Odds & Ends

Another joy ride at tax payers’ expense

How serious are our politicians about fighting bribery and corruption? The five-day Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity, attended by some 110 countries, in Johannesburg, South Africa last week was more a joke and a joy ride for some Sri Lankan politicians who were picked to attend it. For No-win man it was no show at all. Then two others, arrived for the opening clueless, after all the major speakers had spoken and just in time for lunch. So after lunch they complained of being tired after the long journey and retired to their hotel rooms for rest, but are said to have gone shopping instead. Day two: the two were missing once again, having gone on a safari. Day three: they left South Africa. So this is their hard work at tax payers’ expense and what a way to attend a five day gruelling forum. At least had they sent someone like Wije Rajapaksa of COPE fame the country could have benefited immensely? Thanks to the jokers, the Lankan delegation was headless as well. Even our High Commissioner was a no show man, even though he was only about two hours away in Pretoria. No wonder the country has such a bad image!

Not an April Fools’ Day joke

It might be Medamulana chintanaya to be brave, but it could very well prove to be foolhardy. The latest such risky visit was to the residence of Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Iran M.M. Zuhair in the heart of Borella on the morning of Sunday April 1. Many thought it was an April Fools’ Day joke when President Rajapaksa with hardly any security arrived there just to honour an obligation to an old friend. The previous day had been Mr. Zuhair’s son’s homecoming. Since he could not attend either the wedding or the homecoming, obviously for security reasons; the President did the next best thing to visit them the following day.

TID slipping badly?

First it was Maubima journalist Maheswari, who was in custody for several months without being charged and finally released with nothing to hold her. Then came ex-naval intelligence man Rohana Gamage. He too was held for a few weeks for questioning, but again had to be set free as there was nothing to hold him as well. Surely this is no way to treat a former leading member of naval intelligence. So is TID slipping? No wonder it was kept under cold storage not so long ago.

Enterprising businessmen

The grave shortage of essentials, especially pharmaceuticals in Jaffna, resulting from the closure of the A-9 highway since late last year is now being resolved by enterprising businessmen operating from Trincomalee who are using the Trinco- Jaffna ferry service to send these urgently needed items.

Their modus operandi is to buy about five ferry tickets, each entitled to 25 kilos of luggage, but instead of sending five passengers they would send one passenger with 125 kilos of goods. Tickets are not cheap either with each costing Rs.2500.

Is this misuse?

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) which speaks against the misuse of Government property held a party media conference on Wednesday at the Environment Ministry auditorium in Battaramulla on Wednesday.

The invitation for the conference which was distributed by the Government Information Department stated the Environment and Natural Resources Minister Champika Ranawaka and Senior Ministry Advisor Udaya Gammanpila would be holding a ‘special media conference’.

However, Minister Ranawaka did not turn up and Mr. Gammanpila addressed the conference in the capacity of the media spokesman for the JHU and went on to speak on the faults of the CFA brought in by the UNP.