Sirisena Vetoes Rajitha’s Cabinet Paper On Corruption Probes
May 17, 2016
A joint Cabinet paper submitted by Rajitha Senaratne, Champika Ranwaka, Arjuna Ranatunge and Sarath Fonseka, seeking the progress over corruption investigations was vetoed this morning by PresidentMaithripala Sirisena, who informed minsters that the Cabinet meeting was ‘not the place’ to discuss such issues.
President Sirisena
Senaratne’s cabinet paper comes amidst increasing exasperation by both the public and civil organisations, who have alleged that the government is soft peddling corruption investigations.
Highly placed sources said that Sirisena had however assured to give Senaratne and other concerned ministers a ‘separate meeting’ if they wished to discuss the progress of the investigations of bribery and corruption carried out under the previous regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The vetoed Cabinet paper comes, less than 24 hours after the Anti-Corruption Front accused the governmentof failing to take action against those involved in bribery and corruption, while also accusing the AG’s Department of inefficiency, despite the Financial Crimes Investigations Division completing many investigations, and have submitted the necessary information to the Department to file action.
