The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) were sharply divided over the presidential election whether to support any of the two main candidates after its second consecutive parliamentary group meeting held yesterday.

The TELO, a constituent party of the TNA, mooted the idea of fielding a candidate for the election on behalf of the party.  Four TELO MPs namely M.K. Sivajilingam, N. Sri Kantha, Selvam Adaikkalanathan and Vino Noharathalingam and three other TNA MPs supported this proposal. 

MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam who represented the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) proposed that the TNA should boycott the election in the Northern and Eastern Provinces while asking the people in the south to vote for New Left Front candidate Wickramabahu Karunaratne whom the party considers as a person espousing Tamil aspirations.  (Read More)

The Cabinet yesterday decided to negotiate with the Elections Commissioner and seek exceptions from him for making apolitical appointments in the public service in the run up to the Presidential Election.

The Cabinet which met with Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake in the chair discussed the Commissioner’s decision to cancel all appointments and transfers in the public service till the election is over. 

The Ministers noted that the government would find it difficult even to appoint doctors and nurses because of this decision.  The Premier asked how the Commissioner had got powers to take such a decision.Public Administration Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama had reportedly pointed out the possibility for the Cabinet to discuss this issue with the Commissioner and seek exceptions for such appointments which are not adhoc.

However, Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the Cabinet should take a decision in this respect instead of having negotiations with the Commissioner. (Read More)

The Government alleges that Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s connection with a US-based company and his dealing with the tender committee of the Army was not fraudulent but inappropriate, Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said yesterday.

“I’m not alleging any fraud on the part of Gen. Fonseka but what I am saying is that it was inappropriate to be in a committee that was deciding with tenders from companies that included one owned by his daughter and son-in-law,” Minister Abeywardena said.

According to him Gen. Fonseka’s daughter and son-in-law’s company had submitted their tenders although he needs time to produce documents in proof. Heycorp (Pvt) Ltd company is alleged to have been incorporated in the State of Oaklahoma in the United States, he added. (Read More)

The transfer of 110 teachers by the North Central Province Acting Director of Education had come to light just days after Elections Chief directed that all such action in the government sector be stopped, the Sri Lanka Teachers Union charged yesterday.

Sri Lanka Teachers Union Secretary Joseph Stalin said the transfer letters had been dated a day prior to November 23, on which date the Elections Chief’s directive putting on hold, transfers, promotions and recruitments in ministries, departments and statutory boards during the election period, came into effect.

“But, the letters had reached the teachers on December 2,” Mr. Stalin said. (Read More) 

A section of the press recently quoted Registrar of Persons A. G. Dharmadasa as saying that 2.6 million voters were without any form of identification, including the National Identity Card (NIC). He went on to say that government approval had been sought to hire a group of retired public servants to help in an accelerated programme to issue temporary identity cards ahead of the presidential poll scheduled for January 26.

An authoritative spokesman for the Elections Secretariat told The Island that this was nothing but a misrepresentation of facts due to ignorance on the part of the relevant authorities.  (Read More)

Power Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage hugged and welcomed the newcomer to the accompaniment of boos from the Opposition MPs and cheers from the government benches.