Beijing’s solution of rationing license plates is NOT the answer to Colombo’s Traffic Problem.

If one reads the link which refers to all the means by which people try to circumvent the rules in Beijing to be able to drive there, you can be assured that the Sri Lankan driver or car owner will be just as if not more devious than that in finding ways to circumvent these rules. Even the congestion charge, introduced to reduce vehicular traffic in Central London, we see, has been violated by the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/29/world/asia/china-beijing-traffic-pollution.html

So how do you solve the problem in Colombo? First what is the problem?

It takes longer and longer for commuters including school children to come into Colombo every day. It is not uncommon for those living 25km outside of the Colombo Municipal Limits to take 150 minutes to get to work each way every day!

If you agree that it is simply unacceptable, you must have a practical method to reduce commute time, as that is ONE goal, whilst at the same time, reduce the number of vehicles entering Colombo, which will assist in achieving the former goal, which will in turn reduce the pollution level in Colombo, which is particularly harmful to the children who go to school there.

The light rail option, whether good or bad will take at least 10 years before it shows results, by which time most of the present commuters will be dead, one way or the other! Then the Children will suffer life threatening illnesses and the congestion will get worse, leading to daily gridlock that costs the economy Billions a day, and will NEVER achieve the MAGOPOLIS objectives laid down.

A short term solution MUST be found within weeks not months. Import 100 LNG full ac buses, give them ambulance level access, with just 4 stops within Colombo City limits. 10 each for 10 principal routes into Colombo, that charge a flat Rs50 no matter where one gets in or gets off, and a prepaid card with automatic deduction at entry will be the norm, which effectively makes them cashless.

In addition have a Rs50 charge for each motorbike, three wheeler, car or van and Rs100 for truck or bigger entering Colombo, between 6.30am and 10.30am 10 main entry points. Of course free for Buses, and Vans with more than 10 people in them. This money collected (after paying for the administration labor) will go for purchasing an LNG fleet into Colombo, which will replace, highly polluting diesel buses on short distance routes into Colombo. JUST do it – you will be surprised. 

Construction of 10 multi story car parks and bike parks in the outskirts should commence immediately from where the bus service starts. They must hold at least 5,000 vehicles apiece and have ease of access without congestion. They too will have a flat parking charge of Rs50.

This will see an immediate reduction of 50,000 vehicles during this 6.30 to 10.30 window, enough to halve the commute time at a stroke. Try and CAP that Experts!

Lack of Leadership to clean one’s own shit – Leads to destruction of Sri Lanka - Its your call Prime Minister

Isn't it ironic that the person universally commended as being the best possible person to hold the job as the Director of Wildlife Conservation resigned within MONTHS of his appointment due to interference from Politicians.

In short, though it was through the personal intervention of the PM that he took this job, the PM did not have the balls to dress down the very people within his administration whose action resulted in Dr. Pilapitiya’s resignation.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/113295/I-won-t-work-for-a-government-again-Dr-Sumith-Pilapitiya

Yes I agree that he was never a Govt. servant, so he did not learn the art of keeping his job by sucking up to some uneducated (you don’t have to go to school and University in England to pretend to be educated, and so they too fall into the uneducated category) Jhonnies who litter the parliament in the guise of responsible people! Until these and senile and cranky people past their sell by dates are chopped out of powerful positions, we cannot get to the next level of saving this Country from mass destruction.

So who are the traitors? I think they are those who do not allow Govt. servants to carry out their tasks without interference and those who don’t know that their actions directly result in the ruination of their Country.

We expected better from this Govt. after throwing out the daylight robbers. However it seems we have replaced them with “nighttime robbers”.

  

Pilapitiya simply undertook to do his job, and work in accordance with the legislation, to which we are all stakeholders. The law of the land MUST apply to all, not to all but a SELECT FEW who could call the DG to let some rogue who happened to be their supporter off the hook or be pulled up for breaking it themselves!

Many people say, he should have compromised due to the nature of the politicians and their unreasonable behavior as it is systemic. Art of the compromise so to speak. I disagree, you give an inch they will begin to take the  whole mile and then some! 

However if you do, and you don’t achieve the desired result it is he who will be blamed for giving us hope, and who eventually played the game despite assurances to the contrary. This is the catch 22 that an honest person faces in a dishonest environment. There are long suffering people everywhere who are faced with this challenge and hold on for personal reasons of survival. This man's survival does not depend on this job, but the Country's survival does, and here in lies the rub.

Lets face it DG Wildlife is the toughest job in Sri Lanka, as the animals he is trying to protect can't shout on his behalf! 

So Prime Minister, your 40+ years in politics will NOT amount to a hill of beans unless you are able to give assurance of "NO MORE INTERFERENCE". He will then take this job. You will be amazed how he could transform this Country!

Today, nothing matter more to the survival of Sri Lanka, than the reversal of the deforestation, protection of the environment and the re- establishment of protected zones free from destruction of any sort, in other words INVIOLABLE AREAS. 

This is the clearest example yet of people who can save Sri Lanka not being given a chance to do so. Don't ever expect foreign investment or a reversal of the brain drain until you change your attitude first. Its your call, and the Country's fate, ITS YOUR TRUE LEGACY as it is the future of the Country we are talking about, and NOT some theoretical hypothesis - an economic or political experiment.

A particularly invidious journalist needs to be outed for duplicity!

There is a man full of bile prancing around as a journalist, who though US educated and who also educates his daughter at Ladies is nevertheless someone who despises anything American, Liberal or capitalist or for what matter Western, in his writings, though a closet capitalist, which he does not want to admit to in his desires, who would be the first to persuade his daughter to go to a US University if she so chooses.

