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Funds
mismanaged, claim ex-servicemen An influential section of the association accused its President Major General Tilak Paranagama of alleged mismanagement of funds. However, he denied the charge and appointed his own “fact finding” committee to probe the allegations. The
association’s ex-co members had petitioned the SLESA president
to step down due to his being involved in the misappropriation of
its medical fund. But the Ministry had told them that the SLESA was never a charity organization as claimed by it, was not registered with the Ministry and thus no investigation could be carried out by it. The ex-co members claimed that at a meeting on May 27, its trustee, retired Army Commander Hamilton Wanasinghe, had argued that there was no misappropriation, even before the matter could be inquired into. Maj. Gen. Paranagama appointed a fact finding committee, with Gen. Wanasinghe as chairman and Lt. Commander H.C.L. Caldera (Secretary), Wing Commander R. Hulangamuwa, Rear Admiral J. Jayasuriya and Col. Faiz Rahuman as members to investigate the matter. General Hamilton Wanasinghe told The Sunday Times that their investigations revealed that there was no misuse of the medical fund. “All funds are distributed to the ex-servicemen in an equal and fair manner. There is no such misappropriation like those interested parties claim. However we are still continuing our duties which are for the ex-service officers,” he said. The SLESA established by Act No.8 of 1976 was set up to provide assistance to ex-servicemen. It receives millions in funding from the Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Poppy Week Fund, SLESA Benevolent Trust Fund, SLESA Veterans Home Trust Fund and the British Commonwealth Ex- Servicemen’s Legion Grant. |
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