British MP’s remarks totally inappropriate: SL

Responding to remarks made by House of Commons MP Simon Danczuk to the media on the ongoing investigations into the killing of British tourist Khuram Shaikh, the Ministry of External Affairs said the comments were totally inappropriate.

The Ministry said the government was committed to punish the perpetrators of the crime.

In a media release, the Ministry said the MP’s comments to the media about an unscheduled meeting with the President were uncalled for.

“For any visiting delegate below the level of a Head of State or Government, a meeting with the President would be a privilege, as it would not be in keeping with accepted diplomatic protocol and is unthinkable in Western countries. Hence talking to the media about the issues that he will raise with the Head of State even before such a meeting is scheduled is totally inappropriate,” the Ministry said.

Responding to the British MP’s allegations of a cover up, the Ministry said the comments were prejudicial since the countries criminal justice system was in progress.

“The British MP talks of “concerns of a cover-up” with regard to the murder, which is a prejudgment of a case that is still pending in Courts. The Government has condemned the murder of Khuram Shaikh and stated its commitment to punish the perpetrators and the process is underway. In such a context the statement by Mr. Danczuk is pure speculation. During a previous visit of the MP with the brother of Khuram Shaikh, he met the CID, which is leading the investigation as well as the Justice Ministry Secretary,”

The Ministry said the British delegation which includes Mr. Danczuk would not meet the President and instead would meet high ranking government officials.

“During the present visit, the delegation will meet Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and Ministers G.L. Peiris, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Basil Rajapaksa while Mr. Danczuk will have a separate meeting with Minister Rauf Hakeem. The delegation will also meet the Leader of the Opposition, members of the Sri Lanka-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group and Secretary Defence” the Ministry said. (HF)

Keith Vaz's half-a-million pounds under scrutiny

Is Keith Vaz, a British MP of Goan origin, being investigated for making illegal earnings of half-a-million pounds? While Britain's leading mainline newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, said as much, sources in the Scotland Yard told Times of India(TOI) that £500,000 of "suspicious nature" were paid into various bank accounts held by Vaz over the last six years, the Times of India reported.

Keith Vaz has been constantly accusing Sri Lanka , vociferously repeating LTTE slogans in the parliament and recently brought pressure on the British government to appoint an independent investigator into the human rights record of Sri Lanka which the Sri Lanka government has angrily rejected. He is a close associate of the LTTE front, the British Tamil Forum and heads the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Tamils , which is carrying on a virulent campaign against Sri Lanka .

When contacted by the Times of India, Vaz strenuously denied wrongdoing. Pressed for an official comment, Scotland Yard's spokesman told TOI, "It would not be appropriate for the Metropolitan Police Service to comment on any individual's historic financial investigations that may or may not have been conducted."

"These weren't suspicious in any way," Vaz said. "They relate to the sale of a family home in London, the purchase of a new family home and a drawdown of equity from my bank."

The pro-Conservative party Daily Telegraph claimed the source of the funds was not declared publicly and the evidence gathered by the police may contradict assurances given by Vaz during the earlier investigation into his finances between 2000 and 2001.

"These matters relate to two parliamentary inquiries which began in 1999 and concluded in 2003," he said. "My finances were discussed by every newspaper in the country for a period of three years and were the subject of extensive examination."

Vaz added, "All ministers (and he was a minister then) have to report all their financial interests to their permanent secretary, which I did. I had no discussions with the then cabinet secretary or the then prime minister about any of these issues. I know of no investigation."

Vaz resigned as minister for Europe in 2001 in Tony Blair's government and was never re-appointed. The immediate cause of his stepping down was an allegation that he had received money from the billionaire Hinduja family relating to an application for a British passport by one of the brothers.

The MP, who has a high profile role as chairman of the House of Commons' select committee on home affairs, was investigated by the parliamentary commissioner for standards between 2000 and 2001. He was cleared of receiving illicit funds. As chairman of the select committee, Vaz has been putting the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat government through tough scrutiny. His wife, Maria Fernandes, has also been dragged into the controversy.
Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP told media Vaz had "questions to answer". He continued,: "I feel that he cannot continue to hold his role with the home affairs select committee during an investigation and call on him to stand down."


Courtesy - http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/22376-keith-vazs-half-a-million-pounds-under-scrutiny.html