NDDCB unveils:

MPs in drug trade

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

A survey by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) on drug traffickers has unveiled a lengthy list of parliamentarians indirectly involved in the drug trade. Revealing the results of the survey conducted through their ground level network, NDDCB Chairman Dr. Samarasingha said that due to lack of legal provision the NDDCB is unable to coordinate the information with the law enforcement agencies for action.

"With the resources available we collected much information on those parliamentarians closely associated with the drug trade, said Dr. Samarasingha.

Inviting political parties to compare their nomination lists with the survey results to avoid nominating corrupt politicians, Dr. Samarasingha added that the NDDCB hopes that the leaders who pledged good governance will use these resources to minimise corruption in politics. "As an initial step a senior politician of the United National Party has called for information and we assisted him fully," he added.

The survey was conducted through 200 outreach and training officials of the NDDCB working across the country. The NDDCB being a part of the March 12 Movement which was initiated as a collective of civil society organisations, conducted the survey to devise a strategy to implement the pledge.

Dr. Samarasingha said that if the other relevant Government institutes could highlight the involvement of corrupt politicians in rape cases, fraud and other illegal activities, it would help voters to make the correct choice.