Foreign bid for 'Lanka's Pride'

The owner of the king size blue sapphire, Leela Dharmadasa, has been approached by two foreign bidders, who are expected to make an offer within the next few days.

Ms. Dharmadasa's son said that two other prospective foreign bidders would also be making their offers soon.

At the auction held on July 25 in Ratnapura, a highest bid of Rs. 21 million for the stone, was rejected by the owner. She was said to be expecting between Rs. 60-65 million for the stone, named "Pride of Sri Lanka".

Mrs. Dharmadasa had reportedly said that she was disappointed with the offer, and will not put the stone up for public auction again.

Pros and cons of phone tariff row

By Mel Gunasekera

Sri Lanka Telecom's (SLT's) tariff structure has come under fire, with the two private operators alleging that SLT is billing their (private operators') customers unfairly.

The private operators (Suntel and Lanka Bell) complain that, SLT is overcharging their subscribers who call the customers of the private operators, by considering all these calls as outstation calls. Whereas, the private operators are able to differentiate between local and outstation calls, strictly by geographical demarcation and not by the operator.

This means for instance, if an SLT subscriber calls a Suntel subscriber, he is charged for an outstation call, whereas the same Suntel subscriber when calling the same SLT number is charged only the local call rate.

The private operators say SLT should remedy the imbalance for the benefit of SLT's own customer and for the development of the telecommunication industry as a whole.

This would ensure a fair distribution of incoming and outgoing traffic to the SLT network while at the same time offering a better service to customers, the private operators said.

Responding to these allegations, SLT's Customer Service Chief, Christie Alwis admitted that SLT was charging the private operator subscribers outstation call rates.

"But the wireless loop operators (WLL) are giving misinformation to the public. The correct information is not revealed," he said. For instance when a Galle SLT subscriber calling Galle WLL operator, the calls are first routed through Colombo before its connected to Galle WLL subscriber. This is because WLL operators do not have sufficient exchange facilities to interconnect.

"It's not a sin of ours. Our sin is their inadequacy to have interconnection in every area, unlike SLT, which has islandwide coverage," he said.

He added that SLT is unable to justify the present 'sender keeps all' policy (the present agreement permits the operators from whom the call originates, to keep all the revenue from local telephone calls) as there is no equal network. "For an equal network to be in operation both networks should have to be equal geographically," he said.

In the case of international traffic, all International calls are routed through SLT's gateway.

SLT receives 65 per cent of the revenue generated by the WLL operators on outgoing calls, whilst keeping all international incoming call revenues.

In the case of international calls, the private operators are not permitted to use their own international gateway. Hence they charge the same IDD rates as SLT, though there is no legal obligation. The private operators bill their customers in units of seconds, thereby the subscribers are only charged for the actual talk time.

SLT on the other hand, charge their customers in units of six-second blocks, resulting in the customer paying a higher price than he should actually pay for his talk time.

However, SLT is accusing the WLL operators of undercutting the international call rates by offering cheaper rates. WLL operators say SLT should improve their billing system instead of penalising subscribers of private operators, for the limitation in SLT's billing system.

"This can be hardly termed as undercutting," Suntel' Managing Director Jan Campbell said that Mr. Alwis said, SLT offers a fixed pricing structure of six seconds per units, as SLT has the monopoly on international calls till the year 2002.

He said SLT revised its pricing structure in April this year, due to market pressures from international operators, which reduced the overseas call subsidy on all local calls.

There is a mismatch between the incoming and outgoing international calls, which favours Sri Lanka.

For each outgoing international call Sri Lanka gets three incoming calls, with overseas operators paying the difference to Sri Lanka in foreign currency.

Since SLT controls the international gateway, SLT pockets the money. Nearly 70 per cent of SLT's total revenue is said to come from the lucrative incoming international calls, telecom industry statistics reveal.

SLT has been using this additional revenue to subsidise local calls as well as fund their expansion programmes.

Athas case

File sent to AG

The Iqbal Athas intimidation and harassment case was put off for October 14 by the acting Magistrate, Suneetha Nanayakkara, after the CID informed her it had completed investigations and handed over files to the Attorney General.

