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| Minister
lobbying for shady horse The individual, one among three applicants to the post, is backed by the Cabinet minister despite a record of abuse of power in government posts held previously. Having passed the first interview, the applicant is to face a second interview to be held on Thursday. The individual, who held a top managerial post in the mid 1980s in the now defunct Milk Board, was found guilty on charges of illegally selling milk powder as off-grade at half the price and was interdicted. He was barred from leaving the country until investigations were completed. Deviating from routine procedures, he had not only sold the milk powder as off-grade while it could have been reprocessed and repackaged, but also reduced prices at his own free will. An internal audit report which was the outcome of an inquiry ordered by the then Rural Industries Minister S. Thondaman, for engaging in such illegal practice had revealed that he had sold the milk powder which could be sold at Rs. 32,000 per ton at around Rs. 19,500- Rs.20,000 per ton. He had engaged in the fraud by claiming to sell the milk powder to an individual at Woodland Ice Cream Company, but investigations by the internal auditor had revealed that there was no one by the prescribed name at the Woodland factory. Initially he had sold four metric tons of milk powder and subsequently continued the practice on the grounds that the milk powder was off-grade.The audit report had also revealed that he had repeatedly violated rules in having his own way to meet his personal agendas. According to the audit report, he had sold tyres from the Milk Board's Narahenpita store at Rs. 150 and from the Ambawela store at Rs. 125 as the buyer will have to incur transport costs in bringing them to Colombo. Many more frauds have taken place with regard to the sale of items belonging to the Milk Board, including an ice cream-making machine, the audit report had disclosed. This official had later taken over the reins of Lanka Milk Industries in 1990, but had to resign from the post following representations made by the then Project Minister for Livestock Development and Milk Production Mahendra Wijeratne. He was then
appointed to the topmost post in the Freedom from Hunger Campaign.
However, his post was terminated when his previous record of malpractices
were brought to the notice of the President. Despite a history of
poor professional record directly linked to malpractices and abuse
of power, he is now contending for the post of CEO to the Southern
Region Economic Development Commission. |
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