by Dilanthi Jayamanne

The People’s Alliance called for the government to step down claiming that there was rampant corruption and incompetence in its administration. Addressing the regular press briefing yesterday, PA Media Spokesman Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the UNF government had pledged a "level playing field for investors and transparency prior to the elections.

He claimed that within one year the government had proved otherwise by allowing a few selected companies to "run rough shod over the awarding of tenders."

Dr. Amunugama said that 28 companies had applied to the call for tenders for the Lotteries Board. The Tender Board looked into the applications and made recommendations to the cabinet. He alleged that Minister Milinda Moragoda, who had no connection at all with the matter, had forwarded a cabinet paper overlooking all other applications and tender procedure by recommending a Norwegian company.

"We do not know the background of the company nor its capabilities," the media spokesman pointed out.

The President is totally against the method in which the issue has been carried out he said claiming that she had intervened in the matter and postponed it..

"For once Minister Ravi Karunanayake had been able to see eye to eye with her on the matter as the money received from it goes into Mahapola Scholarships and other development projects," he said pointing out that the Minister too had voiced his objections regarding the awarding of the tender to the company.

Voicing the President’s opinion on the privatisation of the Ceylon Transport Board (CTB), he said the President had pointed out to the Cabinet that it was a violation of the government policy of transparency in handing over the CTB to one single company not knowing its abilities.

The Company has not been able to pay up the minimum amount required by the Treasury to take charge of the eight CTB depots. They keep postponing the event day by day throwing the workers into a dilemma as to who is in charge, whether it is the private company or government.

"The President’s objections have been proved 100 % accurate regarding the CTB issue, he claimed.

Amunugama said that even the railway was threatening to curtail its services as they claim they did not have money. "It is the poor commuter who is at the receiving end. The government has brought about a situation where a commuter could not travel expecting a proper mode of transport.

The PA Media spokesman said that seven Cabinet ministers who were under investigation for bribery and corruption charges had "turned the tables on the Commissioner of Bribery and Corruption. "They want to bring in a Parliamentary resolution to appoint a select committee to investigate the Bribery Commissioner," he said.

"This is a strange reversal of roles. The Parliament has appointed the Bribery Commissioner to investigate these seven ministers," he said claiming that this indeed was a unprecedented mockery of Parliamentary powers.