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Rs. 1.2 billion for BMWs, Defender jeeps for CHOGM
The Government will spend more than US$ 7.8 million or Rs. 1.2 billion to import 40 luxury BMW cars and 60 Defender jeeps for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo. While the cars are for use by heads of state or government, the new Defender Jeeps will be for security details, an official source revealed yesterday.
At the end of the summit, the source said, the vehicles would be sold by public auction to recover the money spent on them. As previously reported in the Sunday Times, several ministers have appealed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa that some of the BMWs be given to them as official vehicles. No decision on the matter has yet been made.
A state bank has already opened Letters of Credit for the import of the fleet of BMWs. The super luxury cars will cost US$ 6 million or Rs. 793 million. The Defender jeeps are expected to cost US$ 1.8 million or Rs. 238 million.
Officials said that Prince Charles, deputising for his mother Queen Elizabeth, would bring his own luxury vehicle for the event. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, if he decided to come, would also bring his own limousine, the official said.
The government has allocated Rs. 1,930 million for the accommodation of VVIPs, the Commonwealth Business Forum, the Commonwealth People’s Forum, official engagements and hospitality, spouses’ programme, social programmes, retreat, accreditation, meeting venues and miscellaneous expenses.
In addition, the Ministry of Mass Media will spend a further Rs. 975 million. But the cost for luxury vehicles and transport expenses was not included in the original estimate for official expenditure.
The total expenditure for the CHOGM has been pruned down to Rs. 3.5 billion, from the initial estimate of Rs. 6 billion, the Sunday Times reliably learns.
Heads of 54 Commonwealth countries are expected to participate in the summit, scheduled to be held in Colombo from November 15 to 17. The Commonwealth Youth Summit will be held in Hambantota, concurrently.
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