The acting Gangodawila Magistrate also refused to relax the conditions imposed on the two suspects in the case. The two suspects are Squadron Leader Rukman Herath, a bodyguard of former Air Force Commander Oliver Ranasinghe and Squadron Leader Pradeep Kannangara, Officer-in-Charge of the Special Air Borne Force (SABF) of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

The suspects' Counsel, A.R.C. Perera, asked that the present conditions of reporting to the CID be relaxed to make it once a month as the case was now in its sixth month.

But attorney Suranjit Hewamanne, watching the interests of Mr. Athas, objected to the relaxation on the grounds that the original order had been made by the permanent Magistrate. He said Mr. Athas was also equally affected by the delays in the investigations.

In this case, the two Air Force officers are suspected of a gang that raided the residence of The Sunday Times Consultant Editor and Defence Correspondent, Iqbal Athas on the night of February 12 1998. They allegedly held a pistol to his head after warning him not to write reports detrimental to the Air Force top brass.

Lindsay Ross, Press Freedom Director of the London-based Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) was in Court on Friday to observe the proceedings.

The CPU has a membership of more than 750 newspapers, agencies and periodicals in 54 countries. Its aims are to safeguard the freedom of the media in the Commonwealth and ensure the safety and independence of journalists.

13 foot wide pavement: residents go to courts

By K. M. Weeraratne

Acquisition of land for the widening of the Mirihana-Ratmalana Road has been suspended after the Court of Appeal issued a stay order in response to a petition filed by some residents of the area.

The petition was filed by residents of Subadrarama Road, Gangodawila, citing Road Development Authority, its Chairman W. Jayasinghe and five others as respondents.

The petitioners said the RDA had proposed to widen the road up to 24 feet and to construct a13-foot wide pavement on both sides of the road.

They said they were ready to forego their land for widening of the road but not for the construction of a "useless pavement."

The petitioners claimed the construction of the pavement will also affect the ancient Dagaba of Pepiliyana Sunethra Devi Raja Maha Viharaya and a 600-year-old Bo tree at the Gangodawila Subadrarama Atula Raja Maha Viharaya.

Justices Hector S. Yapa and P. H. K. Kulathilake issued the stay order till August 20 as an interim relief to the petitioners.

The court also issued notice on the respondents to file objections by August 19.

What damaged UL's Airbus

Engineers are investigating the AirLanka flight which was grounded in Madras following detection of a hole near the tail cone area of the aircraft.

According to an Indian newspaper the hole was found within the pressurised bulk area of fuselage of the Airbus 320 aircraft which could have led to depressurisation problem during the flight.

It states that as the airbus on its return flight to Colombo from Chennai with 144 passengers on board was ready for takeoff, when ground engineers noticed something unusual near the tail cone area. After closer scrutiny they discovered the damage.

The newspaper adds that it is only the sheet metal works of the Airbus Industrie based in New Delhi which could carry out the repairs.

Meanwhile an AirLanka spokesperson told The Sunday Times that they found no defect in the aircraft when it left Colombo. Soon after landing at Madras airport, our engineers checked the aircraft, and found no defect.

"Departure procedure for the return flight resumed. It is when the engineers started their visual inspection for departure they noticed some damage to the skin of the aircraft towards the rear," he said.

He added that since there was no defect was detected when the inspection was done soon after landing, it was possible the damage was caused by ground support equipment such as the catering truck or the stairway.

"Since Airlanka adheres to international safety standards and procedures, we temporarily withdrew the aircraft from service to carry out further inspection and subsequently commissioned the necessary repairs on site," he said.

Medical exhibition opens

The 5th medical exhibition organised by the Peradeniya University will be opened by Vice Chancellor Ralph Panabokke today.

A special feature at the exhibition will be the detailing of new methods of diagnosis, hitherto not practised, which will be explained to students visiting the exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to the public for seven days so that students from all over the country will be accommodated on the following dates.

17th - Colombo, Trincomalee and Mullaitivu.

18th - Gampaha, N'Eliya, Galle, Batticaloa and Colombo.

19th - Kalutara, Matale, Matara, Ampara, Tangalle and H'tota.

20th - Badulla, Vavuniya, Kegalle and Bandarawela.

21st - Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Puttalam and Mannar.

22nd - Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura, Monaragala.

23rd - Schools not able to visit on the above days, will be allowed on this day while schools in Kandy have been scheduled in groups during the seven day period of the exhibition.

