President’s Fund misused to fund former MPs’ children, several others for higher studies abroad – Minister
The President’s Fund has been misused by former Ministers and MPs to provide funds for their children, relatives and friends for their higher studies abroad, Minister Anura Karunathilake informed Parliament yesterday (5).
He said that from 2005 to 2014, many former Ministers and MPs have used President’s Fund money to provide personal benefits to their children, relatives and friends for completing a PhD or other higher education programmes at foreign universities under the strict condition that they must return to Sri Lanka and serve the country.
He said that however, so far there have been no records available at the Presidential Secretariat of any persons who benefitted from the President’s Fund for their higher studies abroad who have returned to serve the country.
The Minister said that information is not available as to on what conditions that these funds have been given to these individuals from the President’s Fund.
In response to a question raised by NPP MP Ravindra Bandara, the Minister revealed to the House some of the key persons out of those who have benefitted from the President’s Fund for higher studies abroad.
MP Harshana Supun Rajakaruna, son of former Gampaha District MP Sarath Chandra Rajakaruna, I. N. Kodituwakku, relative of former Colombo District MP Karunasena Kodituwakku in 2006, K.Radhakrishnan, relative of former National List MP V. Radhakrishnan in 2006, Dinesh Dodangoda, through political affiliations in 2006 and K. K. Paranavithana in 2006, were some of those who have benefitted from the President’s Fund during the period from 2005 to 2014, the Minister said.
The Minister further revealed the total amount of money that had been disbursed for foreign scholarships disbursed from 2005 to 2014 was over Rs.192.7 Mn .
He said that more than Rs.73 million has been disbursed in 2005, over Rs.65 million in 2006, more than Rs. 33 million for 42 individuals in 2007, over Rs. 11 million for 18 individuals in 2008, more than Rs. 3 million to four persons in 2009, more than Rs. 3 million to three persons in 2010, more than Rs.1 million to two individuals in 2011, more than Rs. 3 million for two persons in 2012 and more than Rs.700,000 to one person in 2014. Minister Anura Karunathilaka said that after checking the financial books of the President’s Fund, it has been proven that money from the President’s Fund had been used by children, relatives and friends of Ministers and MPs from 2005 to 2014 and the money spent by the Government on their behalf has not been recovered from them so far due to non-availability of relevant information.
