Maharaja's Advice

stockback wrote:I will explain at right time. I think it's too early to explain this and promote it.

stockback wrote:I am talking about EPF transaction under Mahajano.... Time.,

not this penda

Maharaja wrote:Market will fall. Actually it fell down during last two sessions. But ASI adjusted to keep it green by buying CINS,CTC,SLT etc.
Foreign selling is continuing market will turn down soon.




Maharaja

Maharaja wrote:Market will fall. Actually it fell down during last two sessions. But ASI adjusted to keep it green by buying CINS,CTC,SLT etc.
Foreign selling is continuing market will turn down soon.




Maharaja

samaritan wrote:

Maharaja wrote:Market will fall. Actually it fell down during last two sessions. But ASI adjusted to keep it green by buying CINS,CTC,SLT etc.
Foreign selling is continuing market will turn down soon.




Maharaja

The Govt will turn down soon and the market will turn up.

Maharaja wrote:I guarantee you a big market fall. 
Exit Immediately !!!
Buyers - wait till 2020



Maharaja

Maharaja wrote:

samaritan wrote:

Maharaja wrote:Market will fall. Actually it fell down during last two sessions. But ASI adjusted to keep it green by buying CINS,CTC,SLT etc.
Foreign selling is continuing market will turn down soon.




Maharaja

The Govt will turn down soon and the market will turn up.

Samaritan, 
I expect change after election only. 

Maharaja

After his resignation, Karunaratne told the media of “daylight robbery” by a “stock market mafia” closely connected to Government leaders, including Rajapaksa.

Karunaratne is a politician as well as a businessman. He was a founding leader of the Sinhala chauvinist Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), then joined the right-wing United National Party (UNP). Just before the presidential election in January 2010, he switched to Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

The SEC is the “regulating authority” appointed by the president to oversee the Colombo stock market. Rajapaksa has used his powers to install chairpersons loyal to the Government. Karunaratne’s predecessor Indrani Sugathadasa, who resigned in similar circumstances, is the wife of the President’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga.

The latest scandal has provided a glimpse into the operations of a parasitic layer of financial speculators who have been nurtured by the Rajapaksa Government since the end of the country’s longstanding civil war. After the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009, the Colombo all share price index soared — from 1,631 points in 2008 to 7,800 points in February 2011.

Rajapaksa pointed to the rocketing share prices as proof of his Government’s economic success. The financial press hailed “one of the best performing share markets in the world,” but the “success,” amid the global financial crisis, was built on rampant speculation.

In early 2011, the bubble burst and the index is currently hovering around 5,000 points. Foreign investors have been withdrawing funds and Colombo is rated as one of the world’s “worst performing” markets.

Karunaratne admitted that speculation had been a major factor in the share price rises. “The major contribution came from people who used unfair means in pumping up the market, which made it reach extreme high levels,” he told the media.

The former SEC Chairman has not named the 17 companies that he placed under investigation. But he hinted at their identities by citing cases where prices had dramatically risen between the end of 2009 and end of 2010. Over that year, the share prices of Dankotuwa Porcelain, Blue Diamonds, Asian Alliance Insurance, Lanka Hospitals and HVA Foods stock increased by 226, 270, 177, 204 and 394 per cent respectively.

A Sunday Times editorial last weekend, entitled ‘Jackals and mafia of crooks,’ commented: “It is common tattle that many of the 17 ‘suspects’ are closely linked to the ruling elite. This linkage extends to the level of financing the political campaigns of the rulers, and even more, acting for them as front men.”

In a scheme known as “pumping and dumping,” major dealers encouraged investors to put money into particular shares, promising huge returns. When the share price reached a certain level, the dealers sold out, making staggering profits, and prices fell sharply. Small share holders, who had in many cases invested their savings and pensions, were hit with heavy losses.

The Central Bank encouraged this speculative frenzy by releasing money from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the country’s biggest pension fund, to purchase shares, including in ailing companies such as Galadari Hotels, Laugfs Gas, Piramal Glass Ceylon, Ceylon Grain Elevators and Browns. The release of EPF cash for private sector investment was a longstanding demand of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The results have been disastrous. For example, the EPF purchased 23.7 million shares in the loss-making Galadari Hotels at a price of 32.50 rupees a share in 2010 from Nawaloka Hospitals. By July 2012, the share price had plummeted to 11 rupees, resulting in a loss of 500 million rupees for the EPF. Overall, the EPF had lost about 6 billion rupees by the middle of this year.

