COLOMBO: As part of a new austerity campaign, Sri Lanka’s left-leaning administration on Tuesday demanded previous presidents, including the once-dominant Rajapaksa brothers, to immediately leave their opulent official mansions.
In Colombo, Information Minister Nalinda Jayatissa informed reporters that the government had made the decision to turn the majestic residences into museums or exclusive boutique hotels.
Instead of giving government housing, he added, the state would pay past leaders $107 a month in rent, as they are entitled to under a 1986 legislation.
According to Jayatissa, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was renting a government home for $16,500 (4.6 million rupees) a month, more than 150 times his official allowance.
Jayatissa declared, “The government will not provide housing for former presidents or their widows in the future.”
“They will only get a rent allowance of 30,000 rupees, which is equal to one-third of their pension.” Mahinda Rajapaksa did not immediately respond, but according to a local media report, he would be willing to go if given formal notice.
The previous leader could take Tuesday’s public declaration as notice to leave the property right away, according to Jayatissa. According to media sources, Rajapaksa renovated the home he currently resides in as a former president in 2021 while serving as prime minister, spending about 800 million rupees of public funds.
A state palace is also occupied by his younger brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was forced to resign as president in July 2022 due to accusations of corruption and economic mismanagement.
Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Kumaratunga, two other past presidents, dwell in government apartments in the upscale diplomatic district of Colombo.