Affidavit bears out Mangala's gay activities

The dissolution of the Western and Southern Provincial Councils on Monday was overshadowed by the stunning disclosure of homosexual activities by a youth who had been taken in to custody in connection with a theft at the Panadura residence of UNP media unit head and Matara District parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera.

When the theft was initially reported, Mangala and his notorious media goons planned to put the blame on the Government. They thought they could get undue political mileage by conveniently crediting it to the Government’s account that Mangala’s residence had been broken to take away important documents and data that were in his notebook computer.

But timely action taken by police found the person guilty of the theft – a youth well-known to Mangala who had been a frequent visitor to the place.

Mangala later admitted the youth had been in and out of the place and was used in “little little things”. But the true side of the story was disclosed after the confession of the youth and an affidavit submitted by his wife.

Panadura Chief Magistrate Ruchira Weliwatta on Monday ordered Pandura Keselwatte Police to conduct a proper investigation and submit a report on the affidavit submitted before the Panadura Magistrate's Court by the wife of Shewan Priyankara who is alleged to have sneaked into Managala's residence at Keselwatte, Panadura.

Mangala had made a complaint against a suspect about a burglary at his home, to the Panadura Keselwatte Police on December 30. His security guard too had made separate complaint mentioning that the suspect had stolen a laptop computer and some bottles of whiskey.

According to the affidavit filed before court however, the wife of the suspect had made a complaint against her husband to the Women's and Child Affairs Division of the Pandura Keselwatte Police. But they hadn't accepted the complaint as Mangala’s name was mentioned.

The suspect was released on cash bail in a sum of Rs.5,000 with two sureties each of Rs.25,000.

The Chief Magistrate ordered Panadura Keselwatte Police to conduct further investigations into the matter and if the Police are unable to carry out a proper investigation, transfer the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The wife of the suspect, a tourist guide, by way of an affidavit had stated that her husband who is in remand custody in connection is having an intimate relationship with Mangala.

Nirosha Harshanie Fernando of Beach Road, Ratmalana claimed that Mangala often visited their house.

Apart from that her husband had told her that he had also visited Mangala’s residence at Panadura.

Besides, on several occasions Mangala had visited their residence and taken her husband with him in his vehicle. She has been married to him Shewan for two years and is the mother of an eight month old infant.

She came to know about her husband's sexual inclination only after getting married. He had admitted this fact though with reluctance.

When she asked him where he was last night, she was subjected to assault. When she went to the Mt.Lavinia Police Station to lodge a complaint, a woman police constable had said that a complaint of assault could be lodged.

Mangala had even provided her husband with a separate room. On two occasions, Mangala bought him two expensive mobile phones. When he complained of non availability of funds to maintain the family, the MP on several occasions had financially assisted.

She vehemently protested to her husband saying that it is useless to live on money earned in such a manner. Mangala had wanted her husband to borrow money as and when required.

The Rs. 15,000 thus borrowed from a relative was settled by Mangala himself. Her husband had said that since December the MP had changed.

He had attributed this change to one Sameera getting close to Mangala.

Western, Southern PC nominations from January 30

The Southern and Western Provincial Councils were dissolved last week and the nominations for the fresh elections will be accepted from end of this month.

Nominations for the Western and Southern Provincial Council Elections would be accepted from January 30 to February 6. Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya said nominees from recognised political parties and independent groups can forward their applications to the respective returning officers at the auditoriums of the District Secretariats till noon on February 6.

The Elections Commissioner added that the date of election will be announced after considering the number of nominations accepted.

Deshapriya added that deposits will also be accepted from the date of notice of nomination until 12 noon of February 5, 2014, the day before the last date of nominations. He said that another period for accepting nominations would have to be declared, if no nomination is received during this period.

Meanwhile, the Nominations Board of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party will meet to select the candidates for the forthcoming Western and Southern Provincial Council elections on January 20 at the party headquarters.

The SLFP has so far received over 200 applications which include those from professionals and artistes.

Maheepala, Tilwin held up

The Kandy-Mahiyangana main road was blocked for over five hours on Wednesday by an earthslip due to incessant rain. A fallen rock near the third bend of the 18 bends amidst heavy rain brought vehicular movement to a complete standstill.

