COLOMBO) – A free midnight junket for some 25 ruling party lawmakers and their families around the Colombo port has come under flak as the expenses were met by the ordinary tax payers, a trade unionist charged on Thursday.
“This was nothing but a joy ride for the ruling party parliamentarians provided by Sri Lanka Ports Authority in two dredging vessels on Tuesday at the expense of the taxpayers”, Chief Secretary All Ceylon General Port Employees Union Niroshan Gorakanage charged.
More than 25 MPs and their families were on the ride free of charge and it cost the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) nearly Rs. 5 million according, he said.
This joy ride was organized by the State Minister of Ports and Aviation Premalal Jayasekera for Government MPs and the State Minister’s Coordinating Secretary Senali Jayasekera had requested the Chairman of SLPA to provide food for the guests.
But however, a jittery Chairman Keith Bernard turned down the request stating: “that state funds cannot be spend on such rides.
Later the State Minister had requested a private bakery that provides short eats for the SLPA staff to supply food for the guests,” Gorakanage said.
But however, Gorakanage said that the other expenses including fuel for the two vessels, overtime payments for the SLPA employees who were in attendance and for other services has cost the institution around Rs. 5 million.
State Minister Jayasekera however refuted the allegations and said that it was he who footed the bill for the snacks, drinks and even for the fuel. “The MPs wanted to supervise the East and West Terminals and also to see how dredging takes place within the harbour area at midnight,” he said.
