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Grave case of conflict of interest raised in Parliament against Deputy Minister

Published

6 months ago

2025/11/29

SJB Gampaha District MP Prasad Siriwardana last week levelled a series of serious allegations, in Parliament, against Deputy Minister of Digital Technology Eranga Weeraratne, accusing him of presiding over a major conflict of interest involving two private technology firms.

Siriwardana told the House that Omobio (Pvt) Ltd., and Eimsky Business Solutions (Pvt) Ltd., companies chaired by Weeraratne, had secured contracts for two major government projects. This, he said, amounted to a textbook case of an office-holder exercising authority over both a Ministry and a private entity operating in the same regulatory space.

Recalling that Weeraratne had faced a software theft accusation, four or five years ago, the MP argued that the current arrangements underscored what he described as the government’s “fake anti-corruption drive.”

Siriwardana said that Eimsky is the primary service provider for the Smart Highway Toll System of the Road Development Authority, with its “Payment Connect” platform supplying

backend technical services for national infrastructure projects. As a result, he said, the backend system handling revenue collection across the Southern Expressway and the Outer Circular Highway is effectively controlled by a company owned by the Deputy Minister.

“Is it fair”, he asked, “for the revenue collection mechanism of a vital national economic asset to be handed over to the private company of a sitting Minister?”

The MP also charged that the Ministry, under Weeraratne’s purview, directly regulates prices and market conditions in the very sector in which his company operates, circumstances, he said, could constitute grounds for disqualification from Parliament.

Siriwardana called for a full investigation into all state contracts awarded to Eimsky and Omobio, either through a special parliamentary select committee or an Auditor General–led probe.

He also reminded the House that, despite loud rhetoric on good governance, the government had yet to appoint an Auditor General.

The situation, Siriwardana warned, raises profound concerns about transparency and fairness, particularly as systems managing public funds, such as expressway tolls and national bus fare platforms, appear to fall under the influence of a company belonging to a senior government office-holder.

Weeraratne responding said that both contracts had been entered into before he was elected to Parliament, during the times of former governments.

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

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CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]