Vote on Dec 5

Treasury sources said that the budget estimates for 2001 were being prepared at present and said the allocation of finances under a vote on account was delayed due to the estimates not being prepared in time which in turn was caused by the delay in appointing deputy ministers and ministry secretaries. Meanwhile, the government's policy statement will also be taken up for debate during the next three weeks. 

FMM hits out at Deva

In a statement, the FMM said the Minister should refrain from making such allegations and asked the government to hold an independent inquiry. It said that Mr. Devanada headed an armed group and his remarks on Mr. Mylvaganam amounted to a warning to other journalists in Jaffna. 

CMC gets tough on bite breeders

By Faraza Farook 

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam told The Sunday Times that to date only private institutions and individual householders have been prosecuted for ignoring orders to clean up their surroundings. But now it seems that most Government organisations and schools have neglected the instructions to clean up and eradicate mosquito breeding. 

"We have been sending notices to them but to no avail. We will be sending a final notice this week failing which the heads of the institution will be prosecuted under the Mosquito Borne Diseases Ordinance," Dr. Kariyawasam said. 

He said that with an outbreak of dengue and the threat of other mosquito borne diseases, the failure to clean up surroundings amounts to a criminal offence. 

Those prosecuted will have to pay a fine of between Rs. 750 and Rs. 1000 and sometimes serve a jail term too, Dr. Kariyawasam warned. 

More than 650 notices have been sent to individuals and private institutions and 96 of them have been prosecuted, compared to a total of 10 prosecutions last year. 

Today, the CMC will launch a mass scale cleaning up programme at Manning Town, Narahenpita. Dr. Kariyawasam said that they were targeting at cleaning up all the flats and the Army quarters to ensure no breeding place for mosquitoes is left. 

While the CMC staff including the engineering department staff will be deployed for the cleaning up operation, Dr. Kariyawasam called for public co-operation. 

He emphasised on the support of the flat dwellers in order to make the programme a success. Often, he said, very few volunteered to join the cleaning up campaign. 

Meanwhile, awareness campaigns and cleaning up programmes were being held in many parts of the country to eliminate the risk of dengue. 

The disease reached epidemic proportions in Matara last month. A committee to deal with dengue and to control outbreaks of similar diseases was appointed last week following Health Minister John Seneviratne's visit to the District. 

The disease spread to the Kurunegala district late last month. Kurunegala hospital authorities said that 77 patients were receiving treatment last Friday while many more were already discharged. 

In Colombo, though the number of dengue patients reported was low, the outbreak is still raging in many areas. The affected areas include Kirulapone, Bambalapitiya, Kollupitiya, Dematagoda, Kuppiyawatte (East) and Mattakkuliya.

Passports stolen

As soon as the news spread, hundreds of people who had given their passport to the agency gathered outside the Kandy police station in search of their passports. 

Sanath off to London

Site for drug fight

The web page, though it is targeted at the youth, gives valuable information on drug abuse prevention to schools and families. 

According to a SLANA statement, most drug users are in the 18-25 age group and about 50% of persons in prisons have committed drug offences.

In Sri Lanka, more than 100,000 are estimated to use heroin and over 200,000 cannabis. SLANA said the drugs consumed in the country were estimated to cost more than 7 billion rupees a year. 

Missing files delays probe

By Sunil Jayathilake

Rs. 2 million worth of timber had been allegedly bought for the Alahana Pirivena outside tender procedure. A probe initiated over the deal had come to a halt as the files were missing, sources said. 

J'pura undergrads pin hopes on ICs

By Nilika de Silva

The students' decision is being examined as a method of ensuring the peaceful functioning of the university, Vice Chancellor Jagath Wickre-masinghe said. 

He said the university would be re-opened shortly after a meeting with the academic staff tomorrow.. 

Meanwhile, retired Supreme Court judge K. M. R. B. Kulatunga has been appointed to probe the incidents which led to the closure of the university. The students claimed that a police party came to the Science Faculty only after the mob had dispersed and this could be verified by television footing.

HNB dispute: enjoining order not extended

The application was filed by R S Jayawardena, an employee of the HNB and a contributor of the WW&OP fund as well as the Secretary of the HNB Branch of the Ceylon Bank Employees Union, citing the Committee of Management of the Fund as Defendant. 

Mr. Jayawardena said the rules of the WW&OP Fund did not permit the Fund Committee to invest moneys of the Fund in the shares of public quoted companies and therefore, an investment made by the Committee in the shares of the Sampath Bank was outside the rules. 

The application was filed on September 11. On the following day, the application was supported and an Enjoining Order issued ex parte by the District Court for two weeks, preventing the Committee from investing in shares. 

On the notice by the Court, the committee filed objections on September 26 stating, inter alia, that Mr. Jayawardena had suppressed or misrepresented matters to court. 

