President says Dissanayake "dishonest"

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 August 2001, 17:30 GMT]
A senior minister and General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Mr.S.B.Dissanayake, is likely to make a decision shortly whether to continue in the government or to leave, following a letter sent to him by President Chandrika Kumaratunge, ruling party sources said. The President stated in her letter that she has lost confidence in Mr.Dissanayake as he had violated financial regulations and government's directives in running the ministry of Samurdhi (Poverty Alleviation).

Mr.S.B.Dissanayake, Minister Samurdhi, Human Development and Parliamentary Affairs met his close associates Tuesday evening and engaged in discussions with them regarding President's letter to him, the sources said.

President Chandrika Kumaratunge in her letter Tuesday blamed Minister S.B.Dissanayake for "the failure to carry out instructions of the government and contravening financial regulations by depositing 160 millions rupees of the Samurdhi Department in a private bank"

President Chandrika's reply was in response to a four-page statement by Minister Dissanayake Monday accusing her "for several blunders she had made in her seven-year rule", political sources said.

In his statement Minister Dissanayake wanted "the President to admit her 'failures' openly in a bid to overcome the present political crisis."

He said, "we must accept the mistakes we have made". He earlier admitted difference of opinion with the President.