`Vol. 27 No. 292 Tuesday 9th December, 2008 32 Pages Rs. 20 Registered in Sri Lanka as a Newspaper Late City Edition Use of Cluster Indian minister England’s Test series in Bombs in war denies calling India gets go-ahead Pakistani president with full squad Page 10 Page 12 Page 16 Another catch? Govt scores comfortable Happy Id-Ul-Adha victory, budget passed The Island wishes all its Muslim readers a happy Id-Ul-Adha with majority of 42 (Haj Festival) Karu votes with Govt. President’s Haj message Mangala, Wijedasa, Navin, Fowzie absent Spirit of unity by Wijitha Nakkawita and Lakshmi de Silva The President Mahinda Rajapaksa government’s 4th Budget was should prevail UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne in conversation with Presidential passed with a majority of 42 votes yesterday (8) at its third and final Advisor and MP Basil Rajapaksa outside the Chambers in reading, 126 voting for and 84 against. Parliament after the government’s budget win by 42 votes. throughout Pic by Kamal Bogoda. In his message to The Government (59), NFF (12), JHU (8) The UNP (34), JVP (24), TNA (22), SLMC (3) mark the Haj festival CWC (8), UNP Democratic Group and other dis- and the single member WPF Mano Ganeshan President Mahinda sidents (37) UNP and UPF (2) voted for the voted against it. Rajapaksa said Haj sym- Motion of No confidence budget together with the dissident JHU monk Speculation was rife about some crossovers bolizes the spirit of unity Ven Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera. from both sides of the House but when the quo- when millions of pil- grims speaking different UNP Democratic Group leader, Public rum bell was rung after a division was called languages and belonging handed over Affairs Minister Karu Jayasuriya, who was both the Government and Opposition members to different nationalities expected to return to the UNP’s fold, also voted hastened to take their seats. and cultures proclaim Motion unconstitutional – Dinesh for the budget. Notable absentees in the House An unusually large crowd was seen in the the same mission - Divinity, Unity and yesterday at the time of voting were dissident public gallery and chairs had to be provided to Greatness of God. Deferred till January SLFP MPs Mangala Samaraweera, Wijedasa accommodate the extra number of people who This unity should prevail throughout by Wijitha Nakkavita and Lakshmi de Silva Rajapakshe and UNP dissident MP Navin had come to witness the vote, but yesterday the their lives and be shared with the faith- ful of other religions in the larger inter- The UNP handed over a No Confidence Motion to the Dissanayake. galleries, though occupied by a large number of est of brotherhood of man, he said. Secretary General of Parliament against the government yes- Minister A.H.M. Fowize could not vote as he people including some government officials, Full text of his message: terday over the huge loss incurred by the controversial petro- was in Mecca. did not spill over like last year. “I am pleased to send this message of leum hedging agreement. The hedging deal that will cost the greetings on the occasion of the celebra- State over US $ 400 million in losses. The motion was signed tion of Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of Haj, by UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Parliamentarians by the world Islamic community includ- ing that of Sri Lanka. Jayawickreme Perera Renuka Herath, Joseph Micheal Perera, Security feature re-introduced “This festival which culminates the Ravi Karunanayake and Dayasiri Jayasekera. Trading to be halted at stock JVP won’t Haj pilgrimage, the embodiment of sac- Continued on page 2 rifice, is the greatest annual event of the exchange should index fall Islamic world with nearly 4 million Muslims from the world over including by Devan Daniel Circuit-breakers prevent support no 5000 from Sri Lanka gather at the Holy The Colombo Stock markets from collapsing on NWPC, CPC dissolved Continued on page 2 Exchange will re-introduce panic selling induced by by Anura Balasuriya the ‘circuit-breaker’ safety rumours. The market would faith motion The Government yesterday ordered a gazette notification mechanism from January 2, halt trading so that things dissolving North Western and the Central Provincial Councils 2009, when the Colombo Stock can ‘cool-off ’ and investors by Saman Indrajith ‘Mumbai terror with effect from midnight yesterday. Exchange will halt trading can take stock of what really The JVP yesterday announced The gazette notification was handed over to the govern- for 30 minutes in the event is happening. mastermind’ arrested that it will not support the UNP’s ment printer yesterday evening, sources confirmed. the Milanka Price Index falls Very much the same func- no-confidence motion. Party par- The election date for these two provincial councils is to be by 5 percent from the previ- in Pakistan tion as speed-breakers per- liamentary group leader Anura decided by the Election Commissioner when nominations are ous market day’s close. form on roadways, circuit- Kumara Dissanayake said that over. Nominations will be called at the end of this month and “This is a feature of all breakers put breaks on they would not support a UNP win ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - elections for the two provinces would be held in February. good markets and its purpose unusual momentum in the simply because the main Security forces overran a militant The polls should be held within three months after dissolv- is to give investors breathing market. Opposition party’s record of cor- camp on the outskirts of Pakistani ing or the end of the term of the council. Terms for both space to digest information at “There was a similar ruption was as bad as the Kashmir’s main city and arrested the North Western and the Central provincial councils are to end a time when share prices are mechanism in place earlier Government’s. man they believe was the mastermind in August next year. rapidly falling,” Director but it was not practiced. The “We know the incumbent of the attacks that shook India’s finan- The decision to dissolve the two Councils was reached at a General of Securities and SEC decided to re-introduce Government is neck deep in cor- cial capital last month, two officials special meeting of governors and chief ministers of provinces Exchange Commission, this mechanism but allowed rupt deals. We condemn this but said Monday. held at Temple Trees with President Mahinda Rajapaksa pre- Channa De Silva told the room for the stock exchange won’t let the UNP to make use of The raid was Pakistan’s first siding, sources said. Island. this to topple the government. We known response to U.S. and Indian Continued on page 2 are not ready to be partners in the demands for the arrest of the perpe- UNP’s power games,” MP trators of the Mumbai attacks, which Dissanayake told a press confer- have sharply raised tensions between ence at Rajagiriya yesterday. South Asia’s two nuclear-armed pow- UNP re-instates Karu as Dep. leader “We cannot forget how the UNP ers. by Zacki Jabbar UNP leader Ranil Jayasuriya, is expected to was involved in corrupt deals such Backed by a helicopter, the troops Wickremesinghe, also decided to return today, along with five of as Marine Services, grabbed Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi The UNP Working appoint Rukman Senanayake, who those who left the party with him. Sri Lanka Insurance Committee yesterday reap- was until yesterday the UNP They include M. H. Mohammed, P. and the VAT fraud among at least 12 people taken Sunday pointed Karu Jayasuriya, who Chairman, as Assistant Leader. Dayaratne and Dharmadasa during its short Continued on page 2 rebelled against the party and The vacant Chairman’s post Banda. regime. We do not joined the government with 18 was given to Jayawickrema The WC also decided to termi- think that the others in January 2007, as the Perera. John Ameratunga was nate the disciplinary inquiry that UNP’s plan to top- party’s deputy leader. reconfirmed as Senior Vice was initiated against Jayasuriya ple the government Party sources told The Island President, while S. B. after he joined the government is motivated by a that the WC meeting held at Dissanayake was nominated to be and was appointed Public desire to bring in the Chief Ministerial candidate at Administration Minister. ‘Sirikotha’ and good governance,” presided over by the forthcoming North Central he said. Provincial Council Election. Continued on page 2.