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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “If you have any shame, leave” – Minister Nalinda informs Mahinda, Chandrika and Maithripala | Four individuals including Anura Priyadarshana and wife released on bail Thinakaran: “The vehicle permits for senior state officials continue. The government has not taken the decision to cancel them” – Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha explains to MP Najith Indika | Pictorial: Vocational training commences with 650 students at the Ceylon-German Technical Training Institute |
Thinakkural: “Former presidents, don’t you have any shame? Leave the houses at least now”; severe criticism from Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa | “This is a murderous government; no more support for this government” – announces MP Archchuna Thamilan: Allowances slashed! Secretary to the president takes decisive actions to reduce government expenditure | “If I am a tiger (referring to the LTTE), shoot and kill me!” – MP Archchuna says in parliament | Ranil-Sajith coalition: Negotiations successful |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Illness not as serious to be missing court; doctor remanded over fake medical report | Prices of food at the parliament canteen, increased: the Rs. 100 breakfast increased to Rs. 600; the lunch which was Rs. 300 increased to Rs. 1,200 Divaina: Bail granted for four including former minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa: Foreign travel banned; passports taken into the custody of the court Ada: Four including Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and wife, accused of criminal misappropriation of public funds, granted bail: “Although governments and officials change, the laws of the country do not change. What did you do for 10 years without apprehending the suspects?” – Colombo additional magistrate questions the CID |
Mawbima: Bail granted for former minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and wife: “It took 10 years to name the suspects due to delays with the AG” – Police tells the court | Secretary to the president announces privileges to be enjoyed by ministers: no relatives to be employed as staff members; monthly fuel allowance of 900 litres; Rs. 30,000 in phone privileges; 15 staff members for ministers and 12 staff members for deputy ministers Dinamina: Prices of food at Diyawanna increased: the Rs. 100 breakfast increased to Rs. 600; the lunch which was Rs. 300 increased to Rs. 1,200; the tea that was Rs. 50 increased to Rs. 200; daily fee for food is Rs. 2,000 Aruna: Privileges for MPs and ministers determined: the maximum number of support staff for a cabinet Anidda: Two vehicles each given to ministers and deputy ministers although the president said only one vehicle would be given; 900 litres of fuel per month; permission to rent vehicles; four staff members to also receive vehicles and fuel |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: AFP
“What will you do against Meththika?”: Hakeem inquires in parliament | COVID-19: Action against officials who misused their power
Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thinakaran
During yesterday’s (23rd) parliamentary debate, SJB MP Rauff Hakeem inquired as to what steps the government would take against Prof. Meththika Vithanage regarding their statement about the COVID-19 burials. Hakeem pointed out that Vithanage claimed that COVID-19 could spread through water if the bodies of those who died from COVID-19 were buried and acted with hostility towards the Muslim community. Responding to the question, Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa claimed that the virus spreading through water is baseless and that the policies implemented during COVID-19 based on religious grounds were wrong. Jayatissa stated that the government will not hesitate to take action against those who misused their powers.
[Taking] political revenge has begunThinakkural, Virakesari Former MP Patali Champika Ranawaka stated that the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has begun taking political revenge with the recent arrest of former MP Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and his wife. He noted that the current government that came to power promising to arrest the Central Bank robbers and e-passport thieves is now engaging in acts of political revenge. Ranawaka warned that they would severely oppose the government if it continued with acts of political revenge. |
“Murder, not death by suicide” – Shritharan claims in parliament | “What happened was death by suicide” – Minister Ananda Wijepala informs parliamentThinakkural, Virakesari, Thamilan Raising a question in parliament, ITAK MP Sivagnanam Shritharan claimed that a Tamil woman who was in custody at the Maradana Police Station did not die by suicide and that she was murdered. He inquired as to how she was able to die by suicide at the police station. Responding to the question, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala stated that the postmortem report confirmed that she had died by suicide. He added that she was arrested on January 21st and died by suicide in the early morning hours of January 22nd. Another article in Virakesari noted that the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has launched an investigation into the matter to determine if any crimes have occurred in relation to the reported death by suicide of the woman. |
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Sri Lanka Mirror
“No vehicles have been given for government MPs, but we do not reject using vehicles for official purposes” – Harini Amarasuriya
Divaina, Ada, Anidda
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya while responding to a question from MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake stated that the government has not provided vehicles to any ruling party MPs except for visually impaired MP Sugath Wasantha De Silva, and that the car has been provided to the MP by the Presidential Secretariat while considering it a special need. The prime minister added that there are no issues with MPs or ministers using vehicles for official purposes and that ministers and deputy ministers have obtained vehicles from the relevant ministries.