Thousands of pharmacies are run by quacks

The Health Ministry is urgently training new pharmacists amid shocking reports that only about 300 of some 6,000 pharmacies all over the country have qualified pharmacist as required by the law.

Deputy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told The Sunday Times new laws would be introduced to crack down on unregistered pharmacies which did not have qualified pharmacists to dispense drugs.

This comes after a growing number of complains that untrained salespersons in unregistered pharmacies are giving wrong drugs with serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

The Health Ministry's Chief Pharmacist Ranjith Perera said they were aware that upto 6,000 pharmacies were operating all over the country though only about 1,700 were registered. Worse still, even of the registered ones, the ministry was aware that only about 300 had a qualified pharmacist at the counter. In the others, the licence was just hung up on the wall as a cover up while the pharmacists had sold the business to a non-qualified person and gone elsewhere.

As a remedial measure, the ministry in launching courses from next month in several parts of the country to train more than 1,000 pharmacists. The courses will be held in Kandy, Peradeniya, Kurunegala, Ratnapura, Galle, Ragama and Colombo.

Top union: govt. in trap of racketeers

A powerful union of thousands of bank employees has accused the government of being anti-working class and anti-people while moving fast into the grip of racketeers, war mongers and commission vultures.

The Ceylon Bank Employees Union in a scathing report to mark its fourth national conference said the government appeared to have no plan or vision for development with its only economic policy being privatisation.

The report by CBEU General Secretary M. R.Shah said democracy under the PA was on the wane and features of a police-military state were emerging.

The CBEU which has in recent months launched several protest campaigns against PA policy accused the government of auctioning the devolution package to the world as a carrot to obtain international aid and support.. "

We are convinced that the government has no genuine desire to solve the ethnic problem and it is escalating the war," said the union which includes state and private banks.

Unions warn of a standstill

By Chamintha Thilakarathna.

Banks, ports, post offices, hospitals, trains and other services might come to a virtual standstill after September 7 when ten of the country's largest unions decide on severe trade union action over the Eppawala Phosphate issue.

Ceylon Bank Employees Union, Ceylon Mercantile Union, Union of Posts and Telecommunication Officers, Public Services United Nurses Union, Railway Station Masters, Guards and Engineers Union, Confederation of Public Services Independent Trade Union and the Ceylon Estate staffers, Lanka General Services Union have been given a Sept.7 deadline to consult their members on the trade union action agreed upon.

The trade unions consisting over 1,50,000 members could create a historical impact with their union action in September.

Spider men in mystery web

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

A mysterious web of unanswered questions and uncertain factors still spins around an attempt by a local agent of a British professor to smuggle more than 40 jumping spiders to New Zealand and Britain, environmentalists said.

The agent has reportedly approached a courier service in Kollupitiya and but the parcel was not accepted due to the discrepancy between the items declared and the actual contents.

According to the courier company, the agent has declared the spiders as "exposed films and personal effects." He had only produced some letters of recommendation issued by foreign universities to conduct research.

The unprotected variety of spiders belonging to the Sufficidae family are known to be prize items for scientists. Researchers are also known to use spider venom to develop drugs for nerve ailments.

The spiders were initially to be sent to New Zealand and Britain for filming and analysis, according to a letter given by a Venessa Berlowitsz, a producer of the BBC's Natural History Unit.

However in the application for the permit, the purpose has been declared only as filming in Britain and not research in New Zealand.

The British professor was in Sri Lanka two years ago as a BBC consultant for a tele production on local monkeys titled 'The Temple Troops'.

The spider parcel was handed over to the courier on May 2 for despatch on May 8 though no valid permit was produced. When it was rejected, the agent has assured the permits would be produced soon, though such a practice goes against the section 40 of the Fauna and Flora Protection Act.

It is alleged that mislabelling as claimed by the BBC and non-inclusion of relevant permits amount to a false declaration under the Customs Ordinance, carrying a fine three times the value of the items.

According to the BBC producer, the package was mislabelled and the permits were not included by the professor's assistant to whom the task was delegated.

But officials and environmentalists are challenging this claim, pointing out that the BBC producer had applied for a permit only on May 14, after the courier had rejected the package.

