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 16th August 1998 |
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Where is Ayesha?Teenage singer still missing, family gets late night callsBy Chris Kamalendran and Nilika de SilvaTeenage singer Ayesha de Silva is still missing after she disappeared about a month ago near the Elphinstone theatre — and family members say the mystery is deepening with anonymous telephone calls coming to them at nights. The 18-year-old vocalist who had been preparing to release her second Compact Disc had on July 13 encashed a check for Rs. 200,000 and was involved in scooter cab incidents and mix ups before she went missing. According to investigations by The Sunday Times, Ayesha had left home on July 13 around 11. 30 a.m. in a known trishaw. She went to the Elphinstone Theatre where she spent some time and met several friends. She went to a musical instruments shop at the theatre and spoke to the owner R.D. Jayasekera. Later she visited a leading recording studio and collected a cheque for Rs 200,000. From there, she went to Bambalapitiya, bought some expensive clothes and got into another trishaw to go to a bank at Borella. Leaving her newly-bought clothes in the trishaw, she went into the bank and came out only to find that the cab had disappeared with her valuable items. Visibly shaken, she searched for the trishaw for more than an hour, helped by crowds who had gathered around her. Then a red trishaw had approached her and a man in it asked her, "Don't you know me." But she ignored him and got into another trishaw and asked the driver to proceed again to the Elphinstone, eye witnesses said. The driver of this trishaw told The Sunday Times that when Ayesha got off at Elphinstone, they saw the suspicious trishaw in front of the theatre's main gate. Those inside the red trishaw, including a woman, asked what had happened earlier. Then she went inside and came back about half an hour later. She gave him Rs 100 and said she would go back to Ragama in the vehicle of a relative. Elphinstone's Manager M.R. Rodrigo told The Sunday Times no one had seen Ayesha leaving the premises. Jayantha de Silva, Ayesha's brother, who has come down from Australia after being informed of the disappearance, said he felt officials at the theatre were not co-operating enough in the search for his sister. Chief Inspector A.R. Edirisinghe of the Maradana police said they had questioned several people, including a partner of the music recording centre and they were hopeful of making a breakthrough soon. But Nimal de Silva, another brother of Ayesha said he felt police were taking very little interest in the case. He said Ayesha was emerging as a top vocalist and he felt the disappearance ,might be linked to some professional rivalry or jealousy.
Court orders release of Air Force CorporalBy K.M. WeeraratnaThe Court of Appeal has ordered prison authorities to release an Air Force corporal who was allegedly detained wrongfully after he refused to testify in the case against UNP MP Rajitha Senaratna. The Court of Appeal President Ameer Ismail and Justice T.B. Weerasooriya made this order on Friday as an interim relief measure on a writ petition filed by Corporal Mahipala Bandaranayake against the detention ordered by the Air Force Court of Inquiry. The corporal alleged that the Air Force authorities made the order of detention wrongfully to take revenge from him as he refused to give evidence against Dr. Senaratna in the case filed against the MP for allegedly selling a stock of outdated dental medicines to the Air Force. Dr. Senaratna was acquitted earlier. Corporal Bandaranayake in his petition had cited Air Force Commander Jayalath Weerakkody and Group Captain Ananda. He claimed that the Chief Provost Marshal had initially obtained a statement from him saying the labels of certain dental medicines supplied by Dr. Senaratna to the Air Force had been changed. Corporal Bandaranayake later told court the statement had been obtained under duress and accordingly Dr. Senaratna was released. The Corporal claimed that after he made the particular statement in Court Air Force authorities had threatened him and his wife who is also a corporal in the Air Force. On May 21 he was summoned by the group captain and told since he was involved in a robbery he should resign from the Air Force. Air Force authorities alleged that the corporal was responsible for the theft of arrack valued at about Rs. 37,000 which was under his custody. The corporal was first detained for 28 days and another 40 days later before he was sent to the Welikada prison for further detention. The Court of Appeal which took up the case on July 30, issued notice on the Air Force Chief and the other officers. The case was called again on August 8 and as the respondents were not present or represented, the Court directed the prison authorities to produce the corporal before the Court on Friday. They did so but the Air Force Chief and the other officers were not present or represented. The Court considered the submissions of the corporal's senior counsel Tilak Marapana and said the court was of the view that the application for writ of certiorari would be rendered futile if the corporal was required to continue to serve the period of detention. Thus it ordered the suspension of detention with immediate effect. The corporal was directed to be present in court on August 28. The Air Force chief and the Group Captain were also ordered to appear in court on the same date.
