21 May 2020 12:00 am
By Kelum Bandara
The Election Commission requested the top government officials including Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundara not to engage local politicians and other political activists at village levels in the distribution of Rs. 5,000 relief allowance to people hit by restrictions imposed in view of COVID-19.
Commission’s Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya addressed this letter to Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath, Secretary to the Cabinet S. Amarasekara, Secretary to the Public Administration Ministry J.J. Ratnasiri, Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle and Secretary to the Ministry Women, Child Affairs and Social Security H.K.D.W.M.N.B.Hapuhinna. Also, the letter has been copied to the district secretaries and the Director General of Samurdhi Development Bank. Mr. Deshapriya, on behalf of the Commission, stressed that there were numerous complaints that the government had politicized the distribution of this allowance for the months of April and May. The Commission opines that it is time for the government to reconsider whether this allowance is needed for June, since restrictions on public life have been relaxed to a great extent.
Complaints galore against politicisation of cash distribution