Wignes grabs them all

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) often talks about the decentralisation of power but they do not practise what they preach. The most classic example is the manner in which its newly-elected Chief Minister for the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran has allocated ministries.

The subjected that come under any Provincial Council is shared among five members, including the Chief Minister of that particular province. That means provincial administrative subjects are allocated to the Chief Minister and four other provincial ministers.

But Wigneswaran has forgotten the TNA's policy on decentralisation of power by grabbing 22 ministerial subjects, leaving virtually nothing for the four TNA Ministers of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC).

On Thursday, Wigneswaran took oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his ministry portfolios. North Province Finance and Planning, Law and Peace, Land and Road Development, Electricity, Housing and Development, Water supply, Co-operative Development, Social Services and Rehabilitation, Women Affairs, Industries and Enterprise Development, Tourist, District Management and Provincial Councils, Management, Food Supply and Distribution were all assigned to Wigneswaran.

SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena and Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Susil Premajayantha, Dallas Alahapperuma, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran were present.

The conduct of Wigneswaran shows that he would take virtual control of the NPC administration, allocating only a few unimportant subjects among his four provincial ministers.

Meanwhile, seven UPFA councillors elected to the NPC and the sole Sri Lanka Muslim Congress member elected from the Mannar district were sworn in before the President at the Temple Trees on Thursday.

The seven UPFA elected candidates who were sworn in were Ankajan Ramanathan, Kamalenthiran from the Jaffna district, V. Thavanathan from Kilinochchi district, Ahamed Lebbe Cassim from Mullaithivu, Abdul Rifkhan Bathiyutheen from Mannar, A. Weerakone and K. Munasinghe from the Vavuniya district and M. Riyas from Mannar.

Sivajilingam rebels

TELO leader M.K. Sivajilinghan became a TNA rebel NPC member even before the first meeting of the newly elected council.

Having boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of TNA provincial councillors before Chief Minister Wigneswaran, Sivajilingam took oaths at Mullivaikkal in the Mullaitivu district last Monday.

Sivajilingham, one of the nine dissidents who refused to take oaths at the ceremony organised by the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchchi, took oaths, despite an appeal by Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar to desist from taking oaths at Mullaivaikkal.

The simple oath ceremony took place opposite the former multi-purpose hall, Mullivaikkal, on the Paranthan-Mullaitivu Road.

Dr. Mayilerum Perumal, the doctor at Valvettithurai Government Hospital who treated Parvathy Ammal, the mother of the LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran during her last days and also an All-Island Justice of Peace, officiated at the swearing-in of Sivajilingham.

Among those present were Valvetiturai UC Vice Chairman Sathees, Valikamam North Predeshiya Sabah Vice Chairman Sanjeevan, Valvetiturai Urban Council members K. Jeyarajah, Karunailingham and Point Pedro Predesha Sabah Member K. Panneerselvan and hundreds of local residents

Posters against Premachandran

A large number of posters sprung up in several areas in the North, mainly in Killinochchi town, criticising TNA parliamentarian and EPRLF leader Suresh Premachandran. The posters also praised the decision by Chief Minister Wigneswaran over the appointment of ministers to the NPC.

The posters put up mainly in Kilinochchi, Paranthan and Mullaitivu areas stated that the people had not voted to give ministerial portfolios to murderers.Three of the nine council members who boycotted the official ceremony last week, took oaths at Mullivaikal. The TNA rebels were demanding at least four ministerial portfolios for their members including Premachandran’s brother. However, Chief Minister Wigneswaran was adamant that he would only give portfolios to educated members.

Meanwhile, new NPC Health Minister, Dr. P. Sathyalingam last week initiated a unique move by setting up a separate ward for physically handicapped patients at the Mullaitivu hospital.

Dr. Sathyalingam, soon after assuming duties as the health minister of the NPC, travelled to Mullaitivu. The surveys carried out in the Mullaitivu district have revealed that hundreds of people have been affected with physical deformities due to terrorism.

Since they visit the Mulliativu hospital regularly for their treatment, the new NPC Health Minister has decided to give priority to the physically handicapped patients in Mullaitivu and other districts in the North. Following the directive of the Health Minister, the construction of the new ward for physically handicapped patients is expected to begin shortly.

