News
Treasury bond scams: SJB drags Lotus Tower into ‘conflict’ as SLPP attacks ‘footnote’ gang
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) recently alleged that the Lotus Tower has been leased to a Singaporean company, affiliated with former Governor of the Central Bank, Arjuna Mahendran, accused of perpetrating Treasury bond scams in Feb. 2015 and March 2016.
The accusation was made by Badulla District lawmaker, Chaminda Wijesiri, in Parliament, during a question and answer session.Responding to the former UNPer’s allegation, Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga said that he was not privy to the Lotus Tower affair.
Maj. Gen. (ret.) Prasad Samarasinghe, Chief Executive Officer of the Colombo Nelum Kuluna Management Private Company, said that only the second floor of the Lotus Tower had been leased to Creative Design Private Company of Singapore at USD 1.42 mn annually.
Denying Mahendran’s alleged involvement in the transaction, Maj. Gen. Samarasinghe said an initial payment had been received and the Singaporean company would bring in the investor to pave the way for launch of operations by April 2023.According to the one-time Military Spokesman, the two parties had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) pending the finalization of the lease agreement.
MP Wijesiri, who represented the UNP at the time of the Treasury bond scams, and Urban Development and Housing Minister Ranatunga, clashed over the alleged culpability of UNP/SJB members in the Central Bank fraud.
Minister Ranatunga pointed out that those who tried to scuttle investigations into Treasury bond scams, by inserting footnotes into the second COPE report, were in Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s camp today.In the 2015 bond scam, the Central Bank offered Rs. 1 bn worth of 30-year Treasury bond, carrying a fixed interest rate of 12.5% to the market, but ended up selling bonds to a value of Rs. 10 bn. This was 10 times the original offer.
Minister Ranatunga quoted former UNP/SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake as having said that many UNP/SJB lawmakers had received parliamentary polls campaign funds from Mahendran.
MP Wijesiri said that he couldn’t accept the Chief Government Whip’s refusal to answer questions regarding Treasury bond scams on the basis the matter was before courts. Lawmaker Wijesiri said that the State Finance Minister disclosed the truth a month ago in Parliament.SLPP MP Wasantha Yapa Bandara, who had been in the Chair at that time, asked MP Wijesiri to pose his question.
MP Wijesiri: “Those responsible for Treasury bond scams have been identified. You are still in government because Ranil Wickremesinghe is the President. Treasury bond scams caused the ruination of the country. At that time, you alleged the involvement of the incumbent President in Treasury bond scams that bankrupted the country.”
Minister Ranatunga: “In terms of Standing Orders 36 (E), we cannot discuss a matter dealt in a court of law. Therefore, I will respond according to the Standing Orders. The person (SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena) who served as the President at that time of the Treasury bond scams now represents the Opposition (contested Polonnauruwa on the SLPP ticket).
Several MPs inserted ‘footnotes’ to sabotage the COPE report issued by the then JVP MP Sunil Handunetti. Dr. Harsha de Silva, Sujeewa Senasinghe, Ajith P. Perera, Harshana Rajakaruna, Hector Appuhamy, Ashok Abeysinghe, Abdul Maharoof, Wasantha Aluvihare and Ravindra Samaraweera are members of the footnote gang. The majority of them are with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. We accept that the incumbent President, too, was in that group as the then Prime Minister. We said so then. We won’t deny that now.”
MP Wijesiri: I believe the Chief Government Whip wants to say the footnote gang perpetrated the Treasury bond scams. We thought you would take legal action in this regard. Thieves are with thieves. Lotus Tower has been leased to a Singaporean company, affiliated with Arjuna Mahendran.”
Minister Ranatunga: “Those who had received money from Arjuna Mahendran’s son-in-law Arjun Aloysius (of Perpetual Treasuries Private Ltd) utilized such payments for election campaigns. They are in your group. I didn’t say so. Ranjan Ramanayake did. Ramanayake claimed all electoral organizers received campaign funds from Arjun Aloysius. Such payments will be proved in court of law. We are not involved with Arjun Aloysius. Therefore, I do not know about the Lotus Tower affair. I do not know whether these accusations are made taking cover behind parliamentary privileges.”
Sri Lanka’s efforts to convince Singapore to repatriate Singaporean national Arjuna Mahendran has failed so far.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
