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Gota-MR overseas visits wipe out Rs.40mn from state in 2021

30 November 2022 06:19 am - 35     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi

**Expenditure on then PM Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visits abroad much higher in comparison to that of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

**Over Rs. 36 million out of Rs.44 million spent by former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa for two visits abroad while former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa spent Rs. 7 million for three official visits overseas

**Presidential Secretariat rejected to release the information in January this year

Just five official foreign visits undertaken by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2021 alone had cost the state more than Rs. 40 million, according to details provided by the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office on a directive issued by the Right to Information Commission.

Details furnished by the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office under the RTI revealed that the two Rajapaksa brothers had spent a total sum of Rs.44, 739,184.91 for five official visits abroad last year.

The request to the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office on January 1, 2022, under the Right to Information Act for the relevant details, had initially been rejected.

However, the Commission of Right to Information of Sri Lanka considered the appeal in this regard and directed the offices to furnish the requested details to the journalist.

Although the offices have to furnish the details within 14 working days or 21 days under the RTI Act, they had taken more than ten months.

According to the details received, more than Rs. 36 million (Rs.36, 970,864.14) out of Rs.44 million had been spent by former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for two visits abroad while former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had spent Rs. 7 million for three official visits overseas.

The cost of the former Prime Minister’s official visits amounted to 83 per cent of the total expenditure.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had spent Rs.7,768, 320.77 for his visits to New York (US), Glasgow (UK) and the Kingdom of United Arab Emirates.

However, the purpose of these visits had not been explained by the Presidential Secretariat.

The visit to New York cost Rs. 5,461,221.71. The visit to Glasgow had costed Rs. 1,785, 210.42 and Rs. 521,888.68 had been spent for his visit to the UAE.

The former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had spent more than Rs.10 million (10,568,962.53) for his visit to Bangladesh on March 19, 2021, to attend the Bangladesh Independence Day Celebrations and the birth anniversary of Sheik Mukarjee Rahuman and more than Rs.26 million (Rs.26,401,901.61 ) for his visit to Italy to attend the G20 International Conference on September 10, 2021. Some of his family members too had attended the conference in Italy.

A media website had shared a picture of the former Prime Minister and his delegates enjoying a meal at a hotel in Italy and this had resulted in strong criticism against the government back then.

The details provided under the Right to Information Act revealed that the expenditure on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visits abroad had been much higher when compared to that of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and this was due to the large entourage who accompanied the former Prime Minister overseas which included his family members and personal friends.

This was clearly evident seen from the picture on the tamilguardian website showing Mahinda, his wife, his son, and his nephew, among those seen enjoying a meal in Italy along with the Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath, former Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colambage and former foreign minister G.L. Peiris.

According to the practice, when the Prime Minister is overseas, that Prime Minister’s Secretary has to be in office and this is the same for the foreign minister and the foreign secretary. However during the Italian trip Senarath had accompanied the Prime Minister while Colambage had also accompanied the foreign minister. No information was divulged as to why both the secretaries had been present in Italy.

It is a matter of serious concern that the leaders of the country used public funds for their foreign visits accompanied by their family members and friends in this manner at a crucial juncture when the country had been facing the COVID-19 pandemic and a serious economic crisis.

However, it is a clear indication that excessive expenditure on foreign visits of this nature had caused extensive damage to the country’s economy. 


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  Comments - 35

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  • Punchi Wednesday, 30 November 2022 06:52 AM

    I was reading the history of Lenin who refused to have sugar in his tea because the people were suffering. Conversely our self proclaimed leaders including our Monks live and travel opulently on tax payer funds that could be used to provide food for our malnourished children.

    Weerasekara Wednesday, 30 November 2022 07:54 AM

    That’s why current Mr. President is trying to catch all these people who got free education at airports, when going for legitimate foreign employments. So he can recover the costs. And people of this country will continue to immensely benefit from politicians foreign visits.

    Sambo Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:12 AM

    Together with their families they have wiped out the entire country which is now in beggary. Thanks to them

    Citizen Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:27 AM

    My dear Sri Lankans... This is just a tip of an ice berg.. Trillons of money is swindled by so called patriots.. What makes me sad is they still keep supporting them even after so much blunder

    Too much Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:28 AM

    Too much. All those who voted for these two must now understand as to why the country has gone into ECONOMIC CRISIS.