The BBC producer is also reported to have promised that the spiders would be returned after filming, but environmentalists say this could not be done, if the creatures were sent for research in New Zealand.

Environmental lawyer Jagath Gunawardene claims that an organization producing programmes for commercial and not charitable purposes should have had an approved project report and a Material Transfer Agreement, specifying the royalty paid to the Sri Lankan government.

"The commercial intent was manifest as the permit has been sought only for filming. This amounts to exploitation of our fauna. The Wildlife Director can issue permits only for scientific purposes and not for entertainment," he said.

The lawyer accuses the BBC producer of violating laws and ethics by making false declarations and nondisclosure of intent.

Deepening the controversy, it has been found that the package gave the name of the sender as Prof. Robert R. Jackson (from Kandy), but it had two destinations.

The air way bill to the value of $ 5 indicated the receiver's name as the University of Canterbury, New Zealand while the commercial invoice of $ 3 disclosed a residence in Bristol in England.

It has been reported that the spiders were meant for Dr. Simon Pollard and Prof. Robert Jackson for a documentary titled 'Spiders from Mars,' a BBC's Natural History Unit Programme.

Lankans harassed at Nepal airport

By Frederica Jansz

Sri Lankans entering and leaving Nepal are being hassled by customs and immigration authorities though they may have valid visas from the embassy in Colombo.

Shani Jayawardena, Producer for Young Asia Television (YATV) said she had been travelling to Nepal mainly for work since 1982.

However during the past three years, immigration officers in Kathmandu had started making close checks on Sri Lankans.

She said that on a recent visit, she was subjected to undue scrutiny of her passport both on arrival and departure. The officer on duty had referrred her case to a senior officer.

They appeared to be doubting whether the Nepal Embassy in Colombo had properly checked her credentials and the stated purpose of the visit.

They appeared afraid that the visa was forged and kept asking the same question repeatedly, holding her for so long that she might have missed her flight to Colombo, Ms. Jayawardena said.

Asked why Sri Lankans were being harassed a Nepali officer said "it is because of the domestic problems."

But he declined to elaborate.

Ms. Jayawardena said the harassment did not end at the immigration. More questions were also asked by Customs officers.

But they too had no explanation as to why only Sri Lankans were being suspected.

Another Sri Lankan working for a development agency in Kathmandu, had a 60 day visa and before it expired was flying out of Kathmandu to London with the necessary British visa.

Nepalese immigration had asked if she flew into Kathmandu from London.

When she said she flew in from Hong Kong, they had insisted that she fly back to Hong Kong.

She pleaded she could not do that. then the officers gave her the alternative of flying to Colombo and from there to London.

She protested that the alternative was more ridiculous.

But the officers said there was no policy listed in the immigration rule book but this was a necessary precaution due to many Sri Lankans entering Nepal on forged passports.

Another example was a Sri Lankan girl who flew into Nepal with an American. The latter was allowed through and granted a 15 day visa. But the Sri Lankan was held for twelve hours.

Hilmy Ahamed, Managing Director of said he also was harassed at Kathmandu airport. He said the treatment was embarrassing if not demeaning.

There are rumours that Nepal is being used by the LTTE as a transit point and that some South Asian intelligence services slip secret agents through Nepal to neighbouring countries.

Nepali Embassy official K. C. Kumar said he knew nothing about the harassment of Sri Lankans entering or leaving Kathmandu.

UNP alleges dawn attacks on supporters

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

UNP supporters were attacked at several places by unidentified groups while they were putting up posters and decorations for Friday's rally at Hyde Park to protest against the postponement of Provincial Council polls, General Secretary Gamini Atukorale said. He said at least six persons were seriously injured and admitted to hospital while others suffered minor injuries. The attacks were allegedly carried out by a group of about 30 men, some in camouflage and posing as security personnel wanting to check the vehicles of UNP supporters,he said.

These incidents took place near Kirulapone Vilasitha Nivasa, Devi Balika junction, Borella and near Kollupitiya junction. Incidents of removal of banners and buntings were reported from Ratmalana, Mount Lavinia, Dehiwela and Nawala.

Sharmila Jayawardene, designer turned politician and UNP Western Provincial Council candidate said supporters were putting up posters of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe around 4.30 am when two land cruisers with several men in uniform and some wielding T-56 and other weapons attacked the group.

