A day after Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake proposed that all ministries and departments to stop the publication of political advertisements in news papers with immediate effect, several advertisements were carried in today’s papers in appreciation of Karunanayake who, according to advertisers, presented a “people-friendly” budget.

Although the advertisements seemed like private ones, they reflected badly on the Finance Minister who was very specific in his guidelines to the state sector on press advertisements. The advertisements did not lack political rhetoric dubbing Karunanayake as the Minister who ensured the dawn of a “hunger-free” era to the country.

In the final analysis, Karunanayake, in his capacity as the Finance Minister of the country, is assigned with the task of presenting the budget and discharging duties coming under his position does not warrant special appreciations, especially in the form of highly expensive press advertisements.

Karunanayake, in his interim budget statement which was made in Parliament yesterday said, “the publication of newspapers advertisements by government institutions based on political rhetoric seems to be excessive in many instances.”

“It appears that many advertisements so publicized with a political background are only creating a burden to the government expenditure.  Hence, I propose that all Ministries and departments should immediately stop the publication of political advertisements in news papers, except in specific situations where they can publish with the approval of the Secretary to the relevant line Ministry,” he also added.

The Finance Minister further proposed that all the Chairmen and Boards of Directors of the public institutions not only should refrain from publishing such newspaper advertisements with political rhetoric but also they will be held personally responsible for any cost on unauthorized advertisements, which will have to be borne by them in the event they had approved same.