News

Crisis caused by decades of misuse public resources, corruption, kleptocracy – TISL

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/24

The Transparency International of Sri Lanka has presented a set of 15-point recommendations for anti-corruption law reforms.

The TISL said in a statement: 2022 has so far been a tumultuous year for Sri Lanka. With the country teetering dangerously close to defaulting, economists have noted that the situation will only get worse before it can get better.

TISL says the prevailing crisis has been caused by decades of misuse and mismanagement of public resources, kleptocracy, systemic corruption and an overall lack of transparency and accountability in both governance as well as in the public service sector.

At this important juncture, the decisions taken and the action or inaction of the leaders of the country will determine the uplifting or complete breakdown of the economy, with direct consequences to the lives of citizens. Therefore, ensuring maximum transparency and accountability of decisions at the highest level and taking immediate action to curb ongoing and possible corruption are essential if the country is to effectively implement any economic recovery plan. Hence, it is paramount that loopholes within the Constitution, national policies, laws, structures and systems are addressed in a manner that would minimise opportunities for corruption.

While a robust economic recovery plan is the need of the hour, if the people and systems that are entrusted with implementing such a plan are corrupt or perceived to be corrupt, there will be little to no acceptance from the people, who will have to bear the burden of this recovery plan.

In the light of the above, TISL hereby presents a set of recommendations that lays down the main anti-corruption reforms that are crucial immediately and in the medium / long terms, if Sri Lanka is to rise above the present crisis and bring about a real change:

1. Set the tone from the top – It is paramount that those who take leadership must have a clean track record that demonstrates their integrity and genuine commitment to serve the country, coupled with the required basic knowledge and expertise for their roles. A strong “zero-tolerance policy for corruption” needs to be adopted by the leaders, where they go beyond their word and reflect such principles in their actions.

2. Ensure transparency of all decisions taken with regard to solving the present crisis –Introduce an open digital platform to share all information related to the foreign donations and loans obtained, along with detailed information on how such funds are utilized and on decisions made by the Finance and other relevant Ministries and the Central Bank. It is essential to have frequent and regular press conferences to keep the people informed of the actions being taken on economic recovery and to conduct open consultations with relevant stakeholders prior to making important decisions.

3. Repeal the 20th Amendment –This amendment that removed essential accountability measures in governance should be repealed in order to bring back the checks and balances in governance that were brought in by the 19th Amendment.

4. Introduce provisions to strengthen Parliament’s oversight on Public Finance –It is crucial to tighten the controls on public finance by converting the outdated financial regulations into a comprehensive Finance Law that will cater to the present times and ensure parliamentary oversight as well. In addition, Constitutional recognition and empowerment is required for watch dogs on public finance – the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprise), COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) and CPF (Committee on Public Finance), to enhance their effectiveness.

5. Introduce mandatory accountability measures on public procurement –As public procurement is a process that is heavily targeted for grand corruption, it is essential to convert the existing National Procurement Guidelines to a law, and to establish mandatory procedures to follow in case of unsolicited proposals. Re-establishment and empowerment of the National Procurement Commission to oversee public procurement is also important.

6. Abolish the executive presidency –The Executive Presidency as designed in our Constitution has proven to be an avenue that leads to the concentration of great power on one individual, often leading to the abuse of such entrusted power to the detriment of the country. Therefore, it is important to create a mechanism with a Prime Minister and Cabinet that is accountable to the parliament.

7. Empower the law enforcement authorities and ensure their independence, so that they can take action to end impunity, by fearlessly, proactively and vigorously pursuing the perpetrators of corruption, irrespective of their political power or social status.

8. Begin the process to de-politicize the public service, by introducing required Constitutional amendments that would enhance the independence of the public officials.

9. Act Immediately on the findings of COPE, COPA, COPF, which have continuously unraveled massive abuse of public resources within public institutions.

10. Conduct an immediate audit of all SOEs –A financial audit and an overall review of all State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) need to be conducted to ascertain losses and misuse of public resources and to take immediate action to stop ongoing corruption. These savings will help the Government to channel more public funds to secure essential goods and services.

11. Recovery of stolen assets –Law enforcement officials need to take steps to immediately commence investigations, asset tracing and the asset recovery process in relation to questionable assets of public representatives and public officials held within and outside of the country.

