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An attempt by Coconut Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Keerthi Weerasinghe to defend the son of his boss, State Minister Arundika Fernando, during a news conference ended in total embarrassment as his story fell apart in the face of questions by a journalist.

State Minister Fernando’s son is accused of leading a group of men who attacked some undergrads occupying a hostel of the Ragama Medical Faculty, injuring several. The CDA Chairman held a news conference after it emerged that some of the attackers had come in an official vehicle belonging to the CDA. The vehicle had been detained by students, along with its driver, a CDA employee. Mr. Weerasinghe initially chided the media over the issue, claiming that it was only reporting one side of the story.

He claimed he had spoken with the state minister’s son, who had assured him that only five people had gone to the location and contrary to what was reported in the media, none of them was armed. He claimed he had “confirmed this” by viewing videos of the alleged incident. Nevertheless, since the driver had taken an official CDA vehicle to the location without permission, steps have been taken to suspend him, Mr. Weerasinghe said.

The CDA Chairman also claimed that the group had gone there to “rescue” a friend who was about to be assaulted — and murdered.

At this point, a journalist
started questioning Mr. Weerasinghe about his claims:

n Journalist:  Did you speak with the driver?

    CDA Chairman: I did.

n Journalist: Why did he go to that location? Who compelled him?

    CDA Chairman: No one had compelled him. He was told that they needed to go and rescue a person, so he had gone. That was when this incident occurred.

n Journalist: Was it the minister’s son who had spoken to him?

    CDA Chairman: I don’t know that yet.

n Journalist: Wasn’t the minister’s son in that (CDA) car?

CDA Chairman: I don’t know that.

n Journalist: Where did that vehicle leave from? Was it from here or the minister’s house?

    CDA Chairman: I don’t know that either.

n Journalist: So, you have suspended him (driver) without clearly knowing the facts of the incident?

    CDA Chairman: The driver has been assigned to this particular vehicle so he must take responsibility for that.

One cannot help but be reminded of the old Sinhala adage about giving incoherent replies to questions; “Koheda Yanne? Malle Pol” (Where are you going? I have coconuts in the bag).

Navy breaks custom in according 25 gun-salute

When the nation held the 74th Independence Day celebrations on Friday, the Navy ship SLNS Gajabahu was anchored about 600 metres from the Galle Face Green to mark the day with the centuries-old tradition of according a 25 gun-salute.

Using a Navy vessel for the gun salute close to the Galle Face Green was a breaking away from the norm of presenting honour from the Navy Lighthouse in the heart of Colombo. Last year too, a Navy Gun Salute was accorded on board but far away (17 nautical miles) from Colombo due to the usage of live ammunition. This time the Navy used drill ammunition at the Galle Face Green.

Onboard SLNS Gajabahu: Sri Lanka Navy according the 25-gun salute to mark Independence Day

The gun salute accorded to the nation on board the good ship SLNS Gajabahu was executed onboard platform for the second time after 72 years, first presented way back in 1950 onboard HMCyS ‘Vijaya’, according to the Navy.

According to a Navy custom, the main mast and deck out of the vessel were decorated with signal flags denoting the phrase ‘25 Gun Salutes for the Nation’ when the honour was presented. The bursts of gunfire from four 47 mm guns fitted onboard echoed across the Colombo port as the event was telecast live.

Foreign Ministry’s lengthy media statements: Clarification or confirmation?

If there is any not-so subtle change at the Foreign Ministry after learned Prof G. L. Peiris assumed office, it is the lengthy media statements which are being disseminated by its Public Policy Department.

It seems similar to what happened during his previous stint as Foreign Minister under Rajapaksa 1st where those who were in the decision making roles believed that the Geneva challenges at the geopolitical arena could be handled by issuing long media releases rather than actual diplomacy.

The latest is the Ministry’s rebuttal of the claims made by former Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Commissioner Ambika Satkunanathan to the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights.

