By Sarath de Alwis –
Sarath De Alwis
Not a Whitewash
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided that the Report of the Bond Commission has absolved him, his party and his administration of any responsibility for or wrong doing in the Central Bank Bond Scam.
Development Strategies Minister Malik who is the eager Hanuman to Ranil’s Rama has claimed in a press interview that the government has not lost a cent in the bond scam.
The Commission in its report has stated that their task was not a ‘witch hunt or a white wash’.
The report has not done a ‘whitewash’. It seems to have scrubbed the wall and the Prime Minister and his troupe have decided to paint it in the most convenient hue that suits them.
The Bond Commission Report informs us that it has striven to perform its function as per Edmund Burke “With cold neutrality of an impartial judge but also fairly.” In hindsight, it appears that the commission would have been wiser if they had taken note of another pearl of wisdom from Burke. “Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.”
The assurance that it is no witch hunt or a whitewash was totally unneeded. Though two years too late, the appointment of the commission was regarded as a step in the right direction. The Commission was accepted and respected.
When serving judges are appointed to commissions, the people expect them to retain utmost impartiality. People expect them to remain aloof from political considerations.
Proper and appropriate way to question a Prime Minister
The Commission explains that it considered it proper and appropriate to formulate the questions that it wished to ask the Hon. Prime Minister and request the Hon. Prime Minister to furnish his answers by way of an Affidavit rather than by way of time consuming Oral Evidence.
The Commission’s decision not to summon the Prime Minister to give oral evidence in this age of transparency is regrettable. The Commissioners explained why it decided to “request the Hon. Prime Minister to furnish his Answers, by way of an Affidavit, rather than by way of time-consuming Oral Evidence.”
He was not summoned we were told. He was invited to clarify some of his written answers. Why?
The Prime minister is a politician. Explaining and justifying his conduct, past, present and future is his full time vocation. Obligation of giving oral evidence is a major part of his territory. If summoned he was duty bound to appear before the commission.
His busy schedule is not a tenable proposition. The Prime Minister’s high office has not prevented him visiting deities in their shrines in India. His high office has not prevented him consulting expert medical opinion in America. His high office has not prevented him attending convocations in Australian universities to receive honorary Doctorates. Surely, his appearance before the commission would not have paralysed or crippled the government.
That his governance mechanism has been brain dead for some time is neither here nor there.
It is noteworthy, that the Commission has treated the appearance of the Prime Minister of the Republic before the commission as an occasion where only the principal law officer of the state should lead his evidence.
It is a telling commentary on the commission’s aloofness from politics. Tony Blair must be wishing that Sir John Chilcot possessed such proprieties!
The Prime Minister has now announced that losses will be recovered. He hasn’t said a word on the conduct of Mr.Mahendran, before or after the report except for that famous defence- Arjun Mahendran has done nothing wrong.
Mistakes made but not by me
There is an explanation. People are sensitive to inconsistencies between their beliefs and actions. There are three ways to resolve such inconsistencies.
You can change your belief. You can change your action. The third is more complex but very familiar. You change the perception of your action! That is where the Prime Minster excels.
Two Social Psychologists Carol Travis and Elliot Aaronson published a path breaking book in 2007 – “Mistakes were made. But not by me” It explains how we make decisions that turn out to be mistakes. It is about ordinary decisions and also decisions that can affect nations, lands and millions of people.
The authors have brilliantly captured the self-entrapment that we create for ourselves.
“As fallible human beings, all of us share the impulse to justify ourselves and avoid taking responsibility for any actions that may turn out to be harmful, immoral, or stupid. Most of us will never be in a position to make decisions affecting the lives and deaths of millions of people, but whether the consequences of our mistakes are trivial or tragic, on a small scale or a national canvas, most of us find it difficult, if not impossible, to say, “I was wrong; I made a terrible mistake.” The higher the stakes — emotional, financial, moral — the greater the difficult.”
