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)
President Anura Kumara Disanayake paid a visit to the Vatican Embassy this afternoon (24) to extend his condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Upon his arrival, the President was warmly received by Most Reverend Archbishop Brian N. Udaigwe, the Apostolic Nuncio of the Vatican to Sri Lanka.
Following a brief discussion with Archbishop Udaigwe, President Disanayake signed the book of condolence, conveying, on behalf of the Government and the people of Sri Lanka, heartfelt sympathies to the global Christian community on the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis.
The Sri Lankan government has decided to declare April 26, 2025, a National Day of Mourning in view of the late Pope Francis’s funeral.
In a statement, the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government announces that all national flags at state institutions will be flown half-mast on April 26.