That is Malinda Seneviratne, who just wrote this article attacking the Prime Minister like a pickpocket! See link:

https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ranils-attack-on-kesara-the-yahapalanaya-media-freedom-bluff/

Granted he cannot stand the man, but if we read what he has written, he does not go into the frustration that the PM or for that matter the President has shown in why the media is till harping on every wrong doing in this Govt. of which there are many, while at the same time being wholly silent on the excesses of the previous Govt. and due to the media suppression they engaged in were NOT able to express the anti Govt. rhetoric that media NORMALLY engages in.

In his pathetic article he merely explains that the media job is to criticize the Govt. in power, without reference to the adulterated mind of the public to rationalize the change of circumstance, where the Media is truly free, but not responsible with it.

Given this background, they completely mislead the people, who have had to endure a lack of criticism of Rajapaksa Administration excesses during their reign, who are NOW subjected to excesses of the Ranil Wickremasinghe Administration, and thereby are misled into believing the current was worse than the previous, when even comparison is unfair due to a completely one sided totalitarian regime.

It is just these educated journalists, who should know better than those the Rajapakse’s bought for petty cash who don’t get that petty cash anymore and are screaming blue murder against this Govt.

Seneviratne can obtain redemption if he puts Country first, and not Anti-Ranil first in his journalistic bias. The PM from a media family is fully aware of what their responsibilities are, and is pointing out shortcomings in unreasonable criticism, given the environment that existed then and now, and is asking for some slack. Seneviratne being biased cannot rationalize this, and bleats like a sheep!

Sri Lanka Cricket in Crisis – They are just out of their depth.

Navin Dissanayake, when he was the Minister of Sports in the 100 day Govt. (son if Gamini Dissanayake, the former head of SLC when we obtained Test Status) had a plan to clean up cricket. However he was NOT able to fully implement his plan ti improve the game and the administration, before the election, and we saw the appointment of a neophyte into the role by Dayasiri Jayasekera WHO IS COMPLETELY OUT OF HIS DEPTH HERE!

So with the appointment or shall I say election of the new SLC Board, the Wettimuny proposals and plans COULD NOT be implemented, as we have the same o same o jokers at the helm, who don’t know what to do, but are looking at ways to make money for themselves, without giving cricket its recognition.

So our poor cricketers face a huge hurdle without the psychological support they need to win, just as much as the financial and moral support which is also hard to find. So we have just finished a disastrous series in the UK, where only the travelers benefitted and NOT the players, we are seeing some of the same today, with the Test match that just opened in Pallekelle where SL is off to a tragically poor start which will see the game end on the third day.

Who is to blame? Who else, and if you read through the last blog entry and the all the comments and their links, both for and against, you the reader could come to your own conclusions as to what is the lowest common denominator here.

It is just one word, and it is the DEPUTY SPEAKER no less than the Thilanga Sumithipala trying to do something that is completely out of his depth, and boo to those who elected him, as they must be ashamed of themselves!

It is time for immediate corrective action, and the authorities whoever they are must clean up the act and I hate political interference as this is NOT GOOD for cricket and for the improvement of the game at the rural level from where we should find our talent and latent talent that is OUT THERE yet to be discovered but for the greed of a few administrators in Colombo.

How come we have so many ex-cricketers who can contribute to the thinking of how the game can be improved, they are NOT administrators, but are the brains behind the game, let them make the suggestions for improvements, and let the pig headed officials who know little about improvement of the game and lot of how to pocket TV rights to their own advantage delegate their responsibilities. 

How pathetically sorry and farcical can Sri Lanka Cricket get? The Murali saga

It is a simple case of the pot calling the kettle black! Too pathetic for words.

It was extremely childish, puerile is the word of the “sour grapes attitude” of the President of Sri Lanka Cricket to question the rights of person to act professionally. It must be because this man has never acted professionally and a BOOKIE is still wagering to make a quick buck.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/113050/Murali-will-suffer-for-his-Aussie-alliance-SLC?fbrefresh=refresh

It is when we appoint such scum to high positions that no one with integrity will even want to apply! Underworld thugs still run Sri Lanka cricket and until the Games’ administration can be cleaned up first, we will not have people going into playing for their Country for the love of cricket and “excellence” their motto.

We live our lives so we can set examples for the future generation to improve upon our performance for themselves and for their Country. Who will want to be the greatest Bowler in the world, if some cheap pimp is given the Presidency of Sri Lanka Cricket? So by making such an asinine statement this man has shown his true colors, a guttersnipe would have performed better.

Murali is a proud and excellent cricketer who had endured all the odds to excel in the game, and even put up with the Australian unfair allegations and beat them. He HAS DONE Sri Lanka proud, and I ask nothing more from him for Sri Lanka.

In his retirement it is up to him to earn money “legitimately” any way he wants. Even billions for that matter, as his accuser has earned money “illegitimately” and has the audacity to even question his action. A BOOKIE is someone who lives of the misery of others especially in Sri Lanka, where the poor laborer goes to wager hoping to make some money on his way home, and more often than not, loses what he has with him. So it is in essence a social curse, much like Tobacco and Alcohol.

However the aforesaid are better regulated, and this is NOT, and the tax that the Treasury earns is much less than what it should be if the business is properly regulated, and proper records are kept for the Taxation, that is taken from the punter but not paid to the Inland Revenue a double crime.

Enough said, than putting to bed this allegation once and for all. I am very sad that the Media even reported this as a news item to bamboozle our ignorant public into misunderstanding the true status, and making racial slurs on his unblemished character.

Go ahead Murali, you make your call and do what you think is right!

