Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was asked no question of consequence by the commissioners or the Attorney General during testimony today at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry and instead was given a platform to explain the need at the time to raise money.
He was questioned on a questionnaire by the Attorney General who failed to ask Wickremesinghe a single follow up question regarding the conflict of interest between Arjun Mahendran’s and Arjun Aloysius’ dealings.
During the questioning he said that he wanted Arjun Aloysius to divest his ownings in PTL when Mahendran was taking over. He also said he went by Arjun Mahendran’s assurance that Aloysius had done so.
No follow up question was asked regarding what transpired at the commission proceedings during the last eight months. The questions lasted 40 minutes after which Wickremesinghe left for parliament. Almost all UNP cabinet ministers were present at today’s hearings.
ramona therese fernando / November 21, 2017
This is what happens when a bunch of Oligarchs rule the country -UNP as always! The only fury is in parlour-room cricket comments – fellows must be feeling especially zazzy. The highest-level criminality towards the rights of country masses has just been pushed aside by smug lawyers with absolutely no caring for democratic honor of the Motherland (and we thought Peiris was bad)! Where are the genuine boomiputra ape-rate Sinhalas with their “ouwer”-country business? Why has everything been reduced to Gnanasara roll of fists? Why is Sirisena in hiding?
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Simon De Silva / November 21, 2017
I think all these are a result of misinterpretation.
Some media prostitutes make every efforts to atack RW by every means, since they believe, he should be the key person to have allowed everything as CB had been very clean over the years.
And in the same time, with lanken free media has today been abused by the very same media prostitutes that then worked for former men.
Alone, the facts and figures have now been manipulated, by Media, saying that FCID requested. PM and their office say, it was his intention to go and give some evidences directly to them.
Who has been telling the truth is beyond comphrehension to any one today.
I realyl dont think RW or those men that have been painted as robbers have done that.
If anyone may have done that, I believe, they will have to face it sooner than later.
However, the transparency which we never had before in the high days of Meeharaka rajapakshes cant be comparable to the levels the country has achieved by date.
Almost everyone is subjected to investigations. I really dont know why MEDIA cant paint it in favours of people.. not infavours of any wrong parties…. This way, Rajapakhes and their high crimes would have chances to be kept away under the carpet forever.
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Rohan Gunaratna / November 21, 2017
Simon.
I appreciate in your straight forward comments . The media prostitutes led by Killi Raja mahendran sirasa, derana, hiru they cant see the ground reality and every media channel have there own agendas.
Sirasa invited Gota as chief guest to open the vesak pandal in dawson street knowing very well that the he planned the attack of the channel in depanama.
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ramona therese fernando / November 22, 2017
Simon De Silva,
The most shameful and disgraceful prostitutes are the ones who amassed country money of the hard-working masses. and placed it on the unapproved financial scheme- the T’Nadu-S’pore-Cmb triangle. Then they name-call anyone who disapproves of it. Guess they are securing their illegal investments.
Rajapaksa at least was for the masses, and they gave him their implicit approval for his schemes.
Ranil, on the other hand, has created a business enterprise that flouted all rules of parliamentary approval. This is criminality of the highest-level! Certainly we know the masses are not for him.
Forcing country money of the hard-working masses on unnatural dealings with Singapore, will mean whipping the common man to work hard to fulfill the standard that the S’pore triangle will create. This will soon result a culture of legitimized killings and tortures, such that was done in the 1990’s by the same party. Furthermore, our country’s natural heritage will be soon finished.
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Ratne / November 21, 2017
The out come is very clear. The Treasury needed funds. Demand and supply theory worked. The more the demand higher the price. Going by King Kekilles judgement we have to probe who is responsible for bankrupting the treasury.
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Jim softy / November 21, 2017
Interesting theory. treasury was bankrupted by Mahinda Rajapakse. that was preached by bond Scam Ranil who asked PTL to cheat the banks and lend it to the Treasury ?.
Bond Scam Ranil did it thrice. Once in Feb 2015, and two times after the election and in March 2016. bond Scame Ranil was given the govt in order to catch the thieves. Instead Ranil became another PALHORA. Now he preaches and whine in front of AG saying Even Mahinda Rajapakse bankrupted the Treasury. In directly, he is saying they both robbed from the country.
So, the Sri lanka is the greatest country. Prvivious govt’s first Citizen – the president and his extended family and this govt’s second citizen – THE Prime minister and his cohorts are all thives who bankrupted the country.
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roy / November 21, 2017
Gentleman Ranil ,you are scared to arrest the previous looters of the country Mara and the clan thinking they have the trump card about the bond scam and throw you behind bars.
Whether you arrest them or not when your term end they will be all over you front back top and bottom. so before it happens get these rascals behind bars before they pull your pants down.
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Shrikharan / November 21, 2017
This is just a white wash. He came to parliament like a chief guest attending a ceremony.. He is in the public eye at the bottom and the mastermind of the scam. It only erodes the public trust in the judiciary. Sri Lanka is a failed state, the people have lost all morals and it is very difficult to find an honest person and been if there is one he is blackmailed and threatened so he keeps a blind eye for others to rob, steal and plunder the country. I too want to do politics so I to can rob and steal with immunity and impunity and become rich quickly. Please vote for me.
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Shyam / November 21, 2017
I’m holding my head in my hands . Cry, the beloved country.
