Columns

The theft at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, gained worldwide attention, and some of those involved were nabbed by the police in next to no time. Compare this to the breaking-in at the Colombo National Museum (CNM) 12 years ago where the question of who was involved still remains in limbo.

In the latest audit report of the financial statements of the Department of National Museums for the year ending December 31, 2024, the Auditor General’s Department observed that although it has been 12 years since the theft of 221 artefacts worth an estimated Rs.4, 440,140 at the time from the Museum on March 16, 2012, the case has not yet begun. The report blames the Attorney General’s Department for not having filed charges against the accused.

The Auditor called for the actions to be taken to expedite matters.

Foreign & Tourism minister’s concern for tourists

The Government launched a programme in August to enable foreign visitors to get a temporary driving licence at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake. The temporary licences are valid for one month and are only for motorcycles and light vehicles, not heavy vehicles or three-wheelers

However, it has been found that a private company has begun renting three wheelers to foreigners thus acting in violation of the rules issued by the Department of Motor Traffic. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath who is also in charge of tourism said that the matter has been brought to the attention of the authorities and such practices will be stopped. He said that the safety of foreign tourists is vital and driving three-wheelers on unfamiliar roads could lead to a dangerous situation and may even cost lives. He must surely be meaning local lives as well.

Paying for their bags and getting short changed: Case for the CAA?

A ban on the free handing out of polythene shopping bags by retailers to customers came into effect from yesterday.

The new regulation, issued through a gazette notification by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), required all vendors to impose a fair and transparent charge for each polythene bag provided to customers.

CAA also instructed traders to include the price charged for these bags on the customer’s bill, ensuring accountability and preventing arbitrary pricing.

Several stores and outlets declared that prices of small and big shopping bags are fixed at Rs 3 and Rs 5. However, customers face a new challenge of how to get the balance money when they are paying for a shopping bag since many traders are saying there is no change.

One customer said, when he gave Rs 20 for the bag, he received two toffees along with the bag as balance money. He asked whether he should complain to CAA about those traders who refused to pay in cash for the balance money when paying for disposable bags.

Throwback in time: Minor weapons parcel in Jaffna Uni ceiling

Labourers engaged in repairing rooftop work at the library building of the University of Jaffna this week were taken aback when they noticed a small parcel, wrapped in a newspaper, in the ceiling.

It turned out to be a minor weapons cache, wrapped in a local newspaper published in 2005, hidden very cleverly under the upper ceiling.

The small parcel consisted of a T-56 fire weapon, two magazines, three minor bombs, equipment to trigger claymore and first aid medical kits. The university management informed the Kopay police, and a police team arrived to collect the items.

Some of the students currently studying at the university who would have been in primary school when these weapons were brought in were eager to find out how it came into the library.

What caught the attention of many was a blood-stained bandage that was recovered among the items. One student was heard saying that weapons seemed to be in good condition even after all these years.

Parliamentarians on a study tour of Jaffna

Delegates on a train to KKS

A delegation of Members of Parliament and cross-party political representatives undertook a study tour of Jaffna on Friday. Their visit focused on inclusive governance, regional partnership, and Northern development, featuring political discussions, site visits, and stakeholder dialogues with local leaders and academics.

This engagement is facilitated by the Coalition for Inclusive Impact (CII) at the request of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) and aims to foster deeper cross-party dialogue and cooperation toward advancing reconciliation, greater understanding on accountability, protecting land rights, and strengthening economic inclusion across the region.

As part of the visit, the delegates travelled by train from Jaffna Station to Kankesanthurai station (KKS), ahead of their visits to KKS harbour and Palali International Airport, to gain a better understanding of inland and regional connectivity.

Digital age long overdue in city of gems

More than Rs. 7.2 million that should be credited to government revenue by the Department of Labour could not be credited as relevant documents could not be traced due to files at the Ratnapura district labour office being destroyed in floods experienced in 2017, the National Audit Office (NAO) has observed.

In its observations in the Department of Labour’s 2024 annual report, the NAO has noted that the district office had not taken action to maintain a backup information system or any other form of information system, even though it was situated in a location vulnerable to flooding. It has observed this to be part of management inefficiency.

The NAO has also noted that the power supply from the generator at the Ratnapura district labour office, which constantly experiences power outages due to unfavourable weather conditions, was only sufficient for the EPF payment branch. As such, routine office activities are often interrupted. It seems the digital age is long overdue in Ratnapura – the city of Gems.

Fighting drug menace: Calling on media, while shutting them out

A high profile event was held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Thursday where President Anura Kumara Dissanayake launched the new national programme titled Ratama Ekata – National Mission to eradicate drug menace . While the objectives of the programme are laudable, what was not so praiseworthy was the decision to keep the media from covering the event. Invitations had been sent to Editors to attend the function but there were no arrangements made to accommodate journalists and photographers. The President in his speech requested the media to support the anti-drug programmes. It’s ironic that while he seeks the support of the media, the media is shut out of important coverage where he is in attendance.

Claims of police links lands her in bigger trouble

A woman who claimed that she’s related to a senior police officer to get out of a sticky situation with traffic police in the Udugampola area has ended in a bigger muddle than she had expected.

The video of the woman which went viral shows her verbally abusing police officers on traffic duty when stopped by them while claiming to be related to a senior police officer.

Instead of getting special treatment by claiming connection to a senior police officer, she was arrested and produced before the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court and remanded until November 3.

Police said the incident had happened on Friday when the woman was directed by traffic police on duty to pull over along the Kotugoda-Udugampola Road but she defied the Police order and sped off. The officers on duty had given chase and stopped her and had begun to search the vehicle when she had unleashed a volley of verbal abuse at them while claiming links to a senior police officer.

She was then arrested and produced in court. The veracity of her ‘relationship’ to the senior police officer was not verified.

Sword to his rescue, says Archchuna

Jaffna District MP Ramanathan Archchuna claims that he now carries a sword for self defence in his car as the Police Department has failed to provide him with necessary security. The MP said he had written to the IGP twice seeking a pistol or a spray gun to make available for his protection, but his request went unheeded.

Now he’s chosen to carry a sword in his vehicle to use in case he comes under attack.