Permit renewed overlooking tax dues in arrears!

A renewed annual production permit is said to have been issued to a distillery owned by a big entrepreneur with close ties to a powerful politico, despite defaulting on a tax payment amounting to Rs. 380 million.

Political weight suppresses inquiries into the fraud!

A zonal administrative high-up in the education sector, a buddy of high political authority, has reportedly diddled public funds obtained purportedly for conducting in-service training programmes for teachers.

Does he walk the talk?

A former political provincial chief has got seven khaki personnel  deployed to provide security to both his Colombo and Jaffna residences,   they say.

He found an easy way to end a dispute!

This was an establishment that came under the direct purview of a very high political authority. It was handling the distribution of a carbonic product.  

Gagged for talking out of turn!

‘The Buddha Statue’ statement made by the new governing one for the North soon after assuming duties had stirred a hornets’ nest among the Pohottuwa ranks.

Coming down to brass tacks!

A young Green high-up and a Blue party stalwart had met each other at a celebration recently.

His ploy did not work out!

There is a voluble Diyawanna politico who has made it to the council from a distant district. He, of course, had to come last time through the list for he lost his seat at the polls.

Mending fences through flattery!

The main character of this story is a Blue party senior holding a high post in the party. In fact, this senior had occasion to suffer keen disappointment not only once, but several times when he had to lose the Number Two position just as it was almost within his reach.

Fear stalks the guilty minds!

The most vociferous among the Blue party electorate level organizers who staged a revolt against the current party leadership for ‘selling out’ the party to Pohottuwa is an elderly one hailing from the Colombo district.

The argument over the elusive political solution!

The Northern main alliance bigwigs got set to issue a Thai Pongal message to the mass media.

Naked abuse of power for self-gain!

A State-owned undertaking is said to be issuing on credit a certain material used in road construction to a company owned by a politico holding deputy status by making a departure from its long-established policy, they say.

Assuming duties with pomp and fanfare!

A prominent politico, who was recently appointed to a very high post at the provincial level, had invited a regiment to the event of his assuming duties in the new high office.

Lady has become a curse to contractors!

This fair one holding a key post in a sacred city in the central hills has made it a practice to mint money out of every development project big or small in the area, they say.

Lady has become a curse to contractors!

This fair one holding a key post in a sacred city in the central hills has made it a practice to mint money out of every development project big or small in the area, they say.

Winning hearts and minds at public expense!

A provincial chief has made it a practice to host the entire staff to a tea party every Wednesday at public expense.   

Forewarned about the advent of a Romeo!

Young female public employees of a certain province have received a general warning about a well- known Casanova recently appointed to a very high post in the province, they say.  

Ring-leaders are yet to be arrested!

A group of politicos has come forward to shield the goons who led a mob attack on a hospital in a locality that has gone into history as the place where the country’s first tea plant was grown on a commercial basis.   

It was a slip between the lip and the cup!

A rumour doing rounds in political circles says that a prominent politico had been denied a high office at the provincial level he was about to get when the appointing high authority had received a report that had placed him in a bad light.  

‘Upstart’ gets the cold shoulder!

Many Blue party members have begun accusing their new Secretary of being full of airs and graces.  Meanwhile, the party’s old-timers have already started treating him as an upstart.

Transfer orders consigned to dust bin!

The khaki suit department had recently finalized after much stock-taking a list of transfers for some of their Gazetted ones.

Magnanimity towards political rival!

The Diyawanna head finally decided to concede the main opposition chair to the former strongman despite protests raised by the outgoing one and his party stalwarts.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast!

  When plans were underway to replace several provincial governors with new appointees, hopefuls had appeared on the scene by the dozen. And there had been some strange characters among them, they say.

He kept knocking and the door was opened!

A prominent politico of an upcountry estate sector- based minor political party had been in a sulk ever since the new regime assumed office. Having thrown his full weight behind the Greens-led alliance during the 52-day crisis, this politico expected to get a place in the new top team.  

Wheels change with the regime change!

A story that has gone viral in political circles says that the four wheels of a brand new deluxe official vehicle assigned to a new purohita of the 52-day regime had been found replaced with old worn out ones when it was returned after the fall of the regime.

A prestige addition, but some are unhappy!

The Head of the State has decided to increase the Police security provided to each Diyawanna member from the current two to four personnel, they say.

State-owned repair and service centre no more!

A vehicle repair and service centre run by a State-owned undertaking at a city corner had been forced to close at the height of the recent 52-day political impasse.

She threw her weight about!

A fair zonal director of education, who called at a school, dressed in short skirt and sporting a ‘top knot’ hair bun had kicked a big row with female teachers, who faulted her for her unbecoming attire.  

Second biggest hotel is family member’s investment

The construction work on the second biggest hotel in the Southern province is proceeding apace, they say.

New Year party this year was an exclusive affair

The traditional New Year party hosted by a certain Provincial body to its employees was an exclusive affair for staff grade officers this year.  

Playing Jekyll and Hyde

This fair one who once held a high position in the country’s business sector is currently in the thick of politics. She is said to be maintaining close ties with both factions of a main political party now in splinters.