December 02, Colombo (LNW): A significant number of luxury vehicles assigned to Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers remain unused, mainly due to their high fuel consumption, Speaker Dr. Asoka Ranwala disclosed.
Speaking at an event at the Nāgānanda International Institute for Buddhist Studies, the Speaker explained that these vehicles, while luxurious, are deemed unsuitable for Sri Lanka’s current circumstances.
Ranwala told reporters that many MPs and Ministers have chosen not to use these vehicles because of their poor fuel efficiency, making them impractical in the context of the country’s fuel challenges.
He highlighted that despite the presence of a large fleet of such vehicles in storage, they are not being utilised.
He also noted that no MP has officially requested a luxury vehicle through Parliament, emphasising the reluctance of elected officials to use such high-maintenance cars.
The Speaker further elaborated that even vehicles assigned to his own office have not been put into service due to their high fuel consumption.
When asked if the unused luxury vehicles could be sold, Dr. Ranwala responded that any decision regarding the auctioning of these vehicles would need to be made at a national level.
Regarding government-owned residences for Ministers, the Speaker clarified that no Minister had requested an official residence for personal use. Ranwala asserted that residences owned by the government should be used for official purposes only, and it is the government’s responsibility to maintain these properties.
