Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP for the Colombo district Mujibur Rahman made a startling revelation about irregularities and malpractices at Lanka Sathosa, and charged that a tender for system audit had been offered to a company that belongs to Duminda Hulangamuwa who now serves as the advisor to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Delivering his remarks in Parliament during the budget debate, he said the previous tender for system audit which was opened on February 28, 2025 was scrapped since Hulangamuwa’s company had not been selected.
He charged that a fresh tender calling had been done purely for this particular company to qualify. The SJB MP charged that Lanka Sathosa is riddled with corruption in the purchase of supplies such as eggs and rice and transporting coconuts.
“In the past, Lanka Sathosa had always been tainted with corruption and fraud. Today, it is under the purview of a Minister who spearheaded the anti-corruption watch at that time. Despite your past role in an anti-corruption movement, you have miserably failed to address corruption at an institution which is under your purview. You raised your voice against corruption and fraud at that time. Today, you have failed. I wonder whether you remain silent or are incapable of addressing it. Or else, I wonder whether you pretend to not know anything,” he said.
Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe was present at that moment.
He said that the current Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lanka Sathosa had interfered in the tender process for rice purchases, and an audit inquiry is now underway in this regard. He said the Acting CEO had been appointed initially as Deputy General Manager- Internal Audit.
“Now, he operates in two positions,” Rahman said.
Responding to the allegation,Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe said there has been no violation of tender procedures in awarding the systems audit contract to a company of Presidential Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa.
Denouncing the allegation, Minister Samarasinghe said any company which is qualified will be awarded contracts irrespective of ownership.
“The opposition alleged that a contract had been awarded to a company which is said to be owned by the President’s advisor. However there has been no violation of procedures in awarding the contract. A company owned by anyone can secure a contract if it is qualified. A number of government contracts have been awarded to a number of companies owned by a few members of the present Parliament. I don’t want to reveal their names,” he said.
(dailymirror.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailymirror.lk on March 19, 2025, has not been edited by SLM staff)
Former Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella has been further remanded until June 03.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali ordered to remand Rambukwella following his arrest by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in over three complaints related to alleged corruption.
The court also granted permission to name Rambukwella’s son – Ramith Rambukwella, as a suspect in the case.
The magistrate issued the order after considering the submissions made by both the CIABOC and the defense counsel.
A gazette notification has been issued for the import of salt.
Controller General of Imports – Upulmali Premathilaka states that a gazette notification has been issued allowing the import of salt until June 10th.
Accordingly, a license is not required to import salt.
She noted that any importer who has recommendations from the Ministry of Health can import salt and that it is possible to import non-iodized and table salt under this.
Meanwhile, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security Wasantha Samarasinghe stated that 250 MT of salt for consumption will be imported into the country today (May 20).
The Minister also stated that the salt stocks imported from India will arrive in the country soon.
