S’GAMUWA PC IN HOT WATER

Granted loans of up to Rs.500,000, over and above the stipulated Rs.250,000

Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council is in hot water for granting loans to its members exceeding the maximum stipulated amount, the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) said in its report which was presented to Parliament last week.

“Even though the Provincials Council Ministry in its March 2001 circular has authorised a maximum amount Rs.250,000 as loans to councillors, loans of up to Rs.500,000, which exceeds the stipulated amount, have been granted last year. Furthermore of such loans, a balance of Rs.1,418,600 was due from 12 councillors who had lost their seats as at December 31, 2014,” the report revealed.

The council’s accounting officer has stated that approval of the provincial cabinet had been received to provide loans exceeding the stipulated amount. However COPA had directed that the maximum limit should be changed only through the line ministry. It has also been revealed that a total of Rs.1,525,000 has been charged from 340 students by a school in Mawanella when they were admitted to school.

The accounting officer of the Sabaragamuwa PC has stated that this had not been done by the principal but by the school’s development board. The relevant principal has been sent on transfer and another one was appointed to the school and a proper inquiry was conducted in this regard. The COPA report had also revealed that the technical specifications and evaluations in relation to the purchase of 589 computers at an estimated cost of Rs.60,372,500 had been carried out in a fraudulent manner and Rs.7,961,512 had been over paid to the supplier despite the recommendations made in the initial inquiry. When questioned by COPA, the council’s accounting officer has informed that a proper investigation was carried out and charge sheets were to be sent to those responsible.