“Arakku Bothala te anga vikunana Maadyawedeen!” Prime Minister’s allegation

The Prime Minister appears to be fed up with the state of our Media, especially because they have been prostitutes for so long, that when the YAHAPALANAYA Govt. came along and their gravy train stopped, they wanted a return to the Status Quo or a Rajapaksa Govt. where the Media “WERE TAKEN CARE OF” better than in any time in history, or thereafter as in the Present Day.

http://www.ft.lk/article/557155/Ranil-blasts-Daily-FT--for-sabotaging-economy-

http://www.dailymirror.lk/112985/Journalists-defending-previous-regime-will-have-to-be-dealt-with-PM

These pimps and prostitutes of the Media, have been justly accused by the PM, as he is just beside himself asking why they are so harsh on him, when then allowed the Rajapakse’s to fleece this Country so audaciously, without so much as a hum, and they continue with their song, when one my one the extent of the daylight robbery is exposed.

Today, it was how the leasing of JUST ONE AIRCRAFT, where it is costing over US$400,000 a month in overpayments that have gone into someone’s pocket and we the nation, are paying for it with our own contribution to taxes and we have NOT been able to convict, and take the money from this rogue, because we have NOT resorted to threats and are waiting for the law to take its course.

So back to the Editors of the Daily Mirror and Financial Times that have the final say in the slant of what is written. Questions! Were they in receipt of a payoff by MR where NONE is now given? If so then they should be locked up, without delay as they have compromised their readership with lies.

All other Newspaper groups reflect the owner’s views, where the Wijeya Papers reflect the Editors’ views, and with that goes the duty to be objective, and not to prostitute oneself to the highest bidder.

It is quite clear that the editors have lost their objectivity here, and are feeding the public with misinformation. We now have a Govt. with the PM who is known never to have taken any personal benefit from his office in all his life, and this goes for the only person so trusted in the past 50 years of Sri Lankan politics. So for journalists even to make insinuations against the man whose main fallibility is loyalty to his friends even though they may have done wrong, shows their colors. 

The Govt. MUST take an active role in protecting the Public Shareholdings in Quoted Companies – NDB a case in point at present

The people of Sri Lanka clearly gave a mandate for the new Govt. to immediately establish GOOD GOVERNANCE in order to protect the Country from the Robber Barons in Business and Politics. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!

SO why is it so hard to do that? People’s power rules OK. We also know that the same Robber Barons are at work in this Govt. as it was in the last. We just have to be two steps ahead of the Barons, as they are “ONLY deal makers to enhance their wealth”, make no bones about it.

As if it not obvious to the observant intelligentsia of which Sri Lanka is sadly lacking in number, the way the profits of NDB has fallen has shocked even the department heads who are running it. With it the share-price, and the Barons are ready to pounce, buy cheap and take control despite Govt. rules to the contrary.

What is even sadder is that the Govt. is acting in an impotent manner, and hence are not safeguarding the interests of the public who own a third of the Bank, to say nothing about passive institutional investors who are merely spectators, watching in shock horror at what has happened to the share price.

Just look at investors who have purchased shares in the last month to get a feel for who they might be, who in concert with the rogues on the Board are about to take the bank to the cleaners to maximize their return at the expense of the State.

Thanks to my previous blog the PM has been notified of the threat, and as we all know he cannot be bought for all the tea in China, is trying to prevent this daylight robbery. The problem is that a senior minister in his Cabinet has been bought over by the Robber Barons and is trying to kibosh the Govt. in its bid to take back control.

Let’s go back to basics. NDB must be a Bank to help Sri Lankan entrepreneurs as a Development Bank. They should tie up with international banks who are willing to help fund this exercise, invest, take control throw the rogues out, put them in jail if found guilty of inappropriate practices and be a lesson to the potential deal makers, that if treachery is proved, where the assets of the people are stolen, they will have to face the consequences, with NO MERCY, just because they are billionaires. One or two examples is all it takes to clean up the mess, and we will take back ownership of our destiny from a whole bunch of Robber Barons, only about 100 acting in concert to enhance their wealth at the expense of the people. Await more scoops here to save the Country

The HORU PALANAYA at NDB must be stopped!

I don’t know if the YAHAPALANAYA Govt. is asleep at the wheel when obviously wrong, brazen and unforgivable acts of treason take place under their very noses.

If we just take the case of NDB for this example, and it is just one of too many to recall just yet, but which will one by one be exposed for the knowledgeable and intelligent of you to realize. Sadly there are so few of you, that we allow the daylight robbers, disguised as worthies in Chairman and CEO positions to rule the day, and no one is the wiser. What a shame that idiots rule.

For starters the GOVT interests indirectly control about 35% of the Bank, and they should be able to have their say as to who should be the Chairman and how it should be run, and oversight into the goings on. Then there is about 10% for Pathirage and 9% for Rusi Captain etc. who are wielding an unusual amount of influence thanks to the RAVI K can be bought syndrome operating there too.

It MUST be incumbent upon the Govt. to appoint a non-rogue as chairman as they are about to replace one with another. If the Govt. fails to do it, then they may has well hand over the Country to the Robber Barons, just as MR did, and we will all say bye bye to any attempt at Good Governance.

What is the Central Bank doing? Where is their head of bank supervision, in being alert to what is going on? Why have they not interviewed all the heads of department to get their honest opinions of the mood of the day, as the Bank is tanking (with TANKY who can’t spell BANK at the helm) while we just watch impotently, and what is left is being very cleverly removed, so brazenly obviously!

I have always wanted NDB to be a Development Bank which is how and why it was set up in the first place and MOST at the bank have forgotten their roots in this crazy competitive world of banking, turning it to any other bank like what has also happened to DFCC. No wonder we don’t have true Development! How?

