Video: UPFA raps Ranil's DEW drop

9 July 2015 10:31 am

Two senior UPFA members today denounced Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s comments on COPE Chairman D.E.W Gunasekera.

The response come following Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s charges on Tuesday (07) that former Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) D. E. W. Gunasekera had violated the Parliamentary Privileges Act by commenting on the COPE report on the Central Bank bond sale probe by COPE.

Mr. Gunasekara in a news conference last Friday made various comments with regard to the committee report on the sale of Central Bank bonds, which had run into a controversy.

Responding to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s criticism, UPFA member Prof. G.L. Peiris said Mr. Gunasekara performed a commendable task as COPE Chairman for the last five years and produced six reports, which were widely acclaimed by those in Parliament.

He said Mr. Gunasekara was praised by all including the Prime Minister. Based on COPE findings, he said, the Chairman of Government institutions and Statutory Boards were removed.

However, Prof. Peiris said Gunasekara had come under attack all of a sudden after his exposure of the report of the alleged Central Bank Bond sale controversy.

"We denounce it. It is an onslaught on the Parliamentary system," he said.

Meanwhile, UPFA member Bandula Gunawardane said Mr. Gunasekara had been recognised for his impartial qualities and therefore there was no point of accusing him of being biased, when probing the controversial Central Bank (CB) Bond sale.

“The accusation of the Prime Minister is yet another attempt to cover up the Bond scam, in which the country had lost over Rs. 56 billion,” he said.

“Mr. Gunasekara was made COPE Chairman unanimously because of his integrity. He even rejected me, when I asked for an opportunity to submit details on the issue,” Gunawardane told a news conference held at Abhayaramaya in Narahenpita yesterday.

He said the current government should be removed to prevent disasters in the banking system and many other sectors in the country.

“The government led by Mr. Wickremesinghe had only implemented policies, which are detrimental to the economy and democracy. That is why we need a government led by President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)


 

Video by Sanath Desmond