News
Govt. calls for action against ex-Speaker
By Saman Indrajith
Leader of the House and Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake yesterday called on Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne to look into the possibility of taking action against the former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, former Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa, and former Deputy Chairman of Committees Angajan Ramanathan for alleged excessive use of vehicles and fuel during their tenures.
Ratnayake said that following his exposure on 23 February, regarding the cost of fuel, vehicle use, electricity and water bills of former Speaker Abeywardena, the latter had issued a statement denying the matters exposed.
“As such, I believe it is my duty to further clarify the situation. In February 2023, I tabled some documents to support my claims. Today, I am tabling documents certified by the Director of Finance of Parliament, G. Sarath Kumara, detailing the costs incurred by Abeywardena, Deputy Speaker Rajapaksa, and former Deputy Chairman of Committees Ramanathan during the years 2022, 2023, and the first nine months of 2024,” Ratnayake said.
“For the first nine months of 2024, from 01 January to 30 September, former Speaker Abeywardena used nine vehicles and spent Rs. 34 million on fuel. Deputy Speaker Rajapaksa used six vehicles and spent Rs. 13 million on fuel, while former Deputy Chairman of Committees Ramanathan used four vehicles, incurring a cost of Rs. 7.2 million on fuel.
“For the 12 months from 01 January, 2023, to 31 December, 2023, Abeywardena used eight vehicles and spent Rs. 26 million on fuel. Deputy Speaker Rajapaksa used six vehicles and spent Rs. 14 million on fuel, while DCC Ramanathan used four vehicles and spent Rs. 7.8 million on fuel.
“This is the people’s money, and we must be accountable to the people. We are obligated to give an account to the people.
“Today, I also table some documents on the use of electricity, water, and food by Abeywardena during these years to be included in the Hansard.
“The documents I am tabling today have been certified by the Finance Director of Parliament. I request the Speaker to call for an audit or investigate the possibility of acting against these individuals,” Ratnayake said.
Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
By Saman Indrajith
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