PM follows up on Bond scam

• Direct CB and other authorities to carry out Bond Commission 
• recommendations soon Directs CB to safeguard documents on bonds issuance since 2008; Committee appointed for the task

A discussion was held at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday on the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that investigated the controversial bond issuance of February 2015.

According to a statement released to the media, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy at the meeting to immediately set in motion a process to carry out the recommendations as soon as the Commission’s report is made available.

The Central Bank Governor has informed the PM that, as recommended by the Commission, a suitable local or foreign institute to conduct a forensic audit is to be selected.

The need to ensure the survival of all documents at the Central Bank was brought up at the discussion, as the Commission had recommended an investigation into allegations of corruption and misappropriation said to have taken place between 2008 and 2015. A committee comprising the Governor, the Treasury Secretary and Secretary of Law & Order was appointed for this task.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Law & Order and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake, State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Niroshan Perera, State Minister of Finance Eran Wikcramaratne, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harsha De Silva, Secretary to the Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake, Treasury Secretary R. H. S. Samaratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Development K. D. S. Ruwanchandra, and Secretary to the Ministry of Law & Order and Southern Development Padmasiri Jayamanne also took part in the meeting.