Sharown Sundararajah

#SriLanka’s Railway Revolution Begins 🚄 President #AKD has greenlit a game-changing transformation of #Colombo’s suburban rail network. 🚄 Starting early next year, Sri Lanka will introduce electric trains and convert key lines to the modern international Standard Gauge — replacing the old broad gauge for faster, smoother, and far more efficient travel. 🚄 Key routes to be electrified: 🛤️ Maradana to Makumbura (Kelani Valley) 🛤️ Colombo Fort to Ragama (Main Line) 🛤️ Colombo Fort to Panadura (Coastal Line) This ambitious project aims to deliver a modern, high-speed suburban rail system worthy of the 21st century

@KusumW So a Minister with a Finance background or secretary with an Economics background and two deputy ministers with finance backgrounds would have prevented the Email Spoofing or in more broad terms a phishing attack on the Treasury?

ST has informed me now that he is not able to present himself at the Committee on Public Finance tomorrow to discuss the issues regarding the missing USD 2.5m. This is unacceptable as the Constitution of #SriLanka places full control of public Finance with Parliament and by standing order COPF is DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for OVERSIGHT on DEBT REPAYMENT among many other important matters. Thus, him being summoned is not an act of discretion but a constitutional duty of the Committee. He has to answer questions by the committee. And he had the opportunity to put the ‘record straight’ if by any chance he was being wrongly accused. But why is he running away? What is there to hide? As the incumbant ST he has a responsibility. He must fulfil that responsibility or if he cannot, he must give it to someone who can. This is also personal to him since he is the first ever politician to occupy this important civil service position; he sat as an MP of the JVP/NPP government and even as a member of our Committee till the day before this appointment. This high handed act shows total lack of respect for the parliamentary system of checks and balances that is so critical post-crisis [that is why the COPF is chaired by a member of the opposition since the 2022 meltdown]. It is a kick in the face of the promised ‘system change’ the people of this country voted for. It is also a breakdown of the undertaking to @IMFNews on governance. His excuse is that President will address Parliament next week and he can come by thereafter. That is not acceptable and unrelated.

ST has informed me now that he is not able to present himself at the Committee on Public Finance tomorrow to discuss the issues regarding the missing USD 2.5m. This is unacceptable as the Constitution of #SriLanka places full control of public Finance with Parliament and by standing order COPF is DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for OVERSIGHT on DEBT REPAYMENT among many other important matters. Thus, him being summoned is not an act of discretion but a constitutional duty of the Committee. He has to answer questions by the committee. And he had the opportunity to put the ‘record straight’ if by any chance he was being wrongly accused. But why is he running away? What is there to hide? As the incumbant ST he has a responsibility. He must fulfil that responsibility or if he cannot, he must give it to someone who can. This is also personal to him since he is the first ever politician to occupy this important civil service position; he sat as an MP of the JVP/NPP government and even as a member of our Committee till the day before this appointment. This high handed act shows total lack of respect for the parliamentary system of checks and balances that is so critical post-crisis [that is why the COPF is chaired by a member of the opposition since the 2022 meltdown]. It is a kick in the face of the promised ‘system change’ the people of this country voted for. It is also a breakdown of the undertaking to @IMFNews on governance. His excuse is that President will address Parliament next week and he can come by thereafter. That is not acceptable and unrelated.