Fake Media Heroes, Those Who Tried To Ripe-Off Tax Payers Money
Nov 01, 2015
This article is in relation to the series of articles published in ‘Lankanewsweb.net’ website consecutively in 26th October 2015 & 28th October 2015 under the headlines of ‘Rohantha Authukorale running around to get his tourism Job back’ and ‘The Truth comes out at Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau’. By analysing the both articles, it can be literally understand
for anyone with common-sense that the second article has been published as a part of a personal agenda from an anonymous party to criticise the current management at SLTPB & SLTDA with unproven, baseless and unethical allegations to pressure the newly appointed minister for Tourism and Christian Affairs- Honourable John Amarathunga as well as former Minister for Tourism Honourable Navin Dissanayake. Also the attempt has been made with that same article to discourage public support towards the good faith movement of ‘Good Governs’ aka ‘Yahapalana Government’ by creating groundless criticisms filled with lies. Even though the featured article stated that ‘the truth has been revealed’, the real truth never been the same as mentioned in the article.
By evaluating some of the opening criticisms made in the article, simply there was no incident occurred in relation to so called ‘400 million Sri Lankan Rupee valued proposals’, since there was no such board papers proceed or neither staff at SLTPB has been forced to act favourable to the Managing Director. Looking at the next criticism that the article has made about sponsoring for the ‘Muthiyangana Wesak Perahara’ which is a decision made by the management to genuinely promote regional cultural events and encourage other cultural events to improve their standards to offer great experience for the international tourists as they are doing with established events such as Kandy Perhara, Kataragama Perahara which SLTPB also made considerable contribution by looking at the prospects of long term Tourism value. Further to that promoting cultural event is a part of 8 theme promotional campaign of Sri Lanka Tourism. Also, promoting nature oriented central highlands including Ella, Badulla, Haputhale and Kothmale are very important not only because these destinations have very high potential to add value to Sri Lankan tourism Industry with Natural beauty and ancient sites (Ramayana Trail, Ruins from the period of King Walagamba & King Dutugaminu) ,but also a higher percentage from the highlands’ population suffocate from poverty and terrible living standards. So tourism related developments will be one of the key solutions to improve their living conditions. However, due to the political football game played at SLTPB few months back that specific project couldn’t get the opportunity to proceed. If MD- Milanka Gajanayake at SLTPB has really made a political interference as previous regime used to do at SLTPB (such as using tax payers money to print T- shirts for the Presidential Election 2015), this Kothmale & Nuwara Eliya Tourism Development projects may be taken in place by now. But neither Mr. Gajanayake (MD) has used such political interference or pressured specific directors to do such any activities out from the current SLTPB operational procedures, even though Badulla happened to be his Hometown or just because Nuwara Eliya and Kothmalee are the areas politically belongs to Honourable Navin Dissanayake. It is also, worthwhile for any party those who prepare such articles in future to relook into the mission & vision of SLTPB and evaluate any actions base on that. As the promotional catalyst of Sri Lanka Tourism Industry, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau obligated to promote not only Colombo and other established destinations, but also the island as whole. So, within the next several years, tourism development will not only be taking in place in Highlands, it will be moving to other important areas as well including Northern province, Eastern Province, etc. In relation to the allegation of 40 million bill payment also a big time lie, since there was no such payment has been made under the authorisation of MD- Milanka Gajayanayake.
Analysing the current movement in Sri Lankan Tourism, it has been stuck with the same old destinations & attractions (ex: Colombo, Kandy, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradapura, Galle, Yala, etc.). However, there is a common statement most local & foreigners make that Sri Lanka is a compact Island with thousands of natural, cultural and historical resources. If Sri Lanka is really targeting 2.5 tourists by the end of the year 2016, it is very important to promote lesser known areas and attractions aggressively within the global travellers before they find Sri Lanka is boring with same attractions which we are promoting during the last four or five decades. So, from unworthy and unprofessional critics like who created previous article ,the question should ask that ‘if Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau doesn’t take necessary actions to promote these lesser known destinations among the foreigners by investing tax payers money to offer more economical benefits to the local communities’ , who else will do that? . Also, it should be good to understand that direct and indirect economic benefits from local tourism sector must be shared among the all stake holders in tourism not only large scale businesses but also with mid-range businesses and small range businesses.