Obama gets almost what he wanted

After shutting down the U.S. government for 16 days and driving the nation toward the brink of default, a chastened Congress voted late Wednesday to reopen federal agencies, call hundreds of thousands of civil servants back to work and raise the US $ 16.7 trillion debt limit.

An agreement struck by Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) ended a stalemate created last month, when hard-line conservatives pushed GOP leaders to use the threat of shutdown to block a landmark expansion of federally funded health coverage.

However, that campaign succeeded mainly in undermining popular support for the Republican Party. By late Wednesday, dozens of anxious GOP lawmakers were ready to give President Obama almost exactly what he requested months ago: a bill to fund the government and increase the Treasury Department’s borrowing power with no strings attached.

The Senate overwhelmingly ratified the deal on Wednesday evening, 81 to 18, with more than half of Senate Republicans voting yes. A few hours later, the House followed suit, approving the measure 285 to 144.

Eighty-seven Republicans joined a united Democratic caucus in approving the measure, allowing Congress to meet a critical Treasury Department deadline with one day to spare. Obama signed the measure into law shortly after midnight, reopening parks and monuments across the nation, restoring government services and putting furloughed federal employees back on the job, many of them in the Washington region.

The measure would also guarantee those workers back pay for time spent at home, aid flood-ravaged Colorado and provide extra cash for fighting wildfires out West.

And it would grant the District government, which relies on Congress to approve its budget, authority to manage its own affairs through the 2014 fiscal year.

Enforcement of the debt limit would be suspended until February 7, setting up another confrontation over the national debt sometime in March, independent analysts estimated.

Sigh of relief, says Basil

The deal between US President Obama and the Senate to increase the United States’ debt ceiling has come as a sigh of relief for Sri Lanka which has invested some of its foreign reserves in US treasury bonds. The US government managed to avert a federal debt default by agreeing to increase the debt limit.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka closely observed the developments in the US since the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has invested in US bonds.

He said had the debt crisis worsened, the US would not have been able to pay for Sri Lanka’s investments in this regard.

Therefore, the resolution of the problem in the US is a sigh of relief for Sri Lanka and the island's finance officials observed developments in the US closely during the past few days.

The US Congress passed a Bill to reopen the government and raise the federal debt limit, with hours to spare before the nation risked default.

The US federal agencies would be funded through January 15, when they might shut down again unless lawmakers resolve a continuing dispute over deep automatic spending cuts known as the sequester.

Ranil kills time

It seems that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is even smarter than his uncle - the late President J.R. Jayewardene, in facing crisis situations.

Amid rising opposition against his leadership in the country's main Opposition party, Ranil has come out with another strategy to avert pressure from former UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa and UNP rebels who demand new reforms to put the party back on the winning track.

At a time even when some of his close party veterans have sounded warning bells, Ranil finally agreed to have a direct meeting with former deputy leaders Sajith and Karu. But Tuesday's meeting failed to break the ice as Ranil used it merely to kill time and defuse tension.

But Sajith said that two sets of proposals put forward by the UNP leader and the party’s Bhikkhu wing will be discussed further. Sajith and Karu have endorsed the proposals of the UNP Bhikkhu wing.

But Ranil has presented a different set of proposals with an advisory committee which has less powers, instead of a high command proposed by the UNP rebels. Sajith has said that both documents will be subject to further discussion. There will be another round of talks regarding the issue.

Mangala surrenders

UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera and two others who surrendered to Court on Tuesday morning were released with two sureties of Rs 100,000 each by the Matara Magistrate. The two others released on bail were Devinuwara UNP Organiser H.R. Wimalasiri and Balapitiya UNP Organiser Kamal Soysa.

Six others, including Southern provincial councillor B.G. Chandana Priyantha, who also surrendered to the Matara police were remanded till October 21 and would be produced at an identifications parade.

Mangala surrendered to police through his lawyers Rusan Koggala Hewa, Rasanga Waransuriya, Nanda Muruthettuwegama and Dammika Ambepitiya. Later he was arrested by the Matara Crime Investigation Branch and his statement recorded for about one hour.

When the police were preparing to take him to court he requested that he be handcuffed and be taken on rear seat of a police vehicle to get undue political mileage. Unconfirmed reports said his media unit were armed with cameras to capture Mangala in handcuffs.