12. Show us the money – Political parties need to respect the call of the people to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and accountability and make relevant policy decisions to voluntarily disclose their Asset Declarations to the general public, thereby paving way for a social audit of their assets. Steps need to also be taken to Amend the law on Asset Declarations, making public disclosure of asset declarations mandatory and introducing provisions to centralize the record maintenance and for regular review and proactive investigations on discrepancies.

13. Hold the enablers accountable –Public Officials, Big businesses, Banks and Financial Institutions, lawyers, accountants, real estate agents etc. are all part of the kleptocracy circle that pave way for, facilitate, support and benefit from grand corruption. Oversight entities such as the Public Service Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank, the Chamber of Commerce, The Bar Association, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants etc. and the citizens need to act as watchdogs and demand greater transparency and accountability from these parties as well.

14. Introduce the proposed composite law on Proceeds of Crime –Through this law Sri Lanka could establish an independent Asset Management Authority to manage recovered assets. This law will deal with all matters relating to recovery of stolen assets held overseas.

15. Introduce legislation to regulate election campaign financing, which is a starting point of corruption of public representatives.

Commenting on the current situation, TISL’s Executive Director Nadishani Perera stated “We urge the citizens to continue to actively seek information and knowledge on the types and impact of corruption and to be informed of the essential systemic and cultural changes needed to uplift the country. We stand with the citizens in demanding accountability and corrective action from our public representatives in a peaceful manner. Together we can weather this storm and create the change we thought may not be possible in our lifetime.”

All News Advertisement

News

Bambalapitiya Railway Station renovated under the “Dream Destination” project opened to the public

Published

7 hours ago

2026/09/11

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that Sri Lanka is now creating a common dream as a nation and that the Government’s objective is to make public transport the convenient choice for the people. The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the ceremony held to open the renovated Bambalapitiya Railway Station under the “Dream Destination” project.

The renovated Bambalapitiya Railway Station was opened to the public on 10 September under the “Dream Destination” project, jointly implemented by the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Sri Lanka Railways Department in line with the Clean Sri Lanka national programme. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the occasion.

The Prime Minister also inspected the renovated railway station, as well as the new pedestrian overpass providing access to the railway station, constructed by the Road Development Authority for which the Dawoodi Bohra community in Sri Lanka contributed Rs. 60 million.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed her special appreciation to the Bohra community for taking the initiative to renovate and provide the people with improved facilities at the Bambalapitiya Railway Station, a busy and well-known location in the Colombo District.

She stated that the renovation of public spaces and the provision of improved facilities have contributed to generating greater interest and a more positive perception of public transport among the people.

The Prime Minister also expressed her appreciation to the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, the Deputy Ministers and the staff for their contribution towards improving public transport services and attracting greater public interest towards these services.

The development of a country is not determined by the number of private vehicles it has. It is determined by the manner in which people use public transport. The Government’s objective is to improve the public transport service, which has disappointed the people for many years, and create a situation where people feel that public transport is more convenient and safer than using a private vehicle. The Government’s commitment to public transport is clearly demonstrated by the increased allocation of funds for the sector. The ’Dream Destination’ programme is another significant initiative under this effort, bringing together State institutions and the private sector to contribute to national development,” the Prime Minister stated.

“A country does not belong only to the Government. A country is the home for everyone who lives in it. It is the responsibility of all of us to contribute to that home through our knowledge, labour or resources. For a long time, we did not have a common dream as a country. Today, we feel that such a dream is beginning to emerge.

“We have a collective dream. The journey towards that dream is the collective journey we have begun together to build our country, which is our common home.

“What we witness here today is the active participation of our people, our diverse communities and the private sector in this journey. Such collective participation is essential to moving a country forward. Therefore, we deeply appreciate this contribution.

“The Bohra community reminds us today of the importance of this collective spirit. We have now embarked on a collective journey. We share a common dream of what our country should be, what the future of our country should look like and what kind of experience life in our country should offer. The Clean Sri Lanka national programme further strengthens these objectives,” the Prime Minister further stated.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara stated that increased funding would be allocated to the Sri Lanka Railways Department for development activities next year. He noted that public transport and railway services had not previously received sufficient attention from the Government, but that this would change moving forward.

