අධිකරණයේ ගෞරවය කාබාසිනියා කිරීම
The editorial says Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, kept in office despite grave charges, is dragging the whole judiciary into contempt. He promoted to the High Court a former district judge found guilty after ruling in his favour in his own misconduct case, and is now trying to return to the service a relative magistrate found guilty of two rapes and fraud, by blocking prosecution and setting up an unlawful one-man inquiry under a retired judge close to him.
විගණන අධිකාරීවරයාට ඇසිඩ් ගැසීම හා ඉන් කෙරෙන ඇගවීම
Lalith Ambanwala, superintendent of audit in Kandy, was attacked with acid on the very day four senior provincial education officials he had exposed over a fraud of tens of millions were reinstated without proper inquiry. The editorial compares the case to the murder of customs officer Sujith Prasanna Perera, notes that the officials had funded UNP candidates, and warns that unless the government acts firmly against those responsible, rogues will rule the country.
ජනාධිපතිනියගේ ඡීඑස්ඩී දාමරිකකම් ගැන ශ්‍රීලනිප, පොපෙ හා ජවිපෙ කියන්නේ කුමක්ද?
When inquiries into the Presidential Security Division began, SLFP loyalists called them a plot to weaken the President’s security. The editorial notes that investigations now link the PSD to the attacks on the Leader editor, the Rohana Kumara murder and other outrages, with officers saying they acted on the President’s orders, and demands that the SLFP, PA and JVP state their position. If she ordered the crimes she must face the law, by constitutional amendment if necessary.
පීඑස්ඩී අපරාධවලට ජනාධිපතිනිය වගකිවයුතු නැද්ද?
Police inquiries are confirming what Ravaya long reported: that the Presidential Security Division was behind the attacks on the Leader editor and his home, the Rohana Kumara murder, the harassment of singers Rookantha and Chandraleka, the burning of actress Anoja Weerasinghe’s house and body parts sent to Ravi Karunanayake. The editorial argues these crimes had political motives, that the President’s role must be investigated, and that if involved she belongs in prison, not the presidential palace.
ජීවන බර සැහැල්ලු කිරීමට ඉක්මන් පියවර ගත යුතුයි
Fuel, telephone and electricity prices have risen, with food, bus fares and postal charges following. The editorial says the new UNF government, like its predecessors, blames the previous regime rather than acting, and that while business relief in the first budget is justified, business has been the main driver of price rises. A government must at least cushion the burden, and should not use the peace effort to cover popular discontent.
සියලු රාජ්‍ය අරමුදල් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ පාලනයට යටත් විය යුතුයි
Former finance minister Ronnie de Mel asked during the budget debate that all state funds, including the President’s Fund, be brought into the Consolidated Fund under Parliament’s control. The editorial calls holding funds outside it illegal and contrary to parliamentary democracy, and criticises the Auditor General’s weak scrutiny of institutions under powerful figures and the Public Accounts Committee’s frequent failure to meet for lack of a quorum.
ඡන්දදායකයන් සඳහා හැඳුනුම් පත අනිවාර්ය කිරීම
The Elections Commissioner’s administration report for 2001 recommends making the national identity card compulsory at the polls to stop impersonation, and calls for a commission to probe the violence and misuse of public property at the last parliamentary election. The editorial notes that a select committee held back because about 35 per cent of voters lacked cards, and argues that digital technology now allows cards to be issued to all adults within a month at modest cost.
විගණන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව කොමිසමක් බවට පත්කිරීම පමණක් ප්‍රමාණවත් නැත
The editorial welcomes a plan to make the Audit Department an independent commission under the Constitutional Council but says it needs real backing. Limited staff should be focused on powerful institutions such as the presidential and prime minister’s offices, Parliament, the Supreme Court, the army and police, rather than relying on private audits as with the President’s Fund. It also calls for officials to be punished for losses found and for audit findings to be made public promptly.
බලශක්ති අර්බුදය හා පිරීමැස්ම
With five-hour daily power cuts crippling the economy, and the energy minister promising a solution within 180 days, Ivan notes that households use 30 per cent of electricity. He proposes making energy-saving bulbs compulsory, paid for in instalments through electricity bills, which he estimates could save 22 per cent of consumption and two hours of cuts, and suggests generating power from urban garbage.
මාළිගා විවාදය යළි කරලියට
A long reply by presidential media director Janadasa Peiris to a report that Rs 800 million had been spent on the site of a planned presidential palace has revived the controversy. The editorial notes what he leaves out about the Temple Trees renovation, including a swimming pool and mini-cinema, and about repairs to President’s House, and observes that earlier leaders from S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to Ranasinghe Premadasa lived in their own homes, a tradition Chandrika Kumaratunga broke.