Mahinda’s banknote/election handbill
These are some allegations of corruption I received in an email forward (Download PDF). They allege that over Rs 430 billion has been robbed/wasted ($4.3 billion USD). I can’t vouch for all of this, but there is a lot of wasted and lost money. The airlines, for example, have always been or been made into money losing enterprises. The hedging deal on oil was a huge loss, and we are paying more for less in many contracts, from power plants to these computers. I hadn’t heard about building a manmade safari park near Yala, but that also seems like a bad idea. This list doesn’t even include the cost of supporting the jumbo cabinet, but it is just a summary.
- Hedging Deal – Petroleum Chairman – Asantha De Mel – Exam passed ? None– Cricketer? Shiranthi’s relation – losses to Sri Lanka Rs. 230 Billion ( Rs. 230,000 Million) Chairman lost his job by virtue of a supreme Court order. The S.C. order to sell petrol at Rs.100 not complied yet (current price of a Petrol liter is Rs 130/?).
- Loss on National Carrier Air Lanka for 2007?2008 Rs. 10,000 Million (10 Billion) – Chairman Nishantha Wicremasinghe (Shiranth Rajapaksha’s Brother) – Exam Passed GCE O/L
- Loss on Mihin Air for 2007?2008 Rs. 4,000 Million (4 Billion) – Chief Executive Mahinda’s Sajin Vas Gunawardena – Exam passed GCE O/L
- New 2008 Budget allocation for Mihin Air Rs. 1,000 Million (1 Billion)
- Airport project Weerawila cancelled. Initial cost on feasibility study Rs 500 Million.
- Mig Deal – through “King’s cousin” Udayanga Weeratunga (Exam passed – GCE O/L Sri Lankan Ambassador – Russia ? purchase of 4 Mig fighters which were not air worthy from Belimissa holdings at a price Rs. 400 Million more than the last published price
- All defense purchases through Lanka Logistics ? Chief Executive Officer Jayantha Wicremasinghe – Exam passed GCE O/L– Mahinda’s Sister Gandhini’s Brother in Law the owner of ‘Akuressa Palace’ (also Chairman Bank of Ceylon Gamini Wicremasinghe’s Brother.)
- VAT Scam – Loss to the Country Rs. 35,000 Million. (Rs. 35 Billion) Inland Revenue Department – Minister of Finance – Mahinda Rajapaksha
- Hambantota Manmade Safari Park to be created at a cost of Rs. 16,000 Million (1.6 Billion) This makes no sense as the Natural Safari Park is next door in Yala.
- Kerawalapitiya power plant cost US $ 400 Million. Actual cost US $ 200 Million. Planned for 300 Mega Watts built for 200 mega watts.
- Kerawalapitiya power plant. (Additional Losses) Cost per day to CEB Rs 70 million. Per year Rs 25, 550 Million (25.5 Billion) Initial agreed purchasing price per unit Rs 18. Current purchasing price Rs 40/? Loss to the CEB from a unit Rs 22/?
- Uma Oya Project ? projected value US$ 265 Million enhanced value US $ 545 Million. Increase of US$ 280 Million. Rs. 28 Billion ( Rs. 28,000 Million). Two reservoirs that are built have an extent of only 50 acres. Victoria project has an extent of 7,500 acres. Minister–Chamal Rajapaksha – President’s brother
- Cabinet of Ministers have approved purchase of 35 Gantry Cranes at a price US $600,000 higher than the last purchase price. This purchase has not been effected yet. (Minister in Charge; Chamal Rajapaksa? President’s brother)
- Contract signed with Dilhan Wicremasinghe Shiranthi’s brother’s son (Chairman Air Lanka) to supply branded computers to all divisional Secretariats at a cost of US $ 16 Million (price per computer Rs. 150,000/=). He supplied all unbranded computers which are available at unity plaza at Rs. 50,000/=. Amount robbed Rs. 1,200 Million
I suppose the general issue is that whatever his intentions, Mahinda doesn’t put very good people in place. They tend to be placed for loyalty more than merit, and then there are psychos like Mervyn Silva very close to him. The prosecution of the war was pretty straightforward, but I don’t think he can (or has) move the economy forward in the same way. His main goal seems to be having, projecting and doling out feudal power. Hence we get projects in name and losses in the books. To that end I think a new administration would be a good idea.
this makes me sick. exam passed: O/L! What fine example for our youth, among other things.