Reggie giving ropes say COPE membersBy Chamintha ThilakarathnaCOPE Chairman Reggie Ranatunga has been accused by members of skipping meetings to avoid queries on national issues. "The chairman has not attended the last two meetings. He is avoiding the meeting to get away from answering questions posed by members", COPE member, John Amaratunga said. COPE in recent weeks has been split in a dispute over the proposed agreement for the privatisation of the Queen Elizabeth Quay. Mr. Ranatunga has refused to summon port officials for questioning by COPE while Minister M.H.M. Ashraff has insisted the agreement does not come within the purview of the parliamentary committee. Minister Ranatunga has written to Speaker K.B. Ratnayaka on the issue requesting his opinion as to what the next step should be. The letter, which was circulated among COPE members states that the Minister has abided by the rules of standing orders and that he is in no position to fulfill the request of COPE members to summon port officials. Mr. Amaratunga said the last two meetings were not attended by the Chairman but by deputy ministers who were unable to answer relevant questions. "They exploit the rules which allow a temporary replacement because the AirLanka and QEQ matter was to be taken up. If this continues we will be forced to make a complaint to the Speaker", another COPE member Ravi Karunanayake said.
Get back to work or buzz off, bus strikers toldBy Faraza Farook and J.A.L. JayasingheGovernment has taken tough action under emergency regulations to end a Transport Board strike which has crippled services in several areas during the past few days. Under the regulations, a striking conductor in Kandy was arrested and charged with sabotage while the Transport Ministry clamped down an ultimatum for employees to return or face dismissal. Transport Minister A.H.M. Fowzie told The Sunday Times employees who failed to return to work by noon yesterday would be deemed to have vacated their post. He said the government could not allow politically motivated groups to cause more hardships to innocent people. The strike began last Wednesday at the Yatinuwara and Kandy depots and then spread to other areas. Of the eight depots on strike, six had returned to normal by yesterday, Central Transport Board Chairman Ramal Siriwardena said. But the situation at the Mattakkuliya and Gampola depots was still not normal. Employees of the depots at Polonnaruwa, Kandy North, Kandy South, Yatinuwara, Teldeniya, Nawalapitiya, Mattakkuliya and Gampola struck work in a dispute over delays in the payment of a salary increase. According to Mr. Siri-wardena, some 300 people will lose their jobs. "They are being officially informed now," Mr.Siriwardene said. He said only 50 percent of the striking employees had returned to work from the Gampola depot by Saturday. Some strikers who did not keep to the deadline on Friday said they were not permitted to sign yesterday by depot officials.
Matale MMC killing: top businessman dischargedGamini Abeyratne, Secretary General of the Swiss-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce, who was arrested in connection with the killing of a Matale municipal councillor, has been discharged after the Attorney - General informed the Matale District Court that there was no material to connect him with murder. Mr. Abeyratne had been originally taken into custody on a detention order in connection with the murder of Matale MC member Mohamed Razma Hussain. While in custody, Mr. Abeyratne filed a fundamental rights case in the Supreme Court and was allowed bail. In his petition to the Supreme Court, Mr. Abeyratne claimed that he had nothing to do with the killing of councillor of Matale and that he was arrested by the CID arbitrarily. He claimed that he was taken in for political reasons. He alleged that the Director of the CID had viciously assaulted him to obtain a statement to the effect that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, had assisted him to arrange SSP Douglas Pieris of Batalanda fame to leave the country. Mr. Abeyratne said the CID also wanted him to implicate Alick Aluwihare, a former Minister in the UNP government and certain others in the killing of the MMC. The Supreme Court application is still pending. Mr. Abeyratne's wife was a UNP member of the Central Provincial Council. Upul Jayasuriya with Lakshman Devakumara Ranasinghe attorneys-at-law appeared for Mr. Abeyratne.
