Panama Papers revelations: Call for verifying parliamentarians’ asset declarations
by Shamindra Ferdinando--April 17, 2016, 7:34 pm
Attorney-at-law Chrishmal Warnasuriya yesterday stressed the pivotal importance of having asset declarations furnished by all members of parliament to the Election Commission/National Elections Commission (NEC) thoroughly investigated.
The NEC comprises Mahinda Deshapriya, Dr. Nalin Abeysekera and Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole.
Asset declarations made to Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya or his predecessors before the establishment of the NEC late last year in accordance with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution could shed light on irregularities, Warnasuriya said.
The senior lawyer was responding to a query by The Island pertaining to the responsibility for inquiring into Sri Lankans allegedly involved in recently released Panama Papers as well as those named in a document released in June 2013.
Of those who had been named in June 2013 leaked document, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka’s advisor Vidya Amarapala, quit pending investigations. The list contained about 40 buisinessmen including those in leisure, tourism promotion, travel industry, health care, capital market promotion, power generation for the state sector, state procurement, and major automobile importer
The country lacked an independent cohesive mechanism to verify asset declarations furnished by those who had been nominated by various political parties to contest parliamentary polls, Warnasuriya, who was included in the JVP National List at August 2015 general election said. The JVP left both Warnasuriya and former Auditor General S.C. Mayadunne out of its nominated list. The JVP opted for two defeated candidates.
Warnasuriya said that it would be necessary to examine all declarations without restricting examination of documents belonging to those under investigation.
Head of NEC Deshapriya told The Island yesterday that the Election Commissioner/NEC always cooperated with relevant institutions with judicial powers. According to Deshapriya, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), the police, courts as well as specialized units like Financial Crimes Investigating Division (FCID) sought information.
Warnasuriya said that it would be essential to look into the suitability of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) inquire into politicians due to it being ultimately coming under the purview of the Finance Minister.
Asked whether special courts were required to deal with mega corrupt cases, Warnasuriya asserted that unless tangible measures could be taken to expedite the overall legal process, there was no harm in having special courts. However, every effort should be made to expedite the legal process before resorting to special courts, Warnasuriya said. The attorney-at-law insisted that all political parties and civil society should be concerned about the deterioration of financial discipline in every sector.
Recently leaked Panama Papers as well as June 2013 revelations in respect of those having offshore accounts underscored the urgent need to establish an effective mechanism to undertake high profile investigations. Explaining an opportunity given by the US to him recently to study systems in place to fight corruption, Warnasuriya said that Sri Lanka should also develop a method to scrutinize funding received by various political parties.
Three Sri Lankan companies and 22 shareholders named in Panama Papers are yet to be revealed.
Warnasuriya said that recent fiasco in Dubai highlighted the need to review strategies. The Yahapalana government inquiring into funds allegedly deposited in Dubai during the previous administration suffered a serious setback. The government couldn’t ignore the need to take remedial measures, Warnasuriya said.
In the run-up to last presidential and parliamentary polls, in January and August, 2015, respectively, those who campaigned against President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well as his candidature as the UPFA prime ministerial candidate, repeatedly alleged the Rajapaksas having USD 18 bn in offshore accounts.
Warnasuriya asserted that the government efforts could have succeeded if proper consideration was given to relevant factors before seeking Dubai intervention to have an account belonging to a Sri Lankan politician frozen in late last year. Warnasuriya alleged that the government hadn’t been able to bring to book anyone of those who were accused of amassing wealth at the expense of the national economy.
Responding to another query, Warnasuriya said that the government hadn’t so far contradicted reports that Dubai court rejected Sri Lanka’s request to freeze funds on the basis that the holder of the account/s was not convicted in Sri Lanka, nor a case filed against him in any court.
Warnasuriya warned of dire consequences unless remedial measures were taken soon. The attorney-at-law urged the powers that be not to wait till the next national election to rush into ill-advised and hurried actions ignoring proper counsel and advise. The electorate would continue to pursue the matter in the absence of effective parliamentary opposition to what was going on much to the disappointment of those who wanted a genuine change, Warnasuriya said.