    Ba ba black sheep Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:35 AM

    This is just hounding and distraction Not bad for GR for really cutting costs!

    Andare Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:47 AM

    Although GL tries to show now that he is a Saint, under MR, seeing the world as Foreign Minister, he did not see anything wrong in MR's doings?

    Devan Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:48 AM

    They must also tell the public how much it cost the tax payer for President Ranil to attend the funeral of the 96 year old last empress of the British Criminal Empire

    Robin Banks Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:56 AM

    Bunch of wasteful criminals. I hope we have a government in two years with a spine to punish these crooks , with the other pohottuwa dirtbags, Ranil should also be in the crosshairs.

    sunil Wednesday, 30 November 2022 09:15 AM

    when the RTI commission releases infirmation how can the Presidents office rejet it. If infomation provided is inaccurate challenge it legally

    gamini Wednesday, 30 November 2022 09:16 AM

    Is the Thirupathi trip sponsored by ex LTTE coeverd in these expenses

    don Wednesday, 30 November 2022 09:17 AM

    Peoples President, travelling for the good of the people, using peoples money

    Nalin R Wednesday, 30 November 2022 09:25 AM

    Mr. President, WHY can't you get the money from the corrupted politicians including from your own party instead of increasing the tax to 36% (for each slab it's multiple of 6%). Don't you know that you are putting this unfair stress to the working group, not to the people who have done corruption or doing corruptions. You will eventually see more skilled people leaving this country but you will definitely have some cruel strategy already to stop it

    Hawkeye Wednesday, 30 November 2022 09:41 AM

    OK what did these visit bring to the country? ZEALCH! This family was the curse that this country inherited. They enjoyed and plundered the coffers of this nation as if it was their ancestral right. Now we all can see what the common man has gained or lost by this curse!!

    Jef Wednesday, 30 November 2022 09:48 AM

    It's too late now GR should have taken strict measures accordingly with all the experience he had majority spoiled everything for him due to poor procedures guidelines accountability honesty you can't Run country when you have far tooomany Scavengers that had massive experience in the ministry for somany years sadly he had to end up in a terrible way

    BuffaloaCitizen Wednesday, 30 November 2022 10:07 AM

    69% in this country do not want to hear this kind of facts. They like to keep drinking the Rajapakse urine even though it has become acid to the country.

    Bologna Wednesday, 30 November 2022 10:17 AM

    Excursions from ex Presidents should not be funded by the already weak finance situation. Let them pay self for it. It serves no purpose. In Italy MR visited mainly his bank where he and Rohita hiding some money. Sri Lankans which are in Italy are well aware of what is going on.

    Ljayalath Wednesday, 30 November 2022 10:26 AM

    Clear evidence of misusing public funds when they were in power, but some perpetrators are still in Parliament which is a shame, and the population is suffering due to this greedy Politian’s.

    TR Wednesday, 30 November 2022 10:54 AM

    IT MUST BE MADE COMPULSORY FOR THE STATE TO DISCLOSE THE AMOUNT SPENT BY POLITICIANS WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THEIR FOREIGN VISITS INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR RTI DISCLOSURE.

    TJ Wednesday, 30 November 2022 11:04 AM

    How much did Ranil spent on foreign trips, since he became the President?

    S.Dayan Wednesday, 30 November 2022 11:30 AM

    What would be a reasonable annual travel budget for a president and a priminister of a country like ours?

    Jacoob dealing in Pea Nuts Wednesday, 30 November 2022 12:00 PM

    What is the big deal . This is pea nuts ...

    Lam Wednesday, 30 November 2022 12:21 PM

    I think that MR has used this power to enjoy his life and he went to many countries during his two terms. .if we counted all it could go beyond millions of Sri Lankan rupees... politics is now become an exploitation rather than public service...this is what happens when dishonest people come to power ..I wonder why some monks still support them because of this material benefit

    Cheers Wednesday, 30 November 2022 02:10 PM

    They had to make the official visits as part of the government engagements with foreign countries. What about the expenditure of Yahapalanaya 2015-2019 happy go lucky tours and also jeopardise the national security

    Chase them away Wednesday, 30 November 2022 02:21 PM

    Let's elect them again, if you have no shame left.

