News

Prez against Cabinet paper by Minister on behalf of brother

Published

1 year ago

September 1, 2023

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has submitted his observations to the Cabinet over a request made by eight players, including the Cricket World Cup winning team Captain Arjuna Ranatunga, to be allowed to build and sell a housing complex by combining the land plots given to them.

The President has said in his observations that the use of land allocated for a residential project for a commercial purpose may set a bad precedent.

The President has given these observations over a Cabinet paper presented by Minister Prasanna Ranatunga on behalf of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing.

Minister Ranatunga is the younger brother of Arjuna Ranatunga, the Captain of the 1996 Cricket World Cup winning team.

The Cabinet paper has been submitted requesting permission to combine the plots of land given separately to the eight players at Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha in Battaramulla and build a housing complex.

Cabinet approval was also sought to sign a Memorandum of Understanding among the eight players or their representative, the Urban Development Authority and the company buying the housing complex.

The plan is to get all approvals within six months and complete the construction of the building within three years.

However, the transfer of ownership or sale of these plots of land which were given to the 1996 world cup winning cricketers on deeds of gift is considered legally impossible.

Through a Cabinet paper on January 22, 1997, 15 players of the 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan team were given 20 perches each on a vacant land in Battaramulla on a 99-year lease basis.

The then Sporst Minister S.B.Dissanayake presented the Cabinet paper.

The assessed value of a perch has been determined to be Rs.1,000 back then.

Meanwhile, seven owners have refused to give their land to this housing project.

The President has further mentioned in his observations that due to the request made by the players to build and sell a housing complex on the lands given to them, the basic purpose of giving the land has been completely changed to a commercial purpose.

News

Cost reflective price for MPs’ daily meals proposed

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2025

editor

Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake said yesterday that a cost reflective price between Rs.2,500 and Rs.3,000 will be proposed for meals including breakfast, lunch and evening tea for Members of Parliament.

He stated that the proposal is scheduled to be presented to the House Keeping Committee of Parliament today and that a proposal will also be presented to the Cabinet in the future.

“MPs will have to pay Rs.3,000 for their meals including breakfast, lunch and evening tea. The price of meals for others will also be increased,” he added.

(dailynews.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Probe into clearing of 323 red-tagged containers – Dy. Minister

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2025

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Deputy Minister of Economic Development – Prof.Anil Jayantha Fernando yesterday (Jan. 22) admitted in Parliament that 323 containers with red tags have been released through the green channel by the Sri Lanka Customs.

In response to a question raised, the Deputy Minister said that an investigation will be launched into the incident.

He said there have been occasions where red-tagged containers have been released after being scanned and during some occasions, containers had been released through the green channel even without being scanned.

“We never know whether there have been investigations into those incidents,” he said.

(Excerpts : dailynews.lk)

News

Suspect arrested over alleged online train tickets racket

Published

3 hours ago

January 23, 2025

editor

The Kandy Divisional Crimes Unit has arrested a 37-year-old suspect involved in an alleged major racket involving ‘e-Tickets’ sold for up-country trains including to Ella.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested yesterday (Jan. 22) in the Suduhumpola area of the Kandy Police Division.

The suspect, a resident of the same area, was found in possession of 21 ‘Odyssey’ train tickets purchased online, Rs. 130,670 in cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal sales, 130 notepads documenting previous transactions, and a mobile phone.

Police suspect the individual profited from reselling train tickets, targeting foreign tourists. The suspect has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further inquiries.

On January 20, the CID had informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that they have launched an investigation into the ticket scalping, which was raising serious concerns.

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