Let the reader be on notice that a hugely valuable asset of the Country which has gone to the DOGS, is about to be eaten by them and no one seems to be bothered least of all the Media who are so ignorant of what is happening with no real financial journalistic excellence in Sri Lanka to unravel the shit before it really hits the fan. We have such spineless people at the top, who don’t act despite knowing! 

Can someone tell the PM to act decisively in the interests of the People of Sri Lanka to whom he has pledged allegiance. He is against the rest who have pledged to MAMMON!

Turkey – Where art thou?

The recent failed coup, President Erdogan nearly lost his life, if the helicopters aimed at the right house, has proved to be a watershed of NUCLEAR proportions, the reality of which we have yet to face, and NO ONE wishes to contemplate.

Already Erdogan has incarcerated 10,000 people and has suspended from duty, 20,000 people from Government Servants and Teachers, most of whose lists he had before the coup attempt and acted upon after, and it is clearly the Coup attempt that has permitted him to act in this heavy handed way, along with a state of emergency of three months just announced, which will give him unlimited power over his subjects.

Like in many Countries in 2016, the Turkish population is also divided, between the Islamist Erdogan supporters and the rest who are secular. THE REST are NOT a UNITED FRONT, so their strength is ONLY in opposition to the leader, and not on ideology, or race etc. Erdogan IT MUST BE REMEMBERED has changed course on some of these political allegiances, like a chameleon, and COULD change again, but unpredictably and unexpectedly.

He is quite likely to execute 500 of the people he dislikes most, and if not executed starve them to death which is in fact worse, and is about to lose any chance of Turkey ever entering he European Union, something that is once and for all dead!

The problem is he is in NATO. All the NATO countries have applauded the fact that the Coup did not succeed, as that is undemocratic! However Erdogan who has been elected President democratically, after holding office as PM for many years, is now an authoritarian President commanding huge popularity, and if comparison was needed what is the difference between him and MR? Only the satakaya!

He is building palaces and a cult to his glory, but herding his flock in the name of Islam, and thereby completely fooling a nation intentionally, just like MR did by using the threat from outside, with some OLD MAN in the US as the current point of his wrath, as having masterminded the Coup attempt.

For Sri Lankans all is familiar, and we know what would have happened if Maithripala Sirisena lost the election, it would be like what Erdogan has done to his Opposition. Arn’t we glad we were able to throw him out rather than get embroiled in a Coup to overthrow the Tyrant! Turkey instead has years of agony, until the people finally realize they have been had the expense of their prosperity.

Just as an aside, Turkey is a large grower of cheap tea to Russia, and also imports tea from Sri Lanka, for their consumption.

The US State Department is busy working out the what if scenarios, and have exhorted the President from committing HR violations, by threats that they will throw Turkey out of NATO and leave it to fight their own battles. There is still the case of the Turkish Fleet which is missing which the US is giving security to, as the Admirals will not go back to Turkey to face the music and the US does not want to annoy the already annoyed Turks!

The EU is frantically saying that if Turkey introduces the death penalty there is NO way that membership will be open to them, and that is NOT working at the moment for Erdogan who is BENT ON REVENGE!

The coup was prevented due to a simple use of facetime to appeal to the people to stand up and fight the Army, which people took literally and did, and called their bluff. While I am personally glad the Coup failed as I don’t want any country under Military Leadership, there is NO guarantee on what the embattled President will do as he has the backing of the Sharia Law adhering religious junkies, who are with him all the way, and it is this constituency that he is listening to at present.

Recep Tyip Erdogan is the leader of 80Million Turks occupying 783,000 sq km or 13 times the size of Sri Lanka, with 4 times the population. Compare this with Syria that has ONLY 15 Million people remaining. If Syria caused so much of a crisis in Europe – “you aint seen nothing yet” when the TURKS decide enough is enough and take to the boats to come over in numbers!

I hope the West is prepared for the Erdogan blood bath, and is ready to SNUFF IT OUT before it happens, to save them from having to provide safe haven for at least 20M anti-Erdogan population who will just not be able to survive in present Turkey under Erdogan rule.

This is serious stuff, which the EU are consulting behind closed doors, and is making plans to counter in case Erdogan begins to go big time on his purge! The UN Security Council is on alert to pass a resolution if the threats become real and nasty. Will any of this make a difference to a power crazy dictator, like Assad, Ghadaffi, Sadam Hussein, Mahinda Rajapakse? The simple answer is NO.

It is only subtle changes, in economic power that will make a difference to Erdogan, lets start with his wealth spirited away. This is the first charge, if he gets out of hand. The second is to bomb to smithereens his palace that he so loves to gloat in and rule from. He will have to remain in the underground bunker if the West decided to flatten that piece of real estate.

Conclusion

As if the world has enough hotspots to concentrate on, the Turks now have added to it. This is potentially the worst of the hotspots, and it is to the Wealthy Turkish Business Men who see their gains of decades, ready to go up in smoke who should be appealing to Erdogan to desist from going overboard.

Turkey is in danger of being a failed state so quickly form being a successful state on the Border of the current flash zone with Iraq and Syria where the Kurds are ready to take any advantage of turmoil They have been lucky as they have consolidated their gains in Iraq and Syria, and once they get their piece of land within Turkey, the new land of Kurdistan will rise from the ashes as an existential threat to Turkey forever.

The other NATO allies are watching these scenes unfold, biting their nails right through, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO.

The CIA is at work delving into the mind of this dictator trying to second guess his next move, and trying to pre-empt in favor of CALM under incendiary thoughts. No one is talking about it openly, but are fearful or this mammoth country, where there is a lot of religious freedom at the edge of the Middle East looking as if it will also be turned into an intolerant Islamist State.

