Former UNP Government gave millions to LTTE - Finance Minister

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

Finance and State Revenue Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday told Parliament that the former UNP Government has given millions of rupees to the LTTE Peace Secretariat and the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) without seeking approval from Parliament.

The Minister making a special statement said then UNP Government in 2004 has released Rs. 3.15 million to the LTTE Peace Secretariat to pay duty on radio equipment imported by the LTTE. The UNP has also given Rs. 13.02 million to the LTTE Peace Secretariat to purchase six 4WD Double Cabs.

According to the Minister, the former UNP Government has also given Rs. 60 million to implement four TRO projects. All together, the UNP has paid Rs. 76.17 million to the LTTE without seeking any Cabinet approval.

The Minister said the UNP which has given money to the LTTE without seeking any Cabinet approval is levelling baseless allegations against the Government on the allocation of supplementary estimates to the Lankaputhra Development Bank and Mihin Lanka.

The Government has followed proper guidelines when the allocations were made to these two companies by obtaining Cabinet approval.

The Minister also tabled a letter sent to then Prime Minister’s Secretary Bradman Weerakoon by the LTTE Peace Secretariat Chief S. Pulidevan on the release of Government funds to purchase six Double Cabs to the LTTE Peace Secretariat.