INFOGRAPHIC: Opportunity Costs – What Rs. 1 Billion Can Buy
Featured image courtesy Asian Mirror
GROUNDVIEWS on 07/11/2016
On June 7, a supplementary estimate was submitted to Parliament for the import of luxury vehicles for Ministers and their deputies.
Rs. 1.17 billion was sought, with several, including Joint Cabinet Spokesmen Ministers Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and Deputy Minister Karunaratne Paranawithana defending the estimate.
This is very saddening. How can Govt justify this Rajapaksa-esque spending? dailymirror.lk/110653/Car-war… #lka #srilanka
Minister Senaratne said Ministers and Deputy Ministers needed super luxury vehicles to travel to their electorate, various functions and ceremonies round the country.
The announcement however led to public outcry on social media.
Car promises, then and now...
What a difference 18 months make!#අයියෝජහමනයා#අයියෝයහපාලනය #රටකන්නෝ #lka
A month ago, Sri Lanka was grappling with floods across the island, which had displaced hundreds of families, leaving them destitute. Landslides in Aranayake also left several dead/ Just two days before the presentation of the supplementary estimate, there was an explosion at an ammunitions depot at the Salawa Army camp, leaving an estimated 800 houses damaged, and most of the residents in the area without electricity.
In this atmosphere, the news of Ministers preparing to import luxury vehicles was not well received.
As pushback increased, several MPs including Harsha de Silva, Ranjan Ramanayake and Palitha Thewarapperuma were quick to say they hadn’t asked for or wanted a new vehicle.
