Are These Political Perks Real Or Surreal And Why Is The Administration Tolerating Them If Provably True.
Posted on December 26th, 2010
Insight By Sunil Kumar
Dec.26th 2010
For The Times Newspaper to publish the item highlighted below, it has to be provably true at the risk of dire consequences if not and has to be assumed accurate for face value and the credibilities of the publisher!
Some weeks ago when the topic of car permits for MP’s and its ludicrous perspective was questioned by Insight it was pooh poohed and ridiculed by a few lackeys and yobbo minded critics and here we are today getting a whiff of further ado over this ridiculous issue which needs to be taken to task by the authorities immediately on the basis of how lopsided as well as shameful it sounds and what nerve for anyone to question it or laud it as a meritworthy one!
The Item in the Sunday Times of Ceylon was under the caption
65 MPs earn millions from sale of vehicle permits
It has been reported that as many as sixty-five new Members of Parliament, or nearly one-third of the entire Parliament (without batting an eyelid that is!) have sold the duty-free permits given to them free by the Government to mostly businessmen for prices ranging from Rs. 12 million to Rs. 17 million, the Sunday Times learns and that each MP gets to keep that much as a cool profit in the transaction. They will be entitled to another permit in five years time. Some of the MPs who have sold their permits are Cabinet Ministers who have official cars for their use. There are some MPs who have allegedly imported the vehicles and then sold them unused at the market price.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So what right do these individuals have to such a horrendous example of unmitigated capital gains without a qualm of conscience or shame in a country where the poorest of poor (without saying ) as well as even the middle classes struggle to eke out a living and are eye gouged for a loaf of bread, a measure of rice and a coconut to name just a few examples and watch helplessly as these parliamentarian lackeys have the affront to ask for huge pay hikes as well as help themselves to these gratuities while the Administration at the highest level is either totally oblivious to the happenings which is more than likely the case or a blind eye conveniently turned on the excuse that the priorities do not seem to include provisions for what some might term petty where the pettiness ends where realities of the Nation’s economic plight affecting the man on the street seems pathetic!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ‘Citizen Perera’ simply rides a push bicycle or takes public transport while to the parliamentarians (to whom it appears being elected to office is akin to winning a lottery! ) A top of the range Toyota Sahara can be purchased by them for Rs. 7 million on the duty free permit and sold for Rs. 30 million. An MP is also entitled to a credit of up to US dollars 50,000 or Rs. 5.8 million from any bank to open a Letter of Credit if he or she wishes to import the vehicle. So is it little wonder that some of the more perceptive opposition parties keep yelling blue murder that the present Administration is corrupt, self centred and panders to their supportives as they leave themselves open to all the barbs slung at them?
Please do not get Insight wrong! It is a very pro government voice which applauds every rational Government move and tries to see reason with every administrative decision made by the current regime but when excesses of this nature are ‘exposed. blatantly in the public media it can only raise an eyebrow or two in response, in an attempt to get to the bottom of it all!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Perhaps a little arm twisting for the policy makers to align with reality, the state of the Nation and her needy as well as every citizen who has a right to equality, to point out the absurdity of it all in umbrage as a need towards good governance and the maintenance of the good work as well as an image of integrity the Rajapaksha Administration has built a reputation for. A thorough investigation towards disproving the veracity of the Sunday Times article for good measure as well as self respect and integrity is perhaps an appropriate response as there are bound to be a few niggles which may point to Administrative guilt given the nature of the related facts albeit perhaps explicable in varied complexity that reaches beyond the seeing eye!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, the self respect and integrity refered to sadly does not seem to encompass what Parliamentary Affairs Ministry Secretary S.P. Jayatunga has said to the media that quote “these permits were given to anyone who was entitled and applied for them but she refused to give the number of permits issued. The Sunday Times, however, learns that 198 such permits have been issued for this year by the ministry.In addition to these free permits, the Government has provided 74 ruling party MPs Prado jeeps saying they are needed by the MPs to supervise development work in their electorates.
The free permit they get could be sold to any bidder provided the transfer papers are blank and the vehicle remains in the name of the MP.” all well and good in a manner of speaking until the issue of these items being sold for profit rather than handing them back to the Government if they are not utilised for the purpose of official transportation which crops up as it then becomes a crying shame where all concerned should hang their heads and mind boggling that the Administration tolerates it all (if it does!) and lets the related information fall into the hands of those ever ready to discredit and denigrate the progress made thus far in a post insurgency Sri Lanka and does not augur well towards its well being!
