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Cross talk over highway expenditure
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A gamut of accusations were witnessed between members of the present government and an Opposition MP who happened to be a minister in the previous regime, over high costs incurred over a development project in Parliament yesterday.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella were on one side while opposition MP Dallas Alahapperuma who was a former Minister was on the other side blaming each other over the high cost incurred in the Colombo-Kandy highway.
Mr. Alahapperuma questioned as to why the government was spending Rs 4.48 billion a kilometer for this highway after criticizing the previous regime for trying to spend Rs 4.8 billion a kilometer. “You people questioned as to we construct highways with gold but I would like to ask you whether you are constructing the highway with both gold and platinum as your government too is spending an exorbitant amount,’ he said. Also he questioned as to why the government is continuing the unsolicited contract procedure after criticizing the same procedure carried out by the previous regime.
Mr. Kiriella said the interest rate which the government hove to pay for the loan generated for the project from a Chinese Bank was much less than the rate for which the previous regime promised. “You people went for high interest loans but we don’t follow that policy,” he said.
Mr. Wickremesinghe who joined in the cross talk said these were contracts signed by the previous regime. “This regime has to bear the sins of the last regime,” he therefore said. (Yohan Perera)
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