Mahendran censured
The report finds Arjuna Mahendran to have knowingly acted improperly and wrongfully in intervening in established procedures of the central bank. It has found him to be the source of inside information received by Perpetual Treasuries – the errant primary dealer.
Mr. Arjuna Mahendran is an Economist and an Investment Banker. He was requested by the Ranil Wickremesinghe led administration to be the Governor of the Central Bank. The Prime Minister has stated that the selection was the result of a general consensus of the new government.
The claim that the choice was a collective decision of the government was not challenged before the commission. The record now shows that he was appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Finance. The reassignment of the Central Bank to the Prime Minister in his capacity of Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs was an executive action.
The resulting complexities arising from horizontal diffusion of power responsibilities have not been addressed by the commission. Such an exercise would be outside the scope of its warrant.
Who made him Governor?
The Commission has not focussed on the process that made Mahendran the Governor. It explains that the he was appointed before the period covered by its warrant- 01st February 2015 and 31st March 2016.
The Prime Minister was not questioned as to why Arjuna Mahendran was considered the most outstanding candidate for the top job in the central bank.
Soon after the new Government was installed Arjun Mahendran appeared before the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in the company of Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake to explain the new economic vision of the government. The current Governor served as moderator. Arjuna Mahendran was more than the Governor of the Central Bank. He was a pivotal player in Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Economic Think Tank.
Why did Arjuna Mahendra do what he is now stands accused of doing?
Economics has progressed beyond the rational choice theory. Today, Economic behaviour is a new discipline known as behavioural economics. It deals with the psychology of economic behaviour. Richard Thaler this year’s Nobel laureate specialises in behavioural finances!
The search for ways in which humans violate rules of rationality is a frontier less land yet to be explored. The science of economics in the world of paper money is not a precise science.
Breakfast meeting – a non-event
Why did two minsters and the advisor to the Prime Minister go to the central bank for breakfast with the Governor? Not to discuss bonds, they have insisted. Of course, a smart cookie would insist that Central Bank was the place where the new governor was serving breakfast with choice Bacon!
The commission has held that no decision was taken at the ‘Breakfast Meeting’ held on 26th February, to raise money for the Road Projects at the Auction of Treasury Bonds held on 27th February.
The Doctrine of Public Trust
The Bond Commission has determined that the Governor and other members of the Monetary Board, Deputy Governors and other senior officers of the CBSL hold those offices subject to the Public Trust Doctrine and are subject to Accountability.
It has determined that Deputy Governors Silva and Weerasinghe were negligent and were in breach of their responsibilities as Deputy Governors of the Central Bank. They had a duty to advise the Governor to desist from folly.
There were good reasons for the Deputy Governors of the Central Bank not to teach Mahendran monetary theory. Arjuna Mahendran was a key figure in the economic pantheon Ranil assembled. It was not because those good people were less informed of the doctrine but they were more informed of his political clout.
The pursuit of a utopia is understandable. But an ideal utopia? The Doctrine of Public Trust is invoked when dealing with situations not covered by precise laws or regulations. That is also the fertile field for patrimonial politics.
It has held “that, Deputy Governor Samarasiri was grossly negligent and in grave breach of the duty and responsibility he had, as the Chairman of the Tender Board. He had supinely obeyed the instructions given by Mr. Mahendran.
The report comments on the conduct of Dr. Samaratunga Secretary Ministry of Finance and member of the Monetary Board.
“Since Dr. Samaratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, who was present at this meeting, is also a member of the Monetary Board, he was personally obliged to convey to the CBSL that, the three State Banks had been instructed to place Bids within a specified range of Yield Rates at the Treasury Bond Auction to be held on 29th March 2016 and that, the three State Banks had been given an assurance that, Bids at higher Yield Rates would not be accepted at this Auction. There is no evidence that, Dr. Samaratunga did so.
To Goose and Gander- different sauces
The Commission has held these officials subject to the doctrine of public trust. Is the Prime Minister exempt from the Doctrine of Public Trust? Is he not accountable for the appointment of this Governor? Did he not condemn the practice of private placements and advocate auctions? Private placements can be rigged. Auctions too can be rigged. In this business is not the tune but the piper who matters.
