SUNDAY 23 AUGUST 2020 LATEST EDITION VOL: 09/40 PRICE : RS 70.00 Inside Story Sinharaja’s Downfall: Paradise Paved in Asphalt There are places on Earth that hold outstanding universal value to humanity – these are named World Heritage Sites and protected for the benefit of generations to come. A11 Graduates Opposition taken for a ride – Sajith Group Making BY GAGANI WEERAKOON The Government has duped unemployed graduates by calling for applications and issuing letters of appointment in a hurry prior to the General Election, but not allowed them to report to work after the Election, Opposition Leader Sajith a Deal With Premadasa claimed. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Did Mohamed purposely detonate Govt? Dehiwela bomb? Disappointed minority MPs SDIG Jayawardena wants in crossover talks separate probe BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA BY W.K. PRASAD MANJU A separate investigation should be carried out into Abdul Latif Jameel Mohamed, who A group of Opposition According to reliable sources, initiated in the backdrop of the blew himself up by detonating a bomb at the Parliamentarians have initiated this group predominantly Government heading for a Tropical Inn Lodge in Dehiwala on 21 April negotiations with a powerful comprises Opposition legislators Constitutional change and 2019, said former Director of the SIS, SDIG member of the SLPP Government representing minority parties. minority parties becoming Nilantha Jayawardena. to strike a deal and cross over. These negotiations have been disappointment over not... On 21 April 2019, Jameel Mohamed had first tried to detonate the bomb at... Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Ranil issued SL will buy Russian vaccine notice to after WHO approval Minister of Health Pavithra appear Wanniarachchi said, Sri Lanka will take measures to purchase the COVID-19 vaccine developed in Russia for local before PCoI patients, once it received approval from BY FAADHILA THASSIM the World Health Organisation (WHO). Health Ministry Spokesman Viraj Former Prime Minister Ranil Abeysinghe said, Ambassador of the Wickremesinghe was on 21 August, issued Russian Federation, Yury B. Materiy,... notice to appear before the PCoI appointed to probe political victimisation of public Story Continued on PAGE 2 servants during the tenure of the United National Front-led Government, on 4 and 7 September. He was thus issued notice based on MPs appointed to Wiggy’s speech complaints made to the PCoI by the former Secretary to the Ministry of Economic House Selection ruffles feathers Development, Nihal Jayathilaka and the former Director General of Divi Neguma, Committee Kithsiri Ranawaka. in Parliament A group of 12 Parliamentarians have been BY GAGANI WEERAKOON Story Continued on PAGE 2 appointed to the Committee of Selection of Parliament under the Chairmanship of the Remarks made by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. Thamizh Makkal Tesiya The Committee of Selection, for the first Kootani (Tamil People’s Rs 6B loss session of the Ninth Parliament, comprises National Alliance) Jaffna Nimal Siripala de Silva, Leader of the House District Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena, Johnston Fernando, C.V. Wigneswaran, in Douglas Devananda, Dullas Alahapperuma, his congratulatory due to visa Wimal Weerawansa, Prasanna Ranatunga,... message to the... fee waiver Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 – SLTDA Following underage boy boarding trawler BY SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN Enhanced e-security system The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (STLDA) said, the country has for fisheries harbours lost Rs 6 billion in revenue when the former United National Front-led BY LEON BERENGER harbours after an underage boy was able to Government waived the on-arrival visa fee board a multi-day fishing trawler at Mirissa in the aftermath of the Easter bombings in The authorities are to enhance the in June this year, a top official said on 21 2019. electronic security system at fisheries August. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 SUNDAY 23 AUGUST 2020 NEWS Probe into fire at Two in custody over alleged SJB questions abuse of autistic boy Parliament premises Two persons were taken into revealed that both suspects’ Authorities have launched plastic container. Parliament custody over the alleged kid- have separated from their an investigation into the inci- employees had subsequently Govt’s haste nap and sexual abuse of a wives. They are residents of dent where a fire erupted in extinguished the fire. 12-year-old autistic boy in Maha Ingiriya, Ingiriyala, and the Parliament premises while Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms Ingiriya on 21 August, Police Urugala. The victim is cur- President Gotabaya Achintha Cooray had visited to abolish 19A said. The two suspects, aged rently undergoing treatment Rajapaksa was delivering the the site as a part of the inves- 63 and 56, are alleged to have at the Horana Base Hospital. new Government’s