KSHENUKA EXEMPTED FROM ACCUSATIONS

Former Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary Kshenuka Senevirathne had been exempted from any lapses with regard to activities related to the controversy on the refurbishment of the official residence of Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, through the probe carried out on the issue by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Accordingly, the High Posts Committee has found her suitable to be appointed as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Thailand.

The conclusion of the PSC investigation report and its recommendations were announced to the media by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesperson Mahishini Colonne yesterday during the weekly media briefing at the Ministry. The investigation that was carried out by retired Sri Lanka Accountants Service official D.H.P. Edirisinghe as per the request and instructions of the MFA Secretary, the National Executive Council and the Anti-Corruption Secretariat has arrived at the following conclusions.

The PSC investigation report notes, since the complete work related to the refurbishment has not been carried out entirely during Senevirathne’s tenure in office as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, as a substantial part of the refurbishments were carried out while she was away from office due to various duties entrusted to her and as every process up to the selection of the refurbishment contractor was carried out before she assumed duties on November 16, 2009 – it has been made evident that the selection of the particular company in question to carry out the refurbishment, has not been taken at her request and that she is least aware of the facts.

The report has also recommended for the preparation of special procurement guidelines for overseas missions through a committee comprising of officials with expert knowledge on the tasks and procedures as it has been pointed out that the controversial refurbishment in Geneva as well as several other refurbishments have been carried out irregularly.

Inquiries had also been made on the references included in the report which states that the tender had been awarded to an LTTE activist and that the Contractor in question – P.T. Thurairajah was taken into custody by the Swiss Police with concern over his involvement with the LTTE. the work in Geneva office had been completed,” the report notes adding therefore that it is not justifiable to determine that any official serving in the Geneva office at the time should be held responsible for the accusation of deploying an LTTE activist in the refurbishment of the official residence.

Meanwhile, an inquiry had also been made from the Ministry of Defence by the Director General (Legal Division) of the MFA as to whether Thurairajah is an LTTE activist or not, to which the MoD has responded in writing in which they have noted that he is not listed as an LTTE activist. Furthermore, the allegation of Senevirathne’s husband being employed as a sub-contractor to Thurairajah has been described as a ‘baseless point that has been fabricated purposely’ in the report.

Meanwhile, Ms Colonne also noted that former diplomat Tamara Kunanayakam, who also served as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to Geneva (August 2011 – July 2012) and brought up this issue while spearheading a media campaign on the issue, had on many instances allegedly stated on media that when she requested an audit, she specifically requested the former President to refrain from involving the MFA and as a result, the four member team appointed to carry out the audit were solely from the Finance Ministry.

Pointing to this series of events, the MFA Spokesperson noted that this action was not in keeping with the stipulated practices, where the Head of the Mission is required to report all administrative and substantive issues to the MFA.

Upon submitting the report to the High Posts Committee, Ms. Senevirathne had been requested to present herself before the Committee on Friday (June 12). The Committee upon examining the report has found her suitable to hold the Post of Ambassador for Sri Lanka in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Kshenuka Senevirathne had been exempted from any lapses with regard to activities related to the controversy on the refurbishment of the official residence of Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to Geneva