Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare Ranjan Ramanayake speaks about corruption investigations, present status of the government and the way forward. He expresses his views in this regard in an interview with. Daily Mirror.
How do you analyse the current political situation?
Compared with what existed prior to January 8, 2015, what we have achieved today is more than enough. It was actually a terror period. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake rightly called it the ‘Black Decade’. I endorse it. It was dictatorial. As many as 26 media workers were killed, and a number of media institutions burnt. There was the white van culture. Public money was embezzled. Along with projects such as the Hambantota Port, the Mattala Airport and the Norochcholai coal plant, the country became heavily indebted. Every citizen is indebted to the value of Rs.500,000. Relatively, the situation is safe now. I do not say it is perfect. Anybody can criticize the government, be it the President, the Prime Minister or the parliamentarians. Yet, we have to correct a few more areas. We are all human beings who are bound to make mistakes.
In your view, what are the areas to be corrected?
Of course, we made a lot of promises before January 8, 2015 on the election platform. We have delivered a bulk of them. There is a little more to be done. At this moment, I can refer to the situation in Manila, in the Philippines. Its President Rodrigo Duterte was elected to office with the promise to eliminate the drug menace along with drug traffickers in Manila.
As many as 6000 persons were killed in the operations. But, it was the mandate given by the people of that country to resurrect the young generation from the drug menace. The President has lived up to his mandate. In Russia, President Vladimir Putin has done his part in keeping with the mandate given to him. However, the leadership of our country overvalues principles of good governance. Democracy is implemented in its truest sense, and as a result, the corrupt and fraudsters are frolicking. We have taken to task 80% of wrongdoers, though.
"Those who plundered public wealth since 1994 have brought out the ‘corrupt Top Ten’ allegation against the present government. Fraudsters cry hoarse against the government. Other than this, today the country is a peaceful paradise"
I believe MP Wimal Weerawansa cannot be freed in this manner. People accused of keeping two passports languish in prison for years. But, there was an exception to the rule regarding the case involving him. I think somebody from our side had been involved to set him free. These are the deals. Shiranthi Rajapaksa (Former First Lady) was interrogated at the official residence of the Speaker. It should not have happened.
Those who plundered public wealth since 1994 have brought out the ‘corrupt Top Ten’ allegation against the present government. Fraudsters cry hoarse against the government. Other than this, today the country is a peaceful paradise.
You are a politician who talked about corruption and frauds. There were allegations about multi-billion dollar accounts maintained in different countries. But, what you pursue today are relatively small cases such as financial irregularities. How do you see the veracity of allegations about major crimes in this context?
I agree with what you said. We have set up independent services. We cannot influence the judicial activities. We cannot fast track the hearing of cases. If we do it, it would amount to political interference. We have now acted to confiscate around Rs.4 billion rupees of ill-gotten wealth. We have found Rs.157 million in the CSN accounts. We have found two plots of valuable land in Malwana and Matara. There are numerous other cases that are under investigation. 
We are in the process of identifying the unlawful transfer of money to the First Family members’ accounts at that time. The FCID, the Bribery Commission, and the PRECIFAC are working round the clock. These are unprecedented. In the past, no such corruption investigation took place. At that time, we could only notice a case involving a principal of a leading girls’ school being charged and convicted for the acceptance of a tea set as an inducement.
That is the only case investigated by the Bribery Commission.
For the first time, the Cabinet Ministers have been tried. Today, Basil Rajapaksa is on bail. Duminda Silva is sentenced to death. The police are acting against Karuna and Pillayan. Karuna is someone responsible for the murder of hundreds of police officers and the massacre of monks at Aranthalawa. In the past, the judiciary was influenced. We are implementing the law today. But, people who voted us into office expect the hearing of these cases to be expedited.
After the 2010 election, Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka was dragged and incarcerated. People expect the same to be done today. People talk about a person like Mervyn Silva being at large. We watched with awe how he tied a person to a tree. We have to carry out an internal political battle and correct the flawed areas of our government.
Yet, there is an allegation that the law is implemented only against those opposed to the government. There is a perception that no action is taken against the Central Bank bond scam. What are your views?
I also served on the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that inquired into this case. I never became a party to cover it up. I washed my hands off and was patiently looking at it. We only appointed MP Sunil Handunnetti as the COPE Head. It means we never wanted to sweep anything under the carpet.
