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Dossier on fraudulent deals handed over to President`s Secy
Thursday, 22 June 2006 - 4:20 AM SL Time
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A dossier on a series of fraudulent transactions and deals involving ruling party politicians, officials and their henchmen was handed over to Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga at Dharmayathanaya by Ven. Elle Gunawansa. Several members of the committee which prepared the dossier urged Weeratunga to act immediately with one of them warning of a severe threat on national security due to unbridled corruption.
After accepting the report, Weeratunga Wednesday emphasized the urgent need to curb corruption in the defence services. The outspoken public servant admitted that President Mahinda Rajapakse`s government was seriously concerned about waste, corruption and irregularities and one of their main areas of concerns was the defence services.
`We allocate about Rs. 90 billion for defence,` he said, stressing the necessity to spend the funds sensibly.
Admitting that the mismanagement of funds over a period of time had a detrimental impact on the defence services, the administrator said he appreciated Defence Secretary Colonel (retd) Gotabhaya Rajapakse`s efforts to tackle the crisis. `We are relieved,` he said, acknowledging the difficulty in wiping out corruption. `However, we`ll be able to curb waste,` he said, while expressing the belief that the recent civil society initiative led by Ven. Elle Gunawansa, the Chief incumbent of the Dharmayathanaya, would discourage thieves.
Weeratunga visited Dharmayathanaya Wednesday to accept a dossier on corruption, waste, mismanagement and irregularities in over two dozen public enterprises including the Railways, Urban Development Authority, Inland Revenue, Customs, Bank of Ceylon and the infamous South Korean job scam, Export Development Board, SLBC, Lake House, Registrar of Motor Vehicles, MILCO and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
The government is under heavy fire over rampant corruption with several ministers and officials accused of underhand deals. Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga is under investigation over a US visa scam.
Weeratunga assured Ven. Gunawansa that he would hand over the dossier to the Special Presidential Investigation Unit. Depending on the outcome of the inquiries, the cases would be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department or other police agencies.
The official also referred to the recent appointment of two Presidential Commissions to investigate irregularities in the procurement of arms, ammunition and equipment. One investigation targets corruption in a hotly disputed deal to bolster the firepower of Fast Attack Craft of the Navy. The second investigation focuses on the 2000-2005 period.
The Ven. Thera accused several ministers of swindling tax payer money. `I have brought this to the notice of the President,` he said, vowing to publicly name them unless they changed their ways. Expressing contempt for politicians playing pandu with the country, he warned of mass street protests unless the President controlled his ministers and officials.
According to Ven. Gunawansa, Wednesday`s dossier was the second handed over to Weeratunga. Without naming the JVP, he took a swipe at his former colleagues ridiculing the Marxist party`s decision to investigate corrupt ministers. The monk claimed that he would not hesitate to reveal the truth. In a veiled threat the outspoken monk said that they should know the reality. His remark revealed sharp differences between him and the JVP which worked tirelessly to help Rajapakse win the presidency.
JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa recently said they have identified about a dozen major cases. `We receive information about many frauds,` he said, expressing the belief that a seven-member parliamentary group tasked with targeting corrupt politicians and officials would meet the challenge.
The group comprises Anura Kumara Dissanayake, K. D. Lal Kantha, Sunil Handunetti, Bimal Ratnayake, Piyasiri Wijenayake, Lakshman Nipunaarachchi and Jayantha Samaraweera.
Weerawansa revealed that a special team had been appointed to gather information, assess, investigate and forward findings to the parliamentary group. The JVP intends to regularly present its findings to parliament, thereby increasing pressure on the government to act.
The JVP heavyweight dismissed the perception that major irregularities were always linked to the procurement of arms, ammunition and equipment for police and security forces.
Referring to a confidential investigation undertaken by Auditor General S. C. Mayadunne , the MP emphasised that the JVP would go all out to bare the robber barons.
The JVP recently set up an office to facilitate the inflow of information, which can be directed to Lal Tennakoon, co-coordinating secretary, 163/6/1, Pittugala, Malambe. The office can be contacted on telephone number 0112413426 and fax 0112413731.
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anizam
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2146
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22 Jun 2006 18:30:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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| I wonder if the Helping Hambanthota Scandle where someone tried to pocket out 83.5 million from Tsunami victims is also on the report.... :) :) |
tamilcanuck
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8128
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22 Jun 2006 18:40:16 GMT Report for Abuse
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Like the blind leading the blind.
small fish hands over the Dossier to the big fish. Open and shut case. |
Fairplay
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2653
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22 Jun 2006 21:07:48 GMT Report for Abuse
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President: Who the hell is worried about wastage,shrinkage and corruption man. I am worried about the innocent lives killed in my country.
Just buy anything and everything reqired to fight terrorism at whatever cost. We can deal with this matter later.
I DO NOT WANT TO UPSET OUR PROUD MILITARY BY DIGGING IN THEIR FILES, showing a honest and patriotic service to the nation.
Veera puthrayo!!
Fairplay |
mysha
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 44
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22 Jun 2006 21:39:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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Over last many decades there has been many similar reports.
But I hope at least this time the report will bring at least some politiciens, defence officials and others ofices to the book and punished, shamed and dismissed !
Just restore some credibility and confidence to show that it is always not the petty criminal goes aways goes to jail !! |
Kulakottan
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Joined: Nov 2005
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23 Jun 2006 05:15:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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The Dossier will end up in Cold Storage.
Some of them might even end up with a promotion as it happened to Sandhagiri.
Edited By - Kulakottan - 23 Jun 2006 05:15:41 GMT |
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