The newly-appointed SEC Chairman, Nalaka Godahewa, is well connected to the Government as well. He was given the job despite heading the Colombo Lands and Development (CLD), which is also under a cloud for share manipulation.

The CLD had been a prominent Colombo real estate developer but was restructured into a joint venture with the Urban Development Authority (UDA). In 2010, the Government put the UDA, a civilian body, under the Defence Ministry, which is headed by Gotabaya Rajapakse, the President’s brother.

The UDA is central to the Government plans to develop Colombo as a major “commercial hub,” primarily through the eviction of some 70,000 shanty dwellers. The security forces have already forcibly removed hundreds of families.

One of those recently identified by the media as a member of the “stock market mafia” also has government connections. Dilith Jayaweera, head of Divasa Equity, recently admitted meeting with Gotabaya Rajapaksa to discuss share market affairs. Gotabaya Rajapaksa arranged for Jayaweera, who was known for demanding a free hand for share dealers, to meet with SEC Chairman Karunaratne.

The eruption of the share market scandal points to deep dissatisfaction among layers of the corporate elite with the Rajapaksa Government and its business cronies. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has expressed concern over Karunaratne’s resignation, warning that it would send the wrong signal to foreign investors.

These divisions in ruling circles have opened up amid the worsening global economic breakdown, which is impacting heavily on the Sri Lankan economy through declining exports and an emerging balance of payments crisis.

The scandal has revealed a parasitic layer of speculators and share price manipulators operating in collaboration with the government, which will inevitably attempt to pass the burden of the losses onto the working people.

Findings on key people in the report were:

Two key recommendations were made by the PCOI:

Current situation of the said Culprits

DS Wijesinghe wrote:3 1/2 years after the biggest financial crime in Sri Lanka’s history, no one in government has been held accountable or successfully prosecuted.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Today marks the third anniversary of the infamous bond auction of February 27,   2015.
Three years ago the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, under Governor Arjuna Mahendran, advertised a bond of Rs 1 Billion for 30 years. When the auction closed, the Governor decided to take up twenty times that value – Rs 20 Billion.
In the face of opposition from Central Bank personnel, he decided to reduce that to Rs 10 billion. Perpetual Treasuries ended up with the lion’s share of the Rs 10 Billion, and part of it was achieved at an extraordinarily high rate of 12.05 %.
The rate prevailing before this auction was in the region of 9.85%.
Significantly, the Bank of Ceylon, also a primary dealer, made a bid for and on behalf of Perpetual Treasuries.
As public concern grew and the media interest reached new levels, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe decided the matter was worthy of his interest and intervention.  However, the Prime Minister was ambiguous. He said that he ‘insisted’ on a change of system and blamed it on corruption in the previous administration.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa invited D.E.W. Gunasekera to be Chairman of COPE in order to investigate the Bond auction on February 27.
On the day the D.E.W. Gunasekera report was to be tabled in parliament, fortuitously for those involved in the bond scam, parliament was dissolved. With that, the inquiries into the bond scandal came to a halt.
A notable feature of the COPE report was that Arjuna Mahendran, under oath, stated that he had ‘only followed the Prime Minister’s instructions’.
Three months after parliamentary elections in August 2015, the Prime Minister Wickremesinghe appointed Sunil Handunnetti as Chairman COPE to restart the investigation on November 26, 2015.
The UNP members of COPE signed off the report by adding what has become known as “Footnotes” challenging some of the conclusions of the COPE report.
On January 27,  2017, responding to growing parliamentary and public sentiment, President Sirisena appointed a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to look into the issuance of bonds from February 2015 through to March 31[size=15], 2016.[/size]
For over eleven months the nation looked on in disbelief as the scale of the bond scam was revealed during the Inquiry.
On December 30, 2017, the PCOI delivered the report to President who sent it to the Attorney General’s Department.
In January,  the report was delivered to the Speaker of the House.

