Admission Of Large Scale Corruption By Minister Speaks For Itself. .
Posted on February 12th, 2017
Weekly Editorial
Feb.13th 2017
Not surprising are all that United National Party (UNP) Chairman and Minister of Strategic Development and International Trade Malik Samarawickrema has conceded recently that there was large scale corruption in the government of which he is a frontline minister. No admission of shame or guilt here but a simple admission of the realities from a first hand perspective which seems not only plausible but quite alarming!
In the minister’s words “Yes, it is true that there is rampant corruption in the government even now as we inherited a corrupt system from the last administration and practices of that regime were yet there,” he has stated in an interview at his World Trade Centre office and published in a a media report recently but such an unashamed admission will not augur well with those who firmly believe Sri Lanka is on the way to financial recovery .
This is relative to the assurances of the government given before and after the elections and in the light of the country sliding two slots down according to the NGO Transparency International rankings.
Sri Lanka was ranked 79th in the rankings during the Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidency but was later placed 83rd in 2015 and 85th the following year during the present regime that rode into office with a pledge to “rid the country of rampant corruption” which now sounds like a joke on the strength this statement.
While undoubtedly, corruption is a serious issue jeopardising the country’s credibility and reputation it also stifles economic growth which both the President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were purportedly trying to resolve, it sadly reflects their attempts as ineffective where those responsible appear to be running amok and helping themselves towards robbing the country’s resources while lining their pockets. Especially at the highest level.
Accusations regarding this have been rampant lately where it was the previous Administration against whom charges have been levelled whether rightly or wrongly but for the present Administration to continue in the same direction is a matter needing remedying post haste as in the long term it could serious damage Sri Lanka’s economy and even prompt prime international lending sources towards rescinding their lending programs and reconsidering their aid packages.
Hence the private sector and the business community truly needs to stay away from corruption and the country in the last few years did not mould sincere entrepreneurs but only dealmakers in the minister’s words which has more than a ring of truth to it. where he continued that “Corruption has been deep rooted in the Sri Lankan culture and therefore it is important to receive the support of all stakeholders such as the government, the private sector, the public service and the public in uprooting corruption in the country” the commitment towards which seems imperative.
Hopefully to be able to rid the country of corruption at the top level or any level within the next three years, will not be wishful thinking but something that can be accomplished.
February 12th, 2017 at 4:11 pm
“..the country in the last few years did not mould sincere entrepreneurs but only dealmakers ..”
Last few years ? I thought only last 2 years. Before that there was develpment everywhere and minor corruption only.
February 12th, 2017 at 5:47 pm
What do you expect, when a bunch of gullible Sinhala Buddhists swallowed the Yamapalanaya propaganda and voted into power a PAL-HORU KALLIYA of accomplished crooks with long criminal records!
They immediately set about LOOTING the CENTRAL BANK with the connivance of the the PARA-GATHI AGA-MATHI himself, alienated China the primary financier of Sri Lanka’s drive to become a developed country and in their desperation pleaded for even less favourable loans, bribed every politician in sight with pay increases and luxury SUVs, bribed government employees with Rs 10,000 per mth pay hikes, awarded contracts for coal to the highest bidders, and the list goes on …. and on…and on!
As Oliver Cromwell said in 1653 to the BUNGLING Rump Parliament: In the name of God! GO!
February 13th, 2017 at 5:15 am
When traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil wickramaSinhalakiller is in the driving seat you can only expect
murder
mayhem
robberies. That’s all. Catholic-run UNPatriotic party knows they don’t have to do any thing since the traitor tamils,
mussies, catholics vote for them 100% no matter what. Catholic controlled media make sure to paint a rosy picture
calling the monsters MR CLEAN etc. etc. and fool some Sinhala modayas, they are in a win win situation. So the
traitor thieves plunder, plunder and plunder and disappear. Only for a few years, come back with some brand new
mega lies and short memoried Sinhala modayas vote for them again.
Batalande Wadakaya brought all the mega thieves
to the fold soon as he became the Pathala Man (PM) though the back door. His catholic buddy karupaiya for the nation’s coffers who had
money laundering charges previously. Soon as the Pathalaya became PM files disappeared. Karupaiya laundered
and cleansed. Then he brought his catholic buddy maha horandran to the CB. Quickly the pair robbed the bank.
MR CLEAN! of course to the catholic controlled Sri Lankan media. Then Pathalaya brought paskiya who disappeared
after alugosu lk porisada evaporated. We all know how paskiya plundered and bought numerous properties in uk
under lk porisadaya. Pathala Man PM Batalande Wadakaya brought the mega thief straight away to do more
plundering. Batalande Wadakaya not finished yet by any means. He wants to break up Sri Lanka to give his
ardent supporters tamils and mussies their kingdoms and in the process of doing it. Still Sinhala modayas revere
this monster. All patriotic Sinhalese should curse Batalande Wadakaya every day to make lightening will strike this mega thieving, Sinhalese murdering, Buddhism destroying, Sri Lanka destroying Cancer in Mother Lanka.
February 13th, 2017 at 9:35 am
It is hoped the Minister of Finance reads this as he is not a spanking clean individual whose track record belittles his noble ancestry.There are many reports of his modus operandi being tarnished, devious and cunning as well as of the wheeler dealer pattern and someone who needs thorough investigation and possible incarceration.
As fpr Ranil Wickremasinghe’s Batalanda sins apart from his other excesses you can blame the previous administration as well as our so called whistle blower- Chandrika who blows an empty sounding flute who turned a blind eye on his misdeeds to suit their convenience when he should have been tried for the first degree murder of a multitude of innocent young men whose only crime was supporting the JVP ! Incidentally RW is indeed a token Buddhist non aligned with the Catholic Church which is a misconception as he was born and raised a high church Anglican where there is a subtle difference between the two Churches.
Mr.Randeniyage’s quote of Oliver Cromwell seems appropriate and fitting for many Yahapalayanaya boys who are running amok blatantly pillaging and plundering the Nation’s resources today! and damned lucky they aren’t in China
February 13th, 2017 at 2:57 pm
Sunil Mahattaya,
Thank you for noting that Oliver Cromwell’s words are appropriate, but it is I who quoted the excellent Lord Protector of England Oliver Cromwell and not Randeniyage!
February 14th, 2017 at 8:59 am
Indeed an error obviously Ananda my apologies. I’m sure your quotation has been noted by many who appreciate its veracity.