Had there been no other option, Lalith could have quit over move to distribute sil redi -former AG

Recalls how Indrani Sugathadasa resigned in Dec 2011

Mayadunne



by Shamindra Ferdinando-September 15, 2017, 10:55 pm 

Former Auditor General S.C. Mayadunne has said that the proposed National Audit Bill (NAB) could come to the rescue of top public officials under political pressure to carry out directives contrary to existing financial rules and regulations.

They could turn down such directives such as the utilization of TRC (Telecommunication Regulatory Commission) funds to provide sil redi in the run up to the January 2015 presidential polls, Mayadunne said.

Having asserted that former Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, who functioned as the Chairman, TRC and its Director General Anura Palpita wouldn’t have been in trouble today, if they adhered to the law, Mayadunne, who emphasized the urgent need to introduce the NAB without further delay, was responding to Bandula Jayasekera on Sirasa Pathikada that dealt with urgent requirements to have stronger safeguards to tackle waste, corruption and irregularities in the wake of the Colombo HC ruling in the sil redi case.

Mayadunne accused the ruling UNP-SLFP coalition of purposely delaying the passage of the NAB, one of the key electoral promises that was to be implemented during President Maithripala Sirisena’s much touted 100-day programme. President Sirisena has delayed its implementation by over two years.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s administration held the proposed NAB for over a decade much to the disappointment of the Attorney General’s Department.

Responding to another query from Jayasekera, Mayadunne said top officials could turn down illegal directives citing tougher laws, adding that the proposed NAB would enhance protection to public servants.

Having briefly discussed the circumstances under which Lalith Weeratunga’s wife, Indrani Sugathadasa, the then head of the Securities and Exchange Commission had quit in Dec 2011 under controversial circumstances, Mayadunne said that she obviously took that decision as she felt she could not serve in that capacity. Mrs Sugathadasa told the media at that time in view of the unfolding circumstances and to uphold her principles, ethics, integrity and professionalism she quit the top post.

Mayadunne, who had been on the JVP National List at the last parliamentary polls though being overlooked by the Marxist party, said that as the Chief Accounting Officer of the TRC, Weeratunga could have pointed out the illegality of the proposed transaction. Alleging that President Rajapaksa could have been given dead rope by someone or those who had been close to him at that time, Mayadunne said that the former leader should have quit if he didn’t have any other option.

Mayadunne called the Rs 600 mn transaction misappropriation of TRC funds.

Contrary to the Joint Opposition’s claim that the HC ruling would bring the entire public service under pressure and officials declined to carry out legitimate directives, Mayadunne said that judicial action certainly strengthened the public service. The sil redi ruling would be a deterrent to those planning to engage in such enterprises in the future, Mayadunne said.

Declaring that the parliament exercised control over financial matters, Mayadunne underscored the pivotal importance of implementing the law to the letter regardless of repercussions.

Jayasekera strongly disputed Mayadunne’s assertion that the voting public were responsible for corrupt politicians entering parliament.

Mayadunne alleged that those who had been in the Opposition, now in power as well as those dreaming of capturing political power resented tougher laws, such as the proposed NAB.

The retired Auditor General asserted that had the NAB been in place bond scams of Feb 2015 and March 2016 and misappropriation of TRC funds way back in 2014 wouldn’t have happened. Mayadunne declared that Weeratunga’s predicament was due to him not following the laws in place.

Subsequently, Mayadunne told The Island that two influential groups were strongly opposed to the empowering of the Auditor General through the passage of the NAB. According to him, corrupt politicians, both in and outside parliament had thwarted the NAB and succeeded in diluting it to such an extent the whole exercise was meaningless. Mayadunne said an influential section of public servants, too, had opposed the proposed Bill as they felt they wouldn’t be able to override the AG.

He said the law abiding politicians and officials would welcome tougher laws as they could take cover behind it. But, those who had been opposed to the NAB were hell bent on taking advantage of the national economy.

The outspoken official said the parliament was accountable for what was happening in the public sector. The parliament couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for massive waste, corruption and irregularities, Mayadunne said, urging political parties and officials to introduce the original NAB without further delay. Tougher action was required to address corruption issues, he said that the Sil Redi judgment couldn’t be ignored by political parties whatever their differences over other matters.