Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), under the Programme for Protection of Public Resources (PPPR) has written to the Secretaries of the Ministries, calling them to ensure that public resources were not used for election campaigning purposes.
The following is the letter addressed to the Secretaries.
TISL at present is conducting a programme to monitor and investigate abuses of public property by Political Parties, Candidates and other Officials or public Institution during the forthcoming Parliamentary Election.
A similar programme was conducted during the December 2001 & 2004 General Elections and Presidential Elections in 2005 &2010.These exercises exposed the extent of the colossal losses to public resources as a result of such misuse. The diabolical practice of misusing state resources in the forthcoming Presidential elections is showing again. Our present program is a continuation of Programme for Protect Public Resources (PPPR). Our aim is to prevent misuse of public resources by all branches of the government, political parties, candidates and other officials or public institution.
May we draw your attention to the following sections in the Financial Regulations According to the FR 156 (7) All Chief accounting officers should exercise due economy in all financial transactions and they should also ensure that expenditure should not be incurred unless absolutely necessary even though financial provisions exists or money is available.
According to FR 127 (7) all chief accounting officers are responsible for taking measures to ensure that the procedure laid down in FR 102 to 108 is followed in case of losses caused to government by delays, negligence, fault or fraud on the part of officers.
You will no doubt agree that, you are not only the chief accounting officers but also the accounting officer for your ministry, and thereby it is your duty to take adequate and proper arrangements are made for the safe custody and preservation of resources belonging to the government, as laid down in FR 128 (1) (e).
We appreciate very much if you were to let us know of the action you take.