National action plan to eliminate bribery and corruption

An intellectual gathering to discuss setting up of an action plan to eliminate bribery and corruption, chaired by Secretary to the President, Austin Fernando was held at the Presidential Secretariat today.

The action plan is aimed at ensuring sustainable development in economic, social, cultural, legal and environment fields in Sri Lanka by eliminating bribery and corruption. 

All countries in the world have identified the imperative need to eliminate corruption and bribery and measures have been taken to enact international agreements, laws, regulations and mechanism for this purpose.

Sri Lanka too has identified this requirement for such a programme and the cabinet has approved to formulate a National Action Plan at the ministerial meeting held on October 24, last year.

At present, the preparation works of that National Action Plan is being carried out speedily and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption is expected to get the ideas and suggestions of all the stakeholders, including the state sector, private sector, civil societies and the media.

In today’s meeting the ideas and suggestions of intellectuals has been taken and it was discussed in detail regarding the strengthening of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, strengthening of the investigation process as well as the prosecution procedure and regarding the steps that should be taken to eliminate fraud and corruption.

It has also been identified regarding the need for awareness and educational programmes on eliminating the fraud and corruption. It is expected to eradicate the bribery or corruption acts done by the people’s representatives and to increase their adherence to truthfulness through the establishment of the National Action Plan with the participation of the public including the state sector, private sector and civil societies.   

During this meeting, the attention was also paid to the prevention of fraud and corruption in the private sector, prevention of fraud and corruption in the public finance management and state procurement procedure, enactment of laws regarding recovery of properties earned by fraud, corruption, money laundering and other criminal activities, protecting individuals who raise voices against corruption as well as to limit the funding for the election propaganda.