Findings on key people in the report were:

1. Arjuna Mahendran acted mala fide and had shared sensitive information that had benefited Perpetual Treasuries.
2. His son-in-law Arjun Aloysius, part owner of Perpetual Treasuries, was alleged to have used his relationship with Mahendran to obtain inside information and make massive profits at the expense of government institutions.
3. Ravi Karunanayake faces allegations of bribery. He was moved out of the post of Finance Minister and was given the Foreign Affairs Ministry. He then resigned in August 2017, following revelations made during the inquiry.
4. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was found to have been ill-advised by Mahendran and Dept Governor Samarasiri.

Two key recommendations were made by the PCOI:

1. A Forensic Audit of all the trades conducted by Perpetual Treasuries and other primary dealers involved in the bond auctions be carried out.
2. To Institute legal action against those accountable.
To this effect, a notice has been issued on Arjuna Mahendran. However, efforts to locate Mahendran in Singapore have failed. He continues to be out of the reach of Sri Lanka’s law enforcement.

Current situation of the said Culprits

Arjun Alosious and Kasun Palisena are currently detained at the Colombo Remand Prison after bail applications were twice refused by the Magistrate.
Ravi Karunanayake is now a backbench MP in parliament, as investigations continue. Ranil Wickremesinghe has now become the Minister of Law and  Order.

sahan8896 wrote:better stop this market crash thing and discuss about shares.

samaritan wrote:ranferdi:
We Shall appreciate this government for actions being taken against the thieves irrespective of party colors. And everyone should encourage and protect the government if we need advanced society..


Oh yeah, everyone should encourage & protect this Govt if we need advanced robbers!. The meticulous planning & execution of the Central Bank bond scam leaves no room to doubt how advanced the robbers are. God save Sri Lanka!

ranferdi wrote:

DS Wijesinghe wrote:3 1/2 years after the biggest financial crime in Sri Lanka’s history, no one in government has been held accountable or successfully prosecuted.

"""Arjun Alosious and Kasun Palisena are currently detained at the Colombo Remand Prison after bail applications were twice refused by the Magistrate.
Ravi Karunanayake is now a backbench MP in parliament, as investigations continue. Ranil Wickremesinghe has now become the Minister of Law and  Order"""

Billions were stolen and many were killed at the time of MahaRaja… and No one was detained or at least allowed to talk about at the time. 

We Shall appreciate this government for actions being taken against the thieves irrespective of party colors. And everyone should encourage and protect the government if we need advanced society..

DS Wijesinghe wrote:

ranferdi wrote:

DS Wijesinghe wrote:3 1/2 years after the biggest financial crime in Sri Lanka’s history, no one in government has been held accountable or successfully prosecuted.

"""Arjun Alosious and Kasun Palisena are currently detained at the Colombo Remand Prison after bail applications were twice refused by the Magistrate.
Ravi Karunanayake is now a backbench MP in parliament, as investigations continue. Ranil Wickremesinghe has now become the Minister of Law and  Order"""

Billions were stolen and many were killed at the time of MahaRaja… and No one was detained or at least allowed to talk about at the time. 

We Shall appreciate this government for actions being taken against the thieves irrespective of party colors. And everyone should encourage and protect the government if we need advanced society..

Ranferdi, Whom are you exactly thanking and appreciating in this advanced govt? 


1. Is it the PM Ranil who appointed Pitipaana committee to cover up and tell the country he and Mahendran are innocent and subsequently used part of the looted money to fund UNPs general election campaign of August 2015?


                          OR


2. Is it the President Sirisena who appointed the commission, later on to be told that part of the funds looted were used by UNP to pay unpaid bills of his Presidential election campaign?


                         OR
Both?      


Only a part of the looted money was pocketed by Mahendran and Aloysius.

DS Wijesinghe wrote:

ranferdi wrote:

DS Wijesinghe wrote:3 1/2 years after the biggest financial crime in Sri Lanka’s history, no one in government has been held accountable or successfully prosecuted.

"""Arjun Alosious and Kasun Palisena are currently detained at the Colombo Remand Prison after bail applications were twice refused by the Magistrate.
Ravi Karunanayake is now a backbench MP in parliament, as investigations continue. Ranil Wickremesinghe has now become the Minister of Law and  Order"""

Billions were stolen and many were killed at the time of MahaRaja… and No one was detained or at least allowed to talk about at the time. 

We Shall appreciate this government for actions being taken against the thieves irrespective of party colors. And everyone should encourage and protect the government if we need advanced society..

Ranferdi, Whom are you exactly thanking and appreciating in this advanced govt? 


