News

Who stole Rs.30 million worth of goods from President’s House?

Published

2 years ago

October 27, 2022

editor

An audit conducted by the Auditor General’s Department has revealed that many items worth nearly Rs.35 million were missing from the President’s House and the Media Division of the Presidential Secretariat.

The audit report said that no investigation has been done regarding any of the missing items till the date of audit.

According to an intimation made by a Senior Assistant Secretary to the President on November 18, 2019, a search conducted by the storekeeper of the President’s House has revealed that 61 items belonging to 35 inventory categories were missing, but no investigation has been conducted until March 2022.

Out of the 52 computers worth over Rs.10 million released from the 2015 to January 2020, only four computers have been returned and two of them were in unusable condition, the audit report said.

The report further said that out of 45 mobile phones and iPads worth Rs.3.4 million given to the officers attached to the Media Division during the same period, only 14 mobile phones and three iPads were returned but nine mobile phones and two iPads were not in working condition.

According to a report sent by engineers to the President’s Secretary regarding the items of the Media Division, a large number of items with a value of nearly Rs.35 million were missing from the Media Division.

Meanwhile, out of 104 laptops worth Rs.17 million only 26 laptops and two MacBook Air type laptops have been returned.

The audit report further stated that 12 items belonging to the President’s House in Katharagama and two television sets at the President’s House in Anuradhapura are missing.

No investigation had been conducted regarding any of these items till the date of audit.

56 arrested for barging in!

Meanwhile, the Colombo Central Crime Investigation Unit said that 56 suspects have been arrested for forcibly entering the President’s House in Fort and damaging and stealing its property.

Police said artistes, trade union activists and political activists are among those arrested.

A senior police officer said that investigations are underway to arrest 58 more people in connection with the investigations carried out in this regard.

News

Prof. Nalin de Silva no more

Published

13 hours ago

May 2, 2024

editor

Philosopher, intellectual and academician Professor Nalin de Silva has passed away at the age of 79. Prof. de Silva initially served as a professor in the Department of Mathematics and later as the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Kelaniya.

He was also a former member of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

In addition to his academic pursuits, de Silva also worked as a former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Myanmar.

News

‘Company issuing visa at BIA not Indian or Indian based’

Published

17 hours ago

May 2, 2024

editor

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has issued a statement over reports of Indian companies taking over visa issuance at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.

The statement notes “companies referred to in these reports are not India based or Indian and are headquartered elsewhere. Any reference to India in this context is unwarranted.”

News

Chaos at BIA raises questions (Video)

Published

19 hours ago

May 2, 2024

nipuni

Questions have been raised after chaos at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake last night (May 01) has sparked widespread outrage.

This is with regard to a controversial takeover of the on-arrival visa issuance process at BIA by an Indian company – VFS Global since yesterday evening.

It is learnt that the company has levied an extra $25 alongside the standard $75 fee.

Long lines of frustrated travellers were also seen at the airport for several hours, which is a stark difference to the procedure smoothly managed in a matter of mere minutes by the Immigration and Emigration Department in the past.

Footage of a Sri Lankan citizen expressing outrage over Indian nationals deciding visa matters for fellow Sri Lankans, has also been making rounds on social media.

Although 10 Sri Lankan and Indian officers had commenced work from 5.00pm yesterday, the lines remained well over 9.00pm. Amid tensions, higher officials of the BIA and security forces had also arrived at the premises.

At 11.30pm the company officials temporarily suspended issuing visas and left the BIA with the money collected, reports say.

Upon the directive of the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration – Harsha Ilukpitiya, Immigration officers have commenced their usual duties with no issues since then, enabling the previous process to continue smoothly.

Concerns have been raised over the lack of transparency in this arrangement.