Sajith denies Central Cultural Fund misused
Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa yesterday denied Opposition allegations on misappropriation of money regarding the Central Cultural Fund in Parliament.
The Minister explained the funds were used for development of the country but not for the benefit of individuals or companies in particular held that Rs. 1,598 million was withdrawn from the deposits to face the damages of Easter Sunday attacks.
“Easter Sunday attacks reduced income. None of the funds were utilised for anyone’s personal wellbeing. The Ministry aims to complete the construction of 1,000 Dhamma schools this year. We have commenced a program called ‘Sisu Daham Sevana’ concurrent with the ‘Tripitaka bhiwandana’ program where Rs. 3 million is spent on constructing 361 Dhamma schools. Is this wrong? We have commenced several projects centred around Hambantota amounting to Rs. 78.5 million. We have commenced the Abhayagiri project at a cost of Rs. 49 million.
“For the 11 projects in Mirisawetiya, Thuparamaya and Mihinthale under the Maha Vihara project alone Rs. 384 million have been allocated. Further, Rs. 10.2 million for the Sigiriya project, Rs. 116.1 million for the Kandy project, Rs. 8.3 million for Polonnaruwa, Rs. 65.5 million for Kuragala, Rs. 11 million for Badulla, Rs. 6.2 million for Kegalle, Rs. 6.8 million for Yapahuwa and Rs. 8 million for Batticaloa. We have targeted to construct 1,000 Dhamma schools this year. We will also construct 1,125 Chaitya within a year,” he said listing the expenses.
Apart from the money used for Buddhist religious establishments, the Minister said: “We are doing a project at the Thalawila Church for Rs. 50 million. We are also doing a huge project at the Madhu shrine. They are trying to give wrong interpretations regarding the work we do. We have received Cabinet approval to implement all these projects by State institutions.
“This will strengthen these government institutions. Based on the valuations of the District Officer all damaged mosques were assisted. If anyone wants they can see what has been done with the funds. We have not played out anything. We have spent every cent for the benefit of the Buddhasasana and other religions. Every penny has been accounted for and nothing has been misused,” he said.
(Source: Daily FT – By Ashwin Hemmathagama)
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So, all these projects are being funded by the amude-wearing Taxpayer?
The plaque’s being unveiled by the Papa’s Boy are like huge monuments with dense writing in black marble facing.
The cost on newspaper ads included in the project cost as well?
And the cost of the tamasha’s to lay foundations and declare open the projects funded by the project too?
The Central Cultural Fund should be intensely scrutinised by Hon Sunil Handuneeti’s COPE.
This appears to be another Premadasa Era corruption which we all know about.
By the way, the Central Cultural Fund does not appear to cover any Hindu or Muslim cultural institutions?
Ranasinghe Premadasa and Pallewatte Gamaralalage M Yapa are the most corrupt and worst peforming Executive Presidents in Sri Lanka.
Reply to David Boomdell-
” central cultural fund does not appear to cover any Hindu or Muslim cultural institutions”
-The article mentions that ” all damaged mosques were assisted”.
Mosques are Muslim places of worship.
Significant funding has been allocated to predominantly Hindu and Muslim areas e.g. Batticaloa.
Aren’t mosques cultural institutions?
How can he say so for when the UNF is formed it will have the biggest coalition in Sri Lanka as such any breakaway Sagith group will not affect a 113 majority provided that Ranil and Karu immediately sent out sagith group from parliament once the election commissioner call for nomination for a President that is the time there will be no President in Sri Lanka a President vacuum has been created as such billions of we the peoples funds would be saved for a election for a ineffective President and a further Rs. Billions per year we the peoples funds to maintain a ineffective President. For with amendment A which was gazetted in 9th of July 2018 all powers of the President could be Brought to Parliament. This I am stating as I will be joining the UNF as a FIET member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/school/iet/
The IET is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions with 169,000 members in over 150 countries. The IET is working to engineer a better world .
Mosques were damaged because the Sinhala Buddhist leaders failed to respond effectively to mob attacks.
That cannot be considered development, for example 10,00 Daham Schools for the Sinhala Buddhists; that is development.
You guys reckon a ultra-racist leader such as Son of RP, will develop 1000 Hindu and Christian/Catholic Sunday Schools and Muslim Madrasas?
Reply to Mr Boomdell,
Firstly, before you condemn SP as
an “ultra racist” declare the facts which lead to this statement, not just labelling for the sake of it.
E.g. Globally known that Trump is a racist and misogynist; that Boris Johnson ( PM of UK) refers to Muslim women in niqab as “pillar boxes” etc.
Secondly, the majority of Sri Lanka, and I stress, MAJORITY, are Sinhala Buddhists.
Coupled with that fact, Sri Lanka has a long 2600 year history of Buddhist cultural heritage; probably the only country to have uninterrupted Theravada Buddhism.
Like it or not, just as Italy has the Vatican, or Middle East has Mecca, it is a fact that Sri Lanka is the home of Theravada Buddhism.
The cultural fund has every right to nurture Buddhist cultural heritage. There are Hindu temples, churches and mosques throughout Sri Lanka; some of which are generously funded from abroad.
Moreover, no one is disputing that the damage to mosques was both unnecessary and should have been avoided. However, attributing it ALL to Sinhala Buddhists in a place like Negombo, where there is a huge Christian community seems somewhat biased.
Lastly, please note that wilful destruction of places of worship is not condoned in, or confined to, Sri Lanka. Following bouts of Islamist terrorism in Europe, there have been destruction of several mosques, and increase of racist attacks, including arson attacks on complexes of dwellings. Authorities there could not prevent them from happening, in spite of all their resources to do so.
More worryingly in Europe, the far right and extremist white supremacist political parties are gaining momentum, as is blatant religious and racist intolerance.
In comparison, Sri Lanka has not taken the same path, but is trying to move on with more security and preventive measures in place.
Sajith has openly proclaimed that he would follow the footsteps of his dear dad.
Ranasinghe P was totally against the 13A that he boycotted the ceremony where JRJ and RG signed the deal.
Ranasinghe P was totally against the presence of Indian Peace keeping forces; he armed the LTT at state cost to fight the Indians.
During the 1980 insurgency, Ranasinghe P let loose state sponsored goons to unleash terror on Sinhala Buddhist ‘insurgents’.
So, is the son of RP gonna follow the footsteps of his ‘glorious’ dad’?
The son of RP will not get a single vote from the minorities as he likely to support the upcoming AVA Group (in the North) and Col Karuna (in the east).
This is a millennial viewpoint.