It has been reported to Transparency International Sri Lanka’s Programme to Protect Public Resources (PPPR) that over 1,500 public officials and other staff are being used by candidates contesting the Provincial Council Elections, either directly or indirectly, for election propaganda work.
In the guise of being called up for a meeting or a rally, they are being used for propaganda campaign work directly, it was revealed during the investigations carried out by PPPR in the past few days. Most of those involved are from the Samurdhi Authority, Road Passenger Transport Authority, National Livestock Board, CWE and the Department of Education. Staff in some of them uses state vehicles and other public property belonging to the institutions.
The Samurdhi Authority had given approval to send four Samurdhi Development Officers to the Northern Province on the pretext of carrying out official work from 6 September. Four official vehicles have also been allocated. It is reported that they will be used to organise election campaign work of UPFA candidates. The four District Development Officers are from Samudhi offices in Ratnapura, Badulla, Trincomalee and Ampara. They are due to be sent to Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar districts. The numbers of the allocated vehicles are 253-6269, 252-5647, 58-7948 & 58-7947. They will also be given the necessary quota of fuel.
Eighty five Samurdhi Officers and graduates had been invited to an election meeting of candidate Yohan Fernando held at Panduvasnuwara on 28 August. They had been given official leave on the basis that they were attending a Deyata Kirula programme. Election Department officials had later cancelled the meeting.
Smurdhi officers allege that they are being sent for election work on the pretext of discussing a social and development programme to be organised in connection with Deyata Kirula 2014, as stated in a circular issued by the Director General of the Samurdhi Authority.
It is also alleged that a ceremony held on 25 August 2013 to commemorate the anniversary of the Union of Smurdhi Development Officers and Managers of the Matale District at Matale Town hall had been used as an election propaganda meeting. Several UPFA candidates had used the opportunity for their propaganda work. The Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Nadimitra Ekanayaka had made a written complaint to the Returning Officer.
The Matale District Coordinating Committee Chairman’s office is also functioning as an election propaganda office. Although this office is kept closed during an election period, it was observed by the PPPR team that this time correspondence work of several candidates is being done there.
Most of the incidents of the use of vehicles and staff belonging to the Road Passenger Transport Authority relates to the Central Province office. There have been complaints that even the Central Province Road Passenger Transport Authority Chairman’s official vehicle is being used for election propaganda work of his son who is contesting in the Nuwara Eliya District as a UPFA candidate. The PPPR team observed how bus inspectors are involved in election propaganda work in the Nuwara Eliya and Hatton areas.
Public property belonging to Sri Lanka Transport Board is being used in numerous ways for election propaganda work. Buses plying along three new routes from the Matale District carry the name of Parakrama Dissanayake, (a brother of Deputy Minister) who is a UPFA candidate contesting the Matale District. The cab bearing number 252-5002 belonging to the Education Ministry and the Higher Education Deputy Minister’s Private Secretary’s official vehicle WP 7618 is being used for election work of Matale District UPFA candidate Chinthaka Ekanayake.
A double cab bearing number 251-0577 belonging to the NARA Institute and a van PB-7365 belonging to the Fisheries Ministry are being used for election work of Matale District candidate Udith Anuradha. He is a working director of the Fisheries Ministry. Further white colored van belongs to Department of Register of Motor Vehicles bearing number DE- 0002 and official vehicle of Road Transport Authorities Matale office bearing number CP CE-2899 are being used for transportation of supporters during the election meetings in Matale Town.
The Irrigation Department circuit bungalow at Wilgamuwa is being used for election work and although the e Returning Office-Matale has requested that it be returned, it has not been done to date.
In almost all the provinces, candidates are using the official seal of Members of Parliament to send out propaganda material by post. This is most noticeable in the North Western and Central Provinces.
In addition to the above, there have been other instances of the misuse of public property during the past few days. These include:
On August 29, around 300 staff working in the Cultural Triangle office – Sigiriya had been called up for an election propaganda meeting of Matale Dusrict candidate Pramitha Treennakoon. He is also using the official vehicle of the mayor of the Dambulla Urban Council.
The office of the Gampola bus depot superintendent is being used as an election office of candidate Anuradha Jayaratne. Posters and cut outs have also been displayed there.
Vehicle number GG 8989 belonging to the Fisheries Corporation is used for propaganda work of Matale District candidate Udith Anuradha.
The PPPR will keep the Elections Commissioner of these instances of the misuse of public property and also complain to Ministry Secretaries and the Auditor General.
The public is kindly informed to report instances of misuse of public property with evidence using telephone number 011-2513313or email help@tisrilanka.org.