News
No proper probe yet, says COPA
Rs. 1.5 bn squandered on building rent :
Ex-minister blamed for deal, now member of House Watchdog Committee
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The government hadn’t conducted a proper investigation into the squandering of over Rs 1.5 bn to rent the DPJ Towers owned by Upali Jayasinghe at No 288, Rajagiriya, Kotte, in early 2016 though the transaction received media exposure and a complaint was lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
This was revealed at the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) session chaired by MP Prof. Tissa Vitharana in Parliament on Tuesday (19).
The then Secretary to the Agriculture Ministry Bandula Wijeratne signed the agreement without following proper procedures. At the time the government inked the agreement, it hadn’t received the endorsement of the then Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe. The then yahapalana Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake is now a State Minister in the ruling SLPP party. SLFPer Dissanayake contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket.
State Minister Dissanayake particpated at the meeting as a member of the parliamentary watchdog committee.
Following the COPE meeting, the Communication Department of the Parliament said that the decision to shift the Agriculture Ministry from the state-owned Govijana Mandiraya, which was used to house the offices for oversight committees of Parliament had been taken by the then Cabinet of Ministers.
The then President Maithripala Sirisena chaired the cabinet.
Well informed sources told The Island that in addition to the two Cabinet papers submitted by Minister Dissanayake, the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, submitted one.
Wickremesinghe submitted his cabinet paper on Sept 15, 2015 to establish Sectoral Oversight Committees in the ‘Govijana Mandiraya’ building, which previously housed the Agriculture Ministry.
COPA Chairman Prof. Vitharana has suggested that the government should decide on the space available for public officials to express their views on disputed or debatable decisions taken by the Cabinet. However, sources pointed out that though the Cabinet had made policy decisions relevant officials tasked with preparing cabinet papers had ample opportunity to point out shortcomings.
Prof. Vitharana said so at the discussion on Special Audit Report on the acquisition of the building. The COPE called for a formal inquiry regarding leasing of the building at a cost of Rs 1,524 mn. The COPE held that those responsible for the transaction acted contrary to the procurement process.
Agriculture Secretary retired Maj. Gen. Sumedha Perera has assured COPA that ministerial level investigation was underway.
The Committee discussed at length the need to formulate a proper system to prevent such incidents from reoccurring. The committee also focused on the need to formulate new rules and regulations for this purpose.
Minister Udaya Gammanpila, State Ministers Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Duminda Dissanayake, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Members of Parliament D.Y.G. Ratnasekera, Dr. Upul Galappaththi, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Tissa Attanayake, Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Buddhika Pathirana, S. Sritharan and government officials were present at this meeting.
Karu Jayasuriya, who was the Speaker at the time of the signing of the controversial agreement, told The Island that the decision to shift the Agriculture Ministry to a private building had been taken by the government and not by parliament contrary to a claim by Mahinda Amaraweera, who succeeded Duminda Dissanayake in a mini cabinet reshuffle.
In spite of finalising an agreement for a five-year period at a cost of Rs 1 bn, the building at Rajagiriya-Kotte wasn’t occupied for well over a year.
Wickremesinghe and Dissanayake appeared before the Presidential Commission appointed by President Sirisena following the SLFP’s exit from the yahapalana government. However, the police never initiated action despite the commissions’s findings and revelations by the Auditor General in his report.
The Colombo High Court has sentenced former Chief Minister of the North Central Province, S.M. Ranjith and his Private Secretary Shanthi Chandrasena to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs. 200,000 each after they were found guilty of corruption charges.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery Or Corruption (CIABOC) had filed the case alleging that the former Chief Minister had illegally obtained Rs. 2,080,500 as fuel allowances during his tenure.
Parliamentary staff members are contemplating trade union action in protest against what they describe as a downward revision of their allowances.
The salary revision, as detailed in a circular numbered DMS/Salary Revision/2025-1 (Management Services Circular 04/2025) dated March 25, 2025, has resulted in a reduction of Parliament workers’ allowances, and the decreases which vary, based on staff grades, range from 70% to 39%, raising concerns among Parliament staff, according to sources.
