Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today stated that mistakes can happen, but the government will continue forward with good governance as it has nothing to hide. 

The Premier was speaking to reporters outside the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, probing the Central Bank treasury bond scam, after appearing before the commission this morning following a request made to testify.   

Wickremesinghe stated that for the first time a Prime Minister appeared before a commission to make a statement. 

He expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the commission for providing him with this opportunity and said that he was able to make clarifications with regard to many facts. 

“I was given the opportunity to explain about our economic policy, the damages caused to the country and many things,” he said. 

“Therefore I would like to specially state that myself, the chairman of our party, secretary and ministers came forward without any fears. We will take good governance forward because we have nothing to hide. Mistakes can happen, there can be shortcomings but we will continue with good governance.”

Wickremesinghe today became the first sitting Sri Lankan PM to testify before a commission. He was questioned for nearly an hour by the commission and the Attorney General, who participated in the session today on a special invite to lead the questioning. 

A number of ministers representing the United National Party (UNP) were also present at the commission for the session today.