As if all the goings on in the Middle East is NOT enough for the Turks, they seem to want the same type of instability in their own Country, and until some wise counsel prevails to cool Erdogan down, there is NO chance of a happy outcome, just delaying the inevitable.

If my previous blog entry is anything to go by, I implore the Turks to tread carefully and NOT support its leader, to an extent that he will let go, and not be swollen headed under the misinterpretation, that the people will tolerate anything they do, as he is doing it for the Country.

The Tourist industry has suffered, unemployment is now spiraling out of control and business confidence is at all time low. Turkish Airlines is at a loss on what to do, as all their passengers, transit out of Ankara, and are looking for an alternative hub that skips Turkey, but are unable to find one in the area of TURMOIL they live under.

It is the people of Turkey that saved Erdogan’s bacon, or should I say, lamb, and it is the people of Turkey to whom I turn to save their Country from their leader!

The Absurdity of believing that we should not be Islamophobic!

The attached link is so irrelevant as to almost make a joke of the man making it! It is meant to show by statistics that Muslims are by definition peace loving people, and saying that the past Nobel Peace Prize winners were 42% Muslim! How inherently misplaced is that?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omar-alnatour/muslims-are-not-terrorist_b_8718000.html

Little Malala (my hero who I regularly use in lectures, as one who stood up for bigotry) at 16 got the Nobel Peace Prize, exactly because as a Muslim she fought the establishment of ignorance of the Muslim Nation, that uses Islam to deny rightful education for all human beings, irrespective, of race, religion, color, or gender! Until the Muslim nations that have entrenched discriminatory practices, and misogynist ideas, IN THE NAME OF ISLAM disown those ideas, trouble will continue to brew, and the silent intelligentsia know that. Just look at Turkey today!

Then he goes on to quote examples of violence over the past 5 years and quote that most of it was NOT Islamist! Of course any goose knows that, and NO ONE will think otherwise. He has a serious chip on his shoulder. We just do not want to add to the violence, with a bunch of loonies, who form just about hundred thousand of the 1.3Billion Muslims, who make a hash of it for the Islam faith, which if properly followed by sadistic Wahabies, who are NOT Muslim by any stretch, will NOT cause any problem.

If we take Mecca, it has been hijacked by Saudis, for their own ends and their interpretation of Islam, and NO OTHER Muslim has had the courage to excommunicate the Wahabis from Islam and take back Mecca for the Muslims, for fear of being branded anti-Islam. As long as those who follow the religion are NOT ABLE to say how it is, for REAL fear of retribution, we will have this bastardization of ISLAM.

I know this post will be full of hate for my even questioning their faith, and put simply that is the problem with Islam. It does not tolerate a differing opinion to that of the dogmatic, who pretend they know their religion, which they have NO CLUE ABOUT. They take verses from the Quran and misinterpret the Prophet’s intentions, by some literal interpretation, without knowing why those teachings were given in those days, when there were fewer males due to warring deaths, that permitted 4 wives. Today, the misogynists think it is OK to have multiple wives without question, saying it is permitted. It is simply NOT TRUE and no one has questioned the truth, and so ALL MUSLIMS believe this lie. If the prophet were alive today, he would castigate 95% of Muslims as foolish INFIDELS, for their attitudes to SOME of his teachings.

Until Muslims the world over find common ground, and most violence is Muslim upon Muslim, and most Media, have nothing better to report on and find Muslim violence a good enough way at having a go at Misogynists. I accept that Orlando was nothing to do with Islam, or even ISIS, but a screwed up man going on the rampage for his own inadequacies, and found using Islam a great way to justify his behavior. Likewise the nut (Bisexual sexual deviant) who mowed down 85 innocent people in Nice. The list goes on and on.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omar-alnatour/muslims-are-not-terrorist_b_8718000.html

The huge problem the writer has not been able to grasp is that those psychologically challenged, copy cat killers, find a great excuse in ISIL to do their murdering, and the mentally challenged media brand it as Islamist!

I seriously wish we don’t have to bring religion into this, but until Islam reforms and abandons Sharia Law as being anti-Islamist which it truly is, there is NO congruent lifestyle with the modern world, as it is a belief, (unislamic) etched in the ancient world, where circumstances forced religious to make rules, to fit in with the times, IN ORDER TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE HEATHEN!

I personally would like to remove “ terrorism in the name of Islam” out of Islam, but until the Middle East treats human beings of all religions with respect, without denigrating any other person’s religion, as being lower, baser or sacrilegious, Islam will never be able to rise from the ashes, it continues to wallow in.

I sympathize with the frustration of American Muslims who are tormented by ignorance in the US. Don’t worry, they even still believe Sikhs are Muslim too, so you are NOT alone in this irrational racism which many others ALSO suffer from due to a hugely ignorant population of Americans, many of whom have never been out of their own state, let alone their Country! Just read the 484 comments in the link, at last count to know how much prejudice and ignorance there is! For starters NO ONE not even the POPE can claim infallibility as regards their religion, so all those who wish to question me on what I write, be very careful as I am the first to admit, I MAY BE WRONG, BUT SO MAY YOU IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT!

I trust I have been able to give an objective assessment to the problem, and most people, the public and the press, “DO NOT dare to say how it is” for fear of offending the ignorant Muslim who will resort to irrational violence on the mistaken belief it is on behalf of his God, who is everyone’s God, Muslim or Heathen! 

So let us begin our Jihad against ignorance, against the very people who arrogantly and unislamically, think they are knowledgeable Muslims, who are the curse for the Muslim religion and NOT their saviors. Muslims, have the Courage to say how it is please for our sakes! Your adherents will then increase with sincerity.

Department of Wildlife Conservation – Hamstrung – Politicization WINS!

