Foreign visits by PC members: Follow prescribed guidelines: MS

27 September 2016 07:00 pm

In the wake of 29 Central Provincial Councillors travelling to Russia yesterday using public funds, the Presidential Secretariat directed the nine Provincial Councils to adhere to the guidelines issued by President Maithripala Sirisena when undertaking foreign trips by public officials and PC members.

The President has instructed PC members and public officials to refrain from undertaking trips abroad with more than five at a time.

But in this instance there were 29 participants who travelled abroad on the pretext of a training and study tour.

“It is not desirable for people’s representatives and public officials holding senior positions to travel abroad in large groups at one time. A careful study should be made in advance of the need for such trips abroad wehn formulating project proposals to be submitted to foreign agencies in future,” the President said.

In a note to Cabinet he had stressed the need for all public officers to focus attention on the need and desirability for training or observation tours abroad whenever project proposals are formulated.

"Permission should not be granted for trips abroad where invitations have been received from outside unless the total cost of the trip or a substantial portion thereof is being met by the outside agencies," the President said and added that in case it was necessary for more than the stipulated number of officials should travel abroad, then attention should be focused on arranging such visits on a staggered basis. (Sandun A Jayasekera)