Mayors say they want to tap foreign aid directlyBy Ayesha R. RafiqA proposal to allow Municipal Councils to obtain foreign aid directly, will be considered, President Chandrika Kumaratunga has told mayors. At an unprecedented meeting with all 14 Mayors at Temple Tress last Tuesday the President said she would consider doing away with the need for foreign aid applications having to go through the Finance and Foreign ministries, the Provincial Councils, and other bodies. Moratuwa Mayor A.T.K. Chandradasa, said that by eliminating this "tedious procedure", delays in obtaining such aid be reduced, and the efficiency of the Municipal Councils would increase. Regarding the problem of delays in obtaining dues from the Government and Provincial Councils, he said the President had not given a concrete answer, apart from saying such delays in the Treasury were sometimes unavoidable. Kandy Mayor, Harindranath Dunuwille said they had asked for the streamlining of the procedure to fill staff vacancies, as the current system was "cumbersome and lethargic", and resulted in inefficiency in the councils. He had said that if the Water Supply and Drainage Board was exempt from paying GST on electricity bills to treat water, then the Kandy MC should also be exempted as it treated and distributed its own pipe borne water. The President said that if the Water Board was unfairly exempted from paying GST then she would see to it that the Kandy MC was also exempted. Dehiwela/Mt. Lavinia Mayor, Jayaratne Perera, said that 14 compact tractors, dumpers and other machinery worth well over Rs. 100 million had been obtained on a grant from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).
Firm appeals against fineBy M.IsmethCustoms 'D' Branch investigation team has detected that a leading firm importing air conditioners had grossly undervalued its imports. A Rs.50 million penalty was imposed on them but it was reduced to Rs. five million on mitigation. The firm had appealed against the penalty of Rs. 5 million. The customs team headed by director M.H.R.Tissera deputy director M.Arulan-andam, Suptd of Customs U.K.Mohamed Ismail, Deputy Spuds. A.L.M.Nazeer and P.Jinadasa detected the undervaluing
Clean up the messMillions of people in Sri Lanka and more than 120 countries will take in an international environmental campaign to be held on September 18-20 in Sri Lanka. This campaign, promotes and co-ordinates environmental activities around the world on the third weekend of September every year. From clean-ups to reforestation projects, educational campaigns to recycling programmes and environmental concerts to marches, individuals from all over the globe tackle local environmental issues during the Clean Up the World weekend. Some 127 countries are expected to participate in this year. Clean Up the World is an Australian initiative held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The inaugural Clean Up the World event was held in September 1993 with around 30 million people taking part from 80 countries throughout the world.
Events
Mark and Tania in Schubert showDr. Mark Amerasinghe (baritone) and Tania Ekanayaka (piano) make an hour's presentation on the music of Schubert at 6.00 p.m. next Saturday at the British Council Hall, Colombo. The concert, one of a series of monthly musical presentations, is organized by the Western Music Panel of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka and the Department of Cultural Affairs. It is open to the Public.
All about orchidsThe Orchid Circle of Ceylon, one of the oldest orchid societies in Asia, will hold its 64th annual orchid exhibition and sale on August 21, 22, and 23 at the Vihara Maha Devi Park. Thirty prizes are to be won with a gold medal being awarded to the person who scores the highest marks. "Orchid growing was an exclusive hobby of the rich in Sri Lanka inthe past but many people now take to it due to the popularity of the orchid as a cut flower," an organsier said. About 60 orchid growers will participate in the exhibition which is open to the public.
