COLOMBO: Justifying the move to tighten the monitoring mechanism on NGOs, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told Sri Lankan Editors on Friday that the government had the right and the responsibility to monitor how the NGOs obtained funds and what they were used for.
Responding to the recent debate on NGOs and the role they played in facilitating development, he said many millions of rupees come into the country. There is no mechanism to monitor where they come from and how they are utilised.
The President referred to the situation in India and said no country allowed organisations to bring in large amounts and spend them on projects of their own without any monitoring by the government.
Guidelines
“Therefore, the government intends to work out a suitable policy to monitor their activities.” He pointed out that specific guidelines were needed for NGOs to obtain funds through correct methods and spend in a correct manner.
Joining the discussion, Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella said such fund inflows could even lead to money laundering, which is now a growing global concern.
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