Grave case of conflict of interest raised in parliament against Deputy Minister

Grave case of conflict of interest raised in Parliament against Deputy Minister SJB Gampaha District MP Prasad Siriwardana last week levelled a series of serious allegations, in Parliament, against Deputy Minister of Digital Technology Eranga Weeraratne, accusing him of presiding over a major conflict of interest involving two private technology firms.

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Siriwardana told the House that Omobio (Pvt) Ltd., and Eimsky Business Solutions (Pvt) Ltd., companies chaired by Weeraratne, had secured contracts for two major government projects. This, he said, amounted to a textbook case of an officeholder exercising authority over both a Ministry and a private entity operating in the same regulatory space.

Recalling that Weeraratne had faced a software theft accusation, four or five years ago, the MP argued that the current arrangements underscored what he described as the government's “fake anti-corruption drive.”

Siriwardana said that Eimsky is the primary service provider for the Smart Highway Toll System of the Road Development Authority, with its “Payment Connect” platform supplying Bopage accused successive governments of exploiting such discoveries for political gain during election periods, only for the momentum to dissipate once polls conclude.

"There is a recurring pattern where attention spikes during elections, but no concrete action follows," he said.