One lane of the Ella-Wellawaya road has been blocked by a rockfall in the Karandagolla area.

Therefore, the Badulla District Disaster Management Coordinating Unit has advised motorists and the public to exercise caution when using this route.

The Colombo High Court today (April 02) sentenced former Chief Minister of the North Central Province – S.M. Ranjith and his sister-in-law, Shanthi Chandrasena, to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment.

Shanthi Chandrasekara is the wife of former Minister – S.M. Chandrasena.

The verdict comes after a prolonged trial initiated by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which filed the case under six charges.

The charges, spanning the period between 2012 and 2014, included allegations that S.M. Ranjith Samarakoon, while serving as the Chief Minister, facilitated undue benefits to Shanthi Chandrasena, who was his personal secretary at the time.

The accusations detailed the provision of over Rs 2.6 million through fuel orders, despite an existing fuel allowance included in the salary, and the coercion of government officials to facilitate these benefits.

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has raised serious concerns over financial mismanagement at the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA), questioning the decision to spend Rs. 2 billion on renting a separate building instead of renovating its own facility for just Rs. 21 million, as estimated by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB).

It was revealed that the Authority vacated its original building in 2021 due to structural issues caused by an adjacent shopping complex. Despite a Rs. 3 million monthly compensation offer from the responsible company, the Authority refused the offer and relocated, resulting in excessive rental expenses. COPE criticized this move as an irresponsible misuse of public funds, adding to the government’s financial burden.

COPE also scrutinized the unapproved gem mining in Heraniaka, questioning the lack of formal approval processes and contract extensions granted to private companies without due diligence. The committee expressed dissatisfaction with officials’ inability to provide clear answers, prompting recommendations for an internal investigation and referral to the Commission for Investigation of Bribery or Corruption.

Furthermore, COPE slammed the release of a Rs. 2.5 billion gem consignment seized by the court for under-valuation, with only a Rs. 10,000 fine imposed instead of the maximum Rs. 333,000 fine. Officials defended the decision, stating it was a breach of conditions rather than a criminal offense, but COPE dismissed their justification, accusing them of misleading the committee.

The committee also noted that the Authority lacks a dedicated imports division, despite its mandate to regulate both gem imports and exports. This oversight has led to inconsistencies in taxation, with only 1,664.06 kg of gems re-exported from a total 46,815.94 kg imported between 2022 and 2024, raising concerns over tax calculation discrepancies.

As a result, COPE directed the Gem and Jewellery Authority to develop a comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure transparency in exports and proper revenue collection while promoting the industry’s growth. The committee also demanded a detailed report on gem imports, exports, and tax evaluations.

(Excerpts : dailynews.lk)