Wednesday, 22 January 2014 00:02
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UNP yesterday removed the lid on a Rs. 100 million deal by the Government via the Central Bank to woo US Congressmen but insisted it was done without much success.
“The Central Bank and the Thompson Advisory Group of US entered into an agreement in March last year. They were paid a fee of Rs. 100 million per annum expecting them to market Sri Lanka. Among the key deliverables was an educating process to be launched for US senators; the members of the House of Representatives. Tell us how many Senators were met? It was also agreed to bring in a Congressional delegation to Sri Lanka before 15 September last year. So, name one Congressman who came to Sri Lanka as a result of this agreement? Nothing happened but we continue to pay for these agreements,” UNP MP Dr. Harsha de Silva told Parliament yesterday.
He also exposed duplicity on the part of the Government with regard to real estate and foreigners.
“The policy of this Government is to not sell properties in Sri Lanka to foreigners. If so, how come a Cabinet paper awaits approval to exempt Raffle Assets, a business venture from this rule? Why the double standards? But the Government goes on campaigning pledging not to sell national assets,” the UNP MP charged.
