Probe into abandoning of luxury vehicles by former ministers, officials

NPP National Executive member Wasantha Samarasinghe said that formal investigation will be conducted regarding the abandoning of hundreds of luxury government vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat without being properly handed over.

A number of jeeps used by former State Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Secretaries of the Ministries were brought to the car park at Baladaksha Mawatha in Galle Face yesterday.

These vehicles used in the Ministries had been brought to the car park near Baladaksha Mawatha due to the many changes made in the Ministries with the appointment of the new President. Many vehicles were also seen being brought to the place as of yesterday also.

Speaking to the media yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat premises, Wasantha Samarasinghe further stated that the documents contain information about 833 vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat. Out of those 833 vehicles, 29 vehicles have already disappeared  by 2022.

We ask former Presidents of this country Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Chandrika Kumaratunga whether they have swallowed these vehicles. They had a responsibility to hand over the public property they used during their tenure when they left. It has been two days since President  Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office. We have been able to reveal this information within two days. Around 253 vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat have been given to outside agencies and run. Now they are the ones that have been abandoned in many places. Several vehicles have parked not only here but also at the Foundation Institute.

This is good evidence to show that fraud and corruption will stop in this country. These vehicles have been irresponsibly brought and abandoned. We have now requested the details of those who have abandoned these vehicles. List of the those responsible  for the Central Bank bond scam, Easter Sunday attack, holders of  bar licence is now receiving to us. Formal investigations will be conducted related to these incidents. The vehicles parked in these places were also observed by the European  Union election observers.

Under the previous government, six vehicles were used by a State Minister including three official vehicles for the use and security of the State Ministers, one vehicle for the  use of the private secretary of the state minister and  two vehicles for other support staff.

The three official vehicles of the State Minister were entitled to 1,500 liters of fuel per month including 500 liters per petrol vehicle and 500 liters per diesel vehicle.

“People were of the opinion that by appointing 37 State Ministers and allocating vehicles for them at a time when it was difficult for the people to even live, the country’s expenses increased even more,”he said.

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