President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the government has decided to release all Presidential Houses except those in Colombo and Kandy, and all ministerial bungalows, for suitable purposes.
Speaking during the ‘Satana’ programme on Sirasa TV yesterday (Jan. 21), he also elaborated on the expense incurred by the state to provide luxurious residences for former Presidents.
He also stated that this was not a personal vendetta but to change the political culture that the mandate had called for.
President Dissanayake also expressed gratitude towards former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for not accepting a government house, while noting that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former first lady Hema Premadasa had also handed over their official residences some time ago.
However, the former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga have yet to hand in their houses and these houses were evaluated, the President said.
According to state evaluation, the rent of the residences resided by Mr. Rajapaksa, Ms. Kumaratunga and Mr. Sirisena is Rs. 4.6 million, Rs. 02 million and Rs. 0.9 million respectively, he pointed out, adding that according to the provisions of the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, former Presidents are entitled to either a ‘suitable house’ or to a sum equal to one-third of their pension.
