Viyangoda points out President silent on AG

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The majority of cases filed by the CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption) had been withdrawn primarily on technical grounds, mainly the absence of sanction of all three commissioners, those familiar with the process told The Island.

In terms of the previous bribery Act, the sanction of all commissioners was a must, sources said. The Act made written sanction of three commissioners compulsory before an indictment was drafted, sources said, adding that remedial measures were taken through the new bribery act.

The then Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, introduced Anti-Corruption Act No 09 of 2023.

Sources said so responding to harsh criticism of the CIABOC by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the ‘International Anti-Corruption Day National Celebration at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH).

President’s Media Division (PMD) quoted National People’s Power (NPP) leader who is also the chief of Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna (JVP) as having disclosed that of 69 cases that had been filed in 2021, 40 were later withdrawn. Similarly, in the following year of 89 cases that had been filed, 45 were later withdrawn, the President was quoted as having said at the Dec 09 event.

Declaring that the public had a right to know the circumstances under which so many cases were withdrawn within two years, President Dissanayake called for an explanation from CIABOC as to why investigating officers failed to appear as witnesses in these cases.

President rapped the CIABOC in the presence of its new leadership. The then President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed W.M.N.P. Iddawala, former Judge of the Court of Appeal and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament as the new Chairman. Its other members are Bernard Rajapakse, former Senior Deputy General Manager of People’s Bank, and Chethiya Goonesekera, President’s Counsel and Additional Solicitor General of the Attorney General’s Department. They assumed duties on January 01, 2024.

Responding to The Island queries, sources emphasised that the responsibility for creating a situation that led to the withdrawal of so many cases-a staggering 85 cases out of 158 within two years lies with the respective commissions. Sources explained that the indictments that had been filed and later withdrawn in 2021 and 2022 weren’t moved by the commissions in place during that period.

Sources also questioned the role of the Director General of the CIABOC in the crisis created within the set up.

Commissioners are appointed on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council headed by the Speaker of Parliament.

As a result of political compulsions some commissioners had been in an indecent hurry to indict targeted persons hastily, sources said. There had been cases where indictments had been filed before the completion of inquiries, sources added, pointing out that when the defendants’ side took up objection in court, CIABOC had no option but to withdraw cases.

The new government couldn’t be unaware that the CIABOC had refiled some of the indictments. But, unfortunately in some cases there was no evidence to file an indictment, sources said.

Due to covid-19 eruption, the CIABOC suffered and during 20/21 period there hadn’t been any fresh indictments, sources said, adding that those filed during the yahapalana administration (2015-2019) were pursued.

Sources said that the powers that be needed to seriously examine the gradual weakening of the system overwhelmed by the political party system.

Civil society activist Gamini Viyangoda who on behalf of Purawesi Balaya raised the withdrawal of high profile cases that had been filed during yahapalana administration yesterday (25) told The Island that culpability of the CIABOC couldn’t be discussed without examining the conduct of the Attorney General’s Department.

The President, in his criticism of the failure on the part of CIABOC hadn’t referred to the AG’s Department at all, Viyangoda pointed out.

Viyangoda alleged Sri Lanka never had an apparatus that honestly pursued cases of waste, corruption and irregularities. Those assigned the task instead of fulfilling their objectives sought to appease their political masters and other interested parties at the expense of good governance and accountability.

Viyangoda emphasised that both CIABOC and AG’s Department had been neglected, resulting in extremely careless and serious shortcomings on the part of the two vital bodies. But, the primary issue is nothing but political interference and those in key positions of the above mentioned bending backwards to facilitate political agendas, he alleged.

Viyangoda asserted that a change couldn’t be expected as long as the government took tangible measures to end political interference in the judiciary, police, CIABOC and AG’s Department.

A major drawback is that successive governments had failed to adhere to the laws of the land, Viyangoda said, urging the parliament to address the issues at hand pertaining to corruption without further delay.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the Chinese Navy hospital ship “Peace Ark” at the Port of Colombo Tuesday morning (24). Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong and the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Pradeep Saputhanthri too were present.

The Peace Ark arrived at the Port of Colombo on 21 December and will provide free medical examinations and treatment services to the people of Sri Lanka from 22 December to 27 December.

During her visit, the Prime Minister commended the humanitarian efforts of the Peace Ark and expressed appreciation to the Chinese government for extending this gesture of goodwill to the Sri Lankan people. She highlighted the importance of such initiatives in maintaining bilateral relations and supporting public health.