ANIMALS AND ENVIRONMENT LOSES – COUNTRY LOSES

It is simply NOT in the interests of a Geriatric Minister, to immediately sort out the problem of the Department which is crucial for the sustainability of Sri Lanka. It is time the PM fires this OLD FOSSIL of a Minister who is not even ashamed of himself, as he is past his sell by date, and is frankly NON-COMPUS.

The environmentalist are aghast at what is happening, and have not been able to collectively get their act together to pressure the government to act on first appointing a replacement for the currently vacant POST of Director, and giving him full powers to act decisively to protect what remains of our National Parks and other designated lands that fall within the ambit of the DWC.

Today’s headlines in the Lankadeepa, were of the illegal Sandminers, caught red-handed by the DWC officials in that particular reservation, who were pounced upon by the villagers and released, breaking the law. They made an entry at the local POLICE STATION, and the police have NOT taken action against the perpetrators, and apprehended the sandminers who have been carrying out this nefarious activity for a long time.

There is NO head of the DWC to bat for his staff and DEMAND that the POLICE apprehend the culprits immediately or else the whole DWC will stop work immediately. There is a Minister who is so racked with Alzheimer’s that he should be compulsorily sent out of Parliament, but who is protecting the culprits as they have some sort of political connections.

The PM has NOT been made aware of the grave situation, and the Wild Life Officers are worried about their personal safety in light of NO BODY to protect them UPHOLDING THE LAW.

So where is the IGP? Is he also a POLITICAL STOOGE? Have the Govt. left all the lands under DWC to the Poachers, and Sand Miners, and Tree Cutters and Land Grabbers ALL HIDING UNDER POLITICAL PATRONAGE?

I am very sorry, but this is a very serious allegation against the Government that NEEDS URGENT attention, as the subject Ministers are NOT UP TO THEIR JOBS. 

We must protect our forests, trees, rivers, animals from the list of rogues I referred to earlier, and ONE THING WE DON’T HAVE IS TIME! 

NO ONE IS IN CHARGE. NO ONE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY – Politicians are at fault

Sajith Premadasa I thought you cared to stand up for the rights of the animals! Perhaps not you only care about yourself, and the tuskers you want to harrass, and leopards you want to chase.

Proof positive that the current desecration of DWC property is due to the behavior of this said senior minister,  that clearly led to the resignation of the only person willing to stand up for the rights of the animals, over those of the politicians! 

Bye Bye David, hello Theresa – welcome to a new world order

   

I must confess the events of the past few weeks from June 23^rd onwards has left be breathless, as each day I return home and put on the international TV channels, I am fed with new developments, though unlikely the previous day. Surely we can only take so much, so in some quarters people must be in a serious state of schock.

The poignant scenes of David Cameron and family saying their final goodbyes at No10 amply illustrated in the superb pictures in the following link say it all!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3689340/ROBERT-HARDMAN-group-hug-doorstep-gone.html

Then we have Theresa May the new PM of the UK starting work immediately with the major appointments left for her first moments as PM, and the surprise of the resurrection of Boris, who all thought had disappeared into the wood work to fight another day, many years from now.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3689331/ANDREW-PIERCE-new-Foreign-Secretary-come-political-dead-just-13-days.html

Having a new Foreign Secretary in the UK who is quite categorical about his feelings, which is an extremely un-British trait, not surprising because of his lineage and international flavor, is something I will look forward to following.

I trust our diplomats will study the character, to maximize on how we can benefit from his eccentricity and hand him a bicycle to get about in Colombo, if only show in true light, the absurdity of our preening peacocks, who call themselves, Ministers and MPs going about in convoys making them look quite absurd in contrast.

We have a lot to learn from a smooth and effortless transition that took place in the UK yesterday. We must first learn how temporary power can be, and how important it is to plan our lives, so we don’t let power get into our heads.

All this took place in full view of cameras, and video and live feed, being broadcast all over the world in real time, that left viewers stunned and glued to their smart phones and I pads waiting for the next installment with last evening being the highlight of events with MILITARY PRECISION, from departure, to appointment, to new Cabinet members to statements of intent and policy.

Finally we have a lady whose fashion sense will be in the news as never before.  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3688855/Boris-Johnson-Philip-Hammond-summoned-No-10-Theresa-starts-building-Cabinet-minutes-appointed-new-Prime-Minister.html

Supreme Court ruling on VAT – another reason for lack of business confidence!

Wherever I go, businessmen complain that they don’t know how to cope with an ever changing taxation environment, that from last November’s budget, changes seem to occur on a regular basis, that makes planning for the future extremely difficult. Worse with backdated taxes, no one knows where they stand, Govt. policy is viewed as being schizophrenic at best.

In light of this, with throwaway words, when VAT was exempted on Health Services, would be replaced with VAT on cigarettes by 15% on an already high taxed item, meant that greedy traders wished to cash in on this also, to take personal advantage, where both the Govt. lose the additional tax revenue, and the consumer is fleeced further so that the TRADDER/HOARDER benefits!

http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/07/12/business/87187

See link for how the traders are even putting their motor vehicles as collateral to take loans to fill up on Cigarettes, so that when the 15% is imposed, they will benefit by NOT having paid the higher cost price, but able to get the higher revenue from the 6 rupee per cigarette additional tax.

This kind of unconscionable greed is indicative of the psyche of our traders, and this time, I believe the Govt. should call their bluff by doing nothing.

The Govt. already raises Rs110B every year from tobacco taxes, despite it being a discretionary spend, addicts, the generally poor, and psychologically dependent people are further inconvenienced by the state.

A lesson in this if ever there is one, is that the Finance Minister, MUST work on his next budget NOW, and have it discussed with the relevant people, and only announce the changes, once all discussions receive a level of concurrence that DOES NOT lead to later withdrawals and removals, that have dented this Government’s credibility lately.