Bridge between SAARC, ASEANBangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand have agreed they should strive to develop a free trade arrangement among them, thus forming a bridge linking Asean and SAARC, the Trade Ministry here announced. At a meeting of the commerce ministers of the five countries in Bangkok recently, it was agreed that co-operation should begin in six priority areas — trade and investment, technology, transportation and communication, energy, and tourism and fishery. The five countries will establish data bases involving tariff rates, trade statistics and non-tariff measures and promote joint investment and business among the members. They also propose to set up a chamber of commerce linking the five countries. Pic shows the Commerce ministers from the five countries: L to R Tofail Ahmad, Sri Ramakrishna Hegde, Supachai Panitchpakdi, Brgd. General D.O. Abel and Kingsley T. Wickrememaratne
Register your domestics to avoid trouble – CDBBy Shelani de SilvaThe Crime Detective Bureau has warned people employing domestics to be more vigilant in view of the increasing number of robberies and murders in recent months. CDB Inspector Nuwan Vedasinghe told 'The Sunday Times' the police had maintained a domestics register book for the past ten years but very few families had shown interest in it. He said the facility had gone unnoticed due to the lack of awareness or negligence. The procedure to be followed when registering a domestic is for the employer first to submit a police report and a Grama Sevaka certificate and obtain a form. Once the form is completed the domestic's finger print is sent for clearance from the NIB. It is then that the domestic is given the register book which contains terms and conditions, including their salaries, details of their backgrounds and previous employment. According to Inspector Vedasinghe most employers are not interested because when they bring a domestic for registration they have to handover several documents. "People try to employ servants through the easy way, without thinking far. They find it a difficult task to provide the relevant documents for us. The only people who take some kind of interest are Embassy officials. They are very particular," he said. "We cannot make it compulsory because we are doing them a service. We may have less crime if employers take more interest, " he said. It is interesting to note that there is a Registration of Domestic Servants Ordinance which came into effect in December 29, 1871. The ordinance states that every domestic registered has to inform the nearest police station if he or she leaves the present employment. The Ordinance also states that the employer is liable if he does not follow the terms in the booklet. The general practice followed by dishonest domestics is that they get close and show much honesty to the household. "In this process they get duplicate keys to every room of the house. Generally such crimes are carried out where old people are living. It is done with the help of a group of people or even an outsider," he said. The inspector cited the recent case where a wealthy 72 year old widow was murdered at her residence. The widow had employed a domestic woman who had not furnished any details of her family background. It is revealed that this girl and her male friend who allegedly carried out the murder were criminals. "If she was registered with the CDB we would have found this out. But it was too late. This couple had carefully planned out the murder. The domestic had been living with the widow for more than a year. She was very caring and loving towards the widow. We also found newspaper advertisements highlighted by the two suspects, maybe to find employment in another house after this murder. "This is the general pattern for such murders or robberies," he warned. According to the OIC, if the employers are not interested in getting the servants registered they should at least get personal details including the addresses and check them out at the nearest police station.
Was it to attack airbase in Hingurakgoda?Arms and ammunition believed to have been kept for an attack on Air Force planes were found in a house near the Hingurakgoda airbase, Police said yesterday. They said a T-56 rifle and a hand grenade along with seven magazines were found in the house of a Sinhala co-operative employee, when Hingurakgoda police raided it.The evidence of a possible attack on SLAF planes was the discovery of two sketches of the airbase runway, police said. Investigations revealed that a reserve police constable from Valachchenai had deserted with the weapons and ammunition and hidden them in the house of his brother. CID detectives have been sent from Colombo for investigations.
Army Censors query Presidential statementEver heard of the Army Censor debarring an official statement from the Presidential Secretariat from reaching the outside world ? It happened on Friday night as the security establishment grappled with reports of LTTE hijacking a cargo vessel south east of the Mullaitivu coast. Later on Friday night the Presidential Secretariat issued a news release to announce that the vessel MV Princes Kash had been bombed by the Air Force jets after the captain's conduct "gave sufficient cause for grave suspicion that he was acting in connivance with the LTTE to transport and deliver dangerous merchandise to the LTTE." Foreign Correspondents who wrote their own stories on the news release forwarded it to the Army Censor. An Army official who handled their copy said they could not approve it since the news release had not been received by them. One foreign correspondent faxed them a copy only to be told that the release in question has not been signed though it bore the Presidential logo. The copies submitted on Friday night were approved only on Saturday morning, some 12 hours later. Needless to say it was stale news by that time. Ironically the Army Censors are preventing the world from knowing what their own Commander-in-Chief wants conveyed.
MP wants tax shiftBy S.S.SelvanayagamA TULF member has requested the minisatry of finance to re-organise the Inland Revenue Department in the north east to bring it in line with the principles of provincial autonomy. Parliamentary group leader Joseph Pararajasingham has proposed that all tax files of the Trincomalee district now handled by the Anuradhapura Regional Office be transferred to the Batticaloa Regional Office and the files of Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu districts to the Jaffna Regional Office. He pointed out that the Inland Revenue Department has two Regional Offices in the North-East Province; one in Jaffna and the other in Batticaloa.
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