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Namal’s pro-poor mega project comes before Parliament
View(s):Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa will present a Bill to incorporate The Parents Foundation.
The objectives of the Foundation are seven fold. They are:
To assist relevant authorities with the approval of such authorities to formulate and implement suitable projects for the advancement of women and children in Sri Lanka in social, economic and cultural spheres;
To grant scholarships and other financial assistance to encourage students who have lost one or both parents to pursue higher studies;
To assist relevant authorities with the approval of such authorities to grant relief to patients who need to undergo heart surgery, kidney transplants or cancer treatment;
To establish and maintain homes for the elders;
To assist relevant authorities with the approval of such authorities to provide welfare facilities for blind, dumb, deaf and differently abled persons to construct houses for such persons;
To assist relevant authorities with their approval to provide wheel chairs, crutches and spectacles for th destitute and poor; and
To coordinate or liaise with other associations or organisations having objectives similar to those of the foundation with a view to facilitating the exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience.
Social Services Minister Felix Perera, who obtained approval for the Bill told his ministerial colleagues that it has been amended by the Legal Draftsman.
In keeping with a decision by the Cabinet of Ministers in 1979, Bills presented by MPs to the Secretary General of Parliament would have to be referred to the appropriate Minister for report.
This picture of Rohitha Rajapaksa appeared in the Indian journal of Science and Technology in its July issue.
Rohitha: Sky high in space study
The interest that Rohitha Rajapaksa, the youngest son of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has in space technology is well known in the country but less publicised is the height to which he has soared in this area of study. Recently, he co-authored, along with J.K. Wijerathna, who is Head of Mathematics Department at the University of Colombo, a research paper on “Space Debris Removal Strategies and their Feasibility.” It was published in the Indian journal of Science and Technology in its July issue.
The introduction to the young Rajapaksa is given in this manner: “The youngest son of the President, a space engineer graduated from the University of Southampton, is currently reading for his PhD in the field of space at the Department of Mathematics, University of Colombo.
A recent notable achievement of his is completing his first year of ongoing research on ‘Optimisation of space debris mitigation and strategy analysis’.
Rohitha Rajapaksa also functions as the ‘Chief Technical Director’ of Sri Lankan satellite operator — supreme SAT and is continuing his efforts to become a career astronaut in the near future.”
Hulugalle came in Benz without security
Lakshman Hulugalle, former Director General of the Media Centre for National Security and now Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner in Australia, has responded to a report headlined “Hulugalle: His high-flown days are over”. The report which appeared on August 3 in this column, said his security was withdrawn when he went to Australia on May 30.
Sent through his lawyer, the letter points out “….My client came to Sri Lanka on July 27 and left on July 30 where he did not have any bodyguards or escort vehicles as he came to Sri Lanka for two days for the specific purpose of attending the Board meeting of the Commercial Bank of Sri Lanka PLC.”
The letter notes, “I am further instructed that my client always uses his personal car which is a Mercedes Benz 220 bearing No. CAA 0006 when he comes to Sri Lanka and that he did not use a Land Rover as it has been stated in your newspaper.”
It adds “…..my client never visited Temple Trees to meet His Excellency the President during his visit ….”Jamis Banda adds: Mr. Hulugalle is correct when he says he did not meet President Rajapaksa. The inadvertent error is regretted. However, he did make efforts to seek a meeting. The letter confirms my report that he came to Sri Lanka to take part in the board meeting of the Commercial Bank. Of course, he moved around without security since it had been withdrawn and was not restored upon his return.
Ranil: Tweet and retreat
Obviously, the Opposition United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was too busy.
On Thursday, he inaugurated new Twitter and Facebook accounts at a small ceremony at Siri Kotha, the party headquarters.
However, in the days that followed, there were no Twitter messages from Mr. Wickremesinghe. By yesterday, there were some 280 following him. Hence, there were more tweets among the followers.
To the contrary, the Twitter account of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has 50,000 followers so far. It was active and there are regular tweets about his work.
One-day NIC: Department earns Rs. 76 million
The Department for the Registration of Persons issued 153,992 National Identity Cards on its “one day” service last year and earned Rs. 76,996,000, according to its Performance Report to be tabled in Parliament shortly.
The number of cards issued during the department’s normal service, the report says, is 815,625.
The Department responded to 11,242 queries from public and private organisations. A further 27,973 police clearances were completed while 244 NIC confirmations were provided to courts.
The report says 331 units of the department have been set up in Divisional Secretariats.
LECO makes huge profits, but consumers still in the dark
The Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) made a gross profit of more than Rs. 2.7 billion last year, according to its annual report. LECO bought 11 kv of electricity in bulk from the Ceylon Electricity Board and distributed it among consumers in the areas served by it.
Last year, the company registered a 1.43 per cent consumer growth base or had 507,986 customers, who received more than 1,221 GWh (gigawatt hours) of power.
LECO is not empowered to decide either the purchase or the sale price of electricity. Until 2011, when LECO made the highest profit of more than Rs. 3.5 billion, the price being determined by the Ceylon Electricity Board. Since then, tariffs have been determined by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka.
In addition to selling electricity, the report notes that LECO has “generated considerable income by investing excess money in short term investments.”
However, it has still not been able to ensure uninterrupted power supply in some areas. One of the worst hit is the Kotte electorate where power disruptions occur every week. This is despite claims by LECO officials that a new transformer to avoid such disruptions was to be installed early this year.
Navy’s war hero doctor fights to keep his new job
He won a Rana Wickrema medal for bravery and was recommended for a Wickrema Vibhushana — but the doctor in the Sri Lanka Navy had to retire.
If he joined others in the Navy to keep the terrorists at bay, he is now fighting to keep his job in retirement.
The doctor joined the state health service and is now serving at the Harispattuwa MOH office. There was further misfortune when his wife died of cancer.
He now complains that some of his erstwhile colleagues have launched an operation against him. He sought a transfer close to Kandy to be close to his son. It fell on deaf years. He has now been told to go to Nawalapitiya.
It has now transpired that some of his colleagues at one time were behind the move.
Mervyn gets job to prop up the poor
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has assigned another function to Minister Mervyn Silva who is in charge of Public Relations and Public Affairs.
The additional job gazetted on Thursday says he will also be responsible for
“formulation of plans and programmes necessary for the uplift of the welfare conditions of the low income earning people living in houses deprived of minimum facilities.”
Super Diesel upgrade, but what about price?
Lanka Super Diesel will soon be a thing of the past at fuel stations countrywide.
The Government has decided to allow the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to market Lanka Super Diesel 4 Star instead. It is not immediately clear whether there will be a price revision as a result of this change.
Carlton float frowned upon at Kandy Perahera
There was some distraction at this year’s Esala Perahera in Kandy.
An improvised chariot on a lorry with the logo Carlton had a load of young children singing bhakti gee. It wound its way on the Perahera route before the historic event even began.
Both the crowds on the street as well as the Buddhist clergy were upset. An appeal went out for the new addition to the Perahera to get off the road. They politely followed the request.