Former chair of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Dr. Charitha Herath has publicly challenged the Government’s decision to procure 1,775 brand-new four-wheel-drive (4WD) diesel double cabs.
He says the Finance Ministry’s tender, which could cost upwards of Rs. 40 billion, raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and good governance.
According to media reports, the tender process for the large-scale vehicle purchase was open for only 12 days, an unusually short window for a deal of such scale and cost.
The procurement notice, quietly published on the Treasury website without prior announcement or justification, has fueled speculation about the motives and beneficiaries behind the decision.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Dr. Herath accused the Government of acting with “undue haste and secrecy.”
He questioned why such a massive public expenditure was being approved amid the country’s ongoing fiscal crisis, and demanded clarity on who would receive the vehicles and under what criteria.
“The public deserves to know why this procurement is being rushed and what purpose it serves,” Dr. Herath stated, warning that bypassing procurement guidelines and evaluation procedures could undermine public confidence in governance.
He further stressed that transparency and accountability are vital for maintaining trust in public institutions.
“Large-scale purchases made without clear justification erode confidence in good governance,” he said, urging the authorities to provide a full public explanation of the double cab procurement.
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