Sat Nov 02 08:07:13 UTC 2024: ## Sri Lankan Government to Review Former Presidents’ Privileges Amid Security Concerns
**Colombo, Sri Lanka:** The Sri Lankan government has announced that a Cabinet sub-committee will review the privileges afforded to former presidents. This comes after concerns were raised by former presidents regarding potential cuts to their benefits, particularly security measures.
The move follows an election promise by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to end privileges for former presidents, which he deemed a burden on taxpayers. Recent media reports claiming a reduction in security for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a claim the Presidential Secretariat has denied, fueled the controversy.
The government has faced criticism from opposition parties, who argue that reducing Rajapaksa’s security puts him at risk from the LTTE, who fought a decades-long war against the Sri Lankan government.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe also expressed criticism of the government’s move, highlighting the privileges granted to former presidents under the 1986 Presidential Privileges Act.
The Cabinet sub-committee will now evaluate the privileges of all six living former presidents and their widows and make recommendations for future action. The decision is expected to have significant political repercussions, with both sides expressing strong opinions on the matter.
First Piper 