The position of the Director General of the government information department has become ethically untenable after his department was caught red-handedly lying about the alleged bond scammer Arjuna Mahendran.
On January 24th, the Government Information Department in a statement denied that Mahendran holds any position in the Government. However the very Information Department had published a news item on July 31, 2016 saying that Mahendran was part of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official delegation to Indonesia to take part in the Islamic Economic Summit as the ‘Head of the Sri Lanka Five Year Development Plan’.
Meanwhile the allegedly corrupt Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media, Nimal Bopage has announced that he would launch an investigation over a statement issued by the Director General of the Government Information Department Ranga Kalansooriya, with regard to ex-Governor of Central Bank Arjuna Mahendran holding a position within the Government.
According to Bopage, he was unaware of the statement issued by Kalansooriya on Tuesday, and as per protocol such statements can only be issued through the Secretary of the Ministry of Mass Media. He had said that Kalansooriya’s statement may have been his own personal opinion but steps will be taken to find the person responsible for issuing such a statement.
The Government Information Department statement also criticized MTV/Sirasa television channel saying they were slinging mud and trying to misguide the public by showing old pictures as new ones. It also added that even Minister Malik Samarawickrama had confirmed in Parliament on Tuesday that Mahendran had no role to play in the government.
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry has also issued a statement on Tuesday denying Mahendran was holding any position within the ministry.
However, both the Finance Ministry and the Information Department under Kalansooriya have both been caught red handed for lying on behalf of Mahendran.
The Anti-Corruption Front (ACF) addressing a press conference claimed that they had evidence to prove that Mahendran continued to play an active role in the Government. Keerthi Teennakoon said that ACF has evidence which proves that Mahendran had attended several meetings under the patronage of Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The Front has also written to the Secretary of the Ministry seeking an explanation as to how Mahendran continued to be part of certain high level Finance Ministry meetings.
“Is Mahendran more powerful than even the Finance Ministry Secretary that he can sit at meetings without the secretary himself not being aware of Mahendran’s presence at meetings by the ministry?,” ACF Chairman Ven. Ulapane Sumangala questioned.
In July 2016, Colombo Telegraph reported as to how Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe shunned public perception and brought back Mahendran as the ‘Head of the Sri Lanka’s Five Year Development Plan,’ soon after his undignified exit as the 13th Governor of the Central Bank. Mahendran was also part of Wickremesinghe’s official delegation to Singapore in 2016, which took place after he resigned from Central Bank.
Soon after Colombo Telegraph reported that Mahendran had made a comeback as Head of Sri Lanka’s Development Plan, he himself shared the Colombo Telegraph news item on his official Facebook Page, acknowledging his appointment.
Mahendran has still not been cleared from corruption charges committed at the Central Bank whilst he was the Governor.
Mahendran, a citizen of Singapore, was found guilty by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) over his involvement in the bond scandal which resulted in the country losing a staggering Rs. 1.6 billion. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament yesterday that the COPE report will be handed over to the Attorney General for action.
On Sunday, President Maithripala Sirisena also announced that he will appoint a special presidential commission to inquire into the bond scam this week.
Last year in May, Bopage himself received an earful from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, after he criticized journalists and media organisations for giving publicity to the Joint Opposition, and said that giving publicity to the group was ‘illegal’ and they should not misuse the media freedom given under the Yahapalanaya government.
Wickremesinghe had blasted Bopage at a meeting, asking him to not take decisions according to his whims and fancies, and ordered him to in future follow protocol and obtain approval for all media statements from subject minister Gayantha Karunathilaka before releasing it to the media. Soon after Bopage’s statement, Minister Karunathilaka was quick to react to it claiming that it was the ministry secretary’s ‘personal stand and not the view of the government,’ even though the statement was issued on the letterhead of the Ministry of Parliamentary Reform and Mass Media. Bopage is a close ally of President Maithripala Sirisena.
As Colombo Telegraph reported last September he is facing a fresh crisis over his alleged involvement in a corruption case amounting to Rs.100 million.
