INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

The tri-forces personnel designated to provide security to previous presidents will be withdrawn from next week and only authorities

security will continue to be offered, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said.Speaking throughout todays (17) parliamentary

session, the Minister highlighted that the cops defense will be offered to each previous President in accordance with the results of the

security evaluation conducted every 06 months.Accordingly, the security for previous presidents would now be based upon biannual security

evaluations

This decision comes as part of the governments efforts to reassess and lower public spending, especially in the face of ongoing financial

obstacles, according to Minister Wijepala.Commenting additional relating to the matter, Minister Wijepala highlighted the substantial

monetary concern that the government has actually carried in the type of security costs for former presidents.He detailed the monetary

expense on security for each former president up until now during this year, which includes contributions from the Tri-Forces, Sri Lanka

Police, and the Presidential Secretariat:1

Mahinda RajapaksaTri-Forces: Rs

328 millionPolice: Rs

327 millionPresidential Secretariat: Rs

55 millionTotal: Rs

710 million2

Maithripala SirisenaTri-Forces: Rs

6 millionPolice: Rs

185 millionPresidential Secretariat: Rs

16 millionTotal: Rs

207 million3

Gotabaya RajapaksaTri-Forces: Rs

258 millionPolice: Rs

39 millionPresidential Secretariat: Rs

10 millionTotal: Rs

307 million4

Ranil Wickremesinghe (for 3 months)Tri-Forces: Rs

19 millionPolice: Rs

60 millionPresidential Secretariat: Rs

3 millionTotal: Rs

82 million5

Chandrika Bandaranaike KumaratungaPolice: Rs

99 millionPresidential Secretariat: Rs

12 millionTotal: Rs

112 million6

Hema Premadasa (Wife of late previous President Ranasinghe Premadasa)Police: Rs

30 millionPresidential Secretariat: Rs

3 millionTotal: Rs

32 millionThe overall quantity invested in the security of these retired presidents is Rs

1,448 million within the past eleven and a half months, Minister Wijepala stated, stressing the problem this places on public finances.This

is a really difficult situation, he included, calling for a reconsideration of how public funds are assigned, particularly for the

protection of retired heads of state.

[Sri Lanka] - Tri-forces security for ex-Presidents to be withdrawn from next week