President's Office clarifies tsunami aid mechanism

A media communique issued by the Presidential Secretariat yesterday expressed concern over UNP Media Spokesman Professor G. L. Peiris' recent statement to say that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has stated that not a single cent received as international tsunami aid reached her and described this as a complete distortion of facts.

It stated that what the President said was that the international assistance pledged as tsunami aid did not consist of cash and that the cash funds received were only those remitted to the President's Fund and the Prime Minister's Fund.

Facts and figures pertaining to these two funds were published in daily papers. Future aid received to these two funds will be published in the same manner. The foreign aid pledged will be utilised for tsunami rehabilitation and development activities.

The responsibility of calling for tenders and selecting contractors rests solely on foreign donor organisations and Governments of the respective countries.

The donor countries have promised to carry out the development activities in conformity with Government plans. The Sri Lankan Government will only supervise and examine their activities.

The release said Professor Peiris appears to find difficulties in understanding matters when not in power. If that is not so, he would not have taken the trouble to distort statements by the President expressed so lucidly.