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Miscommunication led to foreign visit: Governor

27 September 2016 09:46 pm - 20     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Central Province Governor Neluka Ekanayaka said today a miscommunication between her and Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayaka had resulted in 29 PC members travelling to Russia last morning in violation of presidential guidelines.

She said the Chief Minister informed her that the President had verbally approved the foreign trip.
The Governor said she had instructed Council’s Chief Secretary to conduct a thorough inquiry into the foreign trip by a group of PC members using unused council funds allocated last year.

“I will submit a full report on the incident to President Maithripala Sirisena because he has given us clear instructions on how foreign tours should be undertaken,” the Governor said.

She said 56 PC members and 14 officials were to undertake the trip to Russia and that it was the Chief Minister who had informed her in writing that President Sirisena had consented to the tour.

“I had no reason to double check whether President had approved the foreign trip because it was the Chief Minister who informed me. I realized that the President was unaware of the tour until he returned home from the US last night,” the Governor said today.

However, President Sirisena had allowed the 29 PC members and officials to go ahead because by the time his instructions were received to cancel the tour, the members and the officials were at the BIA with their air tickets. The remaining 41 PC members and officials would not be permitted to travel abroad.

The Governor admitted that this was not the proper time to undertake foreign trips of this magnitude using Council funds because the Central Province was faced with huge financial constraints.(Sandun A Jayasekera)


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  Comments - 20

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  • toosh Wednesday, 28 September 2016 10:13 AM

    Today only I realized why the PC members are not spending their allocation for development work. Even the members from the estate community also says no money even for providing roof sheet to the estate line rooms workers.

    Karen Friday, 30 September 2016 06:28 PM

    Deduct the money from their monthly salaries, this money belongs to the people not the CM, Governor or the President.

    Jude Wednesday, 28 September 2016 12:05 PM

    YOU SHOULD BE PUNISHED. BUT NOTHING ILL HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS IS SRI LANKA

    zee Wednesday, 28 September 2016 11:57 AM

    what an idiot to utter some lame reason...If I as a prodessional have to pay on my own to sharpen my skills...I PAY OUT OF MY POCKET....why cant these INEFFICIENT MORONS MOST OF WHOM CANT UNDERSTAND A WIRD OF ENGLISH GO TO SUCH CONFERENCES N SEMINARS...now that they went AFTER THE PRESIDENTS STATEMENT...EUTHER. ghe person who approved public funds to be wasted..reimburse or make the induviduals pay...fir sharpening THEIR SKILLS...... via DM Android App

    Martin Wednesday, 28 September 2016 11:56 AM

    Why visit Russia - famous for their extremely corrupt political / municipal system - what is there to gain from such trip?

    Vernon Wednesday, 28 September 2016 11:19 AM

    When such things happen, the standard procedure of surcharging the responsible officers by apportioning the loss incurred among those responsible should apply. .

    Leel Wednesday, 28 September 2016 10:58 AM

    She does not fit to this job?

    Jude Wednesday, 28 September 2016 10:34 AM

    So now Politicians making foreign trips in Jet Loads!!!??Wow!!! May God bless the Lankans!!!??

    rasheed Wednesday, 28 September 2016 10:27 AM

    This means the fund allocated was not used for public instead saved for their trips.This is the reason for having excess fund.

    Amila Wednesday, 28 September 2016 10:18 AM

    Dan nikan Bole pass karanawa.

    Daya Wednesday, 28 September 2016 02:17 AM

    What an irresponsible statement. Wasting millions of Rs of the tax payers money and simply saying miscommunication without even apologies to the public and concern parties. Even if it is approved don't you have the power vested on you to take corrective measures by explaining the financial situation.

    REALPATRIOT Wednesday, 28 September 2016 09:34 AM

    TAX PAYERS MONEY IS WASTED FOR PC MEMBERS JOLLY TRIP . IF THERE IS ANY SEMINAR LET THE COUNCELLERS BE INVITED OUR COUNTRY. via DM Android App

    BuffaloaCitizen Wednesday, 28 September 2016 09:29 AM

    Since when can "unused" council funds be used for foreign trips? How did such funds become "unused"? Could it have been "used" for a more better purpose than sending 29 humbug political hench-aiya's (note almost 90% of Government Servants are hench-aiya's of politicians). Can this be charged to CM Ekanayake's Governor also Ekanayake (are they related, if so this smells of another fishy issue) personal account?

    REALPATRIOT Wednesday, 28 September 2016 09:28 AM

    HERE AFTER PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW ANY PC MEMBERS TO GO FOR ANY PURPOSE USING PUBLIC FUND. IF THEY WANT LET THEM GO ON THEIR OWN MONEY. via DM Android App

    Bandula Kendaragama Wednesday, 28 September 2016 09:08 AM

    ........... A good calculated excuse by Central Province Governor Neluka Ekanayaka .............. Its SHAME ............ Please resign from this prestigious post............

    sathees Wednesday, 28 September 2016 04:04 AM

    There are too many politician in Sri Lanka. Many of them are not serving people of Sri Lanka. They are serving them self.We need new breed of politician to take Sri Lanka to the next step.

    rosebud Wednesday, 28 September 2016 03:59 AM

    Please resign. You are not fit for the job if you depend on purported verbal approvals to approve large sums of money. via DM Android App

    ranmala Wednesday, 28 September 2016 02:42 AM

    This only happens in this wonderland. Ask all those who undertook this joy ride to pay back from their funds

    Saman Wednesday, 28 September 2016 02:39 AM

    Please make it policy to publicly disclose the reasons for travel, the number of officials travelling, all associated costs, and the benefit to the taxpayers when using public funds for foreign visits.

    Veda-mama Wednesday, 28 September 2016 02:18 AM

    All 29 people at the BIA would have been singing that favourite song "Mee Wadayaki Jeevithae....Mee Pani Pereelaa Athae"


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