The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has expressed concern about Minister of Energy, Kumara Jayakody, continuing to hold a ministerial position, after he has been indicted in the High Court, reportedly on charges relating to corruption / financial misconduct.
Issuing a statement, CPA said that according to media reports, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) filed these charges, alleging that in 2016, while serving as Manager of the Procurement and Import Division of the Ceylon Fertilizer Company, Jayakody was involved in irregularities relating to procurement. He has since been produced before the Colombo High Court and released on bail pending trial.
CPA points out that it is incumbent that those holding public office abide by the highest standards of integrity and professionalism that aspire public trust and confidence in government, adding that conduct that falls short of such standards must be dealt with swiftly and decisively.
The indictment also comes at a time when allegations have surfaced about possible irregularities in the procurement of coal for power generation, a function that falls within the purview of Jayakody’s Ministry. Such conduct amidst an evolving energy crisis raises critical questions of transparency and accountability of public decision-making and the suitability and integrity of those holding public office, it said.
Sri Lanka has witnessed years of mismanagement that resulted in the public demand for greater public accountability in 2022. The National People’s Power (NPP) secured its mandate in 2024 on the promise of a change in the system of governance and to dismantle the culture of corruption and impunity with a commitment towards accountable and transparent governance and government.
CPA stressed that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP Government must uphold these promises, demonstrating that those who hold public office abide by the principles they espoused in the campaign trail and fundamental to ensuring there is no actual and perceived conflicts of interest.
In such a context, CPA called on Kumara Jayakody to forthwith resign from his ministerial position, noting that Jayakody’s continued functioning in his ministerial position, undermines the work of the Bribery Commission and the public faith and confidence in the Commission.
Furthermore, CPA urged the government to introduce and fully implement a Ministerial Code of Conduct that sets out standards and processes to facilitate accountable and transparent government and garner public trust in those holding public office. Failure to provide leadership and act decisively in this instance risks signalling to the public that the NPP’s mandate for reform was merely rhetorical, it added. (Newswire)
