the VAT in several ratios, the Prime Minister said in Parliament that 15% VAT would be levied for all goods and services. The gazette notification regarding this has not been published yet. However, the Ministry of Finance informed the Department of Inland Revenue on 11th April in writing that the VAT that was at 11% should be increased to 15%. Also, VAT has been levied for several goods and services for which VAT had been exempted earlier.
The letter sent by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance R.H.S. Samarasinghe to the Commissioner of the Department of Inland Revenue clearly states every business which has a turnover of more than Rs.3 million in a quarter would come under VAT. Among the services for which VAT was not levied until now were telecommunication service and all telecommunication equipment. Nation Building Tax has been added to electricity. New taxes are levied for education and health services. For example from a telephone bill earlier the Cess tax was 2% and telecommunication tax was 25%. The total tax was 27%. However, with the new taxation 2% of Nation Building Tax and 15% VAT would be added. The total amount of tax paid would be 44%. The tax for Rs.100 re-load would be Rs.44. Also, 2% more would be added to international calls. When spending Rs.100 for a call the real charge for the call is Rs.56. The balance Rs.44 is the tax burden forced on the people.
This is how the government has burdened the people with tax. When presenting the budget the government said the direct tax that was 20% would be increased to 40% and indirect tax that was 80% would be brought down to 60%. However, what has happened today is that the direct tax levied from those who receive the highest income has come down and due to introducing VAT and other taxes to goods and services the ratio of indirect tax has been increased to 90%.
The government carried out an entirely different thing to what they had stated. The farmer, fisherman, the self employed and all others are being oppressed with a massive tax burden. The tax burden would fall on people’s heads the day after they commemorate the International Workers day on 1st May. The Minister of Health says the taxes levied from private hospitals and private educational institutes would be spent for the development of the two sectors. This is indeed a falsehood to deceive the people. This would not be approved by the working masses of this country. Also, the JVP demands the government to immediately withdraw the tax that was increased. A building is rented out for the Ministry of Agriculture paying a monthly rent of Rs.20100000 while the Telecom Chairman is paid a monthly rent allowance of Rs. 750000. We condemn oppressing the masses while the government carries out wasteful spending unabated. The people in this country are not prepared to tolerate such a massive injustice.
Until now VAT was not levied on wholesale and retail trade. However, VAT is levied now for retail trade that has a turnout of Rs.300,000 for a quarter. This means VAT has to be paid if the daily income of a retail shop is above Rs.33,333.00. VAT means Value Added Tax. This tax is levied against the principles of taxation. Value cannot be added when a good is bought and sold. A retail shop merely sells goods. Value added means what is added to a thing that is newly produced. Hence, levying tax on wholesale and retail trade is against the principles of taxation. This is a very serious situation.”
Sri Lanka batsman Kaushal Silva has been airlifted to a Colombo hospital, after being struck on the head during a practice match at Pallekele. Initial CAT scans suggested Silva was out of danger, but he will continue to be monitored as a precautionary measure.
Team management said Silva appeared to have been struck just below the back rim of the helmet - in the padded wings that became part of helmet design following Phillip Hughes' death. Teammates believe the injury could have been more substantial if he had been wearing a helmet without this added protection.
"Kaushal was fielding at short leg when he got hit," team manager Charith Senanayake said."[Dinesh Chandimal] swept a ball right onto the back of Kaushal's head. He did take evasive action, but still the ball hit him."
Senanayake said Silva was left dazed moments after the impact, and that he had exhibited symptoms consistent with concussion. The accident had occurred at about 3:30 pm and Silva was immediately taken to a Kandy hospital, where he underwent the initial CAT scan. The decision was then made to transfer him to Colombo.
In a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), former Narahenpita Crimes OIC Sumith Champika Perera told that he received instructions from higher ranking police officers not to conduct further investigations in connection with the murder of former rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. Filing a report in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, the CID said its detectives were able to record a statement from the former Narahenpita
Crimes OIC Sumith Champika Perera prior to his arrest for allegedly covering up evidence in connection with the murder of Wasim Thajudeen.
The former Narahenpita Crimes OIC has further told CID that he was compelled to conduct investigations, being predetermined that the death of Wasim Thajudeen was due to an accident on the instructions of higher ranking police officers.
According to the ‘B’ Report filed by CID, the former Crimes OIC will have to face several charges including committing the murder which comes under Section 296 of the Penal Code, fabricating false evidence, Concealing a design to commit an offence and Causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed.
Former Narahenpita Crimes OIC arrested for allegedly covering up evidence was ordered to be remanded till May 5 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage on Thursday (21).
On July 27, 2015 the CID submitted to Court that the death of Thajudeen was not an accident but a murder.
While delivering the verdict, Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris on February 25 this year ruled that the death appeared to be a murder and ordered the CID Director to immediately arrest all suspects involved in the incident and produce them before Courts.
Thajudeen was killed, apparently, in a road accident in Colombo in May 2012. The CID had informed court that investigations conducted so far had revealed that Thajudeen’s teeth had been broken, the bones in the pelvic region also broken and his neck pierced with a sharp instrument prior to his death.
The CID added that muscles in his legs had been cut with a piece of a broken class. Earlier, police maintained that Thajudeen was driving to the airport and had lost control of his car and crashed into the wall of Shalika Grounds at Park Road, Narahenpita, and that his vehicle had exploded within seconds of the crash.
The newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara announced that the "Sri Lankan Police Department" will be named as "Sri Lanka Police" from today.
A veddah who attempted to remove a ‘giant honey bee’ hive from a Buddha statue scheduled to be unveiled today by President Maithripala Sirisena had a fatal fall in the wee-hours of yesterday. The 135-foot tall statue is described as the tallest standing Buddha statue in South Asia.
The dead man has been identified as Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Kiribanda (52), a resident of Dambana.
The hive had been built behind the right arm of the statue and the Presidential Security Division officials who had inspected the area on Tuesday in view of President Sirisena’s visit scheduled for today instructed the organisers to remove it.
The organisers thinking that a veddah would be ideal for the task hired one from Dambana. Claiming that the best time to remove hives was before daybreak the veddah climbed the statue around 2.00 am yesterday.
He managed to remove the hive and while climbing down his leg slipped and fell.
He died on the spot.
His remains were to be taken to Nagoda Hospital in Kalutara for a post-mortem.
The standing Buddha statue has been constructed with financial sponsorship of businessman cum Western Provincial Council member Jagath Pinnagoda Withana.
Meanwhile, contacted for comment Wimale Attho, the son of Chief of the Veddah clan Uruvarige Wannila Ettho said the victim was not a Veddah though he had been a resident in their village.
The former Crime Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Narahenpita Police has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in connection with the murder of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. The former police officer had reportedly hidden evidence concerning the case.
Earlier, a senior officer of the CID declined to comment on the failure to arrest anyone, noting that investigations were yet ongoing. Thajudeen died on May 17, 2012 at Kirulapone when his car crashed into a wall and caught fire.
His death was at first ruled an accident, but later investigations by the CID found the player had been brutally tortured with blunt and sharp weapons before his death.
