Norochcholai project funds splurged on VIPs

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

The JVP last week charged that the government has unleashed a state of financial terrorism in the country and splurged millions of rupees of the Norochcholai power project on vehicles and political propaganda for VIPs in the Power and Energy Ministry.

JVP Kegalle District Parliamentarian Gamini Ratnayake speaking during the committee stage of the budget debate on the Power and Energy Ministry and Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Ministry alleged that four cabs, one jeep and one car purchased from funds released for the Norochcholai coal power plant project at a cost of Rs. 15 million have been released for the usage of officials holding high office at the Power and Energy Ministry.

Ratnayake told The Sunday Leader that the vehicles were purchased using the money taken on loan for the Norochcholai project.

"Out of the Rs 140 million released for the project in 2008, Rs. 46 million has been spent so far. Of this amount, Rs. 15 million has been spent to purchase vehicles under the guise of being used for the project when in fact they are now being used by those who hold the highest offices at the Ministry," he said.

Ratnayake said that the Auditor General on May 7, 2008 in letter bearing number LP/C/MPE/2008/1 had requested the Power and Energy Ministry Secretary to submit a report on the expenditure of funds released for the Norochcholai power project.

The report submitted by the Ministry Secretary is said to have revealed that while Rs. 15 million has been spent on purchasing vehicles, Rs. 1.2 million on cut outs and advertisements and Rs. 1.6 million on project related work, only Rs. 1.8 million has been spent to relocate those who lost their houses and property due to the implementation of the power project.

"Apart from spending loan money to purchase vehicles to a massive amount of Rs. 15 million, these vehicles are not even used for project related work anymore. They are being used by the Ministry and the Ministry Secretary has admitted to it in a letter to the Auditor General," Ratnayake said.

It has been revealed that in letter bearing number PE/F14/2/22/2008, the Power and Energy Ministry Secretary has informed the Auditor General that the vehicles purchased from the Norochcholai power plant project funds have been given to the "political authority."

Ratnayake alleged that while the government has spent lavishly the loan money on vehicles and other matters, it is the people who are finally expected to shoulder the burden of paying them back.

"The whole country has to pay for this extravagance," he said.

Ratnayake also said that while one aim of Tiger terrorism was to cripple the country's economy, the financial terrorism unleashed by the government would also result in crippling the economy.