Jail for corrupt ministers

Jail for corrupt ministers, Sri Lanka policymaker says
Aug 23, 2015

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s newly elected government will complete major reforms to make the economy more competitive within the first six months in office and put behind bars any Cabinet minister who becomes corrupt, a top policy maker said.

Harsha de Silva, a former Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Affairs, said the island’s competitiveness had fallen in recent years but the new government aims to make it the most competitive economy in the region.

"Amending legislation will happen at the speed of 'greased lightning'," he told the annual general meeting of the Spices and Allied Products Producers and Traders Association.

“The main reforms required will be done in the first six months, although some will be difficult to swallow.”

Previous administrations of the United National Party of which he is a member had done reforms within similar time frames of getting elected, de Silva said, referring to UNP governments in the late 1970s and 1990s.

“We will cut through all red tape for investors,” de Silva said. “Let me give you the assurance that we are not going to stop until we put policies in place to increase exports not 10-15 percent but by several fold.”

De Silva advocated tough action against politicians who become corrupt after being appointed as Cabinet ministers, noting how corruption in the ousted Rajapaksa regime had deterred foreign investors.

A proposed investment by German car manufacturer Volkswagen, now the world’s biggest automaker, never came through under the Rajapaksa regime as the “transaction cost was so high, the investment was not worth it,” de Silva said, alluding to bribes.

“The first minister who gets caught cheating (in the new government) should be put in jail,” he declared.

The new government has launched several probes into allegations of corruption under former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has denied any wrongdoing.

Politicians in the proposed new national government between the UNP and the main opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party will share responsibilities, not just through ministries but by involvement in parliamentary oversight committees, de Silva also said.

“Most elected members will have some responsibility. It will be different from the traditional government versus opposition (pattern). It will be something we have not seen before.” (Colombo/August 23 2015)

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Arrest of top politicians, Govt. officials imminent

by Ranil Wijayapala

The Financial Crime Investigations Division (FCID) is tipped to arrest several politicians and top government officials in the next few days, for alleged financial frauds, top government sources told the Sunday Observer.

The FCID, on the request of the Commissioner of Elections temporarily halted its process of summoning politicians, who were candidates at the August 17 parliamentary election, to record statements as it would have proved disadvantageous in the run up to an election.

“The FCID has commenced recording statements from those politicians by summoning them to the FCID,” Police spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

The Sunday Observer learns the FCID has sufficient evidence to arrest some politicians allegedly involved in financial frauds and are ready to make several arrests in the coming days.

According to sources, the FCID has already completed investigations on an alleged land deal by Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga who has been elected to Parliament from the UPFA, with over 300,000 preferential votes.

Top sources also said, preliminary information has been submitted to the FCID relating to the distribution of sil redi among Buddhist devotees during elections using State funds. In this connection, former Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Chairman, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC), Anusha Pelpita, are expected to be further questioned.

The FCID did not make any arrests in this regard but has completed its investigations and the next steps are inevitable, FCID sources said.

The investigation into the release of Rs.5 million to ‘Tharunyayata Hetak’ organization for ‘awareness creation regarding capital markets’ by the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) has concluded. According to the sources, the top three implicated in the investigations are former SEC Chairman Nalaka Godahewa, its Deputy Director General Dhammika Perera and a top official of the Tharunyayata Hetak organization, sources added.

The FCID has also completed investigations involving former Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa for alleged misuse of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) funds to buy goods from the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment(CWE) to be distributed among the voters during an election campaign.

“Due to the election, it was not possible to carry forward several investigations and also to take action with regard to the offenders linked to investigations already concluded. Now that the election is over, there is every intention to complete investigations and take action against wrongdoers, where investigations have been concluded,” the source added.