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Superman’s supershow
Amidst intelligence reports of suicide squads stalking the city and Tiger guerrillas preparing for war, security arrangements for President Mahinda Rajapaksa was tightened this week. His personal protection units were not taking any chances.

Last Tuesday, they placed a tight security blanket around the BMICH where President Rajapaksa addressed senior security forces and police officers. They were above the rank of Colonel in the Army and the equivalent in the Navy, Air Force and Police.

Senior officers who arrived with escorts at the entrance to the BMICH were stopped at the gate and diverted to a separate parking area. So much so, when Prime Minister and Deputy Defence Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake arrived, his vehicle was allowed in. Presidential security men did not allow the escorts to enter and directed them to another parking area.

There were tense moments when one bigwig, whom Presidential security men have dubbed the "superman" arrived. He refused to be driven into the precincts of the BMICH without his escorts. One of his young officers insisted that there was no way his boss would enter. The stand-off was settled only after the cops winked. Those at the gate yielded and the entire entourage was let in.

Now Presidential security top brass are angry. How could anyone breach security meant for the President who is also the Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief? This is what they are trying to find out.

This is not the only informal inquiry under way. There is another - who was responsible for arranging a secluded tea party for President Rajapaksa after he spoke to the officers? Insiders say President Rajapaksa wanted to meet some of the senior officers and briefly exchange views. But they had all been shut out of the tea party. Only the big wigs were there.

Male MPs, female MPs go together
On Thursday, the inaugural meeting of Parliament’s women caucus, was held. The group’s aim is to gain wider female representation in elected bodies as well as empower them in other areas. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake had a word of caution for the ladies.

“We must go on this journey together. If the women pull in one direction and the men in another, nothing can be achieved,” he said.

Aluvihare makes MP aware of where they go
Matale district MP Ranjith Aluvihare had a nasty accident in Parliament last week. He was about to leave the Chamber when a fellow MP entering from the outside pushed the swinging door right onto his face, the result of which was a cut on his forehead which required several sutures. The MP was seen sporting a prominent bandage the following day.

Not a last laugh for Sanath
Four days after last week’s April Fools’ joke that cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya had been injured in a car crash, he suffered a serious injury to his thumb during the Test match with Pakistan. When a photographer queried from the ace batsman about the injury, he replied, “The April Fools’ joke has unfortunately come true.” Mr. Jayasuriya was playing in his last Test match before retiring from the longer version of the game when he was injured. This one was not very funny.

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