They robbed Rs.1,200 from a vehicle driver and also removed a spare wheel, gold chains and identity cards from persons, a bundle of posters, umbrellas and some tools. The victim identity cards have also been forcibly removed.

Later the UNP leader's posters were seen covered with a fresh set of posters bearing Hema Premadasa's picture.Ms. Jayawardene made a complaint to the Borella Police giving the registration number of the vehicle in which the alleged assailants came.

In a similar incident at Kirulapone, supporters of two CMC members Titus Perera and M. Ershard were allegedly beaten up by uniformed men using iron rods. Ranjan Bandara, Co-ordinating Secretary to Mayor Karu Jayasuriya said panic stricken people screamed and ran hither and thither. Five people suffered minor injuries while a person named Gamini Wijesinghe was admitted to the National Hospital with severe injuries.

In another incident people at Nawala junction were attacked and several boxes of tools from the parked three wheelers removed.

Mayor Jayasuriya in a statement issued appealed that the democratic rights of citizens to hold peaceful meetings be safeguarded.

Meanwhile, the UNP has also informed Defence Secretary Chandrananda de Silva and Police Chief W.B.Rajaguru of the attacks on UNP party supporters.

Docs study leave: Latest row

By Faraza Farook

Government doctors and the Health Ministry are again on a collision course, this time on issues relating to medical studies or training abroad.

The GMOA is accusing the Health Ministry of obstructing the foreign training of medical officers.The GMOA was responding to the ministry allegation that 23 doctors had overstayed their leave by almost a year. The GMOA accused the ministry of resorting to favouritism when granting study leave for doctors.

Union President Ananda Samarasekera said all public officers were entitled to go abroad for study or work for five years without pay. But the Health Ministry had given some medical officers full pay leave for two years. Meanwhile, a Health Ministry official warned that the doctors would be considered to have vacated their posts if they failed to return before the stipulated deadline.

Local politico hijacks baby corn project

In the wake of a protest by Kirindioya Joint Farmers' Association against a foreign collaborated baby corn project in land slide prone Haldumulla area, an MP from the ruling PA has threatened to fire officials who scuttle government projects and incite farmers.

According to a member of the Association, the MP "tried to hijack the protest by demanding that he be allowed to make a speech". He said the non political protest was tainted by the politico who threatened to disrupt it by issuing orders to the Mulkirigala police unless he was allowed to address the farmers.

The Sunday Times which initially revealed this dispute over the baby corn project , also highlighted the initial plans to clear 5,000 acres of forest land affecting the feeder area of Kuda Oya- which nurtures the Mulkirigala irrigation system. Environmentalists have continuously agitated against the project fearing dislocation of wild animals, destruction of forest resources and the adverse impact on irrigation systems in several areas.

Forestry officials confirmed that an environmental impact assessment had been completed though it had not yet been presented for public comment. However, they maintained the project was unsuitable due to the selected area being erodable and prone to land slides, in addition to possible conflicts between man and beast.

'Stop arrests on estates'

While condemning last Saturday's landmine attack against a passenger and goods train in the hill country as an act of terrorism against a civilian target, the National Peace Council has expressed concern over reports of the apparently indiscriminate arrest of Tamil youth from nearby estates.

It is timely to recall the efforts of the State to suppress terrorism in all its forms in the Jaffna peninsula in 1981.

"The indiscriminate arrests and torture of youths in the search for information and to intimidate the population contributed in large measure to paving the way for the full scale civil war of today," NPC media director Jehan Perera said.

"The hill country, with its large population of Tamils of recent Indian origin, should not be viewed and must not become the next theatre of security operations, necessitating a further build-up of the military power of the State", he warned.

Meanwhile, Ceylon National Workers' Congress leader M. S. Sellasamy has also written to President Kumaratunga to instruct the security forces not to make mass, indiscriminate arrests of estate youth in the aftermath of the railway attack.

He said certain politicians and sections of the media were trying to implicate the estate youth in terrorist activity. Such provocative methods could set off unrest in the plantations while bringing about serious social and economic consequences.

Mr. Sellasamy who heads a party that broke away from the CWC requested the President to call a meeting from trade union and security forces officials to workout measures to keep the situation under control.

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