It was also stated in the objection that the Plaintiff had also suppressed material information to Court and thereby misled Court in obtaining an exparte Order. 

On hearing the objections of the committee and considering the written submissions by both parties, the Court refused to extend the enjoining order. 

The judge said that only further investment in Sampath Bank shares were restrained, not because the Committee lacked authority to do so, but due to another matter in issue before Court with regard to investment in Sampath Bank. 

New security measures hit business

By Shelani de Silva and Chandani Kirinde

With a ban on traffic and other severe restrictions, public access to banks, business establishments, offices and shops has been severely curtailed. These measures have been brought into effect by the Presidential Security Division without any warning. 

The HSBC, which had just completed a 100 million-rupee refurbishment programme at its 60-year-old Colombo headquarters building said yesterday, they were not advised of any changes. 

"Our customers will find access to us even more difficult in view of the prohibition of all vehicles to Sir Baron Jayatilake Mawatha, and the difficulty in finding parking in the vicinity," R. K. Jayawardena, Manager, Services of HSBC told The Sunday Times yesterday. 

"The Fort head office supports eight branches. Without vehicular access we have difficulty with transporting cash and supplies, holding meetings, and supporting the branches. Our corporate office is also at Fort and thus local and foreign customers find us difficult to access. However, we are in touch with the authorities with regard to our difficulties and we are confident that reasonable solutions can be found, satisfying our operational requirements and the security needs," she said. 

An official of another leading Bank, the Standard Chartered said "no official warning was given about the changes to the security arrangements.

The bank in a statement said: "A request was made on a number of days to close the main entrance facing the President's office for security reasons. As a bank in Sri Lanka, we fully understand the reasons for this, and complied with it. 

"Customers are affected in terms of access to the Standard Chartered, Fort Branch for visiting and delivering bank and trade documents. Their access is restricted by security arrangements in an around the Janadhipathi Mawatha." 

The bank said the staff too was also facing problems with parking facilities being restricted. 

It said while it welcomed new security arrangements which would ensure safety and protection of the customers and the staff, they were also concerned about the difficulties both staff and customers faced in gaining access to the bank. 

The bank said it had requested the Central Bank to allow it to open an extension counter in another area of Fort to ensure that its customers have access to availability of cash and document delivery and pick up.

Fort now a fortress

By Shelani de Silva

More than 600 hawkers down York Street and adjoining roads, some of whom have been there for more than three decades, were asked to stop their trade on Tuesday afternoon, without any prior notice. 

Although a delegation of pavement hawkers met Labour Minister Alavi Moulana expecting a solution to their problem, they were disappointed. The Minister had promised to visit the area on Sunday and make arrangements for them to continue their trade after consultation with the security authorities.

K.G.H.Jayaratne of Mount Lavinia, a father of four children who has sold garments on the pavement since 1985 said his children depended on his daily income to fulfill their basic needs. 

"I make Rs300-Rs400 daily but if I cannot sell my goods for three or four days, my family will go hungry," he said. 

K.H.Samarasekera of Kalutara who sells lottery tickets and fruits along the pavement on York Street said his stocks of fruits had to be thrown away after he was suddenly ordered to stop the sales. 

"I have four children including a handicapped child to support. We cannot go on this way for more than three days," he said. 

"All the office workers in the area know us. We even give them goods on credit. There is a lot of trust between us and our customers," he said. 

Similar sentiments were expressed by many of the other traders who felt they were being unfairly evicted, as they were no security threat to any VIP. 

"We know everyone of the traders who are here and we are the first to check on any suspicious persons or parcels in the area and bring it to the notice of the police. We are not a threat but an asset to the security services", one trader said. 

Several of the pavement hawkers in the area are members of the civil defence force and have been issued with identity cards by the Police. Their job is to be vigilant and inform the Police of any suspicious happenings in the area. 

Mohamed Sally (70) is one of the oldest traders down York Street. He has been there since 1957 and his son M.M.Ramzi also sells leather goods, carpentry tools and garments alongside him. 

"For many of us, selling things on these pavements is like a family business. I have been working here with my father since the age of ten" Ramzi said. 

"We cannot start a business in another area because the best areas like Pettah are already full of traders and we will not be welcomed by them. This is where we are used to. It is like our home" Ramzi said.

The traders also complained that this was the best time of the year for business as the festive season was round the corner. 

"So many people have come and asked us why we are not selling any goods since Tuesday. Our customers really miss us", he said. 

The traders also questioned why they were being considered a security threat when office workers in the area were still being allowed to park vehicles along York Street. 

Traders say over the years they have been subjected to fines and confiscation of goods from time to time but have survived through all that. 

But this time they fear they may lose their only means of livelihood for ever. 

