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| Wednesday, 4 August 2004 |
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| Keep an eye on NPC, Wimal tells Speaker by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi and Ranil Wijayapala JVP Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa yesterday called upon Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to use his powers as the Chairman of the Constitutional Council to ensure the National Police Commission (NPC) performs its role in the expected manner. Weerawansa said the Police Commission set up with much expectation to ensure justice and transparency had failed to fulfil its anticipated role. Speaking during the adjournment motion on Police Promotions approved by the NPC, the JVP Parliament Group Leader noted that police promotions had even been given to officers found guilty of various malpractices, killings and other criminal offences. He said: "Even officers found guilty of receiving bribes had been granted promotions." Weerawansa explained that a promotion had been granted to an officer now in jail serving a death sentence for killing a beauty queen in the Kobeigane area. "Even a drug addict who had been a security officer to Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had been given a promotion. This officer had also been arrested for burglary," Weerawansa claimed. He stressed that the intention of establishment of this Commission was to ensure justice and transparency when promotions are granted. "There had been various mistakes and allegations regarding promotions in the Police Department in the past. That is why both the Government and the Opposition joined together and unanimously voted for the 17th Amendment," Weerawansa said. He lamented that the 17th Amendment to the Constitution which made necessary legal provision to set up the Police Commission had failed to attain the expected results. "Instead, the Police Commission has made matters worse by giving promotions to non-suitable officers who had been found guilty of many cases including irregularities and corruption." Weerawansa charged that the NPC has failed to conduct a proper study before granting these promotions. "The Police Commission should not have just approved the list of promotions sent by the Police Department. Instead, the Commission itself should have done a proper study," he added. "It is very clear that the Police Commission has failed to ensure its responsibilities. This Parliament has a right and responsibility to look into this problem," Weerawansa said. Weerawansa requested the Speaker to exercise powers vested with him to rectify this shortcomings and irregularities. Former Interior Minister and UNP MP John Amaratunga said the UNP agreed to appoint a Parliament Select Committee to probe if the National Police Commission had recommended any undue promotions to police officers. The former minister said the Police Commission cannot be blamed for these undue promotions, since the Police Department under Inspector General of Police Indra de Silva was instrumental in recommending the names for these promotions. "The Police Commission cannot refer each and every file of police officers amounting to 70,000 to 80,000 when recommending promotions," Amaratunga added. |
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