MS residence for MR: PM

25 June 2015 12:57 pm - 31 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today that plans were afoot to assign the Wijerama Mawatha residence currently occupied by President Maitripala Sirisena to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as his official residence.

The Prime Minister was responding to a question by MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardane on the inadequate security both in terms of personnel and vehicles to Mr . Rajapaksa.

Mr. Wickremesinghe said the President would move into the residence which was occupied by the late President D.B. Wijetunga in Colombo. He said it was being repaired at the moment. However, he said the government could assign a different house to Mr. Rajapaksa if the repair work was delayed .

According to the law which stipulates benefits for former Heads of State, he said an ex president was entitled to two official residences .

Besides, he said he said 105 police officers including three ASPs had been assigned to the security detail of Mr. Rajapaksa in addition to 104 armed forces personnel including 14 officers.

The Prime Minister said a bullet proof Benz car and bullet proof BMW jeep were used by Mr. Rajapaksa. Other vehicles assigned for his use includes one Defender, one Double Ca andone Land Cruiser in addition to 21 vehicles provided for the use of his security purposes. They include a car, three Defenders, three Land Cruiser Jeeps, two Double Cabs, three signal cabs, four trucks ,two buses and three motor bikes.

The Prime Minister said , " We have to provide security to him. There is no question about that."

He also promised to increase security for Mr. Rajapaksa during the election time if needed.(Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera)

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Comments - 31

Patriot Friday, 26 June 2015 09:08 AM

Ama thambi adu Abdul Kalam not Galam was a figure head not a guy like MR who kicked the tiger balls to high heaven. Which you seems to be still reeling from

INDIAN Wednesday, 01 July 2015 11:09 AM

WHAAAT IS DIS YAAAAR :P

Mage Kata Monday, 29 June 2015 10:48 AM

PM please make sure to air condition the toilets and fix TVs inside the toilets. Otherwise he will refuse to occupy the place.

Pumi Saturday, 27 June 2015 01:29 PM

In deed MR, SF, MS were our saviors at the high time. We highly respect and we should protect them. No need to follow other countries or any advisors. RW is an educated person with high values.

Puran Appu Friday, 26 June 2015 09:10 PM

Oh! I can see, Ranil is not jealous but his voters !

Rohan Friday, 26 June 2015 05:36 PM

Why not Sri Lanka learn from their mistakes??? When are they going to give a full stop to WASTE? Can a third world country like us afford to waste like this???

Rohan Friday, 26 June 2015 05:31 PM

Why would you need 105 plus staff to protect one man. Are they incompetent? I think maximum of 5 staff would be more than enough. If this government looking for stop waste, this issue is on top of the list.

Rationalist Friday, 26 June 2015 03:35 PM

Why would MR want to leave his beloved Hambantota to reside in Colombo? He built all the facilities to, and in Hambantota so that it would become the capital of Sri Lanka.If he too deserts Hambantota, what is going to happen to all the White ELephants he built?

cristo Friday, 26 June 2015 03:02 PM

Surely you go into public office to serve the country the people and to make a better world for all ...not for all the perks and benefits you can milk from the system ...from what basil said he sacrificed so much of his own life to serve the country ..was all that power a burden .? I think not ..they want it all back

nan Friday, 26 June 2015 01:03 PM

life can be different to a house. we are srilankans not indians to copy

Tilak Friday, 26 June 2015 12:02 PM

Sri Lanka is rich? Are you mad? We are still living in poverty. Look around and see the beggars on the street and how people are struggling to survive. We need begging bowl.

de silva Friday, 26 June 2015 11:37 AM

Well said..We must start a campaign to press trhe government to abolish all these preveleges.

Mason Friday, 26 June 2015 11:36 AM

He could be accommodated in Welikade jail thus saving this colossal expenditure, which the country could ill afford.After all that is his due place for the corruption during his tenure.

de silva Friday, 26 June 2015 11:34 AM

Ane mage kata.

de silva Friday, 26 June 2015 11:32 AM

What a country is this.There are thousands and thousnds of people in this country who are without houses,without water,proper sanitation and so on and a so called former president has the right to have two houses,maintained from our money.There is something wrong with the system in this country.We must start a campaign to abolish all previlages that are given to former presidents because after they are out of office they all all normal civilians and they cannot get any previlages that we do not have.The time has come for us to thin about this and do some radical changes to this system.

