Auditor General: Acid Test For Your Credibility

By Amrit Muttukumaru –March 3, 2017

Amrit Muttukumaru

My ‘Colombo Telegraph’ article ‘Auditor General Silent on Corrupt CA Sri Lanka’ published last week was written in the context of:

1) The Auditor-General is an EX-OFFICIO member of the powerful ‘COUNCIL’ of CA Sri Lanka (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka). You are also a senior Chartered Accountant.

2) Previously you were Director- General of Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board (SLAASMB)

3) The failure of CA Sri Lanka and SLAASMB to hold the ‘Partners’ concerned of the two largest audit firms in the country – PwC & EY accountable for the ‘Open & Shut’ case of professional misconduct in the fraudulent privatization of SLIC (Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation) confirmed by (i) Supreme Court (ii) Parliament’s COPE (iii) Attorney-General and even CA Sri Lanka ‘Ethics’ Committee itself.

4) Chartered Accountants and Auditors are the first line of defence against corruption in all entities dealing with financial resources

Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe

5) The alleged Treasury Bond scams for which you seek accountability – could not have taken place without the complicity of professionals in the hierarchy of the Central Bank and Bank of Ceylon – accountants, lawyers and others.

6) The alleged egregious corruption and abuse of power in Sri Lankan Airlines with banner headlines glaringly omitting to identity its longstanding auditor – Ernst & Young. This is avoided by all purported ‘good governance’ activists!

7) You will enhance your CREDIBILITY & MORAL AUTHORITY if you use your membership in the CA Sri Lanka ‘Council’ to demand accountability for the ‘Open & Shut’ case of professional misconduct in relation to the fraudulent SLIC privatization.

8) A regular columnist espousing ‘good governance’, W.A Wijewardena – Former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka was previously longstanding Chairman, SLAASMB

9) Prominent media coverage to the several ‘Open Letters’ from Chandra Jayaratne held out to be a “good governance activist”
Conclusion

It is deplorable that apologists/proxies? (many nameless!) have come up with ‘red herrings’ in the continuing saga of the ‘cover-up’ of the said professional misconduct.

This include (i) “What is CA Sri Lanka? Canadian Aids?” (ii) “Do you have any private grudge or jealousy against CA Sri lanka?” (iii) “Can you please tell What is your profession.” (iv) “Who is Chandra Jayaratne .. Is he Dimu Jayaratne`s brother?”

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