That explains Friedrich Hayek’s disarmingly simple critique of Central Banks. “There is no answer in the available literature to the question why a government monopoly of the provision of money is universally regarded as indispensable. … It has the defects of all monopolies.”
Ranil the Economist
It is the Prime Minister who took over the responsibility of pulling the nation from the brink of the abyss and provide us one million jobs, a Volkswagen plant, and his vision of 2020 or whatever.
He brought Arjun Mahendran back. He brought Mr. Paskaralingam back. He brought Mr. Chairitha Ratwatte back. By mid-January 2015 he had assembled all his knights at his round table.
The Bond Commission report does not fault the Prime Minster. ‘If only he was less trusting’ seems to be the refrain he has earned.
The report concludes that Mr. Mahendran and Deputy Governor Samarasiri deliberately and mala fide, misled the Hon. Prime Minister and sussed materiel facts… “ It says … the Hon. Prime Minister would have been better advised, if he had independently verified what had happened at the CBSL on 27th February 2015 before making any statement , instead of relying on the briefing note and reports submitted by Mr.Mahendran and Depty Governor Samarasiri.”
This indeed is really thick. The Prime Minster should have sought a second opinion on what was told to him by the Governor and the Deputy Governor. The Governor was appointed on 23rd January 2015. The Commission is of the view that his briefing notes in March 2015 should have been independently verified!
An Authority of the Doctrine of Public Trust
Our Prime Minister is an authority on the Doctrine of Public Trust. In an op-ed piece in the Sunday Times of 24th February 2013, the then Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe accused the then government of betraying the doctrine of public trust. The Supreme Court observations he quotes in his homily on public trust are the identical judgements quoted by the report of the Bond Commission.
There is no doubt that our Prime Minister is very learned in the law. Very interestingly, he has in the same essay defined the role of the ideal Attorney General and criticised the then AG in precise and plain language.
“The Attorney General of the United Kingdom Dominic Grieve in a speech to the BPP Law School on the ‘Role of the Attorney General’ said “as Chief Legal Advisor to the Crown, I advise government departments on how policy can be achieved in a lawful and proper way.
However that does not detract from the fact that in carrying out the function of legal adviser to the Government, the Attorney General’s role is to support and protect the rule of law. I think that the role of the Attorney General as the Government’s Chief Legal Adviser was neatly summed up by a former Attorney General, Lord Mayhew of Twysden who said: ‘the Attorney General has a duty to ensure that the Queen’s ministers who act in her name, or purport to act in her name, do act lawfully because it is his duty to help to secure the rule of law, the principal requirement of which is that the government itself acts lawfully’.”Regrettably, our Attorney General has failed to maintain the high standards of his Office. Furthermore, the Attorney General has also deliberately misled the House.”
Full Steam ahead
Let us go back to those exciting days of the first hundred days of ‘Yahapalanaya’. Ranil took over the command. Did he tell Arjuna Mahendran full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes? This writer has no reason to doubt Mr. Arjuna Mahendran’s sanity.
Jim softy / January 30, 2018
Mr. Alwis: In Sri lanka, People are voting to thieves and they do not understand the value of the vote. I think Media is also is destructive. Media went for puny rewards they publish lies by Politicians. They do not question what they write. voters, mostly poor villagers, are lost, I suppose. Newspapers have abandoned their responsibility probably because the journalist is an employee of the media owner. Do yous have any discussions about why the media is publishing lies of politicians, do they need to reflect what they are doing. check Arjun Mahendran’s eudcation and employment experience. After royal college, di dhe pass A/L. The Cambridge college that he attended look like fishy. His first bank experience is a private Bank. In Sri lanka, political appointments cannot be counted. Any the report talks about Value Judgement. the best appointee is one who has experience there. Some economists discuss why the first instance they took tge Central bank under politicians. So, no point of talking here, Ranil should be arrested for being a Traitor Ranil would say I did what Mahinda Rajapakse did. IT is not point of grieving and quoting when it is very clear thieves are lieing again to the people saying we did not anything wrong. It looks journalists are also scared and they also complain. that is all. that the pen is important than the sword is no longer working.
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nimal fernando / January 30, 2018
“In Sri lanka, People are voting to thieves and they do not understand the value of the vote. I think Media is also is destructive. Media went for puny rewards they publish lies by Politicians.”
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Substitute USA for “Sri Lanka” ……….and Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones, ……. for “Media” ………… they do it better…….
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Welcome to the Human-Condition!
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So what else is new?
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Oh! how I crave for Kavums…………….
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nimal fernando / January 30, 2018
In this stone-throwing contest between the two glass-house gangs …………I’m slightly on Ranil’s side ………..for no other reason than ……. he does it with class ……..his taste in suits and ties is impeccable ………that kinda dress-sense is rare for a Lankan.
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Gota comes a distant second ……..he has good dress-sense too……………
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Purple, orange, red, pink,……….. shirts with multicoloured ties is a big no no ………… Dayan, Rajiva, …………and the rest take note……………..
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You go to Lankan weddings and these devilish dark/black men with big pot-bellies transported on thin matchstick legs ………..come dressed in dark suits …….. with Purple, orange, red, pink,……….. shirts and multicoloured ties..
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They give you conceited/vain side-looks ………..”Hey, don’t you know me; I’m a Lankan fashion icon ……….I’m always in Hi!! magazine (whatever the name is)…………….”
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Man, the crazy thang is, I feel the acute embarrassment that they should feel! …..What the hell did I do wrong? Be born? there?
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In those large halls where they have Lankan weddings there aren’t big columns in the middle to hide behind and watch the whole damn shindig ………..unless a well-fed rotund lady (usually a wife of a politician) comes near you ………..but these days should’a be apprehensive ……..lest the Lankan gals belatedly catch on to “Me Too” ……………
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Justice & Fairplay / January 30, 2018
Ah! This explains your bias! :-) Rather frivolous I might say with respect.
Pity you are that way inclined, because otherwise you came across as a very intelligent commentator.
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nimal fernando / January 30, 2018
“Ah! This explains your bias! :-) Rather frivolous I might say”
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Oh! C’mon J&F,
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We can’t always be serious……….gotta see the lighter side of things……… otherwise all these Lankan political crap will drive us all nuts.
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Even though I don’t agree with many, I enjoy the robust discussions/arguments that happens in the forum ………that allows one to see many different perspectives ……….whichever side they are on, the fact they take the trouble to write here, shows that they care for the country and its future direction……… and that’s a positive sign. …..Unfortunately we can’t all be right.
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Justice & Fairplay / January 30, 2018
DEar Nimal,
The difference is, that in the USA, they can absorb such a loss; we just cant. That’s all.
Countries such as ours cannot afford to sweep these as a part of the “human Condition”. Does this happen in Singapore or China? Aren’t they humans too, and what would happen if they did?
Sarath, you have written a great piece. I wish you more strength to your elbow.
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nimal fernando / January 30, 2018
“The difference is, that in the USA, they can absorb such a loss; we just cant.”
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Yes, there is some truth in that ……..in the USA (before Donald :)) and many other Western countries politics always take a backseat to people’s daily lives ………..there is a high turnover of Politicians/governments ……….they come and go and the system that’s in place goes on without much disruptions …………..in SL, politics is too much in your face and it affects most people’s daily lives ………
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“Does this happen in Singapore or China?”
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Those countries are bad examples…………neither one is free; no free press ……….during Lee Kuan Yew’s time under one trumped up charge or another the opposition leader of Singapore was in jail for most of his life …….. the true traits of the “human-condition” is suppressed under jackboots of non-free regimes ………but look what happened when they were freed ……….. in the Soviet Union and many other former totalitarian regimes……….,.
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Free press means the freedom to abuse the freedom ………..like in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ ………… all the outposts of our ex-colonizers ……..the culture we go to great lengths to mimic but not honest enough to admit ………….that’s the freedom Ranil has brought to SL ……..it’s a free world, feel free to hate the man ……………..but give the devil his due ……….:))
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Now, let me run for cover…………..
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Justice & fairplay / January 30, 2018
Sadly, politics to me is serious business Nimal, for it impacts on our lives. Ever figured how miserable the lives are , of the common folk in this country? Should not the government be duty bound to make the lot of the average man more comfortable? And then what about Ranil himself? Is he and the president above the law? Ever heard of Bob Hawke being fined 50 dollars for not wearing his seat belt when he was prime minister? Ever heard of the present man being fined 5 times more for not wearing a life jacket whilst boating? To me, those are the examples I would try to instill in public officials if I were Ranil. Set an example. He has the background, he has the upbringing, yet he neglects the fundamental principles on which every decent society operates – equal justice for all.
The COPE inquisition was a farce. If RW had any sense at all he should have ditched his deputy leader of the party and then resigned himself if need be. If Cameron had Ranil’s sense of values _ why, he might have been still the Prime minister and gone on regardless!
I am convinced the only way we can influence our leaders to do the right thing is through the application of constant pressure in a responsible way, through these columns. Happy day Nimal ?
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nimal fernando / January 31, 2018
J&F,
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You are looking for absolute morality in a world where there is none …………”apparent morality” is relative – well, 99.9999% of the time. :))
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Let’s say, Buddha or Christ is lost in a desert with a beggar……..there is just one gulp of water ……….whoever drinks the water survives ………who would you say should drink the water? Or would you say, for the sake of morality, they should both die?
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No “system” devised by man is ever perfect. Sure, they make a big symbolic hue and cry about a fine here and fine there …………but do you know how they rort their retirement-benefits, travel-allowances ……..etc.?
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No country has an abundance of “moral” exemplary men …………only “systems” in place that keep people somewhat honest not because of a deep moral-conviction but because of the fear of punishment/retribution ……..and to a lesser extent for the fear of public-opinion. ………..Some countries/societies’ “systems” are better than others – relatively.
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Is “modern” man’s “morality” out of deep conviction or out of necessity/fear?
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“Back to the Future”……. and all that jazz………..say, you are the modern moral man you are now ………and you are transported in to the stone-age where there is no punishment/retribution ………..in the morning you are on your way hunter-gathering…….you meet Amber Heard (don’t know the Lankan equal :)) coming towards you waving her tush at you through her grass-skirt. What would you do? Let her pass or “drag her by the hair behind the rocks?”
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In Lanka, there has been no absolute moral exemplary leader in 70 years ….so why persevere in a futile endeavour?
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My support for one or the other ……..is nothing but picking the best out of the worst ………..
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What are our alternatives? Shouldn’t we know the alternatives before we make the change? Any specific names?
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We can only ever pick the best out of the worst …………and where we are at, in our social-evolutionary process, makes it ever more difficult……………..
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nimal fernando / January 31, 2018
S&F,
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Don’t get me wrong………….I too, am angry with Ranil ………like you, Sarath, ………… and many others here – but not the crowd that is angry for partisan reasons.
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And for reasons that many might not even see …………If I appoint a manager – or even a servant – and the person dupe/swindle me and steals money, I’ll be very angry and will try to bring the full force of the law to bear on that person ……… that kind of anger is missing from Ranil ………and that’s telling……….
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But I am not too keen to throw the baby out with the bathwater ……….before knowing what the alternatives are ……….the past Rajapakse regime is definitely not the answer……..
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Of all the Rajapakses, I like Gota on his own ………..but what a waste; and what it could have been ……… he’s tainted …………..let alone the white-vans……….but the murders and serial-killings…….was that all really necessary or just gratuitous? ………like
Kurtz in “Heart of Darkness” – when freed from “moral accountability” by his brother – falling down to the depths of human depravity……….
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Let’s be honest here ……….if we can ……….and not absolve any side from blame……………
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Justice & fairplay / January 31, 2018
Nimal thank you for your engagement. I will conclude by saying that I expect nothing but the highest standards from both the president and the Prime minister so that they set an example for all to follow and also earn our respect as being truly worthy of it.
To what extent you wish to dilute
that expectation to fit into your own comfort zone is entirely up to you.
Have a nice day.
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nimal fernando / January 31, 2018
Pardon me, didn’t see this,
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“Ever figured how miserable the lives are , of the common folk in this country? Should not the government be duty bound to make the lot of the average man more comfortable?”
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Can we save people in spite of themselves? Don’t who they vote for matter? ………..Shouldn’t they take the responsibility themselves – at least some?
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Justice & fairplay / January 31, 2018
I agree with your last paragraph Nimal. The degree of ignorance and
our callous disregard is so astonishing, we fully deserve every ounce of rubbish
we get.
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Justice & Fairplay / January 30, 2018
I will begin to have some grudging respect for the man the day this Prime Minister asks the Deputy Leader of the UNP to step down from that position.
The shame heaped upon this once highly respected party, by those whose bogus pretense at being honourable and decent; has been nauseating to say the least.
The UNP is on the way out, even before it began. They have blotched almost all what they have touched. In this event, it is thanks to a non-event which was allowed to blossom into a full blooded story of elephantine proportions. It was quite needless.
It might help them to remember at least now, you cant fool all of the people all of the time.
There is absolutely no room for carelessness in governance, in a tightly run ship which has no largesse to disregard losses of this nature.
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Sena / January 30, 2018
Now, a big none stop foot ball game is all around going on with bond scam, and every tom, dick and Henry became big bond expert and specialists to make all over night billionaires. My dear friend, the President, instead of commissions and omissions, making it a carnival for the gallery, wasted money and time, the moment after the COPE report actived the AG and the law enforcement agencies to take urgent and immediate action to nail those who are responsible for the scam.
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Aiyo Sirisena / January 30, 2018
Aiyo Sarath. Now you know Shyamon DownUnder and VishwaMithra will attack you for exposing RW and his cronyism. You live in Ceylon but you know Shyamon knows the Island better than you and cares more deeply than you. Await his insults from Mel.
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Colonel Gadafpee / January 30, 2018
Aiyo Sira,
I think you should leave this forum rather than attack individuals. We dont need your crap any body is free to express there opinion.
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Aiyo Sirisena / January 30, 2018
Colonel Gadapee, you contradict yourself. You say any body is free to express there opinion. I rest my case from DownUnder your Redda
A. it is anybody not any body
B. it is THEIR not there ; There is koheda and their is those people or that person. Polonnaruwey ingreesida sir?
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Ravin Daniel / January 30, 2018
“I AM THE PUNISHMENT OF GOD.IF YOU HAD NOT COMMITTED GREAT SINS.GOD WOULD HAVE NOT SENT A PUNISHMENT LIKE ME UPON YOU.”
Genghis Khan.
For the last 70 years people of Srilanka have elected the wrong people again and again and again. Thats why even after 70 years of independance the ordinary citizens are having a tough life.Just imagine how much money is been robbed/wasted by these politicians for the lazt 70 years.Last week the previous president of Brazil was sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption charges.In Srilanka something like this will never happen.All these comission reports are boru show.Again to deceive the public.Sad .Srilanka missed so many golden opportunities.All wasted.
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Hamlet / January 30, 2018
Why do the People of Sri Lanka, Elect the ‘Wrong People’?
It is a fault of the Education System, which does not teach the Sinhala and Tamil Media Children, what it means to choose Politicians to Represent their Point of View!
In our Day we had a Subject called ‘Civics’ which taught us the meaning of Democracy and the value of the Vote? Is that subject still on the Syllabus?
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ThanthaiChelva / January 30, 2018
Genghis Khan was a Buddhist.
He attacked Hindu, Islamic and Christian nations, ransacked them and raped Hindu and Muslim women.
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Thappu / January 30, 2018
Hello Ravin, Tell us what ‘we’ should do to make Sri Lanka catch up with at least Brazil. THAT must be offered by you for your comment to be meaningful.
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Ravin Daniel / January 30, 2018
Thappu .I am not asking anything special.Implement the rule of law to the politicians.for the last 70 years no politician has been sentenced to prison.So they carry on stealing, hence they no ,nothing will happen to them.There is no detterent for them.As soon as they come in to power party time begins(stealing).
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Thappu / January 31, 2018
Ravin, Thank you for trying. Do you really think that what you are asking is feasible. We keep choosing the ‘wrong’ people, you said. Will those wrong people let anyone implement the rules! Tell me something we ourselves could do. Never mind. Just ignore my question.
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Ravin Daniel / February 1, 2018
Dont vote for the person.vote for the policy what he or she has to offer .By the way i am really sorry for typing your name wrongly.My apologies.Think out of the circle.A new person from a new generation.Not green ,Blue or Red.
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Upasiri De Silva / January 30, 2018
Thank Sarath for a well written article with very accurate information. According to sources close to some Arjuna Mahendran was not selected by Ranil but forced on them by the very powerful Tamil Diaspora group headed by Paskaralingam with the help of Charitha Rathwaththa. Every one working for any government should provide “Duty of Care”to the citizen and if they failed to provide adequate duty of care then under the law he commits an offence. Did Arjuna provided that care and Ranil as the PM did he avoided to check on that. Ranil is guilty for allowing others to manipulate the Sri Lankan Economy.
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thrishu / January 30, 2018
Ranil pretends to be an incompetent fool, but in fact he was the mastermind behind this mega bank robbery. No need to go through all this analysis. Either way he MUST be kicked out from his roost.
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citizen / January 31, 2018
thrishu, My Dhamma book says “You cannot serve God and Mammon (Money) Ranil left God to serve Mammon and is reaping the consequences.
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Ajith / January 30, 2018
This is the beauty of Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism. Put the blame on LTTE or Tamil diaspora for everything including SWRD assasination and investing billions in Swiss banks by Mahinda. Hooray! Hooray! Sinhala masses definitely going to believe it because Lord Buddha is in the heart of message.
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citizen / January 31, 2018
Ajith, How different from the message that Lord Jesus preached. He went to the Temple priests and overturned the tables of the money changes saying “You have made my Father’s House of Prayer a den of thieves.” To the murderers He said ” Serpents, brood of vipers. How can you escape the condemnation of hell” We are still meditating and debating with empty skulls.
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Native Vedda / January 30, 2018
ThanthaiChelva
One in every 200 men alive today is a relative of Genghis Khan, he had many wives, and was enthusiastic in his attentions to other women, the most beautiful women were reserved for Khan, …………………….
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Check your DNA Genghis could be one of your ancestors.
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edwin rodrigo / January 30, 2018
DNA tests: Hey Kala Vedda, lot of research has already been done on human DNA and the human migrations. What we need now is a DNA check on sub humans like you. Perhaps it could answer questions such as which type of cockroach you descend from. Then we can use that information to find out why you behave in that aggressive but stupid way in this forum.
In fact National Geographic is having a special offer of 2 DNA test kits for US$ 70. Oh. sorry that is for humans, not for sub humans.
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Douglas / January 30, 2018
What would have happened, IF Late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew , the Prime Minister of Singapore was living and holding that position? He, (Mr.Lee) would have sent a message for Mr. Arjuna Mahendran to see him in his office to question his career performance in Sri Lanka as a citizen of Singapore. Then Mr. Mahendran knowing very well what would happen, will never answer the call, but check into a hotel and say Goodbye to this world. Mr. Mahendran knows that history of Singapore, where one Minister of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s Cabinet did same when he was summoned to question of a Questionable matter. Thereafter, Mr. Lee would have given orders for the RESTITUTION of all the losses suffered by the Sri Lankans resulting from that “Late” Mr. Arjuna Mahendran’s DECEITFUL discharge of official functions, while being a Singaporean and accepting the job of the Governor of the Sri Lanka Central Bank. That would have shown the world how the Law & Order; Justice by Volition and Democracy work for the People. Then the Presidential Commission would have added an ECLOGUE to end the report.