Gamini Wicremasinghe issue.
This I know to be a false allgegation. I personally know GW and JW and both had their degrees in England and both are leaders in their respective industries [Architecture and IT ]. They may or may not be related to Mahinda , but these are not people who took these positions for the money. PLEASE check your sources throughly before publishing.
They are btoh independently wealthy businessman in Colombo. Check your sources before publishing or don’t publish as these tarnish the image of good people.
Dang! If you’d provided me this info b4, I wouldn’t have wasted the last 4 years studying after my O’L! :(
On a serious note, these uneducated imbeciles are everything that’s wrong about this country!
This is precisely the reason why we need the UNP to come into power. They may not be able to do much in terms of development due to the lack of a proper back-bone, but at least corruption won’t be as rampant as it is now!
I bet there will be not one journalist in Sri Lanka who would challenge this list. Bring a list like this to a political campaign in a country like US, media there will rip it apart asking for every tiny detail and source of each line.
By the way, it must be only in Sri Lanka that a cost of a feasibility study is considered as a waste and corruption. Good luck for future project management in Sri Lanka.
Hey Indi,
Let me add a few more to your list. Just for fun man!!! I have to make sure that I email this to 5 people in Colombo.
Matara -Kataragama Railway line expansion project-Initial cost US $ 3.2 billion but Actual cost US $ 4.2 Million. Project under Bandula Rajapakse – (Cousin of Gotabaya-Exam pass: London O/L)
Hambanthota harbour project-Steel purchased with no tender for US $ 5oo million from China while rejecting a tender from India for US $ 200 million. Project Manager Basil Rajpakse’s former driver- Exam passed-grade 8.
Colombo Katunayake expressway – Payment recommended for an average lost property -2 million per house, average price paid for a property belong to PA supporter-Rs 4.5 million per house. (Project coordinator-Basil Rajapakse)
I need a little bit more time to be bit more creative. Stay tune… you will get my email in a few hours time.
Hi Indi,
I myself am trying to decide who to vote for. Towards that end though, I’m not sure unverified allegations are going to help. As Anne has pointed out, at least one of the items on this list is clear slander and utterly false. Who is going to vouch for the rest of them?
The reason I’m sick and tired of allegations like this is because this type of thing is common in Sri Lankan politics. For example, just before the previous elections, I still remember accusations spreading like wildfire that Ranil W. had virtually guaranteed an Eelam and was dancing to the Tigers’ tune etc. etc. Shortly afterwards, the Tigers themselves engineered his defeat.
Further, this is not the only list I’ve received. Another list accuses the Rajapakse brothers of having brought multiple palatial houses in the US. Presumably, these are far more impressive than the multitude of palaces CBK was accused of acquiring?
My point being, until and unless there is some way to ensure the veracity of these allegations, expect vicious slander and mudslinging galore from both political parties. I’m uncertain why anyone would be naive and gullible enough to believe any of these statements at face value, other than towards the end of promoting their own favourite political party. As Anne said, rather than publish these unverified allegations verbatim, it would be far better if you could verify and cite your sources. This is what’s necessary for the floating vote in Sri Lanka to make up their respective minds.
cheers!
wow, it must be really easy to blog these days. all you need to do is keep refreshing your inbox!
well done indi, you’re a star.
It isn’t the feasibility study that is a waste per se, it’s the fact that they’ve even thought about another international airport that’s such a waste!
