[In Sri Lanka there are many schools without toilet facilities]
Making a shocking revelation in Parliament yesterday (7) Policy Planning and Economic Affairs Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva said, that the previous government had allocated Rs 170 million for a construction project in Uganda despite repeated refusals from the Ugandan Government.
The Deputy Minister said he was not aware of what happened to the said project and allocation but the contractor had been paid USD 94,000.
Dr. de Silva said so, responding to a query raised by DNA MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
“We do not know the purpose of this project and how the rest of allocation has been spent. First the funds were meant for constructing a vocational training institute. But the Ugandan Government refused. Thereafter, the Lankan Government expressed their willingness to utilize the amount of funds to construct two buildings. The Ugandan Government rejected that proposal too. After that the then government decided to construct a women’s hostel there despite rejections. We are not aware of what happened to that allocation,” he explained.
MP Dissanayake responded, “This is an amazing story. The funds belong to the people of this country. People here complain of shortage of buildings for schools. There are many schools without toilet facilities.
No funds have been allocated to provide people with drinking water. But they pumped funds to Uganda despite opposition and rejections from that government.”
Dr. de Silva said, “The project had been changed thrice. The contractor which had been waiting was to be paid USD 156,827 for their time. Thereafter, that amount too had been reduced and they were paid USD 94,000.”
Both Dissanayaka and the Deputy Minister were disturbed heavily by Opposition members which provoked Dissanayake to say that those who stayed like meek cats when one family was robbing the country are now shouting.
“Those timid cats should have made such noise against those who robbed public money and not to disturb us,” he said.
By Gagani Weerakoon and Skandha Gunasekara
CT