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UNP charges govt. for unnecessary expenses

14 Nov 2011 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      

The main opposition UNP today charged the government of having wasted its time and money on unnecessary expenses to win the rights to host the Commonwealth games and on other unnecessary expenses rather than essential things like providing farmer pensions.

UNP spokesman and MP Gayantha Karunatilleke told a news conference that Rs.40 billion was to be spent for the Commonwealth Games at the cost of many essential things and that Rs.100 million was spent just for the bidding to host the games.

He charged that the Sri Lankan delegation of 200 persons including Ministers who went for the final vote in the West Indies had come back empty handed. “The ministers who go abroad have to come empty handed today while they find it hard to avoid various questions raised by the international community regarding the country,” he said pointing out that they have to face many hurdles on that score.

He also said that unlike today, the Ministers of Yesteryear always returned with many achievements on offshore official tours pointing out instances of former ministers such as A. C. S. Hameed, Gamini Dissanayake and Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Mr. Karunatilleke said the government had engaged itself with a number of other unnecessary affairs such as holding investigations against the Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and finding ways and means to extend the jail sentence of former army commander Sarath Fonseka. (By Yohan Perera)