High level probe into contract of specially-designed brooches for CHOGM first ladies
A high level government probe is now underway into the contract awarded to the Sri Lanka National Gem and Jewellery Authority to make specially-designed distinct brooches for spouses of heads of governments attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka following allegations of corruption, informed sources said.
A craftsman in Buttala had been assigned the task of making these brooches with portraits of spouses of heads of governments embedded in it and the cost was to be in the region Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 49, 000, these sources revealed.
The actual cost to make 72 brooches was Rs. 2.88 million, according to the quotation given by the craftsman.
However the price quoted by Authority for a brooch was Rs. 250,000 and the total cost to make 72 brooches was Rs.18 million.
The Authority has been accused of inflating the price of a brooch by Rs.201,000 and total cost by Rs.15.12 million and this is under investigation, the sources said.
The high level probe is now being carried out into financial misappropriation and against officials who were responsible for this corrupt deal.
In the meantime, Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers will not be issued accreditation passes but will be given specially-designed distinct lapel pins.
The same identification would be given to
their spouses, special guests and foreign security officers, official sources said adding that the contract given to make lapel pins was also suspicious although there was no complaint so far.
On the directions of the president the Sri Lankan government has appointed a top government official (powerful ministry secre- tary )with long standing experience in public service to coordinate CHOGM arrangements and control expenditure to curtail overspending and malpractices.
Sri Lankan government has allocated Rs. 35 million for Commonwealth Heads Spouses’ Programme.
This was indicated in the CHOGM expenditure breakdown in terms of a report submitted to the cabinet of ministers recently.
The traditional CHOGM spouses program is historically something of a Ladies Day. But Sri Lanka plans to make it a special one by organising cultural events and vists to places of historic importance with a view of promoting the countryas a major tourist destination in South Asia.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority plans to offer special tourist packages to the wives of the country leaders who are participating in CHOGM under a special brand name “Spouse Tourism”.
Tours are arranged focusing on Galle, Kandy, etc. This will beautify the event and will help to send the message about “Sri Lanka Tourism”. Specially, such an event the wives of country leaders participate will draw the attention of the International community,” a senior official said.