HIGHLIGHTS FRIDAY Parliamentary 14 August 2020 Immunity LATEST EDITION and VOL: 09/209 PRICE : Rs 30.00 Decorum In Sports PAGE A5 New Youngs knock- out Renown with Avoiding thrilling 3-2 win Trump New Youngs FC knocked out Renown SC from the Vantage FFSL President’s Trap Cup following a thrilling 3-2 win, while Java Lane SC overcame Blue Star SC 3-0 to top Group ‘A’ with 4 points... PAGE A6 A16 20th Amendment Major overhaul of Sri Lanka’s grand old party to be tabled Karu Tipped mid-September BY W.K. PRASAD MANJU Minister of Justice, M.U.M. Ali Sabry PC, said to Take the necessary legal framework was being formulated to repeal the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and to introduce the 20th Amendment. He stressed the Government will first submit the draft to Cabinet for perusal. Meanwhile, informed Government sources revealed the 20th Amendment will be tabled in Parliament mid-September. The Helm? Attorney-at-law Gunaratna Wanninayaka New General Secretary? Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 AJP to seek After 25 passengers test COVID-19 positive Marapana to fill clarification to fill China bans SriLankan flights UNP National BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE Prof. Colombage said 25 Chinese List slot? nationals aboard SriLankan flight National List slot SriLankan Airlines flights were UL866 from Dubai to Shanghai, on Former United BY THAMEENAH RAZEEK banned from landing in China for 7 August had tested positive to National Front four weeks, after 25 Chinese COVID-19 on landing at Shanghai Minister, Thilak The Ape Janabala Party (AJP) nationals aboard one of its flights Airport, following which the Civil Marapana, PC is set will seek clarification from legal tested positive to COVID-19, Aviation Administration of China to be nominated on sources to appoint a member to Additional Secretary to the (CAAC), in keeping with Chinese the National List slot its National List slot. President for Foreign Relations, policy, banned all SriLankan allocated to the UNP, Party Member and former MP Retired Admiral Prof. Jayanath Airlines flights from landing in Party sources said. Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera Colombage said. China. Sources added that said yesterday (13), at a Media they were of the view briefing in Colombo, the National Story Continued on that appointing List slot allocated to their Party was a burden. PAGE 2 Marapana to the Legislature will be more prudent at this juncture as the SLPP is Story Continued on PAGE 2 formulating plans to repeal the 19th Couple arrested Pillaiyan to be Amendment and bring in the 20th Amendment. President appoints with drugs sworn in as 25 Ministry worth Rs 100M MP on 20 Aug BY NIDUWARA ABEYSINGHA Tamil Makkal Wele Suda Secretaries (BORALESGAMUWA) AND M.C. PERERA Viduthalai Pulikal (COLOMBO) (TMVP) Leader supplies alcohol President Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave appointment Sivanethurai letters to 25 new Secretaries to Cabinet Ministries The Western Province Chandrakanthan alias for jailor’s last afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. Illegal Drugs Raid Unit Pillaiyan is set to be Among the notable new entrants are Dr. Anil said a young couple sworn in as a Jasingha who has been appointed as Secretary to suspected of transporting Parliamentarian, wedding the Ministry of Environment and Admiral (retired) a stock of illegal drugs when it convenes for BY KUMUDU UPUL SHANTHA Prof. Jayanath Colombage as Secretary to the worth over Rs 100 million its maiden session on Ministry of Foreign Affairs. in a luxury vehicle, were 20 August. The Prisons Other Secretaries include, S.R. Attygalle to arrested in the Palenwatta Pillaiyan is being detained at the Department has Ministry of Finance, J.J. Ratnasiri to Ministry of area in Piliyandala Batticaloa Prison as a suspect in the initiated a probe into Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local yesterday (13). murder of former Tamil National Alliance an alleged incident Government, Jagath P. Wijeweera to Ministry of Police said the couple MP Joseph Pararajasingham and the where death row Mass Media, Ravindra Hewavitharana to... aged between 21 and 23 case against him is set to be taken on 19 inmate and drug had a kilo of illegal drugs at August at the Batticaloa High Court. kingpin Wele Suda, Story Continued on PAGE 2 the time of their arrest and noted that the Pillaiyan’s lawyers are preparing to who is detained at the luxury motorcar used by the couple to obtain necessary approval from Court so Boossa Prison, had transport the drugs had also been seized. that he can be present at the supplied 100 bottles Avant Garde floating armoury case Police estimated the total value of the drugs Parliament’s inaugural session next of whiskey for the wedding of a jailor of to be over Rs 100 million. week. the Prison. PCoI Chairman Wele Suda who was previously held at Story Continued on PAGE 2 the Welikada Prison had been transferred upbraids to the Boossa Prison a few months ago. Ex-DIG de Silva tells Easter Attacks PCoI Story Continued on PAGE 2 DSG Bandara SIS told TID to stop BY FAADHILA THASSIM First Cabinet Former Solicitor General, Suhada Gamlath PC meeting rejected a claim made by former Deputy Solicitor Rimzan’s probe General Wasantha Navaratne Bandara PC that Gamlath had asked him to take stern action against BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA Mohammad Rimzan, who had returned to Sri President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Chairman of Lanka after joining the Islamic State (IS) on 19 August Avant Garde, Nissanka Senadhipathi over the Avant The State Intelligence Service (SIS), in organisation, said former TID Director, The first Cabinet meeting of the new Garde floating armoury case in 2015. 