Former Presidents misused foreign visits: Harini reveals details

27 February 2025 02:22 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 66 Bookmark

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By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera

Colombo, Feb 27 (Daily Mirror)- Former Presidents have misused foreign visits, where former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had spent Rs. 3,572 million of public funds for foreign visits for four years during 2010 and 2014, whereas President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had spent only Rs. 1.8 million for his three visits so far, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said today.

Speaking during the debate on the expenditure head of the President, the Prime Minister said the highest ever expenses for foreign visits were reported in 2013, amounting to Rs. 1,144 million during the tenure of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

She said former President Maithripala Sirisena has spent Rs. 384 million during 2015 to 2019, while former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has spent Rs. 126 million for two years.

The Premier said former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had spent Rs. 533 million for foreign visits during 2023 to 2024.

She said Wickremesinghe had made 33 foreign trips and that 154 persons had accompanied him during these visits.

"Wickremesinghe even took Opposition MPs on his visits. He visited the UK to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and took 10 individuals with him. A total of 18 persons had accompanied him during his visit to Japan to attend the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, while 12 persons had accompanied Ranil Wickremesinghe on his visit to the UK to attend the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. He had accompanied 23 persons during his official visit to India.

"Anura Kumara Dissanayake has accompanied only five persons on his visit to India," she said.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has spent only Rs. 1.8 million so far for his three visits," she added.

Comments - 66

Jayampathi Karunaratne Thursday, 27 February 2025 02:40 PM

Please request all these ex Presidents to give a detailed quantification of the monetary benefits brought by this tours and justification of each person who travelled abroad. If the responses are weak and no significant benefits to country, please file court case and prosecute them for wasteful public expenses and jail them.

6 52

Ram P Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:46 PM

It will be prudent to request them to disclose the names of the people who went with them. If they fail to disclose within a given time frame Government must disclose the names

4 39

Pusa Friday, 28 February 2025 04:15 AM

We elected you folks to stop such wastes. Now just shut up and do your job instead of trying to score points

0 0

Lol Thursday, 27 February 2025 02:41 PM

Better not talk too early, lady! We are waiting to see how your government will do it!

74 53

Suhada malli Thursday, 27 February 2025 09:23 PM

RWw averages about Rs16m a visit if you divide 533m over 33 visits. As a nation we should not forget that the bankrupt country had to shuttle to many countries to get an IMF package and many other matters like debt repayment reschedulement etc. Ranil makes use of the trips to develop business via private sector. NPP needs to learn the ropes. if not we will play to the illiterate gallery.

12 17

Mark Anandappa Thursday, 27 February 2025 02:47 PM

Same old story - people voted for you guys for a change not to keep saying about what happend in the past.

47 61

Jana Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:36 PM

A local election seems to be nearing...so galary choon continues to win the votes

20 37

Dilakshan Seneviratne Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:58 PM

Aiyo, they are my favourites, don’t talk about the past, I also get offended.

6 5

wickrama Wijayasiri Thursday, 27 February 2025 06:48 PM

They also promised to expose the wastage and pilfering which had been going on. Unless you have been in one of those visits, you should not be excited. Thank you Madam PM, tell us more............

12 4

Lk Thursday, 27 February 2025 02:52 PM

What a difference between all those greedy former presidents and now ? Let’s us have a corruption free SL; people should know all

7 56

Devaka Attygalle Thursday, 27 February 2025 02:59 PM

IS THIS ALL WHAT THIS GOVT IS CAPABLE OF?

46 48

Dilakshan Seneviratne Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:05 PM

Their definitely not capable of looting.

7 10

Dr Tissa Fernando Thursday, 27 February 2025 11:15 PM

Dilkushani, they are the biggest liers and very soon they will become the biggest thieves in disguise so far they have the record as being the single party that caused over USD 200 billions economic damages.

0 0

Ceylonese Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:05 PM

Hon Prime Minister, there's a huge difference between when a man has girlfriend, and a man has a boyfriend.

