A jubliant Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga accepts the Singer trouphy after the decisive win over Australia yesterday. Ranatunda said their victory proved Sri Lanka were the undisputed world champions of one day cricket. Pic. by Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi.
Tamil political parties have told the chief architect of the devolution package, G.L. Peiris, that they would not be able to broker the package to the UNP and convince it to vote in favour of the package in Parliament.
The Tamil parties have indicated to the Constitutional Affairs Minister Dr. Peiris, who has been leading the islandwide campaign for the package, that it would not be possible for smaller Tamil parties to obtain the support of the main opposition and it was the responsibility of the government to seek the support of the UNP.
Tamil parties' virtual refusal to act as brokers to win over the UNP is considered a setback to push forward the package. The government had earlier wanted the minority parties to get the backing of the opposition.
Political representatives of Tamil parties said their inability to convince the UNP had been conveyed during their meetings with Minister Peiris as they felt the main opposition was also insisting on a unitary state implying that it was not in favour of the devolution package.
The setback comes in the wake of the Tamil parties themselves losing interest in the devolution package with at least one of them saying that the "devolution package is now dying a natural death".
The parties called upon the Government to take a firm decision on the package and approach the UNP in a positive manner.
EROS spokesman Shankar Raji said that the Tamil parties had not seen any progress there for a few months, and were thoroughly disappointed. "At the beginning it was very encouraging. Even the UNP seems to be losing interest. "We as a minority party did our best by speaking to the UNP as well as the government, but unfortunately even the UNP never discussed the key issues", he added.
It is the responsibility of the government to try to come to an understanding with the opposition as well as other parties", he added.
EPRLF leader, Suresh Premachandran said that the Tamil parties obliged Dr. Peiris' request to talk to the UNP several times, but upto date there was no progress.
Mr. Premachandran pointed out that it was the duty of the government to take necessary action to make the package a success. "It is clear that the government needs the two thirds majority and thus they should approach the UNP in a more positive manner".
The Sri Lanka Tea Board, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka are among the promoters of the mystery company which bought a controlling interest in the Hapugastenne Regional Plantations Company last week, "The Sunday Times" learns.
Called Plantations Investment and Management Company (Pvt) Ltd (PIMC) the company had been incorporated with an authorised capital of Rs. 2 bn.
MBSL Managing Director Changa Samaraweera, MBSL Director M.N. Cader, Managing Director Sinwa Adhesives Karu Jayasuriya, Tea Board chief Clifford Ratwatte, SLIC Chief J.W. Wickremasinghe are among the directors of the new company.
PIMC's purchase of Hapugastenne Plantations last week created a furore in the private sector, who say the Company, with state institutional backing, is engaged in a re-nationalization exercise.
The company narrowly outbid the managing agent of Hapugastenne Plantations, James Finlay, to secure the controlling 51 per cent stake at Rs. 23.75.
Earlier, in the case of Agrapatana Plantations which was bid up to Rs. 35.25, Lanka Securities placed a bid which believed to be on behalf of PIMC, topping the previous bid by over Rs. 2 long before the bid was due to close, surprising many market participants who were more accustomed to 25 cent increments. This led to speculation that the company was acting to manipulate the prices upwards, artificially.
At the time of going to press, the Merchant Bank Chief was not available for comment.
The plantations privatization process was embroiled in controversy earlier, when the National Development Bank, Bank of Ceylon, and Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka underwrote share issues of some RPC's and were later forced to take up unsubscribed shares when the public issues failed. These institutions insisted then that they were on to a good buy. They were later proved right when the shares began trading at a premium and controlling interests in other companies were sold at prices of around three to four times the par value.
Being locally controlled, some analysts say PLMC would also help check foreign elements from gaining control of plantations.
Others say that at a time when calls are being made for the EPF to invest in the stock market, other state
The Independent Trade Union of AirLanka has complained to the Chairman of a loss of 14 cargo palates which, they claim, have gone missing in South Africa. According to a union spokesman the palate used for the transport of cargo on the UL 701 had gone missing. It is learnt that a palate cost more than Rs. 94,000.
"Until we informed the Chairman he was not aware of that but said he would take immediate action. From what we gathered he had sent a fax message to the AirLanka office in South Africa. However, we learnt that the official in South Africa had claimed that he cannot take responsibility for the loss" explained an officer.
It is said that most of the houses in South Africa use the aluminum on the palate for roofs. "However there is no confirmation of this" said a trade union official.
Meanwhile the media division of AirLanka when contacted by The Sunday Times denied the loss of the 14 palates and claimed it was only rumours.
EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, it is speculated, is to be offered a Cabinet portfolio to be incharge of north-east affairs. But Mr. Devananda is not prepared to accept such a post.
Mr. Devananda told "The Sunday Times": "I am not interested in any such offers, other than the setting up of an Interim Council for the north-east."
He is even prepared to sacrifice his seat in Parliament if an Interim Council is set up for the north-east where he could serve his people better, he said.
The EPDP's main aim was to get the government to appoint an Interim Council until normalcy is fully restored.
Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans sang and danced with joy all over the country yesterday as Arjuna Ranatunga's team added another jewel to Sri Lanka's cricketing crown.
A jubilant President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who braved security threats to witness the match said, "We have demonstrated to the world that in little Sri Lanka we have great men," after Arjuna Ranatunga's team demolished Australia to win the Singer World Series Cup at the Premadasa Stadium yesterday.
While some 40,000 spectators at the stadium played bands and performed a massive victory dance, crackers were lit all over the country and celebrations were held in homes and other places where millions of people had watched the final on television.
President Kumaratunga in a message broadcast on state television said she was delighted the cricketers had proved we could conquer anything with determination and courage.
After the victory singing groups in vehicles drove through the streets of Colombo in a show of national pride in the cricket team's spectacular achievements.
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in a message last night said all Sri Lankans were proud of their magnificent team. He said the main reason for their success was unity and the fact that they played not for themselves but for the country. If such values could be fostered in other dimensions of life, most of the country's problems could be solved, he said.
Transport Minister Srimani Athulathmudali, leader of the DUN(L)F also sent a message to the team congratulating them for a wonderful performance. Srima Dissanayake, widow of the late Gamini Dissanayake who was at one time the Cricket Board President said the achievements of the Sri Lanka cricketers were marvellous.
A major racket in which National Identity Cards were allegedly made on false documents with the connivance of officials of the Department has been busted by CID, a top detective said.
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