The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, thank you for the time. I intended to respond to Hon. Mujibur Rahman but will use my time for a matter of greater public importance.

¶ 02 We are doing what successive Governments and Presidents have not done: relieving the public of the burden of maintaining retired Presidents and their households. I will table valuations to illustrate the economic relief provided.

¶ 03 Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s allocated residence at Stanmore Crescent, Colombo 7: land of 1 acre 4 perches; current market value per the Government Valuer is Rs. 2,542 million for the land, and Rs. 56.5 million for the house — total Rs. 2,598.5 million. The market monthly rent is Rs. 1,275,000. He has vacated this residence.

¶ 04 Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s allocated residence at Paget Road, Colombo 5: land 1 acre 28.7 perches; land value Rs. 3,019.2 million; house Rs. 113 million; total Rs. 3,132.2 million; market monthly rent Rs. 2.9 million. He has vacated it.

¶ 05 Former First Lady Hema Premadasa’s residence at Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Colombo 7: land 1 rood 10.9 perches; land value Rs. 890.8 million; house Rs. 42.88 million; total Rs. 933.6 million; market monthly rent Rs. 1.1 million. She vacated it in 2023.

¶ 06 Former President Maithripala Sirisena’s residence at Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha: land 1 rood 15.18 perches; land value Rs. 964.38 million; house Rs. 41.2 million; total Rs. 1,005.5 million; market monthly rent Rs. 900,000. He continues to reside there.

¶ 07 Now, the Opposition has rallied to “save” the residence of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7. That property: land 1 acre 13.8 perches (approx. 1 acre); land value Rs. 3,128.4 million; the house is 30,534 square feet; house value Rs. 229 million; total Rs. 3,357.4 million. The assessed market monthly rent is Rs. 4.6 million for a 30,534 sq ft single-residence property where two people live. Various Opposition Members are campaigning to “save” this house.

¶ 08 Maintenance expenses borne by the State in recent years: - For Hema Premadasa’s residence, 2020–2021: Rs. 837,265. - For Maithripala Sirisena’s residence over several years: Rs. 11,933,980. - For Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Rs. 16,824. - For Mahinda Rajapaksa’s official residence at Wijerama: - 2020: Rs. 3,382,892 (maintenance/repairs). - 2022: Rs. 395,000. - 2023: Rs. 18.3368 million for repairs; Rs. 15.098 million for an escalator; Rs. 4,885,843 for a generator — totaling roughly Rs. 38.3 million in 2023 alone. - 2024: an additional Rs. 946,000 to complete remaining works.

¶ 09 These are not expenses from 2005–2015 while in office, but post-2015 as a retired President. The property footprint has been significantly expanded since, reportedly incorporating adjacent spaces previously used by the military.

¶ 10 Should the public bear this burden? One former President’s details are pending — Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s residence is yet to be valued; she has informed that she was abroad and would facilitate valuation upon return. Those figures will also be presented.

¶ 11 We ask: how can anyone justify imposing on struggling families the monthly equivalent of Rs. 4.6 million in rent, plus tens of millions in annual maintenance, for a massive residence for two people? Children of ordinary parents cannot afford shoes, books, or medicines, yet they must fund this? Even the adult children of former presidents could care for their parents as is customary in our society. This is not fair.

¶ 12 Our current President has declared he will not accept an official residence or security after leaving office. That is the political culture we must build.

¶ 13 Past Governments never disclosed these figures. Those who once governed are now in Opposition; they could have had these valuations done but did not, as they were allies. We will change this political culture. If there is any sense of fairness, relinquish these residences. Some have already done so. We call upon all former Presidents — including Maithripala Sirisena, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and Mahinda Rajapaksa — to relieve the public of this burden.

¶ 14 As for the port congestion and lab capacity: if previous administrations had expanded terminals, yards, testing labs, and staffing, today’s clearance bottlenecks would be fewer. We have been in office for only about 60 days since forming the Cabinet. Problems created over years cannot be fixed overnight. On rice, initial data suggested a 70,000 MT shortfall; now about 175,000 MT has been imported.