News
Sheer negligence on the part of Treasury, Parliament revealed
ICTA, a state entity outside public scrutiny; billions of rupees lost
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka has not been subjected to proper Treasury or parliamentary oversight though it is a vital state institution, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has revealed.
The failure on the part of successive governments to ensure proper oversight has revealed massive losses amounting to billions of rupees over the years, recent COPE investigations have found.
Responding to The Island queries, authoritative sources said that the ICTA, established in terms of the Information and Communication Technology Act No. 27 of 2003, (ICT Act) and amended by Act No. 33 of 2008, had operated outside government scrutiny.
Their response to AG’s query on its operations had been callous with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) asserting the institution did not have to answer such questions.
The ICTA was set up in 2003-2004 with funds made available by the World Bank, during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s tenure as the Premier received WB backing, in 2011. ICTA has since been funded by taxpayers’ money though the Treasury and Parliament have turned a blind to what was going on, according to sources.
Top ICTA management had been paid outside the public sector salary structure with the CEO entitled for Rs. 755,000 a month, Legal Advisor Rs. 620,000, Senior Project Manager Rs. 525,000, Chief of Projects Rs. 535,000 and eight Project Managers Rs. 245,000 each, sources said.
Parliamentary watchdog committee COPE under the leadership of SLPP National List MP Prof. Charitha Herath recently inquired into the ICTA operations during yahapalana administration. However, the ICTA, during its existence has operated irresponsibly resulting in massive losses, parliamentary sources said.
COPE headed by Prof. Herath includes Mahinda Amaraweera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Rohitha Abegunawardena, Susil Premajayantha, Jayantha Samaraweera, Dilum Amunugama, Indika Anuruddha Herath, (Dr.) Sarath Weerasekara, D.V. Chanaka, (Dr.) Nalaka Godahewa, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Rauff Hakeem, Anura Dissanayaka, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Jagath Pushpakumara, Eran Wickramaratne, Ranjan Ramanayake, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S.M. Marikkar, Premanath C. Dolawatte and Shanakiyan Rajaputhrian Rasamanickam.
COPE inquiry has revealed sheer negligence on the part of successive governments, which allowed ICTA to pursue an agenda of its own, causing massive losses though recent media reportage focused on the UNP-initiated Google Loon project that resulted in over Rs 1 bn loss in addition to a staggering Rs 6,427,941 spent on project promotions.
Parliamentary sources acknowledged that ICTA hadn’t been subjected to scrutiny since the change of government in Nov. 2019. Regardless of change of government, the ICTA had continued the way it had been operating under successive governments, sources said.
Sources said Sri Lanka needed ICTA to be in charge of digital platforms besides the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC). However, at a time the country was facing a severe financial crisis due to the , the public sector couldn’t be allowed to cause further losses.
The COPE is expected to summon 16 more state enterprises in January and February, 2021 for examination of their status.
Recent revelations by watchdog committees-COPE and COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) had sent shockwaves through Parliament, sources said, adding that the decision to issue statements on behalf of the committees by Communications Department helped efforts to set the record straight. Therefore, there couldn’t be any ambiguity as regards the findings, sources said, underscoring the right of the public to know what was happening.
Recent COPE investigation revealed how ICTA had, in Nov 2013, abandoned a project meant to pay several categories of pensioners, including armed forces in Western Province online after spending a staggering Rs 278.54 mn.
Another failed ICTA project-Lanka Government Network cost the taxpayer Rs 148.33 mn during previous UNP-SLFP administration.
One of the most shocking findings was the rejection of ICTA 2017 Corporate plan after having spent Rs 2,737,000 on it. To the dismay of ICTA, COPE has called for a progress report on ICTA corporate plans since 2003.
Executive Director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi yesterday (28) said that there were three major concerns regarding the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2026. Acknowledging the recent Supreme Court determination, in respect of the above-mentioned Bill, that three of the provisions were not consistent with the Constitution, requiring a special majority in Parliament, with one clause requiring approval by the people at a Referendum, Hettiarachchi said nonetheless PAFFREL had decided to bring their concerns to the notice of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Responding to The Island queries, Hettiarachchci said that PAFFREL sent a letter, dated 24 Sept., to President Dissanayake, regarding the issue at hand.
Petitions against the Bill was heard before a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Shiran Gooneratne, Mahinda Samayawardena and Sampath Wijeratne.
PAFFREL and Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) were among the petitioners who challenged the proposed amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023. “We did so in public interest,” Hettiarachchchi said, adding that three major concerns were (i) the breadth of the proposed redaction power and the proposed criminalisation of certain uses of publicly accessible redacted asset declarations, particularly in relation to freedom of expression, and the public’s right to meaningfully receive and impart information (ii) raising of the State or public-corporation shareholding threshold for certain asset declaration obligations from 25% to 50%, as this could exclude officers of State-linked entities in which the State holds less than 50%, in spite of such entities exercising public functions and managing public resources and (iii)role of the Director General Ranga Dissanayake.
Hettiarachchchi emphasised that though the PARREL appreciated the way CIABOC DG handled his responsibilities, centreing of power on one person was not acceptable.
Hettiarachchi urged President Dissanayake and the 159-member government parliamentary group to pay attention to concerns raised by those who moved court against the controversial Bill and address their concerns though the Parliament received the SC determination.
An International Monetary Fund mission that visited Colombo recently warned that the proposed amendments could weaken the country’s anti-corruption framework.
The mission, led by Evan Papageorgiou, was in the country from 10 to 23 September for discussions on the seventh review of the Extended Fund Facility and the 2026 Article IV consultation. (SF)
The Supreme Court yesterday (28) dismissed two petitions filed by retired Flight Lieutenant Shantha Jayathilake against Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara and Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne, and Rev. Father Cyril Gamini, alleging them of committing contempt of court.
They were the first cases dealt by the Supreme Court after the enactment of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
The recipient of gallantry medal alleged that contempt of court had been committed through an affidavit previously submitted to the Supreme Court by Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne.
The other petition alleged that contempt of court had been committed through the contents of a complaint submitted to the Criminal Investigation Department by Rev. Father Cyril Gamini.
The Supreme Court ordered that both petitions be dismissed without being taken up for hearing.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday (28) named former Minister and leader of the SLPP parliamentary group Namal Rajapaksa as the fourth suspect in the Krrish case before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The MP was named as the fourth suspect in the wake of the arrest and remanding of former Executive Officer and Director of the Krrish Group, Janaki Siriwardena, regarding the payment of Rs. 70 mn to Namal Rajapaksa to facilitate the land transaction. Police arrested Ms. Siriwardena on 24 September and she was remanded till 6 Oct. pending investigations.
The investigation focuses on 4.3 acre land development in the Fort area that began in the 2013-2014 period. Investigations were launched in 2016 by the Yahapalana government, following a complaint lodged by Wasantha Samarasinghe, now a Minister in the current Cabinet.
The Indian company in this controversy is Krrish Transworks Colombo (Pvt.) Ltd .
The CIABOC named Namal Rajapaksa as a suspect in the Krrish case while he was remanded over two cases in respect of Airbus bribery probe. (SF)
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