1. Is it the PM Ranil who appointed Pitipaana committee to cover up and tell the country he and Mahendran are innocent and subsequently used part of the looted money to fund UNPs general election campaign of August 2015?


                          OR


2. Is it the President Sirisena who appointed the commission, later on to be told that part of the funds looted were used by UNP to pay unpaid bills of his Presidential election campaign?


                         OR
Both?      


Only a part of the looted money was pocketed by Mahendran and Aloysius.

DS Wijesinghe wrote:Ranferdi you want us to thank and appreciate the main culprit who planned Sri Lanka's biggest financial crime? May be die hard UNPers like you can and will do so

But the millions of others who are today suffering as a result of the huge impact this crime had on our economy will not do so.

Our economy is yet to come out of this massive financial crime which sent interest rates spiralling up overnight. It affected lending rates to all business houses and hardest hit were SMEs 

It definitely had a huge impact on the CSE performance as when interest rates started to move up CSE became unattractive compared to other safe investment tools

samaritan wrote:

A stock market is expected to present a level playing field to all investors. However, stock holders trading in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) have encountered hurdles to trading, coming from both major private investors and errant government elements.

These hurdles refer to various methods of market manipulation, such as insider trading and ‘pump-and-dump’ tactics that artificially jostle share prices towards the benefit of a handful of individuals. The distortion of the structure of the market through these market manipulations seem to go unpunished as investigations are halted or fade away from public interest rapidly, ensuring that the perpetrators of these white-collar crimes go unpunished.

This Position Paper will examine the definitions and consequences of market manipulation and recent scandals that have shocked traders at the CSE. It will also investigate possible methods to prevent and diminish the occurrence of market manipulations at the CSE.

The responsibility for maintaining a level playing field falls on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the investors themselves. Directors, stockbrokers and capitalists no longer play within the rules of the game and while ‘greed is good’ in investing, it should be exercised within parameters applicable equally to all market players.
It falls upon civil society organisations (CSOs) to educate the public on the rules of the game and raise public awareness on the consequences of a corrupt stock exchange. It falls upon the SEC to resist politically-motivated impediments to investigation and efficiently regulate the market while prosecuting the perpetrators of white-collar crimes.

Additionally, it falls upon the SEC to educate the government on the purpose and effects of regulation, as it is currently seen as a negative influence in market economics. It falls upon the media to pursue alleged white-collar criminals and expose their misdeeds in the public light and to also raise public knowledge on the workings of the CSE and the links between good governance and good corporate practices.



What is market manipulation?
This refers to the deliberate interference in the free and fair operations of a financial market. The aim of manipulation is to paint a false picture of the market, misleading investors and analysts. The CSE has been plagued by a barrage of market manipulations in the recent past.

In 2011, the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) bought an 8% stake in Laugfs Gas PLC for Rs.1.6 billion, pushing share prices up to between Rs.38-41 per share. However, through this inflation of share prices, the stock was sold at Rs.51 per share before coming down to Rs.40 that same day.
As at July 4, 2012, the share price of Laugfs Gas PLC is Rs.19, amounting to a loss of Rs.1,389 million to the EPF. It is clear that the brokers involved made a massive profit by artificially inflating share prices. This example highlights another problem which is misuse of the public funds.

The manipulation described above is but one example of a myriad of ‘pump-and-dump’ rackets witnessed on the trading floor. It involves the overvaluing of shares so that stockholders are able to sell their shares at an artificially inflated price. However, this comes at the expense of another party, in the example above the ‘loser’ is the pool of EPF funds.
Another example of public funds being used in a pump-and-dump transaction is that of the EPF purchasing stock in Galadari Hotels (Lanka) PVT Ltd. in 2010. The EPF purchased 23.7 million shares in the company, at Rs.32.50 a share. The value of these shares, as at July 2012, is at Rs.11 per share, which amounts to a loss of Rs.500 million.
The previous owners of the share, Nawaloka Hospitals was reported to have been “relieved” to have gotten rid of the “burden” of the loss-making Galadari Hotels (Lanka) PVT Ltd. It is convenient that a loss-making company was transferred from private stockholders to an institution that deals with public funds.

