President Involved In Bribery Scandal Under Investigation

Fairfax Media, one of the largest media institutions in Australia and New Zealand, has uncovered evidence of a bribery scandal allegedly involving the iconic Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC) and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.

This was reported by The Age, a daily newspaper owned by Fairfax Media.

The firm's overseas staff allegedly bribed officials to secure a $2.3 million aid-funded sewerage project in Sri Lanka in 2011 and, in partnership with a Canadian company, a $2.2 million power plant project in Bangladesh in 2007. 

Company emails also reveal Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and his adviser allegedly demanded a political "donation" to be paid by SMEC when Sirisena was a cabinet minister.

The matter is now the subject of a major Australia Federal Police (AFP) probe, the report also said.

The emails show a plot to skim the money off a World Bank-funded dam project in 2009. In return, Sirisena was to allegedly approve the awarding of the dam contract to SMEC, worth $1.82 million.

SMEC's Sri Lankan manager, who was recently sacked, wrote in emails to two Australian colleagues that he wanted to "inform the minister/co-ordinating secretary" of the size of an alleged kickback to be paid and that he needed to "prioritise" certain payments to unnamed parties "since the signing of the contract would depend" on it.

SMEC has confirmed a "request for a political donation", but insists an internal investigation found no donation was made and the firm "continues to fully cooperate with the AFP."

Australia prides itself on being a clean place to do business, but revelations by Fairfax Media and others over a decade show that many companies agree to corrupt practices in developing countries.

(With inputs from The Age)

Jacqueline To Open Sri Lankan Restaurant In Mumbai

Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez is contemplating expanding her restaurant business to Mumbai, the Hindustan Times reported.

Fernandez turned restaurateur two years ago, when she teamed up with chef Dharshan Munidasa to open an eatery called Kaema Sutra in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The actor is now contemplating expanding her restaurant business. A source says, “Jacqueline spends most of her time in India due to her acting assignments. So, she feels it makes sense to have a restaurant here as well.”

The Roy (2015) star, who is currently busy promoting her upcoming film, A Flying Jatt, says, “Sri Lankan cuisine is my favourite. My restaurant there is doing really well, and I would love to bring Sri Lankan food here. But I don’t know if there is a market for such a niche cuisine in India.”

Jacqueline adds that she is planning to take things slow. “I’m planning to open something different in India. I will introduce Sri Lankan food gradually. Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city, and people here are open to exploring a variety of cuisines. So, I think they will welcome Sri Lankan food. But I need to test the market first. I am business- minded that way,” she says.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times)

Strong earthquake hits Central Italy

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck central Italy early Wednesday, with reports of damaged buildings and blackouts near the epicenter Rieti and residents fleeing their homes and running into the streets with the shock also felt in Rome.

The quake struck just after 3:30 a.m. In Rome, some buildings shook for 20 seconds, according to reports.

So far, there are no reports of damage or casualties.

Aftershocks are still being felt across the whole of central Italy all the way to Naples and Foggia and with people reportedly in the streets in Florence.

The quake was initially reported as being magnitude 6.4.

In 2009, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in the Aquila region, which was also felt in the Italian capital, left more than 300 dead.

SANASA depositors complain of fraud

The depositors of Wattegedera branch of SANASA bank yesterday staged a protest opposite the Western Provincial Council at Battaramulla claiming that two officials had embezzled Rs. 68 million deposited by them.

The protest was staged following the monthly meeting of the council.

The protesters said the Cooperative Department under whose purview the SANASA bank came also should take the responsibility.

They discussed the issue with Western Provincial Council Chief Minister Isuru Devapriya and other PC members.

The Chief Minister issued orders to Provincial Cooperative Minister Lalith Wanigaratne to dissolve the board of directors of SANASA bank and asked the Cooperative Department to take over the functions of the institution.

Alleged sexual abuse at Hantana: 4 suspects get bail

KANDY: The four suspects including two women held in remand in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a group of young women at the Hantana Vocational Training Centre were allowed bail in cash and personal surety by the Kandy Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala yesterday (22).

The four suspects were produced in court by the Kandy prisons officers.

The first suspect is a private tuition master named Chandimal Gamage.The second, third and fourth suspects are Imesha Wickremasinghe and Nuwandi Weerasinghe and Nimal Peiris respectively.

The Magistrate prohibited the suspects from leaving the country and ordered them to surrender their passports.The case was put off for October 10.

Kandy police Crime Investigation Branch OIC CI Farook, HQI CI Nipuna Dehigama and Women’s and Children’s Bureau Chief WCI Iyesha Bandara prosecuted.

Kalinga Indatissa P.C. with attorney Nanda Senanayake appeared for the fourth suspectNimal Peiris while attorney Nanda Senanayake appeared for rest of the suspects.A team of attorneys inclusive of Bandara Karunanayake and Supun Ratnayake watched the interests of the aggrieved parties.

Attorneys for the aggrieved parties said in court that police inquiries into the complaints were of a satisfactory nature.

At this point Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala said: "The stable was closed after the horse had bolted".

Peradeniya University students clash

KANDY: Four first year students of the Faculty of Allied Sciences of the University of Peradeniya were admitted to Peradeniya Teaching Hospital following a clash between the senior students and freshers on Monday (22) night.

The four victims entered the university at the end of last year. Their condition was not serious according to sources.

A spokesman for the Peradeniya University said the reason for the clash between the two groups had been over some first year students’ failure to participate in social activities organised by the senior students.

VAT Bill withdrawn at last

Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella yesterday withdrew the Value Addition Tax (Amendment) bill which had been declared unacceptable by the Supreme Court.

It was listed in the Order Paper under Item No 29 as a Bill to be taken for debate.MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena asked the government how and why a Bill declared null and void by the Supreme Court was still on the Order Paper.

At that moment, the Leader of the House announced that the government would withdraw it. (SI)

Opposition wants OMP Bill resubmitted to House

The Office of the Missing Persons Bill will have to be tabled afresh in Parliament as it had been signed by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya without including the amendments submitted by the JVP and other opposition parties.

Leader of the House and Highways and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament that he would discuss with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera the possibility of presenting the Bill again.

The Leader of the House made the announcement when the opposition MPs pointed out that their amendments had not been included in the Bill signed into law by the Speaker.

MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena: We have stated many times that this Bill cannot be considered as passed according to the provisions of the Standing Orders. We reiterate that the OMP Bill is null and void. That was why we asked for time to inform the House of the mistake the government had committed. This happened once when the government took a vote on a financial bill. Later it was corrected. We submitted 31 amendments to the OMP Bill and do not know what happened to them.

NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa: I asked for a division when the Bill was taken up in this House. The Speaker might not have heard it because of shouting. The Bill was rushed through the House in an arbitrary manner. The end result was the Bill included amendments of the government and overlooked those submitted by the opposition. We opposed this Bill and therefore our amendments have not included our amendments. Then what about the amendments of those who supported the Bill? They have become frustrated today. This office is not to find the truth about those gone missing in 1988-89 period. It is against the war heroes.

Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella: I was really keen to participate in the debate on the OMP Bill. But, it was not we who disrupted the debate. The Opposition should have participated in the debate without invading the Well. The Bill was presented to this House on May 22. Had you had any opposition there to you could have gone before court. Now it is too late. The Speaker has placed his signature thereon. It contains all necessary amendments.

Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake: You as the Leader of the House should announce the time for amendments and should call for the amendments. The Hansard does not have any invitation from the Leader of the House. We should be given an opportunity to present those amendments again.

Leader of the House: We can discuss it.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake: Those who came to the Well did not want this Bill. Their intention was to deprive us of our right to participate in the debate. What we wanted was to present amendments to the Bill. The Chair could not follow procedure because of the disturbance in the middle of the Chamber. Bring the Bill before Parliament again and give us the opportunity to present amendments.

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake: We submitted our amendments to the Foreign Minister and the Speaker. I presented amendments in my speech, too. But those amendments are not in the Bill signed by the Speaker. It is not the Speaker who deprived us of our right but a small group of protesters. We should have the right to present our amendments.

Leader of the House: The Bill has been passed. To include the amendments, the bill has to be brought before Parliament again. I will discuss it with the subject minister and give a solution soon.

Bimal Ratnayake: Setting up of the office would take three more months. Give us the opportunity to bring amendments.