Odds & Ends

More difficult next time

The much anticipated press conference by former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi was held on Thursday. The original venue for the conference was a five star hotel in Colombo but the venue had to be changed suddenly due to pressure from ‘unseen’ but ‘known’ forces, as Mr. Samaraweera said. Journalists were notified of the venue and changes made, all via SMS, by the media team of the two men. Going by the difficulty they had in getting a venue, next time it might have to be video conferencing for them.

Grass under his feet

Mr.Samaraweera complained at the news briefing that he was being subject to much harassment since his sacking from the Cabinet. He said along with his security and vehicles, the lawn mower in his official residence too had been removed.

Siphoning black gold

A scribe was visiting a venue close to the Police Mess in De Fonseka Road, Bambalapitiya when he witnessed a remarkable sight taking place inside the premises last week.

Two men in police uniform came on their Police motor cycles, parked them in a dark spot and vanished from the scene.

Soon two other men in civvies came with plastic cans in their hands and drew petrol from the tanks of the two vehicles and walked away. A few minutes later, the two uniformed men came and left on the motor cycles.

It seemed like a regular occurrence. With all the fuel hikes, they too seem to want to save on costs. But unfortunately it was at the expense of the poor taxpayers.