All Governments including the PA, PA/JVP provisional Governments in the past have made use of technical assistance provided by foreign donors, said UNP MP Bandula Gunawardena.

Issuing a statement, Gunawardena said when the UNP Government was formed in December 2001, it utilised funds available under World Bank, ADB and USAID projects which provided Technical Assistance.

He was referring to the Daily News report concerning Advisors and Consultants used by the previous Government.

There was an existing World Bank project to provide Technical Assistance to the Telecommunication Regulatory and Public Enterprise Reform program under which several consultants were provided for the PA Government.

The last UNF Government utilised these projects to obtain Consultants on the same basis. When the project ended it was replaced by the Economic Reform Technical Assistance projects. Thereafter consultants were obtained under this project.

It must be noted that foreign consultants are finally selected by the donor agencies providing the funds. Selections are made on the basis of established procurement procedures in a transparent manner.

Consultants are paid at the rates which are generally commanded by them internationally. Consultants are appointed on short or medium term contracts depending on need.

No consultants were appointed for work in the Prime Minister's Office during the last Government. The consultants were assigned to the relevant Ministries including Policy Development & Implementation, Economic Reforms etc., according to need.

The advisors and consultants appointed during the previous government were used to strengthen the government's capacity in the preparation of project proposals and presentations for the following:

The "Regaining Sri Lanka" document which was presented and accepted at the Tokyo donor meeting as the basis for pledging a total of US dollars 4.5 billion, as donor assistance - Section 10 of the Tokyo Declaration.

The Physical Infrastructure Development Programme which consisted of 64 specific projects covering the areas of irrigation, power, ports, highways, airports etc., to utilise the donor assistance pledged in Tokyo.

The proposed Free Trade Agreement with USA which had the objective of enabling our apparel exports to enter the US market after the Multi-Fibre Agreement and quotas ceased in 2005.

The proposed Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with India.

The proposals to improve market access for Sri Lankan exports to the European Union.

Economic Reform Projects to implement "Regaining Sri Lanka".

The proposals for a debt write-off of a part of the foreign concessional loans of Sri Lanka which had amounted over US Dollars 8,000 million. These proposals were to be presented when the Peace Talks had made progress. Sri Lanka's National Debt had reached over 100% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act No. 3 of 2003 required that the National Debt be reduced to 85% of the GDP by 2006. A write-off of a large part of our foreign concessional loans would have helped to achieve the target. The development of the Communication strategy both for domestic audiences and for use abroad in the main aid-giving countries.

It should also be mentioned that in the World Bank projects the figures cited are grossly exaggerated.