NewsPrime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Central Bank Bond issue today. The Prime Minister was requested by the Commission to make a statement today. It marked the first time a Sri Lankan prime minister has appeared before an investigation panel and responded to questions raised by the Attorney General’s Department. Wickremesinghe, prime minister since January 2015, said the additional amount was needed for highways payments and was not included in government books under the previous regime. Opposition lawmakers have said the bond auction in question lost the state more than $1 billion because of rising borrowing costs.

Source: Sunday Times November 20, 2017 06:36 UTC