Costly MR regime image-building exercise revealed in Parliament
Saturday, 7 March 2015 00:00
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By Ashwin Hemmathagama
Our Lobby Correspondent
The Rajapaksa regime paid for dubious image-building and public relations campaigns in the United States costing more than $ 1.3 million, it was revealed yesterday in Parliament, with the Opposition calling for a detailed investigation.
Highlighting the conditions of agreements the former Government entered into with four US firms – Patton Boggs LLP, Cranford Johnson, Steve Hedges and Majority Group LLP - during a five-year period, Opposition lawmaker Anura Dissanayake said: “Regardless of public funds spent on image-building campaigns and as lawyers’ fees, Sri Lanka was taken to the United Nations for alleged war crimes. This shows nothing but a failure in process followed by these firms, which may not have adequate expertise. It is true that the US Government cannot be blamed for this but a serious inquiry should be conducted to find out how they have bribed the US Congress.”
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, while promising an investigation as soon as the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera returned to the island from Europe, said that paying bribes or making a simple donation to a Congressman was illegal in the US and he would inform the US Government of the investigation’s findings.
According to Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Ajith Perera, Patton Boggs LLP, a company selected based on the recommendations of former Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya, made a total of $ 940,000 from 2010 to 2012 period to cultivate allies in Congress for Sri Lanka, prevent Bills or resolutions being brought against Sri Lanka by Congress, to assist with the removal of Sri Lanka from the watch list on human trafficking, to help the travel advisory on Sri Lanka to be lifted and to organise a visit by a US business delegation to Sri Lanka.
Cranford Johnson Robinson PR was paid $ 45,000 to handle media relations for Sri Lanka and to proceed with an image-building campaign with the US press in 2010. Steve Hedges has been paid $ 49,106 to research and provide publicity on the initiatives of the Sri Lankan Government concerning rehabilitation and reconciliation and to respond to injurious claims about Sri Lanka in the media and oversee aspects of the media during THE visits of foreign dignitaries.
Majority Group LLC has been paid $ 354,000 in 2010 to provide assistance to eradicate negative resolutions, organise a congressional delegation to Sri Lanka, organise a fundraiser for Congress and stage a Capitol Hill member meeting.