The total value of losses incurred by the EPF in the stock market is placed at over Rs.4 billion, according to Economist Dr. Harsha De Silva MP. But the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has rebuffed any allegations of fraud in its dealings in the stock market, saying that there is “a long-term focus to generate profits and enhance the fund’s capital base”.
However, investments made in 2010 seem to have generated massive losses all the way up to 2012, so the fruits of these “long term” investments are yet to be realized.

Insider trading is another form of market manipulation. It is the “unfair use of trading by those within privileged access (‘insiders’) to information that has not been disclosed by a company to the public (‘undisclosed information’) and which information would, if made public, have an impact on price of securities of that company.”
The EPF also made clear its adherence to accounting standards and credibility of internal auditing procedures, rebuffing Dr. Harsha De Silva’s claims of market manipulation by alleging he had a political agenda behind his analysis. However, once we move past the jaded political rhetoric of our Sri Lankan institutions and politicians, we find it hard to disregard the evidence of massive loss-making investments made by a company that deals with public funds.
Laugfs Gas PLC, Ceylon Grain Elevators, Brown and Company, Galadari Hotels and The Finance Company all appear to be unsound investments, incurring huge losses to the EPF’s pool of public funds.

An article titled ‘Insider Trading Unavoidable?’ published in 2011 sheds light on a peculiar detail of Sri Lanka’s investor community; the geographical distribution of stock market players aids in the speedy transference of material information. Nimal Perera, an investor at the CSE, mentioned that “we are all insiders, including the regulators, as we are a close-knit society.”
These controversial remarks highlight not only the ease with which material information may pass through investor circles, but also the callousness with which perpetrators may publicly claim their nefariousness. The article goes on to describe the two types of insider traders -Primary insiders, who have access to material information and Secondary insiders, those who obtain material information from primary insiders.

Although conflicts of interest might not be a form of market manipulation, it is worth exploring the role they play in the erosion of fairness and transparency on the trading floor.

A scandal in the recent past is that of the National Savings Bank (NSB) purchase of The Finance Company (TFC). In a nutshell, this scandal is concerned with the purchase of 13% of TFC by NSB for Rs.49.74 a share, whereas typical share prices were at Rs.30. Following public disclosure of this deal, President Mahinda Rajapaksa halted payment and ordered Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera to initiate an investigation into the deal.

The 13% of TFC shares were to be purchased from two of the company’s Directors, Dinal Wijemanne, CEO of Taprobane Securities and Raynor De Silva, ABC Radio Managing Director. It came to light that there is a conflict of interest at hand; Taprobane Securities was the firm that authorized the purchase of these shares and the director of the company was the individual selling these shares.

The SEC has stated that they are investigating Taprobane Securities for insider dealing, front running and conflict of interest violations even though an internal investigation into the incident is yet to be undertaken. It is hard to pinpoint the exact cause of market manipulation; it could be greed in the mind of the controlling interest or senior ranking director or it could very well be poor corporate governance.

As Warren Buffet once said, “Earnings can be pliable as putty when a charlatan heads the company reporting them.” A Sri Lankan example of this is the case of Watawala Plantations.
Recently, the directors stripped the company of its marketing division with no prior consultation with the shareholders. Arbitrary decisions made without the consultation and consent of the stock owners points towards serious concerns over the transparency and good corporate practices of the directors.
This section was sold for Rs.741 million when the company’s true value stood between Rs.2.5-3 billion. In this case, it is hard to see who gains from manipulating the market, yet it is easy to see how poor corporate governance leads to slights on the trading floor.

The question of who is involved with market manipulation is somewhat complex in its dimensions. As we can see from the examples cited in this document, the perpetrators are high ranking executives and stockbrokers. The misuse of public funds seems to allude to the fact that there could be rouge political elements at play.

Effects of market manipulation
It is a common misconception that white-collar crime involves the rich stealing from the rich. However, in Sri Lanka this is not the case. As seen in the NSB scandal, the savings of the Sri Lankan people were plundered in order to artificially inflate stock prices.
This callous use of public finance has obvious repercussions; a poor investment, merely set in motion to paint false picture of a company’s value, yields a poor return in the long run, hemorrhaging money rather than appreciating the value of the initial investment. This erosion of value will put the NSB in hot water as bank patrons realize their money has been squandered in this investment process.

Another consequence of market manipulation is shareholder fatigue. This is a phenomenon that occurs when minority shareholders do not receive dividends on their preferred stock. As company directors become tied up in the profit reaping on their manipulations, their companies usually suffer under long-term over valuation of stock.

