Responsibility lies with the Central Bank
Treasury bond scams:
-Prez tells COPE head
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, last January, told the then Chairman of Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) JVP lawmaker Sunil Handunetti that it was the responsibility of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to take action against those responsible for Treasury bond scams.
JVPer Handunetti said that President Rajapaksa said so in a letter sent to him in response to his request for presidential intervention in the Treasury bond scams investigation. The JVPer displayed the letter received from the President.
Revealing that he wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on January 27, 2020, the JVPer said that he felt the President had received a mandate to ensure speedy conclusion of the Treasury bond scams case.
The revelation was made during a live television debate on Derana ‘Wada Pitiya’ on Tuesday (3) anchored by Chatura Alwis. Former National List MP Handunetti appreciated President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s stand while pointing out copies of the letter that had been addressed to him were sent to the Attorney General, the Governor of the Central Bank Auditor General as well as the National Audit Secretariat.
In addition to Sunil Handunetti, former lawmakers Daya Gamage (UNP), Jayantha Samaraweera (NFF) and Weerakumara Dissanayake (UPFA) participated in the discussion.
Former MP Handunetti emphasized the stand taken by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa proved that the Central Bank was responsible for taking action on this matter. Those who questioned the Central Bank on its right to call for Forensic Audits should take notice of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s stand on this issue.
At the onset of the programme, JVPer Handunetti, in response to a query alleged that the recent action taken in respect of the Treasury bond scams was political. Handunetti, while pointing out such action should be examined against the backdrop of impending general election, welcomed the Attorney General issuing instructions to the Acting IGP to arrest 12 persons, including fugitive former CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendran, his son-in-law Arjuna Aloysious and former UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake.
Former MP Handunetti said that it would have been better if action had been taken before the dissolution of parliament.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, dissolved parliament at midnight on Monday (2).
Referring to the five Forensic Audits which dealt with 2015 and 2016 scams, the JVPer said that even the gang of thieves responsible for massive corruption must have been really surprised the way politicians protected them.
Former MP Handunetti acknowledged that though President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should accept political responsibility, the current leadership of the Central Bank was answerable to ensuring proper investigation. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had quite rightly sent copies of the letter addressed to Handunetti to those who were responsible for handling the issue.
The former National List MP said that incumbent Attorney General as the senior person who spearheaded the AG Department team at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI) knew the treasury bond scams. Handunetti, who headed the second COPE said that if the case was allowed to proceed it could be brought to a successful conclusion. Once launched the process couldn’t be halted, the JVPer said, underscoring the importance of punishing all those responsible regardless of their standing in the society.
Handunetti said that there had been accusations that action had been taken against those responsible conveniently leaving the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe out.
Former MP Weerakumara Dissanayake, the incumbent SLFP spokesman and the then COPE member said that those officials involved in Treasury bond scams and other mega corrupt deals were degree holders. They had the knowledge and the expertise to carry out scams and that ordinary people couldn’t do such things.
Daya Gamage alleged that an attempt was being made to take the then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake into custody thereby targeting the UNP. The UNPer alleged that though his party was targeted, treasury bond scams happened in 2009.
Former MP Handunetti said that Treasury bond scams were happening since 2005. The JVPer asked Daya Gamage as to why the UNP didn’t investigate Treasury bond scams after regaining power in 2015.
Handunetti flayed the UNP for summoning a COPE meeting at the Temple Trees to discuss Treasury bond scams.
Handunetti alleged that major political parties deceived the public. The public lacked understanding and were routinely duped by politicians, the JVPer said. The former MP pointed out that if the public were not so gullible, they couldn’t be deceived like this.
