SPECIAL REPORT : Part 405
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Declaring that every sector depended on the public service, the country’s Commander in Chief President Gotabaya Rajapaksa emphasised the responsibility on the part of the Secretaries to the Ministries to achieve given tasks. The President said so at the Presidential Secretariat on the morning of January 19 when Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath, succeeded Dr. P.B. Jayasundera as Secretary to the President.
Among those present on the occasion were Dr. Jayasundera and Lalith Weeratunga, Senior Advisor to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
At the same time D.M. Anura Dissanayake, who had been the Secretary to the Irrigation Ministry, was brought in as Secretary to the Prime Minister. Both Senarath and Dissanayake are senior officers of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS).
Once a longtime Treasury Secretary, Dr. Jayasundera tendered his resignation as the Presidential Secretary in the wake of criticism by some ministers of the government that he hadn’t been accessible, arrogant and was largely responsible for the current economic crisis. After Jayasundera’s resignation, President Gotabaya Rajapakasa during a luncheon meeting with a selected group of editors of national newspapers asserted that it was not fair to single out a person for criticism.
In spite of Dr. Jayasundera, in his resignation letter to the President stating that he would be leaving the Office on January 01, 2022, Senarath moved in much earlier as desired by the President. Some members of the Cabinet as well as those who backed the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary polls resented Dr. Jayasundera’s role. Some alleged that Dr. Jayasundera wielded far greater power than members of the Cabinet. But, the issue at hand is whether it would be fair to blame the difficulties experienced by the government on one person?
At the height of the crisis caused by the global epidemic Covid-19, Dr. Jayasundera caused controversy in May 2020 when he requested public servants to contribute half, a week or a day’s pay from their May salaries.
Dr. Jayasundera made the request in his capacity as the Secretary to the President and the head of the public service. Dr. Jayasundera declared that the Budget deficit could be reduced if the public sector agreed to the pay cut.
In his letter to the President, informing him of the decision to forgo his May 2020 salary and allowances, Dr. Jayasundara pointed out that the monthly wage bill of the Government was about Rs.80 bn and if the government corporations, Banks and Universities are added, it’s closer to Rs. 90 to Rs.100 bn.
The Opposition attacked as usual for the sake of opposing both Dr. Jayasundera and the government over the former’s call for a salary cut. Both the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) strongly criticised Dr. Jayasundera’s move whereas the government defended it.
Dr. Jayasundera’s proposal meant to reduce the Budget deficit that hadn’t been implemented should be re-examined against the backdrop of the government announcement of the Rs 229 bn relief package for the public sector. Didn’t such a costly political decision further undermine the cash-strapped government? Did the government consult Dr. Jayasundera regarding the relief package offered at a time the government was struggling to cope up with an extremely messy financial situation?
Fertiliser controversies
Dr. P.B.J. strongly opposed the government seeking the IMF’s intervention. Throughout the crisis, the then Secretary to the President asserted firmly that there is no requirement for the government to involve the IMF. The former Treasury Chief remained convinced of their strength to meet the challenge even after the Governor of the Central Bank W.D. Lakshman was asked to go.
In the run-up to his resignation Dr. Jayasundera was embroiled in the simmering controversy over the opening of an account at the Town Hall branch of the People’s Bank to facilitate the import of nano-fertiliser from India. The accusations pertaining to the deal were made in Parliament on Oct 22, 2021 by JVP lawmaker Vijitha Herath. The scandal revolved around approximately US$ 1.2 mn being transferred to the private bank account of Mohan Perera and G. M. Weerasinghe of ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’ as payment for nano-fertiliser from India.
The JVPer alleged that Dr. Jayasundera ordered the People’s Bank to open a separate private account at its Town Hall Branch under the name ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’. The then Secretary to the President not only strongly denied the accusations, he requested an inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Although both print and electronic media prominently reported MP Herath’s accusations, the investigation targeted Mahinda Illeperuma, the editor of Aruna. The CID summoned him for questioning.
The role of Gamini Senarath, too, has been questioned also by the JVP over his alleged involvement in the import of carbonic fertiliser from China. The JVP raised the issue as the top person managing Chelina Capital Corporation, the local agent of Qingdao Seawin Biotech Chinese Company, happened to be a close relative of Senarath, who promptly denied accusations while offering to assist authorities in case of an investigation. Senarath emphasised that in spite of a relative of his being involved in the transaction he hadn’t been part of it.
Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage is on record as having assured Parliament that both transactions were above board. It would be pertinent to mention that the government paid dearly for its hasty and inconceivable decision to ban fertiliser and agro-chemicals. The move triggered protests in many districts. Emergency import of carbonic fertiliser ended up in controversy finally with the government having to pay USD 6.7 mn to Qingdao Seawin Biotech under controversial circumstances. China compelled Sri Lanka to pay in spite of the carbonic fertilizer load being rejected on the grounds it allegedly contained harmful bacteria, a charge strongly denied by China. Did Dr. Jayasundera play any role in introducing carbonic fertiliser and the subsequent decision to procure carbonic fertiliser from China and then place an order for Indian nano-fertiliser?
The government suffered a debilitating setback due to its controversial decision to introduce carbonic farming in such a hasty fashion forced obviously by the then imminent foreign exchange crisis caused by the collapse of the vital tourism sector and expatriate worker remittances on top of having to meet so many exigencies caused by the pandemic, at the expense of commercial agriculture.
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa over the last weekend issued a dire warning over food security. Weerawansa, in no uncertain terms, urged the government to reverse its decision on fertiliser and agro-chemicals. Interestingly, Weerawansa, who had teamed up with colleagues, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Udaya Gammanpila against the highly controversial Yugadanavi deal, is the first cabinet minister to publicly warn the government of an impending food shortage.
Can the government ignore Weewawansa’s warning against the backdrop of the sacking of Agriculture Secretary Prof. Udith K. Jayasinghe in late December, 2021 and stripping Susil Premjayantha of his ministerial portfolio less than two weeks later?
Resignations, sackings galore
Gamini Senarath (seated) on his desk on the first day as Secretary to the President. Senior Advisor Lalith Weeratunga and Dr, PBJ with Senarath
Gamini Senarath (seated) on his desk on the first day as Secretary to the President. Senior Advisor Lalith Weeratunga and Dr, PBJ with SenarathThere had been so many resignations, sackings, appointments at different levels since Agriculture Secretary retired Maj. Gen. Sumedha Perera was unceremoniously removed from his position in Feb 2021. News First on Feb 23 quoted the war veteran as having said: “I have informed the Secretary to the President, on Monday 15th February that I am relieved from duties due to unforeseen circumstances. However I have not tendered my resignation as yet nor have I been in communication with H.E the President regarding the matter as published by certain media outlets.”
Maj. Gen. Perera told The Island that he resigned from the post. Perera was later offered the post of Secretary Wildlife which he declined. Since then three others, who had held the post of Agriculture Secretary were replaced under controversial circumstances. The government replaced Maj. Gen. Perera with Rohana Pushpakumara. Several months later, one-time Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board Dr. Jatal Mannamperuma was brought in as the Agriculture Secretary following Pushpakumara’s resignation. Mannaperuma declined to specify why he quit suddenly. Mannamperuma’s departure brought in Prof. Jayasinghe. Following the academic’s sacking over the issuing of a dire warning of an impending food shortage, the government named D.M.L.D. Bandaranayake as the Agriculture Secretary.
Before the President sacked Prof. Jayasinghe, the latter on the instructions of Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage removed former Ministry of Agriculture Advisor Prof. Buddhi Marambe. The government found fault with Prof. Marambe, who had been the Chairman of the Policy Planning Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture for being critical of the carbonic policy. Aluthgamage also removed the former Registrar of Pesticides Dr. J.A. Sumith.
The crisis in the Agriculture Ministry undermined the government. Unfortunately, the government never really understood the problem or at least tried to discuss the issues at hand earnestly. Minister Weerawansa’s warning over the collapse of commercial agriculture and food security being at risk shouldn’t be ignored. The overall failure of the government project that finally compelled the government to allocate as much as Rs 40 bn to pay compensation cannot be discussed without taking into consideration how Shashendra Rajapaksa, State Minister of Promoting the Production, Regulating the Supply of Organic Fertiliser, and Paddy and Grains, Organic Foods, Vegetables, Fruits, Chilies, Onion and Potato Cultivation; Promoting, Seed Production and Advanced Technology Agriculture handled the challenging task. Did Shashendra Rajapaksa fail to achieve government objectives? What would the future of that particular ministry be against the backdrop of Weerawansa’s call to review the overall agriculture policy?
