News

Economic meltdown: Mujibur says Prez should resign

Published

4 years ago

2022/06/30

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Top Samagi Jana Balavegaya spokesman Mujibur Rahman yesterday (29) said that having publicly admitted that his failure to address economic issues in a prudent manner had led to the current crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had no moral right to remain in office.

The Colombo District lawmaker told the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office that it wouldn’t be fair under any circumstances to continue the remaining period in office as he didn’t want to quit as a failure.

MP Rahman explained why the SJB would step up campaign against the President against the backdrop of the country acknowledging bankruptcy.

Referring to the then Finance Minister Ali Sabry’s recent declaration on a Swarnavahini interview that the President’s economic advisors, Treasury Secretary and the Governor of the Central Bank misled both him and the Cabinet of Ministers with regard to the economic environment, MP Rahman asked what action the government intended to take against them.

MP Rahman said that the entire Cabinet of Ministers, including the President should have resigned on May 19, 2022, the day the incumbent Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe announced Sri Lanka wouldn’t be able to pay back its debts until it restructured them. Had that happened, a truly interim administration would have been able to address the issues in hand, MP Rahman said.

Responding to another query, lawmaker Rahman emphasized that there couldn’t be any uncertainty as regards the culpability for the ruination of the economy. Recent disclosures made at parliamentary watchdog committees, particularly the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) could be the basis for punitive action against former presidential secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera (Nov 2019-Dec 2021), former Central Bank Governors, Prof. W.D. Lakshman (Nov 2019-Sept 2020) and Ajith Nivard Cabraal (Sept 2020 to March 2022) and former Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle (Nov 2019 to April 2022). The MP pointed out that the five-member Monetary Board, too, had been exposed and it would be the government’s responsibility to inquire into the happenings since 2019.

MP Rahman challenged the government to explain how it intended to address the contentious issue of accountability. The former UNPer said that the parliamentary watchdog committees headed by SLPP members had given enough ammunition to sink the government. The lawmaker explained how the COPE proceedings had helped the Parliament to establish the truth regarding the primary reason for the current crisis. Dr. PBJ had been named as the one who decided to turn down the IMF call to restructure Sri Lanka’s debt if the government intended to secure its assistance, MP Rahman said, stressing on the responsibility of the Parliament to act on the information elicited at watchdog committee meetings.

Rahman asked the government to act on House findings without further delay.

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Treasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia

Published

31 mins ago

2026/04/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

Nagananda / Harshana

New controversy erupts over missing USD 2.5 mn:

Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has sought citizenship details of Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

According to a letter dated 28 April, addressed to the relevant department, Solicitor England and Wales Kodituwakku sought the required information in terms of Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act No 3 of 1982 of Australia. Suriyapperuma is also the Secretary to the Treasury.

The former Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Suriyapperuma (from November 2024 to June 2025) is embroiled in a deepening controversy over the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.

The leader of the Vinivida Foundation said that he intended to move court against Suriyapperuma for entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of the country’s Constitution (Article 91(1)(d)(xiiii).

Kodituwakku said: “This is clearly an accountability and integrity issue and violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also this act contravenes the law of a member in the Commonwealth.”

USD 2.5 mn paid to a third party was meant to be an instalment of a loan taken from Australia. Suriyapperuma neither responded to an SMS nor answered his hand phone.

Geetha Kumarasinghe (UPFA/Galle District) and Diana Gamage (SJB National List) lost their seats in 2017 and 2024, respectively, over citizenship issues.

Meanwhile, public interest group ‘Free Lawyers’ that exposed the theft of Treasury funds questioned the failure on the part of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), to pressure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to temporarily remove Suriyapperuma to facilitate unhindered investigations.

On behalf of ‘Free Lawyers’, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday expressed concern over the way the CoPF, under SJBer de Silva’s leadership, handled the issue at hand. Issuing an open letter, Tennakoon, urged the CoPF chief to explain his stand on a spate of vital issues which needed to be addressed without any further delay.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

News

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara

Published

33 mins ago

2026/04/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara (Sue Tue Nhan) at the conclusion of the 161 km ‘International Peace Walk’ in Colombo yesterday. The Bo-sapling will be taken to the US by the spiritual leader. Pic by Sujata Jayaratne

News

USD 625,000 meant for US Postal Service goes missing

Published

34 mins ago

2026/04/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday revealed that a USD 625,000 payment made by Sri Lanka’s Department of Posts to the US Postal Service (USPS) had not been received by the intended party.

The declaration was made at the post-Cabinet media briefing.

According to the Minister, an investigation has been initiated into the incident.

The Minister said that an investigation was underway within the Sri Lanka Postal Department regarding the missing funds paid to the US Postal Service.

He added that the US Postal Service has indicated the non-receipt of a payment amounting to USD 625,000, and that investigations were being conducted by both the Postal Department and the CID to determine how the incident occurred.