Govt to Seize Perpetual Treasuries’ Funds

Observing that it was not easy to probe financial scams, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday told Parliament that President Maithripala Sirisena is looking at the possibility of seizing or freezing the assets of Perpetual Treasuries if that company is found guilty of wrongdoing in the probe to be made by a Special Presidential Commission.

His statement came in the course of his address in Parliament in yesterday’s debate on the alleged scam.

Stating that while the previous regime had also engaged in large scale frauds, he said it appeared the present government was also engaged in some corruption. Both are equally wrong, he added.

The Minister said the Opposition has the right to highlight the shortcomings of the government but it should not do it in a manner that jeopardized development of the country.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Presidential Commission appointed to probe the controversial bond scandal will complete investigations in three months and submit its report to the President.

He said the Commission was appointed following a request made by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The Commission has been mandated to propose legal action against anyone found guilty of financial wrongdoing.

He said the probe needs to look at any inadvertent way in which the Bank of Ceylon, which has acted as a broker for Perpetual Treasuries, could have got entangled in the alleged scam.

He added that the President will not hesitate to take action against anyone proved guilty.

(Source: Ceylon Today – By Gagani Weerakoon & Skandha Gunasekara)