PANJIM: Amid media uproar over government funding the trip of four MLAs, including a minister, who left Tuesday to witness the quarter finals of the Soccer World Cup at Brazil, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said they have been asked to reimburse the money spent by Sports Authority of Goa on booking their junket tickets by July 31.
Parrikar admitted that the SAG booked the MLAs’ tickets, as the amount paid to the ticket agent was released in advance. “The MLAs have gone at their own expense, but they will have to reimburse the entire amount (to the SAG) by July 31,” he said.
Parrikar said that SAG told to collect the entire amount latest by July 31 in one installment.
Four legislators — Avertano Furtado (Fisheries minister), Velim MLA Benjamin Silva, Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo and Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida — have left for Brazil on a ten-day tour. The junket that was initially planned for six MLAs was worth Rs 89 lakh. Calangute MLA Michael Lobo opted out at the last moment while Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar dropped out when the junket was exposed by Herald.
Lobo had said that he needed a bill and would pay for the trip but when he realized that it was snowballing into a major controversy, he did not wish to be dragged into it.