I saw many Govt. ministers explained this away by saying that the Supreme Court is NOW Independent and therefore cannot be influenced, by Govt. and only on the legal justifications for actions they have decided to take. Simply put that is the price for YAHAPALANAYA. I simply don’t buy it at all. Competent people must dot the is and cross the ts so that we DO NOT have a recurrence of this laughable ineptitude and incompetence of the Govt.

I hope now we can rest that WA Wijewardena has finally been shown up to be a charlatan

Wijewardena, by his own article has been able to show himself to be one who just does not understand monetary policy and practice by his own vociferous defence of private placements, which have basically ruined the small saver, and reduced the returns of the EPF being forced to buy low yield securities and encouraged Govt. profligacy due to their artificially low interest paid on borrowings.

One has to first and foremost read Wijewardena’s article in this link: http://www.ft.lk/article/553934/Direct-sale-of-government-securities--Demon-or-servant? 

Then one should read the reply to it by Arjun Mahendran in this link:

http://www.ft.lk/article/554136/Mahendran-responds-to-Wijewardena-s-article

and decide for oneself who is more likely to be correct, based on your knowledge of economics and the way business is done, not in Wijewardena’s time but in 2015 and 2016 when these events transpired.

For good measure, we must note that Wijewardena was also persona non grata even during the Rajapakse regime for being a loose canon, where Central Bank employees were forbidden from attending lectures or seminars where Wijeardena was present.

I just hope that finally Mahendran has called his bluff. Wijewardena may have been a solid banker in his time, but his endearing need to write or be heard is forcing him to make statements that are at best last century, and at worst remiss in leading many people who tend to believe him implicitly, astray.

Lets face it the Central Bank when Mahendran took over was a totally inept, corrupt, and politicized place. Don’t ever forget it? Cabraal had ruined the joint. It was a difficult place for anyone unwanted to enter. Hence the resistance that Mahendran felt was gigantic, as inherently these top paid Civil Servants hate highly paid international bankers as a matter of envy due to their impotence.

I trust that finally COPE will have some sense to fairly asses the situation, and the Auditor General will also understand his limitations, being completely out of his depth in trying to pontificate on a subject beyond his compensation level. Further I would add that Chandra Jayaratne is also acting like an old fool in commenting on a subject and topic he knows nothing about in writing this letter to UNP COPERS!

http://www.ft.lk/article/554133/Chandra-J-s-open-letter-to-UNP-members-of-COPE Read it and you will know what I mean. He is also exposed as a fool.

This is written by one who seriously questioned Mahendrans appointment, in a blog entry on January 11th 2015 even before he was appointed

http://pattapalboru.blogspot.com/2015/01/its-same-shit-all-over-again-arjuna.html

Read it and you will see that I predicted the problem before it happened, and poor Mahendran had to take the shit for NO fault of his own. What his son - in law did or did not do is another story, but don't rub it on Mahendran please. They rarely talk to each other, let alone get involved in doing a deal to benefit each other! That is why I said the appointment was poor judgement and nothing wrong with the person, who could have saved Sri Lanka at least Rs1trillion in interest payments alone. Wijewardena's contribution does not even exceed five zeros in comparison, so its about level of importance to Sri Lanka and no personal agenda of one or another for BROWNIE POINTS! 

A lesson to the people on why this Govt. is NOT DOING ENOUGH!

The link shows that Sri Lanka just raised US$500M of 5 ½ yr bonds with yields of 5.75% and raised US$1Billion of 10yr bonds with yields of 6.825% where orders hit US$6.6B. Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and SCG were the bankers/ book-runners for the issue.

http://www.economynext.com/Sri_Lanka_sells_US$1.5bn_in_5_and_10_year_sovereign_bonds-3-5551-3.html

It is important to read that German interest rates are negative! So my contention is that we in Sri Lanka, a Country that has NEVER defaulted on its Sovereign Debt, should MAKE EVERY EFFORT to borrow at even lower rates of interest.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and if our economy is WELL MANAGED by competent people, we can reduce this rate by 300basis points or 3%. THAT MUST BE THE AIM OF THIS GOVT. IF IT IS TO SERVE ITS PEOPLE.

Of course congruent economic policies that both reduce the fiscal deficit and build confidence is the only route to success in this area. We just don’t have a good enough team that we are still confident with, to achieve this simple objective, and no one to explain these simple concepts to the people, because the Govt. is incompetent, and their spendthrift behavior that goes against the grain of achieving this simple objective is plain for all to see.

Sri Lankan people are NO FOOLS, we just need some good communicators to explain to the people that we are being fleeced by politicians that don’t have the Country’s interest at heart, and ONLY personal survival, and in that process, is HOLDING the Country to ransom, IN SHORT TRAITORS.

Once our people understand that the threat of the whole lot in Parliament will face a public LYNCHING by the people, and they will all disappear into the woodwor, to be replaced by truly competent, able, and HONEST people who ONLY have the interest of the Country at the APEX.

These are simple concepts, they just have not been communicated to the masses, who are purposely kept in the dark, by our rulers, so that they can fleece the Country, with no one being the wiser. Once the can of worms is opened up, watch out you rogues, you will NOT be able to hide under anyone’s skirt! 

The US Embassy Complex as part of our greater relationship with Uncle Sam!

I have been bowled over by the hits my blog has received from the USA as a result of this trilogy of using the words, US Embassy as the caption. I don’t know if other non-interested parties opened this site, as I am sure the State Department and Intelligence Agencies that logged on do so anonymously, and don’t get recorded in the statistics open to the mere mortals like us.