Urgent policy review is required if the government sincerely expects to make a difference on the ground. Accusations that Maha season suffered due to the farming community being deprived of both fertiliser and agro-chemicals should be examined taking into consideration the failure on the part of the government to import carbonic fertiliser and sufficient stocks of nano fertilizer from India. In spite of the government rescinding the ban on agro-chemical imports, required stocks weren’t brought in much to the dismay of the farming community.
Perhaps, the balance of payments crisis hindered the government attempts to make emergency purchases of agro-chemicals. With the commencement of Yala season just weeks away, the government must move quickly on the contentious issue of flawed agriculture policy.
Importance of consistency
Many eyebrows were raised when the government removed former Army Chief General Daya Ratnayake from the post of Chairman SLPA in late June 2021. Ratnayake must have antagonised the powers that be for him to be removed and moved to the Industries Ministry as its Secretary. Ratnayake, who served as the Commander of the Army after the conclusion of the war never, went public as to why he was removed, unceremoniously.
Another move that quite surprised many was Maj. Gen. M.D.S.P. Niwunhella’s appointment as the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) on August 31, 2021 and then doing away with price control leaving medicine as the only item under supervision. At the time Maj. Gen. Niwunhella received the appointment, he served as the senior officer in charge of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s security. The Gajaba Regiment officer continues to do so whereas his appointment as CGES was allowed to lapse.
Sri Lanka’s primary liquid gas supplier Litro has been embroiled in controversy not only due to gas–related explosions but the change of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Anil Koswatte last July. Koswatte’s removal took place amidst accusations of him blocking the Auditor General from performing his legitimate responsibilities. The Litro controversy received much public attention in the wake of Viyathmaga activist Theshara Jayasinghe, who replaced Koswatte was himself removed last month to pave the way for Renuka Perera, the Administrative Secretary of the SLPP to take over the well paid job.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa however thwarted that move because of obvious internal and external intrigues there. That resulted in Renuka Perera being appointed Milco Chairman, at the expense of civil society group Yuthukama activist Lasantha Wickremasinghe.
Yuthukama played a significant role in SLPP presidential election candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s campaign. The government compensated Lasantha Wickremasinghe by appointing him as Chairman, Ceylon Fertiliser. Wickremasinghe declined the appointment. The Yuthukama activist was to replace Janath Sri Vidanage.
Some of the other interesting developments were Justice Minister Ali Sabry’s offering to quit his portfolio over the appointment of Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara, a convict who had received a presidential pardon during the Yahapalana administration, as the head of ‘One Country, One Law’ Task Force. The President settled the issue by amending the relevant gazette, thereby diluting the scope of the Task Force.
The developments in the run up to the Yugadanavi deal finalised on the night of Sept 17, 2021, too, attracted public attention. Basil Rajapaksa entered Parliament on the SLPP National List to take over the finance portfolio, replace CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath with onetime Power Ministry Secretary M.C. Ferdinando from retirement, and shift Dullus Ahahapperuma from Power Ministry to Media. One-time UNP Minister Gamini Lokuge with a tarnished past having headed its once notorious union Jathika Sewaka Sangamaya (JSS), was brought in as the Power Minister.
Now, Ferdinando has resigned following the appointment of Additional General Manager (Corporate Strategy), Eng. (Dr.) D.C.R. Abeysekera of the Corporate Strategy Division as the new Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) General Manager. Abeysekera succeeded another resurrected retiree Dr. Susantha Perera.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa intervened in the wake of the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) protest campaign against Dr. Perera’s controversial appointment ignoring the designated successor as per CEB’s established rules. The government cannot ignore the fact that Yugadanavi deal has been challenged in the Supreme Court with a section of the cabinet of ministers too supporting the challenge.
Chaos
The government should have been mindful of diplomatic appointments it made during the past two years. Canada and Italy refusing to accept retired Air Marshal Sumangala Dias as Sri Lanka’s top envoy therein over unsubstantiated accountability issues underscored the responsibility on the part of the government as well as the Parliamentary High Posts Committee to be cautious, especially in the face of undercurrents created by the West led by the US against our security forces for crushing the world’s most ruthless terrorist outfit against their sinister wishes.
The government is in chaos. The recent shocking revelation that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Parliamentary Affairs Secretary former UPFA lawmaker Udith Lokubandara stole over Rs 40 mn from the Premier’s account highlighted the pathetic situation. Lokubandara, who had served as the private secretary to Mahinda Rajapaksa (2015-2020) received the appointment as his Parliamentary Affairs Secretary after the last parliamentary election. The former MP’s act underlines the need to be extremely cautious in accommodating people regardless of their status or connections.
