Jayatissa calls for investigation into previous govt’s luxury vehicle issue
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa urged the government to investigate what happened to the luxury vehicles worth Rs. 2.87 billion purchased by the previous government after a number of MPs who were alleged to have used them claimed that they had neither received nor used such vehicles.
“Having bought the said vehicles for Rs.2.87 billion, if these MPs are claiming that they did not receive or use these vehicles, then I urge you (Speaker) to call for a CID investigation to determine what happened to these vehicles.
“The vehicles had been imported under individual names of ministers and not even the ministries. If the ministers are claiming that the vehicles imported under their names were not used by them, then it should be investigated as to who used these vehicles, and where they are now. New ministers don’t need new vehicles as these vehicles are available. But, we must know who is using them at present, and where they are being kept,” said Jayatissa.
Power Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and former ministers Ranjith Aluwihare, Gayantha Karunathilaka, Lucky Jayawardena, Harin Fernando, and J. C. Alawathuwala also denied that they had purchased luxury vehicles during the previous government.
Meanwhile, referring to Minister Johnston Fernando’s statement on this matter, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said, “Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando read only the names of ministries that had purchased these vehicles. I am also accused of purchasing a Mercedes Benz, because I headed a Ministry. However, I have not used one. I have lodged a complaint with the CID, requesting them to investigate this matter.”
Joining the debate, MP Mano Ganesan pointed out that 60% of the value of imported vehicles had been returned to the Treasury. “This, too, must be considered when valuing these vehicles. These vehicles that were imported are being used by current ministers.”
MP Jayatissa, who had initially raised the oral question that Fernando responded to, said that the government must investigate what had happened to these vehicles.
“They should be in Sri Lanka, and someone is using them. Therefore, we urge the Chief Government Whip to reveal the names of the ministers who had ordered these vehicles, their prices, as well as the date of the purchases, by this Thursday, before Parliament is dissolved.”
Handunnetti calls for punishing of Bond Scam culprits
COPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti urged parliamentarians not to divide based on party affiliations, but to work together to punish those involved in the Bond Scam, irrespective of which party they belong to.
He urged MPs not to divide these scams as those between 2005 and 2015, but as those that happened after 2015.
“There is no need to start another investigation as that could delay current investigations,” he said.
He said this in response to Lakshman Kiriella alleging that Rs.9.8 billion of EPF funds had been embezzled during the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration through the issuance of Treasury Bonds, during the debate on the Forensic Audit report on the Treasury Bond Scam.
“During the Rajapaksa regime, 18 fake companies were established, and the losses could not be recovered. The loss caused by Perpetual Treasuries could be recovered by seizing their assets,” Kiriella said.
“Legal action can be taken using the Forensic Audit report, and those responsible for irregularities could be punished in court,” he added.
No fresh investigation needed for Bond Scam - Handunnetti
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunnetti yesterday moved an adjournment debate on the Forensic Audit Reports pertaining to the Central Bank Bond Scam between 2002 and February 28, 2015.
Opening the debate, MP Handunnetti urged the House not to let the culprits of the financial crime due to party politics.
“It is clear that there is an attempt to establish an idea that a fresh investigation is necessary to take legal action against the culprits of the Bond Scam. COPE, the Auditor-General, and the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, have carried out investigations on this scam,” he said.
“This forensic report does not refuse any of the findings we have done. Therefore, we don’t need fresh investigations. If the government is concerned that its earlier cases of mismanagement would come out due to these reports, we would like to propose you to focus on the fourth report from this Forensic Audit as it focuses on the Bond Scam that happened in 2015,” he added.
“Start taking legal measures against these responsible parties prior to the Parliament is dissolved. If you want to bring the culprits to justice, focus on that at least. Do not let these white-collar scammers go,” Handunnetti urged.
Meanwhile, Handunnetti pointed out that only 71 MPs have obtained the Forensic Audit Report from the Parliament library. The report was tabled in January, 2020. “What about the rest of the MPs? I am not sure if we would be able to successfully continue this debate. This is a scam that demands good subject knowledge to understand. Some are questioning the technicalities of the investigations. Do not let such obstacles protect the scammers,” Handunnetti said.
‘Former regime’s fuel-pricing formula to be scrapped’
The debt incurred due to the previous government’s implementation of the fuel-pricing formula stands at Rs.592 billion, Power and Energy Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
Responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa under Parliamentary Standing Order 27(2), he said the current government has no intention of implementing the formula and inconvenience the public.
