Our objective is to ensure Bribery Commission operates as an independent institution: PM Harini

The government’s objective is to ensure the environment for the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to function as an independent body, without influence from anyone, including Members of Parliament and Ministers, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya made these remarks while participating in the Parliamentary debate on the interim resolution concerning the determination of salaries and service conditions of the officers and employees of the Commission under the Anti-Corruption Act.

The Prime Minister stated:

Honourable Speaker, I consider the proposal presented today on determining the remuneration and service conditions of the officers and employees of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to be highly important. Although the Anti-Corruption Act was passed in 2023, we only began to truly feel the presence of an active Commission from 2025.
 
Since then, we have had to experience a number of challenges in operationalizing the Commission. In particular, there were several obstacles, including limitations in recruiting officers, which hindered the Commission from functioning as required. It was necessary to establish several practical conditions, such as granting the Commission the freedom to determine allowances for its staff, to formulate the rules and regulations required for its operations, to recruit personnel, and to submit budget estimates relevant to its annual plans. At the time the new Director General assumed duties, there were over 4,000 investigation files within the Commission where investigations had been completed but cases had not yet been filed. Moreover, there were only about 31 legal officers.
 
Follow the adoption of this proposal, the Commission will be granted the authority to recruit officers, determine necessary allowances, and make independent decisions regarding financial matters. This will enable the Commission to effectively fulfill its intended mandate. This proposal plays a significant role in building a new political culture in our country, one that is anti-corruption and committed to a transparent public service that is free from bribery.
 
Further commenting, the Prime Minister also addressed the country’s response to the ongoing global energy crisis.
 
In the current global context, our economy and energy sector are facing multiple challenges. These conditions are constantly evolving and difficult to predict. However, it is our responsibility as a government to recognize these changes and manage their impact on our economy.
 
Following that, the Cabinet has decided yesterday to appoint four special committees. Accordingly, one committee will focus on ensuring the uninterrupted provision of essential services to the public; while other will make decisions on maintaining public services through energy management within the public sector; a third will work with the Procurement Commission to identify new methods of energy procurement in addition to existing mechanisms; and a fourth will examine the social impacts arising from this situation, including its effects on vulnerable groups, and recommend fair solutions, relief measures, and welfare services.
 
This is a situation that we, as a country, must face collectively. The public service, the private sector, the political leadership regardless of party differences and the people of our country must come together to overcome this, just as we have faced previous challenges. We are confident that, we will be able to successfully face this situation through proper leadership and management, and by making timely decisions.