United National Party (UNP) Chairman and former Minister Vajira Abeywardena today defended veteran public servant Charitha Ratwatte, following his arrest by the Bribery Commission earlier in the day.
Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, Abeywardena described Ratwatte as an exemplary and patriotic state official who had made major contributions to national service over several decades.
He recalled that Ratwatte had played a key role in establishing the National Youth Services Council in the 1980s and later supported President Ranasinghe Premadasa in launching the Janasaviya poverty alleviation programme in 1988.
Abeywardena noted that Ratwatte also served as Treasury Secretary in 2001, during a critical economic downturn, and helped stabilize the country’s economy.
“As a former Minister of Public Administration, I must say that when public officials make decisions that benefit the country, they rarely receive appreciation. But when a loss occurs—sometimes even from a decision taken in good faith—they face severe scrutiny. That is not fair,” Abeywardena said.
He further urged that public servants should be treated with sensitivity and fairness, particularly in cases where their decisions were made in good faith and without criminal intent.
Ratwatte, who served as Senior Advisor to then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe between 2015 and 2018, was arrested today by the Bribery Commission over allegations of having caused a loss of Rs. 99.6 million to the Sri Lanka State Trading Corporation. He was later released on bail.
According to the Commission, the arrest is linked to the alleged procurement of 50 temporary warehouses through a company introduced by Ratwatte, bypassing standard procedures. (Newswire)
