SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 2020 LATEST EDITION VOL: 09/46 PRICE : RS 70.00 Inside Story MR Reveals Reason for Most Local Politicians to Fail Sri Lanka’s location is of strategic importance and therefore our country is attractive to many parties, so in this context, Sri Lanka has chosen neutrality as its foreign policy with the top... A8-9 During Yahapalana regime AG’s Dept bigwigs paid by Temple President Trump, AG, FOR YOUR First Lady test COVID-19 positive Trees ATTENTION! United States President Donald Trump has tested positive for COVID-19 along with First Lady Melania Trump but is “well” and will continue to perform his Names, evidence to duties while quarantined at the White House, his doctor said on Friday (2). be exposed soon Trump, who first announced the news of his positive test shortly before on Twitter, wrote: “We will get through this TOGETHER!” Certain senior officers of the Attorney General’s The White House cancelled his planned campaign rally Department, who had served at the Anti-Corruption in the crucial swing State of Florida on Friday. Committee Secretariat set up at Temple Trees, with the intention of politically victimising opponents during the previous Story Continued on PAGE 2 Yahapalana regime, have engaged in professional misconduct. Evidence has surfaced that they were drawing salaries from Temple Trees in addition to being paid by the AG’s Department. These senior officers from the AG’s Department had compiled necessary documents to file cases against those who were identified by the Secretariat on political grounds. After the relevant documents pertaining to the filing of cases had been submitted to the AG’s Department, the same officers had appeared for those cases. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Hemasiri tells Easter Sunday PCoI People’s President UNF-led Government collectively responsible BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA The United National Front-led Government, including myself as the Defence Secretary, should collectively be held responsible for the 21 April 2019, Easter Sunday bombings, said former Defence Secretary, Hemasiri Fernando. Story Continued on PAGE 2 President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is seen listening to issues of people when he visited a remote village in the Matale District on Friday (2) Using Sathosa employees for other work Money High Court printing hits releases all time high BY PANEETHA AMERESEKERE Johnston The Government of Sri Lanka’s (GoSL’s) face value money printing from case (FVMP) debt hit its highest figure for the year thus far with a liability BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA of Rs 481,497.87million recorded... Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS Easter bombings PCoI BASL releases views SIS did not find any vital info, only foreign intel on 20th Amendment BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA The Bar Association of Rights Commission of Sri the Government that favour of the proposed – Hemasiri Sri Lanka (BASL), Lanka (HRCSL), the should have control, it amendment to Article 61A The State Intelligence Service such agencies were of use in according to its final report Commission to Investigate should be the Parliament which attempts to confer (SIS) was not able to find vital identifying threats to national on the study of the 20th Allegations of Bribery or and not the President, finality to the decisions of Intelligence-related information security. Amendment to the Corruption (CIABOC) and while stating that with the PSC, subject only to regarding the bombings on 21 April I was in the dark after being Constitution Bill, is of the the appointment of the regard to the appointment the jurisdiction of the SC 2019 Easter Sunday, other than provided with the Intelligence view that in terms of the Parliamentary of the Judges of the and thereby the the foreign Intelligence information information by the SIS and I was immunity vested in the Commissioner for Supreme Court and the amendment creates a received on 4 April 2019, said not provided with any further President through the Bill, Administration Court of Appeal, the situation whereby former Defence Secretary, Hemasiri information in that regard, he said. no person is above the law (Ombudsman) are part of President should not have Administrative Tribunals Fernando. He further added that he had and that to grant absolute the Executive and that the full control over such without powers would hear He was testifying before the received isolated information with immunity from suit, is method of appointment, appointments. They state appeals against decisions Presidential Commission of Inquiry regard to several incidents that contrary to the rule of law. proposed by the Bill, that the appointment of the PSC. probing the bombings on Easter took place within the period The BASL stated that cannot be objected to. should be made by the It is further observed Sunday on 2 October. between December 2018 and April depriving the citizens of a The BASL however noted President by nominating an that the power vested in Fernando also said that vital 2019 regarding the spread of remedy when the President that in respect to the individual to the the President through the information with regard to the Islamist extremism. The SIS, violates Fundamental appointments to the Parliamentary Council and Bill to dissolve the bombings on Easter Sunday, had however, failed to submit an Rights is harmful to the CIABOC and the HRCSL, that the appointment being Parliament after one year been sent to the SIS by a foreign analysis report of those incidents rule of law, adding, considering their roles in made by the President but before the term of Intelligence agency. by connecting them to the possible nevertheless that the BASL reviewing/investigating should be subject to the office of Parliament has Pointing out that the National threat to national security, he said. is mindful that certain Executive acts, the approval of the expired is contrary to the Thowheed Jama’ath Leader I thought the SIS may have powers of the President appointments should be Parliamentary Council and rule of law and to the Zaharan Hashim was not identified recorded Zaharan's phone calls, should not be justiciable made by the President by that the same procedure sovereignty of people, as a terrorist by any Intelligence just as they had recorded our and that a suitable nominating the names of should be followed for the stating that it should be agency, Fernando said that no phone calls but it has not been exception should be carved individuals to the appointment of the Election limited to when the Intelligence report submitted by done, Fernando added. out. Parliamentary Council Commission, the Finance Parliament by resolution With regard to the while the appointments Commission, the Auditor requests the President to proposed Parliamentary being made by the General, the Attorney dissolve the Parliament, Council, the BASL stated President should be General and the Secretary the rejection by Parliament that its composition is subject to the approval of General of the Parliament of the Appropriation Bill on Unusual amounts of radiation beneficial to the rule of law the Parliamentary Council. in order to ensure that the two consecutive occasions, than the composition of Further, there was a Legislature and the the rejection of the in sand used for construction the Constitutional Council comment that the Executive provide the Statement of Government (CC) contained in Article transitional provisions necessary checks and Policy on two consecutive BY THAMEENAH RAZEEK The Pulmudai Mineral Sands 41A of the Constitution. should be included balances relating to the occasions and when the Company extracts ilmenite, rutile, The BASL noted that non- permitting the incumbents appointments to the Parliament passes a The sand distributed and sold zircon and monocyte, typically elected Members of the to continue to serve their Judiciary and the JSC. motion of no confidence in locally for construction purposes removes only 40 per cent of it present CC are not respective terms. The BASL is in support of the Government. subsequent to the removal of leaving about 60% of the minerals answerable to an organ of The BASL is of the view the provision in the Bill The BASL appointed a minerals have an unusual amount back in the sand. the State. that the Executive should whereby the President special committee to study of radiation and can be He said, he was aware of the lack The BASL is also of the not have control over the could call for an election the Bill to amend the carcinogenic. of efficiency in the machinery of the view that the Public appointment of Judges or before the expiry of his first Constitution and to submit A study conducted by the Chair area. While stating, the Dambulla Service Commission (PSC), the Judicial Service term of office in relation to views to be tabled before Professor of Geology at the Mineral Sands Company, which had the National Police Commission (JSC) and the second term. the Executive Committee University of Peradeniya, Professor won the tender, had piled up such Commission, the Human that if there is one arm of The BASL is not in and the Bar Council. Atula Senaratne on 02 October sand, seven to eight metres high, revealed, using that sand for and there were about 10 such piles, construction purposes can cause the sand blown away in the wind many issues including the putting causes great damage in the up substandard buildings. surrounding areas. Meanwhile, he Marine Pollution by MT New Diamond He pointed out, radiation is found said those working in the in the sand left at the Pulmudai distribution of sand in the area are Mineral Sands Corporation and also not using personal protective AG tells MEPA no talks on claim yet in the sand even after a Dambulla equipment to safeguard themselves.