DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS
Tamil Headlines
Sinhala Headlines
Lankadeepa: Lohan apologises to the lawyer in court; a promise to pay Rs. 1 million as well | The dysfunctional PUCSL; only the chair remains; electricity prices also stuck | An assembled lorry found on Wijayamuni’s land | The date for pensions to be received
Divaina: ‘Podi Lassi’ granted bail; the request made by lawyers to provide protection to the suspect, dismissed
Mawbima: “A loan of Rs. 112 billion was paid: no bonuses for CEB employees” – CEB states; (Ranjan) Jayalal remains silent while receiving 50 calls | Fraudulent doctor who sold rented luxury vehicles caught from Nugegoda; an RMV officer who assisted him has disappeared
Dinamina: “45 out of 89 bribery cases assigned in 2022 withdrawn; the reasons why investigating officers are not witnesses in cases should be revealed to the people” – President | Pictorial: rice arrives at the market
Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only
TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES
“Conspiracy to put the government in trouble” – Wasantha Samarasinghe
Virakesari
Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe claimed that those who lost in elections are conspiring to put the government in trouble.
He added that there is a political conspiracy behind the rice shortage in the country. He further added that the government will defeat all conspiracies through laws.
He made these remarks while responding to queries on the shortage of rice and coconuts.
“Seven parties secured a single seat while a single party secured 8 seats” – Gnanamuththu Srineshan
Thinakkural
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) MP Gnanamuththu Srineshan claimed that the ITAK has secured 8 seats in parliament as a single party while the other 7 Tamil parties were able to secure only one seat.
He added that the Democratic Tamil National Alliance’s (DTNA’s) invitation to the ITAK to join as the 8th party of the alliance cannot be accepted.
He further added that the number of parties in the alliance is not important but the vote strength matters.
A stalemate continues within the SJB over the national list
Thinakaran
National Organiser of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Tissa Attanayake claimed that there are issues in making decisions on selecting names for the national list of the party.
He added that the SJB got 5 national list seats in the last general election.
He further added that discussions are underway to resolve these issues.
He also noted that the party should be restructured to win the hearts of the people.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES
Former CCD chief arrested
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the former Director of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Neville Silva yesterday (9th).
The arrest was made at the Police Field Force Headquarters following an interview with Silva regarding an ongoing investigation.
The investigation stems from a complaint that was made in 2023 and shows that Silva had allegedly been linked to unlawful detentions and abductions.
Lohan apologises to the lawyer in court; a promise to pay Rs. 1 million as well
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna
Colombo Additional Magistrate Mohammad Rizwan ordered the release on bail of former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, who was arrested by the Kollupitiya Police in connection with a road accident.
Ratwatte, who was produced in court for allegedly threatening and abusing a lawyer who had been travelling in the vehicle that was hit by the former MP, informed the court that he seeks to apologise to the lawyer who was allegedly threatened by him.
The legal team appearing for him informed the court of this and the court subsequently ordered the release of Lohan Ratwatte on two surety bonds of Rs. 1 million each.
56% growth recorded this year in comparison to last year in the tourism industry – CBSL
Dinamina
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) indicates that the income earned by Sri Lanka from the tourism industry this year has grown by 56% compared to last year.
Accordingly, up to November of this year, Sri Lanka has earned an income of USD 2,806.5 million from tourism, which is a growth of 56% compared to the same period last year.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS
“[The government] gained a profit of Rs. 3.1 billion within nine months from issuing bar licenses; bar licenses were only issued to applicants approved by the Excise Commissioner General” – Wickremesinghe
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The office of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued a statement claiming that the former President did not issue any liquor licenses in violation of the rules and regulations of the Excise Department.
Additionally, the statement highlighted that the government has received a revenue of over Rs. 3.1 billion during the first nine months of this year as a result of the issuance of new liquor licenses during Wickremesinghe’s tenure as the president.
The statement stressed the legitimacy of the procedure followed in granting the liquor licenses, adding that they were verified through the recommendations made in the letter forwarded by the Election Commission to the Commissioner General of Excise on 19 August 2024.
The statement was issued in response to the allegations made in parliament by Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Rathnayake that the former President had issued liquor licenses as political bribes.
“Retrieve the Rs. 720 million that was spent on the LG election from the former leaders that postponed it” – Alahapperuma
Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Chair of the Freedom People’s Congress and Executive Committee Member of Samagi Jana Sandhanaya Dullas Alahapperuma criticised the decision to annul the nominations for the Local Government (LG) elections, initially called 22 months ago, and to schedule new elections.
In a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Alahapperuma condemned former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s decision to postpone the local government elections in January 2023.
He emphasised that the delay resulted in the loss of over Rs. 720 million of public funds, money which he clarified was taxpayer money, not the personal wealth of politicians.
Alahapperuma accordingly requested the government that the money thus spent from public funds must be retrieved.
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “45 out of 89 bribery cases assigned in 2022 withdrawn; the reasons why investigating officers are not witnesses in cases should be revealed to the people” – President – Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Thinakaran, Thamilan
2. Director of the Jaffna Hospital lodges complaint with the police that MP Archchuna wreaked havoc at the Jaffna Hospital – Lankadeepa, Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
3. Cases filed against 949 that have not submitted expenditure statements – Divaina, Mawbima, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural
4. A woman dies after being hit by MP Gajendrakumar’s jeep – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina, Thinakaran
5. “A loan of Rs. 112 billion was paid: no bonuses for CEB employees” – CEB states; (Ranjan) Jayalal remains silent while receiving 50 calls – Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna, Thamilan