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The gymnastics display at the SLFP National Convention

The gymnastics display at the SLFP National Convention

By Mandana ismail Abeywickrema

The misuse of state funds and resources for the recently held SLFP National Convention has come to light with details of millions of rupees spent on the gymnastics display alone, being made public.

The National Youth Services Council (NYSC) at a cost close to Rs. 9 million had organised the gymnastics display for the SLFP National Convention. The NYSC had organised a gymnastics workshop from November 9 to 16 with the participation of about 2,400 children.
The project report on the workshop organised by the NYSC with the Ministry being named as the funding source

The project report on the workshop organised by the NYSC with the Ministry being named as the funding source

The gymnastics display at the SLFP convention ironically was held on the final day of the workshop.

The project report on the ‘aerobics gymnastics workshop’ prepared by Youth Services Officer II, Sirimal Jayaratne states, financial assistance for the project would be received from the Youth Affairs Ministry and other sponsors.

The estimated cost of the workshop according to the project report is Rs. 8,957,000 (Rs. 8.9 million). Of the estimated cost, over Rs. 5 million has been allocated for the provision of food to 2,600 young girls for six and a half days.

Cost of transport

Another Rs. 2.4 million has been allocated to meet the transport cost of participants with each being paid a sum of Rs. 1,000. The rest of the cost covers expenses on fuel, stationery, first aid, sanitary labourer’s charges, transport and other expenses and overtime.

The major part of the funding had come from the Youth Affairs Ministry.
The fact that public funds were utilised to add colour to the SLFP convention shocked even the legislators last week.
The agreement signed between the NYSC and Ranathisara Builders to provide food to the participants

The agreement signed between the NYSC and Ranathisara Builders to provide food to the participants

The funds spent on the NYSC workshop, which ended with the participants performing a gymnastics display at the SLFP convention was raised in parliament on Tuesday (17).

JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti after explaining details about the NYSC ‘gymnastics workshop’ and the participants performing at the SLFP national convention, questioned whether the Youth Affairs Ministry had received cabinet approval to allocate funds for the workshop, which was aimed at putting together a gymnastics display for a convention of a political party.

He noted that the Ministry should have obtained cabinet approval before allocating funds for the project as the estimated cost was close to Rs. 9 million.
Handunnetti added that the Ministry Secretary had been unable to respond to his queries.

Cannot use public funds

He told The Sunday Leader that a political party could not use public funds and resources for a national convention.

“The cash strapped government on the one hand acts to increase its loan borrowings to Rs. 210,000 million while on the other wastes close to Rs. 10 million on a gymnastics display for its party’s national convention,” Handunnetti said.

He also expressed doubts over the company chosen by the NYSC to provide prepared meals to the participants during the course of the ‘workshop.’

The food provided to the participants was subject to scrutiny when several girls who participated in the programme were hospitalised a few days before the convention with severe food poisoning.

The contract to provide prepared meals for the workshop was given to ‘Ranathisara Builders’ from Kurunegala.

The agreement between the NYSC and Ranathisara Builders was signed on November 6. The amount agreed as payment for the prepared food to Ranathisara Builders was Rs. 5,101,824 (Rs. 5.1 million) inclusive of VAT.

Irregularity denied

However, the NYSC officials denied any irregularity in handing over the contract to provide cooked meals to this company.

“The government tender procedures were followed when choosing the company,” NYSC Director General, Bhashvara Senanka Gunaratne said.

As for the girls who were taken ill due to food poisoning, Gunaratne said the participants did not suffer from food poisoning but from a physical ailment due to the strenuous exercises involved in gymnastics.

However, the funding for the project according to the Director General was channeled through several sources.

Youth Affairs Ministry Secretary, S. Virithamulla said that while the NYSC is allocated funds by the Ministry for various projects for the empowerment and development of youth, the Ministry officials did not look into every single project initiated by the council.

He told The Sunday Leader that the NYSC was currently carrying out many projects for the youth and that the gymnastics workshop may have been one such project.
“The Council is empowered to take decisions in relation to projects implemented by it,” he said.

Funds for the workshop

When asked if the Youth Affairs Ministry allocated funds for the gymnastics workshop where the participants finally ended their course by performing a gymnastics display at the SLFP National Convention, Virithamulla said the NYSC received funds from the Ministry, sponsors, donors and even earned funds on their own.

As for the respective gymnastics workshop, the Ministry Secretary
did not give a direct response as to whether the Ministry actually funded the programme. However, the project report on the workshop has clearly stated the source of funding was to be from the Youth Affairs Ministry and sponsors.

Meanwhile, NYSC Director General Gunaratne said the workshop was not held targeting the SLFP Convention.

According to Gunaratne, the NYSC was currently in the process of forming a gymnastics team that could be booked for private performances by making the necessary payment.
“It will be like the NYSC dancing troupe. The gymnastics troupe could also be booked for various events,” he said.

He observed that the gymnastics group was ‘booked’ for the SLFP convention.

“We get contracts and the participation at the SLFP convention was also part of a contract,” Gunaratne said, adding that the NYSC received a payment and other benefits for participating at the convention.

However, he declined to comment as to how much was received as payment for the performance at the convention, from whom, and the benefits received by the Council.