The report is now with the Attorney General. We do not want to cover it up. We debated the issue and inquired into it. It was MP Weerakumara Dissanayake, Sunil Handunnetti and I, who asked the ex-CB Governor Arjuna Mahendran to be summoned to the COPE. Now, the JO tries to take the sole credit for pursuing this case. It was not them. They joined the bandwagon when the investigations were halfway through.
"Today, Basil Rajapaksa is on bail. Duminda Silva is sentenced to death. The police are acting against Karuna and Pillayan. Karuna is someone responsible for the murder of hundreds of police officers and the massacre of monks at Aranthalawa"
Prior to January 8, 2015, we knew of only one Arjuna. That was Arjuna Ranatunga. Afterwards, we came to know Arjuna Mahendran and later Arjuna Aloysius. There are so many Arjunas. I knew Arjuna Ranatunga who helped us to install this government. We are thankful to the media.
The media only exposed it. It is overexposed now. So nobody can cover it up. It happened due to the prevalence of democracy. At that time, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa swept 24 such cases under the carpet. He covered up cases such as the hedging transaction. We would like to investigate cases involving Arjuna Mahendran and Arjuna Aloysius because they worked with MR at that time.
I again stress that we cannot fast-track investigations in the way we desire. In Chicago, there was one leading drug dealer and a brothel house operator. Leading lawyers appeared for him in that country. He had bought over law firms.
So, no murder charge or any other criminal charges against him could be proven in a court of law in that country with evidence. Finally, he was charged for a tax fraud and sent to jail. In jail, he died.
In Sri Lanka too, legal luminaries appear for wrongdoers. We can recall how the leading lawyer cum politician Colvin R. de Silva appeared in a case and disproved it using his wit and hair-splitting arguments. We have to fight cases amidst legal loopholes.
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Govt will serve full term
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SLFPers who were critical of President are holding posts today
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It is inappropriate to take on each other
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No need to cover up Bond scam
For the first time, there is a national unity government between the UNP that you represent, and the SLFP. How do you look at it?
This is like husband and wife maintaining a joint account in a Bank. It is interesting. The PM and the President are the partners here neither can cheat each other. The wife cannot withdraw money for her requirements such as for shopping and beauty care without the knowledge of the husband. Even the husband wouldn’t be able to do so for his needs such as boozing, gambling, betting or looking after his concubine because the wife would be opposed to it.
This is a unique concept which we are witnessing today. In the aftermath of the January 8 election, no political murder took place. No arson attack took place under political motivation.
The President is there to protect the SLFPers and the PM to protect the UNPers. If there are ten jobs reserved for one electorate, it is shared between the SLFP and the UNP. Some find it difficult to stomach this situation because there were greedy politics.
Today, the SLFP and the UNP Ministers criticize each other. Once, the UNP at a press conference, asked the SLFPers to quit the government if they cannot fall in line. Against such a backdrop, how could this political marriage be sustained?
There is no problem between husband and wife. The others around them fabricate various things. The President whom we elected on January 8 is guided by others. They have taken control of Cabinet portfolios meant for us. Those who enjoy Cabinet perks were critical of the President at that time. So, we can understand as to why our members are disillusioned.
These SLFP Ministers enjoy perks because the President had won. I believe our members should not be critical of these SLFPers in the open. All know that we had got 106 seats at the parliamentary elections. We fell short by only seven seats to form a government on our own. We could have roped in a few more members from the other side and done it. In Sri Lanka, you know an MP could be roped in for one million rupees if offered. Constructive criticism is welcomed but, it is not nice to take on each other. If it is done, both are wrong.
Do you think this government will serve its full term in this manner?
I think so. I joined politics as an artiste. Both the President and the PM are clean politicians. I do not say they are perfect. It showed during the last couple of years that there were no attacks on a media institutions. The only incident was the Navy Commander’s assault on a journalist. It did not lead to a hospitalization even.
How do you look at it?
Actually, we were elected with the promise to ensure media freedom. Then, what happened was definitely wrong. I do not condone it. There is a story behind it, though.
"After the 2010 election, Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka was dragged and incarcerated. People expect the same to be done today. People talk about a person like Mervyn Silva being at large. We watched with awe how he tied a person to a tree. We have to carry out an internal political battle and correct the flawed areas of our government"
