Govt Is Buying 1,000 New Double-Cabs for State Use — Can We Afford That Now?

The Finance Ministry has gone out to tender for 1,000 brand-new automatic 4WD diesel double-cabs for state use, bids closing October 22. The specs this time are noticeably looser than last year's 1,775-vehicle order — smaller engines, less ground clearance, lower torque allowed — after that tender was pulled within 12 days over claims it was written to favour one supplier. Backers say state agencies genuinely need reliable 4WDs for rural work, and that opening it up to more bidders this round should get a fairer price than the mess last year. Critics ask why the state is placing a 1,000-unit order at all while ordinary buyers are stacking a 30% duty, a 50% surcharge and 18% VAT just to bring in one vehicle for themselves. Is this a fleet renewal the public sector genuinely put off for years, or bad optics while the treasury squeezes private importers dry? If you've watched a government vehicle tender up close, what actually decides who wins it? මේකට සල්ලි තියෙනවද, නැත්නම් මේකත් කාටවත් වාසි කරන ගනුදෙනුවක්ද?