As a developing country, it is government’s responsibility to give a significant focus to improve quality of the life of rural –poor people, via tourism sector. In fact this has been one of the main objectives to be achieved via tourism sector as per the Honourable Prime Minister as well as for the current Minister for Tourism. Promoting lesser known areas, cultural events, natural sites, heritage, etc is SLPTB’s key duty and with the current management of Mr. Paddy Withana and Milanka Gjanayake, SLTPB is moving towards to achieve that goal. During the previous regime of former president Mahinda Rajapaksha, only few initiatives have been taken to promote lesser known areas to be established as tourism destinations. Even the privet sector used to complain among themselves that they had to work through with their own promotions while SLTPB ran as a White Elephant with full of corruptions and miss using public money for various personal agendas. With the current ‘Good Governs’ there has been a full stop for those alleged practices. Today, with the directions of Honourable Minister for Tourism John Amarathunga and Management of Tourism Promotion Bureau including Veteran Hotelier Mr. Paddy Withana (Chariman at SLTDA & SLTPB) & Mr. Milanka Gajanayake (Engineer, former Industrial entrepreneur and Managing Director at SLTPB) Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is moving towards a better future by promoting & branding Sri Lanka globally. However, in the article some of the low level statements are been made against Mr. Paddy Withana by calling him an old man in SLTPB who doesn’t want to move away from his current position and calling Mr. Milanka Gajanayake a crook are baseless and unprofessional. If the unspecified party who prepared that article, really evaluated the professionalism of these high ranked individuals, they will see the capacity of administration and strategic planning skills both of these professionals are capable to offer for SLTPB to guide Sri Lanka Tourism to achieve the common goals with a strong privet & public sector interrelationship.
Finally, these kind of fake articles try to show the Sri Lankan public overall ‘Yahapalana Government’ as a failure. These mentally sick groups are seeking for every single opportunity to create issues and stop the good faith movement formed by the collaboration of Honourable President Mithreepala Sirisena and Honourable Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. However, the truth is not far away to offer better future for all Sri Lankans by succeeding with a sustainable Tourism Development. Regardless of how many internal documents were been exposed by making them as true evidence for the allegations at SLTPB or making statements by exposing the names of certain employees at SLTPB , it doesn’t make any different on the movement which has been started towards a better future for Sri Lanka.
Since, there were many personal levels criticisms are been made by the party those who carrying the intention to boost the profile of fake individuals those who tried to ruin the progress of current government while they were undertaking certain duties at SLTPB, SLTPB would like to challenge them to asked for excuses from those white angels, base on what criteria they have authorised half a million sponsorship for ‘Live Trinco’- event which was massive waste of money and utter failure. And ask for the excuses for wasting money for ‘World largest tea party’ event, once again over 10 million lost for SLTPB. Again, ask from those self-image builders with help of local press and social media about the waste which they have done with ‘one million tree stories project’ which also happen to be another big failure with over a 8 million lost to SLTPB. These kind of questions can be asked on and on again, as the endless damage which has been made within the seven months of his regime by former chairman together with his friends at the board of directors those who happen to be rich financial magnets in Sri Lankan tourism sector with no sense of feeling for the public money or poor communities those who struggle for their daily bread & butter in rural areas. They had only a one big goal to get themselves & their friends richer by using the public money. Since intention of this article is not to hit back to those so called ‘Cardboard Heroes’ it will be the end of true expression of what is really happening at SLTPB currently. For the public those who looking at the progress of ‘Yahapalana Government’, it is worthwhile to say that ‘kindly keep your faith on the current government, The Honourable Minister and the management at SLTPB since the progress and results are not really far away.