News
Corruption: Ex-top House official alleges negligence of successive Speakers
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Civil society activist and former Parliament Director Administration Lacille de Silva says that the Speaker should be held responsible for the continuing failure to initiate action in respect of reports submitted to the House.
The outspoken ex-official said so when The Island asked him whether he backed lawmaker Prof. Charitha Herath’s push for the empowerment of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to directly seek the intervention of the Attorney General. SLPP National List MP Herath recently alleged that his effort, in his former capacity as Chairman, the COPE, hasn’t found favour with the Parliament.
De Silva said that actually the Speaker could forward any report to the Attorney General or any other investigating authority, including the Committee to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
Responding to another query, De Silva emphasised that the Speaker was not bound by Standing Orders 119, 120 and 121 as regards the Committee on Public Accounts, Committee on Public Enterprises and Committee on Public Finance, respectively.
Lacille de Silva served as Director Administration from 2003 to 2013. The Speaker didn’t answer his hand phone. His staff promised to arrange the Speaker to call The Island though it didn’t materialize at the time we went to press.
The former official said that incumbent Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and his predecessors owed an explanation as to why disclosures made by watchdog committees hadn’t been sent to the Attorney General, CIABOC et al.
Emphasising the primary responsibilities of the Parliament as public finance and enactment of laws, De Silva said that the recent declaration by the UN Human Rights Commissioner that economic crimes had been perpetrated in Sri Lanka should be examined by the Parliament. The UN has called for punitive action against those responsible.
De Silva said that though Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, in his address to the ongoing 51 session of the Geneva-based UNHRC challenged the body for taking up an internal issue of the country, the Parliament couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for the current debt crisis.
The ex-official said that there had been only a few instances of the parliamentary reports being used against corruption. De Silva cited the Supreme Court ruling in respect of the acquisition of Lanka Marine Services by John Keells as a glaring case in point.
The historic judgment was delivered on July 21, 2008. De Silva said that the Supreme Court annulled that particular transaction and should have influenced the Parliament to use findings made by the watchdogs to fight corruption.
The ex-House administration head compared the responsibilities of the judiciary and the Speaker. Emphasizing he wasn’t targeting any individual, De Siva alleged that the Parliament still seemed to be on the same agenda even after the government accepted Sri Lanka’s bankrupt status.
The public protest campaign that forced Gotabaya Rajapaksa to give up executive office in July and continuing public agitation should prompt the Parliament at least now to take control of public finance. But, extremely serious allegations, directed at the Parliament by former COPE Chief Prof. Herath, meant that at least a section of lawmakers didn’t have faith in the parliamentary system. De Silva said that if the incumbent Speaker felt that Prof. Herath’s accusations were unjustifiable, the lawmaker should be appropriately dealt with.
Had successive Speakers exercised the powers without serving the interests of their respective parties, Sri Lanka wouldn’t have ended up bankrupt, De Silva said. Perhaps the Parliament should categorize reports received over the years and take tangible measures to have those on waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement examined, the ex-official said.
De Silva said that whatever party exercised executive powers, the legislature always managed to cover up corruption. Could any of the Speakers, since the enactment of the 1978 Constitution, explain why action hadn’t been taken in respect of findings made by the parliamentary watchdog committees, he asked.
News
Heat index at ‘Caution level’ in Northern, North-central, Eastern, North-western, Western provinces and Monaragala district today [09]
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology has issued a Warm Weather Advisory for 09 April 2025
The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, Eastern, North-western, and Western provinces and in Monaragala district.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned below is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
Prof. Jayasumana raises possibility of Lanka ending up with “Quad’
Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has said it is the responsibility of the NPP government to submit the MoUs/agreements that were recently signed with India to the respective Sectoral Oversight Committees (SOCs).
Premadasa said so when The Island raised the issue with him. He said that during his meeting with Premier Modi his focus had been on opening the Indian market for Sri Lankan garment exports.
The seven MoUs/agreements signed on 05 April included defence cooperation, energy, Eastern Province development and digitalisation.
Meanwhile, the Vice President of Sarvajana Balaya and former lawmaker Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that the government owed an explanation whether the recently signed MoU on defence cooperation directly or indirectly attached Sri Lanka to the Quad security alliance, consisting of the US, Australia, Japan and India.
The former SLPPer raised the issue at a meeting held at Boralesgamuwa on Monday (07) in support of Sarvajana Balaya candidates contesting the May 6 LG polls.
Prof. Jayasumana urged that the MoU on Defence Cooperation be placed before Parliament, and the people, without further delay. The academic who served as State Health Minister during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tenure said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s foreign policy direction should be dealt with.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The government would not extend the suspension of ‘parate executions’ that was now effective, Deputy Minister of Finance Harshana Suriyapperuma told Parliament yesterday.
Suriyapperuma said so in response to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, who asked about the government’s plans regarding a relief package to assist small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) struggling to repay loans.
Pointing out that about 263,000 SMEs had closed down, Premadasa asked what action the government would take to address the grievances of these SMEs.
He said that from 01 Jan., 2019, to 01 Dec., 31, 2023, licensed banks had collected Rs. 113.7 billion through 2,263 parate executions. As of 31 Dec., 2024, Rs. 1,380 billion had been recovered from Stage III defaulters.
The government has introduced loan schemes to assist SMEs impacted by the economic crisis. They included capital loans of up to Rs. 10 million, with a six-month grace period and a three-year repayment term at 8% interest, Suriyapperuma said. Additionally, another loan scheme under the consolidated fund aimed to help SMEs that werecurrently paying their loans. That scheme offered loans of up to Rs. 15 million, which must be repaid over ten years with a one-year grace period and a 7% interest rate. For SMEs that had defaulted on their loans, a loan of up to Rs. 5 million is available at 8% interest, with a six-month grace period and a five-year repayment term, Suriyapperuma said.
By Saman Indrajith
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