By: Isuru Parakrama
October 20, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has publicly revealed his decision to deny a request from former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for an extensive array of privileges.
These included an unusually large number of staff and resources, such as 16 chefs, 163 security personnel, 30 umbrellas, and more than 20 vehicles.
Addressing a public gathering, President Dissanayake made it clear that future entitlements for former Presidents would be strictly regulated, starting with Wickremesinghe’s allowance being reduced to just three vehicles, in accordance with current government policies.
Dissanayake further announced plans to introduce new legislation aimed at curbing excessive privileges for former Presidents, ensuring that public funds are used more responsibly.
He emphasised that the government should not be burdened with providing lavish benefits to those who have left office, especially during times of economic difficulty.
In addition to scaling back vehicle entitlements, the President also ordered the retrieval of two ambulances that had been stationed at the residences of both Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
These ambulances should be part of the national healthcare infrastructure, not treated as personal property by former leaders, according to Dissanayake.
However, the standard privileges entitled to former presidents under the Constitution will remain unchanged.
