The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 My second supplementary is this: Many entities—so-called “plantations” and others—are operating promising high interest to the public, including in my Eastern Province, collecting money without Central Bank approval. Given current public concern toward the Central Bank and the Finance Ministry—especially after a hacker stole USD 2.5 million from the Central Bank—future safeguards are essential. When the Finance Ministry Secretary appeared before the Committee on Public Finance, many answers were unsatisfactory. Who will take responsibility going forward? As a State Minister in the Finance Ministry, what proposals do you have? Are there internal audit, IT audit and risk assessment mechanisms in line with international standards within the Central Bank, or plans to create or strengthen them? Recently we saw people in places like Kurunegala protest to retrieve their deposits. What audit mechanisms does the Government have to swiftly identify and act against unregistered entities and protect the public’s money?