The Island Home News Tuesday 25th November, 2008 5 Ravi slams CB pundit

Proposing a token cut He said there was a pundit at the in. Telecom services had investment was coming to the country of Rs. 10 on the votes of Central Bank who had said our country become a vibrant sector and that foreign investors were coming the Ministry of will not face the impact of the global with anyone able to get in. Enterprise economic recession. But in reality for- telephone within hours The minister said we were looking to Development and eign investment in our country had while in the past people bringing in more tourists from China, Investment Promotion vastly reduced and the tourist industry had to wait for months or India and Russia the newly emerging UNP District had suffered a severe set back. years to get a new tele- economic powers and the gem and jew- member Ravi Therefore the balance of payments posi- on Monday phone. ellery industry too has been given sev- Karunanayake asked Ravi tion was adverse although the govern- He said the IT sector Amunugama eral incentives for growth and promo- the government what ment did not appear to have a practical by Wijitha Nakkawita and was also growing and tion of exports”. steps it had taken to face the spillover policy to increase its foreign exchange Lakshmi de Silva needed 10,000 people with technological Though foreign investment had been from the global economic recession. earnings and investment from foreign skills but we were able only to find 2000 brought to the country in the past years India had devalued its rupee while West sources. Dollars compared to only 97 million US such skilled people. However a new IT under cabinet decisions or regulations. Asian nations had lowered their invest- Ministry Enterprise Development Dollar investment in 2001. Though same park was to be established at Malabe But it would not be sufficient to contin- ment. Even Singapore which also suf- and Investment Promotion Dr. critics of the government said there and personnel were being trained for ue inviting foreign investment to the fered under the impact had taken steps Sarath Amunugama said the accusa- was no foreign investment there were employment. country without statutory enactment. to avert any economic disaster. tion that foreign investment was not four international players of the A new 70 floor building was to be Therefore a new bill will be brought Karunanayake was opening the com- coming to was not factually Information and Telecommunication built at Battaramulla with foreign before parliament within three months mittee stage budget debate for the oppo- correct. Foreign direct investment dur- sector providing telecom services and a investment. The project was a reflection to make foreign investment legally sition in Parliament yesterday (24). ing the current year was 605 million US fifth international player who will come of the fact that 250 million US Dollars under our law the minister said. GSP plus issue seems to have UNP blamed for Jumbo crossing Elephants been misunderstood – GL seemed to be power short supply moving from one Kraal to Minister of Export Development dum. How could we ask the public Minister of Power and consumer. another, in and Foreign Trade Prof. G. L. Peiris, whether they would agree for an appeal Energy Mahindananda Alutgamage said the cost of Parliament in the committee stage budget debate, against a decision of our Supreme Court Alutgamage told Parliament electricity would have been yesterday said there seemed to be a severe to be heard in an American, yesterday that the UNP trying much less if Upper Kotmale (24). UNP misunderstanding about the GSP+ European or Japanese Court? to gain political advantage and Norochcholai power plants backbencher issue and the European Union’s Therefore, the Prime Minister when they were in power had started during the UNP Dayasiri Dayasiri Dinesh stipulations on giving Sri Lanka clearly made a statement in the shelved the proposals to build regime when Jaysekara quipped that the concession. The UNP on its House on a previous occasion that the Upper Kotmale and was the minister. In fact he some elephants who had strayed into the part had said it would cooperate the UNP proposal to amend the Norochcholai power plants cre- Alutgamage wanted to start the projects and government kraal were contemplating with the government to amend the Constitution as mentioned by ating a shortage of supply to had printed the invitation returning to the UNP’s. Constitution allowing for appeals member Ravi Karunanayake was national electricity grid. He was cards for the inauguration of the proj- Chief Government Whip Dinesh against the judgments of the totally unacceptable to the govern- answering a question from UNP ects but he was prevented by the UNP Gunawardena’s rejoinder was that a herd Supreme Court that was totally G. L. Peiris ment. member Ravi high command from starting the proj- of elephants including baby elephants in unacceptable to the government. He said Karuanayake had Karunanayake on whether the elec- ects as the UNP wanted to gain politi- the UNP kraal would cross over to the In the Sinnarayar case the Supreme alleged that the leading garment manu- tricity rates were not too high for the cal advantage. other side in the near future. Court had given a decision that clearly facturer Brandix was closing down and defines that the Constitution does not moving over to India. There was no truth provide for an appeal to a foreign Court. in that as Brandix was not leaving the He said the issue was whether we country but was expanding its operations would implement the International to the Eastern Province too. Recently the Convention on Civic and Political Rights US ambassador Robert Blake and the and not whether we would amend the Deputy Trade Commissioner Michael Constitution. The Telly had paid a visit to the Eastern EU was not interested in an amend- Province where they were able to see the ment to the Constitution but was inter- development programmes being imple- ested in our policy on the issue of politi- mented. They had remarked that the cal and human rights. On the other hand progress was impressive and USAID was the UNP proposal was for us to amend the prepared to give aid for the projects in the Constitution by giving the two thirds East. All was not gloom and doom as majority in Parliament. It had to be clear- member Karunanayake alleged. Brandix ly understood that an expression of an had already started putting up the build- opinion by the Supreme Court was as ings for their factory in the Eastern binding as a judgment and in this case if Province that would generate 1200 new we had to amend the Constitution we jobs and Hayleys were also starting their needed not only the two thirds majority ventures in the Province in the agricul- in Parliament but also to hold a referen- ture sector, the Minister said. Vidyaratna attacks Amunugama

