Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris expressed confidence yesterday after being summoned to provide a statement in an ongoing investigation conducted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). Speaking to reporters outside the commission's offices, he denied any concerns about potential arrest and reaffirmed his commitment to public service, emphasizing that neither he nor his family had ever accepted improper benefits.

Prof. Peiris, a noted academic and political figure, was questioned by CIABOC regarding the launch of the Shangri-La Hotel project in Sri Lanka. He explained that when the hotel's top management approached him about the venture, he promptly informed then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who authorized the investment. The Shangri-La Hotel eventually opened in November 2017 with the participation of then-President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The former minister highlighted his role in fostering foreign investment following the conclusion of Sri Lanka’s 30-year civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009. He noted that he took office nearly a year after the war’s end and that Shangri-La, which managed more than 100 hotels globally at the time, was eager to establish a presence in the country. Alongside this, Prof. Peiris referenced the opening of the ITC Ratnadeepa in April 2024 as another example of the importance of foreign investment to the nation’s post-war recovery and development.

When asked about political ramifications, Prof. Peiris expressed opposition to attempts to suppress dissenting voices, while acknowledging the necessity of investigating allegations of waste, corruption, and irregularities within government. “People shouldn’t be targeted over their political stand,” he stated, underscoring that his efforts to attract significant foreign investments were aligned with the broader government policies in place during his tenure.

As convener of the Janathawadi Joint Opposition, Prof. Peiris’s remarks underline ongoing tensions surrounding political accountability and transparency in Sri Lanka’s efforts to rebuild and attract investment in its post-conflict era.