NHDA failed to follow proper tender procedure: Presidential Commission of Inquiry

By Yoshitha Perera   

National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) has not followed proper tender procedure in certain matters and it had allowed officials to exploit the situation, Counsel who led the evidence at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate corruption of the current administration said yesterday.   

Earlier, former Manager at the NHDA Gamage Vajira Wasantha admitted that the handwriting appeared in the number of alleged forged documents and bills were his. It has been alleged that there have been irregularities in the turning out of plaque indicating various housing projects by the NHDA and Gamage Wasantha was suspended last month following
the investigation.   

The Attorney General’s Department official who is leading the evidence presented a number of bills for building materials, allegedly forged by Wasantha and asked the witness whether the handwriting on them were his. He admitted that the handwriting was his.   

Testifying before the PCoI, Kalutara District official of the NHDA Athula Bandara told that they were instructed by some officers at the HQ that the plaque at Navodya Village, Bulathsinhala must be replaced by a larger one. The original plaque had cost around Rs.43,000 and the subsequent one was over Rs.227,000.   

A number of bills for building materials, allegedly forged by Wasantha and he admitted the handwriting was his