Mahinda Rajapaksa hands over no-confidence motion against PM

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa handed over the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a short while ago. The motion was handed over to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya at the parliamentary complex. Fifty-five MPs have signed the no-confidence motion, the office of the Speaker noted. However, the former president has not signed the no-confidence motion. Four Sri Lanka Freedom Party MPs have signed the no-confidence motion. They are State Minister T.B. Ekanayake, Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigamage, Deputy Minister Susantha Punchinilame and MP Kader Masthan. The no-confidence motion highlights 14 reasons for the MPs to lose faith on the Prime Minister. The reasons are: 1) Removal of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka from the Finance Minister and placing it under the Prime Minister without following due procedure and with the ulterior motive of committing the treasury bond scam. 2) Appointing Arjuna Mahendran who is a not a Sri Lankan citizen and has a questionable track record, as Governor of the Central Bank even when there was conflict of interest. 3) Involvement in the treasury bond scam which can be considered as the world's largest financial crime in recent history. 4) Appointing close political associates to the Pitipana Committee with the intention of protecting those involved in the scam. 5) Misleading the parliament with a special statement on the 17th of March 2015 with the aim of concealing the truth and protecting the corrupt. 6) Replacing a member of COPE when proceedings were on-going, with an attempt to acquit those involved in the bond scam. 7) Exerting pressure on COPE members during the period in which COPE carried out investigations. 8) Recommending to Cabinet to appoint Former Central Bank Deputy Governor P. Samarasi, whose name was revealed at the Presidential Commission for his involvement in the Bond Scam, to a post at the Finance Ministry. 9) Attempting to extend the tenure of Arjuna Mahendran as Governor of the Central Bank, when the president wanted to appoint someone else to that post. 10) Appointing Arjuna Mahendran as an Advisor after he was removed as governor, following the treasury bond scam. 11) Allowing Arjuna Mahendran to leave the country and evade courts. 12) Violation of nine separate laws that can only be enforced by the Finance Minister. 13) Placing the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank under his purview through the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Sub-committee on Economic Management, and thereafter steering the economy to a state where there is a serious economic crisis and adding a burden on to the people. 14) Failure to respond promptly to the incidents in Kandy and ensure the security of the citizens of the country, while holding the Ministry of Law and Order. The motion also adds they have no faith in the functioning of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister and a Cabinet Minister as well as on the functioning of the government.