COPE lashes out at Tea Board for failed advertising campaign

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's parliamentary watchdog, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) lashed out at the Sri Lanka Tea Board for spending an obscene amount of money on an advertising and propaganda campaign that has not yielded results.

During the COPE meeting held on Tuesday (19) it was revealed that although Rs. 2.3 billion was spent for the propaganda activities of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the propaganda activities were not done productively.

At the same time, it was also revealed that, although seven years have passed, the IT system of the Sri Lanka Tea Board has not been installed.

Officials told COPE that the project was handed over to a private firm, and thereafter attempts were made to bring the ICTA on board as consultants.

COPE Chairman Professor Ranjith Bandara expressed alarm over the move to award the project first, and then to source consultants.