On Special Duty Free permit Vehicles for 225 MPs to arrive
The vehicles of all 225 parliamentarians purchased using the special duty free permit provided to them is to arrive in the country within three to four months, Ministers Nimal Lansa and Thalatha Athukorale said.
Speaking of the controversy surrounding their vehicle purchases in social media with pictures, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nimal Lansa said he had purchased his vehicle, a Toyota V8, at a cost of Rs. 8.5 million.
“I did not purchase it through the ministry but through a private car dealer. I used the duty free permit that was provided to me as a parliamentarian to purchase this vehicle,” he said.
The Deputy Minister went on to say that he was not the only one who purchased the particular type f vehicle. “Eight others purchased it with me and there are 16 more that will come into the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Employment Thalatha Athukorala too confirmed that she too had purchased her vehicle, a Toyota Sahara, with her personal funds and not through her ministry.
“I used the permit to buy the vehicle. Some parliamentarians didn’t use their permits as they were waiting for the vehicle prices to increase, so they could bring it down and sell it. I have never done that nor will I ever do so,” she said.
The vehicles in her possession were purchased when her brother was a parliamentarian and when she was elected to parliament. “I did not sell any of the vehicles with my permits in 2004 and 2010. I will not do so,” she said.
The Prime Minister recently suspended the purchase of vehicles through ministries for a short period.
(Daily Mirror – By Darshana Sanjeewa)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka President orders swift, grassroots-driven disaster relief amid adverse weather November 27, 2024
- Sri Lanka Parliament to convene from December 3 to 6, 2024 November 27, 2024
- Severe weather displaces over 200,000 in Sri Lanka November 27, 2024
- NPP General Secretary Nihal Abeysinghe’s vehicle falls into Parliament Pond November 27, 2024
- CBSL reduces monetary policy rate, sets 8% overnight rate November 27, 2024
What a great achievement!
The buttocks (some green and some blue) of all our Parliamentarians will be well protected from the bumps caused by the pot-holed roads on which we, the rest of the citizens, travel.
Why can’t these Politicians travel in public transport? In the age on the internet, there’s cell phones and tablets for reading emails. So, travel time is not an issue. The Ministers and MP’s can travel in public transport to their offices, to Parliament to meet Hon Batalanda R and to their electorates.
Hon Minister for Foreign Employment has proudly claimed that she bought this so-called luxury Totyota Sahara with her “own” money. My question is has she submitted her declaration of wealth to Hon Kalu Jayasuriya, the Speaker?
I would like to have a look at that to see how she has earned USD60,000 to pay for that fricking Sahara.
Guys, now that the RTI law is in operation, can I ask Kalu Jayasuriya to supply all the declarations of wealth submitted parliamentarians including Namal Rajapaksa?
This is what poor starving people of Sri Lanka wants.
look they want luxury vehicles to do their job, never forgetting that they were voted by the poor man who cant even afford to a bicycle, now these vehicles will be used by their kids to go on trips and have fun while the poor man is always left walking miles to collect a little drinking water go to school or even to get medicine for his sickness god bless my country my favorite Banana republic.