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President Maithripala Sirisena has been called upon to decide whether or not Dayan Jayatilleke should be Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Russia.
This was because a majority of those at the Parliamentary High Posts Committee were not in favour of his posting.

Dayan Jayatilleke

The Sunday Times learns that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Sirisena telling him that whilst some members of the committee favoured his appointment, the majority were not. They felt he was not suitable to hold that position. That included UNP ministers and MPs.

The Sunday Times also learnt that those not in favour of Dr. Jayatilleke’s appointment alleged that some of his recent statements in the public domain were allegedly “crude” and not in the national interest. Hence, they argued that he is not a suitable person to serve as ambassador. This is the first time the President has been asked to re-consider one of his own ambassadorial nominees.

In the light of this, Speaker Jayasuriya has sought President Sirisena’s advice. A Parliament source said if President Sirisena, who appoints heads to Sri Lanka missions overseas, still wants Jayatilleke appointed, the Committee would convene again. Weeks earlier, a group of academics opposed Mr Jayetilleke’s appointment for a string of reasons.

The functions of the Committee on High Posts, in terms of Parliament rules, are to examine the suitability of any person who has been either appointed to any post or nominated to hold office in any post determined by the Cabinet of Ministers and to make recommendations in regard to such persons. In the case of persons appointed or nominated for the posts of Secretaries to Ministries, Heads of Missions abroad and Chairpersons of selected Corporations as determined by the Committee on High Posts shall be examined within three months.

Russia pushing for Lanka to buy OPV?
Is Russia still trying to persuade Sri Lanka to buy the Gephard Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)? The Defence Ministry recently chose to buy Mi-17 helicopters in place of the OPV but a diplomatic source said yesterday that Moscow was still keen to ask Sri Lanka to conclude the controversial deal. This is on the basis that an assurance has been given to Russia to utilise a part of a re-validated credit line.

A private jet bringing a top level delegation led by Niki Alexandrova, head of Rosboronoexport, the state trading arm, is due in Colombo on July 29. According to diplomatic sources, the team is expected to discuss the OPV deal amongst others. Since Sri Lanka is buying 33 units of Russian-built armoured personnel carriers (BTRs), the head of marketing will also arrive with the team.

Army Chief expresses concern to President
Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake has complained to President Maithripala Sirisena about the alleged interference by a retired senior officer now in politics.

Lt Gen Senanayake has said the officer turned politician is giving instructions to officer cadres without his knowledge and has also spoken to him about transfers and promotions.

Ian Paisley Jr.

Pro-Eelam lobby claims credit for Paisley probe
A British Parliamentarian made an emotional apology in the House of Commons on Thursday for failing to acknowledge two family holidays funded by the Sri Lankan government in 2013. This came after a British Parliamentary inquiry found him guilty of engaging in “paid advocacy”.

Ian Paisley Jr, representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland, has been suspended for 30 days from the House of Commons for his failure after the House of Commons Committee on Standards recommended the suspension. Mr. Paisley Jr said his failure to acknowledge the Sri Lankan holiday trips was a “genuine mistake” and total failure while noting “I accept the report but I do so regret its sanctions”.

The inquiry found that the two Sri Lanka trips which included business class air travel sponsored by SriLankan Airlines, first class accommodation at top hotels, and helicopter tours to tourist destinations “provided a very substantial personal benefit to Mr Paisley and his family”.

The inquiry has also established that Mr Paisley Jr breached the House’s rule on paid advocacy (lobbying in return for reward or consideration) by writing to the British Prime Minister on March 19, 2014 to lobby against supporting a UN resolution on Sri Lanka. Britain’s active pro-Eelam lobby claimed credit for calling for an inquiry on Mr. Paisley by the House of Commons Committee.

IT’S LASANTHA AND NOT NIMAL LANZA
Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna will contest the next parliamentary elections on the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) ticket and not Nimal Lanza as erroneously reported last week. The error is regretted.

Austin envoy to India
Former Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando is to be Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in India. He will succeed former Foreign Secretary Chitrangani Wagiswara who is concluding her term.
Taking the vacant post of High Commissioner in London will be Manisha Gunasekera. She is now Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in South Korea.

Jail for errant bus conductors
The instances of failure of state-run bus conductors to issue tickets are on the rise resulting in severe losses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB).
Transport Minister Nimal Sripala de Silva has come up with a new plan to take action against the errant conductors. He plans to file action against them under the Public Property Act for depriving the state of its due revenue.

“Those who deprive the SLTB of its revenue will have to spend time in remand custody without bail in future,” the minister remarked at a meeting.
But, the question remains as to what has happened to the ‘ticket checkers’ whose duty is to carry out random checks on buses. There is a need to check on the checkers.

Who gave these files in Parliament?

Opposition members in Parliament were somewhat surprised to receive copies of a file.
It contained newspaper clippings of allegations against a big boss and someone had expected the issue would be raised when Parliament met to debate the recent New York Times report about Chinese funds for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign.
The debate ended abruptly when there was no quorum. The question now doings the rounds is as to who gave the files to the Opposition?

Vijayakala speech: Probe on top officials who cheered
The day after the controversial speech made by Vijayakala Maheswaran in Jaffna on the need for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for a ‘violence free’ region, Jaffna District Secretary N. Vedanayahan sent letters to senior government officials seeking answers to what he calls “unruly behaviour” among those who cheered when the former State Minister made the claim.

Senior state employees including Divisional Secretaries, Samurdhi officers, Grama Niladharis were among the audience where there were cheering and whistling when the emotional speech was made by the former State Minister of Children and Women’s Affairs. Two cabinet ministers, Tilak Marapana and Vajira Abeygunawardena and Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran were present at the event.