Democratic Left Front Leader and UPFA Ratnapura District MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara is a ‘vindicator’ as he was honest in having admitted that he received money for his election campaign from Walt and Row Associates, a company linked to Perpetual Treasuries. In an interview with the Sunday Observer, the leftist firebrand said former Minister Jayasekara acted honourably in the COPE Committee in respect of the Central Bank Bond scam and it is very surprising now that his name alone has come out after he quit the Government and joined the Opposition. MP Nanayakkara said those MPs who made footnotes in the COPE Committee tried to exonerate former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and Perpetual Treasuries. By cross-examining the Auditor General, they wanted to impress that there had been no loss to the Government at all and as such they should have been the first to confess the sin but they continue to be silent.
Q: Former Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara was one of the most vociferous critics of the Central Bank Bond Scam. Now, it has been revealed that he has received Rs.1 million from Arjun Aloysius which he admitted to using for his election campaign. He has also alleged that 116 other persons have received funds from Aloysius. What is your comment on this?
A: I think Dayasiri was honest in having admitted that he has received money for his election campaign. I think almost 80% of the members in Parliament receive donations from well-wishers who are generally businessmen. Dayasiri says that his judgement was never influenced and took his stand in the COPE Committee when it inquired into the bond scam. When Perpetual Treasuries was involved in it, he took his ground and demanded to inquire about it. He took up the position that the Perpetual Treasuries and the Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran colluded in gaining undue money and profits at the cost of the Central Bank. Therefore, Dayasiri is a vindicator.
Q: The SLFP Group of 16 came to the Opposition after voting in support of the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Prime Minister. Now, at least one of their MPs has been implicated in the scandal. In your, opinion does this expose their hypocrisy?
A: The 16 members of the Government who were Ministers, Deputy Ministers including the Deputy Speaker voted for the NCM brought by the Joint Opposition (JO) which was a blow to the Government and a major breakthrough for the JO. Among them one is now implicated. But as I told earlier, Dayasiri is a vindicator.
Therefore, whatever is said about the money he received, it is a part of his election campaign and many more would have received donations for their election campaigns. Those MPs who made footnotes in the COPE Committee tried to exonerate Arjuna Mahendran and Perpetual Treasuries. That is the crux of the matter. They tried to show by cross-examining the Auditor General that there had been no loss to the Government. They should be the first confessors but they simply remained silent.
Q: The Group of 16 has indicated the desire to work with the JO but in the light of corruption allegations against some of them, will you be re-considering working with them?
A: No. We will work politically with them leaving room open for any inquiry about any person including those in the JO. But we will work with everybody in the Opposition. Freak Opposition of the TNA and the JVP is counted out. Therefore, we will look forward to have more strength in the Opposition.
Q: According to latest revelations, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Opposition politicians, journalists and many others have received funds from Arjun Aloysius. Yet, many of the same politicians are criticising the Treasury Bond scam, what is your comment on this?
A: Anybody who is honourable must criticise, expose and attack the bond scam, the biggest fraud perpetrated on the people of this country and the funds of the Central Bank. Who did it does not matter. Whoever stands against former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and the Perpetual Treasuries about the Bond Scam are welcome to join hands with us. We don’t know the rest of the background.
Q: Interestingly, the revelation about former Minister Jayasekara came only after they left the Government. Does this mean under the Yahapalana Government the corrupt persons are being protected as long as they are within the Government?
A: I don’t say Dayasiri is a corrupt Minister because he received this money from Perpetual Treasuries. He has acted honourably in the COPE Committee in respect of the Bond scam. That should be very clear. But it is very surprising how Dayasiri’s name alone came out after he left the Government and joined the Opposition. This is a curious fact.
Q: Field Marshal Minister Sarath Fonseka has voluntarily admitted that he received funds for the election campaign. Do you think that similar confessions should come from other politicians and other people who had accepted money from Arjun Aloysius?
A: Perpetual Treasuries or any others implicated in any scam where the country, Treasury or the interests of the country have suffered on account of that, then if they are honourable they should make a confession.
Minister Fonseka says that he received money but he doesn’t say the stand he took on the Bond scam. It wasn’t clear whether Fonseka said Arjuna Mahendran and the Perpetual Treasuries are involved in a Bond scam and this must be thoroughly inquired into. The COPE Committee conclusions are rightfully arrived at. Therefore, the matter is left at the point when there is a question mark whether he supports the COPE conclusions or whether he supports the footnote conclusions.
Q: On the other hand, Government Ministers say that the Government has taken action against corruption even by those in the Government. For example, Arjun Aloysius and Kasun Palisena are in remand custody, Chief of Staff of the President and former State Timber Corporation Chairman have been indicted while former Minister Ravi Karunanayake has been sacked from his post. Your comments on this?
A: Well on matters and issues which are too exposed to be swept under the carpet, they were compelled to take action as there was no alternative. So, that is not any credit to the Government.
Q: Many political parties including the JO and minority parties have opposed the 20th Amendment proposal brought by the JVP. What is the reason for opposing the abolition of the Executive Presidency?
A: It is not the abolition of the Executive Presidency that we opposed. As far as I, my party and many others are concerned, it is the dis-empowerment of Maithripala Sirisena as the President. The de-legitimisation of the status of the President by this resolution will bring the entire residual power into the hands of the Prime Minister and the Government.
The President thereafter will remain a mere symbol.
Q: Are you in the process of deciding on a Presidential candidate since three names have been nominated like Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Chamal Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa on the assumption that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot contest again. At the moment who has the biggest support?
A: I don’t know who has the biggest support. I find there is a lot of talk about Gotabaya Rajapaksa. I support Chamal Rajapaksa as the moderate leader who can take a balanced view between contending parties and as a person who comes from the ‘kurahan tradition’. As a person who is left of the centre, I think Chamal Rajapaksa would be the ideal to gather the minority votes and bring democratic forces and progressive forces together.
Q: On what grounds do you tell that the UNP and the SLFP with two different political ideologies cannot run the Government efficiently?
A: That has already been proved. The ideologies are not abstract things. There are concrete implications.
When it comes to concrete implications, there is a clash of purpose and a clash of direction. That is what has happened.