In politics, one should be ready to stand criticism
Attorney General can only take action regarding bond scam
If there is any loss, it can be recovered from frozen assets of PTL
Highways and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella in an interview with the Daily Mirror spoke about the present status in politics in the wake of the action taken by President Maithripala Sirisena regarding the bond scam. Following are excerpts of the interview done with Minister Kiriella.
QPresident Maithripala Sirisena staged a walkout from the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. What is your view?
In politics, one has to bear with criticism. Today, you can see Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. What a scathing attack is made against him by some sections of the media? Yet, he does not care about it. He always responds to criticism with a smile on his face.
QWhat is the response of the United National Party (UNP) to the statement made by the President regarding the bond scam?
The report is a collection of materials. There are recommendations that have been made. It has been sent to the Attorney General. We await the action that the Attorney General is going to take. He will take appropriate action.
Demonstrations in the Well of the House should not be tolerated
QHow keen is the UNP to get these recommendations implemented?
As the Prime Minister said it was to be implemented as soon as the COPE report was out. It was sent to the Attorney General in 2016. That is to see if anyone can be prosecuted. We have done that willingly. This is the first time, a COPE report was sent to the Attorney General. There were over 20 or 30 COPE reports in the past, but not a single one was sent to the Attorney General. In one report submitted by MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as the COPE Chairman, there was a case connected to Rs.150 billion. Nothing happened about it.
QBut, the COPE report was sent to the Attorney General way back in October, 2016. No action has been taken as of now. What is your response?
It is up to the Attorney General. The AG should have gone through it and taken necessary action if necessary.
QIn the latest report, there are some recommendations to work out fresh legislations to recover the loss caused to the Government. You, as the Leader of the House, have a responsibility in the enactment of laws. How do you act in this regard?
We are ready to work out laws if necessary. The Attorney General should make relevant recommendations in consultation with the Central Bank for it. We are ready to enact them for sure.
The deans of state medical faculties are in agreement with us. The Government Medical Officers’ Association is a trade union
QHow has this affected relationship between the President and the United National Party (UNP)?
There is no impact on relations. Before the President, we sent the COPE report to the Attorney General. The President is now doing the same thing we did one year ago. There is no animosity. We all want to get to the bottom of the whole affair. Only the Attorney General can point a finger at anybody. He will peruse evidence. It is he, who has the power to prosecute anyone.
QWhat is your message to the Attorney General?
We all want to get to the bottom of it. In bond transactions, people make money. We have to find out whether any unlawful profit has been made in this transaction. You cannot charge a person for making money. Yet, if the profit has been made unlawfully, he or she can be charged.
QWhat is your view on what happened in Parliament when the Prime Minister made a statement?
Who asked for the debate? The SLFP, the Joint Opposition and the JVP asked for it. They asked for a report knowing well that the report had not been tabled. Why did they do it? We said we were ready for it. They said they were not ready. Could we have discussed everything?
The opposition was not ready for a debate. They are the ones who stormed into the Well of the House. It was not us.
Before President, UNP sent COPE report to AG
QYet, the UNP backbenchers confronted them. What is your view?
There must be retaliation. It has been the custom of the Joint Opposition to get into the Well of the House even regarding a trivial matter. If they were keen on the debate, they should have replied the Prime Minister after his statement.
QDo you suggest that demonstrations in the Well of the House should not be tolerated?
Yes. It should not be tolerated. During the past three years, the Joint Opposition trooped into the Well of the House even for a minor matter. It has become a fashion now. Since the loss is Rs.11 billion, the Government had frozen financial assets worth Rs.12 billion belonging to Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. If the Attorney General confirms it and holds Arjun Aloysius responsible, his assets have been already frozen. The money is available. There has to be prosecution. There is nothing to panic.
QThese bonds are now traded in the market. So, the impact will be felt in the long run. It will be a continuous hemorrhage on the economy. What is your response?
All what you say has to be established in a court of law. The opposition can only make accusations.
President now does what we did one year ago
QAt this election, the UNP is pitted against President Sirisena’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). How will it affect the future of the Government?
As far as the UNP is concerned, we are the largest party in the Government. We are confident of having this UNP-led Government till 2020. It is better for you to wait till February 10. Then, you will know who has the mandate to run the country.
QWhat is your position regarding the President making reference to the Supreme Court on the limit of his term?
The Supreme Court’s opinion shows that our judiciary is so independent. It is devoid of political influence. Yet, the constituent parties were not consulted by the President. It created uneasiness in the Government’s allies.
QWhat are your plans in the higher education sector?
We have created three medical colleges. Money has been allocated for all. We have created 11 faculties to teach technological subjects in the universities. This is so important. Within the next five years, the number of students attending these faculties will be higher than the number attending the Arts Faculties. These new subjects are Biosystems Technology, Engineering Technology and IT
We want to promote science-based education more. We have given autonomy to the universities. The Vice Chancellors and the Senates have to run the universities. They must be accountable, though. The hostel issue will be addressed in 2018 once and for all. We have increased Mahapola bursaries. We will produce employable graduates.
QWhat is the latest progress in relation to SAITM?
SAITM will be abolished. We will do it. We have introduced minimum standards. What more then?
Supreme Court’s opinion on President’s term shows how independent Sri Lanka’s judiciary is
QSAITM students will be attached to a new institution?
We have created two new bodies. One is to absorb present students to one body. They will continue with their studies there. That is for the present students. The deans of state medical faculties are in agreement with us. The Government Medical Officers’ Association is a trade union. They have no right to determine the nature of medical education.