“It is not suitable to consider the cost of living and revise fuel prices. Although fuel prices in the world market has temporarily dropped due to the coronavirus outbreak, there is an indication that they could rise again by the second week of February. Therefore, there is no need to revise the fuel prices based on a temporary price reduction,” Amaraweera said.
At present, there is a concession offered on diesel and kerosene, he said, adding that as there was no price increase when fuel prices had risen, there is no need for price reduction due to the current price either, he said.
The minister added that the government is always committed to revising domestic prices in accordance with world market prices in order to grant people an advantage.
“In January, fuel prices increased, but the government absorbed the loss and did not burden the public by increasing prices. Due to the coronavirus, although prices have dropped, there is a tendency for it to increase by mid-February. Hence, we need to evaluate the market tendencies and revise prices.
“Although the previous government implemented the fuel-pricing formula, which resulted in a loss of Rs.592 billion; by maintaining a stable fuel price, our government was able to grant a Rs.12-million advantage to the people,” Minister Amaraweera said.
Bond Scam Forensic Audit Report illegal - Aluthgamage
The Forensic Audit Report on Treasury Bond Scams is neither legal nor valid and should not have been tabled by MP Sunil Handunnetti in his capacity as the Chairman of the Committee of Public Enterprise (COPE), Power State Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said in Parliament, yesterday.
He made these observations joining the adjournment motion moved by JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti on the Forensic Audit Report on the Treasury Bond issue.
Aluthgamage also said that the Forensic Report is a move to absolve former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from his involvement in the Bond Scam in 2015. Thus, an irresponsible move like this is a conflict of interest as well, he observed.
Aluthgamage added that since the report was produced without even consulting the Auditor-General, it should not have been presented by COPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti.
“Had the report been tabled by another MP, I would not have made it an issue. However, Handunnetti is the Chairman of the Committee that is responsible for public money. This Forensic Audit report was requested without any opinion from the Auditor-General. In addition, we are not able to use this report for legal measures.
“This report can only be used by the Monetary Board of the Central Bank. Therefore, we would like to urge the COPE Chairman to summon the Central Bank, seek opinion from Auditor-General, and commence this investigation,” he said.
Aluthgamage said that a separate investigation must be carried out into the report which was made spending Rs.300 million, as well as who had instructed this investigation.
“The Auditor-General has carried out investigations on 54 public institutes, spending only Rs.11 million. However, this Indian audit company has spent Rs.200 million for this audit,” he added.
Aluthgamage also pointed out that the government has no intention to protect those who are involved in the controversial Treasury Bond Scam. He said the government is ready to give the necessary facilities to COPE, to carry out an investigation and recommend legal measures against the culprits.
COPA submits second report in Parliament
The second report of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA); including investigations from February 20, 2019, to November 7, 2019; was yesterday presented to Parliament by its Chairman Lasantha Alagiyawanna. The report includes facts relating to 42 investigations conducted by COPA.
Presenting the report, Alagiyawanna said, “On February 28, the event to assess the performances of the government institutes for the year 2018 will be held under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. We do not come up with these reports within one or two days.”
“However, not enough attention has been paid to these reports by the House. We do not debate on these reports. These reports carry important recommendations to improve our public institutions. Therefore, it is important that proper attention is paid to these reports,” he added.
COPA has made special observations on the Department of Motor Traffic, Department of Inland Revenue, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Mahaweli Development, Ministry of Land and Parliamentary Affairs, Sabaragamuwa Province Road Passenger Transportation Authority, North-Central Provincial Council, and the Wattala-Mabola Urban Council.
Making a special observation on the Department of Motor Traffic, among others, COPA stated: “It has been revealed that thought many requests have been made continuously to the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau, and the documents needed to conduct the investigations on vehicles that have been registered under Category 302 at a later stage have not been handed over even by the month of February, 2019, the month in which this investigation was carried out.”
“The Committee admonished the Chief Accounting Officer/Accounting Officer to give support to the investigations. The importance of conducting an investigation at an institutional-level was also emphasized,” COPA added.
SOCED orders EDB to investigate dipping pepper prices
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development (SOCED) ordered the Export Development Board (EDB) yesterday to investigate as to why the price of pepper is on the decline despite its import ban. Committee Chairman MP Harshana Rajakaruna also ordered the EDB to submit a report on the matter as soon as possible. He made this instruction following a question raised by State Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara.
In response, senior officials of the EDB said that the report would be submitted soon. They also said that the process to convert export-quality pepper into value-added products had already commenced.In addition, the committee also approved the scrapping of the cess levies imposed on the importation of furniture by tourism entrepreneurs registered under the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
MPs Karu Paranawithana and Thureirathanasingham also participated in the committee sitting.
Add new comment