Policy tigation and it has been decid- repeatedly abused the child The suspects were produced statement on Thursday (20). ed to scrutinise video footage Leader of the House says it has after bundling him into a van before the Horana Magistrate The fire erupted at a shed, obtained from the closed cir- left country in a mess and then driven to the house and further investigations are which stored furniture in the cuit television cameras fixed of one of the suspects. being conducted by the yard where Parliament is in the vicinity to ascertain BY GAGANI WEERAKOON amended. Is it being done for Initial investigations Ingiriya Police. (NV) located. According to who threw the cigarette butt the benefit of the people or to Parliament sources, initial into the plastic container. The main Opposition, the serve some other secret reports suggested that the fire Disciplinary action would be Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) agenda?” he questioned. had been ignited by a cigarette taken against the suspect, on 21 August, questioned in Kiriella also claimed, the ‘one butt thrown by a driver into a Parliament sources said. (GW) Parliament the Government’s country, one law’ concept is haste to abolish the 19th not realistic. “There are many BIA Customs busts Amendment to the customary laws in this Constitution. country. There are Kandyan ‘Kush’ packet in transit Chief Opposition Whip and Law, the Thesawalami Law, the Well aware SIS officials performed their SJB Kandy District Muslim Law, among others. It BY SULOCHANA “This strain of duties – SDIG Jayawardena Parliamentarian Lakshman is difficult to change these RAMIAH MOHAN cannabis is rare to Kiriella queried as to why there Laws which are hundreds of find and much Who’s responsible for was such haste, when most years old,“ he said. Customs officers more expensive members sitting on the In response, Leader of the attached to a than local Government side today had House, Minister Dinesh courier bonded cannabis. The failure to prevent bombings voted in favour of it in 2015. Gunawardena claimed, the warehouse at the origins of Kush “We introduced the 19th 19th Amendment to the air cargo terminal cannabis are from – Queries Commission Amendment to the Constitution has left the at the landrace plants BY BUDDHIKA aware that the SIS officials Constitution to reduce the country in a mess and that Bandaranaike mainly in SAMARAWEERA had performed their duties powers of the Executive therefore it has to be changed. International (BIA) Afghanistan, pertaining to monitoring President, and at the time, the “The President was elected in on 21 August found Northern Pakistan If the relevant institutions extremist activities properly. I United National Party had only November last year but, he a package and North-Western including the NSC acted upon used to pressurise officers 45 seats even though we were could not immediately dissolve containing a strain of India with the name coming the information provided by under my purview to perform in the Government. However, the Parliament because of the cannabis known as ‘Kush’ from the Hindu Kush the SIS on the spread of their duties in a timely we got the required two-thirds 19th Amendment to the being couriered to Sri Lanka mountain range. It is more Islamist extremist activities in manner. majority in the House to pass Constitution. He had to wait from the United States. popular among the youth and Sri Lanka since 2018, the Responding to a question this Amendment,” he said. for the end of four and half The package had been sent has a high demand,” noted an bombings on 21 April 2019 from a Member of the Kiriella also said the years of its term to be from the U.S. to a Colombo official attached to the BIA. Easter Sunday could have Commission as to who was incumbent Government has completed before doing so. resident, a Customs official He said that since it is rare, been prevented, said former responsible for the failure to not disclosed whether they Because of this, the Parliament informed, adding that 222g of racketeers have employed Director of the SIS, SDIG prevent the bombings on propose to retain the was dissolved in March and cannabis was seized and that various concealment methods Nilantha Jayawardena. Easter Sunday, despite the independent Commissions the Parliamentary Election had its street value of the drug was to smuggle such drugs into He was testifying before the SIS having performed its duty, setup under 19th Amendment to be postponed twice due to more than Rs. 2.2 million. the country. The substance PCoI probing the bombings on SDIG Jayawardena said, he to the Constitution. “Tell the COVID-19. This Amendment The Narcotics Control Unit which was packed with a few 2019 Easter Sunday, on 21 was not in a position to state country how the 19th has tied the President’s hands of the Customs is conducting children’s books was handed August. as to who should be held Amendment to the and left the country in a mess,” further investigation into the over to Police Narcotic Bureau He also said, he was well responsible for it.