• Sets record straight on recent Treasury Bond issue 
• Says he didn’t act deaf, dumb and blind but remained silent until proper information was obtained
• Justifies 3 lawyers in probe committee
• Exposes series of private placements of Treasury Bond issues under previous Central Bank regime
• Names and shames people favoured by Rajapaksa regime; Seeks a Parliamentary Select Committee 
• to probe deals by stock market mafia
• Takes dig at media, private sector; Says he is determined to clean up the private sector, the banks and the stock exchange

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe – Pic by Lasantha Kumara 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday fired on all cylinders in Parliament, gunning down critics for baseless mudslinging over the recent Treasury Bond issue as well as exposing the improper conduct of various institutions of the past regime and those allegedly connected to it.

Using Parliamentary privilege, Wickremesinghe’s special statement was akin to a “name and shame” exercise but it set the record straight on the 27 February 2 015 Treasury Bond issue which has resulted in political controversy over alleged insider dealing and other issues.The Prime Minister took the opportunity to reveal the improper conduct of the previous regime. At the outset of his statement, Wickremesinghe clarified his silence on the Bond issue to date. “My silence should not be misconstrued. It was by no means a cowardly attempt to be deaf, dumb or blind to issues. Nor was it in the belief that remaining quiet would allow such issues to be forgotten. To the contrary, it was only because I felt my first statement with regard to the so-c alled controversy over Treasury Bonds should be made to this House,” the Premier said. He traced the background of the bond issue and said that the new Central Bank had done it right. “It is only after we assumed office that the Central Bank adopte d a more prudent system of calling for competitive bids,” the Prime Minister said. He also exposed what he alleged were a series of non-transparent private placements of Treasury bonds made by the previous regime for the benefit of its cronies. The Prime Minister justified the selection of persons to the three-member committee to probe the recent bond issue. Wickremesinghe used the special statement in Parliament yesterday to reiterate his previous expose on abuse within the stock market. He said he was seeking the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to probe malpractices in the stock market apart from requesting the Securities and Exchange Commission to revisit closed files. In his speech Premier also revealed the true financial position and irregularities at SriLankan Airlines and recalled the former Cabinet decision to extend $ 520 million in capital infusion. Looking at some of the MPs who lodged a complaint about the latest Central Bank Governor at the Bribery Commission, Wickremesinghe asked why they did not do same against SriLankan Airlines when it was being mismanaged.He also took a dig at the private sector and the media. “The media says that the private sector has lost confidence in the Government. The people have lost faith in the private sector, so have I,” Wickremesinghe said, adding that he was determined to clean up the private sector, banks and the Stock Exchange. “This Government has nothing to hide as we have always been guided by the principles of good-governance, which was at the core of our election manifesto. Government’s efforts cannot be hampered by malicious and vituperative propaganda campaigns,” said a charged-up Premier.

Full speech here