Govt. now contemplates official residences for ministers, deputy ministers

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Minister of Public Administration and Provincial Councils Chandana Abeyratne yesterday signalled a possible change in the government’s policy on providing official residences to ministers and senior state officials. He told Parliament that ministers or deputy ministers may be allocated official housing upon request, subject to an assessment of whether such requests are justified. 

Responding to an oral question raised by Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, the Minister revealed that Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and six deputy ministers are already occupying residences on a rental basis, with rent payments being deducted from their salaries. 

He further stated that 38 official residences remain vacant, and a special committee has recommended that these properties be put to commercial use. According to the Minister, one state residence has been allocated to the Bribery Commission, one to the police, and four to the Ministry of Justice for the establishment of special courts. MP Dassanayake, in his response, proposed that opposition MPs should also be eligible for official residences upon request. He added that no state-owned residence should be kept closed for more than two years, cautioning that prolonged vacancy would lead to deterioration. 

Meanwhile, MP Ravi Karunanayake suggested that the Speaker’s official residence should also be put to productive use, noting that it is currently going unused.