Ranil chips in to PB-Nivard ‘war’

The much-hyped saga between Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera and Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal who both sit on the Monetary Board wasn’t lost on Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who early this week found it important enough to be commented upon at a forum of business leaders.

“Though we have ended one civil war in the country with the north and east, another one is raging now between the Central Bank and Treasury. In this we have to turn the search light inwards,” the UNP Leader said during his address at the Business Today Top 20 Awards ceremony.

In a widely-discussed speech, Wickremesinghe also implied that the Treasury Secretary’s integrity could not be questioned though his policies could be.

“Have you heard the story of Icarus, the Greek, who had wings made out of wax and flew near the sun? He got too close to the sun and the wings melted. You know the rest of the story. The Secretary to the Treasury is like that. He got very close to the private sector and now the private sector wants his job. That’s where it’s going. But we are concerned, because there can’t be a conflict of interest as far as the Treasury is concerned. That cannot be questioned. His policies can be,” Wickremesinghe said.

“Just as much as we were in Government, whether you are a Lal Jayewardena, a Thilakeratne, whether you are a Paskaralingam, a Charitha Ratwatte, the Opposition has to attack. Just as much as we have attacked and what Dr. Jayasundera has done we have attacked. But we must know that there is no conflict of interest on the decisions being taken,” the UNP Leader added.

Wickremesinghe also said whatever be the policy, right or wrong, whether they are going to have a ceiling on income of 2,500 or whether the Government is going to remove tax, on many issues, people must ensure that the Treasury is answerable to Parliament and there is no conflict of interest there.