2026-02-20 / Adjournment Motion: Coal procurement for Lakvijaya Power Plant at Norochcholai (Part 2) 2026-02-20
Hon. D.V. Chanaka challenges the government's credibility on corruption, noting that Sri Lanka's Corruption Perceptions Index ranking has fallen from 82 under the Rajapaksa government to 107 under the current administration. He focuses specifically on allegations of corruption surrounding a coal tender, stating he raised concerns as early as July and August of the preceding year. As key evidence, he cites the resignation letter of the Chairman of Lanka Coal Company, submitted on 17 August — the day before the tender was awarded — in which the Chairman stated he was prevented from combating corruption, that a figure named Udayanga Hemapala effectively controlled operations, and that the Board would not be responsible for any resulting corruption. Chanaka also challenges the Minister of Power to engage in a public debate outside Parliament rather than relying on parliamentary privilege, and alleges that the President privately pressured the resigned Chairman to sign the tender.
Hon. Presiding Member, listening to the previous speaker I gathered the argument is: “since things went wrong in 2016, it is okay if they go wrong now.” That is unacceptable.
They boast of a CPI rank of 107. They called the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government “corrupt,” yet then Sri Lanka ranked 82. Now under them it is 107—25 places worse. If they accept CPI, they must accept that.
I invited the Minister of Power to a public debate repeatedly; he did not come. Do not hide behind Parliamentary privilege—come to an open debate. The then Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and State Minister Indika Anuruddha are no longer in Parliament; yet Mr. Wijesekera has invited you to a public debate—if there are issues in those tenders, face it.
I said this tender was corrupt back in July when you postponed it. I warned again in August that the Minister and the Government were preparing for theft. The environment for corruption was created. The Chairman of Lanka Coal Company resigned on 17 August. In his resignation, he says—translated from English—that he is not a politician, that he engaged with the NPP and was appointed politically, that he took the post to save the country and LCC from corruption but was prevented; that though he was Chairman, Mr. Udayanga Hemapala and his team ran everything; and that neither he nor the Board would be responsible for corruption arising from this tender. He resigned on 17 August; the tender was on the 18th. After that, the President summoned him privately and told him not to do this—“sign the tender; after you sign…”