Rajapaksa Sons To Lead Army & Navy Rugby Teams

The Sri Lanka Rugby Union said that Yoshitha Rajapaksa would remain as the Captain of the Sri Lanka Navy Rugby team and Rohitha Rajapaksa would be the Captain of the Sri Lanka Army Rugby team despite speculations that the Rajapaksa sons will be pulled out of Rugby squads.

Upon further inquiry, the officials of the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy Rugby federations had told media that former Mahinda Rajapaksa’s two sons would take part in the upcoming Dialog Rugby tournament in their regular positions.

It was widely speculated that the sons of former President Rajapaksa had left the country following the presidential election.

Three sons of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, namely Namal Rajapaksa, Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Rohitha Rajapaksa are prominent members of the national Rugby team.

Provincial Council member and JHU stalwart Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said a comprehensive inquiry would be conducted into activities of members of the Rajapaksa family in the field of Rugby. He also added that the new government had received a number of complaints with regard to the conduct of the “princes” of the Rajapaksa family.

He also added that the members of the “nil balakaya”, a youth organization set up by the sons of the former President, would be rehabilitated.

MR Denies Coup Charges “I Bowed Down To People’s Verdict”

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa Tuesday denied government allegations that he attempted a coup to remain in office after it became clear that he had lost last week’s election.

“I deny in all possible terms reports of attempts to use the military to influence election results,” the former leader said on Twitter adding that he accepted the verdict before final results were declared on Friday.

In his first direct response to the coup charge, Rajapaksa said he had “always bowed down to the people’s verdict”.

Top aides of new President Maithripala Sirisena have alleged that Rajapaksa tried to cling to power by persuading the island’s army and police chiefs to deploy the security forces.

Rajapaksa broke his silence on the coup allegation just as Pope Francis began a two-day visit to the island and called for justice, healing and unity in a country emerging from a 37-year Tamil separatist war.

Rajapaksa, who had invited the pope last year, was not at the welcome ceremony but issued three tweets rejecting the allegations against him.

Just before the new government was formed on Monday, incoming Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said Rajapaksa had in fact tried to persuade the army and police chiefs to help him stay in office with the use of force.

“People think it was a peaceful transition. It was anything but,” Samaraweera told a press conference at the weekend.

“The first thing the new cabinet will investigate is the coup and conspiracy by president Rajapaksa,” he added.

JVP to complain against Basil, Namal & Cabraal

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said it would complain to the Bribery Commission tomorrow (13) about alleged financial frauds committed by former UPFA Minister Basil Rajapaksa, parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal.

The JVP said it would also complain to the Commission against those involved in the controversial hedging deal. “Taking legal action according to the law against criminal offences is not seeking vengeance or revenge. We won’t allow political revenge to take place. We have all the details, files and evidence to support our claims. We will take action against corrupt personnel regardless of their political affiliation or status,” JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference today.

He said they would follow up their complaints to the Commission and observe how the investigations are progressing. “If the Bribery Commission fails to carry out proper and prompt investigations on complaints as it used to do in the past, we will make sure that the errant commissioners who are delaying investigations be removed from the Commission,” Mr. Dissanayake said.

Daham Sirisena At Racecourse With 40 PSD On Saturday Night ?

 
Reports are emerging that President Maithripala Sirisena’s son Daham has been spotted at Racecourse Colombo with at least 40 members of the presidential security division.

Daham SirisenaThe sight has been off putting to many people at the venue since the new President campaigned against abuse of power and single family rule by the Rajapaksa regime.

However reports that Daham Sirisena was involved in an altercation are incorrect according to sources.

Daham Sirisena has a chequered past, after he was accused of assaulting DIG Ravi Waidyalankara’s son Asela at Passikudah in February 2013.

New ministers sworn in

The Cabinet of Sri Lanka's new government was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat in the capital Colombo. The President's new cabinet will consist of 27 members, 10 state ministers and 8 deputy ministers.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has been given the portfolio of Policy Implementation and Economic Development. Economist and MP Dr. Harsha de Silva will be his deputy minister.

United National Party Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa was given the portfolio of Housing and Samurdhi while MP Ravi Karunanayaka has been sworn in as the Minister of Finance.

Jathika Hela Urumaya MP Patali Champika Ranawaka took oaths as the Power and Energy Minister.

Speaking at the occasion the President said as promised he has kept the cabinet to under 30 ministers. He said some may not be happy with their portfolios but asked them to keep in mind that this is a temporary cabinet that will be in place to implement his 100-day programme.

