President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake has informed the Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Aviation to hold an inquiry into the events which had led to world renowned Buddhist monk – Ven. Ajahn Brahmavaṃso Thera being forced to remain for around 12 hours at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake and take action against those who are found responsible.

The Thera had arrived at the BIA on May 30 night for a flight but had missed it after not being escorted to the flight from the VIP lounge. As a result the Thera had to remain at the BIA for over 12 hours before being into a different flight to Bangkok, Malaysia.

After the incident was reported to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, President’s Secretary Ekanayake had been informed to investigate the matter and take action.

Mr. Ekanayake expressed his regret over the inconvenience caused to the world-renowned Thera and added that it has been instructed to take disciplinary action against those responsible.

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An Extraordinary Gazette Notification has been issued declaring services related to electricity, petroleum products and fuel, and medical services as essential services.

The gazette was issued by the Secretary to the President by order of the President.

Accordingly as per the gazette, under Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979, the head of state declared that:

1. all services connected to the supply of electricity, 
2. the supply or distribution of petroleum products and fuel
3. All service, work or labour, of any description whatsoever, necessary or required to be done in connection with the maintenance, and the reception, care feeding, and treatment, of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, and other similar institution are essential services.

According to the gazette, the provision of the services specified is essential to the life of the community.

Charles McGonigal, the former FBI official, was arrested at JFK Airport on Saturday when he was returning from Sri Lanka.

The New York Post reported that McGonigal was indicted by US authorities over his ties to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

He has quietly spent the past year working for another Russian-born billionaire Vladislav Doronin.

Aman Resorts, a five-star hotel chain owned by Doronin – a martial-arts-trained property magnate who has been branded “Russia’s answer to Donald Trump” – hired McGonigal in the spring of 2022 for a high-dollar job as director of security for Aman’s 34 locations around the world, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

Indeed, sources speculated that McGonigal was arrested at JFK Airport on Saturday when he was returning from a business trip in Sri Lanka, where Aman operates a pair of swanky hotels.

Sources said McGonigal worked for Aman out of New York City, where the company opened its first property in August on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in the former Crown building, quickly earning the reputation as the most expensive property in the Big Apple with room rates starting at $2,400 per night.