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| Sunday, 23 February 2003 |
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My ministry totally free from bribery & corruption - Dr. Jayalath by Don Asoka Wijewardena Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, said that the functions of his ministry were totally free from bribery and corruption with transparency maintained in all dealings. Dr. Jayawardena spoke to the Sunday Observer about the activities of his ministry, especially with regard to resettlement of refugees, emergency relief measures and food distribution to the North and East. "The functional division of the ministry include provision of essential services to internally displaced persons, emergency relief measures with food, security and shelter for those affected by the conflict. As there are around 800,000 IDPs in the North and East, my ministry is entirely responsible for providing basic requirements to them while taking measures to resettle them. My ministry is also responsible for rehabilitating the war-torn areas with necessary development activities, especially in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Vauniya where health an education facilities are in total mess. Steps have already been taken to clear one million land mines in those areas and my ministry has been entrusted with the task of proceeding with the development programmes with the assistance of both local and foreign organisations following the cessation of hostilities. "Food distributed to the North and East is of high quality and on correct quantity with equitable distribution. Cabinet Appointed Tender Board (CATB) calls for tenders and it comprises the Secretary to the Ministry of Co-operatives, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury and Secretary to the Irrigation and Water Board. Tenders are called openly and the tender board decides on the purchase of food and prices. During the war time in restricted areas, people had to suffer a lot and I took some measures to dispatch essential food items to the North and East by sea. "There was a monopoly in that period because a bottle of kerosene was sold at Rs. 130 and a coconut between Rs. 40-50. I took several steps to break that monopoly and liberalised the trade. When I assumed duties as the minister, there was a practice to call for tenders to purchase rice for IDPs from some registered suppliers. I changed that practice and decided that tenders should be called by public advertisements. I made it very transparent and, I think by doing so, I have created many enemies. Transparency in food procurement has been given priority as the Industrial Technological Institute (ITI) assures the quality of each food item before they are sent to the North and East. Reports are also obtained from the respective Government Agents (GAs) in the five districts about the required quantity and thereby only the required food items will be distributed safely," the minister said. |
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