20 32

BuffaloaCitizen Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:11 PM

The difference is AKD comes from a simple honest background and does not possess boru show qualities. All those other you mentioned are, one is Colombo 7 hifi fellow so he will want those same facilities no matter if the people of his country are poor, the second third and fourth fellows are all uneducated village yakkos who have taken to politics to get rich by hook or crook, therefore obviously they are notorious.

13 53

Tim Thursday, 27 February 2025 06:02 PM

What? No Bor Show. Boru is his life. He has earned the Honourable name "Mr. Pachoris Nallama" for all the borus he kept saying and keep saying.

5 17

Anthony Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:14 PM

Very good, but if someone is invited, we should not spend anything since everything should be provided by the Country who has invited.

8 18

Insider Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:41 PM

Not for the retinue of boy friends and girlfriends and catchers.

0 4

Ashu R Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:19 PM

NPP has to thank past presidents for those expenditure, as this was one of their main points to attract the voters. AKD will not do it as many would not like travelling with him and people also would not like his travelling abroad because the contadictory things he would express.

29 17

Supiri Thursday, 27 February 2025 08:50 PM

Ashu R, you write a a lot of tosh. Don’t waste valuable print space.

3 8

DHA Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:22 PM

I'm really sick of this nonsense that's taking place in Parliament always wasting time...pls discuss issues pertaining to solving the cost of living noting can be achieved by discussing the past

32 37

RW Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:25 PM

Can you give an analysis giving the work done per visit? So far what have you practically done?

10 18

Tina Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:30 PM

Was 1.8M full package? Was it by boat?

29 21

Dilakshan Seneviratne Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:28 PM

Probably not as good a package that some got from the people they defend.

4 2

Yohan Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:58 PM

Visited China, India and Dubai with 1.8m is the biggest lie ever. Probably by boat mate.

5 5

Dr Tissa Fernando Thursday, 27 February 2025 08:58 PM

That is the amount paid to 3 wheelers to bring supporters to greet AKD at the Air Port.

8 7

mina Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:57 PM

If we have not selected the present president country would have been bled to death by the Parasites who have become presidents of our country.

4 3

Too early Thursday, 27 February 2025 03:57 PM

What a silly comparison? At least wait till your president finishes his term to make sure that he will not spend as the former presidents.

4 7

Patcitz Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:03 PM

Ranil Wickremasinghe had no power to spend taxpayers' money as he had been serving as National List MP and not a president elected by the people. Ranil Wickremesinghe ROBBED the Central Bank Bond, using Arjun Mahendran as his puppet.

4 6

Doctor at NHS Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:11 PM

This woman is clever only in blaming somebody, not at any important thing. Money has given her the degree, not the brain

4 8

Priyantha Bopitiya Friday, 28 February 2025 08:27 AM

You must be a frustrated or jealous doctor. Prime Minister Harini has obtained all her education based on scholarships entirely on merit. The universities she attended are all highly competitive and will not entertain students based on donations and payments. Prime Minister Harini is very intelligent as can be seen in her off the cuff speeches.

0 0

Sam Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:16 PM

Everyone knows what has happened in the past, please look forward only, what are we doing in the future and what permenant changes can we make for the better. Making others look worse to try and make you look better isn't helping the country. If you were to add onto the end of your rant that new legistation was put in place to limit Presidents annual travel expeniture to 10M increasing by inflation each year then worthwhile. If not it isn't.

1 7

james Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:27 PM

Yes but they ended a 30 year war with the help of those visits. What have AKD has received from this foreign trips that have materialized?

3 6

Dr Tissa Fernando Friday, 28 February 2025 04:16 AM

AKD only came back with a bunch of lies. He is claiming credit for projects initiated by the previous government which he and his party opposed at that time. There will be lies after lies. 1.8 million for 4 trips? What a big lie is this?

0 1

Tanya Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:35 PM

Thank you Madam PM for letting us know how the former presidents have spent the poor citizens money on travels.The public needs to know the level of corruption and we all know that it is only the NPP that will be transparent.We gave you a massive majority because of your transparent intentions and good governance for which you are laying the foundation.

