Ravi K to make a statement in Parliament today

Beleaguered Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake, under pressure to quit over an alleged corruption scandal, is due to make a statement in Parliament at 1 pm (Sri Lanka time) today (Thursday) and later address the media.

Highly-placed government sources said it was unclear whether he would be resigning after the parliamentary session and then explain to the media this decision. “So many developments have been taking place over the past few days over calls for him to resign that there is no certainty that he would step down,” one source said.

Parliament, now in sessions, was disrupted a while ago due to bitter arguments between government and opposition politicians over the country’s welfare scheme named ‘Samurthi’. The sessions resumed after a brief suspension.
Karunanayake, a former Finance Minister, has been accused of conflict of interest and unethical behaviour in residing in an apartment for which the lease rental was paid for by a suspect in the infamous Central Bank bond scam. This emerged as evidence before a President-appointed Commission which is probing two bond issues in which insider trading allegations have surfaced. The bond issues have resulted in a huge loss to the Government owing to one dealer being favoured in approval of the bids.

The underfire minister was due to meet the media at 1.30 pm at his former residence near parliament. - (Bandula)