The three member committee met for over two hours today as they began the hearing into the former Deputy Ministers actions.

Former Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva tied a Samurdhi officer to a mango tree on August 3^rd over his failure to attend a dengue prevention programme in Kelaniya. The official was however later released while two other women and a man were also reprimanded by the Deputy Minister over their failure to attend the same programme.

Several days later more than 3000 Samurdhi officers forced themselves into the Kelaniya Divisional Secretariat in order to stage a protest against Mervyn Silva.