Unusuma Media, Author at උණුසුම් පුවත් - unusuma.lk

20 Jan

AKD Exposes Former President’s Rs. 800K Medicine Bill.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 20, 2025 @ 8:57 pm (LK time)

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had received free medicines worth Rs. 800,000 through the military hospital over a period of just four months.

Speaking on the matter, President Dissanayake stated that some of the medicines provided were unsuitable for the former President’s age.

He emphasized that such incidents reflect a broader issue where certain groups exploit public funds for personal benefits without accountability.

“There is a need to end this culture of misuse,” the President asserted, adding that significant reforms are required to address these systemic problems and ensure fairness in the use of public resources.

20 Jan

Did President AKD Repackage Gammanpila’s Oil Tank Project?

By unusuma.lk on Jan 20, 2025 @ 8:42 pm (LK time)

Former Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila claimed that the Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex project, recently highlighted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, was initiated three years ago during his tenure as Energy Minister.

Speaking at a media conference at the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya party headquarters today (20), Gammanpila stated that he signed the agreement for this project on January 6, 2022. He alleged that the National People’s Power (NPP), led by the current President, had strongly opposed the project at the time.

Gammanpila criticized the President for presenting the project as a new initiative by his government. He argued that the groundwork had already been laid in 2022, during his efforts to reclaim the oil tanks, which had been underutilized and decaying for 75 years.

“The President announced in Katukurunda yesterday that the 99 tanks in the Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex exceed Sri Lanka’s storage needs. He stated that 24 tanks would remain with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, 14 tanks used by LIOC would remain with them, and the remaining 61 tanks would be developed as an Indian-Sri Lankan joint venture. But this is not a new initiative.

When I became Energy Minister in 2020, all 99 tanks had been under Indian control since 2002. Of these, 14 tanks were used by LIOC, and two were allocated to Prima for water storage. The remaining 83 tanks were unused for decades. After extensive negotiations, we regained control of these tanks, allowing LIOC to continue using only 14.

This agreement was finalized in 2022, and I even presented the book Oil Tanks Back to the Country in Parliament to document this achievement. If the President had read it, he wouldn’t need to make misleading claims.

The Malima government came to power on false promises and continues to rely on lies. When I was working to reclaim and develop the oil tank complex, they were my biggest obstacle,” Gammanpila stated.

20 Jan

What Did Minister Bimal Ratnayake Discover on a Surprise Train Ride?

By unusuma.lk on Jan 20, 2025 @ 8:35 pm (LK time)

Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake took an unannounced ride on the office train from Moratuwa Railway Station to Colombo Fort this morning (20).

This surprise journey aimed to identify the real issues within the railway service. Passengers captured moments of the Minister engaging in friendly conversations, which were later shared widely on social media.

During the ride, the Minister stepped off at several railway stations to inspect their conditions firsthand. Notably, the train arrived 13 minutes late at its destination, highlighting punctuality concerns.

The Minister also observed unclean areas of the train and noted that electric fans were not operational, showcasing his commitment to addressing these ongoing problems.

19 Jan

From Shortages to Strength: Sri Lanka Police Boosts Force.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 19, 2025 @ 8:52 pm (LK time)

Steps have been taken to recruit 9,000 new officers for the Sri Lanka Police.

Currently, the Sri Lanka Police force comprises approximately 75,000 officers engaged in various duties, including traffic management, crime prevention, and drug control operations.

The decision to recruit additional officers was made due to the current workforce being insufficient to manage these critical activities effectively.

The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) confirmed this development during a special press conference held at the Government Information Department on the morning of the 17th.

He explained that the shortage of officers is primarily due to factors such as officer retirements and the unexpected deaths of officers while on duty.

19 Jan

Shadow Cabinet and Committees: Inside Ranil’s Alternative Parliament.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 19, 2025 @ 8:44 pm (LK time)

Internal sources within the UNP reveal that discussions are underway on a proposal to establish an alternative parliament led by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Politicians from various parties who previously served in parliament but are not currently members are expected to be invited to participate in this alternative parliament.

Reportedly, around 450 former MPs and ministers are eligible for consideration, but only 225 will be selected.

The alternative parliament is set to meet for eight days, mirroring the schedule of the actual parliament. Additionally, a shadow cabinet, matching the number of government ministries, is expected to be formed from the senior members of this assembly.

A Speaker, Leader of the House, and Leader of the Opposition will be appointed from among the senior members, and several committees, such as the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), are also planned to be established.

Former presidents are expected to be invited as special guests, and senior state leaders from various countries will also be given the opportunity to address this alternative parliament of Sri Lanka.

19 Jan

Shocking Accident in Panwila: SUV Crash Leaves Two Dead and One Missing.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 19, 2025 @ 8:29 pm (LK time)

Two people, including a woman, were killed and another person was hospitalized in critical condition after a Land Cruiser Prado luxury vehicle veered off the road and fell into the lower Moragaha Oya in the Baddegama area of Panwila, Kandy today (19).

