2 Thursday 24th February, 2011 The Island Home News JVP to bring motion against Emergency The JVP today will bring in an adjourn- present the motion demanding an end to sition, DNA MP Anura Kumara ment motion in Parliament against the con- the emergency ahead of local elections in Dissanayake told The Island. tinuation of the state of emergency in spite March. The JVPer alleged that the govern- of the eradication of the LTTE in May The emergency laws, introduced in the ment had used emergency regulations to 2009. late 1970s, allowed the police to detain target political opponents. MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake will suspects without trial and harass the oppo- (SI) Sirisena likens UNP, JVP to donkeys Minister of Health areas had been devastated. the government’s misrule. But likens Roads, highways, houses and the UNP and JVP were paying the UNP and JVP to donkeys. irrigation systems had been for the crimes they had com- Speaking at a meeting in destroyed along with vast mitted in the past. The JVP Badulla recently, he said the acres of paddy. More than a was a headless donkey and it UNP was like a three-headed million people had lost their had no clear political vision at donkey with Ranil houses and were living in all, he said. Those two parties Wickremasinghe wanting the makeshift camps. But the UNP were trying their best to top- party to follow him, Sajith did not provide even a morsel ple President Rajapaksa’s gov- Premadasa wanting to take it to flood victims, let alone ernment, but that attempt over and try- essential requirements, the would end in failure. ing to grab leadership. minister claimed. Sirisena added that the Sirisena said that as a He said that the UNP was UPFA government would win Chief Justice Asoka N. Silva and Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem share a light moment at Wednesday’s open- result of heavy rains experi- claiming that the natural the local government elections ing of a new office for lawyers at the Colombo Magistrate court. (Photo Kamal Bogoda) enced in the country, many calamity had occurred due to with a landslide majority.

Vegi prices tumble Tax hikes on essential imports further Floods strangling the poor – Akila Viraj BY LAL GUNASEKERA responsible for A large quantity of certain consumer items, !UPFA candidates distributing Rs.400,000 loan including Red Onions, Potatoes and Beetroot, has application forms – Sanjeeva Kaviratne reached the Dambulla Economic Centre from Jaffna Croc IDPs and prices are expected to drop when the goods by Zacki Jabbar Several crocodiles reach Colombo in a few days. in the Mahaweli River Sources said that 100,000 Kg each of Red Onions The government has increased taxes The President and Ministers are develop- have been displaced by and Beetroot and 50,000 Kg of Potatoes had reached on the import of several essential food ing themselves at the expense of the the recent floods and the Dambulla Economic Centre. Red Onion prices, items on the pretext of protecting local poor.” one of them was found too, have come down. Beetroot has come down to Rs. producers, but the impact of Kariyawasam said that the dead with a gunshot wound today in the 45 a Kg from Rs. 120 and Potatoes sell at Rs. 55 to Rs. such a move was that the vast tax, on low priced vehicles, which majority of people, who are was increased in 2006 and reduced Maduru Oya area. 65. Red Onions was sold at Rs. 600 a Kilo a month ago already struggling to survive, subsequently, had been jacked up The crocodiles has come down to Rs. 350. have to pay more for no fault of once again, resulting in the aver- washed away by rag- Prices of other vegetables at the Dambulla theirs, the UNP said yesterday. age person having to fork out ing flood waters are Economic Centre have decreased. Pumpkin is sold to UNP Kurunegala District more. now trying to find their way back to the dile and its body has been the retailer at Rs. 67.50 and wholesale traders at Rs. Parliamentarian Akila Viraj Central Provincial Council 48.75, Snake Gourd Rs. 110 a Kg (Retail) and Rs. 85 Mahaweli Ganga, according to taken to the Giritale Wildlife Kariyawasam told a news confer- UNP member Shanthini Museum. (Wholesale), Ash Plantain Rs. sources. ence in Colombo that the masses Kohongahage said that UPFA can- Villagers are also on the A notice has also been 97.50 (Retail) and Rs. 72.50 cannot be made scapegoats for didates contesting the forthcom- hunt for another crocodile that issued to villagers in the area CLASSIFIED (Wholesale), Beans Rs. 176.50 the regime’s ing Local Government polls, were had been washed into the to alert the wildlife officials if ADVERTISEMENT (Retail) and Rs. 149 incompetence. Akila Viraj flouting the law and making a canal to return it back to safe- crocodiles are spotted so that (Wholesale), Carrot Rs. 160 Agricultural development nuisance of themselves, by main- ty in the Mahaweli River. all measures can be taken to (Retail) and Rs. 126.50 was one of the main planks on which taining several offices in one area. Officials said that an inves- put them back into the (Wholesale) and Tomatoes Rs. Mahinda Rajapaksa captured power, but The law stipulates that a candidate can tigation had been launched Mahaweli River. 100 (Retail) and Rs. 74 four months into his second term the peo- have only one office in a particular area, into the killing of the croco- (News Now.lk) (Wholesale). ple are being told that they would have to but UPFA propaganda centers are spring- According to the Ministry of tighten their belts further, on the pretext ing up almost next to each other, she said. Cooperatives and Internal of saving local producers and farmers. Central Provincial Council UNP mem- Trade prices of rice at Lanka “There is no doubt that our farmers ber Sanjeeva Kaviratne said that UPFA Sathosa outlets are: and producers have to be encouraged. But, candidates were also distributing applica- Samba Rs. 70 a kilo, Rathu are the people to blame if the government tion forms among voters, promising them Kekulu/Sudu Kekulu and cannot deliver on its elections pledges housing loans upto Rs. 400,000, which is even four months into its second term. tantamount to bribery and corruption. Nadu Rs. 60.

Ambassador of the United States of America to Patricia A. Butenis call on the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Somathilake Dissanayake at the Naval headquarters on February 22. She was accompanied by the American Defence Attache Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Smith III. Cop remanded for rape BY JANAKA WIJENAYAKE, SORANATOTA COR. A 26-year-old Constable of alone. the Girandurukotte Police Ashamed of the incident, was remanded for raping a she had returned home and girl working in a nearby tex- had consumed poison. Her tile shop. parents had admitted her to Following a complaint Mahiyangana Hospital where lodged by the girl’s parents, she had recovered. the Constable was interdicted and produced before DEATHS the Mahiyangana SENEVIRATNE – EZLINE. Relict of Magistrate who Edmund Seneviratne, beloved mother of ordered him Ranee, Monica, late Benita, Madura and remanded. Ajantha, much loved mother-in-law of Jin Investigations Amaratunga, late Upali Samaranayake, revealed that the Nihal Wanigasekara, Philip Kannangara Constable had and Maheepala Herath (Chief Minister, befriended the Sabaragamuwa), fond grandmother of girl a month earli- Nuwan and Lasanthi, Cheleka and er and had invited Avindra, Dmitri and Vibhu, Malith and her to accompany Chamini, Wagisha and Buddhika, Kanaka him to (Member of Parliament) and Amodini, Mahiyangana as Isuru and Dinusha and Lahiru and he wanted to pur- Sherine, darling great-grandmother of chase some jew- Leyanvi, Kisali, Lithira, Siluni, Nikhil, ellery for her. Mythil, Binuthi, Ranuga and Thenara, She accepted expired. Cremation at the Kegalle the invitation but Crematorium on Saturday 26.2.2011 at found that instead 5 p.m. after last rites at home at 2 p.m. of being taken to a jewellery shop she had been taken to a guest house where she was raped and left