Could have built palaces instead of houses with money wasted - PM

Maithripala Sirisena was elected as President on January 8, 2015 to give back the people their rights which were “stolen” during the previous decade, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said. 

“Actually we still do not know what have been stolen. We are now looking at (what has been stolen). So far we have found Rs 1,000 billion,” he said, addressing an event in Colombo to unveil the five-year plan to uplift the living standard of people in the plantation sector.

He stated that a large number of houses could have been built in the country for the US$ 211 million spent on purchasing 8 airplanes by the previous government.

Wickremesinghe said that ‘palaces’ could have been built for each person instead of houses from the money spent on the hedging deal and on purchasing aircrafts. 

He charged that although the former government did not build houses in the North it built a ‘palace’. 

The PM said that expenses rose in an unimaginable manner due to the corruption and that several hidden expenses have now been found.  

Wickremesinghe stated that he informed Parliament regarding the individuals who have stolen and that various attempts are being made to bring no-confidence motions in fear of probes being launched into them. 

“What I say is bring no-confidence motion after we find out about these,” he added.