Leading foreign- funded NGOs spending unchecked

*Registered only as guaranteed companies under Registrar of Companies

*NGO Secretariat in the lurch in access to monitor their activities

*Proposed bill to ensure proper check on them

 By KELUM BANDARA 23 May 2024 Daily Mirror LK

A number of leading NGOs funded by various foreign sources for projects such as gender rights, human rights and democratic governance have been registered only as guaranteed companies under the registrar of Companies leaving the National NGO Secretariat in the lurch in having a check on their expenses and activities, a top source said.

The NGOs registered with the Secretariat received as much as Rs.33 billion in funding last year.

According to the source, even a bigger amount should have been spent by other key NGOs funded by sources in some powerful countries.

The source said, the proposed Non-governmental Organizations (Registration and Supervision) Bill ‘which is now in the final stage to be presented in Parliament for enactment will provide for the establishment of a proper check on spending and activities of such NGOs.

These NGOs had been registered as guaranteed companies under the Registrar of Companies.

"The NGO Secretariat has no supervision on their spending on various projects. That is why we have called for the enactment of the new law,” the source said.

These leading NGOs which protested the proposed piece of legislation engaged with the Colombo-based diplomatic community earlier. After that, the U.S. State Department also sent some observations to be incorporated in the new bill.

These observations, along with those of the NGOs and other civil society organizations, were referred to the Legal Draftsman’s Department for consideration in evolving the new bill, according to the Public Security Ministry⍐.