Douglas / January 26, 2017
No wonder that this Administration has become the “Joke” of the day and as a matter of fact, the worst in the near history of Governance. Recently at a media briefing (as reported) the spokesman for the Government, a Minister, Mr. Rajitha Senaratne in reference to the ceremony of laying down the foundation stone for the upcoming tyre factory at Homagama, by the Prime Minister, said that he (the PM) did not know who the investor was until that morning. So in like manner, NO ONE in the Government or the Administration knows WHERE or WHAT Mr. Arjun Mahendran is and what he is doing at the present day. Just imagine what a BIG JOKE this Government has become.
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Amarasiri / January 26, 2017
@CT,
Amarasiri is going to take a break from comments on the Yahapalanaya Lying. It is too much and too frequent even for Amarasiri.
Will focus on the Turncoat, Traitor, Gona, Mala-Perethaya and Sevalaya, and other intersting topics, that can add value to society,
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Gamarala / January 26, 2017
Corruption, diplomatic buzz word for stealing people’s money, is common in SL. Starting from Presidents PMs and Ministers corruption stretches up to the office peon. In SL you have to be corrupt to be powerful and corruption is condoned socially. In fact the corrupt are considered smarter.
Indirect corruption is also quite common. Luxury vehicles etc are donated to Priests, by politicians (purchased from tax payers money) as indirect bribes. Recently there was an report that even the famous priest who fought for Yahapalana owned a Rs 20 Million vehicle. Politicians then use them to cover up their corruption and drum up support of the common people.
Buddhist preists are expected to give up all luxuries when they become monks. But here the priesthood is used as a means to amass wealth and protect corrupt politicians & individuals.
In a country, so corrupt, is there any purpose in providing Buddhism the primary place in the Constitution.
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K A Sumanasekera / January 26, 2017
Can Batalanda Ranil and Ranga Kalansooriya silence the Ven Bellanwilla Wimalarathna thero?
He told the Yahapalana President Bodhi Sira that his appointing a Presidential Commission is all Bull Shit. because even a kid who can read and write know that Batalanada’s mate Mahendran is a Hora..( Big ass rouge).
To the full credit of this Thero , he told it to the Yahapalana Presidents face.
And the attempt of Bodhira trying to blunt the allegation, cover it up and score political points was pathetic.
How can more Bull Shit from Kalanasooriya or Bopage or Batalanada can counter that, especially when Singapore Mahendran was with Batalanada Ranil in the same suite at DAVOS.
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srinath gunaratne / January 26, 2017
Wimalarathna thera should have opened his mouth during Mahinda’s time and should have tried to contain him, If that happened, We would not be under this stupid government.
It is the people like him who should stand up and protect Buddhism and lead the Buddhists, not the BBS monkeys!
Better late then never ape hamuduruwane,
We have to protect the country from country men and Buddhism from Buddhists.
Still do not agree with his views on homo sexuality!
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Sama / January 26, 2017
Srinath,
were you born yesterday ?
Were there any freedom under MR lead to open the mouth of anyone ?
Even that dried pumpkin Wasidewa too was made silent.
Even journalists were made silent.
Why you cant see it right man ? Are u a teenager ? Whatwould your family say about your thinking ?
We had all kind of harrasments not allowing any freedom of speech during the high days of MR adminstiration.
The only looted thecountry in the post war scenario wasnot overliooked by anyone.
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srinath gunaratne / January 26, 2017
It is all about, Jobs, education, elimination of poverty!
Nothing of that sort happen now!
You can mix the croton with kos kola and have it with your human rights!
Wasnt CT there during Mahnida time, I saw many news papers criticising him!
I can stuck my human rights in my ass until the country develops!
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sama / January 27, 2017
These I dont think even 10 year olds would agree with, but you the sepatagenarians seem to be mixed with all appologetic thougths not focusing on the due.
Srilanka cant rise their head if they would make enemies inthe world. Besides, Srilanka is dependent on the west for so many things. At the time tsunami hit the country, how many of the european communties donated srilanka. You the like idiots keep on talking to be swollen, as if we are not a poor nation.
We need to see things as they really are. As a result of HR improvement only we got GSP plus reset tot he country. Alone through that lankens that have really been caught poverty can work for their future. Unlike you guys living on Queensland – just behaving all low levels, not thinking how we could ever come out of the pit Rajapakshe have kept us in.
