Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="samila224" data-source="post: 8448453" data-attributes="member: 165800">Government spends millions on country’s richest businessmen By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema The  jumbo Sri Lankan delegation – an estimated 110 — that traveled to New  York to attend the UN General Assembly, included ten top businessmen  from the country’s private sector – who were part of the Presidential  delegation, all at public expense. For the first time in the country’s  history the government paid for the air tickets, hotel rooms etc. for  the business leaders. On earlier visits the businessmen paid for their  own expenses. The man behind this wastage of public funds is the infamous Coordinating Secretary to the President, Sajin Vass  Gunewardene  who is well known for his extravagant life style at public expense.  Vass Gunewardene now a member of parliament, is held responsible for the  mammoth Rs. 3 billion loss endured by Mihin Air. The  President’s Coordinating Secretary was in New York in the first week of  September to organise the President’s trip. Breaking all regulations  for such visits, Vass Gunewardene ordered the Foreign Ministry to pay  all ‘extras’ such as room service and laundry. He went further and  provided cell phones with IDD facilities to all 110 delegates. He  ordered 40 limousines for the delegation but some of the private sector  businessmen who were told that they have been provided with vehicles  never saw them. The  Sri Lankan mission in New York is buzzing with gossip as to who  collected the hundreds of thousands of dollars in kick-backs from the  service providers. Among  the key businessmen who accompanied President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the  government delegation to the UN were Mano Selvanathan, Susantha  Ratnayake, Noel Selvanayagam, W.K.H. Wegapitiya, Dhammika Perera,  Sanjeewa Wickramanayake, Dr. S. Selliah and Ashrof Omar. CEO of the multi million dollar Brandix group  Ashrof  Omar, when contacted by The Sunday Leader confirmed his visit to New  York was on a government invitation and said his visit was sponsored by  the state. He said the delegates stayed in New York for about five to six days at the Waldorf Astoria. Seventy  rooms were booked at US$ 472 per night for five days at the Waldorf  Astoria at a total cost of US$ 165,200. This was apart from the  President’s suite which cost US $ 1000 per night. Omar  said the businessmen attended two sessions at the UN – the session on  the Millennium Development Goals and the General Assembly. Director,  Carson Cumberbatch PLC, Mano Selvanathan also confirmed to The Sunday  Leader that he visited New York as part of the government delegation.  Pressed if he had paid the bill for his five-day stay at the Waldorf  Astoria, Selvanathan said he did not know. “I do not know,” he said,  maintaining he booked out of the luxury New York hotel unaware who was  meeting his bill. When  asked who paid for his airfare to New York, he said he made the  reservation for his air travel and is still awaiting the voucher.  However The Sunday Leader can confirm that all of  Mano Selvanathan’s expenses including the air ticket was paid by public funds. Several  attempts to contact President, Senok Group, Noel Selvanayagam failed.  Repeated attempts by us to get his response proved futile as he ignored  all messages left by The Sunday Leader. Selvanayagam  in addition to accompanying the President to New York was also part of  his private entourage to Germany and Houston. The air tickets, hotel  expenses and all other extras such as laundry room service were paid by  the State. Both the visit to Germany and Houston were billed as private  visits. While there is no clear explanation as to why the President  visited Germany he had visited Houston to meet his brother Dudley. In  fact the only brother who does not hold a senior government post in his  administration. Chairman, John Keells Holdings, Susantha Ratnayake said he paid for his own air fare to and from New York.  He  admitted however that his hotel bill had been met by the State. “When I  tried to pay the bill I was told my room was being met as part of a  master bill,” he said. Group  Chairman, Laugfs, Wegapitiya and former Chairman of the Board of  Investments (BoI) and businessman, Dhammika Perera were not available  for comment as they are yet overseas and expected to return to the  country only this week. The  Sunday Leader was also unable to contact CEO/MD, E-Wis, Sanjeewa  Wickramanayake and Deputy Chairman, Lanka Walltiles Limited, Dr.  Sellaiah. All the businessman were flown on Business Class.  A return air ticket on Emirates Airlines Colombo – New York is Rs. 425,200.<img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/lol.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="LOL    :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /><img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/lol.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="LOL    :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /><img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/lol.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="LOL    :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /><img src="/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/default/rolleyes.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":rolleyes:" title="Rolleyes    :rolleyes:" data-shortname=":rolleyes:" /></blockquote>

Verification: Dawasata paya keeyak thibeda?

Top Bottom