Personal staff of Ministers misuse Ministry vehicles: JVP

By Skandha Gunasekara

The Opposition in Parliament yesterday charged that the personal staff of Cabinet Ministers were misusing Government vehicles.

JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake said that a majority of vehicles allocated for personal staff members of Ministers were far better than even those assigned to the Deputy Ministers of the same Ministries.

“In most cases, the vehicles allocated for personal staff of Ministers are SUVs while Deputy Ministers are given ordinary vehicles which are less luxurious,” MP Ratnayake said, pointing out that this problem was prevalent due to a habit of Ministers appointing family members as their personal staff.

Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella, accepting the veracity of the Opposition’s claim, said that the Government would be issuing a separate circular in this regard outlining the correct procedure to be followed when allocating vehicles to personal staff members of Ministers.

“The circular will also state the guidelines when using such vehicles by respective staff members. He acknowledged there have been various concerns and issues being raised concerning the vehicles allocated to the personal staff of Ministers,” the Leader of the House said.

Minister Kiriella assured the House that this matter would be resolved once the circular is issued stipulating the correct process to be followed.