6 6

Vadivelu Yogaratnam Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:36 PM

Of course people should know about the corrupt previous regimes so in future they will know whom to vote this all sole duty of the current parliament, make people aware the most corrupted rulers of Lanka since independence great Rajapaka family.

1 6

DPerera Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:37 PM

What a bunch of lies from PM. How can AKD and and his team (even if it is a small group) could travel to China and India with only Rs 1.8m? Even the Economy Class air tickets would cost more. This is good story to entertain the gallery.

3 10

Fernando Friday, 28 February 2025 10:35 AM

Tickets had been given by Jayashantha Aiya.

0 1

Indika Thursday, 27 February 2025 04:50 PM

What Hairni fails to recognise and/or acknowledge is that there many official meetings happened on the sidelines on RW's visit to UK and Japan. These discssions held on the sidelines had very fruitful outcomes for a country looking for international support and assistance, both in the shorter and longer term, in the aftermath of the economic crisis. They should be thankful for where RW took the country a after near catostraphy in such a short time, and his international networking bore dividends, even in the fast tracking the the multilateral debt renegotiations. So it is about time Harini walked away from taking 'cheap shots' and acted in a moe statesperson like manner.

6 11

Rathnavali Thursday, 27 February 2025 09:57 PM

Madam Harini is hell bent in attacking the former President RW. She should thank him for bringing the country out of the financial crisis which has paved the way for the JVP to take over the hot seat. AKD is no match to RW in cultivating foreign relations with the international community. RW is well read, shrewd and can converse with heads of state in a manner that gives credit to our country. Sadly all this is missing now. RW's foreign trips brought us international recognition and saved our country from a crisis, whereas AKD is yet to make a similar impact.

7 9

Nihal S Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:02 PM

We knew it though not aware of specific numbers. They were wasting public money. Now NPP is in power, can you implement a system to prevent this happening in future. For an example, clearly define who are eligible to go on official foreign missions, Flight seat class, how to cover daily expenses on trips etc. as well as who can authorise those expenses (it must be a Government official). Pls fix the system for future.

0 7

Soori Maripalan Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:11 PM

Why always talking and informing people! If they are illegal take action! We've heard of such stories for 75 years! Wre are your action?

3 6

Dr Tissa Fernando Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:12 PM

This is another blatant daylight lie by NPP to say that AKD has spent only Rs 1.8 million for 3 visits. That is a big lie by all means. He travelled with a big delegation and the air travel costs alone would exceed Rs 1.8 million for a single trip. A single return ticket to Dubai alone costs Rs 300,000. So for 5 persons , if they travelled Economy class, would have cost Rs 1.5 million. But did they eat from Soup kitchens? Or stayed at friends houses? Stop making big lies after lies .

3 13

Labby Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:13 PM

Isn't there anything more important for the Prime Minister to be talking about in parliament? Or is it she doesn't know what to talk?

2 6

Priyanee Wijesekera Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:15 PM

The PM and NPP can only point out the crimes if the past regimes.They maintain a deafening silence on the manslaughter, arson, bank robberies and the damage caused to the country by the JVP and LTTE

3 4

Dilakshan Seneviratne Friday, 28 February 2025 04:52 AM

She didn’t talk about Batalanda though? Like to hear about that too ?

0 0

Holier Than Thou Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:35 PM

We know. That's why you'll were voted in. Focusing on your predecessor's sins does nothing except deflect from the real issues affecting the public. Now, let's see what you've got.

2 4

RanjhithT Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:42 PM

Yes. Comrade PM. It is how things happened. People were aware and threw them into the dust bin. Now stop this bashing the past sins and start working. NPP gullible voters did not elect you novices to talk about the past. They thought you are capable and will do the right thing. So far nothing except endorsing RWs macroeconomic strategy and benefiting from it. Comrade get down to work rather than wasting time in the parliament. As you all did not want to remind the monkey story stop bashing the past. Stop playing for your gallery comrades.

2 9

mk Thursday, 27 February 2025 05:55 PM

Why is this NPP still talking about past presidents. We elected to do what you promised. So far you have not done anything properly. Go and read your election manifesto again and start implementing it!