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Douglas / November 21, 2017
Please WAKE up to the REALITY of these “Presidential Commissions”. The President Mr. Maithripala Sirisena appointed a similar “Presidential Commission” to inquire into serious allegations of corruption and from time to time its term was extended in a similar manner of this “Bond Commission”. That Commission has already completed seventeen (17) investigations and submitted reports to the President beginning in mid 2016 to date. Does anyone know what action has been taken on any one of those reports? Or in the least, does anyone know the “Contents” and the “Recommendations” of those reports are? In the end this “Bond Commission” report will also be conveniently placed in the ARCHIVES of the Presidential Secretariat . A minute will be written as “Sabathomo Sathutin Visira Giyayay” (The entire meeting ended in a happy note). The next contestant will WAVE these 18 Reports (17 + Bond Report) at the PEOPLE and say “I have these REPORTS and appoint another Commission to “Investigate the Reports”. The PEOPLE will vote for him or her. Mind you, that is no MIRACLE in Sri Lanka.
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Gevindu / November 21, 2017
As a former royalist I am deeply ashamed today that I went to the same school as this bank robber. He and his gang are not only stealing the country but also destroying the good name of our alma mater. Lots of other great people like Anagarika Dharmapala attended the royal college but these thieves are a disgrace to them too.
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Ben Hurling / November 21, 2017
Gevindu,
I admire Anagarika Dharmapala’s bravery against imperialism. However, I hate to break it to you. He went too far. Dharmapala was a cold, hard Sinhalese RACIST. Imposing his religious and cultural values on other people. Very much like an Islamic fanatic. Not very nice of him, was it? Despite attending prestigious Royal College, an institution founded upon secular, inclusive, non-racial values.
Cheers!
PS: Gevindu, Any comments about the Infamous Thomian Gang that was robbing SL thoroughly, during Ali Baba’s decade of misrule?
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Sarath / November 24, 2017
Just because there was a bond scam does not mean RW involved. In fact the commissioners noted that he was called as a witness to assist the commission, and no allegations against him…
As for Anagarika… he was a racist. You should be a shamed of him!
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Jim softy / November 21, 2017
I think still things go on to cover up the Central Bank robbery. See Sumanthiran. He had been a member of the COPE committee. He is also appointed by UNP as the national list MP. Now Sumanthiran is defending a Tamil who were interdicted from the Central bank who ha sued the FCID not to conclude until his case is finished.
Sumanthiran is one milking the system. He is a national list MP., He earned from COPE. He is a editor of the dysfunction constitutional committee. In between times, he is a lawyer who is appearing in Cases with conflicts of interests. A PROFESSIONAL WOULD KNOW HOW ONE HAS TO DO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. IT is simply doing nothing and milking the system. It may be PTL is spending money to defend this Tamil guy.
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Sarath / November 21, 2017
Sumanthiran is from TNA. Get your facts straight!
Whole argument breaks down there!
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prem / November 21, 2017
this is all a big loot by rain and his gang. Simple question is why ranil had meetings with Arjun A . if he wanted to raise money do it in a transparent way in open market. Ranil is a liar, a crook in the making. These chaps are this corrupt in 2 years (inefficiently) think what will happen even if they last one more year. Just because MR was corrupt or more efficiently corrupt is no reason to keep these inefficient chaps in power. The country is being robbed left right and centre, Ranil should resign if he has any dignity, which he does not have.
Judiciary is falling in the public eye because of chaps like ranil. He is the curse to this country. He prevented any leader to emerge in the UNP. He single handedly destroyed UNP.
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Champa / November 21, 2017
Ranil’s explanation is unacceptable. Yahapalanaya came into power on January 8 and the Bond Scam begins in February of the same year., in just one month. Normally it should take at least 6 months for any newly formed government to understand the financial situation in the country. Ranil is lying. It is pretty obvious that he planned the Central Bank fraud even before Yahapalanaya came into power.
If he wanted to raise money and if it was in good faith, he needed not to appoint his buddy, a Singapore national as the Governor. Furthermore, Ranil directly intervened to obtain a loan from the BOC to PTL. There is no logic in PTL being benefitted from Ranil’s decision on issuing Bonds, if he acted in good faith and unless of course Mahendran didn’t pass inside information. The Bond Commission has given an opportunity for Ranil to cover up his daylight robbery with daylight lies.
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Gitanjali Marcelline / November 21, 2017
Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.
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Justice & Fairplay / November 21, 2017
On current form this Prime Minister would be missing even full tosses!
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Gopalaswamy Vaiko / November 21, 2017
Shrikaran,
He came to parliament like a chief guest attending a ceremony.
After all he is The PM of the country and not a vadai seller.
I accept that this a failed state without any law and order.
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K.Pillai / November 21, 2017
The Commission of Inquiry must try to get to bottom of this sorry episode. Equally importantly, the Commission must appear to be trying. This includes robust questioning.
The whole world is watching. If the commission tries to pull wool over our eyes, the world (and UNHRC) will conclude that our judicial system is manupulatable.
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Good Sense / November 21, 2017
It is obvious. Emperor Hirohito escapes. Tojo is hanged. RW is spared. Other fellows will be found fault with but with much less punishments. I am not the least surprised if Perpetual Aloysius will say “Men may come and men may go but we are perpetual”. As MY3 puts it, barely 3 months passed after the Rainbow Revolution the bond abracadabra was performed. The nations owes an explanation as to the mighty hurry to perform this. It can neither be to fill the coffers for the money spent or pledged by the previous regime nor for the personal gain for the present lot for that huge amount of money. So! the tongues wag and attribute a motive.
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