Irregularities at state run MSD and SPC

Evidence has surfaced that there are several irregularities at the state run Medical Supplies Division (MSD) and State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) that are responsible for billions of rupees worth of drug and medical equipment imports as well as distribution to the country’s medical institutions.

Courtesy: Dailymirror

Talks boost Indo-Lanka ties

Special envoy lauds India for understanding Lankan issues :

Senior Presidential Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa said yesterday after talks with Indian leaders that New Delhi and Colombo were “genuine friends” and that his country would keep civilian casualties in the war against the Tigers “to the very minimum”.

MP Rajapaksa, who visited India as a special envoy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that torrential rains and flooding had affected Tamils displaced by the fighting in the North and that India had pledged to provide food and medicine for them.

He added that UN agencies would visit the war zone to assess the situation.

“Both countries are proving to be genuine friends. This is true for the people of the two countries too,” Rajapaksa told IANS, a day after meeting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and other officials.

“India has really proved to be a real friend. They are friends of Sri Lanka,” said Rajapaksa.

“We found they (India) have understood very well our problems.” “We also realise that we need to do everything we can do for the safety of civilians (in the war zone). We are discussing (this issue with India),” said Rajapaksa. “We want to ensure zero civilian casualties or at least keep it to the very minimum.”

Providing a gist of his talks here, Rajapaksa told IANS: “There are certain hardships (to civilians). We agree. We want to minimise them. There are no civilians now in Kilinochchi.

They have gone deep into LTTE territory, beyond our firing range. “In Kilinochchi town, no Government office is functioning, only the hospital is operational. That too is Government controlled. All civilians have moved out. If there are some in Kilinochchi, they are LTTE cadres.”

“The whole population (in the region) is 250,000. Everyone is not an IDP. By IDPs we mean those we have to give rations to. In Mullaitivu people are still in their houses but they have no buying power. For the sake of giving rations, we call them IDPs. Only the people in Mannar and Kilinochchi districts are displaced. “Now the rains have started, there are floods. People are affected. It is our responsibility.

“We discussed this with the Indian government. They said they would send 100 tonnes of food and medicines. For distribution we will have discussions every week with the Indian high commissioner in Colombo.

Sri Lanka will have the distribution network. All UN organisations will visit the area. They will provide us information.”

Crediting New Delhi with having “very good information” about the Sri Lanka situation, Rajapaksa also said that Colombo “understands very well” why there have been vocal protests in Tamil Nadu about his country.

He referred to the problems of the Indian fishing community in passing, saying: “Fishermen don’t care for the international maritime boundary. They go where the fish is”.

Referring to the LTTE, Rajapaksa said his Government’s attempt was to “isolate from the (Tamil) people” from LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief.

“There are a few things the government is doing. Suppose if there are two fish in a bottle, we can either take the water out or the fishes out.

The government is doing both. We want to isolate them from the people. But we are not against individuals or even terrorists. We are only against terror.”

His remarks followed extensive discussions on the situation in his country with Indian officials in the wake of mass protests in Tamil Nadu demanding a ceasefire.

India has categorically ruled out the possibility of forcing a truce in Sri Lanka. Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who had flown in from Delhi to brief Karunanidhi about the latest political developments on the Lankan Tamils’ issue, told reporters after the meeting that India could not ask for a ceasefire in Lanka as it would amount to interfering in the internal affairs of another country.

“India is not a party to the ceasefire,” he said by way of replying to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s demand for ensuring the ceasefire.

Mukherjee said Karunanidhi had also assured him that he would not embarrass the UPA government by asking the DMK MPs, including ministers from Tamil Nadu to quit over the issue.

The External Affairs Minister said his meeting with Lankan Special Envoy Basil Rajapaksa, earlier in Delhi, had been fruitful as it had given the indication for a package to be pushed through politically by President Mahinda Rajapaksa towards ending the ethnic conflict.

Courtesy : Daily News

Small scale plantatation enterprises development begins in Monaragala

The Ministry of Plantation Industry has launched a programme for the small scale plantation enterprisers. The programme was initiated with an investment of Rs million 2250 from the International fund for Agriculture development

Small scale planters in six divisions of the Monaragala district along with planters of Kandy, Kegalle, and tea planters in six divisional secretariats in Nuwara Eliya will be developed under the progrmme.

Many sections of plantation, such as production, distribution, gathering business groups along with the promotion of State and private tea and rubber plant sales outlet will meet the benefits of the programme.
Presdent Mahinda Rajapaksa in his message said that this programme was initiated with the intention of further enhancing the tea and rubber plantations. The project will also look in to the well being of the Small scale planters who are victims of poverty.

Minister of Plantation Industry, D M Jayarathne expressing his views said that the project was initiated for the betterment of the small scale planters and that at least the livelihood of 8000 families in the districts will be supported by the project.

Courtesy : Lankapuvath

President briefs Opposition Leader on current situation

President Mahinda Rajapaksa met the Leader of the Opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday (24th October) at Temple Trees and discussed current issues in the country, including the ongoing humanitarian operation being conducted by the security forces in the Wanni to disarm the LTTE and restore democracy, peace and stability.

The President apprised Mr. Wickremesinghe on the humanitarian assistance being provided by the Government to the civilians, who have been temporarily displaced in the Wanni and emphasized that adequate stocks of food and essential items have already been despatched to the uncleared areas, for distribution to the affected people by the Government Agents in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. The Government would continue to supply these areas on a regular basis, to ensure that there will be no shortage of food and essential provisions and services to the people.

President Rajapaksa also briefed the Opposition Leader on the close engagement with India in dealing with the situation in the Wanni, in particular the telephone discussion he had with Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the previous Saturday (18th October).The President informed Mr. Wickremesinghe that he had briefed the Indian leader on the Sri Lankan Government’s efforts to defeat terrorism and restore democracy in the North, and ensure peace and stability in the region.

President Rajapaksa reiterated that there was no ethnic conflict in the country, and that the present operations of the security forces were designed to disarm the LTTE, which is posing a challenge to democracy. This would enable the empowerment of the people in the process of evolving a viable and durable political solution. He emphasized his commitment to a political solution, and that this required the disarming of the terrorists. The President invited the Leader of the Opposition to extend his cooperation in this endeavour to defeat terrorism and restore democratic freedoms to the people of the North, too.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

Army constructs houses for poor in Jaffna

Aligning with the 59th anniversary of the Sri Lankan Army, troops of the 51 Division stationed in Jaffna have constructed and handed-over 10 newly constructed houses for poor families in the peninsula. The funds for the housing project was raised among the Army personal, which were built with the assistance of both Army and civilians in the area, Jaffna military sources report.

The houses were distributed among most needed families from Chunnakuli, Kopay, Nallur and Sandilippai Divisional Secretariats. The keys were handed over in a charm ceremony to the families on 10th October. Among the houses constructed, one was for a displaced family whose house was destroyed in the LTTE artillery attack at Pasivur and Jaffna on 29 May.

Also, a Shranmadana program was launched by the Army in-view of its 59th anniversary at the Jaffna Teaching hospital. This was followed by a launch provided to elderly at the Joseph Home in Jaffna and sports equipment distribution to the Aryalai Sri Parwathi School and the Ariyalai youth sports club.

Courtesy: Ministry of Defence