Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Anti-Corruption Bill which was presented to Parliament by Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakshe provides provisions for the Commission for Investigation of Bribery and Corruption powers to engage in joint investigations with foreign countries and other foreign parties.

As per the Bill, the Bribery Commission is given powers as stated above when it comes to matters falling under agreements or arrangements to Sri Lanka and other foreign countries. The commission therefore is given the power to enter into agreements or arrangements with an institution of a foreign nation or with an international organization or body of persons established by an overseas government or a state or with a foreign law enforcement agency.

The commission is also given power to arrest and file legal action against any person whom it believes have committed an offence in line with the Bill.

The members of the Bribery Commission are to be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the constitutional council under the Bill.

The other salient feature is that the President, Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers, MPs, provincial council members, members of local bodies, state officials including the senior officers of Central Bank and even the members of Constitutional Council are made liable to declare their assets and liabilities and assets and liabilities of their spouses and children.

The government claimed that the objective of the new legislation is to give effect to certain provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and other internationally recognized norms, standards and best practices.(Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)