After all the flatulence, the WPC wants to come out smelling roses
Chairs at 100m, door at 15m and now the air at 45m each year
Perhaps, it's all the flatulence liberally expelled by its members when sitting, talking or walking through the chambers of its 15- storey Battaramulla building that compelled the Western Provincial Council to spend 16 million bucks in air freshener equipment to dispel the stink they breathe. And a further 45 million each year to refresh the diffusers with scented air.
In the latest bout of a wild cat spending spree, the Western Provincial Council announced this week its latest extravagance.
Western Provincial Council UPFA member Salochana Gamage, speaking against the expenditure, said that air freshener machines have been installed in the newly opened Western Provincial Council building at a cost of Rs. 16,362,500 to provide a ‘ pleasing odour’ inside the building and that another Rs. 2,625,000 had to be spent at a time every three weeks to refill the air fresheners in the 15- storey building. This alone will cost the public a further 45 million each year to keep the Western Provincial Council cocooned in fragrance.
Addressing a meeting of the Western Provincial Council held on Wednesday, Gamage said an air freshener had been installed in each room in the building while two or three air fresheners had been installed in wider areas such as the council chamber. That, of course, is understandable. That’s where the air gets foulest.
He said altogether, 875 air fresheners had been installed, each costing Rs. 18,700. These machines had to be refilled once in three weeks. Each refilling costs Rs. 875 and the refilling sum amounted to Rs. 2,625,000 at a time, Gamage said.
But that’s only the tip of the stinkberg. Speaking, talking, walking? Nay, that’s not all, what about sitting? Only recently it was revealed that this ‘no limit’ Western Provincial Council had ordered ‘ full option’ luxury chairs at a cost of Rs 850,000 each for its 100- odd members at a total cost of approximately Rs 93 million. With a 360- degree rotation facility to cushion the members rears in comfort and allow them to swirl full circle and, perhaps, better emit the sum total of their audible expression to the chamber, which only meets twice a month.
And to top it all, a new ornate door at the entrances which has cost Rs 15 million. Perhaps, that, too, is understandable. And vital. If only to prevent the stench within from escaping to foul the outside air.
First Parliament. Now the Western Provincial Council. The free for all spending infection seems to be spreading. What next? The Colombo Municipal Council? Which recently served themselves with a lofty 45,000 bunch travel allowance to its members on the basis that they need the dough to attend funerals. Perhaps, not being satisfied with a new look rosy hue, they, too, will wish to perfume the new Town Hall environ with a rosy air.
If only to get rid of the stench of the garbage of unpaid bills for refuse removal piled on the door step of the city hall.