Sri Ranga, Digambaram threaten to leave govt

Two Nuwara-Eliya District Parliamentarians K. Sri Ranga and P. Digambaram representing the National Workers Union (NWU) are contemplating leaving the Government ranks if their discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa within the next few days does not bear any fruit.

The two MPs who were elected on the UNP ticket told The Island that they were disgusted with the manner they were treated at District Development Committee meetings in Nuwara-Eliya. They said that at yesterday’s meeting they were not allocated seats at the Kachcheri by Government Agent Kumarasiri and deprived an opportunity to raise various important questions pertaining to the Nuwara-Eliya district.

Sri Ranga said that Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa who chaired the meeting was informed about their disappointment before they walked out in protest. They alleged that government servants in the district were making money from funds allocated for development purposes by taking commissions on contracts.

The two Parliamentarians were both of the opinion that the corruption among the government servants in Nuwara-Eliya was rampant. They also alleged that health, education, sanitary facilities and road networks were very poor in the Nuwara-Eliya district and the people suffered immensely as a result.

Digambaram and Sri Ranga said that Minister Arumugam Thondaman (CWC) was given priority and the CWC proposals were well received, while the NWU’s was ignored.

Both Digambaram and Sri Ranga were elected on the UNP ticket to Parliament, but crossed over to Government ranks over an issue with a national list seat in Parliament.

 

Courtesy: The Island