2018, had informed the Terrorist ex-DIG Nalaka de Silva. SLPP Government is set to be chaired by Bandara made this claim while cross-examining Investigation Division (TID) to stop the “Former IGP Pujith Jayasundara had President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the Gamlath at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry... investigation into Mohammad Nilabdeen instructed in a letter dated 14 March 2018... evening of 19 August. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 FRIDAY 14 AUGUST 2020 NEWS President, Prime Minister and newly-appointed ministers pay homage to Mahanayakas of Tri-sects President Gotabaya blessings on the President and they visited the Menikhinna Rajapaksa, Prime Minister ministers led by the Prime Hurikaduwa Vidyasagara Mahinda Rajapaksa and newly Minister during their visit to Pirivena. -sworn-in ministers paid Malwathu Maha Vihara Most Ven. Ankumbure homage to Mahanayakas of the yesterday (August 12). Premawansa Thera, three Nikayas, yesterday (12 Anunayake Most Ven. Anunayake of the Ramanna August). This is the first time in Niyangoda Vijitha Thera said Maha Nikaya pointed out that history where the state leader that citizens had mandated Pirivena education has not and Cabinet Members visited overall power to the President been given its due place in the the Mahanayaka Theras of the and government to move recent past. tri-sect on the day of their forward independently at the Most Ven. Premawansa appointments. General Election. The Nayaka Thera said with the The Mahnayaka of the Anunayake Thera requested Chapter, Most Ven. Ven. Anamaduwe Dhammadissi stated that he would invoke new initiatives being carried Malwatta Chapter, Most Ven. them to understand it and act Warakagoda Sri Gnarathna Nayaka Thera stated that it is blessings on the new out by the President and Prime Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala accordingly. The Anunayake Thera, and Anunayakes Most fortunate to elect two people Government including the Minister, the country has been Thera, Anunayakas Most Ven. Thera also invoked blessings to Ven. Anamaduwe Dhammadissi who love Sri Lanka. The Thera President and the Prime given a new lease of life and he Niyangoda Vijitha Thera, Most overcome challenges they will Nayaka Thera, Most Ven. also praised the scientific Minister to serve the country further said that both leaders Ven. Dimbulkumbure face in the future. Vendaruwe Upali Nayaka Thera method in appointing both and the nation. can foresee what the country Wimaldhamma Thera, Most Thereafter, the President, and the General Registrar Most Ministers and State Ministers. The Mahanayake Thera said needs. The Thera said the new Ven. Pahamune Sri Sumangala Prime Minister and ministers Ven. Medagama The Most Venerable Napana while invoking blessings on the ministers have been given the Thera and other members of the paid homage to the Dhammananda Nayaka Thera. Pemasiri Thera, Mahanayake of President, the Prime Minister responsibility to promote Sri Sanga Council invoked Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya During his Anushasana, Most the Ramanna Maha Nikaya and Cabinet Ministers when Lanka’s unique identity. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 SIS told... ...to deploy a special Police team Thowheed Jama’ath Leader Karu Tipped... to interrogate Rimzan at the Zaharan Hashim and Abdul Latif Airport, as he could be deported Jameel Mohammed, who blew Sources close to former Speaker Karu Parliamentarians such as Ravi regard. Meanwhile, sources close to from Turkey to Sri Lanka in the himself up at the Tropical Inn Jayasuriya said yesterday (13) the Karunanayaka, Arjuna Ranatunga Jayasuriya noted that Attorney-at-law near future,” he said. Lodge in Dehiwala, and their latter has consented to take over the and Palitha Range Bandara along Gunaratna Wanninayaka would He further said when the SIS activities. Leadership of the UNP, which is with two of its activists Kithsiri probably be named as the new General informed him to stop the He further said in addition to expected to be vacated by Manchanayaka and Kasthuri Secretary of the Party, replacing former investigations, he informed the the weekly reports submitted to incumbent Party Leader Ranil Anuradhanayaka, had urged MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. SIS in return to make a written the IGP by the TID, reports Wickremesinghe soon.