28 March, 2024

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Parliament Prorogation Prevents Examining Bond Scam Forensic Report

Extraordinary Gazette notification proroguing the 7th parliament has been issued under the “command” of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa a short while ago.

The secretary to the President Dr. P B Jayasundera issued the gazette notification “by His Excellency’s command”. The proclamation by President Rajapaksa reads that Parliament will be prorogued with effect from midnight today (December 2) till January 2, 2020. Accordingly, parliament will recommence on the January 3, 2020 and next session to commence at 10 am.

Prorogation of Parliament will render all committees being dissolved. Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) will also stand dissolved.

Earlier in the day Chairman of the COPE, JVP MP Sunil Handunetthi called a special meeting of the COPE Committee to be held tomorrow and all its members were notified to attend the meeting. Amongst others COPE intended “to discuss the prospective actions to be taken regarding the bond scam based on the final report of the forensic audit of CBSL”, Sri Lanka Parliament web page read.

Unlike the Presidential Commission on the Bond Scam that had the mandate to look at events only the year 2015 while the forensic audit has covered the matter extensively as far back as 2007.

Even the previous parliament COPE report on the CBSL Bond Scam could not be submitted to the 7th parliament due to the prorogation of it.

Meanwhile, according to some legal experts prorogation may also result in the new tax concessions not being implemented introduced by the new government as “those have to be approved by Parliament”.

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Latest comments

  • 17
    0

    Our wish of making Sri Lanka a better place to live has died with this prorogation of the Parliament. Now all the mega crooks who robbed our money will go scot-free. Our only hope is the good Lord himself to punish the crooks who robbed people’s money.

    • 6
      1

      CT,

      Parliament terminates after new President sworn in, selecting a new prime minister and the appointment of the new cabinet. However a new leader of the house, chief government whip and no opposition leader have been appointed. With the end of the parliament 20 active committees including the COPE committee would be abolished and all proposals which was included in the order book would also be abolished. The new parliament should appoint the new committees.

      Since Prime Minister Mahinda’s new government will not have much power would continue to operate the parliament without much activity until the president has the power to dissolve it.

      During president Gotabayas visit to India, he said that if he gets two third majorities in the coming parliament election he would abolish the 19th amendment. The 19th amendment was legislated aiming to remove president’s arbitrary executive powers and to render it to the prime minister led parliament and to the independent commissions which would not create anarchy in a country. It is clear that Gotabaya wants to increase his executive powers necessary to create a dictatorship but not to strengthen the 19th and sustain democracy. Nevertheless, it is unrealistic to assume that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa would confer his powers vested to him from the 19th amendment to Gotabaya as a legacy of King Sirisangabo.

  • 12
    0

    Once again same old same old. You scratch my back and I will scratch yours. Since the Commission report covers both Yahapalana and Rajapakse regime doings, the usual trick out of the hat was taken and the Parliament has been prorogued. Whats new in Sri Lanka, same old same old.

  • 13
    2

    Now that our President and the rest of the band wagon has accused the Swiss embassy of lying , the incident has turned into another Khashoggi Saga. Who is telling the truth here ???? A national issue is now successfully converted to an international issue. Welcome to Sorry Lanka.

    • 8
      2

      Probably Defense Secretary Kamal Gunaratne has a hand in the Swiss Embassy saga. Considering the way he behaved as the Administrator at Royal Institute threatening parents and children, he seem to think that the entire country is his battle field. Birds of a feather flock together! They are good at brainwashing the masses and are now carrying an effective social media campaign to portray the victim as an absolute liar. According to news filtering in, the lady had a revolver pushed into her mouth and was sexually assaulted. Who wants to come before a cop and lodge a police complaint after such an incident. They have daughters don’t they? What will they do if their daughters or daughters-in-law have to go through the same nightmare?

      • 1
        6

        Kalu Nangi,
        /
        What saga ?
        /
        You mean the drama orchestrated by Swiss Embassy and advertised by Rajitha and so called Civil Society goons?
        /
        Lets wait and see.
        /
        With travel ban in place from yesterday she will not be able to jump the country.
        /
        Not only white vans but might need colourful ones also.

  • 4
    0

    Last time Boris prorogued the courts found him as the ROGUE.

  • 6
    1

    ranil looked after them so now they are looking after ranil

  • 4
    1

    Probably Defense Secretary Kamal Gunaratne has a hand in the Swiss Embassy saga. Considering the way he behaved as the Administrator at Royal Institute threatening parents and children, he seem to think that the entire country is his battle field. Birds of a feather flock together! They are good at brainwashing the masses and are now carrying an effective social media campaign to portray the victim as an absolute liar. According to news filtering in, the lady had a revolver pushed into her mouth and was sexually assaulted. Who wants to come before a cop and lodge a police complaint after such an incident. They have daughters don’t they? What will they do if their daughters or daughters-in-law have to go through the same nightmare?

  • 1
    1

    Even supposed to be honest JVP Presidential candidate AKD kept quite about the bond Scam during the Presidential elections. Almost all 225 and more got Bond Scam profits. So any talks on that just for political benefits. Because of the Bond Scam Sri lanka lost a lot. they do not prosecute any one because of that we should not expect any investments even from Mangala’s group.

  • 1
    0

    Dear Professor Kumar David

    You are right to some extent, however you must also see that politicians or national leaders or whoever can also change the mindset of the people to an extent that no one seems to want to admit. So it is up to us to hope that such politicians or national leaders will show up sometime and fix the problems of society which are problems of thinking, for example, not being satisfied with what we have is a real problem that all the religions address, but avarice seems to be the order of the day. Makes you long for the good old days of Mrs B.

  • 4
    1

    KN, you are absolutely right. Which country demands a victim who was kidnapped, threatened and assaulted to appear in public and identify self. The Swiss Govt is committed to all the staff who work for them and they are now concerned for the victim and her family. If intelligence chief left country fearing for his life , how do people expect this lady to react. Even without the victim giving a statement our Govt has come to the conclusion it was all concocted by the victim her self. If so what difference does it make if she gives a police statement ????? or not. Now Swiss Govt may have some devious ideas , as claimed by our Govt but what does the victim gain out of this ???? She and her family are now in hiding knowing well, she is fortunate to be alive to tell her story but not anymore, and there is no future for her or her family members in Lanka , anymore for coming 5 years. And as usual our govt came to conclusion that she hired a car and absconded for few hours and returned home to tell her story. Let us wait and see , how the Kashoggi like Saga in Lanka will play out. The kidnappers had a motive which is finding Nilanthas where about.What is the motive ??? for this victim, to the extent to put her and her family in danger , if there are any ????

  • 2
    1

    People who are offering uncalled advises and instructions to the Swiss Embassy victim,(with no empathy what so ever) should try telling it to one of their female family member who have been put in such dire situations. Are you sure you have not been cursed as a country, but blessed ????

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