News

Accused of cronyism, Kirielle dares govt. members to reveal information about their bank accounts

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/10

By Saman Indrajith

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy and District MP Lakshman Kiriella, speaking in Parliament, on Tuesday (8), challenged the government MPs and Ministers to reveal details of their bank accounts.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella said: “Can any of the MPs and Ministers in the government ranks tell this House how much money he or she has in his or her bank account? Is there at least a single MP who can do that? At the time of our government during a budget debate I revealed how much money I have in my bank account.

“I did that and even got faulted by my wife for doing so. She asked me why I had revealed it to the House because it consisted of what had been earned from practising law for over 20 years and inherited.”

Kiriella said so after SLPP Gampaha District MP Milan Jayatilaka, participating in the budget debate on the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Highways, accused the former of having allocated funds for the Ministry of Higher Education at the expense of the Highways Ministry. “MP Kirirella was the Minister of Higher Education and highways under the yahapalana government. While allocating Rs. 134 billion for highways, only Rs 77 billion was allocated for higher education. He gave road construction to a company by the name of Olympus, which did nothing but took away the money. There is a company called Kandy Construction. Its directors are his relatives, who controlled all construction contracts, the MP said.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella said: If you have any suspicion you can complain to the COPE. He mentioned a company called Kandy Constructions. I do not know of a company by that name and request that member to submit the names of the directors to Parliament so that we could see whether I have my relatives there. These are lies. Usually, when a backbencher speaks, others feed him with information. We too had the same experience. I sympathise with you. In 2017, the JVP brought a motion against me, making various allegations. In response to them, I revealed the figures of all money I have in bank accounts. Can you do the same?”

Opposition MPs shouted that they could.

Kiriella: So get up and tell the House how much you have in your account.

Transport Services State Minister Dilum Amunugama: There are many issues and problems before the COPE as regards the Highways Ministry. I do not know whether you are responsible for them, but there are issues.

Kiriella: So we can have a debate on the COPE report.

Hambantota District SLPP MP Dr Upul Galappaththi: We are ready to reveal the details of our bank accounts. Can you ask the former ministers who are now in the Opposition as MPs to do the same?

Badulla District SLPP MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake: We have given declarations of assets when we became MPs.

Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: I am challenging you to get up here and tell the House.

Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando: I respect our chief opposition whip, but what he is asking for is meaningless. Can anyone expect those who steal money to keep it in bank accounts?

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News

Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.

Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).

Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).

In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable

Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.

The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay

by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

News

Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Bimal

The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.

The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.

The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.

Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.

Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.

Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.

by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake

News

Two arrested for aiding and abetting murder

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.

The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.

Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.

Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.

Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.

by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva