{"id":207288,"date":"2020-01-02T20:28:06","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T14:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=207288"},"modified":"2020-01-08T08:36:08","modified_gmt":"2020-01-08T03:06:08","slug":"hatton-national-bank-central-bank-must-come-clean-on-grand-tax-evasion-allegation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/hatton-national-bank-central-bank-must-come-clean-on-grand-tax-evasion-allegation\/","title":{"rendered":"Hatton National Bank & Central Bank Must Come Clean On \u201cGrand Tax Evasion\u201d Allegation"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0<\/b>Amrit Muttukumaru<\/a> –<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Amrit Muttukumaru<\/p><\/div>\n

HNB Managing Director\/CEO – Jonathan Alles and just retired CBSL Governor – Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy have not thought it fit to touch even with a\u00a0barge pole the damning allegations in the expos\u00e9 \u201cHNB\u2019s grand tax evasion\u201d published in a well-known website (not Colombo Telegraph) at the time Dr. Ranee Jayamaha was HNB Chairman.<\/p>\n

These allegations if credible<\/b> (Ranee Jayamaha apparently thinks so) have huge implications to the integrity<\/b> of Sri Lanka\u2019s banking system, fiscal consolidation, CBSL\u2019s \u2018bank supervision\u2019 and the already battered chartered accountancy profession. True to form the mainstream media would have none\u00a0of it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is alleged:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1) \u201cHNB has been engaged in the tax evasion process for the past 5 to 6 years with the assistance of the officers attached to Inland Revenue Department\u201d<\/p>\n

2) \u201cThe bank has allegedly evaded around Rs 600 million of company tax\u201d<\/p>\n

3) \u201cThe tax advisor to the bank Charted Accountant——–is said to be a main partner in this fraud\u201d<\/p>\n

4) \u201cIn its preliminary investigations, the Central Bank has revealed that half of the evaded tax has been divided between the tax advising company and the officers at the Revenue Department involved\u201d<\/p>\n

5) \u201cThe current chairman of the bank Rani Jayamaha has also been able to identify the wrongdoing through an internal probe\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan Alles and Coomaraswamy were given the link to the website as far back as 25 September 2017. It was to no avail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jonathan Alles<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I followed up my 10 November 2017 e-mail to Jonathan Alles which was ignored with my e-mail of 18 December 2019 which was also ignored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the context of the allegation that then \u201cchairman of the bank Rani Jayamaha has also been able to identify the wrongdoing through an internal probe\u201d I requested Jonathan Alles to clarify<\/b>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c(i) whether an \u201cinternal probe\u201d <\/i>took place? (ii) whether it identified any \u201cwrongdoing\u201d<\/i>? (iii) if so, what were the specific instances of \u201cwrongdoing\u201d<\/i>? (iv) what action was taken against those responsible for any \u201cwrongdoing\u201d<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n

His silence speaks louder than words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was my \u2018Reminder\u2019<\/b> to Jonathan Alles on 23 December 2019 that elicited a response for the first time from HNB on 24 December from Marina Clarenton on behalf of Dilshan Rodrigo – Chief Operating Officer. It was to invite me for a meeting with Rodrigo and Thushari Ranaweera \u2013 HNB Board Secretary on 27 December to \u201cdiscuss\u201d<\/b> this matter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I promptly responded the same day (24 December) to Dilshan Rodrigo with a copy to Jonathan Alles inter alia as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cI re-iterate that under the circumstances, any meeting with me to \u201cdiscuss\u201d<\/b> this matter will serve no useful purpose. All what HNB has to do and what it apparently is refusing<\/b> to do is respond in writing<\/b> to the allegations in the \u2018Sri Lanka Mirror\u2019.<\/p>\n

I trust HNB will do so in the best interest of all concerned as this matter has already been delayed long enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Governor Coomaraswamy<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The allegations include:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn its preliminary investigations, the Central Bank has revealed that half of the evaded tax has been divided between the tax advising company and the officers at the Revenue Department involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

After I brought it to the attention of former Governor Coomaraswamy\u00a0on\u00a025 September 2017, it took the CBSL\u00a042 days<\/b>\u00a0to advise me (i)\u201cCBSL has not carried out any investigations\u201d\u00a0(ii)\u00a0\u201cthe statements\u201d\u00a0in the article \u201care factually incorrect\u201d\u00a0(iii) \u201cThe matter is being brought to the attention of the Inland Revenue Department.\u201d<\/p>\n

It begs the questions:<\/p>\n

i) How \u201cthe statements\u201d contained in the article could be \u201cfactually incorrect\u201d if \u201cCBSL has not carried out any investigations\u201d?<\/p>\n

ii) Why it took CBSL 42 days (from my e-mail of 25 September) to belatedly state \u201cThe matter is being brought to the attention of the Inland Revenue Department.\u201d?<\/p>\n

iii) Has CBSL brought it \u201cto the attention of the Inland Revenue Department\u201d even now? If not why?<\/p>\n

In my said e-mail of 25 September 2017 to former Governor Coomaraswamy also copied to Jonathan Alles I inter alia wrote:<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Ranee Jayamaha \u2013 Confirms Wrongdoin<\/b>g<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Ranee Jayamaha when serving as HNB Chairman confirmed wrongdoing<\/b> on the phone while indicating the \u2018Rs 600 million\u2019 mentioned was an exaggeration.<\/p>\n

Mr. Jonathan Alles \u2013 <\/i>incumbent HNB Managing Director cannot be unaware if an \u201c<\/i>internal probe\u201d<\/i> took place identifying \u201cwrongdoing\u201d<\/i> during Dr. Jayamaha\u2019s tenure as chairman since during her tenure\u00a0 (April 2011 – April 2015) he was (i) Deputy CEO (November 2011 – April 2013) (ii) Acting CEO (May – June 2013) (iii) MD\/CEO\u00a0 from 1 July 2013.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I kindly request Mr. Alles to forward this e-mail to <\/i>Dr. Ranee Jayamaha.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Neither former Governor Coomaraswamy nor Jonathan Alles have refuted \u201cDr. Ranee Jayamaha \u2013 Confirms Wrongdoing\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

I ask Jonathan Alles:<\/b><\/p>\n

1) Did you forward the e-mail to Dr. Jayamaha? If not why?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2) If forwarded what was Dr. Jayamaha\u2019s response?<\/p>\n

3) If in your view the website has been hallucinating<\/b>, has punitive action<\/b> been taken against the website? If not why?<\/p>\n

I ask <\/b>former Governor Coomaraswamy<\/b>:<\/p>\n

1) You have flatly denied<\/b> the allegation \u201cIn its preliminary investigations, the Central Bank has revealed that half of the evaded tax has been divided between the tax advising company and the officers at the Revenue Department involved\u201d. If in your view the website has been hallucinating<\/b>, has punitive action<\/b> been taken against the website? If not why?<\/p>\n

2) To establish the truth or otherwise of this alleged scam, did you at the very least seek the clarification of Dr. Ranee Jayamaha who was previously CBSL Deputy Governor? If not why?<\/p>\n

Awards<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

HNB over the years has been the recipient of a cartload of purported \u2018prestigious\u2019 awards. The \u2018Daily FT\u2019 in its front page news item of 19 July 2019 HNB shines at Euromoney, Asian Banker Awards<\/a>\u00a0 <\/span>reports the following 2019 awards<\/b>:<\/p>\n

\u2018Best Bank in Sri Lanka\u2019 2019 – \u2018Euromoney\u2019 Magazine<\/p>\n

\u2018Best Managed Bank in Sri Lanka\u2019 2019 – \u2018Asian Banker\u2019 Magazine<\/p>\n

To cap it all off\u00a0Jonathan Alles was the recipient of \u2018CEO Leadership Achievement\u2019<\/b> 2019 from \u2018Asian Banker\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Dinesh Weerakkody<\/b> the incumbent HNB Chairman is in the best position to handle this \u2018hot potato\u2019. He seems to be the country\u2019s most sought after and hence experienced bank and company director. He was previously Chairman, Commercial Bank and director of DFCC Bank. Described as a \u2018thought leader\u2019 <\/b>by \u2018Daily FT\u2019, he should be more than capable to get to the bottom of this saga without depleting his vast reservoir of \u2018thoughts\u2019.<\/p>\n

I trust Dinesh Weerakkody and Jonathan Alles will also clarify<\/b> matters in regard to the alleged shocking customer injustice<\/span><\/strong><\/a> exposed in \u2018Colombo Telegraph<\/strong><\/span>\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

All what this writer is seeking in the public interest<\/b> is a robust and transparent investigation<\/b> to determine the truth<\/b> or otherwise of these allegations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does the absence of transparent investigations enable bigwigs in banks to hop from bank to bank? It is rumoured that high level bank officers who perform their statutory duties diligently not to the liking of their bosses are put to pasture prior to being eased out.<\/p>\n

I hope the well funded \u2018Transparency International Sri Lanka\u2019 (TISL) will get cracking on\u00a0 <\/span>\u2018SPECIFIC\u2019<\/b> cases instead of dwelling on \u2018awareness\u2019 programmes and \u2018Corruption Perceptions\u2019. It is observed that TISL steers clear of corporate corruption<\/b> without which large scale government corruption is unlikely to happen.<\/p>\n

HNB must not be allowed to ride\u00a0roughshod\u00a0over these damning allegations which have a crucial bearing on the welfare of the country and the people.\u00a0I urge the newly appointed CBSL Governor – Professor W.D. Lakshman<\/b> to activate CBSL\u2019s \u2018Bank Supervision Department\u2019 which has been in \u201cdeep slumber\u201d<\/i> when it really matters. This includes the \u2018creative\u2019 and disingenuous flouting of regulations pertaining to \u2018single party\u2019<\/b> ownership of banks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":206880,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,46,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-207288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-constitutional-reforms","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nHatton National Bank & Central Bank Must Come Clean On \u201cGrand Tax Evasion\u201d Allegation - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/hatton-national-bank-central-bank-must-come-clean-on-grand-tax-evasion-allegation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hatton National Bank & Central Bank Must Come Clean On \u201cGrand Tax Evasion\u201d Allegation - 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