Ministers cannot steal without their secretaries, chief accountants being aware: Maithri

Colombo, October 17 (Daily Mirror) - While pointing out how Ministers rob government assets, former President Maithripala Sirisena noted that Ministers cannot steal without the knowledge of their secretaries and chief accountants.

Addressing the 45th National Conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka), he stated that later, the secretaries and chief accountants begin to follow the Minister's example, and this practice trickles down to lower levels as well.

Meanwhile, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that, except for unsolicited procurement, all other procurement processes must go through the Ministry Secretaries.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga mentioned that an institute called the National Procurement Agency was formed during her government to oversee all procurements. The most trustworthy officials in the country were appointed to this agency.

They did not become corrupt, but unfortunately, they were removed along with the agency by the government that came to power afterward.