President Justifies Rs 180 M Budget For Repairs His Residence

October 7, 2015

The Presidential media division issuing a communique today justified the spending of Rs. 180 million to carry out the repair work of the new President’s Residence.

Explaining matters, the PMD said the building had to be renovated by merging two old houses in order to lift it to the standards suitable for a President’s living.

Quoting the President’s Secretary, PMD said garages and residential quarters to house the presidential security personnel had to be fully renovated.

The construction, the communique said was carried out by the State owned Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB).

The PMD quoting President’s Secretary said that President Maithripala Sirisena has refused to use the President’s House in Fort as its maintenance cost exceeds Rs. 15 million per month.

Referring to the BMW vehicles and the BMW motorcycles, mentioned in media rports the PMD said they had been imported by the previous government in October 2014.

The PMD communique said the vehicles were taken for use as they could not be re-exported.

The government yesterday submitted a supplementary estimate seeking the approval of Parliament for an allocation of Rs. 180 million to renovate and refurbish the official residence of President Maithripala Sirisena.

The supplementary allocation of Rs. 180,688,000 was presented to Parliament by Chief Government Whip Media Minister Gayantha Karunatillake.               Read More