A 3-member panel has been appointed by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) to probe the ‘conduct’ of John Keells Holdings (JKH) Chairman Susantha Ratnayake in relation to the LMS privatization case to ascertain whether he is fit to continue as the chamber Deputy Vice Chairman.
The Sunday Times FT learns that the panel comprising D. R. L. Juriansz, Suresh Shah and S.S. Wijeratne will go into all issues raised through written complaints or otherwise, on this issue. The CCC main committee is meeting on Thursday, January 29 where, among other routine matters, this issue would also be taken up.
The privatization of Lanka Marine Services (LMS), a JKH unit, was thrown out by the Supreme Court in a July 2008 judgment where the court also ruled that former Treasury Secretary Dr P.B. Jayasundera and Mr Ratnayake had acted in concert in the deal, and they had secured ‘illegal advantages’.
CCC member, Parakrama Dissanayake, in a complaint filed before the CCC under the Code of Ethics rules, says that apart from JKH, Mr Ratnayake was also ordered by the court to pay costs. “The chamber by allowing S. Ratnayake of John Keells Holdings to be a member of this esteemed organization (CCC) is implying that the Code of Ethics of the chamber permits its members to indulge in activities bringing illegal advantages, adverse to public interest,” he said, in the complaint.
Dr Dissanayake said the CCC Code does not grant any immunity to a chamber member or a member of the chamber committee. “It goes without saying that a committee member is not only expected to set very high ethical standards but also to obey the laws and regulations or run the risk of suffering the penalties.”
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