Real “yahapalane” : Minister’s company gets contracts for Rs. 3.6 b

( June 19, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Has a company associated with a United National Front cabinet minister been awarded contracts for two road rehabilitation projects which will cost the taxpayer Rs 3.6 billion?

Insiders say the company has been under the minister’s name. Since they began bidding for projects under the present Government, the name has been changed and overall management responsibility placed with a member of his family.

Insiders reveal that the minister himself sat at the ministerial meeting just days ago where these two contracts, together with a few others, were given approval.

One project is a joint venture to rehabilitate 89 kilometres of rural roads at a cost of over Rs 1.81 billion. This sum is without taking into consideration the Value Added Tax (VAT).

The other project is for the rehabilitation of 94 kilometres of rural roads, also together with another firm, at a cost of over Rs 1.817 billion. Here again it excludes VAT.

In accordance with good governance or yahapalana principles, ministers are expected to declare their conflict of interest when contracts are awarded. The question being raised is whether this requirement was followed when the minister concerned sat at a ministerial meeting to give approval to a family venture. – ST