Bribery, corruption, fraud biggest barriers to economic independence: President

• Says should establish national movement against corruption
• Emphasizes need for financial discipline in managing govt. coffers
• Says politicians, public servants should adhere to fiscal discipline

President Maitrhipala Sirisena delivering his Independence Day speech

President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday the fight against corruption is the self-defence of the nation and stressed that it has become one of the main impediments to the progress towards prosperity, which is the aspiration of all citizens.

Addressing the nation on the occasion of the 70th independence anniversary celebrations at the Galle Face in Colombo, President Sirisena said a broad national movement against corruption is essential for the country achieve prosperity. 

Interestingly, two of the key suspects of the Central Bank bond scam, arguably the biggest fraud in Sri Lanka’s recent history, were arrested yesterday morning by the officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

President Sirisena said bribery, corruption, frauds and malpractices are biggest hindrances to the economic independence Sri Lanka and hence all politicians should fulfil their duties in an exemplary manner.

He said there is a requirement of a national movement against corruption in order to establish a clean political culture and such a movement must be mobilized with the participation of the intellectual community of the country, he said.

Meanwhile, President Sirisena emphasized the need for financial discipline in managing the government coffers and pointed out that there were adverse repercussions due to implementation of personal agendas in development strategies in the past. 

Stating the importance of identifying development priorities, he said politicians as well as public servants including every head of department fulfilling the responsibilities towards the people must act with utmost fiscal discipline. 

He added that the experiences gained during the past 70 years must be used to face the future challenges. 

“One of the main challenges is poverty and every government implemented different programmes to free the people from poverty and they have made positive contributions. 

With those experiences, we have launched such programmes and there is a need to make them more intelligent and efficient and I am sure with such measures we can win this challenge,” he said.

President Sirisena also paid his tribute to the members of security forces who made immense sacrifices to defeat the LTTE terrorism. 

He further stressed the need for communal harmony among the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher communities to build the nation. Pointing out the right of the people to live as equal citizens, he said fullest commitment and support of every section was essential to achieve true reconciliation.

New currency note presented to President

The new currency note with a face value of Rs.1000 issued by the Central Bank in order to commemorate the 70th independence anniversary was presented to President Maithripala Sirisena by Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy at the Presidential secretariat recently.
This is the fourth commemorative currency note issued by the Central Bank.

The Central Bank said this currency note will be in circulation through licensed commercial banks from February 6.

The Head of the Public Debt department of the Central Bank, Deepa Senevirathne, Senior Deputy Dr .P. Nandalal Weerasighe accompanied the Governor.