Foreign funding for ‘environmental projects’ sans Treasury approval rife

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Treasury Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga said the Environment Ministry had routinely received foreign funds for projects that had been implemented without prior approval from the External Resources Department (ERD) of the Treasury.

Dr. Samaratunga said so when The Island sought his response to the Auditor General’s disclosure that the Environment Ministry had implemented projects to the tune of USD 9.96 mn and one project worth Euro 1.86 mn in 2017, 2018 and 2019 during his tenure as the Secretary to the Treasury.

The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has taken up this issue at a meeting on Nov 19, chaired by Prof. Tissa Vitharana, at the Parliamentary Complex.

Dr. Samaratunga emphasised that other ministries, too, had utilised such funding, sans proper approval and contrary to specific laid down procedures.

According to Dr. Samaratunga who served as Secretary to the Treasury during Ravi Karunanayake and Mangala Samarawee’s tenure as Finance Minister, the funds originated from both governments and INGOs.

Jathika Jana Balavegaya National List MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP Niroshan Perera who had been present at the meeting presided over by Prof. Vithana underscored the responsibility on the part of ministries and government institutions to adhere with specific instructions pertaining to foreign funding. Lawmaker Niroshan Perera said that the failure on the part of the Environment Ministry to secure approval of the External Resources Department was unacceptable.

During yahapalana administration, President Maithripala Sirisena held the environment portfolio. Former General Secretary of the Communist Party Dew Gunasekera, who had served as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) told The Island that the Treasury should take tangible measures in consultation with relevant authorities to prevent utilization of foreign funds without proper scrutiny.

The former Minister pointed out that the External Resources Department, too, should be on alert and make necessary interventions when required.

Parliamentary watchdog committees have highlighted waste, corruption, irregularities and negligence in public sector enterprises though the government was yet to take action on their findings, Gunasekera said.