As in the case of Watawala Plantations, ordinary shareholders are denied the right to exercise control over their company. Market economics dictate a divorce between company ownership and control, yet ordinary shareholders are presented with voting rights (whereas preferred stockholders typically do not receive voting rights) to steer the direction of their company.
Market manipulation allegations, whether proven or false, deter investors from entering the trading floor and impede foreign direct investment in the country. When the Sri Lankan civil war ended in 2009, the country seemed to have a bright economic future, with great foreign interest in investment opportunities.

In the previous year, Sri Lanka had witnessed massive investment from Malaysia and India, giving analysts the ability to predict good tidings for the Sri Lankan economy. However, the Central Bank of Sri Lankan (CBSL) mentioned in a 2009 report that foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka was inadequate. Yet, by 2011, it seemed that Sri Lanka was far from the tiger economy status it had been bestowed in 2009. The bubble burst in 2011, with the All Share Price Index reporting an all-time low of 3.5% negative earnings and a total loss of Rs.141 billion in October 2011.

A bubble occurs when share prices are inflated to levels higher than their real value, usually through dissemination of false performance rumors by brokers and a myriad of other market manipulations and investor speculation. The article cited for this claim also goes on to mention how brokers have a heavy hand to play in the creation of a bubble, as they gain on the commission received from brokering stock transactions.

It also mentions a group of high net worth individuals prop up the market through the purchase of illiquid stock (also known as penny stocks). The stock market crash of 2011 persists today, with a year-to-debt ratio of 20% reported in May 2012, which amounts to a loss of Rs.40 billion. We can now clearly see how brokers and investors play a crucial role in preventing a bubble from forming.
Yet, in the Sri Lankan context, this responsibility is rarely carried out. We also see how one market manipulation can lead to a variety of unintended negative effects, i.e. over-valuation of stocks leading to a stock market bubble and subsequently, a crash.
In addition to the effects pointed out above, it is critical that we understand the erosion of confidence in the CSE, the irreparable damage done to once credible institutions such as the NSB and ultimately, the unfortunate deterrence of investment in the Sri Lankan economy.

Currently, the CSE is a vulnerable institution, illiquid and exposed to the whims of a few high value investors. The once bright outlook presented to investors in mid-2009 has now turned to a market rife with scandal and corruption.
Alleviating market manipulation
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was established in order to “promote, develop and maintain a capital market that is fair, efficient, orderly and transparent.” It is expected to advise the government on the development of the securities market and to regulate the listing and issue of securities in the licensed stock exchange.
This institution subscribes to these lofty principles, but has been unable to curb market manipulation. The SEC has also undergone leadership changes that seem to allude to a corrupt stock market.
In December 2011, Chairperson of the SEC, Indrani Sugathadasa, resigned in order to “uphold her principles”. Her resignation could be chalked up to attempts to regulate more efficiently being shot down by the Brokers Association of the Colombo Stock Exchange.

The Association met with President Rajapaksa in order to convey their concerns over regulation in the credit market. We see here that the brokers are able to sway the highest political order in the land in order to get their way.
While regulation is not a method in which market manipulation can be “cured”, it “merely provides a basic framework of facilitating operation of markets.” There seems to be a Sri Lankan misconception that regulation inhibits the workings of a stock market, creating constraints to brokers. This conception might be true, if brokers would rather be free to carry out nefarious activities than be subject to a system of checks and balances!
The point of regulation is to create barriers to those who would subvert the level playing field and prosecute those who “are foolish to flaunt it and get caught”. However, the SEC seems to be unable to carry out its duties, let alone prosecute the perpetrators.

As we can see from the NSB-TFC deal, the SEC was sadly absent when the transaction was made. The SEC has assured traders that an investigation will be conducted. Knowing that public funds were being used, the SEC should have intervened to halt the transaction, even when a clear conflict of interest existed in the brokerage house.

The culture of regulation has become “lawless, due to a lack of regulation – giving rise to a class of criminals.” In order to alleviate this issue, the government should be enlightened as to the beneficial effects of good and fair regulation, that it is not an impediment to success in the stock market and that it merely provides a framework for a level playing field. If we understand regulation to be simply that, then perhaps those who push for less market regulation are only attempting to cover up their tracks.
It is thus clear that the SEC ought to pipe up and do more than sit complacent with entities such as the Brokers’ Association undermining their regulatory capacity. A more hands-on approach is required, one that investigates and fully prosecutes individuals accused of white-collar crimes.

