DailyMirror.lk:
Around 6000 bags of cement meant for road development work had been distributed among some UPFA supporters in the Panduwasnuwara area in the Kurunegala district in the build-up to the election in an attempt to buy votes, the UNP charged in Parliament yesterday. UNP Kurunegala District MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who brought up the issue in the House during sessions, said that the said stock of cement had been released for the “Maga Neguma” project to be used to concrete the access roads. He said that while this consignment of cement was being wasted on government supporters, Rs. 40 million had been spent to construct a 1.7 kilometre stretch of road. “Earlier, I raised a question about the cost involved in the construction of the Kantale-Habarana Road. That equates to around Rs. 10 million per kilometre of road. The government said that the cost was high because of the cost of repairing bridges and culverts along the road. However, in Panduwasnuwara, they had spent Rs.40 million for a road that was only two kilometres long, but did not have bridges or culverts. Why the difference? That is how public funds are being pocketed,” he said.