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| Sunday, 10 March 2002 |
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Anuruddha's Billgate sizzles by ANTON NONIS The Ministry of Interior has refused to foot the cost of former Deputy Defence Minister Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte's helicopter ride to appear in courts, and the Sri Lanka Air Force is left with a nearly Rs.500,000 bill. According to an official of the Air Force, the former minister has been provided with helicopter transportation from his stay at the Colombo National Hospital to Teldeniya Magistrate's Court and back, on two occaions. Each trip had cost Rs. 236,000 and Mr. Ratwatte or whoever is responsible, owes Rs. 472,000 to the Air Force . Interior Minister, John Amaratunga told the Sunday Observer that his ministry is not liable to settle the helicopter charges. "My ministry doesn't have funds and I cannot pay the costs," Mr. Amaratunga said, adding that it was the responsibility of the Prisons Department. Mr. Amaratunga recalled an incident, where a request by Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe for a helicopter, was turned down point blank when they were in the Opposition. He was asked to pay the full costs and produce the bill. The Prisons Department which comes under the Interior Ministry, has refused to undertake the expenses. A Prisons Department source said they were also too poor to imburse the expense. Government sources point out that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga should be called upon to pay the bill. The Air Force official said that the usual procedure was to get the money in advance when providing air transport. But this was a special flight arranged for Mr. Ratwatte on the instructions of the President. Meanwhile, Colombo National Hospital Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said that the hospital has started billing Mr. Ratwatte at the rate of Rs.850 per day, in additon to the costs of drugs and those involved in the medical investigations |
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