The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, the issues we had about audit queries then are the same we speak of publicly now. The Auditor General audits accounts of State institutions and departments and, where actions are outside institutional manuals and financial regulations, issues audit queries to heads of institutions. These become matters for discussion, in the COPE and COPA as well.

¶ 02 However, an audit query is only a query; it is not a proven finding. The Auditor General allows replies. If in the reply there is a transaction or irregularity, it goes for surcharge/charge. Only on such charged matters should we legislate and, through implementation, end bribery, corruption and fraud. Otherwise, this task cannot be done. We must stop using audit queries for political survival. I have reminded this Government before. We discuss every audit query all the time, and some officials are placed in great difficulty.

¶ 03 Some audit queries state that certain institutions have powers conferred by law. For example, a local authority helping a funeral house, alms hall, temple preaching hall or preschool—though ordinarily not permitted—might do so with full approval of the subject Minister. Yet the National Audit Office questions, “Why was this done outside the subject area of the local authority?” We then bring officials and examine them as if thieves. That may be politically useful, but it is not lawful.

¶ 04 COPE could and should act on corruption, fraud and bribery. Before this Government came to power, there was talk of 400 files. But today, according to my understanding, rather than seeing culprits punished, there is no clear process through the Speaker to ensure the law is implemented. That is why I bring this Motion. Beyond managing headlines, clearly, where audit queries translate to proved matters during audit, swift action must be taken with the Attorney General’s advice against corruption and fraud. What initial steps have you begun? We expected the practice of using audit queries to imprison critics to end. You had information about some transactions; you should have prosecuted and punished. But that is not happening. Hence this Private Member’s Motion is to remind you to fulfil what you promised. We have no issue whether the culprits are from our side then or from the former Government; we want all those who committed fraud and corruption to be punished.

¶ 05 People have forgotten many of your dark political patches and gave you a mandate, forgetting party, colour and symbol, with the hope that the matters we bring through Private Members’ Motions will be fulfilled. Yet we do not see action. Beyond these Motions, the Government and the Minister of Justice must bring the necessary laws. We question whether you are keeping the old system to do the same old things. Therefore, Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, I propose: stop politicizing audit queries through the media; reveal to the country the matters that have been surcharged; and irrespective of rank, refer them to courts swiftly and set up the necessary legal process in the short term, not only the long term. We look forward to the Justice Minister’s response on action to be taken.

¶ 06 Yesterday, at COPE, we discussed recruitments and the Land Reform Commission. Although the Commission has the power to recruit, we tried to show illegality, but they came with Board approvals and we could not proceed. Therefore, beyond media exposure, send all proved matters from audit to the law and ensure punishments are imposed. Thank you.