JVP's tank project under fire
Ten days after its inauguration, the abandoned site of the Havanpalessa tank
and Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna's (JVP) 10,000 tank project came under fire by a no lesser person than President Chandrika Kumaratunga soon after the JVP withdrew from the alliance government. For all its rhetoric, the Marxists have so far evaded the issue with a noncommittal response.
The end of the alliance honeymoon also heralded the end of projects initiated by the JVP. Addressing a rally in Kandy on June 16, President Kumaratunga claimed the JVP left the government with a lot of problems, one being the tank project.
"A lot of problems"
"I would not celebrate the JVP's departure. They left us with a lot of problems. We have to solve the paddy problems and the problems faced by the farmers. They said they were going to make 10,000 tanks, but so far they have managed to make only 300 tanks. Out of that only two have been properly restored, the rest are leaking," she charged.
The JVP has so far remained silent on the matter not wishing to respond to the President's public allegation.
Presidential allegations apart, the JVP's 10,000 tanks project initiated by former Agriculture and Livestock Minister, Anura Kumara Dissanayake under the theme 'Revival Of The Nation,' was proved to be a lofty farce from the day of its inauguration.
The first phase of the project was inaugurated with much pomp and pageantry in Havanpalessa in Yapahuwa on August 29, 2004 with a fund allocation of close to Rs. 350 million from the Treasury, which was later increased by an additional allocation of Rs. 50 million.
However, 10 days later, The Sunday Leader and its sister paper Irudina highlighted the abandoned tank site in Havanpalessa. The sight that greeted visitors to the inaugural tank project was not of a nation being revived, but of being abandoned.
Amidst all this, irregularities with regard to financial management and the awarding of tenders related to the renovation of the tanks began to surface.
The first to point out these irregularities last October was President Kumaratunga. In October she presented a cabinet memo stating irregularities had taken place in the allocation of funds and tenders in the tank project.
In the memo, the President states that approval for former Minister Dissanayake's cabinet proposal was granted by the finance minister and her under certain guidelines outlined in the initial proposal.
According to the guidelines highlighted by the President in her cabinet memo, the projects had to be implemented through a special mechanism established by the provincial councils in the respective areas.
Allocation of projects
The allocation of projects have to be done in a transparent manner according to the guidelines outlined by the finance minister and Samurdhi and Gramiya Niyamakas have to be involved in the process.
The President in her memo, while reminding Dissanayake that he on August 11, 2004 agreed to most of the guidelines, charged that most of the provincial council members were unaware of projects being carried out in their respective areas.
She also states she had been informed by several provincial council members of financial irregularities in certain projects. President Kumaratunga ends her memo by requesting Dissanayake to forward cabinet an explanation within two weeks.
By the time Kumaratunga presented this cabinet memo, provincial council members were making frequent complaints to her on irregularities in the tank projects, especially with the awarding of tenders.
According to the complaints, tenders were awarded to JVP cadres so that the party wrested complete control of the project.
Dissanayake for his part, without forwarding an explanation, made public charges against the President claiming her allegations were misleading and baseless (See box).
Financial mismanagement
In October, the Commission to Investigate Complaints of Bribery and Corruption received a complaint on financial mismanagement related to the tank project.
Director General, Commission to Investigate Complaints of Bribery and Corruption, Piyasena Ranasinghe confirmed receipt of the complaint and said they would look into the matter.
The President fired her next salvo at the tank project in November by appointing a commission to look into the awarding of tenders, which were allegedly awarded mainly to JVP loyalists.
The matter reached a climax when the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) paid an unexpected visit to the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry and confiscated files on financial and tender matters related to the tank project.
Amidst all this controversy, the tank project did not move far. In fact, the public has only been treated to comments made on platforms by Dissanayake and his fellow JVPers on how "successful" the project has been.
Be that as it may, the 10,000 tank programme, despite being proved to be a farce, was allocated Rs. 765 million for this year alone.
| Former Minister silent Former Agriculture and Livestock Minister, Anura Kumara Dissanayake speaking to The Sunday Leader said since he no longer held the portfolio, it would be the Ministry Secretary who would be in a position to respond to queries on the progress and future of the 10,000 tank project initiated by him. Dissanayake did not wish to comment on the President's allegation that the tank project was a failure and that it has now become an added burden on the government. Progress of tank project August 2004: Inauguration of the tank project in Havanpalessa in Yapahuwa. October 2004: President presents cabinet memo highlighting irregularities in the project and demands an explanation from Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake. October 2004: Bribery Commission receives a complaint on financial irregularities in the 1,000 tank programme. Director General, Bribery Commission, Piyasena Ranasinghe confirms receipt of the complaint. October 2004: The government requests for money from the United States Millennium Development Fund for the tank project. November 2004: Presidential commission to investigate the award of tenders to JVP loyalists. February 2005: CID visits the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry and confiscates files related to finances and the award of tenders of the 1,000 tank programme. May 2005: Inauguration of the second phase of the tank project in Anuradhapura under the patronage of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Warnasooriya's views Agriculture and Livestock Ministry Secretary, Tissa Warnasooriya observed his Ministry would continue with the 10,000 tank project as it is a five year programme. He explained in the first year, the Ministry's target was to rehabilitate 1,000 tanks, but later on initiated the rehabilitation 1,010 tanks. According to Warnasooriya, out of the tanks to be rehabilitated during the first year, 956 tanks have been rehabilitated and the remaining 44 tanks are partially completed. Under the second phase, launched this year, the Ministry plans to rehabilitate 1,350 tanks. He noted that funds for the project for this year have been allocated by the Treasury. When questioned on the President's remark on the tank project's failure, Warnasooriya responded he was not in a position to comment on the matter as he was unaware of the President's statement. What Dissanayake said... Former Agriculture and Livestock Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake facing allegations of financial mismanagement with regard to the tank project made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga did not give cabinet or the general public a clear response on the transparency of the project until his resignation from the portfolio. Presenting a cabinet memo last October President Kumaratunga charged the JVP's 10,000 tank project was rife with malpractices and requested Dissanayake to present a clear explanation to cabinet within two weeks. However, instead of forwarding an explanation, Dissananayke went on the rampage to attack the President and the government. Following are excerpts of two of his speeches made after the President highlighted irregularities in the tank project. October 11, 2004: "The big lady is making false allegations to cover the corrupt acts of her henchmen. She looks at our four ministries with hatred. Out of all the projects undertaken by the alliance government, the worst corruption takes place in the highway project. The JVP is ready to face up to any challenge." October 19, 2004: "The President's memo on the 1,000 tank project is completely baseless." November 2, 2004: "It was wrong of the President to have presented a cabinet paper with baseless allegations on a clean project. It is a violation of the MoU signed between the two parties." |
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