Dear Minister Bogollagama, this lifestyle is unacceptable
karthika
By Pooranam Muthiah of Chavakacheri
Repeatedly, the painful news about you is your extravagant lifestyle
and that too at the cost of the people of Sri Lanka or some other
party like a foreign embassy. I am making this observation from what I
have read in various features such as the one below. There are so many
forces that are acting against the government and people of Sri Lanka
and especially at this time, every minister of the state must be a
proud example to our people.
Your expense accounts are not acceptable, Mr Minister.
You and your fellow ministers must be role model leaders. There cannot
be any exception. Just because you enjoy the privilege of being a
minister of the state and that too holding an important portfolio as
Foreign Minister, it does not mean the sky is the limit when it comes
to how you handle your financial needs or create grounds that demand
expensive outlay of funds that are not connected with your work.
The birthday bash for your daughter, if what has been reported is
true, cannot be at the expense of the state or any other party. This
is a celebration for your daughter and it must come from the family.
You don’t as they say in Jaffna, pick a coconut from the road or worse
from your neighbour’s land and bash it in front of Lord Ganesh!
Furthermore, you are insulting your daughter too. A child’s joy is
most when the parents meet their needs especially such celebratory
events as birthdays and weddings.
It is not for me to tell you what to do but I can only say that this
is not done Mr Minister and you are a very poor example of what a
political leader should be. I leave the rest to your conscience.
Here below is the feature to which these observations were made.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama is in a dilemma as the
American Embassy has refused to pay the bill of Rs.4.5 million the
minister has spent for the birthday celebration of his daughter held
during Minister and his family’s tour to the USA.
The birthday of the minister’s daughter had been celebrated when the
minister and his family toured the USA recently. The birthday cake and
sweets had cost US$19,000 while US$25,000 had been paid for the
photographer got down to cover the event. With all other expenses the
birthday party had cost Rs.45, 00,000 and the request made by the
minister from the US Embassy asking them to pay the bill has been
turned down. It is reported that the minister has now asked the
government of Sri Lanka to settle the bill.
Minister Bogollagama is known for his extravagant living and he used
to go with his family and relatives in all his official tours. He
spent the one year’s vote for his ministry within six months and
attempted to get more money passed for his ministry from the
Parliament.
On 24th May Minister Bogollagama admitted in Parliament that during
the period from January, 2008 to May this year he had gone on 25
foreign tours and spent Rs.10 million. When the opposition questioned
the minister regarding the high expenses he said his tours enabled Sri
Lanka to correct wrong views many countries had regarding the war in
Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka was able to get support of many countries.
When suitable solutions have not been found for the families of war
heroes who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland and for those who
have been maimed for life due to the war, how could such outrageous
spending of public money be patriotism is a questioned asked in many
quarters.