CMC Rs 800 m out-of-pocket on CHOGM preparations

15 November 2014 05:23 am

Even though a year has passed since The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was held in Colombo, the Colombo Municipality is yet to receive Rs. 800 million it spent on beautification and development projects across the city from the Treasury.

The External Affairs Ministry promised to intervene on behalf of the municipality to obtain the funds, which at the time were an additional expense to the development projects conducted by the CMC.   

The CMC last year said that it had spent close to Rs. 1 billion on development projects in preparation for the CHOGM that was held last November.
CMC Deputy Mayor Titus Perera earlier said the ministry had asked the CMC to carry out development activities for the CHOGM and that it would mediate to acquire funds from the Treasury.  

The CMC had requested the External Affairs Ministry for its promised intervention for the funds soon after the meeting hoping the funds would be reimbursed before the presentation of the 2014 municipality budget.

However, CMC sources yesterday said the municipality had not received any funds from the Treasury so far with regard to CHOGM.

“We carried out development and beautification projects in the city because of the CHOGM that was held in November. The activities we carried came under the purview of the municipality using municipality to the tune of Rs 800 million. However, the External Affairs Ministry recommended that the Treasury release some funds for the projects, but we are yet to receive it,” officials said.(Lahiru Pothmulla)