{"id":163653,"date":"2016-06-09T14:19:40","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T08:49:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=163653"},"modified":"2016-06-10T02:11:42","modified_gmt":"2016-06-09T20:41:42","slug":"harsha-ranjan-and-palitha-says-no-to-new-luxury-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/harsha-ranjan-and-palitha-says-no-to-new-luxury-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Harsha, Ranjan And Palitha Says \u2018No\u2019 To New Luxury Vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deputy Ministers Harsha de Silva<\/span><\/a>, Ranjan Ramanayake<\/span><\/a> and Palitha Thewarapperuma<\/span><\/a> has rejected the new luxury vehicles offered to them, as protests mounted against the government\u2019s move to purchase 32 luxury vehicles at a cost of a staggering Rs. 1.1 billion<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Ranjan,<\/a>

Ranjan, Palitha and Harsha<\/p><\/div>\n

Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment & Welfare, Ramanayake and Deputy Minister of Internal Cultural and Wayamba Development, Thewarapperuma have rejected the offer for new vehicles which was communicated to their relevant ministry secretaries.<\/p>\n

In a letter dated April 8, 2016, Ramanayake\u2019s Personal Secretary informed the Secretary to the Ministry of Social Empowerment & Welfare that, “the deputy minister has informed that the current vehicles available for his use is sufficient, and therefore he does not require any new vehicles.”<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Cultural and Wayamba Development, on May 9, 2016, Thewarapperuma, said, “I hereby reject the Rs. 28 million worth Discovery 4 vehicle, which has been offered to me. I would instead advice that the monies set aside for this vehicle be used for the development of artists in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva has also rejected the offer for a new luxury vehicle.<\/p>\n

In a post on his Facebook page, Silva said, \u201cAs a Deputy Minister I am entitled for 3 vehicles (same as for a Minister). However I have only taken 2 vehicles (from Jan 2015 to date). Both these vehicles were used by the previous government (by a secretary and a coordinating secretary) and have been manufactured in 2011 and 2013. I continue to use my private vehicle. This is for the record,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the Government sought parliamentary approval for Rs. 1.1 billion to purchase 32 brand new luxury vehicles for the use of several ministers, and deputy ministers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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