5 August 2021 11:04 am
Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa said today it was State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, who purchased him his air ticket to travel to Japan to witness the Olympic games.
He told parliament that only he and the State Minister of Sports travelled to Japan to witness the Olympic games and that the other two State Ministers went to Japan to engage in official duties pertaining to their respective Ministries.
Responding to a question raised by SJB MP Hesha Vithanage, Namal said State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe was running his own business in Japan for 25 years and added that no other businessman should buy him an air ticket. “ It was he who bought the ticket for me also,” he said.
Minister Rajapaksa said he was under the Olympic bubble during his stay in Japan and that he was only allowed to visit the Prime Minister’s Office, Sri Lankan Embassy in Japan and the office of the Sports Minister in Japan.
“We, the ministers who went there separately, could meet only at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Japan. So, we had our meetings in the Embassy,” he said.
Cabinet spokesman, Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella earlier said that a probe will be initiated on the alleged visit to Japan by State Ministers Thenuka Widanagamage, D.V.Chanaka and Roshan Ranasinghe, to witness the Olympic games. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)