-By A Special Correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -20.Jan.2025, 11.25 PM) The Registrar of Companies (ROC) in Sri Lanka is meant to be the backbone of the country’s business operations. It’s a place where companies are registered, directors are disclosed, and the integrity of businesses is maintained—or at least, that’s what the shiny brochures promise. But, behind this facade of corporate governance lies a tangled web of corruption, bribes, favoritism, and, believe it or not, a receptionist named Thamara who allegedly plays kingmaker.
Today, we dive into the murky dealings at the ROC and expose how Mr. Dharmakeerthi, a man in a position of power, is allegedly turning this crucial institution into his personal fiefdom. Grab your popcorn because this story has everything: love, bribes, nepotism, and some suspiciously overpriced IT systems.
At its core, the Registrar of Companies is supposed to be a beacon of transparency in Sri Lanka’s business environment. Need to check who owns a company? Head to the ROC. Want to ensure that your potential business partner isn’t a con artist? The ROC has you covered—or at least it’s supposed to.
But in recent years, the ROC has earned a reputation less for its efficiency and more for the shadiness of its dealings. Enter Mr. Dharmakeerthi, a man who allegedly saw this government body not as a tool for public service but as a goldmine for personal enrichment.
Every great empire has its trusted lieutenant, and in the case of the ROC, that role belongs to Thamara, the receptionist who has been sitting behind her desk for the last 30 years. Yes, you read that right—30 years. At first glance, she seems like a harmless auntie with an encyclopedic knowledge of tea brands. But behind the scenes, Thamara is allegedly pulling strings, making deals, and acting as the fixer for the ROC higher-ups.
Need your company registration expedited? Thamara is your woman—for a price, of course. Want to bypass some inconvenient legal hurdles? A quick chat with Thamara might just make your problems disappear.
If the rumors are true, Thamara’s influence isn’t just limited to paperwork. She’s allegedly the middlewoman for bribes, ensuring that money flows smoothly up the chain to figures like Mr. Dharmakeerthi.
Back in the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, State Counsel Sanjeewa Dissanayake tried to bring the ROC into the 21st century. His plan? Introduce an online payment system to replace cash payments, cutting off one of the main avenues for corruption.
But as with all good things in Sri Lanka, this initiative faced significant pushback. And who was at the center of this resistance? You guessed it—Mr. Dharmakeerthi.
Sources suggest that Dharmakeerthi, now modernizing his own methods, shifted from accepting cash bribes to using bank accounts. While digitalization was meant to make the system transparent, Dharmakeerthi allegedly turned it into an opportunity to create a more sophisticated bribery pipeline.
As if things weren’t scandalous enough, there’s a subplot that could rival any teledrama. According to insiders, the project manager from KPMG, the firm handling the ROC’s digital transformation project, is allegedly in a romantic relationship with Dharmakeerthi.
This cozy relationship has raised eyebrows, especially given the questionable payments being made to KPMG for their services. During COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) meetings, these payments were flagged for being irregular, but no concrete action has been taken.
The relationship between Dharmakeerthi and the KPMG project manager has allegedly led to conflicts of interest, favoritism, and a significant mishandling of the eROC project. Instead of revolutionizing the ROC, the project has turned into a cash cow for a select few.
If you thought Dharmakeerthi’s shady dealings stopped at the office, think again. His sister reportedly runs a company secretariat business, a venture that has allegedly become a hub for dodgy deals.
Need a company registered quickly? Forget the official channels—just head over to Dharmakeerthi’s sister. With her brother pulling strings from inside the ROC, her clients reportedly enjoy a fast track through the registration process.
This blatant nepotism not only undermines the integrity of the ROC but also creates an uneven playing field for legitimate businesses.
Amid this chaos, the government is reportedly considering appointing Ms. Dharmathilaka as the new Registrar General. But much like Dharmakeerthi, Dharmathilaka’s track record is far from spotless.
A close associate of political heavyweights Basil Rajapaksa and Sagara Kariyawasam, Dharmathilaka has been accused of mishandling the eROC project and authorizing irregular payments to KPMG. Despite these allegations, she is being positioned as the frontrunner for the top job.
The parallels to Atapattu’s controversial appointment in another government body are striking. If Dharmathilaka takes the helm at the ROC, it could cement the institution’s reputation as a hotbed of corruption.
The ROC saga is a microcosm of the larger issues plaguing Sri Lanka: systemic corruption, nepotism, and a lack of accountability. Institutions that are meant to serve the public are being hollowed out by individuals more interested in lining their pockets than doing their jobs.
For businesses, this means higher costs, endless delays, and a constant need to “grease the wheels.” For the average citizen, it’s yet another reminder that in Sri Lanka, corruption isn’t just a problem—it’s a way of life.
Fixing the ROC will require more than just new leadership—it will require a complete cultural overhaul. This includes:
1. Transparency: All payments and processes must be made public to eliminate opportunities for bribery.
2. Accountability: Individuals like Dharmakeerthi and Thamara must be investigated and, if found guilty, held accountable.
3. Digitalization: The eROC project must be completed in a manner that ensures transparency and efficiency, free from conflicts of interest.
4. Whistleblower Protection: Employees and citizens who expose corruption should be protected and encouraged.
The Registrar of Companies should be a pillar of transparency and trust in Sri Lanka’s business environment. Instead, it has become a symbol of everything that’s wrong with the country’s public institutions.
From Thamara’s alleged behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing to Dharmakeerthi’s blatant nepotism and misuse of power, the ROC is crying out for reform. Whether the government will take meaningful action or continue to reward incompetence and corruption remains to be seen.
For now, one thing is clear: if you’re looking to register a company in Sri Lanka, be prepared to navigate not just paperwork but an entire ecosystem of corruption. And if you’re lucky, Thamara might just pick up the phone.
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by (2025-01-20 21:31:48)
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