|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 12 September 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Politics | Today's Top Story |  |
| News Business Features
|
Nobody can tell me where to go - Thondaman by P. Muthiah Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) leader and Parliamentarian Arumugan Thondaman said nobody could tell him where to go and where not to go. Referring to the media reports that he went to Hyderabad, India, last week to revise multi-million dollar deal with an IT Company. Thondaman said he visits Chennai every week to be with his family. "Whether I go to Hyderabad or elsewhere, is a personal matter," he said. A certain section of the Media (not Lake House newspapers) reported last week that a woman executive of an IT firm had been in Sri Lanka the week before last, and the CWC leader had entertained her at a southern tourist resort. The Co-options Technology Limited, based in Hyderabad, was to equip IT facilities at the National Water Supply and Drainage Board. Thondaman said when he was the Minister of Urban Development, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board slotted tenders for the project. Several companies had applied and the matter was discussed at a Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet appointed a tender board. A technical committee too was appointed. The project was approved by the Treasury. Thondaman said that it was the responsibility of the present Minister whether to go ahead with it or not. Relevant documents were available at the Treasury and at the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, he said. He said he was in Chennai last week and he would be there again this week too. In Sri Lanka, in our country, there is a different game of politics. Certain people think they can blackmail me. It won't work. As a Minister if I made a mistake they can question me. If I had made a mistake, my people would not have sent eight CWC representatives to Parliament. Some media and a few politicians go on digging into others personal matters for cheap thrills," Thondaman said. Answering a question, whether he had accepted the UPFA manifesto before extending his unconditional support to the government, the CWC leader said that there were development programs in the manifesto. It was the duty of the CWC to support the implementation of such development programs. "The CWC is an independent body. There is no MoU with the UNP. The CWC had contested once with the PA and once with the UNP," he added. Referring to criticism levelled against him for supporting the UPFA government, Thondaman said the majority would agree that the minority community should support the development of the country and the community. That was the first thing to be understood." Answering a question on the controversial Upper Kotmale Project, Thondaman said that a sub-committee had been appointed. Alternative proposals had been submitted. According to them, except St. Clair, other waterfalls would not be blocked. Ministers A.H.M. Fowzie, Dinesh Gunawardena and Susil Premajayanth were in the sub-committee and these proposals were being analysed. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