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December 26th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
No Government Administrative entity has so far denied that 198 permits have been given to Ministers and Members of Parliament. There is no reason why the Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs should refuse to give the number of permits issued. If the issue of permits have been sanctioned by Parliament, then it is legal. Yet, if the aforesaid Secretary has refused to give the quantum of permits issued, then it cast doubt about its legal issue.
Nevertheless, while the poor people, and the average person, is struggling to make ends meet, by way of putting food on the table for the family, these Ministers and Members of Parliament show a disgusting trend, making millions as a side business, on the sale of these permits. THIS IS VERY IMMORAL ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR, from the Legislators of our Country Sri Lanka. This clearly shows that the Ministers and MPs who sold their PERMIT, really do not need the Vehicle for their use. Then it is damningly immoral for the Parliament to sanction such permits. It is tantamount to downright Fraud. I wonder whether the person in the Administrative unit, who issues these permits, also get a santhosam.
The Ministers and MPs fraudulently swimming in millions, while the average Sri Lankan is striving to eke out a living, and put food on the table, can be equated to NERO IS FIDDLING WHILE ROME IS BURNING. This is corruption at its worst.
Not just a day or two earlier, in this same Forum, Ranjit W. was pleading with Dr. Gotabaya to step in and stop the raging corruption taking place. We pleaded that GOTABAYA clean the MAHINDEAN STABLES, because it is now stinking to high heaven, with corruption.
Coming to the subject of Importing and selling these vehicles, with incomplete documentation, is tantamount to FRAUD as well. These Ministers and MPs have taken the REGISTRAR OF MOTOR VEHICLES to be a Sucker, by apparently juggling with Registration Documents. Utterly immoral behaviour of Ministers and MPs. They have brought the Government Administration to the status of a circus.
Even the Speaker, recently hinted that the people whom he spoke to, told him of the unbearable expenses, they have to meet, to find food for the family. IT is a Cardinal Sin, for the Ministers and Mps to make millions fraudulently, while the countrymen are starving. Blatantly immoral. DISGUSTING.
If this FRAUD and CORRUPTION continues, this would be the downward trend of the Government. BAHINA KALAWA. The DEVIL will sure rock the boat, and make sure that all Ministers and MPs, and all government Officers, are struggling to get a breather.
I concur with Ranjit W. his plea to Gotabaya, to STOP corruption and Fraud right now.
If this trend is not arrested, UNP will be right behind to take over the Baton.
December 27th, 2010 at 12:51 am
U.N.P or any Government comes it’s the same Susantha this will never stop they are greedy and corrupt. We need people in the likes of Dudley Senanayake who worked for the people and for the country anyhow we thought that MR same way he freed the country from terrorism he will do away with CORRUPTION too but unfortunately he hasn’t done that noble duty yet but I hope he will if not I am afraid he will lose the respect and his popularity in the future. We as a nation should get together and tell them in one voice ” enough is enough” and write non stop about this menace in our articles. UNPers were far more corrupt than the current Administration but corrupt is corrupt only man who can get rid of this is Gota as we all called him our most trusted and able Defence Secretary. As you said we need to have a well disciplined uncorrupt bribery division with fearless individuals who can stand up for these monsters. Whole world face this menace and many countries were fighting to eradicate Corruption from their societies and it’s high time we get rid of this as soon as possible when our couargeous President is still in power with a two third majority in the parliament. If the Ministers and M.P.’s sincere in their duty to the nation they should reject these kind of perks as they were having Government provided luxury vehicles for their use. Before we disciplined the nation the Government itself should be Disciplined them selves to set an example. Some times back I was got caught for throwing my garbage bag in a certain place near my home and these officials three in all including a policeman acted as if I was having drugs in my possesion they asked me to stop my car and took my driving licence and started writing down my name address etc and took my finger print on the paper and asked me to appear in the courts. That’s o.k. by me. I always respect the law but the way they handle it I was not happy even though I respected their authority. Next day I went to courts and judge asked me to pay RS.750.00. These rules and regulations are good to a country and we all should respect that but what these Ministers and M.P.’s were doing is utter disgrace and stinks robing the public money meant for our development around the country. They should declare their assets like Basil did and set an example to younger politicians who were grooming to be our future leaders. Gota you are the man please do it without fear GET THESE CORRUPTED GUYS OUT AND CLEAN THE TOP like you are cleaning the streets. Dont give a chance to traitors like Ranil to carry Chiken and Eggs in protest in railway stations and on the streets.Cut down the waste in Government, Be tough on Fraud and CORRUPTION. Cut down the cost of living for the poor citizen perera to be happy as you need his vote next time. God Save My Motherland from these CORRUPTED politicians because I love this land.