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SLFP given portfolios to cover up CB scandal: Dinesh

23 Mar 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The appointment of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs as Ministers was an attempt to cover up the wrongdoings of the government led by the United National Party (UNP), especially the Central Bank Bond Sale issue, Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardane charged today.

United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Gunawardane said the bond sale issue was one of the largest corrupt deals that had taken place in the country and also in the history of the Central Bank.

“SLFP MPs who went to the Bribery Commission against the Central Bank Governor for allowing the corrupt deal have been appointed as ministers in the government today. This is absurd,” he told a news conference in Colombo.

He said the CB Governor should be removed immediately as he was not a Sri Lankan citizen and said the deal was a black mark to the Central Bank.

“Functioning of the Central Bank, while the governor is on leave, is not beneficial to the banking system. The Prime Minister had taken over the Central Bank which was under the purview of the Finance Minister earlier. Therefore, the Prime Minister should take responsibility,” he said.

MP Gunawardane said under these circumstances they didn’t approve the appointments of SLFP MPS as Ministers in the Government and said the move was against the franchise given to the UPFA.

UPFA MP Wimal Weerawansa said that 6.2 million of people those contributed in President Maithripala Sirisena’s victory had been left stunned with the new appointments.

“This is not a promise given under the 100-day programme. Neither the 6.2 million who voted for Maithripala Sirisena nor the 5.8 million voted against him asked for these appointments. Even before the conclusion of the 100 days, the government had doubled the number of ministers,” he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)