Treasury bond racketeers trying to creep into CBSL – Sajith

By Saman Indrajith

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament on Saturday that the members of a gang that had committed the Treasury bond scams were trying to secure key positions in the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Premadasa said that nobody involved in the Treasury bond scams should be given any post in the Central Bank. He said one might have reservations about the methods adopted by the Governor of the Central Bank and the Treasury Secretary to revive the economy, but the fact remained that they and their teams were striving to stabilise the economy. “We may not agree with their methods but they are working to save this economy. At a time when other countries in the world are strengthening their Central Banks by ensuring the independence of those institutions, why is our government trying to curtail the Central Bank’s independence? The Central Banks are free from politics in other countries. Why don’t we bring in laws to depoliticise our Central Bank?” Premadasa said.

Premadasa called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to replay the latter’s speech in Parliament on the Treasury bond scams. “Those who bankrupted this economy are now trying to infiltrate the Central Bank. Today, some politicians say they are trying to rise from the ashes.

Some others who ruined the economy are writing books on economic hit men. I called on the State Finance Minister not to allow another Central Bank robber to take place. Please, bring in new laws expeditiously to make the Central Bank independent. We supported your 21st Amendment to the Constitution, and likewise we will ensure the passage of such progressive laws.”

Minister of State Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that the inflation was about 70 percent and everything possible would be done to stabilise the economy.Premadasa said an SLPP MP had issued a veiled threat to the Central Bank officials the previous day.

“That MP belongs to the SLPP, which ruined the economy. It is the politicians of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government who ruined the country, not the Central Bank officials,” Premadasa said.Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that a Bill would be presented to the House to ensure the independence of the Central Bank.