The SEC Act is sufficient to regulate the market; however, the resources and infrastructure to prosecute perpetrators and regulate the market need to be built up to the point where the issue of white-collar crime becomes something that is severely looked down upon in the public sphere.

In addition, the SEC Act should incorporate sections relating to ‘push-and-dump’ transactions, providing a definition and definitive legal sanctions against perpetrators of these transactions. As such, perceptions of white-collar crime have to be changed; it is no longer a case where the rich are stealing from the rich, it is quite evident that the rich are stealing from society as a whole.

Public awareness is essential in changing perceptions; the “rules of the game” must be disclosed to the public, in forums or educational programmes, any medium that allows society to gain understanding of the workings of financial markets.
The fourth estate too plays a part in this as they are in charge of the dissemination of information to the public. It was made clear that certain “rotten” journalists aid the cause of errant traders, reporting facts that cause minority investors to hastily purchase a share, in order to send the price sky rocketing, while the controlling interests sell off their stock, making massive profits.
It must also be made clear to the investors that regulation is not aimed at people, it is supposed to be fair and transparent, giving investors rules to be followed by all involved on the trading floor. It should be free from political interference and should not be undermined by errant financiers.

In addition to this, the judiciary must be armed with the legal tools required to prosecute white-collar criminals. As of July 17, no code of conduct or ethics statement exists on the SEC website, indicating that this is an appropriate place to start making a difference; a code of conduct will ensure high standards of practice and a solid document that gives regulators some sort of “backbone”.

In the past, regulators have had too cozy a relationship with company directors. This too will be addressed in an effective code of conduct. In addition, CSOs have a large part to play in public awareness of white-collar crimes.
It is clear that the Sri Lankan public has very little understanding of how financial markets work. Given this gap in the knowledge base, those who do know the rules are able to manipulate them to gain personal advantage, or to even work in tandem with others in order to fix the market in their favour. In the case of the EPF, it seems that the public were unaware of the implications of public finance being used to play in the stock market.
Recommendations

• The SEC must also raise awareness on the ability of the SEC Act, that it is a legal document to be followed by investors that provides a level playing field. In this same vein, awareness of the various possible avenues of market manipulation must be made. This public awareness will instill a sense of what is acceptable and what is not on the trading floor.
  
•     The government should reinvigorate its faith in the SEC as an efficient regulatory body and gain a deep insight into the beneficial effects of effective regulation in the stock market. The government should not cave into the demands of high net worth investors and must understand the highly illiquid nature of the stock market as it stands right now.
  
•     The SEC must develop a strong stance on white-collar crime, resisting both political interference and independent interference (from bodies such as the Brokers’ Association). Through the CSE’s education wing, public awareness must be raised on the overstepping of major investors and the effects of market manipulation.
  
•     CSOs must conduct public awareness campaigns on the misuse of public funds in the stock exchange, how the stock market works in an elementary form and how white-collar crime affects more than just “rich people”. The need for a change in perception is stronger now more than ever. As mentioned earlier, public perception on white-collar crime must be changed; the public must understand that the implications and consequences of market manipulation effect the overall wellbeing of the economy and thus the public themselves suffer.
  

samaritan wrote:The Bond scam the biggest financial scam in the history of Sri lanka. The executor is enjoying 7 star living in S'pore.

While the vast majority of the protestors left Colombo Fort by 8PM yesterday, a small group remained behind for a Satyagraha on Lotus Road outside the Colombo Hilton.
The rally organisers got Angampora dancers to keep the small crowd entertained during their vigil. There were also skits by men in demon-masks and other activities for the vigil-keepers.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa also arrived briefly on the scene, while former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Bandula Gunewardane were seen leading the crowd at 9.30 PM.



