All Golden Key depositors to be paid in full within a year, Govt. promises

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake gave an undertaking on behalf of the government on Wednesday, to repay the deposits of all Golden Key depositors numbering around 7,200 within one year, after the withdrawal of cases filed by them. He told packed audience of GK depositors at the Finance Ministry auditorium in Colombo, that the government will give a written guarantee to repay the depositors under a new payment plan within a year when the GK FR case comes up for hearing on Monday, May 18. The letter undertaking the repayment will be handed over to Supreme Court on that date, he assured the depositors. The depositors have agreed to withdraw all the GK cases on that date, he told journalists after the meeting with them. Depositors who have deposited Rs.2 million and under will be repaid in full and the monies of other depositors will be settled within one year, he added. The Central Bank will work out the repayment mechanism soon after the withdrawal of the cases on Monday, he disclosed. (Bandula)