While granting bail the Magistrate also directed them to report to Matara SSP’s office on the last Sunday of every month and to appear in court tomorrow. They were warned not to interfere with the witnesses in any manner whatsoever.

Ranil bats for Royal buddy

However, the UNP leader came to his former Royal College buddy's rescue. Ranil has claimed that Mangala was innocent and alleged that the Government had manipulated the list of those to be arrested by preparing a list which was different to that mentioned in Court.

Speaking at a news conference in Colombo that there was a political move to destroy the UNP. Mangala's attempt to take photographs with handcuffs was clearly evident by the claim Ranil make, calling Mangala as a political prisoner.

“Mangala Samaraweera is a political prisoner, and it’s a joke to hold the Commonwealth meeting while there are political prisoners in the country,” Ranil was quoted as saying.

But UNP rebels alleged that it was a cheap attempt by the UNP leader to cover up his sins and inability to lead the UNP to victory in any of the past 27 elections.

They said the Government need not worry about destroying the UNP when Ranil has already done that with the support of his inner circle friends such as Mangala.

UNPers clash over Opp Leader's post in CPC

Problems in the UNP were not confined only to the senior most level. It has now hit the newly elected members of the Central and North Central Provincial Councils.

The most recent battle was in the Central Provincial Council (CPC) over the appointment of the Opposition Leader of the Provincial Council. The inaugural session of the CPC was held at Pallekele on Friday under the patronage of its Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa.

Following the ceremonial address by the Governor, a controversy arose over the appointment of the Opposition Leader from the UNP.

Chairman of the CPC informed the Council that the UNP General Secretary had appointed Ranjith Aluvihare as the Opposition Leader. However, UNP reformists submitted a letter endorsing Lucky Jayawardena as the Opposition Leader.

Eleven 11 UNP councilors have signed the petition supporting the name of Jayawardena. Hence, the CPC Chairman informed the council that he would hold a discussion with the UNP group in the council before appointing the Leader of the Opposition.

Aluvihare claimed that the UNP leadership has appointed him as the CPC Opposition Leader and that the members could not change that appointment.

He said the appointment could only be changed by the party leadership and not anyone else. Meanwhile, Jayawardena claimed that he has the majority support in the UNP group and that he should be appointed the Opposition Leader. Hence, the problems in the UNP could further aggravate in the coming weeks.

Tamil diaspora urged to channel funds to North

President Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed to the Tamil diaspora to show interest in developing the North and East instead of spending money on tarnishing the country’s image.

President Rajapaksa was addressing a gathering in Pooneryn town on Wednesday.

The President laid the foundation stone for a hospital and a MoH office near the venue. The President was warmly welcomed at the venue by a large gathering.

He said that the Tamil diaspora should stop channeling their funds into fruitless projects and instead think of the motherland and the people. “As patriotic citizens, they should spend money on fruitful activities such as the development of the North rather than spending money on spreading false propaganda,” the President said.

He added that certain people who depend on NGOs are trying to tarnish the image of the country by spreading false propaganda.

“They have to think with an open mind and lend a helping hand to the people in the North and the East.

The government has been engaging in a massive development initiative covering the entire country with the North receiving special attention,” he said.

“But certain people have failed to understand this truth and they are ruining the peaceful atmosphere of the country while misleading the people in the North and the East,” he said.

President Rajapaksa said that every person in the country is now experiencing freedom.

“Everyone is aware that a peaceful atmosphere has been established throughout the country. People were badly affected by terrorism for over 30 years. The country is now free from the clutches of terrorism and freedom and democracy have been established,” he said.

“The majority of the people are satisfied with the peaceful situation.

The government is taking the country forward which had been badly affected by terrorism for over 30 years,” the President said. “The government will bring this nation to a position of greatness internationally by implementing the government policy document, Mahinda Chinthana: Vision for the Future.

The government will set up a better future for you and your children. Therefore, this country will be driven forward with more courage, strength and confidence,” he said. The President asked narrow sighted people not to betray the country and take it backwards.

He requested them to return to the country and get a first-hand experience about the ongoing development activities in the country.

“The country is today governed by a President of the UPFA which controls power. The country can be driven forward by only this government,” the President said.