- Govt. to reduce same by Rs. 1.2 b via withdrawal of assigned military security, and adjusting same through biannual threat assessments
The Government has spent Rs. 1.4 billion this year on former Presidents – Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, and late President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s wife Hema Premadasa – with plans to reduce that expenditure by Rs. Rs. 1.2 billion through measures like withdrawing the military personnel assigned to them for security detail and adjusting the security detail based on timely evaluations, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
Speaking in the Parliament yesterday (17), Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala stated that 60 Police officers are currently assigned to Kumaratunga, 228 military personnel and 60 Police officers to Mahinda Rajapaksa, 60 Police officers and four military personnel to Sirisena, 188 military personnel and 22 Police officers to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 60 Police officers and 57 military personnel to Wickremesinghe, and 10 Police officers to Hema Premadasa.
He also revealed that the Government has spent Rs. 1,448 million on facilities for former Presidents from January to 15 December. This includes Rs. 710 million (Tri-forces: Rs. 328 million, Police: Rs. 327 million, Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 55 million) for Mahinda Rajapaksa, Rs. 207 million (Tri-forces: Rs. 6 million, Police: Rs. 185 million, Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 16 million) for Sirisena, Rs. 307 million (Tri-forces: Rs. 258 million, Police: Rs. 39 million, Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 10 million) for Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Rs. 82 million (Tri-forces: Rs. 19 million, Police: Rs. 60 million, Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 3 million) for Wickremesinghe during the three months since his retirement in September, Rs. 110 million (Police and the Presidential Secretariat, with the former spending the most out of the two) for Kumaratunga, and Rs. 32 million spent by the Police and the Presidential Secretariat for Hema Premadasa.
Speaking further, he said that the Government had decided to withdraw all tri-forces personnel assigned to former Presidents’ security starting from next week. Consequently, only the specified numbers of Police officers will remain in their security details. Wijepala added that security arrangements for former Presidents would be adjusted based on biannual threat assessments afterwards, with the Government aiming to save at least Rs. 1,200 million annually by doing so.
He also responded to certain criticism regarding recent changes made to former Presidents’ security details. “The Cabinet of Ministers appointed a committee to study these matters, and our Government does not make decisions based on superficial factors. Decisions are made scientifically after careful study. The relevant committee has made several recommendations, with a key one being that former Presidents should receive adequate security based on threat assessments. We don’t increase or decrease anyone's security as per our wishes; we only implement the experts’ recommendations. This is not a reduction in security. This is about assessing the situation, providing the necessary security, and removing unnecessary personnel. This is also not aimed at any particular former President, but a general approach.”
In October of this year, the Cabinet had approved a proposal to appoint a committee consisting of retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice K.T. Chitrasiri, retired Ministry Secretary D. Dissanayake, and retired District Secretary Jayantha C.T. Bulumulla to look into the privileges granted to Parliamentarians, Ministers, and ex-Presidents. They were tasked with submitting a detailed report within two months with suitable recommendations to limit the entitlements, allowances, and privileges in a rational manner, and their final report was handed over to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently.