President rejects Sydney Morning Herald report

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday rejected a news report which appeared in the Australian based website ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ which referred to an incident involving one of his staff members during his tenure as Agriculture and Agrarian Services Minister in 2009.

The President’s Media Unit in a statement said the President had no involvement or connection with the incident and that he had instructed the Attorney General to take further action in this regard.

President Sirisena reiterated that in his political career he had never been involved in or supported any corrupt activity, the statement added.

It also noted that the President’s special attention was drawn to the matter.

Five Sri Lankan youths drown in England

Five men who drowned in sea off Camber Sands were a group of Sri Lankan friends on a day trip from London who died together on the hottest day of the year, according to British media.

Three victims were pulled from the sea off the East Sussex beach yesterday afternoon and emergency services tried and failed to revive them in front of thousands of horrified holidaymakers.

Two more bodies - also believed to be wearing shorts and T-shirts - were found washed up by a walker as the tide went out last night, the Daily Mail reported.

Witnesses said the first three dead men - who are believed to originally be from Sri Lanka - did not appear to have any family or friends with them and may have travelled together from London.

Their clothes led to speculation that the victims could be illegal immigrants - but a police source said that the investigation is at an early stage and ‘there is currently nothing to suggest the men were migrants’.

Chief Superintendent Di Roskilly said the men were all ‘wearing clothes appropriate for being at the beach’ when they died and ‘came together for the day’.

She said: ‘We believe they are all in their late teens and early 20s and come from the Greater London area. We have no further reports of anyone else missing from Camber and there are no on-going searches related to this incident.

‘This has been an incredibly tragic incident and we are offering their next of kin support at this difficult time and our thoughts are with them.’

Investigators are considering if they were pulled to their deaths by the powerful riptide at Camber.

-Agencies

Source: Daily Mail

Tillakerathne Dilshan a game changing cricket player

Hon. Minister of Ports and Shipping Mr. Arjuna Ranatunga also the Former Test Cricket Captain states that Tillakerathne Dilshan is a game changing cricket player. The Minister stated this appreciating the great service done for cricket by the Tillakerathne Dilshan who initially announced today that he is retiring from international cricket.

“We shouldn’t forget the commitments that Tillakerathne Dilshan made as a sportsman. He began his cricket career as a middle order batsman. Similarly he is a skillful fielder. 

Afterwards he served as an opening batsman. Serving as an opening batsman is the most difficult task a player would have to face. However Tillakerathne Dilshan completed this task well. Tillakerathne Dilshan is really a game changing player. 

While he was capable of winning One-day matches he was also cable of winning Twenty Twenty matches as well. In addition Sri Lankan Cricket team was able of qualifying to the World Cup finals because of Tillakerathne Dilshan.

Today the Dilscoop shot which was introduced by Tillakerathne Dilshan is a significant shot at the Twenty Twenty matches. I personally do not appreciate this shot. However Dilshan made a change in the cricket field by introducing this shot. Correspondingly like Sanath, Murali, Kalu, Dilshan too kept a marked a major legend in the cricket field. 

Introducing a shot or batting is not what’s important. What’s really important is gaining scores from this batting. From this area Dilshan is very special. As a bowler he was an intelligent bowler. One of the best fielders we had in our cricket team. He was one of the best batsmen we had. In addition he was one of the best wicket keepers. 

He was one of a kind all-rounder cricketer. Therefore, hence the duty that Tillakerathne Dilshan did for the team is exceptional. I wish him all the very best. Anyhow I believe that he will continue to support cricket as a couch or as an administrator for Sri Lanka…” Former Test Cricket Captain Arjuna Ranqatunga stated.

Thajudeen murder: Telephone records at PS erased

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) conducting investigation into the murder of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris this morning, that the telephone records on calls made from the Presidential Secretariat to the then OIC of the Narahenpita Police Damien Perera on the day of Thajudeen's death, have been erased.

At the previous occasion, the CID told Court that several telephone calls originated from telephones at the Presidential Secretariat Office and Temple Trees following the murder of former rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. The CID told Court the telephone numbers were being investigated. 

The CID informed Court that a statement by the Additional Secretary (Internal Administration) at the Presidential Secretariat Anil Wasantha Wanigasuriya affirmed that the telephone records on calls made from the Presidential Secretariat have been erased from its data system.

The CID said further that an additional director of the Information and Communications Department at the Presidential Secretariat had told the CID that these records had been erased by maintenance officials, who are currently not in service at the Presidential Secretariat.

CID investigations are being carried out on these officials and the CID has taken into custody a CPU device which stores telephones call records for further investigations, the cID told Court.

The CID informed Court that some Presidential Security Division (PSD) officers who served under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa are under investigation for giving telephone calls to the former Narahenpita OIC.

Meanwhile, Western Province former Senior DIG Anura Senanayake and former Narahenpita Crimes OIC Sumith Champika Perera arrested over their alleged role in the cover up of evidence in rugby player Wasim Thajudeen murder were ordered further remanded till September 7.

The suspects had sought bail from Colombo High Court through two separate revision applications.

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 glass. 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 that crash.

Cabinet approval given to Central Expressway Project

Cabinet Co-Spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake addressing the Cabinet briefing at the Government Information Center said Cabinet approval had been given to call bids to select a contractor for the Central Expressway Project and to call for technical and financial proposals for the Ratnapura Expressway project.

He said obtaining bids and proposals for the construction of third phase of the Central Expressway Project from Pothuhera to Galagedara covering a distance of 32.5 km was made by the Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella.

Bids and proposals for selection of a contractor and a consultant according to the recommendations made by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management on the above project was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, he said.

Construction of the Ratnapura Expressway covering 73.9 kilometers from Kahathuduwa interchange to Pelmandulla on the Southern Expressway (E01) was also approved by the Cabinet.

The feasibility studies, preliminary design and Environmental Impact Assessment are being carried out at present. The Exim Bank of China has agreed to fund its construction.

SL beats Australia, level ODI series 1-1

Skipper Angelo Mathews yesterday led from the front with his allround showing to help Sri Lanka register a comprehensive 82-run win against Australia in the second one-day international to level the series at 1-1 in Colombo. 

Australia, who were chasing a record 289 for victory at R Premadasa Stadium, were bowled out for 206 in 47.2 overs. Earlier Australia's James Faulkner recorded his first ODI hat-trick but Sri Lanka, who chose to bat first, still managed to post 288 in 48.5 overs.

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)