Jazzy Friday, 26 June 2015 09:34 AM

Why should he be provided accommodation in Colombo.I thought he is a man of the village as he always claims to be.As an ex president he is entitled to his perks but it does it means that his accommodation should be in Colombo.!!??What a hypocrite.!! Anyway he does not fit into being a "Colomobo ian"He thinks like the Village Chandiya.!!

jeff Thursday, 25 June 2015 07:19 PM

What a waste of tax payer money!. Why the ex Presidents need a official residents? In India, this is not hsppening. See how ex Indian President Abdul Galam live a simple life.

Suhada Friday, 26 June 2015 08:48 AM

With 10,000 reformed LTTE cadres in the country, a very established and financially strong pro LTTE extremist diaspora overseas, murderous ex JVPer Noel Mudalige gone into hiding, PM is correct - MR, GR, all wartime service commanders should have extra security during their lifetimes. Many forgive and move on, some yet foster grudges and the best way to revive a revolution for LTTE or JVP military wing is to kill a VVIP to get the name into the headlines and to create suspicions elsewhere. There is no question about that.

kumar Friday, 26 June 2015 08:28 AM

Looks like the same type like man is scared of MR and realizes that UNP will lose the election because of thier stupid actions. He wants to be in the good books of MR. The UNP should first secure the sinhala vote and then look for the minority vote. They always mis calculate the sinhala vote on the assumption it is thiers. Only to wake up post election day with a thumping defeat. RW and Wijedasa Rajapkse can hug each other and say "Giya Dewal Giya".

MSR Friday, 26 June 2015 08:03 AM

MR defeated terrorism. Hence many LTTE supporters hates him and his family. He brought us protections and we must protect him now from those defeated, vindictive, maniacs. President or Ex is irrelevant. Period.

Sandy Friday, 26 June 2015 07:42 AM

It is the responsibility of the current Govt. to protect the former President.

kondaya77 Thursday, 25 June 2015 10:26 PM

Even a former president of U.S.A . do not have such a big security detail. All this is for bogus show. I am glad that Sri Lanka is a rich country, No need of the begging bowl.

Dutchy Thursday, 25 June 2015 10:10 PM

Ohoma gihin Janadipathikamath devida awasane...

Horri Jimonis Thursday, 25 June 2015 09:57 PM

Follow India and set an example. No need to waste our money for a sinner.

Kiris Baba Amaray Thursday, 25 June 2015 09:53 PM

If our President is leading a simple style of life, why not MR live in Carlton and lead a simple style of life?

Bubble Banda Thursday, 25 June 2015 09:50 PM

He enjoyed a luxury life playing out our money. No need to spend anything more.

Horri Jimonis Thursday, 25 June 2015 09:47 PM

This man had enjoyed the Maximum Luxury life out of public money and looted the country. Hence, no need to give the basics only.

Upul Thursday, 25 June 2015 09:22 PM

This is the reason these people try to get into these positions and stay in their forever. You have privileges even if you are an Ex. I agree that Ex Presidents must be given some privileges but not to this extend. This is too much for a poor country like Sri Lanka.

Ranagana Muthu Thursday, 25 June 2015 07:54 PM

Absurd and no nation can afford to use vast amount of national assets in this manner.

J Adams Thursday, 25 June 2015 07:32 PM

ගහන්න ගහන්න වදින එකාථ් බූරුවා, වදින්න වදින්න ගහන එකාථ් බුරූවා.

chandra Seneviratne Thursday, 25 June 2015 07:28 PM

What a colossal waste of public funds! It is high time to revisit these allocations to Ex-Presidents and their spouses.Why should general public foot the costs of these including fuel and overtime to security etc. at the time of retirement..This matter should be taken up by yahapalana govt. on the basis of border perspectives of inculcating thrifty and simplicity life style. . These vehicles and security personnel alone are enough crowd to go behind MR to temples and other places for political campaigns. After all poor masses have to bear the blunt end of all these jokes which may be seen only in to Sri Lanka. If he is a genuine patriot he should volunteer to confine himself to minimum instead of asking for more and more facilities .What a shameful he is!!

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MS residence for MR: PM

Comments - 31

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