(Lanka-e-News -04.June.2016, 11.45PM) ‘James Bond’ was the original character that was produced in England ,who using expensive technology not only trailed the crooks and the corrupt but also brought the criminals before the law . He was a character promoted to the fore by the people of England during the last two generations.
Believe it or not such a character , though counterfeit has sprung up in our midst in Sri Lanka ! He is also a “Bond” who deserves a better name “Games Bond’ because unlike original James Bond this counterfeit ‘Games Bond’ enjoys playing frolicsome games at the expense of People’s funds and to the detriment of the country’s economy.. By name he is ‘Bond Mahendran’ though his original name is Arjun Mahendran. He became known as ‘Bond Mahendran’ not as an investigator but rather as a criminal . Believe it or not , this criminal ‘Bond’ of SL is none other than the present governor of the Central Bank.
This name was fastened on him because, when treasury bonds were being issued by Central Bank , he gave preferential treatment to his son in law and caused a loss of about Rs. 2 billion (Rs. 2000 million!) to the SL government.
A section of the UNP of the government swore solemnly that such a loss did not occur , but truly owing to this treasury bond issue ,at the elections held on August 17 th 2015 , the UNP at least lost 8 to 10 M.P. posts Island wide. This was because the pro MaRa opposition made this “Bond issue” a most valuable weapon and wielded it well to criticize and castigate the government.
Arjun Mahendran is a bosom pal of P.M. Ranil Wickremesinghe for a long period.. Hence Ranil thinks Arjun Mahendran is the modern Pythogoras , and there is n’t a greater economic or financial wizard or ‘ deal expert among those living in this whole wide world. Therefore he tells even the professors to go to Pythogoras alias ‘Pythia Gura’ (mad mentor) to learn whatever they wish to.
After Ranil became P.M. under the good governance he got down Pyhtogoras alias Pythia Gura alias Arjun Mahendran from Singapore. During the 100 days program of the interim government Arjun Mahendran faced charges having been incriminated in a Rs. 2 billion investment fraud involving public funds. Though he was reborn as ‘Bond Mahendran’ in paradise, he could not lead the country towards that destination – not even close by to paradise !
By now it is very clear ‘Bond Mahendran’ knows only ‘filthy lucre deal science’ and not ‘Financial administration science.’ The failure to understand what the Central Bank needs is somebody who knows Financial administration science and not a filthy lucre wheeler dealer, is most deplorable.
If Bond Mahendran truly knows financial management well , he would not gobble up the resources of his motherland while knowing well the dire economic plight and predicament of the country . Bond Mahendran’s ruthless and reckless annual gobbling up of pubic funds are hereunder.
The credit card account figures of Bond Mahendran between 28 th February 2015 and 31 st December is a good illustration.
The amount spent by Bond Mahendran during this period through the credit card alone is Rs. 18 million! These are the profligate expenditures on his entertainments, dresses, eating and drinking , lodging and jaunts within the country. All these payments through his credit card are reimbursed by the Central Bank.
The post of Central Bank Governor carries with it many perks, privileges and benefits .Because the Credit card is made available to him based on the superior position he holds (which limit he raised of his own accord ) he could have explained himself on the right he has to spend, but to his dismay ,now there are only a few who would listen to and accept those bhailas ,despite the fact Bhaila singers may have multiplied at present.
It is learnt the Central Bank has so far only reimbursed him Rs. 14.5 million on his credit card claim of Rs. 18 million. According to that , the Central Bank has paid Rs. 1.4 million monthly to the Central Bank governor .
It is a pertinent question at this juncture ,are the people mad to spend such colossal amounts of pubic funds to sustain and maintain such an individual who acknowledged and accepted liability on the infamous treasury bond deals ; and who deliberately refused to reveal his salary ?
The huge amount of money this Bond Mahendran wastes on clothes and dresses to dandify himself is common knowledge among a great many. Based on his credit card disbursements , the amount of money he wasted on one set of clothes during his tour of Singapore in 2015 is nearly Rs. 1.2 million ! which amount was reimbursed by the Central Bank.
Another unbelievable expenditure area of his are the colossal amounts spent on his lodging. Much more rudely shocking is the Central Bank paying back to Bond Mahendran the charges of the rooms which were reserved for him to officially attend an International monetary and world bank annual conference in Peru which Bond Mahendran did not attend.
It is the sum of Rs. 2 million spent by the Central Bank Governor on clothes and dresses during his scandalous chapter covering ten months that has attracted the attention.
The level of his expenditure towards entertainment stands at Rs. 2 million while the expenditure towards food and drinking stands at Rs. 2.5 million only. His expenditure towards his travelling within the country alone is Rs. 600,000.00 ! When the General Treasury compared this profligate expenditure of Bond Mahendran with his other expenditure bills, those were trifling.
In other words , the Central Bank governor responsible to give of his best for the country, and look for ways and means to clog wastages and to re build the motherland’s economy , has been recklessly and unconscionably indulging his champagne taste on the toddy income of the poverty stricken motherland.
Sadly, he is an ‘investment’ that is raking the bottom of the State coffers much more than the government can bear. The contract of Bond Mahendran which had not been worth a cent from the very outset is due to end this month. Though Ranil might have need to retain him , the progressive minded people want to discard him at the first opportunity, treating him like good riddance of bad rubbish (GROBR)
This is because of a statement made by Sujeewa Senasinghe who was prepared to even give up his life on behalf of Ranil , when the Bond issue sprung up. Sujeewa justified all the transactions except one in respect of which he was critical . That is , Sujeewa accepted that in the treasury bond transaction involving Central Bank Governor and his son in law who is the governor of Perpetual Treasuries Co. there is an issue of conflict of interest .
If that is so, this conflict of interest issue can only be resolved by saying ‘goodbye’ to Bond Mahendran himself.
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by (2016-06-04 22:24:46)
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Moo Elvis Presley da?
-- by Mohana on 2016-06-06