The motorists who were held up for hours were later advised to use Rajamawatha as an alternative route after the road was finally cleared after several hours.

The road had been blocked by an earthslip which took place around dawn on Wednesday.

It took about five hours for the road clearance operation to be completed as heavy machinery had to be used to remove the massive rocks.

The blockage caused major traffic congestion during the morning hours. Among the many commuters standard due to the mishap were Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath and JVP's General Secretary Tilwin Silva.

The JVP front liner who was on a party event in Badulla, contacted one of the party seniors in Mahiuyangana to get down a vehicle to a point after the roadblock. Tilwin went by foot and passed the huge rock the reach the other end where he had got down another vehicle.

Tilwin was on his mobile phone when he was pass the point at which Maheepala was held up. “I saw Tilwin passing the point saying something.

He would have said the rock would have fallen due to the fault of the Government.

They always think negatively to put the blame on us,” the Chief Minister told his men.

Sajith rejects Ranil's offers

Hambaltota District parliamentarian Sajith Preemadasa last week got an unexpected telephone call from his party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. “The leader wants to talk to you” an official from the Opposition Leader’s office told Sajith who has been engaged in a never ending battle for the UNP leadership.

Ranil first inquired from Sajith about the UNP’s political activities in Hambantota. “Things are moving and I am doing all the propaganda work well,” he told the leader. Ranil then offered the expertise of his newly appointed Leadership Council.

“If you need, I could tell the Leadership Council so that the party could put on more weight to the UNP campaign in Hambantota,” said Ranil.

Knowing that it would be an indirect acceptance of the Leadership Council from which he had withdrawn, Sajith politely rejected the offer. But Ranil then suggested including Sajith’s name in the UNP nomination board for the forthcoming Provincial Council election.

Sajith was clever enough to reject that too without hurting the leader. “Once I start the election campaign, I will have to travel all over the Hambantota District. I won’t be able to devote time for the nomination board. For the sake of serving in the board, I cant lie,” he told Ranil.

Hirunika appointed SLFP organiser

Hirunika Premachandra, daughter of the slain Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, a former SLFP parliamentarian and ex- Presidential advisor, was appointed the Co-organiser for the SLFP of the Colombo Central electorate. She received her letter of appointment from President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday.

Deputy Minister and Central Colombo co organizer Faizer Mustapha said that appointment of Hirunika Premachandra as a SLFP organiser of the Colombo Central electorate will strengthen the United People’s Freedom Alliance in the Colombo district.

Hirunika’s path to SLFP organiser post was initiated after she accidentally met the President at Aluthgama Kande Vihara.

Hirunika and her mother Sumana Premachandra went to worship at Kande Vihara, Aluthgama last Saturday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa too came to the temple for religious observances. They accidentally met the widow of the late Bharatha Lakshman and his daughter Hirunika.

The chief incumbent of Kade Vihara told the President that Bharath’s daughter too had come to the temple. When the President met Hurunika and her mother, he asked them to visit the Temple Trees and have a discussion.

On the following morning, Hirunika and her mother Sumana met the President and had a breakfast meeting.

Hirunika told the President that she is currently completing her final examinations of the Law College but indicated that she intends to enter active politics to take over from where her father had left. The President took immediate action to make her a party organsier and contest at the forthcoming Western Provincial Council elections under the UPFA ticket.

Kshenuka, first woman Foreign Secretary

Veteran foreign service officer Kshenuka Senewiratne was last week appointed the new Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs. She becomes Sri Lanka’s first woman Foreign Secretary at a period which would be crucial for the country at the forthcoming United Nations Human Rights Commission Sessions.

Kshenuka assumed her duties as the Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday. She succeeded Karunathilake Amunugama who retired from his post. Former Sri Lanka High Commissioner to the UK, Senewiratne served as the Additional Secretary to the Ministry before she was elevated to the top position.

President visits Dalada Maligawa

President Rajapaksa visited the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy and paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic on Thursday morning.