The Chinese Ambassador emphasized the importance of the ship’s mission in strengthening cooperation between Sri Lanka and China, while the ship’s medical team showcased the state-of-the-art facilities and services available onboard.

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern provinces are ideal locations for establishing salterns, which could support ancillary domestic industries creating a range of new employment opportunities for the youth in those parts of the counntry, says Dr Mahinsasa Rathnayake, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa

In an interview with Asoka Dias on Sirasa, Dr. Rathnayake, commenting on the government’s recent decision to import salt, said such imports consisted mainly of raw, non-iodised salt intended for industrial applications. He noted that Sri Lanka was largely self-sufficient in iodised table salt but was currently struggling to meet the demand for industrial salt essential for various applications

Sri Lanka needs 200,000 MT of salt annually, but the local salterns produce only 150,000 to 170,000 MT. A significant shortfall exists in vacuum salt production, a chemically purified type of salt used extensively in industries such as food preservation, confectionery, mineral solutions like Jeevani, animal feed, vitamin supplements, and water purification. While the demand for vacuum salt is around 30,000 to 40,000 MT annually, Sri Lanka produces only about 3,000 MT.

Hambantota and Puttalam are Sri Lanka’s primary salterns, with the former’s 1,000-acre facility capable of producing up to 100,000 MT annually and Puttalam’s 800-acre saltern offering a potential output of 60,000 MT. Smaller facilities include the saltern at Manthai, Mannar, which has a capacity of 8,000 MT but produces only 4,000 MT currently, and Elephant Pass, with a potential of 20,000 MT but producing 12,000 MT. A new saltern is also under construction in Kuchchaveli.

Sri Lankan salterns produce sea salt using solar evaporation, a natural process where seawater enters shallow ponds and evaporates, leaving salt crystals. As this method relies on environmental conditions, several factors must be considered when establishing new salterns.

Key considerations include soil characteristics, average wind speed, sunlight availability, and low rainfall levels. Seawater salinity is particularly critical; for instance, Hambantota’s high salinity levels make it highly productive for salt extraction. In contrast, the Northern and Eastern regions, as well as Puttalam, have comparatively lower seawater salinity, which impacts their potential salt yields. Identifying suitable locations requires careful evaluation of these factors to ensure optimal production.

In 2024, altered rainfall patterns driven by climate change brought significant rainfall to many areas where salterns are located. Dr. Rathnayake emphasised the need to improve the efficiency of existing salterns and minimise waste to adapt to such conditions, which may persist in the future. He also stressed the importance of establishing new salterns to meet the country’s entire salt demand.

“Kurinchantivu, near Elephant Pass, is a promising location,” he noted. “Historically, there was a saltern in the area, but operations ceased during the war. The site has the potential to host a 1,000-acre saltern, comparable in size to the one in Hambantota. Another opportunity lies in reviving the old saltern in Chemmani, which is currently non-operational, offering a chance to kickstart industries in the Northern region.”

Dr. Rathnayake explained that while the salinity of the seawater in Kurinchantivu is lower than in Hambantota, the location could still produce approximately 30,000 tonnes annually. He also recommended conducting studies to explore the feasibility of establishing salterns in the Eastern Province.

The senior lecturer at the Moratuwa University identified Panama and Palatupana, located near Hambantota, as areas with significant potential for salt production. He explained that the proximity to Hambantota ensures high salinity in the surrounding seas, where salt naturally forms.

He also highlighted the potential of salterns as eco-tourism attractions, noting the unique ecosystems they support. In other countries, salterns are popular tourist destinations due to the diverse wildlife adapted to high-salinity environments. “For example, flamingos thrive in these ecosystems,” he said.

Dr. Rathnayake pointed out that Sri Lanka’s salterns could also support the farming of Artemia salina, a species of brine shrimp. “These shrimp are highly valuable and widely used as animal feed, with a kilogram fetching approximately 15,000 rupees. Farming Artemia during off-seasons for salt production could be a lucrative venture. This would not only diversify income but also provide an opportunity to increase workers’ wages,” he explained.

He suggested further diversification by commercialising bittern, the bitter liquid left after sodium chloride crystallises. Bittern is used in Japan to produce tofu and can also be applied in industrial wastewater treatment. Other industries, such as manufacturing coconut fertilisers, caustic soda, and chlorine, could also be developed around salterns.

“By diversifying production and exploring these opportunities, salterns can become hubs for economic growth, bringing in more revenue and creating additional industries,” he said.