Tri-forces personnel assigned to provide security to former presidents will be withdrawn next week, with only police security to be maintained, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala announced today (17) during a parliamentary session.
The decision follows a reassessment of public spending amid ongoing economic challenges. Minister Wijepala explained that the police protection for former presidents will be provided based on biannual security assessments, conducted every six months.
This move is part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce public expenditure, particularly concerning the significant financial burden associated with providing security for former heads of state.
Minister Wijepala detailed the financial costs involved, which have been borne by the Tri-Forces, Sri Lanka Police, and the Presidential Secretariat. The breakdown of security expenditures for each former president so far this year is as follows:
- Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Tri-Forces: Rs. 328 million
- Police: Rs. 327 million
- Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 55 million
- Total: Rs. 710 million
- Maithripala Sirisena
- Tri-Forces: Rs. 6 million
- Police: Rs. 185 million
- Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 16 million
- Total: Rs. 207 million
- Gotabaya Rajapaksa
- Tri-Forces: Rs. 258 million
- Police: Rs. 39 million
- Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 10 million
- Total: Rs. 307 million
- Ranil Wickremesinghe (for 3 months)
- Tri-Forces: Rs. 19 million
- Police: Rs. 60 million
- Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 3 million
- Total: Rs. 82 million
- Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
- Police: Rs. 99 million
- Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 12 million
- Total: Rs. 112 million
- Hema Premadasa (Wife of late former President Ranasinghe Premadasa)
- Police: Rs. 30 million
- Presidential Secretariat: Rs. 3 million
- Total: Rs. 32 million
Minister Wijepala emphasized that the total expenditure on the security of retired presidents over the past eleven and a half months has amounted to Rs. 1,448 million, underscoring the strain on public finances.
“This is a very difficult situation,” he said, urging a reevaluation of how public funds are allocated, particularly with regard to the protection of retired heads of state.