The President who participated in religious observances, later called on the Most Ven. Tibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter, the Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhita Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter and the Most Ven. Napane Premasiri Mahanayake Thera of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya at their temples in Kandy and Hurikaduwa, Menikhinna and received their blessings.

Parliamentarian Dilum Amunugama, Mayor of Kandy Mahen Ratwatte, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela and Chief of Presidential Staff Gamini Senarath were also present on the occasion.

Earlier during the week, the President and the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa took part in the Thai Pongal celebrations held in Nuwara Eliya.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayarathne, Ministers Arumugam Thondaman, C.B. Ratnayake and Navin Dissanayake accompanied the President.

Chandrika calls on Malwatte Mahanayake

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga called on the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Siddhartha in Kandy on Friday. However, the former President declined to comment to media about her meeting with the Mahanayake Thera.

Veyangoda flyover

The newly constructed Veyangoda flyover was commissioned by President Rajapaksa on Thursday. Fulfilling a long felt need of the Veyangoda town, the flyover has been built at a cost of Rs. 2,000 million on the Nittambuwa- Katunayake main road, aiming to ease the rush hour severe traffic congestion.

The flyover will end the long road traffic delay caused by the movement of trains throughout the day. Traffic jams are frequent at Veyangoda town when the road is closed for train movements.

According to statistics, the road is closed 96 times a day causing severe traffic congestion. The construction work of the flyover began on September 23, 2012. The total length of the flyover from the entry point is 700m.

The flyover comprises two lanes, each three and a half metres in width. On either side of the flyover are two pavements, one and half metres in width each for pedestrians. This is the first flyover in the country constructed with lanes for pedestrians.

Although plans for this flyover were drawn up in 1996 and surveys done by the then government, various problems prevented the project from being launched, thus inconveniencing the public.

The Spanish government has provided financial assistance for the project. A significant feature is that the new flyover is an entry point to the proposed Northern Expressway.

Prime Minister in Jaffna

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne who visited Jaffna on Sunday, participated in a function to mark the issuance of first day covers in view of the Farmers’ Day and Thai Pongal in Nallur.

The function was conducted under the chairmanship of the Northern Province Deputy Post Master General.

The stamps valued at Rs. 5 and Rs. 25, depicting the pride of the farmer and the significance of Thai Pongal were released.Post Master General Rohana Abeyaratne, Minister Douglas Devananda, Northern Province Governor G.A. Chandrasiri, Jaffna Municipal Council Chief Yougeswary Patkunaraja, Northern Province Chief Secretary Vijayalatchumi Ramesh and the Nallur Chief Priest were present.

Meanwhile, Cabinet approval has been given to draft new bills which, if enacted, will empower mayors and chairmen of local authorities to remain in office further despite the defeat of annual budgets.

Accordingly, the government will amend the Municipal Council Ordinance, Urban Council Ordinance, Pradeshiya Sabha Act and the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance.

Fonseka’s limited dream

Unlike in the past, Sarath Fonseka seems to have understood his limitations and does not boast that he is going to win elections. Though he has set slightly higher goals, he does not boast that his party is going to win even a Provincial Council election.

The leader of the Democratic said last week that his party was targeting at least 25 seats at the upcoming Western and Southern provincial Council elections. Fonseka said this while speaking at a meeting held in Colombo where organisers were appointed to 12 electorates.

“The Democratic Party has come to this stage through a difficult path, and I will never allow the party to collapse at all. It will be a significant achievement if we could get 25 of our candidates in.

We hope to hold at least two meetings at every electorate in both provinces and I will participate in all of them.

Over the past six weeks, we have had sixty meetings in the Western, Southern and Uva Provinces,” Fonseka was quoted as saying.

He told the new organisers that they should work for the betterment of the people rather than trying to achieve personal gains, realising the present political and economic predicaments of the country. “Our party is going forward with a clear target, and we should not act for personal gains but strive to work for the well-being of the people,” he said.

He told the organisers that they should attempt to increase the votes for the party without fighting for preferential votes.

He also said there would be no place for any self-serving politicians in the Democratic Party and several such politicians had to leave the party in the past.