Welgama’s son misuses ministry vehicles: CaFFE
Five vehicles belonging to the Transport Ministry are allegedly being misused by the Transport Minister’s son Senal Welgama for his election campaigning, an election monitoring group said yesterday.
It has been clearly stated in the Establishments Code and in the State Financial Regulations that no public property can be utilized in election campaigning activities
The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) in a written missive to Transport Ministry Secretary Dhammika Perera had requested his immediate attention on its observations that five vehicles including two Townace vans bearing numbers 254/1334; 254/ 135; a Mitsubishi AL 200 Cab bearing number 254/6612; a blue Pajero Jeep and another vehicle bearing registration numbers 32/5302 and 251/ 7114 belonging to the Transport Ministry are presently touring the Kalutara district allegedly engaging in the distribution of election posters and organizing election-related activities on behalf of Senal Welgama.
“It has been clearly stated in the Establishments Code and in the State Financial Regulations that no public property can be utilized in election campaigning activities. Therefore, it is a violation of state regulations for these vehicles to be used in such activities though they have been assigned for the use of ministry staff,” CaFFE Executive Director Keerthi Tennakoon said.
He said it was not an isolated incident of exploitation of transport ministry property and pointed out that even Ceylon Transport Board buses were displaying posters promoting Senal Welgama.
“Therefore we urge the Transport Ministry Secretary to shed attention on the facts we have highlighted through our letter and we hope that necessary action will be taken to curb future incidents of exploitation,” Mr. Tennakoon said.