Removal of Customs Chief: SLFP Gen. Sec. attacks Government headed by his party leader
Gone are the days when the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party ( UNP)- led United National Front (UNF) functioned harmoniously as a “Yahapalanaya” or good governance government.
Now, the UNF is holding sway at governance. The SLFP, one time counterparts are fighting it out. Some want to join the UNF, either in the name of their own party or as independents. The idea is to get ministerial portfolios which go with perks and privileges.
Yet, President Maithripala Sirisena, the SLFP leader, in terms of the Constitution is not only head of the Cabinet of Minister but also holds portfolios. He is the Minister of Defence. He is also the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment. Therefore, one is not wrong in saying he leads the government, at least technically.
But what happens when President Sirisena differs from his UNP ministers over day- to- day issues that crop up? Believe it or not, he has to get one of his men to conduct a news conference and say so.
This is what happened this week when the SLFP’s acting General Secretary, Dayasiri Jayasekera, hurriedly summoned a news conference on Thursday. The former Minister complained that there was “turmoil in the Customs Department.”
This was after the removal of P M S Charles as Director General of Customs. Customs officials say it came after she refused to extend special favours to certain businessmen at the insistence of a UNF politician. Retired Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando was named as the new Director General – a position which during civil service years was restricted to those who were in Class One.
Mr. Jayasekera then dropped a bombshell. He said, “When I was a cabinet Minister, I recall how Mr ( Mangala) Samaraweera appreciated the former Customs Director General when he tabled a cabinet paper to appoint Ms Charles. He praised her saying that she was a worthy candidate to carry out the duties of a Director General.
“We know the politicians who are involved with companies interfering in customs actions. Due to these people, the Customs loses its revenue. But what Mangala Samaraweera tries to show is that they are trying to change the Customs Chief due to the losses. But, actually, the losses took place as a result of the pressure and involvement of key political figures of this government.”
Mr. Jayasekera said: “These companies and the, coordinating secretaries of Finance Minister Samaraweera and officials of the Finance ministry pressurise Customs officers and directors. The officials can’t work in such conditions, because of that, they are trying to remove the Director General and appoint a former Navy officer.”
The remarks, coming as they do, from President Sirisena’s hand-picked man, no doubt, raise some important questions. If, indeed, the name of the candidate was forwarded to the President for approval, why did he agree? If his approval was not sought, why could not the President remove such appointee and thus save embarrassment for his own government? Quite clearly, all is not well.
Finance Minister Samaraweera, known for firmly standing by officials or standing by decisions made, seemed helpless. Unlike in other instances, a work stoppage by Customs officers has already cost the exchequer more than three billion rupees. So he quickly cancelled the apppointment. But Customs officers say they want Ms Charles who has stood by them.