JO MP Bandula Gunewardane told Daily News that the crowd would remain on the road till about midnight or 1AM. “Today was just the pilot project,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Government alleged that SLPP leaders had booked rooms at several five star hotels in the vicinity including the Hilton Colombo, Taj Colombo and Shangri-La. Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara told a press briefing at the Government Information Department last night that a Suite of the Taj Colombo had been booked, while other sources confirmed that presidential suite had been booked for JO/SLPP MPs.
Namal Rajapaksa was spotted at the Hilton Colombo on Tuesday (4), the night before the janabalaya demonstration, while his brother Yoshitha Rajapaksa was spotted in the Hilton lobby last afternoon, enjoying a beer with businessman Nimal Perera and Gamini Abeyratne, aka, ‘Taxi Abey’ before joining the demonstration.
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ruwan326 wrote:[size=48]Govt. seeks AG advice on seizing Perpetual Treasuries frozen assets
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The Prime Minister had sought the advice of the Attorney General on whether the Government could swiftly take over the Rs. 11 billion frozen in the bank accounts of the Perpetual Treasuries Group through some form legal avenue, Parliament was told yesterday.

Responding to a question raised by Chief Opposition Whip and JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Premier said that he and Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera had consulted Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya on whether this money could be seized by the Government before the pending case at the Colombo High Court is completed.

“The monies frozen in the bank accounts of the Perpetual Treasuries Group is more than the loss incurred by the questionable Treasury Bonds issuance,” the Premier said. 

In response to MP Dissanayake’s question on if the Government was prepared to forward the Treasury Bonds case to newly established Special High Courts, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said that it was up to the AG and the Police to do so once the ongoing investigations are concluded.

“I could make a request to the AG Department and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption to expedite the investigative process and conclude it soon,” he said.

When the Chief Opposition Whip inquired if the Prime Minister was willing to personally intervene to have the former Central Bank Governor Arjun Mahendran brought back to the country, the Prime Minister said that authorities had taken all available legal measures in this regard.

“Inform me if there is anything else that we can do. I have had no contacts with him after he left the country. 

My lawyers advised me to sever all my connections with him. I read in newspapers that Mahendran’s lawyers had sought information from the Court,” he said. 

Replying to queries by MP Dissanayake on the status of setting up the Special High Courts in accordance with the recent amendment to the Judicature Act, the Premier said that another Permanent High Court to try cases of large-scale financial crimes and corruption would be set up in the Western province.

“The case of misappropriating UDA funds to erect the D. A. Rajapaksa statue in Weeraketiya, Madamulana, and the case of misappropriating funds belonged to Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. have already been forwarded to the newly formed Permanent High Court.”
http://www.ft.lk/front-page/Govt--seeks-AG-advice-on-seizing-Perpetual-Treasuries-frozen-assets/44-662336

ruwan326 wrote:

samaritan wrote:The Bond scam the biggest financial scam in the history of Sri lanka. The executor is enjoying 7 star living in S'pore.

Forget about politicians having 5-7 star luxurious life  

Lets focus on our lives and loved once having 3-4 star   

yesterday many people suffered in the street and kings family continued 5 star living ..... So if you like to give 7 star living to politicians be my guess in 2020 ......... This is the ugly truth you need to understand.       
                                   


Angampora for street crowd; five-star hotels for JO top brass



Thursday, September 6, 2018 - 01:09

Print Edition
Local

Angampora dancers keeping the crowd entertained.

While the vast majority of the protestors left Colombo Fort by 8PM yesterday, a small group remained behind for a Satyagraha on Lotus Road outside the Colombo Hilton.
The rally organisers got Angampora dancers to keep the small crowd entertained during their vigil. There were also skits by men in demon-masks and other activities for the vigil-keepers.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa also arrived briefly on the scene, while former Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Bandula Gunewardane were seen leading the crowd at 9.30 PM.



JO MP Bandula Gunewardane told Daily News that the crowd would remain on the road till about midnight or 1AM. “Today was just the pilot project,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Government alleged that SLPP leaders had booked rooms at several five star hotels in the vicinity including the Hilton Colombo, Taj Colombo and Shangri-La. Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara told a press briefing at the Government Information Department last night that a Suite of the Taj Colombo had been booked, while other sources confirmed that presidential suite had been booked for JO/SLPP MPs.
Namal Rajapaksa was spotted at the Hilton Colombo on Tuesday (4), the night before the janabalaya demonstration, while his brother Yoshitha Rajapaksa was spotted in the Hilton lobby last afternoon, enjoying a beer with businessman Nimal Perera and Gamini Abeyratne, aka, ‘Taxi Abey’ before joining the demonstration.
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Ranil Says UNP leadership will be handed over to new leaders in 2030