Three arrested for the e-ticket scam
Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday (22nd) arrested three individuals including a technical officer of the Railway Department along with 121 e-tickets involved in the Ella Odyssey train e-ticket scam. The CID, according to a complaint made by the general manager of railways, had commenced investigations regarding the booking of extra railway seats through the railway ticket reservation system and selling them at higher prices. |
74 staff members of the Karapitiya Hospital have dengue
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima Director of the Karapitiya National Hospital Dr. S.D.U.M. Ranga stated that about 74 members of the staff of the Karapitiya National Hospital, Galle, have been infected with dengue within the last month. The hospital director pointed out that doctors, nurses and junior staff workers were infected with dengue and they received treatment from the hospital itself. The director of the hospital, who mentioned that the hospital workers contracted dengue from the hospital itself, added that the Galle Municipal Council, the Galle Medical Officer of Health’s office and the hospital staff jointly implemented dengue control programmes in the hospital. |
“The new constitution must be passed this year itself” – Sumanthiran
Mawbima
Former ITAK MP M.A. Sumanthiran stated that the new constitution must be passed within the first year of the new government itself. He added that there is suspicion as to whether the new government will pass a new constitution if it doesn’t happen within the first year of its rule itself. Sumanthiran further added that he is reminding the NPP government of the promise they made prior to the election regarding the drafting of a new constitution. Sumanthiran stated further that there are certain members of the government who have stated that it might take three years to draft a new constitution stating that such a task cannot be completed urgently.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Sinhala Mawratanews.lk
Prices of food at the parliament canteen increased: the Rs. 100 breakfast increased to Rs. 600; the lunch which was Rs. 300 increased to Rs. 1,200
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Anidda, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Parliamentary House Committee which met yesterday (23rd) has decided to increase the prices of food in the parliament canteen. Deputy Minister of Buddhism, Religious and Cultural Affairs Gamagedara Dissanayake, a member of the Parliamentary House Committee, stated that the daily price charged from MPs for food purchased from the parliament canteen has been raised from Rs. 450 to Rs. 2,000 thus increasing the daily price by Rs. 1,550. Accordingly, the price of a breakfast meal in the parliament canteen has been increased from Rs. 100 to Rs. 600, a lunch meal has been increased from Rs. 300 to Rs. 1,200 and the price of a cup of tea has been increased from Rs. 50 to Rs. 200.
Minister Nalinda reveals the list of expenses of former presidents’ residences | “Are you not ashamed to live on the money of innocent people? Mahinda, Maithripala and Chandrika must vacate the residences immediately” – Jayatissa
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated in parliament yesterday (23rd) that the people will be freed from the burden placed on them to support retired presidents, their wives and other politicians. Jayatissa added that an amount of Rs. 40 million has been spent on the upkeep of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Wijerama residence. Jayatissa questioned whether these presidents felt no shame to be living on public funds and stated further that former presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena must vacate their official residences immediately.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Bail granted for four including former minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa: Foreign travel banned; passports taken into the custody of the court – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Anidda, Virakesari
2. Privileges for MPs and ministers determined: the maximum number of support staff for a cabinet minister is 15 – an advisor or a team of advisors [to be provided]; private staff limited to four; two official vehicles and a monthly allowance of 900 litres of fuel – Lankdeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Anidda, Thamilan
3. “Vehicle permits for government officials have not been revoked” – Professor Anil Jayantha Fernando – Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Thinakaran
4. “125,000 new passports have been ordered” – Ananda Wijepala – Divaina, Dinamina, Mawbima, Aruna, Thinakkural
5. “This is a murderous government; no more support for this government” – announces MP Archchuna | “If I am a tiger (referring to the LTTE), shoot and kill me!” – MP Archchuna says in parliament – Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
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