 Return to LNP
|
|
Cooray survives another day
Thursday, 21 July 2005 - 9:37 AM SL Time
|
|
|
The Presidential Commission, probing corruption charges against the recently re-elected Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council Reginald Cooray, yesterday emphasized the need to conclude the investigation on a priority basis.
The Commission comprises retired Appeal Court Judge Dr. Chandradasa Nanayakkara and Chairman of the Finance Commission A. S. Gunawardena.
Nanayakkara insisted on the importance of finalising the inquiry `as soon as possible` when the Commission was told of the absence of the senior lawyer representing Cooray. Nanayakkara told the lawyer`s junior, `Tell him to make himself available.`
The Commission probes a no-confidence motion against Cooray who quit a ministerial portfolio to contest the Colombo district as the UPFA`s Chief Ministerial candidate.
Yesterday`s sittings began about 25 minutes after the scheduled start at the Committee Room F 3-108 at the BMICH.
Of the eight persons scheduled to give evidence, only one was called by Ms Menaka Wijesundera, representing the Attorney General`s Department. WPC Secretary Lalith Kannangara, in response to a series of questions raised by Ms Wijesundera, claimed that the Chief Minister had not violated rules and regulation. Kannangara was responding to queries relating to the first charge. As the Chief Minister`s counsel was not present, the Commission put off the hearings to next Tuesday (26). Both Nanayakkara and Gunawardena asked Kannangara to clarify some points.
`There is nothing to cross examine,` Nanayakkara noted. He was obviously referring to Kannangara`s statement.
Shortly before Nanayakkara concluded the day`s sittings, he asked, `Where are the sponsors of the no-confidence motion'`
Strangely, the UNP which moved the no-confidence motion was not present.
The UNP group at the WPC is sharply divided over the recent political deal that saved Cooray, accused of corrupt practices and financial irregularities during his short tenure at the council.
At least three UNP Western Provincial Councillors recently rapped the deal while emphasising they never signed an affidavit supporting Cooray`s reinstatement.
Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Abeygunawardene and Councillors Sirikamal de Silva and Douglas Fernando, during a meeting of the council, dismissed claims that the 39-member UNP group was unanimous in its support to Cooray. Sirikamal criticising the agreement said, `How can we walk on roads with clothes on' Our supporters unreservedly condemn and ridicule our decision.` He also stressed the need to reveal the identities of the councillors who signed the affidavit.
Abeygunawardene said that they never withdrew the no faith motion against Cooray.
Members of the UPFA camp, Communist party member Mahesh Almeida and Mahajana Pakshaya councillor Renuka Perera, too, had opposed the deal. Both criticised the SLFP-UNP deal with Almeida likening the unceremonious removal of Nandana Mendis to a scene from Jayantha Chandrasiri`s Guerrilla Marketing. Mendis held the top post for 11 days on a deal arranged by Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
The UNP earlier levelled a series of charges against the WPC administration led by Cooray. The UNP accused Cooray`s administration of bringing disrepute to the WPC, demanding a Rs. 5 million bribe, from a British company, to set up a vital operation in Colombo, demanding or accepting a Rs. 5 million bribe from a company situated at Orugodawatte to end operations of a US company based here, providing an illegal bus route permit and receiving about Rs. 250,000, ordering unauthorised appointments thereby wasting WPC funds (the UNP named the persons given the appointments in the order paper dated June 20th), releasing the Chief Minister`s security vehicle to a member of the Chief Minister`s staff and giving him a Rs 10,000 fuel allowance, ordering a spate of politically motivated transfers, thereby creating about 100 vacancies in the WPC, taking control of a ministry not coming under Chief Minister`s purview, retaining services of education department officials thereby denying promoting due promotions to officers down the line, reinstating a female officer who left service and another dismissed on a fraud charge and failing to implement a report produced at a cost of about Rs. 200,000. The UNP said that the report recommended action to rectify several fraudulent appointments made by Cooray`s administration.
|
|
|
samanj
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 819
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 02:50:39 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Hip.... Hip......... Coooooooooooooo Ray
Political rogues have a field day.................. |
Pera
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2004
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 03:34:14 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| Vijaya Kumaranatunga had Freddie Silva...CBK is having Cooray |
samanj
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 819
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 03:50:04 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Pera : GOSL has the LTTE.
When will these parties jointly & sincerely
provide a better enviorment & a future to the poor?
An adviser on either side are said to be Brothers In Law ?
Yet, what good does it make to the nation & its people ?
Who suffer?? The poor who dream of a better future but unfortunately the poor are used as pawns on both side for want of an income to survive.
GOVt coffers swindles & overseas tamil contributions wasted. |
Pera
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2004
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 04:26:45 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| Thuwle pennala salli ganna bari theneta minisssu genna one...ethakota thuwalen wedak nehe neda?? |
Vishnu
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 477
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 05:14:35 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| One can use the final paragraph of this news item as a template for motion against any of the past present MPs. Just change the names and figures and submit. |
muniraj16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 07:15:56 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Machangggggg....this cooray is terible no guys...i thought he was a such a good fella...untill they filed a case against him...now only i saw the list...
'muwa ellanna epai'...i think the british company should have been BP...isn't it...such ashame for the country...
chao... |
samanj
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 819
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 09:53:48 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Muniraj 16 : ' ellanna epai '
A-se karamu uge bola de-ken
Where are those bribery commission fellows
that took SB to court ??????????
This is an open allegation similar to
that of the B'patabendhi CUB down under ????
Now, it is not the bribery commission but
by the Presidential Commission
Mahajana Chanden politicians wajabenawa ...
Must be licking their lips at the P-TOM funds.
Probably better keep these funds in the Tiger Den ?
A good idea ???
Will the tiger people contract the same diecease ?
Hpw do we keep money & politicians apart ?
There is no end to the greed. |
muniraj16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
Member Profile
|
21 Jul 2005 11:47:46 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Samanj...
how do we keep money and politicians apart????
thats a real humorous but yet an actual million dollar question that we all sri lankan should be answering...
quote-Probably better keep these funds in the Tiger Den ?
unquote-
macho, by the above statement do you mean to say that to keep the money in wanni/or in the dehiwala zoo(becareful when you are using the word tiger these days)...if you mean the first thing then same thing would happen again to SL which happens under Premadasa's regeime...'nariyata kukullu bara denawa wage'
chao... |
|