2 4

Dilakshan Seneviratne Friday, 28 February 2025 04:49 AM

As a deterrent to abusers of power and looters and their cronies and sympathisers.

0 0

Dilakshan Seneviratne Thursday, 27 February 2025 06:04 PM

The people of this country are very well entitled to know the wastage by abuse of power in the past. More to come I feel. Shame, it’s the ordinary tax payers who have paid for all this rampant abuse.

7 5

Dr Tissa Fernando Thursday, 27 February 2025 10:01 PM

That is nothing but campaign lies of NPP. To say AKD only spent Rs 1.8 million for 3 visits is a big lie. Any one whose brain is not washed by NPP can figure it out. Dilkushani will believe even if PM said that AKD only spent Rs 1000 for three visits.

3 7

Dilakshan Seneviratne Friday, 28 February 2025 04:44 AM

Groan and moan for the next 10 years. Enjoy!

0 0

Lakshman maddumahewa Thursday, 27 February 2025 06:32 PM

Dear PM ,please also given details your party henchmen went on rampage during 87/89 darkest time since independence without enjoying gallery of your supporters. MR ,RW visits given much benefits to country .without them ,divided country,bankruptcy. AKD visits no benefits to us like Adani s one billion US$ withdrawal.

4 6

Rama Nanayakkara Thursday, 27 February 2025 06:51 PM

You are an educated person. Don’t feel ashamed for wasting your time

2 4

Dr. Dee esquire Thursday, 27 February 2025 07:16 PM

1.8 mil? By boat? And stayed at a bus stop! A 3 night Bangkok package on bare basics cost 350k plus per person.

1 7

Dr Tissa Fernando Thursday, 27 February 2025 10:27 PM

Because many believed their lies, they continue to dump lies after lies.

0 1

Dilakshan Seneviratne Friday, 28 February 2025 04:46 AM

Jump up and down for the next 10 years. You’ll improve your health.

0 0

R Navaratnam Thursday, 27 February 2025 08:07 PM

Former Presidents: If the contents are incorrect file cases against the PM. If true, justify the expenditures for which Speaker must act.

0 3

Roberta Flack Thursday, 27 February 2025 08:48 PM

The former clueless speaker and Rajapakse henchman must have been pumping aviation gas in his cars. Joker, fraudster, trickster all rolled in one.

2 4

Raven Thursday, 27 February 2025 09:18 PM

Typical of NPP/JVP. If there are irregularities only, bring them to light. What is needed is to look at the bigger picture surrounding the expenses. If Ranil didn't step out of the country we'll still be fighting at queues. But of course, Sri Lankans have a short memory.

4 9

ROHINI Friday, 28 February 2025 12:02 AM

Past, conditions the Present. The Past is gone, Future is yet to come. Let us live in the present and the, past haunt the "CLAN" as NEMESIS will surely take care of them, As you sow ,you reap either in this world or the next. Let us hope it happens sooner than later,

0 0

Sambo Friday, 28 February 2025 07:35 AM

These morons have brought this country to beggary but still talks big of nothing they achieved but have a good time on the expense of the poor peoples taxes. At least we now have a government who is careful and spreads light of the morons expences. They say when you put a beggar on horse back he rides to hell and that is what these godayas have done.

0 0

Prof Soyza Friday, 28 February 2025 09:13 AM

To be fair, in 2013, we had commonwealth summit in Colombo. Prior to that, there were so many overseas visits.

0 0

citizen Friday, 28 February 2025 10:11 AM

NPP, move beyond excuses and deliver your promises/results. You will keep blaming past events, including of King Vijaya to divert attention from the pressing issues that people are facing today. Addressing petty issues like this shows your level of vision - below par a high school child.

0 1

Jude Friday, 28 February 2025 10:28 AM

Am sick and tired of hearing government members claiming previous presidents and former Ministers misused funds and so much corruption took place. For God sake if you have The proof and the numbers, why don't you prosecute them. Oh wait a minute, this government Good at giving corruption numbers but incapable of prosecuting anyone. Sad state of affairs.

0 1

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