Samantha Vidyaratna, (JVP) According to audit observations an Badulla District, said Foreign officer had been recruited without adopt- Investment Promotion Minister Dr. ing the standard procedure and was paid Sarath Amunugama, who was also a for- a high salary and given other perks not in mer senior administrator, had violated keeping with the position he was given. official circulars and had given political Therefore we had lost faith in the appointments to four persons above the Minister who is an experienced and high- age of 60 years and had obtained a house ly qualified person and we feel that he in Kandy for a gem and jewellery training was trying to disrupt the public service, center after paying 20,000 rupees for the he said. upstairs and later 30,000 rupees for the The gem and jewellery centre in ground floor without advertising and call- Kandy, set up spending a large sum of ing for tenders. The landlord was paid public funds, had trained only 10 persons 360,000 rupees for this building but in this showing that the expenditure on it did not area such high rents were not justified. achieve desired results, Vidyarathan said.

Municipal Mahinda wants revenue officer Corporation heads in bribery net seeking UPFA nomination out by Dec.1 by Harischandra Gunaratna by Zacki Jabbar

The Chief Revenue Inspector of the Moratuwa Municipality was Chairmen’s and Directors of gov- arrested yesterday on a charge of ernment corporations aspiring to con- bribery. test the forthcoming Provincial According to SSP Neville Guruge, Council Elections on the UPFA ticket Director Investigations, Commission have been asked by President Mahinda to Investigate Allegations against Rajapaksa to resign before December 1. Bribery or Corruption, the suspect The President’s directive went out had solicited and accepted a bribe of yesterday evening, government Rs 2,500 to refrain from taking action sources told The Island. against the owner of a Foreign Non Cabinet Media Minister Employment Agency who had evaded Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said paying tax for two years and to waive last week that elections to five the amount he had to pay as taxes. Provincial Councils would be held After the Agency owner com- early next year, but declined to name plained to the Commission SSP the Councils. Guruge detailed a team of Media Minister Anura Investigating Officers and arrested Priyadharshana Yapa, asked if parlia- the suspect, in the Agency owner’s mentary polls would be held soon, as office, allegedly in the act. speculated said “No, there is no such He was to be produced before the move. It will be conducted as scheduled Mt Lavinia Magistrate last evening. in 2010.”