Top management of DMT rapped, clarification on illegal vehicle registration demanded

The top management of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has claimed that they didn’t have relevant information when the Committee of Public Accounts (COPA) recently questioned them regarding illegal vehicle registrations that had taken place, prior to the integration with the Customs computer system.

Having rapped the DMT for failing to address specific concerns raised by the Auditor General with regard to such registrations, COPA declared that they would be called again. They were asked to come prepared, according a statement issued by Parliament yesterday.

The DMT management appeared before COPA on 10 March. MP Aravinda Senarath chaired the meeting, called to discuss the Auditor General’s reports for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, as well as the Department’s current performance.

During the meeting, the Committee inquired into the implementation of directives issued during previous meetings. In particular, the Auditor General had presented 25 observations regarding illegal vehicle registrations that had taken place prior to the integration with the Customs computer system. The Committee expected a report detailing the investigations conducted on these matters and the disciplinary actions taken against the responsible officials. However, the Auditor General pointed out that such a report had not been submitted.

Although the officials present claimed that a report had been provided, the Auditor General stated that he had not received it. A copy of the purported report was tabled during the session, but upon examination, the Auditor General informed the Committee that it was entirely unsatisfactory. As a result, the Committee conducted an extensive inquiry into the matter, but the officials failed to provide satisfactory responses. They stated that they did not possess the relevant information dating back.