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Moving an adjournment motion in Parliament yesterday (7) Gampaha District UPFA member Dulip Wijesekara said there was a foreign exchange remittance during December 2006 violating foreign exchange regulations. The amount was 3 million US dollars and action had to be taken against the person concerned.
At this stage UNP Kurunegala District member Dayasiri Jayasekara and Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera said that if the matter referred to was concerning a member of parliament the motion could not be moved under the standing orders.
The Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara said no reference to members of the House could be made and he had directed the member moving the Adjournment motion not to bring up anything that contravened standing orders.
Minister of Power and Energy Mahindananda Aluthgamage seconding the motion said he was speaking about a privileged person and the Speaker asked him for the copy of the document from which he was reading. Arguments between the minister and the opposition continued and the Speaker said no reference to any member could be allowed.
Minister of Finance and Government Revenue Ranjth Siyambalapitiya replying said there were number of cases of violation of foreign exchange regulations and the Central Bank was investigating them. Under the Foreign Exchange laws the Central Bank could fine any offender Rs.2000 plus double the amount of foreign exchange defrauded. It could also prosecute the offenders in court and action will be taken against any person however highly placed if it was proved that foreign exchange regulations had been violated.
