The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 What are the steps in the standard procedure for making these debt service payments? Which institutions and which officers are responsible at each step? At which stages have officers so far been identified as responsible for these erroneous payments?

¶ 02 Specifically, we want to know: alongside the loss of USD 2.5 million, the Government’s official spokesperson has said there is also an issue of USD 600,000 with the US Postal Service, and we have heard reports of double payments relating to “Aswasuma” benefits. Please investigate and inform the House of the facts. It is more important that the Government tables these facts before we do. We have also heard that promissory notes related to a French loan have gone missing from computers at the Ministry of Finance. What is the status of this? Parliament must be properly and transparently briefed on the debt service process. Please present, at this time, the steps involved and who the responsible officers are for each step.

¶ 03 On what date was this incident discovered? From that date, what actions were taken, with dates, under Financial Regulations 103 to 109 and under 1569? What has been the outcome of those actions, and will the reports be tabled? Up to today, for what specific reason has the Government avoided reporting this to Parliament?

¶ 04 We understand this incident occurred in January, yet there was no reporting to Parliament. Civil activists and we ourselves raised the matter with the Government; only then did details emerge. On what basis did the Government fail to report this to the House?

¶ 05 After learning of the incident, what steps, in sequence with dates, did the Ministry of Finance take under the Payment Devices Frauds Report Act, No. 6 of 2006?

¶ 06 How were payment details changed on the basis of instructions received via a fake email address that mimicked the official email of the Australian institution? When changing bank accounts, SWIFT numbers, or SWIFT codes, there should be verification. What verification method was followed? Under Financial Regulations, for changes to large-value payment particulars, an independent confirmation mechanism should be used. We hear there is a 14‑stage review process; if so, how did this lapse occur? These matters must be presented to Parliament. Why was this matter not referred to the CID until it became public? Please explain. I request that Parliament be fully informed of all these matters.

¶ 07 After learning of the incident, what are the date and number of the complaint made to initiate legal action, and who made the complaint?

¶ 08 We have been informed that the late Mr. Ranga Nishantha Rajapaksha made that complaint. Is that correct?

¶ 09 What is the current progress of law enforcement? Is this payment now treated as a money-laundering offence or as a bribery/corruption offence?

¶ 10 With this misplacement of funds, does the Government accept that under the IMF program this constitutes a technical default? What progress has been made on the actions taken to remedy this?

¶ 11 Does the Government accept that this is the most serious dereliction of responsibility in the history of public finance, and that the Chief Accounting Officer and accounting officers supervising and managing these functions have failed in their duties? If so, does the Government think a fair investigation can be done while the Secretary to the Treasury and responsible officers continue in office?

¶ 12 Thank you.