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President Maithripala Sirisena was to summon and then express his regrets to four former armed forces chiefs last Tuesday for the FCID summoning them for questioning. They served as heads of Sri Lanka diplomatic missions under the former regime.
The FCID questioning was on the circumstances under which, and the reasons for returning to Sri Lanka during the period ahead of the January 8 presidential election. This was over claims that the retired commanders had taken part in the campaign in support of former President Mahinda Raja-paksa.

President Sirisena told them that when he heard about their being summoned to the FCID, he had telephoned Police Chief N.K. Illangakoon to ascertain what had happened.  IGP Illangakoon had told him that a retired Army officer in the Prime Minister’s Office had sent him a letter asking that the Police investigate the matter. The President told the former Commanders that he had told the Police Chief that in future he should keep him informed before former armed forces chiefs were summoned for anything.
Those retired who attended the meeting with the President were Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weera-kkody (SLAF), General Shantha Kottegoda (Army), Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda (Navy) and Admiral Tisara Samara-singhe (Navy).

Law and Order Ministry sinks to new low
The Ministry of Law and Order sunk to a new low this week, but that does not mean that the ministry needed to change its designated name. The e-mail address used by the Ministry of Law and Order for media advisories reads: Ministry of Low & Order [mailto:ministryloworder@gmail.com]

A “low order” Ministry, to say the least, does not inspire public confidence. Not at a time when crime is spiking and the incumbent minister had to sacrifice his job for the sake of his party and the Government.

Cost of maintaining former President
Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake asked more time at last Wednesday’s ministerial meeting to produce a report on how much expenditure the state incurs on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This includes costs incurred in maintaining a staff, use of state transport and related matters.

The report was sought at an earlier ministerial meeting weeks ago. President Sirisena then declared that he would consult the National Security Council to ascertain whether the current level of security to Mr Rajapaksa needed to be lowered.

Students to get vouchers for uniforms
It was the late J.R. Jayewardene as the country’s first Executive President who introduced a scheme to provide free text books to school children. His successor, the late Ranasinghe Premadasa, went a step further. He gave school children free school uniforms also.

After haggling for months whether a state organisation or the private sector should be allowed to import cloth, the new Government has come up with a new idea. Though not a welcome move, it will issue vouchers for school children to buy uniforms.

Tongue  in peak
The three announcers at the funeral of the Most Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera introduced speakers before they stood in front of the microphone to deliver speeches during a live telecast.

At the peak moment, it came to President Maithripala Sirisena’s turn. The Sinhala and Tamil announcers named him and said he would speak. However, for the English announcer, it was different. He invited President Mahinda Rajapaksa to speak, only to quickly correct himself with an apology. When you have to repeat someone’s name over and again for ten long years, it is difficult to get it out of your system, I guess.

Sky change in SriLankan Airlines
The Government is considering top level changes in SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier, as part of a modernisation programme, insiders say. The subject figured at this week’s meeting of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet. This Committee is chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The airline is pruning down its operational costs in the light of lower oil prices but concerns have been voiced at the higher levels over it moving on “auto pilot.” They say that measures were still not afoot to re-energise the airline and it was still working the same way as it did during the previous Administration.

Some even claimed that serious differences among board members were the cause whilst others said more professional expertise was required.

Rajapaksa man seeks comeback as advisor
A bureaucrat who played a dominant role under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is likely to become advisor to a key ministry doling out handouts to the public.
Ministerial sources said the minister concerned is now preparing a memorandum for approval.
It was only last week that the minister failed in his efforts to secure the extension of the services of a friendly bureaucrat who is due to go on retirement. It was turned down by the Treasury.

Missions asked to say it their own way
Everything seems foreign to those in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo.
The latest faux pas is a November 9 circular sent out by the Ministry to the heads of Sri Lanka diplomatic missions and posts.
It begins with the headline, “Late Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera State funeral.” Firstly, the sorrowful event was not a State funeral but one with full State Honours.

The Foreign Secretary has said that “during a meeting chaired by Hon. Prime Minister yesterday on the funeral arrangements, the Prime Minister instructed that our missions be requested to inform the host Governments of the contribution made by the late Venerable Thera to bring about change and a new political culture in the country as the leader of the National Movement for Social Justice, and Chief Incumbent of Naga Vihara.”

Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions in Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) were told, “You are kindly requested to inform Sanganayakes in the countries of your accreditation about the passing away of the Most Venerable Thera and to inform us early as to whether there will be any delegations at the funeral of the late Venerable Thera in order to make appropriate arrangements.”
So each mission is expected to draft their own statements to keep their host Governments informed without a standard, uniform statement being issued. It would be interesting to read what each of them had to say.

In the meantime, more news comes from the President’s state visit to Thailand, among which is how the Minister pulled out of a dinner hosted by the sitting ambassador at the last minute and how no dignitary from the Thai side turned up for the cultural show arranged by the embassy. Oh, what a mess.

Arrest of Lankan in Maldives: President to seek release
President Maithripala Sirisena told ministers last Wednesday that he proposed to speak to his Maldivian counterpart to obtain the release of a Sri Lankan national now in custody in Male. Lahiru Madushanka (24) has been arrested by the Maldivian Police over involvement in an alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen.

The Maldivian authorities first said a Sri Lankan sniper had been arrested, but later only described him as a “Sri Lankan national.” Mr. Madushanka’s parents have told Foreign Ministry officials and other ministers that their son travelled frequently to the Maldives since the family was in the Maldive fish business.

Living in Malabe, Mr. Madushanka’s father has been often identified as “Umbalakada Mudalali” or Maldive fish businessman.
Early this week, the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was concerned about the developments in the Maldives including the declaration of a state of emergency. The emergency was called off soon thereafter.