(Lanka-e-News- 12.April.2015, 10.30PM) Of the sum of Rs.400 million that was set aside by the National lotteries board for its sales promotion , Rs. 375 million had been used up by the former Rajapakse regime for its political projects .This shocking detail was revealed lastday at a media briefing presided over by the Board’s chairperson at the auditorium of the ministry in charge .
Lawyer Ms.Shyamala Perera , the Board’s chairperson at the media discussion said , the Rajapakse regime had spent as huge as a sum of Rs. 375 million out of the Board’s funds towards its political projects.
In addition a sum of Rs.5 million had been spent for a Carlton Elle tournament ; and a further sum of nearly Rs. 70 million had been expended on a Video projector screen that was taken across the whole country during the presidential election . These monies were used up within a short time even though monies were needed for other expenses of the Board, and disregarding those requirements . Besides ,the expenses for the 150 huge cutouts of Mahinda Rajapakse (which the elections commissioner ordered to be removed) were also met out of the funds allocated via the budget for sales promotion , she noted.
During the period , November , December and early part of January 2015 – when the elections were held ,Rs. 200 million of the funds have been spent . For Dansalas ;to conduct marathon races; food bills ; for illumination on account of Late D. A. Rajapakse etc. with a view to boost the Rajapakse image , all these monies were expended , and not a cent had been paid towards the Institution’s marketing promotion activities , she bemoaned. In connection with these outrageous corruption a complaint is to be lodged on Monday , she further pointed out .
Ravi Karunanayake the minister of finance speaking on the occasion said , ‘it is only when we are trying to avert such misappropriations , we are being blamed that the development had declined. What we have truly done is not halting development but rather the corruption. We are only trying to carefully manage the tax payers’ monies.’
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by (2015-04-12 17:40:21)
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