Several prominent trade unions in the country have lodged a formal complaint against the Secretary of the Finance ministry and Treasury - S.R. Attygala.
The complaint has been lodged to several leading institutions including the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
A body of 24 TUs who have made the complain include the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA), the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Ceylon Bank Employees' Union (CBEU), Public Services United Nurses Union, Mawbima Lanka Foundation, Sri Lankan Engineers' Association and the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA).
The complaint is regard to the Treasury secretary's conduct with regard to the state owned business entity ‘Sahasya Investments Limited’, which was established to own and operate expressways and other ancillary assets such as quarries.
Although a Cabinet decision had emphasised that the sole stakeholder of this entity should be the Treasury, Attygala had violated the country's law and breached public trust by allowing a private company to come in as a stakeholder, the complaint notes.
By doing so, he has also violated articles in the constitution on Public Money Management, the National Audit Act and the oaths given by him when swearing in as the Treasury secretary, the Trade Unions have further noted in their complaint.
(Mirror)