A fiery exposé by the New People’s Front accuses Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne of misusing state resources, secretly moving to Lauries Road with his private secretary, and violating the Establishments Code.
New People’s Front Party (Nawa Janatha Peramuna) Leader Sugishwara Bandara, Colombo District Council Secretary and former Municipal Councilor Vikum Kithsiri, and Dehiwala Electorate Co-Organizer Ajantha De Silva attended the media briefing held at the Maharagama party headquarters today.
Party Leader Sugishwara Bandara stated that it has been decided to convert the Speaker’s official residence into a parliamentary research center.
The New People’s Front, at a media briefing on July 3rd, exposed the Speaker’s fraud, corruption, irregularities, and misappropriation of state property to the country. Also, a month ago, on July 4th, a complaint was filed with the Bribery Commission regarding those corrupt irregularities. But even though it has been a month since Bribery and Corruption Commission Director Ranga Dissanayake, who is actively investigating the board distribution, the distribution of nuts, and the distribution of potatoes of the previous government, no action has been taken, even though we have submitted information. We say that it is good to investigate the theft, corruption, and fraud committed in the past. It should be done. Also, we are asking you to take legal action diligently regarding the complaints we are presenting with evidence about the officials of the National People’s Power Government.
After we revealed the facts, the Speaker issued a press release on July 6th, explaining the allegations we had made within the legal framework, and it was accepted that Lauries resides in a 1/8 house in the housing complex, that the private secretary also stays there, eats and pays for it, obtains fuel for the vehicles used, and that he uses three vehicles as we submitted.
Then, on July 9th, we requested information from the Information Officers of Parliament under the Right to Information Act regarding the vehicles, fuel, houses, food, etc. used by the Speaker, but to date, that information has not been provided to us. According to the information we have received, the Speaker pressured those officers not to provide that information, and even after a month, that information has still not been provided to us.
If the Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, is correct in these allegations, why is he so afraid to reveal that information to the country? He should not be afraid to tell the country about the vehicles he uses, the way he pumps oil, the way he lives, and the way he eats.
This delay shows that he has committed and continues to commit the corruption, irregularities, and abuses he is accused of.
Also, the Chairman of the Right to Information Commission has not yet been appointed. Through this, they are trying to prevent the public from knowing the true information of the country by subjecting the Right to Information Commission to a natural death.
We have received information that Mr. Tilvin Silva, the big brother of Pelawatte, got angry over this allegation and scolded the Speaker for keeping his personal secretary in the Lauries Housing Complex.
On August 1st, the Speaker’s Communications Director (Acting) announced to the country that the Speaker’s official residence in Rajamalwatte would be converted into a parliamentary study and research center. This decision is being taken after the allegations we made and the scolding by Comrade Tilvin of Pelawatte.
We would like to ask the Speaker a few questions again. That is:
The official residence of the Speaker is a residence registered under the Establishment Code. It is clearly stated in Chapter 18 of the Establishment Code.
If such an official residence is to be used for any other purpose, the Establishment Code must be amended. For that, the approval of the Cabinet must be obtained. This is not the house of Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. It is the official residence of the Speaker. The Speaker, who will leave office after this government in two more Vesak Poyas, will no longer be eligible to occupy it. In this way, the official residence of the Speaker cannot be allocated for any one purpose as he wishes. This is not the house of Mr. Jagath Wickramaratne, but the official residence of the Speaker of this country. Mr. Jagath Wickramaratne cannot make decisions about it. If he is to use it for any other purpose, the Establishment Code should be changed. Or, he should obtain Cabinet approval. But without taking any such legal action, he decided to consult the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Council and turn that official residence into a research center. To make decisions about the Speaker’s official residence, he should obtain Cabinet approval. The Parliamentary Staff Advisory Council was established under the Parliamentary Staff Act No. 9 of 1953. The power given by that Act is only in relation to the recruitment of staff, payment of their salaries and allowances, and disciplinary control. We would like to ask you to please read this Act carefully. As the third citizen of the country and as the head of the legislature, we would like to tell the Speaker to act ethically without providing false information to the country and to uphold the dignity of that position. The Speaker suddenly made this decision because of the accusation we made against him for using two official residences.
Until now, the Speaker’s official residence has been used for advisory committee meetings, meetings with officials of the Ministry of Justice, and diplomatic meetings. The Speaker used both these houses until August 1st. Therefore, the Speaker has knowingly misused state property.
The Speaker says that he does not reside in the official residence of Parliament. If so, why has he appointed his personal staff? Meetings and banquets are held there. Furthermore, all the bed sheets, pillowcases, and cutlery required for the official residence at Lauries road have been obtained from the official residence of Parliament. He should be ashamed of this. We would like to hear whether the Punaruda government was authorized to do this.
According to Section 4 of Chapter 19 of the Establishment Code, it is completely illegal to own two houses at the same time. It is an abuse of public property. It is a non-bailable offence under the Public Property Act. It is a non-bailable offence under the Bribery Act. It is criminal misappropriation under the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. So, the Speaker acquiring another house on Lauries Lane while still using the Speaker’s official residence is a punishable offence.
So, Mr. Shani Abeysekara, Mr. Ravi Seneviratne, Mr. Ranga Dissanayake, please read Section 4 of Chapter 19 of the Establishment Code carefully. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne should be arrested immediately for keeping two houses at the same time.
But we know that the actions taken on complaints filed on behalf of the Resurgent Government are treated as minor errors. Not today, but tomorrow.
Furthermore, according to Section 5.4 of Chapter 19 of the Establishment Code, if a married couple resides in an official government house, rent should be collected from both of them. Or, according to Section 5.5, if they are joint residents, the rent should also be collected from the partner. The problem we have is: on what basis is the Speaker residing in this house with his private secretary? Are they residing on Lauries Lane as husband and wife or as partners? According to the information we have received, not a single rupee from the salary of the Speaker’s private secretary goes to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, and Local Government for the 1/8 house in the Lauries Apartment Complex. It is very clear in the letter submitted to the media that the Speaker is making payments for this.
Accordingly, it is clear that the Speaker’s decision to convert his official residence into a parliamentary study and research center was a shameless attempt to cover up his mistake. Therefore, the Bribery and Corruption Commission and the Criminal Investigation Department can arrest him.
