• PMD says cost far less than estimated
• Defends spending on toilet facilities

The Presidential Secretariat claimed that a sum of approximately Rs. 11 million had been spent for the 75th Independence Day, despite Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Governments Neel Bandara Hapuhinna confirming to The Daily Morning on 1 February that the expenses for same was Rs. 196 million.

“The Government spent only Rs.11,130,011.29 on the 75th National Independence Day celebrations this year,” the President’s Media Division (PMD) noted in a press release, adding that the sum was significantly lesser than estimated.

The Daily Morning exclusively reported last week that the allocations made for the 75th Independence Day celebrations had been reduced by Rs. 4 million to Rs. 196 million from its earlier allocation of Rs. 200 million. 

On 10 January, The Daily Morning also exclusively reported that a sum of Rs. 200 million has been allocated for the celebrations. Hapuhinna confirmed to us at the time that the Treasury had made the necessary budgetary allocations for the ceremony, adding that the Ministry was attempting its best to cut down on the costs of organising the said event. 

The PMD further noted yesterday that the Government has spent significantly less on this year’s Independence Day celebration than in previous years.

Holding such a state ceremony when the country is recovering from a severe economic crisis clearly shows that Sri Lanka is preparing to rise again, the PMD added, noting that it also sends a message to the rest of the world that the country has the courage to stand up again, and that it is ready to reclaim the pride of Sri Lanka that was shattered by the crisis.

The PMD further refuted what it termed “false news” circulated on social media regarding the expenses of the state ceremony stressing that “the spread of misinformation is clearly another extension of the narrow political agenda that forced people to boycott the official state celebration of independence due to the economic crisis.”

Vehemently denying the reports circulated in social media that Rs. 5.8 million had been “freely spent” for this event from the money allocated for education sector by the Government, the PMD explained that allocating provisions for the official state ceremony of the National Independence Day celebration is also a common practice.

The PMD stated that the purpose of spreading such misinformation is to mislead the people and generate hatred towards the Government while creating unease to fulfil “petty political interests”.

Further, attempts have been made to convince the people that even providing mobile toilet facilities during the Independence Day ceremony was a mistake, the PMD’s statement continued.

“However, it should be emphasised that high-ranking foreign diplomats were invited to this celebration including the Japanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Takei Shunsuke, Bhutan’s Minister of Education and Skill Development Jai Bir Rai, Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr A.K. Abdul Momen, Pakistan’s Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, Foreign Minister of Nepal Dr. Bimala Rai Paudyal, and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

“Further, around 3200 dignitaries including ambassadors, high commissioners of foreign countries, as well as 6670 armed forces personnel and the police attended the ceremony. Also, these mobile toilet facilities were provided for the personnel engaged in the pre-training for the Independence celebration.”

The PMD went on to note that in such a background, as a measure to provide proper health and safety measures for an event where thousands of people gather, it cannot be determined as an unnecessary expense for the provision of adequate mobile toilet facilities.

Not paying adequate attention to such an essential aspect at an official state event where a large number of people gather is a disgrace to the country, the press release read further.

“Therefore, the President’s Office regretfully rejects the false propaganda that exploits a proud state event such as National Independence Day for narrow political purposes.”