By Shamindra Ferdinando - The Island
State Minister for Children’s Affairs Rosy Senanayake urged former President and Kurunegala District UPFA candidate, Mahinda Rajapaksa to name those who had received his ‘protection’ during 2005-2014 period.
Colombo District MP and Minister Senanayake said that since his defeat at the January 8 presidential poll the former President had publicly admitted at least thrice that he even intervened with the police and judiciary to save his UPFA colleagues.
Senanayake was responding to a query on a live political debate on Rupavahini on Saturday night anchored by Shan Wijetunga. Former Gampaha District MP Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle represented the UPFA.
The UNPer produced footage of the former President regretting having intervened in investigations.
Mrs Fernandopulle acknowledged that she, to, had seen the same on TV.
State Minister Senanayake said that those who had exercised their franchise in support of Maiththripala Sirisena at the last presidential poll were united in efforts to thwart Rajapaksa’s return to parliament. The Colombo District contestant praised President Maithripala Sirisena publicly distancing himself from Mahinda Rajapaksa’s political project.
Sudarshini Fernandopulle last week gave up her Research and Higher Education portfolio (Deputy Minister) in protest against President Maithripala Sirisena’s statement which she publicly declared was unfair by the party.
Widow of slain SLFP heavyweight Jeyaraj Fernandopulle reminded State Minister Senanayake that the former President had even intervened on behalf of those on the opposing side. Fernandopulle cited Rajapaksa’s intervention during tail end of his administration on behalf of a UNP heavyweight as a case in point. Fernandopulle was referring to National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa’s claim that the former President had halted investigations into UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa’s only sister, Dulanjali’s alleged involvement in a case of counterfeit currency case. The allegation was made at the inaugural UPFA parliamentary polls campaign rally at Anuradhapura last Friday. Turning towards, former President Rajapaksa, who was also on stage, Weerawansa said that the former President shouldn’t have intervened on behalf of wrongdoers.
Fernandopulle also accused the UNP leadership of choosing to turn a blind eye to what she called unprecedented Central Bank scam involving CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran. Fernandopulle alleged that the UNP moved the District Court against the release of a parliamentary report that dealt with the controversial transaction carried out on February 27 fearing it would have an inimical impact on the polls campaign. The SLFPer emphasized that there should be an effective mechanism to deal with any politician in case he or she was found guilty of corruption and irregularities.
State Minister Senanayake hit back strongly. Recollecting the circumstances under which the then Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) D.E.W. Gunasekera pushed for the finalization of an interim report on the day of the dissolution of parliament, State Minister Senanayake alleged that the previous government issued a license to Perpetual Treasuries in 2012. The UNPer said: "I was a member of the Special 13-member parliamentary group tasked with inquiring into CB bond scam. Along with its Chairman Dew Gunasekera, I participated in all sittings. In fact, at the onset of the investigation, I too, believed the complicity of the Governor in a wrongful transaction. But as the investigation proceeded, I realize that there is much more to this business than the February 27 transaction. In addition to Governor’s son-in-law Arjuna, former Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal’s sister, Shiromi Wickremasinghe held the position of a Director of Perpetual Treasuries from Dec 23, 2013 to March 9, 2015."
State Minister Senanayake pointed out that at the time of the controversial transaction, Shiromi Wickramasinghe had been with Perpetual Treasuries. Her name transpired during COPE probe, State Minister Senanayake said, adding that during the previous administration transactions involving the Central Bank, the Perpetual Treasuries, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employers Trust Fund (ETF) came under heavy flak.
State Minister Senanayake said that Premier Wickremesinghe had assured the party that tangible action would be taken against all those involved in alleged bond scam within three months after the forthcoming parliamentary election. The UNP leader assured that the license issued to the business venture under question would be cancelled in case it was found guilty.
General Secretary of the Communist Party Gunasekera told The Island that there was a nearly 500-page dossier containing evidence collected from nearly 50 persons during the COPE investigation. That dossier could be examined by the next parliament and action taken thereon, the veteran politician said. The UNP could leave aside the report prepared by me on the basis of the available evidence but no one could dismiss the dossier of evidence.
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