Ex-port chairman swindled from walkie-talkies too!
Friday, 20 February 2015
Sri Lanka Ports Authority workers recently filed a complaint with the Bribery or Corruption Commission against their former chairman Priyath Wickramabaduge, which is just one of the thousands of wrongdoings he had committed. According to the complaint, he had rented 50 walkie-talkies from Dyna Com without calling for tenders, with a monthly payment of Rs. 4,770 for each walkie-talkie. It has now come to light that Priyath had received a Rs. 3,000 commission from each walkie-talkie.
Accordingly, he has received Rs. 150,000 for these walkie-talkies, which amounts to Rs. 1.8 million annually.
Had the SLPA bought radios instead, the monthly cost would have been between Rs. 1,500 – Rs. 1,800 only. Therefore, the institution had to waste Rs. 2,970 for each walkie-talkie, which amounts to Rs. 148,500 per month in total, and Rs. 1.78 m annually.
The most serious matter is that despite a new government being in power, this contract still continues. Owner of Dyna Com Arthur Senanayake is a close friend of Wickramabaduge and received the tender without the proper procedures. Our sources say, Senanayake still pays Rs. 150,000 a month to his friend. Therefore, the ex-chairman has become so fortunate that without a position, he is able to receive a commission even under the present Yaha Paalanaya (good governance).
How Did Navy Grant Three Months Leave To Yoshitha? JVP
February 20, 2015
The JVP had criticized the government and the Sri Lanka Navy for allowing Rajapaksa prince ‘Yoshitha‘ to leave the country while an investigation is ongoing against him.
During a press conference held today, JVP MP Wijitha Herath had said it is unfortunate that the state pf special privileges given to the Rajapaksa ‘prince’ during the previous regime has not changed.
“We have lodged a complaint against the special privileges granted to Yoshitha Rajapaksa in his capacity as a Navy official and an investigation is continuing into the complaint we made. However, the Navy has granted him three months leave and he has not even been summoned by the committee inquiring into the allegations we have made,” he told the media.
The MP had also expressed his dissatisfaction over the slow pace of investigations launched into LTTE leader KP.
