The initial estimate for this luxury bunker done by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau was in the region of Rs. 400 million but expected to go much higher as the work progressed. The work on the luxury bunker itself commenced in July this year with several millions worth work already done.

Luxury bunker

Use of such bunkers by heads of state are not common but Nazi Leader Adolf Hitler used one in Berlin.

Initially, the authorities contracted a construction company to commence work on the luxury bunker which they did in July based on the estimate given by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau but with new requirements introduced, the costs were expected to escalate.

It is while this work was in progress that a close confidant of President Rajapakse who has a major 'link' to another engineering company stirred a hornet's nest by carrying a tale to Temple Trees.

This man whose initials are N.W. (name withheld) had told the President that one of the owners of the construction company had complained at the Colombo Orient Club, public money was being wasted on building a luxury bunker at (location withheld) to protect the powers that be when lesser mortals had to face security risks. The tale carrier is a member of the Orient Club.

Cat out of the bag

No sooner the President was given this information by N.W., he immediately called the owner of the construction company and pitched into him for speaking publicly on the luxury bunker, much to the man's surprise.

The owner of course denied culpability, claiming word would have got out from some of the workers engaged in the construction but the President would have none of it and immediately asked them to stop all work which was already in progress.

With that done, the job was handed over to the engineering firm of the man with the link who carried the tale.

Needless to say, no tenders were called for the construction for which the Treasury is to cough up over Rs. 400 million if completed.

This columnist spoke to the Director General, Media Centre for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle before writing this story and inquired whether the media would be subjected to the new emergency regulations and he gave an emphatic "no." Specifically asked whether reporting on a construction was prohibited, he once again replied in the negative but said he was unaware of the construction adverted to.

Be that as it may, even as the construction work continued on the luxury bunker apace, a little away at Temple Trees, the President was grappling with the political and economic issues which were threatening to damn the administration with no respite for the people in sight.

In fact the failure to deal effectively with the peace process has resulted in aid systematically drying up, not to mention tourism and foreign exchange with even the majority of the tsunami victims of December 2004 still living in makeshift tents.

However, this state of affairs in the country has not stopped the President from launching grandiose projects such as a new budget airline using the monies of the poor workers with reports also of rampant corruption in the government, forcing the UNP itself to awaken from its deep slumber. .."

Courtesy Extracts: Sunday Leader,Suranimala