BTW Indi, I do agree with your final observation that MR is favouring sycophants over competent individuals in order to hang on to power, and thereby engineering his own downfall. The most alarming thing is the lack of a viable opposition. Fonseka appears to me a two-tongued and rather dangerous wildcard, given the vagaries of his mind so far, and unless there are guarantees that he can be contained (should the fancy for a military dictatorship be in his mind), I would be rather reluctant to vote for him also.
There are merits of having a second airport further away from Colombo. Sri Lanka will never develop until it start moving some of the government head offices, major commercial offices, major bank head offices and other commercial activities away from Colombo. Yes, that includes relocation for some of the Colombo elites with their night clubs and big houses to another major city. Sri Lanka needs at least three major cities like Colombo.
Secondly, having an Airport close to the southern beach is a great idea with a toll highway along the coastline for tourists. If you talk to any tourist coming from Europe they will say it takes about 8 hours to fly from London to Colombo but to travel from Katinayake to Aluthgama it takes over 6 hours (1.5 hours just move 12 km from Fort to Moratuwa).
What Sri Lankla need is a visinory leaders who thinks beyond his or her generation!!!
Poor Manoj Vaas..
@Indi Read that email on aviation corruption I sent sometime ago
So let me get this straight. Tourists complain about the 6 hours of road travel so the solution is to build both a road and an airport? Why not build the road and then spend the airport money to improve the rail network so we can transport goods around the country more efficiently not to mention a plethora of other development activities that would have more long term benefits for the country.
Mahinda has however thought beyond his or even our generation. By locking us in for 30 years with the Chinese he has ensured that he and his cronies can get quick money now by us subsidising the government for the next couple of generations.
There are two types of people in this world, the first group make things happen and the other group sit and complain and criticise.
We Sri Lankans love to criticise and complain. We love to spend hours and hours in offices, schools , buses, trains talking negatively just about everything. That is what makes us “Sri Lankans” so unique and I guess we can’t help it because it’s in our DNA!!!
I agree. Sri Lankans are the sort of people who will wallow in their own shit and whine and scream and cry about the god awful smell and mess, but do nothing to clean it up.
Hah. As if you aren’t Sri Lankan, whimsical…This government is as corrupt as Mugabe’s. Just look at Tharunyata Hetak Arse Selling Ads…On the other hand, between 2001 to 2004, we only talked about “Takaran.”
About the feasibility study. Hah, feasibility study cost Rs 500 million. Say 50 million if you don’t trust indi. Still, THE GODDAMNED PROJECT WAS CANCELLED (due to environmental issues I believe).
And whimsical. Don’t you realise that even writing against corruption is actually doing something?
Not when you don’t have evidence. It’s just slander until then.
All Sri Lankan governments have been corrupt. Except, this particular one opened a can of whoop ass on the LTTE and won.
Yep. Indi must answer that. Where’s the evidence?…Asantha De Mel though, hah, we all know who this guy is.
And oh, don’t whine about Sri Lankans whining if you are Sri Lankan. That’s ridiculous.
I thought it would be amusing and satirical..
That is true, I can’t vouch for any of these allegations, they’re just allegations. It would take a lot of investigating and lawyering to get the evidence out. Which I fear I am to lazy and ill-equipped for
These are the stuff you want to print and keep for your grandchildren. Picked up from one of your own collection Indi. How can one be so pessimistic, negative and so wrong. Is it a judgment issue…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indi/305213158/sizes/o/
Well, then your title should rather be “Examples Of ALLEGED Corruption And Waste” shouldn’t it?
May be this all true. But what I feel is something is happening around the country. Some light of development being visible for last few years. Corruption is not a new thing to Sri Lankan politics. But at least this government has utilized 1% for development, better than previous ones.
Again about the MR. J. Wickramasingh
I personally know he has successfully completed his higher studies. Any way no matter his education level, he is a respectable and patriotic business personnel in Colombo.
This thing loose the weight of other points of the list too.