The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security
Minister Ananda Wijepala rejected allegations surrounding government tenders and Treasury matters, stating that suspected irregularities should be pursued through courts and formal legal channels rather than public accusations. He said CID investigations into the Treasury incident were underway, with statements recorded from 21 persons, and cited past financial losses in the Beeraluvala Project and a dairy cattle import arrangement to argue that alleged wrongdoing under previous administrations would also be pursued. He affirmed respect for free expression but warned against fake news and interference with investigations, and said he had instructed the IGP to investigate concerns raised by Hon. Jeevan Thondaman while the Government would address public pressures linked to the Middle East conflict.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 You know that various false narratives are being spun around tenders to stifle national development. If there are irregularities, there are ample legal avenues—courts and appellate bodies. Take legal action rather than turning microphones into platforms for unsubstantiated allegations.
¶ 02 On the Treasury incident raised repeatedly: some claim the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance is incapable or “inexperienced.” But do they remember what happened under the “experts” who previously served as Treasury Secretaries? For the Beeraluvala (Nelwala) Project, US$ 4,012 million—note, not US$ 2.5 million—was expended, yet not a single pylon was erected to date. Whether incidents occurred under this government or earlier, we investigate. The CID has received complaints; statements from 21 persons have been recorded and investigations are underway. If funds were diverted to third parties, those responsible will be brought before the law. This is not the first financial loss in our country’s history.
¶ 03 For importing dairy cattle, US$ 11.3 million was paid to an Australian firm linked to the then Presidential Secretary’s spouse and to a former Minister named Harrison, yet not a single cow was imported. Those most associated with fraud and financial losses now point fingers at us. We will take legal steps where needed.
¶ 04 We respect freedom of speech and expression. But some spread fake news, insult people, and obstruct lawful investigations through daily media briefings. We will report certain matters to court and will not allow such interference.
¶ 05 We also promptly intervened in matters raised by Hon. Jeevan Thondaman. I instructed the IGP at the lunch recess to conduct a complete investigation. We are prepared to listen to constructive criticism and acknowledge shortcomings. Due to the Middle East conflict, people face pressures, and we will intervene as a government.
¶ 06 We will not be deterred by statements trying to mask bankruptcy. We will face challenges, enforce the law, and deliver justice and fairness.
¶ 07 Thank you.
¶ 08 Question proposed.
Provenance
- Source
- Hansard, Thursday, 7 May 2026 ·No. 23540 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 7 May 2026. No. 23540. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/3545