The 32-page circular, addressed to Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadheera, has been signed by Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development K. M. Siriwardhana.
Following the announcement of those revisions, parliamentary employees have expressed dissatisfaction, with their unions planning industrial action in the coming days. Sources confirmed that the staff members had already registered their protest with the parliamentary authorities.
The new salary revision has sparked widespread discontent among staff members.
Our attempts to contact General Secretary of Parliament Kushani Rohandheera were not successful.
By Saman Indrajith
Japan has funded a project to strengthen Sri Lanka’s commitment to tackling GBV (gender-based violence) and ensuring that survivors were not left without access to critical services.
As part of this project, six more Emergency Waiting Areas (EWAs) will be established in the coming weeks in Dharmapuram (Kilinochchi district), Murunkan (Mannar district), Uppuveli (Trincomalee district), Opanayake (Ratnapura district), Walapane (Nuwara Eliya district), and Modera (Colombo district).
Recently, Japanese ambassador in Colombo Akio Isomata and UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative Kunle Adeniyi, handed over the newly constructed Japan-funded EWA at the Kalutara South Police Station. The Japanese embassy said that this initiative was meant to ensure that survivors received the protection, dignity, and support they deserve when seeking assistance from law enforcement authorities.
The embassy said that there was a growing network of operational EWAs across Sri Lanka, including Jaffna, Mirihana, Pudukuduirippu, Nuwara Eliya, Mundalam, Batticaloa, and Kandy, where over 4000 women and children received support last year. These safe spaces serve as temporary resting areas, providing survivors of GBV with protection, psychosocial support, medical referrals, legal aid, and a survivor-centered approach to justice, the embassy said.
The establishment of the Kalutara South EWA was made possible with the generous funding of USD 34,000, from the People of Japan, and the construction was supported by World Vision Lanka.
Ambassador Isomata reaffirmed Japan’s continued dedication to supporting women and children in Sri Lanka and emphasized the role of safe spaces in ensuring a future free from violence. “Japan has been promoting the protection of women and children in Sri Lanka since Sri Lanka became a partner country for Japan in 2018 in promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda. This project also includes training for police officers handling victims, especially female officers, so that victims would feel safer in seeking refuge and counseling. I hope this project will be expanded by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Public Security and Police in order to strengthen the mechanism to protect women and children in vulnerable situations. It is also essential for Sri Lanka to ensure the legal measures against the violence and support for the self-reliance of women and children who seek refuge.”
Speaking at the ceremony, UNFPA Sri Lanka Representative, Kunle Adeniyi, underscored the significance of survivor-centered approaches in addressing GBV. “For a survivor, the decision to seek help is often fraught with fear: fear of judgment, disbelief, or retaliation. When they walk into a police station, they should not only find protection but also compassion and care. A survivor’s first interaction with law enforcement can shape their entire journey toward healing and justice. If they are met with understanding, respect, and support, they are more likely to pursue the help they need.”
US attacks kill 4 in Yemen as second aircraft carrier sent to Middle East
Former chief minister of North Central Province, SM Ranjith sentenced to 16 years RI
Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, North-western and North-central provinces and in Mannar and Vavuniya districts
-
Sports3 days agoSri Lanka’s eternal search for the elusive all-rounder
-
News2 days agoBid to include genocide allegation against Sri Lanka in Canada’s school curriculum thwarted
-
News4 days agoGnanasara Thera urged to reveal masterminds behind Easter Sunday terror attacks
-
Business5 days agoAIA Higher Education Scholarships Programme celebrating 30-year journey
-
News3 days agoComBank crowned Global Finance Best SME Bank in Sri Lanka for 3rd successive year
-
Features3 days agoSanctions by The Unpunished
-
Latest News1 day agoIPL 2025: Rookies Ashwani and Rickelton lead Mumbai Indians to first win
-
Features3 days agoMore parliamentary giants I was privileged to know