“Our transport services are progressing step by step, and the railway system is a key component of this development. Accordingly, on the instructions of the President, we will commence the electric railway system, which has long been a dream for our country, next year. We expect to introduce electric railway services from Maradana to Makumbura, from Maradana to Panadura and from Maradana to Ragama. We will also commence work to extend the Kelani Valley railway line from Avissawella to Ratnapura.

He also appreciated the contribution made by private institutions towards the “Dream Destination” project without seeking any promotional benefits in return.

Speaking on behalf of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Khuzaimah Jefferjee stated that the Dawoodi Bohra community, which has been part of Sri Lanka’s social, cultural and economic landscape for more than 150 years, believes that being a citizen of the country means more than simply living in the country. It means contributing to the country, caring for it and leaving behind a better country for future generations.

He said that, as part of this responsibility, the community had taken steps to renovate, modernise and beautify the Bambalapitiya Railway Station. He added that the community hopes these efforts will make the daily journeys of passengers a cleaner, safer, more convenient and dignified experience.

The occasion was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Dr. Rizvie Sally, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council Vraie Cally Balthazar, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways Padmapriya, Janab Amil Saheb Ibrahim and representatives of the Dawoodi Bohra community, officials of the Clean Sri Lanka programme and several others.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Steps being taken to reduce paper usage in parliament and the public sector through digitalisation – PM

Published

7 hours ago

2026/09/11

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that steps are being taken to reduce the use of paper in Parliament and the public sector through digitalisation.

The Prime Minister made these remarks in Parliament on Thursday (10 September) in response to a question raised regarding digitalisation and the use of paper.

The Prime Minister further stated:

“The total expenditure incurred in 2023, 2024 and 2025 for the provision of Hansard reports, Order Books, Agendas and other parliamentary printed materials provided to Members of Parliament and Ministers for use within the Chamber is Rs. 45.3 million in 2023, Rs. 58.7 million in 2024 and Rs. 73.1 million in 2025.

All these printed materials have been produced based on requests made by Parliament. At the same time, a programme is currently being developed to reduce the use of paper.

In accordance with a request made by the Secretary to the Treasury to the Secretary-General of Parliament, the Committee on Parliamentary Business considered the possibility of submitting reports to Parliament solely in digital format in the future. It was decided to conduct a survey to ascertain the preference of each Member of Parliament. Based on the results of the survey, arrangements will be made to provide relevant documents digitally to Members who prefer digital copies, while printed copies will be provided to those who prefer printed versions.

Following the completion of this survey, arrangements will be made to implement the programme on a date to be determined by the Committee on Parliamentary Business.

Similarly, all ministries and government institutions are currently taking steps towards digitalisation while reducing their use of paper. However, this process will take some time. In this manner, particularly the exchange of files and many other such processes can be facilitated through digital systems in the future.

For example, in the Ministry of Education, applications for leave submitted by university lecturers for overseas travel were previously submitted to the Ministry in printed form. The entire process has now been digitalised. The Ministry, through the University Grants Commission, provides approval for such leave applications through a digital process. Ministries across the government are taking similar measures. We believe that once digital systems are fully established, we will be able to significantly reduce the use of paper.

Responding to a question regarding measures to reduce the weight of schoolchildren’s bags, the Prime Minister stated:

The weight of students’ books will be reduced through the activity-based learning process introduced under the new education reforms. Since the books will be kept in the classroom, students will no longer need to carry them back and forth. They will only need to take the books home at the end of the term after completing their work.

From 2027, a module-based learning process will be introduced for Grade 6. Modules will not consist of large textbooks; instead, students will be provided with modules relevant to each subject for the particular term. Therefore, this system will significantly reduce the weight of schoolchildren’s bags.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Latest News

INS Udaygiri departs Colombo concluding formal visit

Published

10 hours ago

2026/09/11

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri departed the Port of Colombo today, 11 September 2026, following the successful completion of a four day official visit.

On her departure, the Sri Lanka Navy bade farewell to the ship in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

During the visit, naval personnel from both navies engaged in joint initiatives to strengthen bilateral ties. These included a friendly volleyball match, a beach cleanup along the Galle Face
promenade, and a training exercise on Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy Special Boat Squadron (SBS).

As part of the visit, the Indian Navy handed over a consignment of spares and supplies to the Sri Lanka Navy. Visiting crew members also toured key tourist attractions in and around Colombo.

Official interactions of this nature aim to enhance cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the two maritime forces, supporting joint responses to evolving regional maritime challenges.