Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said he had requested Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to convene Parliament on February 8 to debate the reports of the Bond Commission and the Presidential Commission on Serious Acts of Fraud and Corruption (PRECIFAC).
The Prime Minister made this announcement at a public rally in Morawaka, Deniyaya, to secure the win of the United National Party at the upcoming local government polls.
“February 8 was deemed as a suitable date as many Ministers and Parliamentarians are currently engaged in election campaigning” Wickremesinghe said, adding that the letter formalizing the request for a ...special debate on February 8 will be issued tomorrow. “As Prime Minister, only I can convene parliament,” the Premier said during the rally. He said he requested that the Speaker convene Parliament on February 8 following a request by Anura Kumara Dissanayake for a special parliamentary session on the reports of the presidential commissions. “The speaker informed me of the request made by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, yesterday,” he said. February 8, a Thursday, is just two days before the local government elections slated to be held on Saturday February 10.
The Prime Minister added that he would not object to a request from party leaders to debate on the matter for a number of days as the United National Party has done nothing that needs to be concealed or swept under the rug.
“We will not lie in order to gain power” the Prime Minister assured the people.
The Prime Minister also added that the Bond Commission report did not find wrongdoing on the part of, or reason to investigate the United National Party. “I have instructed the Attorney General’s department to take necessary action according to the commission reports” he said. Speaking on the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Serious Fraud and Corruption in the former regime, the Prime Minister pointed out that the report recommends that the civic rights of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa be abolished for life. “It says action should be taken against wrongdoers” he said.
The Prime Minister concluded by saying that transparency established in Parliament will also be enforced in the local government bodies by the government while action will be taken against any corrupt individuals within these organisations.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development, Sagala Ratnayaka, promised that the government is committed to continuing and concluding investigations into corruption and frauds committed during the Rajapaksa era. However, the minister insisted that action will be taken against wrongdoers according to proper legal procedures and not in the vindictive and extra-legal manner that punishment was meted out by the previous government to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.
Minister Ratnayaka also highlighted the fact that the United National Party had no pacts with other parties, thundering that the party’s only pacts are with the people of Sri Lanka.
“According to this pact, we will develop the country’s economy” the Minister said, adding that new employment opportunities will be generated for the youth while health services will also be developed. “This deal is part of our commitment to ensure a country free from corruption,” the Minister stressed.
The Minister also pointed out that the country has seen vast development in the last three years while the government will continue its fight against corruption.