Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara says that under the proposed bill to revoke certain entitlements of former presidents, several privileges, including official residences, will be abolished.
Speaking during today’s parliamentary debate on the Presidents’ Entitlements Repeal Bill, the Justice Minister explained that the bill would eliminate benefits such as the official residence, secretary allowances, and pensions granted to widows of former presidents.
However, he clarified that the personal pension entitled to a former president will remain unaffected under this legislation.
The Minister emphasized that this bill targets leaders who believe they can live off public tax money without accountability. He noted that the government is acting in line with its election promises and intends to repeal misused privileges.
He further explained that since the presidential pension is a constitutional entitlement, any future changes to it would require a constitutional amendment.
“In countries like Singapore, the UK, India, and the United States, retired presidents and prime ministers are granted certain privileges—not because of their titles, but because they continue to serve the public good even after retirement. But what do some of ours do? They try to build palaces for their children and cling to power even after their term ends. What contribution are they really making to the country?
Using taxpayer money for such purposes is not fair. Under these circumstances, we’ve made a decision. Our policy statement clearly says we don’t need to spend on such expenses. If a former president is facing genuine financial hardship, they can write to us. If they do, we’ll ensure fairness,” he said. (Newswire)