He said the government will hold a general election after the 100 days and a more permanent cabinet will be appointed.

Following is the list of Cabinet Ministers and their portfolios: :

• Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe – Minister of Economic Development and Policy Implementation
• Ravi Karunanayake – Minister of Finance
• Mangala Samaraweera – Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Sajith Premadasa – Minister of Housing and Samurdhi
• Dr. Rajitha Senaratna – Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine
• M.K.D.S. Gunawardena – Minister of Land
• Kabir Hashim – Minister of Highways and Investment Promotion
• Arjuna Ranatunga – Minister of Ports and Maritime Affairs
• Patali Champika Ranawaka – Minister of Power and Energy
• Rishad Bathiudeen – Minister of Industry and Commerce
• Gamini Jayawickrama Perera – Minister of Food Protection
• Joseph Michael Perera – Minister of Home Affairs
• Naveen Dissanayake – Minister of Tourism
• Akila Viraj Kariyawasam – Minister of Education
• John Amaratunga – Minister of Public Peace & Christian Affairs
• Duminda Dissanayake – Minister of Irrigation
• Wijedasa Rajapaksa – Minister of Justice
• Rauff Hakeem – Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage
• Arjuna Ranatunga – Minister of Ports and Naval
• Gayantha Karunathilake – Minister of Media
• Palani Diganbaram – Minister of Estate Infrastructure Development
• D.M. Swaminathan – Minister of Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Affairs
• Thalatha Athukorala – Minister of Foreign Employment
• Ranjith Madduma Bandara – Minister of Internal Transport
• P. Harrison – Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare
• Chandrani Bandara – Minister of Women’s Affairs
• Lakshman Kiriella – Minister of Plantation

In addition, Deputy Ministers were appointed as follows:

• Harsha de Silva- Economic Development and Policy Implementation
• Ajith P. Perera- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Champika Premadasa- Industry and Commerce
• Eran Wickramaratne- Ministry of Road and Investment Development
• Wasantha Senanayake- Ministry of Tourism
• Sujeewa Senasinghe – Ministry of Justice
• Vijayakala Maheswaran- Ministry of Women’s Affairs
• Anoma Gamage- Ministry of Irrigation

Ministers of State were appointed as follows:

• Ruwan Wijewardene- Defence
• Radhakrishnan-  Education
• Palitha Range Bandara- Power and Energy
• Rajiva Wijesinghe- Higher Education
• Velayudhan- Traditional Industries
• Faizer Mustapha- Estate Affairs
• Nandimithra Ekanayake- Culture
• Dilip Wedaarachchi- Fisheries
• Rosy Senanayake- Child Development

Court issues notice to MR, Anura Yapa, Premajayantha

The Colombo District Court has issued a notice to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, United People’s Freedom Alliance General Secretary Susil Premajayantha and Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa to appear in court on January 26^th.

The notice was issued following a case filed by former Kotikawatte-Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Prasanna Solangarachchi for expelling him from the party without a proper inquiry, which makes it removal unconstitutional.

Solangarachchi was removed from the party after he pledged support to the current President Maithripala Sirisena.

SLFP MP Nimal Siripala de Silva also warned that disciplinary action would be taken against defectors of the party.

Crimes of Rajapaksa boys To Be Exposed

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) today said they will be revealing corruption actions and crimes committed by the Rajapaksa princes within the coming months and added that necessary legal action will be taken against them.

JHU National Organizer Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe speaking at a media briefing this morning had said that they have received detailed information on the crimes that were committed by the Rajapaksa princes – Namal, Yoshitha and Rohitha to which includes rape and sexual harassment of young girls.

“The eldest prince Namal’s Blue Brigade was operating as an alternative armed force in this country.

Within the coming weeks we will be exposing the details of the illegal activities that were carried out by this Blue Brigade under Namal’s leadership,” he said. Warnasinghe also said that they have also received information and proof of countless young girls who have been sexually abused and even raped by the Rajapaksa princes.

“Some of the girls who were victimized in this manner have been given various diplomatic postings to cover up their crimes. We will be revealing all these details and more and we also urge the public to inform us of any additional information they would possess on the crimes committed by the Rajapaksa princes,” he said.

Speaking further he said that a thorough investigation will be carried out on all the charges and added that none will be spared and that necessary legal action will be taken against all those found guilty. He also said that action will be taken to rehabilitate the youth involved with the Blue Brigade.