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An audit report has revealed that the issuance of 138 open travel passes to eight trade unions (TUs) in violation of the Establishment Code caused the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) a loss of approximately Rs. 43 million in 2023.
Additionally, the allocation of 22 free train travel passes to these unions by the Department of Railways resulted in an estimated loss exceeding Rs. 25 million to the government during the same year, according to the Auditor General’s report.
The report highlights that under the Establishment Code, two officials can be assigned full-time to a recognised trade union congress for organisational work.
These officials are entitled to free travel permits valid across the country, including train passes and SLTB passes. However, the issuance of 138 travel permits to eight trade unions significantly exceeded the permissible limit, leading to substantial financial losses.
Specifically, the losses incurred due to the unauthorised issuance of SLTB permits amount to Rs. 43,046,993, while the loss due to the 22 free train passes is recorded at Rs. 25,294,500.The Auditor General recommends taking immediate action to either revoke these unauthorised permits or recover the losses incurred.
Gayan Kumara Weerasinghe