The former Commissioner was critical of the government’s usage of Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and human rights violations.

However, the ministry has a valid point to make. “If Sri Lanka loses the EU GSP plus facility, particularly at a time when livelihoods of millions of Sri Lankans belonging to all communities are already affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting losses would exacerbate poverty and income inequality. Some of the worst affected sectors will be fisheries and agriculture which are among the key industries in the North and the Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka,” the statement pointed out.

Issuing a statement to the local media is just not good enough. Those who must be convinced are those in Geneva. Just a day before, the Public Policy Department issued a high spirited self-motivational statement titled ‘Foreign Minister’s statement on 74th Independence Day’.

The Ministry was also quick to clarify a report published in a Sinhala weekend newspaper. The report was based on an interview with Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa who was quoted as saying US dollars were obtained in the underground foreign exchange market to buy weapons from North Korea during the northern insurrection.

Minister Peiris has spoken in this regard with his Cabinet colleague, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa who has back-tracked on what he is reported to have said, a statement from the Ministry said. For many, a denial of this sort is a sure way of confirming the story.

When asked by reporters the following day, Minister Rajapaksa downplayed the matter by simply indicating that digging deeper into it will not do any good for anyone and would fuel further controversy.

Consumer prices soar; highest in South Asia

As Sri Lanka has been making international headlines often for the wrong reasons in recent months, the country’s inflation increased to a record high for the South Asian region — even above Pakistan which saw a sharp increase in its inflation (13%) even after deciding to go for an IMF bailout.

Consumer prices rose in Sri Lanka by 14.2% in January from a year earlier, faster than the median estimate of 13.2% in a survey conducted by Bloomberg. The average annual inflation rate rose to 6.9%.

The Colombo Stock Exchange which was on the record high upward trend also witnessed sharp losses and less market activity this week.

A stock broker expressed alarm that the inflation rate might go even higher in the coming months due to the continuing economic crisis. He made a point; “Since our Central Bank Governor is of the view that pumping more newly printed money into the market does not cause more inflation, there is little hope for us.”

Stock market reacts to yes and no relating to IMF bailout

Some confusion has arisen among market analysts and private sector policy makers when it comes to who is qualified enough to answer the most pertinent question thrown around political circles these days: “Whether Sri Lanka should seek IMF assistance, or not?”

A day after Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa addressed the media that the country wrote to the IMF seeking assistance, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal clarified quickly to say that the letter was with regard to ongoing IMF capacity building initiatives, and not related to debt management.

This reflected in the market too. The Colombo stock market responded positively towards the Minister’s announcement, but later went down after the clarification came from CBSL Governor.

No Freedom Day freedom for Ranjan

A total of 197 prison inmates were granted a presidential pardon on Friday to coincide with the country’s 74th Independence Day. Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake, however, was not among them despite wide expectations that he would also be included in the list.

There had been feverish speculation in the days leading up to Friday that Mr. Ramanayake, who is serving a four-year prison sentence for contempt of court, would be pardoned on Independence Day.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa had expressed confidence that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa would accept the request made by him and the SJB, to pardon Mr. Ramanayake. So confident were SJB supporters that Mr. Ramanayake’s official Facebook page shared a post stating that he would be released at 11.00 am on Independence Day. Yet, the day came and went without such a pardon.

The SJB is now planning to launch a series of protests calling on the President to grant Mr. Ramanayake a pardon.

Angry people directly reject ministers

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda is the latest victim to be turned away from a public protest by Northern fishermen who alleged that the government had failed to be on their boat when it comes to Indian fishermen poaching in Lankan waters.

He was not alone. Urban Development, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness State Minister Nalaka Godahewa too faced a similar situation early this week when he went to a Colombo suburb to inspect a development project and a new bus route.

It seems the people who are facing enormous economic difficulties coupled with the unbearable cost of living are openly expressing their anger at government politicians and doing so directly.