Both of the deceased are over 60 years of age, and a 68-year-old person is reported to be missing in the accident.

19 Jan

Stop Whining: AKD Warns Ex-Presidents.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 19, 2025 @ 8:25 pm (LK time)

Addressing a special public meeting in Kalutara this afternoon (19), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the government is working towards stability by addressing the current challenges effectively.

The President briefly reflected on the significant obstacles the current administration has successfully navigated within a short period since assuming office. He also highlighted the changes introduced to the political structure and disclosed details about the excessive expenditures incurred by previous presidents through the use of executive powers.

During his speech, Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake said:

“Recently, I had Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s residence evaluated by the Valuation Department. The monthly rental value of the house, excluding the land, is assessed at 4.6 million rupees. According to regulations, former presidents are entitled to either a house or an allowance equivalent to one-third of their salary. We can retain this house by paying him 30,000 rupees. Alternatively, he can choose to cover the remaining amount monthly and continue residing there. If they don’t pay the rent, they’ll be out.”

18 Jan

This Is How a Country Gets Rich: Turning Local Graphite into Dollar Gold.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 18, 2025 @ 6:16 pm (LK time)

Recently (16) a discussion was held at the Ministry’s auditorium under the patronage of the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Krishantha Abeysena, on the commercialization of rechargeable batteries produced through a low-cost new technological method of purifying local graphite to a state suitable for battery production, which has been discovered as a result of research conducted by the National Institute of Basic Studies affiliated to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The event was attended by Y.L. Mohamed Nawawi, Secretary to the Ministry of Science and Technology, Professor Athula Sumathipala of the National Institute of Basic Studies, Professor Cyril Wijesundara, Dr. Athula Wijesinghe, private sector entrepreneurs Cherantha de Silva, Kapila de Silva, Chairman of the National Science Foundation Professor Saman Senaweera, Chief Innovation Officer of the National Innovation Agency Professor Ajith de Alwis, and Professor Upul Sonnadara of the University of Colombo.

Graphite is used as a raw material in a large number of industries around the world. Among them, the rechargeable battery manufacturing industry holds a prominent place.

Sri Lanka’s high-quality graphite, which is of the highest quality in the world, is very suitable for this process, and for this industry, the graphite must be purified to a purity of about 99.99%.

A group of researchers at the National Institute of Basic Studies in Sri Lanka has identified a low-cost new technology for this purification method, which has very high commercial value.

Throughout history, instead of producing and exporting value-added products related to the country’s natural resources, those natural resources have been exported in large quantities as raw materials.

At the same time, there is a major problem of not commercializing the new knowledge and technology generated through research conducted in the country. This project has a particularly important position as a step forward in line with the new government’s program to address this.

The discussion was held between officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology, scientists from the National Institute of Basic Studies, and private sector stakeholders who intend to provide financial resources for this project.

The purpose of the discussion was to exchange views on the opportunities for the country to benefit economically by promoting this technology to a commercial level.

The discussion was held very constructively with positive responses from the relevant parties. Accordingly, the next steps of the project are to be reached on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding.

18 Jan

Imported Goods Are Going to Be Pricier.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 18, 2025 @ 6:10 pm (LK time)

The Lanka Freight and Transport Association says that the price of imported goods is increasing due to the delay in customs clearance and the burden of this is inevitably being passed on to consumers.

He also stated that there is a problem in determining the price of imported goods due to this delay and the disadvantage of increasing lorry fares due to the shortage of lorries is also being directly imposed on the consumer.

The association’s president, Inam Kafur, further said that the drivers have taken steps to increase the daily rate from Rs. 15,000 – 20,000 to Rs. 40,000 – 50,000.

Also, due to this, importers will have to face major problems in determining the price of goods and even if the goods are sold, the consumers will have to pay the cost, Mr. Kafur pointed out.

18 Jan

‘They’re Claiming What We Built!’ – DV Chanaka on the Hambantota Refinery.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 18, 2025 @ 6:04 pm (LK time)

Former Deputy Minister of Energy DV Chanaka had called a media briefing yesterday (17) to reveal the history of the construction of the Chinese refinery in Hambantota to the country.

At that, Mr. Chanaka said that the relevant land was allocated by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and that the relevant work was taken forward by Mr. Kanchana Wijesekera.

Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the one who established the Hambantota Investment Zone and after the establishment of the investment zone, Sinopac was selected for the construction of such an oil refinery after calling a tender under the leadership of former Minister Kanchana, says DV Chanaka.

However, a problematic situation arose in the supply of electricity and water required for the refinery process and the MP says that he and his team resolved those issues.

The MP further stated that the provision of 150 petrol stations in the country to Sinopac was also a preliminary step in this project, and that although the government said it had signed an agreement with Sinopac for this investment, the agreement had been signed previously.

We are happy to invite you.