By Harischandra Gunaratna

Former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva said yesterday that the ‘bond scam’ was an insider job and dishonest scheme with the Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran was a part of it , Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was in it, he added. “There was absolutely no need to go for a 30-year-bond.”

“It was a case of insider working with outsider and the country being the loser.” the former Chief Justice said.

Silva said, the government should remove Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran from his office forthwith as he had not taken the oath of allegiance before assuming duties in that high post.

Silva said, “Mahendran is a Singaporean citizen and the city state doesn’t allow dual citizenship and he very well knows if he takes the oath of allegiance after assuming duties as the CB Governor he will automatically lose his Singaporean citizenship.”

The former Chief Justice called Mahendran had fled the country during the President of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s tenure .

The former CJ was the chief guest at the launch of the latest book by journalist Shyam Nuwan Ganewatte, titled “Bendumkara Magadiya” (Bond Scam) at the National Library Services Auditorium.

Silva said, Ganewatte’s book was a timely publication and written in simple language.

Even LTTE leader Prabhakaran had failed to destroy the Central Bank, but Mahendran-Wickremesinghe combination had done it overnight and generations to come would be in debt, he said.

Former UPFA Minister and former COPE Chairman D.E.W. Gunasekera, Liberal Party Leader Prof, Rajiva Wijesinha and former CB Governor Ajith Nivaard Cabraal also spoke.

Courtesy:The Island