A collection of gemstones valued at Rs. 250 million was released without board approval by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) just days before the 2024 presidential election, it was revealed during a Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) hearing.
During the proceedings, NGJA Chairman Naveen Sooriyarachchi said that the authority does not receive import data from Sri Lanka Customs, making it difficult to maintain accurate records and valuations.
COPE members referred to media reports of an unauthorized release of gemstones in 2024, confirming that the parcel in question was valued at 21,096 karats (approximately USD 78,017). Officials admitted that no approval had been sought from the NGJA Board of Directors for the release of the jewels in September 2024.
Following legal action, when the gemstones were recovered, a portion of them was missing, a COPE member disclosed.
Valuation Discrepancies
Further questioning revealed that at the time of the incident, Ramesh Pathirana served as the Cabinet Minister overseeing the sector, while Chamara Sampath Dassanayake was the State Minister. COPE members also inquired whether Viraj de Silva, the NGJA chairman at the time, had been appointed by Dassanayake.
The COPE was informed that after the gemstones were recovered, they were released to the same individual upon payment of a fine of just Rs. 10,000.
The NGJA Export and Sales Director said that the board had approved the release based on instructions from another official, who was also present at the hearing. However, when questioned by COPE, the said official contradicted the previous official’s remarks, stating that he did not authorise the release.
Meanwhile, Valuation Director of the Authority said that she had noted discrepancies in the valuations and estimates recorded in invoices. Again, officials were unable to explain why the initial valuation of the gemstones was Rs. 20 million (2 crores) but later increased to Rs. 150 million (15 crores).
Industries Ministry Secretary Thilaka Jayasundara who was also present at the hearing expressed frustration over the incident, stating that Sri Lanka could have generated greater revenue if the NGJA had not been involved. She cited her own negative experiences in the state sector as the reason for her remarks.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s Department was only informed of the release after the gemstones had already been handed over, raising further concerns about procedural failures, COPE revealed. (Newswire)
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