So here is the message to those who wish to put the best interests of the USA first, namely the Americans, vis a vis their foreign policy with Sri Lanka.

Remember that in this geo-political world in 2016 and beyond looking towards 2075, Sri Lanka’s importance in the Global dynamics is growing and will be huge! India is with its over 1,000 RAW agents are doing their utmost to destabilize this Country, as it is NOT in their interests to have a powerful Sri Lanka in their neighborhood, but this will ONLY delay the inevitable, and we must use our other allies to ensure that India is unsuccessful in this game they are playing.

With regard to China, it is only NATURAL that they will want greater access to Sri Lanka in all fronts, as a joint for their people to relax and gamble in off shore cities, a place for their navy to refuel and patrol the main shipping lanes passing through SL, and their need to influence the political leadership, to reduce the US influence on SL, and its strategic resources, namely the Economic Area of the Sea around us, and the Trincomalee Harbor, which will be far more important than has been in the past for a permanent base of the US Fleet to patrol the area from the Cape of Good Hope all the way to the Philippines. The NO Brainer port is Trincomalee.

The Russians for the moment are preoccupied with their crises, and forays into the Crimea to worry about all of the above, but their HUGE New 13 acre Embassy Complex of what was Bullers Road, will frighten the daylights out of anyone if they really know what is going on inside. I am sure the Americans are fully clued up to whats inside, but none in the SL Defence establishment have a clue. Be that as it may, they have not yet rivaled the size of the Chinese Embassy also on the same street, but once they are flush with money, they will bring the sophisticated equipment needed to perform their desired tasks.

Sri Lanka is in play as a strategic hub of the trade and security routes, and proxy wars are being carried out that can be of benefit to Sri Lanka, ONLY if our moronic politicians can be replaced by some intelligentsia, who know the ropes!  

New US Embassy Complex in front of Temple Trees should be STOPPED!

Ask yourself, is Sri Lanka the ONLY country on the face of the Earth that has permitted the US to build their Embassy right in front of our seat of the Executive?

Answer YESSSSSSSSSS!

What is wrong with you guys the politicians? Don’t you smell a rat? No you are too preoccupied with importing your duty free car, and by doing so the SL Govt. has LOST duties totaling Rs30M X 225MPs = Rs6.750Billion the cost of 34PET scanners for the SL Health Service. Murderers only reside in Parliament!

So getting back to the case of the US Embassy, I would like to point out the futility of building an Embassy in a place where it is going to be unnecessary in a few years, when the capital of Sri Lanka, will be moved as a matter of necessity to Polonnaruwa. I would if I was the US Ambassador recommend that US funds NOT be wasted here, but a site of 100 acres be acquired facing the Mahaweli River in Manampitiya where the sand is illegally dredged at present, and whole wonderful landscaped complex be built there which will house all staff, and the embassy itself.

Wouldn’t it be an original idea to have the first building of the new CAPITOL as the US Embassy, even before the parliament is built, there. As I said with the US being given one of the Harbors in Trinco for their Indian Ocean Fleet Base, a motor boat can speed across to the harbor up the Mahaweli from the Embassy in 30 minutes!

I know some of the readers will think I am a little off! The trouble is I can see 50 years ahead of most of the Neanderthals who are currently trying to find their car keys. I don’t even have a car. In 50 years we will not need to own personal transport. We hire them on an as needed basis, as it is the most convenient way to go from A to B. Pick a flight to where you want to go, and be picked up by a chauffeured UBER to your destination. I digress, but had to put your mind to rest.

Seriously though, why has NO ONE even uttered a whine at this preposterous plan? Surely, you are all not going to wait for construction to begin, and road closures take place, for you to whine at the dust in Temple Trees! At that point you are going to have a fight with the Americans about a miserable 6 acres of land, and once construction begins, they will just be bloody minded, and will not budge. The State Department is like that, and don’t say later, I did not tell you in time!

THE US Embassy SHOULD NOT be allowed to build their massive complex in the 6 acres opposite TEMPLE TREES

In today’s Sunday Observer, I was perturbed to read that plans are afoot for a US$150M, complex, when completed in 3 years will amount to Rs30B in the exchange rate prevailing then.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2016/07/10/new12.asp 

I remember when I met Ambassador Sisson many years ago, she mentioned that they had bought the UK High Commission land that was up for sale, and in today’s land prices it was for a song! I knew the Embassy had expansion plans as a result.

So I was reminded of this when I just saw this news item.

I am surprised that there is NO opposition to this plan! Of course the JVP which claims to be the conscience of the Nation, is only pre-occupied with furthering a bankrupt ideology, and actually have NO concerns for what is good for the nation.

Already the eves dropping on Temple Trees by all the spy agencies, and namely the Indians, the Americans, the Chinese and Russians are in full swing, so they know every fact and discussion that both the President and PM have, before each other can share their conversations with each other. Soon it will be live streaming news from the PMs own room a mere 20 meters away!

That is not the only reason, but to be so close to the center of power, is not good for the Country, as they will automatically assume a degree of control not hitherto seen

I know plans are in place for evacuation in case of emergency, by sea etc. but that is only for Staff!

I will elaborate in detail, by giving reasons of why we should rent one of the three natural harbors in Trincomalee to the US Fleet for US$250M per annum, and move the HQ of our Navy to another of the harbors there, and develop the third harbor for commercial use, maximizing the world class potential of Trincomalee for Sri Lanka’s ultimate benefit.

SO while I am not averse to greater US influence in SL. I know how to manage it for SL’ s advantage, rather than for US advantage, that can be fleeting, and schizophrenic.

Use the excuse of a 6 lane highway along the Coast by the Embassy to stop it! The carrot can be the grant of the 25 year lease of the Harbor for US$250M to save face