Banks, travel agencies, and jewellery shops that have been in operation for years have had to make sudden changes too with the road closures. 

The once active area today is deserted except for the executives seen walking to their offices. 

The Travel Agencies situated in and around Fort area have had to bear an additional cost by delivering documents to the client personally due to the inconvenience. 

A director of a leading travel agency told The Sunday Times just as much as concern for security of the President should be looked into, that Fort is the main commercial area should be taken into consideration if the economy is to be improved. 

"So many financial institutions are located here and such restrictions can only cripple the economy. We agree that security for the Head of State has to be of utmost importance but it can be done in a more organised manner. 

When the President was residing at Temple Trees part of Galle road opposite Temple Trees was open for traffic, but in this case the whole area is closed, not just one road," he said. 

Parking too in the Fort area is a big problem. Earlier vehicles were allowed to be parked down Janadipathi Mandiraya. But now when ever the President travels along the road it has to be cleared of all parked vehicles.

Last week vehicle owners were asked to remove their vehicles around 3.00 pm as the President was returning which took place at 7.00 pm. 

Fort has been the nook for money exchangers and brokers. However, within two days of the roads being closed business has dropped drastically. 

A money changer down Mudalige Mawatha told The Sunday Times that business had dropped by 50%. 

"I used to have about 200 customers per day, but today it is less than 25. They are scared to carry money and also the hassle they have to go through to come into Fort is too much. If this continues we will have to close down. At the moment I pay 12,500 rupees as rent ," he said. 

Smaller business which open around after 10 am have no parking facilities, while many people park their vehicles close to Galle Face and take a taxi from there. 

A manager of a jewellery shop said that the owner has already informed him to reduce the number of employees. 

" We have eight people working in the shop. We have to ask three people to stop work. Business has dropped drastically in the last few days. 

We were hoping for a certain profit but at the rate things are it is not possible. With Ramazan round the corner we were expecting to have good sales' he said. 

The once majestic looking General Post Office too has been shifted from its original place and its various sections are being housed at several places today. 

This was the only post office that was open 24 hours a day from time immemorial.When foreigners came to Sri Lanka in the glorious olden days they posted their letters and sent picture postcards from this very post office. 

Luxury liners used to berth at the Colombo jetty mostly at night and the passengers would go shopping and hop in to the post office to send their loved ones a note. 

All that glitter and glamour of the golden past of Fort is no more. 

Flower Road after school: a parent's nightmare

By Mihiri Wikramanayake

However, an ultimate driver's quandary is Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha or formerly Flower Road, Colombo and its vicinity, on any weekday afternoon. A highly residential area and home to some of the oldest colleges in the country, it is now a veritable nightmare. With cussed, yet often helpless looking policemen lined up along the way, driving along Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha has become a horrifying experience for parents. 

"All these years we had a prime minister who never came to office, and that was just fine. Now we have one who cannot seem to stay away. I just wish he could choose a better time to do so" lamented a parent.

Concerned parents of Ladies College students are up in arms. They are not allowed to park their vehicles along the road to pick up their children. A couple of days ago, primary school children finishing at 1.30 p.m. were not allowed out of the college gates for security reasons. And mind you, it is not for fear of their security, but for a big minister who already has an entourage of security vehicles blanketing him from all sides. 

This minister's office is well guarded. The only thing missing is a moat around it. It has got iron bars, steel armour shields, a battalion of sharpshooters, barricades all around (that includes blocking off Inner Flower Road as well) and of course the cussed policemen. 

The only way to confuse these hapless fellows is by sticking a flag on your car and calling yourself the Consul of the Republic of Leave Me Alone Land that can earn a privileged parking spot anywhere. 

Parents of Royal College who had to endure a closure of Racecourse Avenue were in for a pleasant (political) surprise. (After all, let's count our meagre blessings and welcome such surprises). This road was suddenly reopened after many years just because the Minister's entourage must take this route on his drive back home. 

Now it is alleged that our fearless General is chanting "seth pirith" at his new office in a building that has been fortified with imposing gates, at the other end of Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha, even though he has lost the (temporarily or otherwise) deputy defence slot. 

Parents are trembling in fear of a worse nightmare. Another big shot coming to this area will mean more barricades and blockades resulting in almost 10,000 school children from about five different schools in and around this vicinity being at the mercy of security types. 

Not too long ago authorities foolishly housed the Joint Operations Command (JOC) at the beginning of Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha, only to be blown up by a terrorist suicide mission whilst schools were in session. 

Recently a suicide bomber exploded herself right in front of the Prime Minister's office. Either two or three Ministers must get out of the way - or 10,000 kids and their parents must do so. 

Our sincere hope is that Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha will not end up being another Tiannamen Square.

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