The tour which was described as a study tour, was originally proposed by the UNP, but the Prime Minister shot down the proposal, suggesting that the money allocated from the decentralised fund for the visit -- about Rs. 150,000 per head -- should be used for development purposes.

P. M. B. Cyril, opposition UNP leader of the council, said only two UNP councillors from the first batch had heeded the Premier's advice. Others had joined their PA colleagues on the tour that would take them to Hyderabad and Bangkok.

He said disciplinary action would be taken against the UNP members who left on the tour. Chief Minister H. G. Sirisena said 13 PA members were in the first batch that left the country this week. All seven JVP members of the 55-member coucil have declined the offer.

Mr. Sirisena said the tour was earlier scheduled to cover Singapore as well, but due to a SARS scare in that country, it was avoided. He said the tour was nothing unusual as other PCs had also offered study tours for councillors to get a firsthand knowlege on federal systems and power-sharing arrangements.

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