    Buddhist Wednesday, 30 November 2022 03:59 PM

    Under the Right for Information Act, someone should find out the exact amounts with names of all previous Presidents' annual expenditures (including housing, transportation, security, travels, and other expenses) paid for by the taxpayers for the past 10 years. Why should taxpayers pay for the expenses of ex-Presidents when they are paid a pension? Will SJB, SLFP and JVP declare if they win the election they will cancel all such privileges to ex-Presidents?

    Cherath Wednesday, 30 November 2022 04:07 PM

    Cheers - No one knows why and how you could have the nerve to defend rats. Rats, because they have munched away money of a poor nation. Forget the Colomboites, think of the long suffering villagers from Kekirawa to Urumburai to Kumana, who toil each day for a pittance only to be used for selfish visits by these scum, who are just foreigners in our own land. MR's tour group exceeded 110 at times.

    Gayantha Hemachandra Wednesday, 30 November 2022 05:07 PM

    Old Myna and Gota Wassa are somewhat smart- looters like smart-phones because our people still don’t know they have been robbed and looted broad daylight by those two guys , their families and henchmen. That’s why many people still consider them their saviours and godfathers. What a land of fools and byeeyas!!

    Aquarius Wednesday, 30 November 2022 05:11 PM

    We, as a country, should be ashamed of these scoundrel family who brought the country to its knees. It is sickening to see these monkeys are worshipped by the rest of the monkeys in parliament as well as those blind supporters. Inexplicably, this mentality of worshipping the corrupt is mind boggling. It is truly part of our fashionable culture that we are reminded all the time. How do we expect to come of this miserable situation? The nation is paying for their sins.

    Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 30 November 2022 07:16 PM

    Even now , the ministers travel overseas with friends and relatives at the public expense. I know a case that one of our friends wife who is known to a current ministers wife, went to Korea and Singapore without spending any of her money. Auditor General is not doing enough to expose these wattages.

    Karalasingam Sivalingam Wednesday, 30 November 2022 08:01 PM

    Bring new legislations to restric funds for overseas and internal official travel for all Ministers, officials etc; and if possible, atleast recover 50% of the travel expenses of MR and Gota, this is explicitly abuse of power, has any of these travels bring any benefits to Sri Lankan nation or just gone down the drain? Have these people have a conscious to drain out tax payers money.

    Revi Wednesday, 30 November 2022 10:59 PM

    Da sitzen Studenten die eine berechtigte Demonstration angeführt haben seit Monaten im Gefängnis. Die Gerichte sind nicht in der Lage die Verfahren wegen geringfügigkeit einzustellen. Aber diese und viele mehr Typen laufen noch frei herum. Werden vom Parlament und Mönchen hoffiert. Es gibt einige Wörter die hier schon den babys gelernt wird, du must immer Lügen, nehme keine Rücksicht, stehle wenn du kannst. Habe immer schlechtes Benehmen. Sei arrogant so merkt man deine Dummheit nicht.das trifft auch auf diese zwei feinen Herren und ihrem gesamten Anhang zu. Früher sagte man dazu das ist der Pöbel von der Straße.

    Ben Thursday, 01 December 2022 01:53 AM

    MS former president promising simple life but flew some where every fortnight with his family members,while he was enjoying the trip he refused to travel back what ever happened to his family or country, Eg- refused to visit Wali Raju’s(his brother) funeral He continued stay in S’pure, while country was burning after Easter Sunday massacre and lied about it

    Sam Thursday, 01 December 2022 03:29 AM

    May we have all air travel expenditure incurred by former Prez and PM of Yahapalana govt as well ? Will be far more interesting, considering they were up in the air a great travelling during their tenure, competing with each other almost !

    ANNECUNT Monday, 05 December 2022 03:27 AM

    Sri-lankans should never vote for these people again. including mr namal rajapaksa OPEN YOUR EYES


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