CT was blocked how many times, I had then beeen waiting to add my thoughts… days long.. but since 8th Jan 2015 nothing like has been the case in and out of the country. True, you guys that live up on the extrementa of Raja will never consider them.. but we the folks that respect dignity of life, consider them as values.
SRIANATH IS BORN EGOSTIC MAN – WHO HAS MIXED HIS THOUGHTS EVEN IN HIS RETIRED AGE: Very pathetic acutally …
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jim softy / January 26, 2017
It should be that Mahinda Rajapakse relative VVIP politician of the UNP the instigator who did it during the 100 day govt. Mahendran used the opportinity did it with his son in klaw’s corrupt dealership which was unloading every bad deal to Employee providen fund. Now that VVIP politician goes overseas every time bond scam word is heard inside the parliament.
VVIP politician did it twice. Second time the biggest hoist.
Maithripala doesnot want to solve it. He talks about it until robbers hide the loot. After that they will find nothing instigatore doe snot have to quit politics.
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Autumn / January 26, 2017
Bopage is Horasene’s stooge so it’s no wonder he is siding with KiLi Maharaja, Horasene himself seems terrified of LTTE sympathizer KiLi. As a country we have only regressed since 2015. With a gramaseve niladari as HE it’s no surprise though is it…
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Marti / January 26, 2017
Sirisene when are you starting a commission to investigate your own misdeeds?? And those of your brothers?? I guess the sirisene family is above the law. Swept Daham’s nightclub incident tidily under the carpet didn’t you?
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Just saying / January 26, 2017
Kalansooriya is an arrogant, self-obsessed individual who sees himself as the ultimate media person but sadly lacks the basic sophistication to hold this position.
Phantom news releases out of nowhere, pitiful explanations of the Navy commander’s incident is now followed by this. It is a job that required diligence and fact verification – something Dr. Ranga finds too tedious.
Covering for his master RW is his objective and will do what has to be done to serve him
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kautalya / January 26, 2017
K.A.Sumanasekara
Communist party stalwart late Mr.Peter Keuneman said in parliament that appointing a commission like going to a toilet “There is a sitting some deliberations some noises and you drop the matter”
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K A Sumanasekera / January 27, 2017
Kautalya,
Well said mate…
He was one classy dude, according to my Elders…
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justice / January 26, 2017
Mahendran the rogue ex-Governor appears to have transformed into a ‘sacred cow’ of this government.
Is the President sincere about a “commission” to investigate the Bond Scam?
The officials who actually conducted the bond-scam on behalf of Mahendran do not appear to have been interrogated, along with the Bank of Ceylon officials who enabled Perpetual Treasuries in the bidding.
This aspect is being ignored.
The select committee of parliament which impeached a Chief Justice can very well inquire, but this is being ignored.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / January 27, 2017
If there is convincing evidence against Arjuna Mahendran, prosecute him in our courts. He is innocent until proven guilty. If the COPE report has compiled convincing evidene, let that be the basis for prosecution. If not, wait for ‘Whatever’ Commission- civil or criminal, the President is proposing, do its job. Why not a parallel Commision to investigate the long years Ajit Navaad Cabral was the Central Bank Governor and pointman of the Rajpakse government? This will hopefully expose whether there was precedence to what is alleged to have happened during Mahendran’s tenure. isn’t this important?
What is the President doing about prosecuting criminals and murderers in the previous government? A few days back he claimed that he did not leave the previous that was corrupt, to join another corrupt government! That is funny, considering that he has appointed the corrupt ones from the previous government to this parliament and cabinet.
Is’nt protecting wrong doers, criminal too? Where is his son Daham? What action was taken against him in the nightclub case?
Is our President, who is emerging as the greatest ‘I’ man we have at present, both running with the hare and hunting with the dogs? What is the politics behind this?
He pretends that as long as we do not accept prostitution and homosexuality are inherent oroblems of mankind, in the name of our so-called culture, they are not issues we have to confront, accept and deal with?
I am sorry for him and Sri Lanka! Are we trying to go back to live the life our ancestors lived 2000+ years ago, while revelling in the mores of the 21st century? What humbugs are we? Does he think there was no prostitution and homosexuality 2500 years back?
Let us be frank and admit that he is part of our burden of problems!
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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