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Eagle Eye / January 30, 2018
Tamil terrorists blew up the Central Bank using BOMBS. ‘Royal’ terrorists blew up the Central Bank using BONDS!
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Gopalaswamy Vaiko / January 30, 2018
Blind Eye.
You just sound like the SLFPEE basta..s.!
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Mudson Amerasinghe / January 30, 2018
Sarath,
This Bond Issue has been blown out of proportion by the media especially seerasa under the auspices of the hopper man. Its sickening to hear Bond Bond Bond 24×7 of the day. When there are other important issues they are ignored.
If a fraud has taken place there are proper mechanisms to investigate and take action. Out of the 225 members of parliament only a handful of members are aware of Bond transaction and auction method and only Eran and Harsha is fully aware others are just shouting without knowing any knowledge of it.
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old codger / January 30, 2018
Mudson,
I completely agree with you. NOBODY in this forum has come up with real mathematical evidence for the “losses”, they only keep parroting what the media “experts ” say.
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srinath.gunaratne / January 30, 2018
It is the stupidity and arrogance, as always has been, Nothing else!
People in Sri Lanka are dumb to elect good for nothing pair as PM and President!
Send them home before they destroy the country for good.
Harvest what you reap!
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Native Vedda / January 30, 2018
srinathan.gunaratnam
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So do you suggest that the stupid people should bring back Drs Mahinda and his siblings to rule the country? What is in it for you? Have you spoken to Basil?
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Where you’ve been all these weeks.
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Justice & fairplay / January 31, 2018
Sorry, you reap your harvest.
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Robert Wanasundera / January 30, 2018
Very True Mudson.
Fully agree with your comments. We all know the results and UNP is going to win by a landslide in the forthcoming elections.
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Eagle Eye / January 30, 2018
If UNP get a landslide victory, the only conclusion that we can make is there are lots of donkeys walking in two legs in Sri Lanka.
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Native Vedda / January 31, 2018
Eagle Blind Eye
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“If UNP get a landslide victory, the only conclusion that we can make is there are lots of donkeys walking in two legs in Sri Lanka.”
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True, what if SLFP won a landslide victory?
Lot of drunken lankys with sharp razor blades in their hand teetering on one and a half legs.
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kolla / January 30, 2018
A good one Sarath !
It is clear that the commissioners let down the people and themselves. They cannot rise above themselves. They participated in the usual Sri Lankan habit of worshiping those in power.
It was really appalling that Arjuna Aloysious was not cross examined because of the convoluted argument that he is a potential accused. But they cross examined the father in law ( father out law ?) Mahendran who violated every principle of public office and recommended charges against him.It was obvious from the beginning that he will end up as an accused.So with pallisena and other small crooks involved.
The Commissioners roared like lions against those weak characters who were Deputy Governors( Samaratunga and perpetual servant Palisena etc). Our courts are well known for becoming ferocious lions when dealing with small guys and those in opposition. But when it comes to those in power it is pathetic to watch them !
Where in the world does it say that a prime minister must be cross examined only by the Attorney General ( who was appointed by him !)
As it is the whole fraud has happened just by chance. We do not know who planned it and how it was put in to effect ? ( Breakfast meeting ? Mendis Special party ?)Who got the Bank of Ceylon to lend billions to Perpetual ? Who kept EPF out of the bidding and later buy the Bonds from perpetual at a higher price ? Did Mahendran did all that ? Or was it that bungling Idiot Ravi K who did all that ? Or is the master criminal the elephant in the room no body ( esp our judges) wants to see ?
This major white collar crime would have been better investigated by a Magistrate or a even State Counsel like Dappula Livera
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K.Pillai / January 30, 2018
Edmund Burke ~ “Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods”
The Gods in charge of SL do have a wicked sense of humour, do they not?
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