Signed P-TOMS tabled in House by PM
by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi and Ranil Wijayapala
Premier Mahinda Rajapakse
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The Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) signed
between the Government and the LTTE was presented to Parliament along
with its signatures.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse tabled a copy of the P-TOMS document
with signatures at the commencement of Parliament sittings yesterday.
"I hereby table a copy of P-TOMS document along with the signatures,"
Prime Minister Rajapakse said while presenting the document to
Parliament.
Earlier, UPFA MP as JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa
requested the Government to present the P-TOMS document along with the
signatures. Weerawansa also requested a two-day debate on the P-TOMS.
Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara responded to this saying that the matter
could be discussed at the Party Leader's meeting.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama told parliament that
the Government structure of using funds will not be changed under the
P-TOMS when implementing projects in the tsunami-hit North and East.
Responding to a question by UPFA Colombo district MP and former
Deputy Minister Sunil Handunnetti regarding the P-TOMS, Dr. Amunugama
said the existing government agencies will be the implementing agencies
of tsunami rehabilitation projects, recommended under P-TOMS.
"Existing Government bodies such as Provincial Councils and District
Secretariats will be the agencies spending funds allocated to each
project," the Minister added.
The Minister said all the expenditure will be subjected to Government
financial regulations and the Auditor General has the full authority to
audit the activities of these implementing agencies.
"The Provincial Council and the district level structure will be
responsible for calling tenders, supervising the implementation of
projects," Dr. Amunugama added. "Not a single cent will be spent out of
the Government structure," he said.
The Minister said the structure of the existing District Committees
will remain as they are and they will be entrusted with the task of
identifying the projects for the district and will be forwarded to the
approval of the Regional Committee.
Dr. Amunugama said projects will be identified in accordance with the
assessments of the TAFREN and also by the combined assessment done by
the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and the Japan Bank for
International Cooperation.
The Minister explained that since the regional fund will consist of
grants from various countries, it will be audited by an independent body
agreed by both parties. "The Government's authority to audit the use of
funds by the Regional Fund will not be affected by this," he added.
The Minister said all those facts cannot be included in a agreement
of this kind. He said all the misgivings on the P-TOMS will be dispelled
once it comes into operation. |