Adani controversy: COPE yet to accept ex-CEB chief’s retraction

… official has previously claimed to have received instructions from Prez and PM

By Shamindra Ferdinando

COPE Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath yesterday (14) said that he would have to consult members of his all-party committee as regards ex-Chairman of CEB M.C. Ferdinando’s retraction of a statement he made before the outfit on June 10.

The SLPP National List MP said so when The Island asked him whether Ferdinando could do so.

Ferdinando resigned after having claimed in writing to Prof. Herath that the statement he attributed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was never made by the President. This was after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa denied giving such a directive to Ferdinando.

The Parliament released the video footage of a smiling Ferdinando claiming he was told by the President on Nov 24 last year to go ahead with the Adani Green Energy project here as he was under pressure of Indian PM Modi.

Asked to explain, Prof. Herath said that Ferdinando had retracted only that part of his statement therefore there was no issue at all regarding views expressed by him. The academic said that there had never been an instance where a person contradicted a statement made by him/her before the committee.

COPE comprises 22 members representing both the government and the Opposition.

Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo in late Oct last year.

In a letter dated Nov 25, 2021 written by Ferdinando to the then Secretary to the Treasury S.R. Attygalle, the then CEB Chairman stated that both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa directed him to go ahead with 500 MW wind and solar renewable energy project in Mannar and Pooneryn.

COPE summoned CEB the day after the Parliament approved Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill with 120 lawmakers voting for the Bill after a division was called by Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella. Thirty six lawmakers voted against.

Referring to a progress review meeting on the energy sector chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had on Nov 16, 2021 at the Presidential Secretariat, Ferdinando told Attygalle he assumed the project Government-to-Government venture as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached agreement on it.

Ferdinando has copied the letter to several persons, including Minister Namal Rajapaksa.

Ferdinando has been earlier embroiled in Yugadanavi controversy after he acknowledged that the signing of the agreement with US based New Fortress Energy happened at midnight on Sept 17 last year.

The government brought Ferdinando from retirement in Australia to be Chairman CEB in July 2021 to facilitate the Yugadanavi deal that paved the way for the US firm to secure 40 percent of shares in the power plant held by the Treasury. Ferdinando succeeded Eng. Vijitha Herath, while Basil Rajapaksa received the finance portfolio in time for the Yugadanavi agreement.