Main news (English)

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was questioned on the 17th by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the illegal construction of approximately 12 rooms on a government reserve land near the Menik River in Kataragama.

During the questioning, Gotabaya Rajapaksa claimed that he was unaware of the electricity bills issued in the name of “G. Rajapaksa” for the building and denied any involvement in the matter.

CID investigations revealed that the construction was carried out prior to 2010, utilizing labor contributions from the army. Following its completion, a member of the Navy was reportedly assigned to guard the premises.

On December 27, the CID also questioned Major Neville Wanniarachchi, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s personal security officer, as part of the investigation. On January 3, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was also interrogated, during which he similarly denied knowledge of the construction.

Notably, this investigation had initially been launched during the Yahapalana government but was allegedly manipulated when the Rajapaksa regime returned to power.

The electricity bills for the building, however, continue to bear the name “G. Rajapaksa,” raising further questions about the connection.

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.

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.