President Mahinda Rajapaksa went to Parliament this week to take part in the Consultative Committee meeting on the Ministry of Aviation.
The discussion centred on aviation laws and proposed amendments which the Ministry planned to introduce. Ravi Karunanayake (UNP - Colombo District) wanted some changes made. Rajapaksa was to remark that "we don't sell" State enterprises and noted that Karunanayake saw it differently.
Those remarks were repeated even on Wednesday when Rajapaksa chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting. After Ministers approved a proposal to acquire a majority stake in Shell Gas Lanka Ltd., Rajapaksa remarked "we only acquire. We don't give out."
At the Consultative Committee meeting, Karunananayake was seated next to Minister Wimal Weerawansa. Soon, Dayasiri Jayasekera (UNP-Kurunegala District) sat placing Weerawansa in the middle. Remarked Weerawansa, "Sir, Mama bohoma bayanaka dennek ekka inney (Sir, I am with two dangerous people). Retorted Rajapaksa, "Othanata Sajith Avanang Hari (It would be okay if Sajith joins in)."
Sajith Premadasa, who was seated a little distance away, said "mama eatha indang vadey denava (From a distance, I am working away).
Weerawansa appealed that the amendment be not approved without prior discussion. Rajapaksa agreed.
Jayasekera, however, was absent on Thursday when the vote of no-confidence against External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris was debated in Parliament. He had rushed off on a trip to Dubai.
GCM video not for Fonseka
The three-member General Court Martial that probed charges of "disgraceful conduct" against former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka made both audio and video recordings of the proceedings.
When the case ended and judgment was announced to Fonseka on September 17, his counsel made an application for copies of both the video and audio recordings.
Defence Counsel Rienzie Aresacularatne argued that the videoing was done without any reference to the defence. "I find no provision in the Army Act or the Regulation for videoing." However, he said, as much as there is no provision to keep video recordings, there is also no provision to prohibit the issue of copies. Hence, he wanted them made available.
However, the GCM President, Major General Milinda Peiris, rejected the request. He said that both video and audio copies would be retained "if there is any requirement that arises in the future."
Won't disgrace Sangha
Ahead of last Wednesday's weekly Cabinet meeting, some UPFA supporters told President Mahinda Rajapaksa about some politically-sensitive material they had on Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhita Thera.
The ven. thera is spearheading a campaign for the release of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.
"I am not interested in it. I am not going to disgrace the Maha Sangha in any way," replied Rajapaksa.
GL then and GL now
Friday's Parliamentary proceedings ended abruptly without a quorum. It came just when Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe wanted to ask the Speaker for a ruling on Sarath Fonseka's seat in the House.
Wickremesinghe was armed with a voluminous Hansard report but was unable to quote from it. It referred to a speech External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris had made when he was a Minister in the UNP Government in 2004.
Referring to S.B. Dissanayake (now Minister of Higher Education) serving a jail sentence earlier, Prof. Peiris had said "….. that apart from the letter which Mr. S.B. Dissanayake has addressed to you (the Speaker) directly, he has also addressed you through the Commissioner of Prisons. We understand that letter has not been transmitted to you. …..but I do know that my colleague, apart from the letter that was sent to you directly, has also addressed to you through the Commissioner of Prisons."
The Speaker: No.
Prof. Peiris: "In that case, if the letter has been intercepted by the Commissioner for any reason whatsoever, that indisputably constitutes a flagrant abuse of the privileges of a Member of this House. If that is the case, the United National Party will insist on proper action being taken against any executive official, however exalted his rank is, if he defies the authority of this House and if he transgresses the established privileges of the Members of this Parliament……"
|
E-mail