Finance Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma is defended by Bimal Rathnayake amid payment controversy, praising his role in economic recovery.
Finance Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma has been described as a national asset by Minister Bimal Rathnayake, who credited him with making an exceptional contribution to rebuilding Sri Lanka’s collapsed economy.
Speaking on the “Rathu Ira” program on Swarnavahini channel, Minister Rathnayake said Harshana Suriyapperuma played a major role, together with the President and Minister Anil Jayantha, in bringing the country’s economy to its present position after a severe collapse.
The Minister made the remarks at a time when public debate has intensified over alleged erroneous payments that occurred last January, placing renewed attention on the Ministry of Finance and the systems responsible for handling public funds.
According to Rathnayake, Sri Lanka’s recovery must be viewed against a wider global backdrop, where many countries continue to suffer severely due to economic crises and financial pressure.
He said countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are still facing problems including fuel queues and school closures, while Sri Lanka has been able to move away from such conditions due to the special dedication of key officials.
Rathnayake said the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance had appeared before the Committee on Public Finance to clarify matters regarding the alleged erroneous payments.
While acknowledging that certain financial irregularities had occurred, the Minister stated that investigations had already been launched both at the Ministry of Finance level and through the police.
This raises concerns about how the issue developed, how far the irregularities extended, and whether existing safeguards within the public finance system were strong enough to detect and prevent such incidents earlier.
Rejecting criticism from certain opposition groups, Rathnayake said the Ministry of Finance had taken steps to prevent corrupt individuals from obtaining information.
He argued that attacks directed at Harshana Suriyapperuma should not overshadow the role he played during a critical period in the country’s economic recovery.
The Minister also stated that the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance has a very important responsibility, but warned that it should not be turned into a political battleground.
His comments come amid heightened scrutiny over the committee’s role in questioning officials, examining public finance concerns, and responding to public demand for accountability.
Rathnayake further pointed out that the Committee on Public Finance does not have the structural capacity to investigate financial affairs occurring in every state institution.
He said the Auditor General has full authority for that purpose, making a distinction between parliamentary financial oversight and formal investigative responsibility.
However, questions remain over whether Sri Lanka’s public finance oversight framework is strong enough to respond quickly when serious financial irregularities are detected.
The Minister emphasized that the current government remains committed to strengthening public financial discipline and will not hesitate to conduct criminal investigations or punish any fraud or corruption.
What happens next could be critical as the government seeks to defend senior officials involved in economic recovery while also proving that allegations of financial irregularities will be handled with transparency, discipline, and accountability.
