An official document, PS/RTI/01/2023/205, obtained from the Presidential Secretariat, by Ceylon Today, reveals that former Presidents, namely #GotabayaRajapaksa, #MaithripalaSirisena, #MahindaRajapaksa, #ChandrikaBandaranaikeKumaratunga and #HemaPremadasa, the widow of Ranasinghe Premadasa, receive secretary allowances, fuel allowances and retirement benefits totalling a staggering Rs #3,715,350 monthly. According to the information, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa receives a monthly secretary allowance of Rs100,000, a fuel allowance of Rs 679,950, along with a retirement benefit of Rs 97,500. Similarly, former President #MahindaRajapaksa is entitled to a secretary allowance of Rs 50,000, a fuel allowance of Rs 679,950 and a retirement allowance of Rs 97,500. Sirisena receives secretary allowance of Rs 100,000, fuel allowance of Rs 679, 950 and the retirement benefits of Rs 97,500. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, receives a secretary allowance of Rs 100,000, a fuel allowance of Rs 500,000, and a retirement benefit of Rs 97,500. In a related context, Hema Premadasa, the widow of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, currently receives governmental allowances. She is granted a secretary allowance of Rs 25,000, a fuel allowance of Rs 100,000, and a retirement allowance of Rs 65,000. The disclosure also highlights specific anomalies in the allowances distributed. It notes that during October 2023, Bandaranaike received a substantial fuel allowance of Rs 500,000, while Premadasa was allocated Rs 250,000, raising questions about the allocation discrepancies. According to the RTI application, dated 11 October 2023, based on the Article 36 (1) of the Constitution, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena both who served as presidents of the country, are entitled for the retirement payment only for their tenure as presidents and are being excluded from receiving a prime ministerial retirement payment as well as their Member of Parliament salaries. According to the Presidents’ Entitlement Act No. 4 of 1986, every former President and the widow/widower of a former President are entitled to a pension, fuel allowance and secretarial allowance during his or her lifetime. Moreover, they are provided with a suitable house to live in during their lifetime without any rent. #xpresidents #salaries #SriLanka
